You may have seen Lorraine Kelly’s natural beauty campaign advertised on the tv recently (www.itv.com/lorraine/lifestyle/lorrainenaked/).

What is interesting about Lorraine's campaign to find the UK’s most beautiful women without makeup or surgery, is that not only the search is on for the chance of winning a modelling photoshoot with Superdrug, but also a panel of experts will select women on the basis of their confidence and personality.

Lorraine Kelly, OBE, made it to the Honours List on 31st December 2011 for her continuous work with charities and the Armed Forces. A natural beauty herself, Lorraine is looking for women 18 and over who are confident enough to be photographed without makeup on and be submitted to the public vote. To enter, you need to confirm that you have never had plastic surgery or Botox.The competition closes on 10th February and pictures of the finalists with most votes will win.

Being naturally beautiful is of course a matter of genes and bone structure, but skincare is also playing an important part.

Taking care of your skin can be as simple as cleansing and moisturising, but to give nature a helping hand, the experts advise having regular facials, exfoliations and peels, as well as practising facial massage and exercises.

For facials, the rule of thumb is to have one every 4-6 weeks; the London College of Beauty Therapy has trained some of the best beauty therapists in the UK and offers great treatments at a reduced price. The treatments are performed by students.

For non-surgical cosmetic procedures, have a look at the Wahanda community page for recommendations and the latest reviews. I recently tried Dermaroller at Clinica Fiore and I have been complimented on my skin ever since.

CACI facials are also a great alternative to the surgeon's scalpel to give your face a lift: have a browse to find your nearest clinic or practitioner.

Whatever you do, look after your skin with the right treatments and a healthy lifestyle that includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, exercise and relaxation.

Are you scared of needles, but still want to look good? Just like you, I have a phobia of needles. On top of that, I don't like pain.

What I do like is a bit of pampering and looking good. Thanks to an interesting conversation on Twitter about therapies, I found Clinica Fiore and asked them about their available treatments.

I suffer with pigmentation and scarring on my face and I'd like to even out my skin tone. I was advised to have Dermaroller (also called microneedling or collagen induction therapy). Unlike dermabrasion or chemical peels, the superficial layer of the skin is not removed but 'poked' with microscopic needles (1.5mm). The titanium needles are built into a roller which is only used once; titanium was chosen for its high resistance to breakages.

Dermaroller can be used on the face for wrinkles, acne scarring, sun damage, pitted skin and surgical scarring, as well as for cellulite and stretchmarks on the body. It stimulates cell renewal by creating minuscule channels in the layers of the skin, awakening the collagen production cells.

The mechanics behind this technique involve gently 'puncturing' the skin after applying a numbing cream, activating the production of new collagen and elastin in the deeper layers. This is particularly useful for acne scarring, as the new collagen pushes the skin upward, filling up the gaps. The needles create microscopic injuries which are repaired without leaving any scarring.

If you are sensitive or anxious, you can choose to have extra numbing cream and ask for an eye mask or dark sunglasses so you don't see what is going on.

My therapist was Jasmina and she put me at ease with her professional, calm manner. Having explained to her that I am not good with needles, she patiently described the technique, showed me the roller device (I had asked her to), and explained about the application of anaesthetic cream which numbs any pain during the procedure, and the aftercare advice.

While we waited for the anaesthetic cream to work, Jasmina gave me the most wonderful hand reflexology massage and scalp massage using pressure points. The massage alone worked a treat to numb any pain and anxiety.

Being a total newbie and complete wimp, I asked Jasmina to go as lightly as possible - but I should not have been scared, as her application was specific and to the point and the numbing cream gave me a comfortable sense of detachment from my face.

Later, Jasmina applied a retinol serum followed by ice packs to my face to soothe and nourish the skin.

As I emerged from the treatment, slightly red but perfectly comfortable, I noticed that the skin was looking healthier from the increased blood flow to the surface.

The great communication before, during and after the procedure was excellent and I felt looked after.

A couple of days later, the redness is almost completely gone and my skin has a new glow it didn't have before. The scarring is slightly faded and I was told the improvement in the skin will appear gradually, especially if I take a course of treatments. According to Clinica Fiore's website, you can have lasting effects in terms of skin rejuvenation starting from 6 weeks and the best results show a few months after the procedure. You should wait at least 4 weeks between Dermaroller treatments.

Wellbeing is a full time job: keeping healthy means planning activities like workouts, stretching, good nutrition, relaxation.

Sometimes we focus on one or the other for lack of time.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to do everything under one roof? It seems that the Albany Club has managed to achieve this by offering a range of services from personal training to treatments, under one (stunning) roof.

Sometimes in life, you need to search for and work at something before you can earn it. The Albany is like a little gem tucked in a corner near Regent's Park. It's a destination private gym and before you even set foot in it you may need to ask yourself how motivated you are to make positive changes to your lifestyle.

The Albany has many aspects of a retreat in the heart of London, but is worldly wise too so that corporate clients can feel at ease.

Situated in a converted church building graced with stained glass windows and plenty of natural light, this health club is a place of worship for the body beautiful. Some people call it a home from home, as the club has a kitchen, sofas, spa bathrooms.

What most homes don't have is a dedicated team of professionals at hand to provide advice on fitness, weight loss, stress management and beauty.

Each floor features modern art and large printed photographs. Starting from the basement, with impressive changing rooms fully equipped with vanity tables, sauna, comfortable sofas, large lockers.

