We want to hear your thoughts on this issue

We want to hear your thoughts on this issue,your life and anything else you love or hate! Getin touch by letter, email, Facebook or Twitter

Cupcake queen
I want to thank you forthe vanilla cupcake andbuttercream recipe fromyour May issue. I used therecipe to make cupcakesfor my brother’s wedding and they were ahuge hit! Not to mention they were so easyto make. Thank you for your great recipesand for making the wedding so special.Bronwyn Jones, via email

Top tip
I found your recent tip on eating celeryto relieve backache very interesting.I am certainly going to give it a try– hopefully it will help my arthritis.Irill Humphrey van Niekerk,via Facebook

Super stepmom
I felt compelled to writein after reading ‘Whatif you don’t love hiskids?’ in your Augustissue. My husbandand I are second-timemarried and between us havefive children aged between 18 and 23.Three of the children are not biologicallymine, yet I feel like their mom. I live withthem full time and care for them like a mom,doing all the washing and cleaning, as wellas dealing with school reports, exam resultsand love-life dilemmas! All five children areso close it’s as if they’re natural siblings. Themost wonderful moment was last year whenI was given five cards on Mother’s Day!Debbie Gostling, via email

Keep the doctor away

I particularly lovedthe article ‘Your winterhealth dilemmas...solved!’ in the Juneissue of Essentials.Not only was it auseful read, but it also actually explainedsome important health issues to both mymom and me, so thank you very much!Alison Braganza, via Facebook

Puzzle perfect
I was so delighted tosee that Essentialsnow includes Sudokupuzzles. I saw a hintof it on the cover andcouldn’t wait to openmy mag up and see.Your magazine has always been myfavourite and now it has the added bonusof a Sudoku puzzle. As you might detect,I am a serious Sudoku fan. Keep it up!Sue Hunter, via email


Who knew?

I loved the ‘20 tricksto drop a dress size’article in your Augustissue – I’m so pleasedmy chewing gum habithelps in a small way,and who knew that Greek yoghurt hadmore protein than a poached egg?It’s much easier to eat some yoghurtthan to prepare poached eggs!Sarah Friedrich, via email