Rachel Shackleton's blog

Artificial sweeteners as the name suggests, are sweet to the taste, but do not contain any calories, therefore being marketed as a replacement for sugar.  Artificial sweeteners are not limited only to consumption in your cup of tea or coffee, they are widely used in diet fruit and fizzy drinks, confectionary, processed foods, including baked goods, canned foods and jams, as well as in some dairy products.  

It is funny how things stick in your memory?  I was sitting in one of the many lectures at college and this time it was about cardio vascular disease and how herbs can positively affect symptoms and disease processes within the heart, the venous and arterial systems, such as arteriosclerosis, high cholesterol and high or low blood pressure.  The main herb that stood out from all those discussed was Crategeus monogyna or Crataegus oxyacantha.  In other words Hawthorn.  The lecturer introduced Hawthorn as the “Arteries of Great Britain” and its true when you look from an airplane window, or s

This time of year is always so special.  Everything starts to buzz with life and oscillate between bright, fresh, intense sun, extreme wind and rain.  All elements playing their role in generating new bright green growth, vibrant flowers and energy in everything and everyone!  Energy for “Spring Cleaning!”.

It is easy to get on a soap-box and start to spout about eating habits and following a healthy food regime,  to be self-righteous and ignore the challenges of day to day life that affect us all.  What are those challenges?

This year the immune system of many people seems to be under terrible attack, irrelevant of age.  Viruses are sweeping through schools, public transport and any other public place, grabbing victims on the way and forcing you take to your bed for at least four days (that’s if you were lucky!) with fever, general weakness, coughing and in some cases even vomiting.