The ground floor is the main hub with the kitchen, lounge, personal training studio. Above that is another personal training studio and the cardio room.

The next floor up hosts a workshop room for training courses. The top floor is entirely dedicated to therapies ranging from beauty to massage.

To achieve results you have to put the effort in and schedule time in your diary. Still, some people still struggle with weight loss (or weight gain in some cases) because of some underlying psychological issues with their body. Cognitive behavioural therapy can help in these situations by changing conflicting attitudes and perceptions about your body.

Launching in 2012 is a new programme called The Urban Retreat with weekend Tai Chi and meditation classes running throughout the year. Ideal for learning to manage stress and improve your wellbeing, this workshop series will take care of the more spiritual side of health and fitness.

Good health is like having a good bank balance: you make withdrawals and deposits and to keep a good balance you need to invest time and plan ahead. You can choose to put your money where your mouth is at The Albany Club.

We are all made of stars. More precisely, our bodies contain minerals and if we were to brush up on the good old periodic table we studied at school we could read it as a menu of what our planet, our surroundings, our food, our bodies are made of. Not all elements are beneficial to our bodies (like Arsenic!) but the ones which are, for example Selenium, are difficult to include in our diet as soil gets more and more depleted by intensive farming.

And who knows how to get hold of Vanadium, Rubidium, Zirconium, Radon and Titanium?

These trace elements are useful for a multitude of purposes, from reducing cholesterol (Vanadium) to reducing inflammation caused by arthritis and joint pain (Radon).

Thankfully you can absorb these precious minerals through the skin by having a Taizen Japanese hot stone bath.

The treatment

Taizen means 'calm' in Japanese and the idea is to have a hot, dry bath, where instead of using hot water you lie in a tank filled with tiny stones. This type of treatment is customary in Japan, the ultimate travel destination for hot springs. In particular, Beppu is renowned for its hot sand baths, which the locals call suna-yu.

Shadi Danin Spa in Hove has brought the Japanese hot sand bath experience to Europe (and it's the only venue in Europe so far). The spa uses volcanic stones which have been ground and smoothed to a perfect round shape, so they feel comfortable on the skin. The tiny stones are approximately 2mm in diameter. Using sand would have been counterproductive as you need to wash the sand after every treatment and most of it would simply flush away in the tub. Instead, the tiny pebbles stay in the bath and they can be cleansed for the next treatment.

The stones are in fact washed after every session, using state of the art filtering and UV cleaning systems to eliminate all bacteria.

These perfectly round (and very expensive!) pebbles retain heat and provide a supportive environment for the body. The temperature of the stones ranges between 42 and 46 degrees Celsius which is comparable to a sauna. For this reason, the recommended treatment time is between 9 and 20 minutes. I stayed for 20 minutes and realised that my body was ready to come out of the session. I am usually comfortable in the heat but other people may find it unbearable.

As you start perspiring, your whole body starts pulsating from the heat and from the stones pressing against the skin. I loved the feeling of having my back fully supported by a structure that was firm but loose at the same time. I wish somebody could make mattresses like that. In a way, it is like lying on a (heated) bean bag or a large heat pack. Therefore, this treatment is advisable for people suffering from rheumatism, aches and pains.

It is recommended to have between 3 and 6 sessions to have maximum benefits - one session is only the starting point for the body to shed toxins. You also get a fabulous neck, scalp and shoulder massage after the bath.

The result

During the session, my lower legs felt like they were in heated compression stockings: it was like having a deep tissue massage in a sauna. After the session I felt energised and my lower back, which had been painful, felt better. Unfortunately, stepping out in very cold weather made my lower back tense up again, which means that the heat worked well in releasing the muscles. I wish I could have the hot stone bath every day during winter.

It may only have been open since July 2011, but Crystal Palace Spa is already proving to be the ultimate Moroccan and Turkish hammam spa destination in London. With pristine décor dominated by sparkly blue lapis-lazuli tiles, the spa is welcoming and clean.

The unique approach of this spa is that you can choose to have an individual experience, instead of being in a group like on a holiday to Turkey. Having your own wet spa room all to yourself is seriously indulgent.

Clients who have travelled to Morocco and Turkey know what they want from a hammam, and often struggle to find the same type of service in other countries, especially in London. There's an evident lack of hammam facilities in London so it is good news that Marylebone is now home to one of them.

All staff at Crystal Palace Spa are exceptionally friendly and well qualified. On arrival, you receive a warm greeting at reception and get a tour of the spa. The facilities include a hair salon and nail technician on the ground floor, the hammam in the lower ground and a therapy room for hot stone massage, relaxing or deep tissue massage, aromatherapy, reflexology and sports massage.

I had the Turkish hammam experience which starts with the sauna, then exfoliation using cotton mitts followed by a sensational and deliciously soapy strong therapeutic massage.

As a complete beginner to the hammam, I was fascinated by this old tradition from the Ottoman empire. The whole process of washing and scrubbing in the hammam was a social event and it often involved food and drink. The modern equivalent is hen parties, spa days or birthdays. In fact, an indulgent afternoon at the hammam would make a perfect girly day out or a great way to unwind after work. I was told that up to 6 people can have the hammam to themselves for parties and events at Crystal Palace Spa.

