quicker And for an even fix…

KICK YOUR WELLBEING UP A NOTCH IN LESS THAN 60 SECONDS!

UNRAVEL TENSION

Dr Marilyn Glenville, author of The Natural Health Bible For Women, has this super-quick stress-reliever: ‘Standing, lean forward, holding the elbow of your opposite arm with each hand and stay there for 30 seconds. You’ll notice your breathing becomes deeper, and tension is released across your shoulders and neck. Slowly roll yourself back up and feel the tension wash away.’ Try it – it works.

PERK UP YOUR BRAIN

Hit the day running by adding six drops of rosemary essential oil to your shower tray before turning the water on – it takes 30 seconds max – then breathe in while you get clean. ‘Rosemary is the perfect brain booster, with research indicating that inhaling it prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine, a brain chemical important for thinking, concentration and memory,’ says aromatherapy guru Glenda Taylor of Angelico. ‘The fragrant steam enters the airways via the nose, down into the lungs and then the bloodstream. Essential oils aren’t slippery but add them away from the plug to prevent washing them away.’

DRIFT OFF

When your mind’s too busy and sleep won’t come, try adding a 5ml spoonful of valerian tincture to a drink of water before bed. ‘Being a sedative, it helps the mind to relax,’ explains Monica Wilde, research herbalist at Napiers the Herbalists (napiers.net). ‘It’s good for “hamster mind”, when you have thoughts going round and round at 3am. It’s good for anxiety and restlessness, too.’

STAY BALANCED

‘Try to slot in a balancing exercise every day,’ says Sally Roberts, consultant physiotherapist at Recentre Health in London (recentre-health.co.uk).

‘I do it when I’m on the phone or cleaning my teeth.’ Try Sally’s move:

● Stand tall and lift one foot off the floor to see how long you can hang on to your balance without tipping over. Newbies should aim for 30 seconds on each leg, but keep trying daily until your time improves – it will. The ultimate goal is 90 seconds. Not too much to ask and not too much time taken up!

REV YOUR METABOLISM

‘Just before the end of your shower, turn the thermostat to cold and stick it out for 30 seconds,’ urges aromatherapist Glenda Taylor. ‘It’s said to help boost your metabolism and your immunity. It certainly makes me feel wide awake and ready to meet the day. Brace yourself and give it a try!’

GET AN IRON UPGRADE

This has to be the quickest health boost on record, especially as so many of us are iron-poor and feeling permanently fatigued. Just add a squeeze of lemon to your greens! ‘The vitamin C in lemon helps us absorb the iron and it adds to the flavour,’ says nutritional therapist and supplement formulator Shona Wilkinson. It works on broccoli, spinach and kale – what’s not to love?

SPRITZ YOUR VITS

For a fast wellbeing boost, try switching to vitamin sprays. ‘Oral sprays are a very effective route of delivering nutrients directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system, which is always a compromised route,’ says Shabir Daya, pharmacist at victoriahealth.com. ‘Vitamin D takes literally 10 or so seconds to be absorbed; ideal for those who have digestive concerns or those who can’t take capsules.’