Gorgeous Gifts to Give Your Valentine a Healthy Glow ; Health Notes

By SARAH STACEY

health notes

. Holistic Silk massaging slippers, Pounds 65 These adorable brocade reflexology slippers are simply addictive; they’re not only gorgeously sexy, but the magnets implanted in the inner soles help circulation and had me skipping around the house at bedtime, doing all sorts of unlikely things such as the washing up and putting the rubbish out. (I can only imagine other more romantic delights) In sizes small (3-4), medium (5-6) and large (7-8).

. Willow Three Bath Oils Box, Pounds 25 I’m wild about Willow’s heaven-scented, totally natural products. And there’s no need to worry about wrapping, as they come elegantly gift-packaged in soft grey or pink Thai silk boxes, cocooned in tissue paper and scattered with dried rosebuds all biodegradable. The bath oils gift set contains sensual Rose, reviving Orange, Lime Bergamot, and calming Jasmine Geranium. There are plenty of other choices for face, body and hands, plus a small range for men. Tel: 01590 670483, willowbeautyproducts.co.uk.

. In the Arms of Love flower essence, Pounds 5.15 This comes from the Light Heart Essences range created by healer Rose Titchiner from flowers, trees and plants grown organically around her home in Suffolk. Everyone I know who’s tried them is impressed. (One couple confronting business failure found Rose’s Sleep Well essence gave them peaceful nights, which helped them cope better with tough decisions.) Rose says this essence, based on yellow, deep pink and lilac-coloured freesias with a heart-shaped rose quartz, will help to ‘crack open our heart’s defence against love’.

. Aroma Pen, Pounds 29.95 Imagine if each time you used your pen, a delicious fragrance wafted through the air. This chunky, smooth- writing, ballpoint pen, developed in Switzerland, has a twist-off cap so you can pop in a phial of pure essential oil. There’s a choice of seven oils: rose damascena perfect for Valentine’s Day as it’s said to lift the spirits and create feelings of love ginger, and blends of lavender, grapefruit, mint, eucalyptus and orange blossom. Each oil is matched to a different-coloured pen, with a matching leather case. Refill packs containing all seven oils are Pounds 16.99.

. Love Rose tea by Pukka Herbs, Pounds 2.09 I’m devoted to this organic range of effective ayurvedic remedies, which includes beautifully packaged herbal teas.

The alluring combination of rose and camomile is said to warm the heart and seduce the inner you (or him) so it’s got to be worth a try.

. Pure Alchemy Passion Body Therapy, Pounds 35 for 100ml This intensely fragrant, super-light spray oil lasts for ages and sinks in almost immediately so you don’t have the ‘drying time’ of body lotions. Passion contains an exotic blend of libido-lifting essential oils Bulgarian rose, Madagascan ylang-ylang and Brazilian sweet orange on a moisturising coconut oil base.

Natural lovelies might like it instead of perfume.

. Nourish Chocolate, Pounds 1.99 for 50g bar Forget anyone else just indulge yourself with this delicious non-dairy range of fair- trade dark chocolate, with herbs and omega-rich oil. Therapeutic choices include uplifting Mood melting in my mouth as I write which contains passionflower (OK, you could order an extra bar for your ‘amour’), also soothing Female Balancing, calming Chill and energising Alert. Love that choc!

Be true to your dosha

Our tester Adriaane Pielou was lyrical about Ayush Wellness Spa, an ayurvedic destination spa newly opened at the Hotel de France in St Helier, Jersey.

Ayush means ‘healing life’ in Sanskrit and treatments include a ‘blissful’ four-handed abhyanga massage from two therapists and ‘shirodhara’, where warm oil is dripped slowly on to your forehead, soothing tension. Ayurvedic consultant Dr Prasanna Kerur diagnosed my colleague’s dosha (body type) as a combination of vata (air) and pitta (fire). To her delight he told her that brisk exercise would not suit her. ‘Gentle exercise such as yoga will be most beneficial. Walk daily, but I do not think that you should be running.’ She called it the most reassuring exercise-related information she’d ever heard: ‘I’m not lazy! I’m just true to my dosha.’ Ayush will soon be linked to a large private medical centre being built in Jersey a VAT-free zone so rather good value. Meanwhile, Dr Kerur is also involved in a study evaluating how India’s 5,000-year-old ‘science of life’ might be incorporated into the NHS.

A two-night Weekend Escape at Ayush Wellness Spa costs Pounds 175 including bb, ayurvedic consultation, yoga and Pounds 50 towards treatments, tel: 01534 614172; hoteldefrance.co.uk

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