When it comes to massage I am a bit picky: it has to be 'just right'. I asked for a medium pressure as I have been told the strong pressure can make you jump from the pain (I haven't been to Turkey yet but many contacts and friends told me to make sure you specify your preference). My therapist was Orhan, a very experienced therapist who also manages the spa. Ask for him if you would like to have a hot stone massage after the hammam. If you don't feel brave you can ask for a soft pressure massage and you will still get the benefit of improved circulation and smooth, glowing skin.

I absolutely loved the scrub with rough cotton mitts (there is even a rougher version for men as their skin can be thicker and 'bumpier'). As the therapist washes the dead skins cells away with warm water you feel renewed and relaxed.

The soap massage is of course the signature treatment (the alternative signature treatment is the Moroccan experience where a clay body mask is applied instead). Leaving no stone unturned, Orhan kneaded away all my knots and each and every muscle was manipulated and released.

What I liked the most about the massage was the focus on the stomach and shoulders: a good abdominal massage can do wonders for your digestion and combat bloating (as well as taming your wobbly bits!) and nothing beats a strong shoulder massage to melt away the tension.

Having a tailored hammam experience is priceless: at the opposite end of the scale of traditional Turkish hammams where you lie on a stone slab practically naked with a bunch of complete strangers, Crystal Palace creates an inviting and totally exclusive environment that is private and safe.

Covering our whole body, the skin is our largest and most important organ and looking after it should be our priority. Our skin not only offers us protection from the elements but is also a good indicator of our health. For example, eczema flare ups can be the result of poor dietary choices (usually an intolerance to dairy products and over consumption of saturated fats putting too much strain on the liver). They can also be caused by an allergy to a detergent, soap, shampoo or chemical product. Pimples on the face can signal some hormonal imbalance and an overworked liver.

This is why I am on a mission to find and use organic products that can make a difference to the skin.

I have been using Niki's Balms for a few weeks now. The creator of Niki's Balms is Niki McGlynn, a homeopath and reflexologist practising at the Complementary Therapy Clinic in Wokingham. Mixing beeswax and organic plant oils, Niki blends the ingredients to create magic potions for hands and feet, face, babies and aching muscles.

I have tried four of Niki's Balms: the original balm with lemon tea tree, the face balm with argan, rose otto and rosehip oil, the muscle warming balm with cinnamon and the soothing hand balm with chamomile and lavender.

For dry and sensitive skin, Niki recommends the chamomile and lavender balm with calendula. It is a rich formula that really moisturises the skin. I have expensive taste and my absolute favourite in the range is the argan oil and rosehip oil balm: these ingredients are expensive and boast fantastic skin enhancing properties.

With the weather getting colder, moisturising your hands becomes a priority, especially after washing. The chamomile and lavender balm is perfect for this and the relaxing ingredients would make it a perfect bedside table companion to help you wind down and fall asleep.

The original hand and foot balm made my feet soft and I would recommend using it at night before going to bed, possibly wearing some bed socks.

The warming balm came to the rescue for my aching shoulders and again I use it at night to help me relax.

I am a big fan of beeswax and its healing properties so I am glad the balms contain it, as not many off the shelf products tend to include this ingredient. The good thing about using oils and waxes is that they don't provide a hosting environment for bacteria. Moisturisers have water in the ingredients list which can cause bacteria to grow so chemicals must be added to prevent this and make the cream sterile. Calendula is another ingredient in the balm which prevents fungal infections too.

Talking of ingredients, Niki made a smart choice - preferring to add vitamin E as the preservative instead of using chemical products.

If you are looking for a natural alternative to hand, face and body cream, Niki's Balms can be trusted to do the job without the chemicals.

Inspired by Paola to start showing your skin some TLC? Why not book yourself in for a facial or a hydrating body treatment.

After some deliberation, I must say that Slovenians do it better when it comes to offering a high quality spa experience.

I recently stayed at the Hotel Slovenija in Portoroz Slovenia, which is part of the Lifeclass spa and hotel chain. First of all, I must say that Portoroz itself looks like Montecarlo with its luxury hotels, casinos and sea promenade lined with palm trees. Everything is spotless and clean and you may think some fairies sweep the streets constantly day and night as there's no litter anywhere. This in itself made for a refreshing change from the dirty streets of London.

If you are a guest staying at any of the Lifeclass resorts, you get access to all facilities in the chain - so I went to the Sauna Park at the Grand Hotel Portoroz, which has a larger spa than Hotel Slovenija, with the added bonus of having an outdoor jacuzzi on the terrace overlooking the sea. Life was idyllic in my short stay at Lifeclass. Hotel Slovenija is a 4 star hotel with its own spa, bar and restaurant and as you check in they throw in some freebies like a complimentary welcome cocktail (Campari no less) and a 5 euro credit at the casino.

All the swimming pools have sea water and you can really see the benefits of swimming in mineral rich water: your skin looks better (mine certainly did) and the added benefit of iodine can help you shift a cheeky pound or two. Also, aqua gym classes are included if you are feeling up to the challenge: the classes are fun and run twice a day.

The hydrotherapy pools have powerful water jets that really pummel you into a blissed out pulp. You can choose different strengths, but of course the traditional jacuzzi tub is everybody's favourite - so you often need to queue for it.

Slovenia benefited from European investments when it joined the European Union and all those funds were put to good use. Slovenia can really teach the rest of Europe how to pamper people in style and providing excellent customer service. All staff can speak fluent Slovenian, Italian, English and German; the tourist sector is what really drives the local economy and Slovenia has some first class universities and colleges teaching travel and tourism. You can also see that Slovenians take pride in their attention to detail.

