In 30 minutes…
UP YOUR ENERGY OR GET TO SLEEP
Finding the right way to start and finish each day can help you embrace whatever life throws at you.
IN THE MORNING... A LEMONY SHOWER!
No need to feel frantic about the day ahead. Kick things off with a citrus shower, which stimulates the senses and clears the mind.
Make your scrub – you can do this any time to have on hand or mix it fresh when you feel like it.
Mix together a cup of granulated sugar, a tablespoon of fractionated coconut oil (the kind that stays liquid) and about 10 drops of lemon essential oil. Store in a glass jar.
Take a handful of scrub, step in the shower and move the mix over your skin, paying attention to your elbows, knees, and feet. Lemon is a great cleanser and skin-tone improver.
Turn on the shower and rinse away while breathing in the lemony essential oil. You’ll feel calm and invigorated in one hit.
Hop out and wrap up in a towel or robe. Now relax for a few minutes while you drink a mug of hot water and sliced lemon. If the day is really chilly, warm up with a cup of lemon and ginger tea. Throw slices of both into a mug and add hot water. Steep, then drink with a dollop of honey thrown in. Try Fushi Organic Fractionated Coconut Oil, £12 for 100ml, naturisimo.com; Fushi Lemon Organic Essential Oil, £4.50 for 5ml, fushi.co.uk.
IN THE EVENING... A LAVENDER SOOTHER
Wind down with a lush pre-bed drink by herbalist Amy Jursa. ‘When you’re trying to sleep, the power of lavender is awesome,’ she says. Try her recipe… Heat 1½ cups almond milk until steaming. Take off the heat and add 1-2tsp dried lavender and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Cover for 10mins. Strain and add a little honey. Relax, sip and feel calm. • Find more Amy Jursa herbal wisdom in her book Herbal Goddess (Storey)