Rachel Shackleton's blog

How would you answer if I asked your question “What do you think are the top 5 herbs used in a home kitchen?” Many herbs would immediately spring to mind – oregano, parsley, ginger, rosemary, turmeric, thyme, basil, marjoram, cardamon, garlic and chilli. Perhaps not chilli, but as soon as you start to think about spices associated with a good curry, chilli would probably be the first spice you would think of.

Ever heard of microwave syndrome? It is nothing to do with cooking or reheating food, but rather a health syndrome that is connected to microwaves. This boils down to electromagnetic sensitivity. Microwave syndrome is characterised by a number of non-specific multiple organ symptoms typically including the central nervous system when in contact with electromagnetic frequencies.

The efficiency and the effectiveness of our system of digestion in the gut is dependent on the gut microbiome. This term “gut microbiome” refers to the microorganisms that live within the digestive tract. In fact, this is not the only place that has a microbiome in the body as we also have microbiota in the oral and vaginal mucosa, the respiratory tract, urinary tract, uterus as well as in our skin. Due to the gut-brain access, the link between the health of the gut and therefore the health of the brain, there is potential for microbiota in the brain as well.

Kindness or to be kind is a part of human nature. Sometimes I wonder when I hear of a person in my local town using a board requesting donations for a particular cause who then on opening your purse or wallet to give a donation, grabs it from you and runs away. Certainly, one side of that is being kind, the other side preying on the goodness and kindness of humanity for their own gain.

We are in that season of active creepy crawlies, biting things and things that sting. All part of the great British summer, as well as in other countries in the Western hemisphere that we are visiting to enjoy the sun and sea or to simply experience something different.