With the same glamour as Montecarlo and a wallet-friendly approach to providing affordable spa breaks, Slovenia has it all. London and the rest of Europe: watch and learn.

Have you ever been “oorloff'ed”? Chances are you haven't, as bespoke facialist Michelle Oorloff was tucked away in beautiful Oxford for the last few years. Now Londoners can finally experience Michelle's magic in Marylebone but be warned that places are strictly limited as she's a popular lady.

Michelle has developed a cult following for her facials in Oxford mostly through word of mouth, plus a good sprinkling of infectious enthusiasm, passion and integrity. Her approach is different from the norm: she will match the right products for your skin type drawing from her wealth of experience (and the kitchen cupboard). In fact, her non-conventional use of products is legendary: no one treatment is the same and during one facial you may have an off-the-shelf brand followed by a specially-mixed aromatherapy oil and then some beeswax from Cyprus or honey from Israel.

23 years of experience taught Michelle that each of us needs an individual, tailor-made face treatment to soothe our skin and our soul. Michelle believes that beauty comes from within so she will also advise on nutritional supplements that can boost the skin and improve your complexion. Analysing the appearance of the skin is the best indicator of the overall health of a client: pimples or dry skin can be the side effect of hormonal imbalances, digestive issues or vitamin deficiency.

Michelle is not your average miracle worker, if there ever was one: she constantly researches medical journals for information on cell nutrition and dermatology and she has taught anatomy and physiology, beauty therapy and massage at NVQ level in Oxford. Her depth of knowledge of health and beauty topics is second to none so when you have a facial with her you end up learning so much about how the skin works and how to look after it.

If your skin needs some serious pampering and care and you have a genuine thirst for knowledge on how to maintain your beautiful looks, then Michelle is the woman for you. And then you too will be able to say “I have been oorloff'ed”.

Changin' Wind is your local complainery: a place where you can have a good moan about the small (or big) things that bother you in a supportive and informal environment.

Let's start from the logo: inspired by Mary Poppins who said she would stay with her beloved children until the wind would change. Psychologist and founder Paola Filotico, The Soother, believes in the importance of “clearing the air” and bringing a fresh perspective on things.

Opened in October 2010, Changin' Wind is a place where you can air your frustrations or simply find someone who can listen to you in a welcoming setting, miles away from a traditional clinic or counselling service. This is a shop with a difference: on the ground level it looks like any one of the other vintage and curio shops in Charlton Place selling ornaments, flower essences and books. The essential oils are all organic and come from a supplier based in Glastonbury. Upstairs is the equivalent of your own living room with a comfortable sofa where you can have a cup of tea while pouring your heart out to the therapist and breathe in the lovely essential oils lifting the air. In a way it is like talking to an old friend but one who will not judge you or have preconceived ideas about you.

Dealing with all topics from relationships issues to retirement, The Soother's role is to literally lift the weight off your shoulders. This service is available to both men and women who need to share their emotions to a professional.

This modern day Mary Poppins holds a degree in Psychology and a Master's in Anthropology of Health and the Body in the 21st Century. She specialises in psychosomatic diseases brought about by a emotional response to external factors. For example, when you retire you may feel worthless and find it difficult to fill up your day and you may suffer from fatigue or depression. Or if someone is getting married and stress is taking over their lives they may suffer from headaches or heart palpitations.

A place like London can be particularly challenging as people work long hours and although they have a busy social diary they may still feel lonely or depressed. Pressures from work and family can take their toll and when there is no support system in place (parents, relatives, neighbours) giving a helping hand, life can seem overwhelming.

When I went to see Paola to have a good moan about some aspects of my life that were not going to plan, I literally felt lighter after my session with her as I discovered that if I expect a bit less from myself and be a bit less of a perfectionist things just fall into place in their own time. It takes an external observer to make you face your own reality.

Next time you are in Islington and you could do with a proper chat about what is going on in your life, then Changin' Wind is the right place for you.

It's the right time to bring Triyoga to Chelsea. According to Triyoga founder Jonathan Sattin, the new centre was well worth the wait: 15 months of negotiations and 13 weeks of building work under the guidance of interior designer Jane Kersel. The new venue on King's Road was opened to the public on 2nd July 2011: on the day people could choose free yoga classes and treatments to experience what the new centre can offer.

I had craniosacral therapy with Vanessa Hodge, therapist and yoga enthusiast, and participated in a vinyasa yoga flow class with Joo Teoh, who teaches yoga at all levels from beginners to advanced and who aims to make yoga more accessible.

Keeping in line with the same colour scheme and design as the other venues, Chelsea's Triyoga is extremely spacious with large studios and changing rooms. You sense a feeling of expansion when you practice yoga there as you have enough breathing space to move around.

I started my journey into understanding the new Triyoga and its philosophy with a session with Vanessa, who practices craniosacral therapy. Craniosacral is a gentle technique that can help to rebalance mind and body. It's what I would call “giving nature a little nudge”: by subtle yet effective manipulations in different parts of the body, craniosacral works to affect the central nervous system and the body's own healing abilities to achieve improved health and relaxation. The aim of craniosacral is to restore the natural flow in the body in a non-invasive way so this technique is safe to use on babies and the frail or elderly.

I lost all sense of time and space and when I emerged from my session I was floating – I found it hard to do anything vaguely physical or intellectually stimulating as my body was enjoying this feeling of total relaxation, lightness and being in the present.

