Health Notes, January 3rd 2010, by Sarah Stacey

To comfort you through January 

I hope you’ve had a most wonderful time in December.  If you’re anything like me, however, January isn’t entirely enticing.  It always seems such a long dark cold month. What we need, I thought, is ideas for comfort and nurture.  So I asked an old friend Sue Harmsworth, the CEO and founder of super-cherishing skincare brand ESPA (www.espaonline.com), for her personal tips, which you’ll find below.   

‘January is a great time to reconnect with friends in a low key way, such as long winter walks followed by high tea, or a cosy girls’ night-in swopping ‘treats’, such as a hand, foot or shoulder massage. (Massage is a wonderful thing to do for anyone in hospital, too.) 

‘For aching muscles and joints, add two cups of Epsom salts to a warm bath, plus a few drops of your favourite essential oil - or ESPA aromatherapy blended Restorative Bath oil (we call it a ‘hug in a bottle’), from £25 for 100ml, from espaonline.com. (Buy Epsom Salts in bulk from any chemist.) 

‘Do exfoliate to combat dry skin and also increase circulation (which keeps you warmer). ESPA Relaxing Salt Scrub, £30 for 700g, has a special warming blend of aromatherapy oils, or make a DIY scrub by mixing sea salt and olive oil to a sludge.  

‘Keep woollies snuggly soft by hand washing then fold with pieces of fabric dotted in rose and lavender essential oils to keep moths at bay and give you gorgeously scented clothes.  At bedtime, put clothes on or near a radiator so they’re warm for next morning.  

‘Before bed, put a hot water bottle in to warm your sheets. Wear loose soft socks to help you stay warm through the night – makes it easier to get up the next day and you should be able to keep the heating lower, too. 

‘Concoct an uplifting room spray by adding a few drops of your favourite essential oils, or even an aromatherapy body oil, to filtered water in an atomiser.   

‘A sustaining hot breakfast - such as porridge, eggs and bacon or kippers -  is the most important meal of the day in winter.  I like breakfast meetings if I’m busy at work.  Mums could organise ‘grown-up’ breakfast with others after the school run.  

‘Arrange a weekly supper-sharing night with a neighbour. Cook a double sized stew or fish pie and, if practical, get together to eat it.  

‘Turn cleansing and moisturising into a slow down ritual, massaging your bosom, neck and face.  Lastly, apply a good aromatherapy facial oil: put a few drops in your palms, cup your hands over your face and breathe deeply into your stomach three times, letting go of any stresses.  Then sweep the oil over clean skin in light, slow, upward movements. Add a couple of extra drops of oil onto cotton wool pads, place under your pillow and allow the aromatherapy fragrance to help you drift off … 

‘If I’m fighting off a cold I use ESPA Resistance Oil, which contains high levels of eucalyptus, lavender and tea tree oil, on my skin and in my bath (from £17 for 50ml Body Oil/£25 for 100ml Bath Oil). For maximum protection, I also put the oil onto dryer sheets when tumble-drying bed linen and take it with me on planes.   

‘I find that visualisation – sitting or lying with my eyes shut focusing on my favourite warm sunny place - really help takes my mind away from dark winter days.