Rachel Shackleton's blog

GIVE YOURSELF AND YOUR MARRIAGE THE GREATEST GIFT

Marriage is not just for one special day, your wedding day. It is for a lifetime. As Dr Joe Dispenza said, “In a marriage work on yourself instead of turning the relationship into work.” Why is it that so much planning and preparation go into one special day, with limited thought and preparation for making the rest of your lives together literally the happiest time of your life?

Time to Spice up Your Christmas

Cinnamon* (Cinnamomum zeylanicum, cassia and several other species) is a well recognised spice, and one of the oldest spices.  Cinnamon is one of the seasonings in “Five Spice Powder”, together with anise, star anise, cloves and fennel seeds.  In the colder months, especially at Christmas, cinnamon is one of the many go-to herbs for bringing about that warm “Christmassy feeling”. Used in seasonal cooking, it is liberally added to mulled wine, Christmas cakes, mincemeat in mince pies and many other seasonal delicacies.

Interoception – How we interpret and understand our body’s sensations

“Interoception” is not a new concept, it was already receiving attention over 10 years ago. However, with rising numbers of people suffering from mental health illnesses, often emotion and mood related is triggered by external factors that lead to internalising negative thoughts and feelings frequently to a point of “no control.”  Consequently, “interoception” as a concept takes the stage more noticeably.

Pumpkins - More Than a Lantern

Pumpkin belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, genus Cucurbita and is grown primarily as a vegetable or ornamental plant. It is extensively grown throughout tropical and subtropical countries, with the most common types worldwide being Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata, and Cucurbita pepo. The name pumpkin comes from a Greek word ‘pepon’, meaning a large melon. Pumpkins come in different shapes & colour, usually orange but can be yellow, white, green or red.