After a very long break I joined Joo's vinyasa yoga class, aimed at beginners but suitable for more advanced practitioners.

Joo focuses on using the breath to help with concentration and stretching. He particularly stressed the importance of relaxing your face while breathing, letting your jaw drop and relaxing your tongue to release the muscles in your face. Just this simple instruction was so powerful that you could hear people's rhythmic breathing (you could even hear a pin drop!) in unison. That's extremely powerful. His assistants were at hand to help with the postures, slightly readjusting your position when needed without interfering with the flow of the class.

Triyoga Chelsea offers classes in many styles of yoga and has an extensive therapies menu. To note are the beginners' yoga classes and pre- and post-natal yoga classes. Even if I have been doing yoga on and off for about 10 years, I admit that sometimes yoga classes can be intimidating as they are attended by slim and toned yoga bunnies, so it is refreshing to hear that beginners' classes are also available.

The centre also features an organic cafe and shop for yoga accessories and clothing.

To mark the start of the Summer Solstice, US yoga celebrity Shiva Rea, the “Madonna of Yoga”, lead an impressive one day workshop at the London Zoo organised by Body in Balance, the web and TV channel (Sky 275).

Attracting a large number of yoga teachers seeking to improve their practice, Shiva Rea has a natural leadership and teaching style. A dancer, Asthanga yoga, Tantra and Ayurveda practitioner, Shiva Rea was attracted by Vinyasa because this yoga style is flowing and musical. Accompanied by a live band reciting mantras to music, Shiva taught her form of Vinyasa flow yoga with precision and humour. She is also an extremely glamourous Californian lady who has inspired many women to sculpt their body the way she has.

Vinyasa means cycle, something that has a beginning, middle and end, as it associated with the moon and sun cycles. Each yoga pose is connected to the next to create a natural flow through the breath.

As someone who has been doing yoga on and off for more than ten years, and sporting what I can confidently describe as a “middle age spread”, I found this type of yoga to be particularly challenging so it's not for the faint hearted! Beginners may want to try other styles of yoga first like Hatha before embracing a powerful form of yoga such as this.

The room was full of lithe yoga instructors who followed the asanas to perfection. Such a large class with more than one hundred participants can be difficult to follow. My humble efforts had to be contained to a little corner at the very outer edges of the room to avoid embarassment. Luckily, Shiva's teaching assistants were at the ready to correct postures and they did that with grace and poise without interrupting the flow. I did try my best though and two days later my muscles still feel the work from the session.

To be able to enjoy Vinyasa Flow you must have good levels of fitness to start with and a good attitude to rhythm. Ideally you should flow naturally from one position to the next and be able to sing or recite a mantra at the same time. I am not very good at multi-tasking so I can only concentrate on breathing or singing or doing a yoga pose at any one time, but doing all of them at once can send my brain into overdrive!

The exercises for the spine are extremely effective to gain a sense of expansion and freedom and are almost comparable to getting a good massage. I can see this yoga practice as a great way to combat Western society's sedentary lifestyle and prevent repetitive strain injuries often associated with desk-bound jobs.

If you can't follow Shiva in her worldwide tours, her website has all the links to her videos and classes. Body in Balance (Sky 275) also airs regular workouts with Shiva Rea shot in the most stunning locations worldwide. Triyoga in London offers Vinyasa yoga classes.

A few weeks ago I celebrated an important birthday and I wanted to make it extra special by organising an indulgent spa afternoon with a group of friends.

Preparations started weeks in advance and here's a brief summary of how I went about organising the event and how you can do the same too.

First of all, I looked up my favourite spas and called each of them enquiring about day spa packages for groups. Once I got 5 quotes I contacted my friends and asked them for their preferences and budget.

The budget was the key stumbling block: be prepared to pay £100-£150 and more per person for a traditional spa package comprising one treatment, access to the facilities and either a complimentary cocktail on arrival or light snacks. If you are lucky you may get a goody bag to take home.

The second stumbling block is the number of people arriving at the party. Most spas don't cater for more than 6 people and I had 7. This factor alone ruled out places like Cowshed Spa at Shoreditch House, which was highly recommended to me. After many negotiations with Cowshed Spa we agreed it was not feasible to increase the group number by one more person due to space constraints. It was a real shame as I really liked the spa menu there but having said that it was still out of most of my friends' budget.

I kept calling my favourite spas trying to get the price down but it proved to be difficult to stay under £100 per person.

I had to go back to square one and started thinking out of the box.

I instructed all my friends to be ready and quick on their keyboards as I was going to snap up a Wahanda MobDeal.

One of my friends recommended I kept an eye on CityPoint Spa in Moorgate, which was in a very convenient location as we would then move on to have dinner in a venue about 10 minutes away by taxi.

Luckily within a few days a MobDeal at CityPoint became available and I urged all my friends to get their deal there and then, which they did! So we all got our special spa pampering party for a cool £30 each.

The next step was for me to contact the spa, which needed all the Wahanda reference numbers of each participant, and agree arrival and treatment times.

On the day, everything went smoothly: all the treatments ran on time and my friends and I were extremely pleased with our massages and manicures plus the swimming pool, steam, sauna and jacuzzi were excellent. The only minor downside was that we did not spend time together much as the facilities have not been designed to cater for groups as it's a gym and wellness centre aimed at City workers.

So, my step-by-step guide to the perfect pampering spa party is:

1. Look up special offers on day spa packages on Wahanda and monitor the daily MobDeals;

2. Keep your party small, ideally 4 to 5 people maximum;

3. Keep good communications throughout both with your friends and the spa you chose to avoid misunderstandings;

4. Ensure you give your Wahanda reference numbers to reservations at the time of booking and bring your Wahanda voucher on arrival;

5. Do mention that you will review the spa on Wahanda as catering for a group will be a challenge for most venues; this way you are guaranteed to receive excellent customer service.

“Lose two inches in one hour!” “Beat back pain forever!” “I can cure cancer!”

If you have ever come across any advertisement promising miraculous results, now you have the opportunity to point the finger at unscrupulous sales techniques.

Alongside poor customer service, most complaints against salons, spas, clinics, practitioners and websites related to alternative therapies involve false advertising, misleading information or exaggerated claims.

Consumers can now rest assured that they have better protection against false advertising thanks to a new directive from the Advertising Standards Authority.

The Advertising Standards Authority has issued new guidelines to protect consumers against false or misleading claims. The new advertising standards went live on 1st March 2011.

The new guidelines have sparked a heated debate in the complementary therapies community and in the media. Therapists have found that so far the loudest, most critical voices in the media are getting more airplay than members of the complementary medicine sector.

For consumers the new advertising standards are good news: this means that no one should ever claim they can “cure cancer”, or make any other unrealistic promise of recovery from illness. In essence this is a step forward in consumer protection. However, it is a step back for complementary therapists who are now in a difficult position when they need to explain what their therapies can do for clients, as they do not have the scientific tools to prove the effectiveness of their services.

As a rule, the general public should look out for exaggerated claims on websites which are not accompanied by strong evidence. If you are not satisfied by the information contained in a website, you can report it to the Advertising Standards Authority who will look at your complaint and act accordingly.

The new advertising directives simply state that therapists marketing their services on websites such as Wahanda, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, complementary medicine directives and their own websites must comply with these new standards which require all communications to be honest and clear. So far so good.

What does this mean for the industry?

Unfortunately some critics of complementary medicine have taken the opportunity to question the validity of the alternative therapies sector as a whole. They are obviously missing the point but more importantly they may steer the discussion in the wrong direction. Therapists, the media and consumers should work together to improve the standards of marketing and advertising for complementary medicine.

The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council suggests to therapists that they must adhere to the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code. “Objective claims must be backed by evidence, if relevant consisting of trials conducted on people. If relevant, the rules in this section apply to claims for products for animals. Substantiation will be assessed on the basis of the available scientific knowledge.”

Therapists have to be careful not only about what they say on their websites and other marketing materials but even when discussing health conditions with clients either face to face or over the telephone.

The mass media have already expressed criticism against complementary medicine, especially homeopathy and its reliance on anecdotal evidence rather than clinical trials. For example, a Canadian consumer watchdog programme criticised the validity of homeopathic remedies for coughs and their use as a substitute for vaccines to children.

The Alliance of Registered Homeopaths have issued their own guidelines on what practitioners are allowed to say on their websites and to the media. However, when I spoke to some homeopathy practitioners they told me they were worried that their profession is under scrutiny.

The Code of Practice from the Alliance of Registered Homeopaths mentions that “misunderstandings are a major cause of complaints”. With regards to advertising, the code states that “professional advertising must be factual and not seek to mislead or deceive, or make unrealistic or extravagant claims. Advertising may indicate special interests but must not make claims of superiority or disparage professional colleagues or other professionals.”

Finally, the Alliance of Registered Homeopaths is adamant about false claims on cures of ailments: “claims, whether explicit or implied, orally or in writing, implying cure of any named disease must be avoided.”

What happens now?

Some practitioners have expressed concerns that they are being accused of misleading the public, and others said they feel victims of a witch hunt against complementary therapies. The main criticism against alternative medicine is that it is a money making scheme against a misinformed public - even though many therapists complain that they can hardly make a living with the earnings from complementary therapies, and sometimes have to take on a second job to pay the bills.

The Alliance for Natural Health International said that the ASA does not have the right expertise to comment and adjudicate on the validity of studies in complementary therapies.

Robert Verkerk PhD, executive and scientific director of Alliance for Natural Health International was quoted saying: “It is important that practitioners are fully aware of what the requirements of the revised CAP code are and how they can minimise their exposure to those who seem intent to damage their ability to practice effectively.”

In summary:

• The general public has now got a new way to protect their consumers' rights and they can complain to the Advertising Standards Authority if a website contains grossly inaccurate or false information.
• The therapists' community must adhere to the new advertising standards and they must delete from their websites any statement which claims they can cure an illness.
• The complementary medicine sector is under scrutiny as it deals with public health, so it is the responsibility of complementary therapists to demonstrate how they are making a difference to their clients' wellbeing.

The common cold is possibly one the most annoying ailments that people tend to contract during winter. You can't really take time off because it's not full-blown flu but you still feel rather ill and run down. On top of everything else, you don't get much sympathy either! So what can you do to lessen the symptoms and speed up recovery?

If you prefer not to pop pills, natural remedies can help although there's no guarantee of success, as more medical trials and research are needed to provide the public with more scientific information.

The Wahanda community of practitioners have discussed a number of natural remedies for the common cold on our advice pages. These remedies include vitamins, herbal medicine, probiotics, homeopathy, aromatherapy and even chicken soup!

But of all the various options you can try, manual lymphatic drainage massage is worth looking into.

Before delving into the potential (but so far scientifically unproven) benefits of massage to tame the common cold, we must give a word of warning: new guidelines from the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council have been issued about any claims made by practitioners of complementary medicine with regards to the efficacy of complementary therapies, which you can view here: www.cnhc.org.uk/.

These guidelines prevent therapists from attributing beneficial effects of complementary therapies without strong supporting scientific evidence. Therefore this article will only talk about the theoretical improvements in the symptoms of the common cold by using a manual massage technique.

Manual lymphatic drainage was developed in the 1930s by Dr. Emil Vodder who worked with a number of patients suffering from sinus congestion. It is a form of gentle massage that stimulates the flow of lymph. Lymph travels in capillaries and ducts which lack their own mechanisms to shift the excess liquids in the tissues and therefore rely on the movement generated from muscles to push the lymph trough.

Manual lymphatic drainage can be used on the face in the area around the sinuses: the sinuses are like a web of caves where mucus produced during a sinus inflammation can reside making it difficult to shift. Using the manual lymphatic techniques, a therapist can help release excess build up of fluid for elimination. The technique relies on semi-circular motions using the fingertips that resemble breaststroke in swimming. Any build up tends therefore to “swim away” from the tissues making it ready for collection into the lymphatic nodes. If there's inflammation, the lymphatic nodes will be responsible to fight the virus.

You can find more information on manual lymphatic drainage on the association's website www.mlduk.org.uk/. The association provides the following definition: “Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is an advanced therapy in which the practitioner uses a range of specialised and gentle rhythmic pumping techniques to move the skin in the direction of the lymph flow”.

Benefits of manual lymphatic drainage include:

• a sense of relaxation
• may help with chronic ailments like sinus infection, arthritis, skin conditions, scarring, stretch marks, water retention
• may help boost the immune system

As mentioned earlier, no one can now make claims on achieving therapeutic results using complementary medicine techniques, however complementary medicine can support traditional medicine by lessening discomfort such as pain and inflammation.

What do the Mighty Boosh and Snowhite have in common? Soup. The English comedy duo dedicated a song to soup (aptly called "The Soup Song") and the cartoon character makes a delicious soup for the Seven Dwarves to cheer them up after a long day at the mine.

Why soup? We are not talking gimmicky soup diets like the cabbage soup or Liz Hurley's punishing watercress soup diet. The concept is to always plan your meal with an image in your mind of an inverted pyramid.

So what is the solution? The solution is to start thinking. Many of us know everything about diets and healthy nutrition but we may be still unhealthy and overweight. What's missing from this picture? Forethought and planning.

One thing we all have to do if we want to eat more healthily and ultimately lose weight or keep slim is to start planning our meals. If you know you have a day off, it is a good idea to cook for the week and put your prepared meals in the freezer. To ensure you get good quality nutrition and manage your body weight, have your main meals during the day and have soup for dinner.

A well balanced soup should contain essential aminoacids and carbohydrates to ensure you are getting valuable nutrients; a good option is lentil and barley soup which provides calcium, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, selenium and lutein. Any combination of grains and pulses will achieve that: rice and beans, quinoa and lentils, spelt and chickpeas... or even a minestrone soup with lots of vegetables and some pasta.

Having a lighter meal at dinner will not only make you slimmer but will also give you a better night's sleep as the body shuts down during sleep and it will not digest a heavy meal.

Why is it that we all long to be slimmer and healthier, but when it comes to following a new eating regime we wince and resist any changes to our routine? As human beings we find comfort in routine, we are creatures of habit. However, without any commitment to follow new eating patterns or making different food choices we will never achieve any tangible results.

Losing weight is a full time job, and so is keeping the weight off. Just by changing one habit weight management becomes much easier: substituting your evening meal with soup may be the best decision you can make for your health.

Working in a personal training studio made me come across quite a few people who have weight concerns. Only a minority of clients wants to bulk up, whereas the majority wants to lose weight and some clients insist that they want to lose weight in very specific areas of the body. Unfortunately, targeted weight loss is unrealistic. It would take some form of genetic engineering and/or extreme hormone manipulation to achieve that.

Weight loss is organic and the body will get rid of fat through a combination of increased calorie expenditure (exercise) and a lower calorie intake. The end result is all-over weight loss. Your body's chemical composition will dictate your rate of fat loss; when you deflate a balloon, it will shrink in volume as a whole and not in parts.

Genetically, women's bodies will have more weight distributed in the bust, thighs and hips. Dramatic weight loss will affect the whole body and not just the areas just mentioned. Sudden and prolonged weight loss will severely affect hormone production which is linked to body fat percentage. Anorexia can in fact cause a woman's menstrual cycles to stop (unfortunately many female professional dancers and athletes are affected by amenorrhoea or lack of periods).

Stress can be one of the causes of weight gain. According to WebMD, the stress hormone cortisol can make us crave more food and stops us from feeling full after a meal. In extreme cases of cortisol over-production, people can develop Cushing Syndrome which causes weight gain in the upper body (especially the face, neck and shoulders). Lack of sleep is also often to blame, whether related to stress or induced by other factors.

The thyroid is accused of triggering weight gain when it is underperforming, however the thyroid is often used as an excuse for weight gain. Most people have a perfectly normal thyroid function.

During the menopause, women may tend to start accumulating more fat around the waist rather than their hips due to hormonal changes and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome can also cause weight gain around the middle.

The only way to keep a healthy weight is to follow the body's natural rhythms. Anything forced or artificial (like working night shifts, getting greasy takeaways after a night out, working overtime or skipping meals) can make you hold on to body fat, even if you go to the gym and eat a healthy diet during the week.

Many of my clients suffer from lower back pain. Some people prefer to battle through the pain or numb the discomfort with painkillers rather than have a treatment, but the "stiff upper lip" approach does not solve the issue.

Lower back pain is a complex problem: in most cases it is a combination of poor posture, a sedentary lifestyle, high stress levels, sport injuries and low muscle tone.

Therefore, when a client comes to see me for treatment, I evaluate all the factors that may have caused back pain. Statistically speaking, my clients with lower back pain are cyclists, golfers, office workers, cooks, shop assistants. In other words, they either have a sedentary lifestyle (but may get too active at the weekend trying to cram a week's worth of exercise in two days) or have to be on their feet all day possibly lifting heavy weights.

As a bodyworker I rarely suffer from back pain myself as I train at the gym between 3 and 5 times a week plus I take regular Pilates classes. So, drawing from my personal and business experience, I would like to share my tips on how to treat lower back pain.

1. Change your lifestyle: if you are in a sedentary job, try and fit in exercise during the week, ideally you should aim for 30 minutes of exercise every day (it could be as simple as walking to work or skipping at home)

2. Stretch: targeted yoga stretches can improve your posture and, by elongating your muscles, can relieve back pain and ease the joints around your hips

3.Take some bed rest, but not too much: time approximately 15-30 minutes of bed rest if you are experiencing pain but after that get up and move around to ensure you keep engaging your muscles

4.Do some core stability work: by strengthening your abdominal muscles you can build a solid "wall" around your back to protect your spine

5.Have a course of massage treatments: by releasing the muscle tissues in conjunction with regular exercise and stretching you can wipe off back pain completely within a matter of days (or hours if you are in good physical conditions). Ask your therapist to work on your lower back, hip joints, hip flexors, hamstrings and quads and you should feel an immediate improvement.

Did you know that Michelangelo Buonarroti, who famously frescoed the Sistine Chapel in Rome between 1508 and 1512, suffered from severe neck and back pain?

From famous artists to office workers, we all have had or are experiencing back pain. This shouldn't really be a normal occurrence in life, however bad posture and bad habits can damage the spine, nervous system and surrounding muscles.

In the case of Renaissance painter Michelangelo, back pain ensued during his commission to fresco the Sistine Chapel. He had to climb on high scaffolding and paint lying down but constantly looking up and straining his neck, arms, shoulders and back. His eyesight also suffered because of it.

Wouldn't it be nice if Michelangelo had access to back pain specialists like we have today? My guess is that he probably would have had a longer artistic career. Yet, nowadays, we just suffer in silence when we have back pain even though we have potentially many options available to resolve the problem, from physiotherapy to massage.

Our spine is a true masterpiece of engineering: it supports our body and it contains the spinal cord, from which sensory and motor nerves originate.

The vertebral column contains 33 vertebrae, of which 7 are the cervical vertebrae running along the neck, then the 12 thoracic vertebrae along the middle of the back, the 5 lumbar vertebrae in the lower back, and finally 5 sacral vertebrae fused together in the pelvis plus the coccix, 4 more fused vertebrae at the tailbone.

Any disruption to the perfect equilibrium in our spine can cause nerve impingement which can trigger symptoms like pins and needles in your arms or sharp pain in your legs, depending on the affected nerve. Even digestive complaints can be caused by irregularities in the spine, for example hernias where the intervertebral discs protrude and cause severe abdominal pain that can be confused for ulcers or IBS.

The best way to keep our spine healthy is to schedule unmoveable appointments in the diary for exercise. It is recommended to do both aerobics forms of exercise like squash or running and core stability forms of exercise like Pilates and yoga. Alongside a regular training regime, our backs also need regular relaxation and treatment. Choose from massage, physiotherapy, chiropractic, osteopathy, Alexander Technique etc, but make sure you do have regular spinal checks.

We may not be artists of the caliber of Michelangelo but our back health has more monetary value than the most expensive painting or sculpture. Look after your back and your back will look after you.

At every change of seasons we all undergo a phase of letting go of the old to make space for the new. We can give Mother Nature a helping hand with massage to prepare face and body to embrace a new season.

During winter months, the face is the most exposed to the elements and may show signs of ageing and drying out. Facial rejuvenation or natural face lift massage can help, as it has proved to be particularly effective to even out the skin tone and to lift the muscles underneath the skin.

Many have also reported that this type of face massage can help normalise the production of sebum making the skin look less shiny and more compact at the end of each treatment.

The natural facelift massage also works on gently exfoliating the epidermis which then brings out newer cells and stimulates the production of new cells. In the case of dry skin the massage supports the underlying skin structures and brings more nutrients to the epidermis, ultimately giving a healthier, smoother appearance. It also boost the production of elastin and collagen thus giving better support to the skin.

Ultimately the main benefit of the natural face lift massage is a marked improvement in sleeping patterns. During a session you tend to fall asleep and/or achieve a state of deep relaxation, and it will be highly likely to have better sleep the night immediately after the treatment. This effect is cumulative over time and helps improve the overall sleeping patterns.

A course of facial rejuvenation treatments can be a powerful ally in supporting the body's systems and can help have a calmer attitude towards life in general.