You might have heard the term ‘Self-Care’ quite a few times over the last year, it might sound indulgent, but self-care is vital for our physical, emotional and mental well-being. This week on the blog we want to give you our top ten tips to help you practice good self-care so that you can feel your best.

1. Start your day with a routine that brings joy

It is very uplifting to build enjoyable rituals into your daily routine, and they don’t have to be complicated. They can be anything from your taking time to really enjoy your favourite cup of tea or coffee, reading a few pages of a book or magazine, or some gentle stretching to wake-up your body in the best way.

2. Drink plenty of water

We often wake-up a little dehydrated so starting your day with a glass of water and continuing to drink plenty more throughout the day will really help. Skin is an organ, made up of cells and skin cells, like any other cell in the body, are made up of water. Without water, the organs will certainly not function properly or at their best. If your skin is not hydrated it is far more likely to become dry, tight and flaky and therefore more prone to wrinkling, so staying hydrated will keep you looking good too!

3. Make a meal plan for the week

Eating healthy, fresh foods daily can become tricky when you’re time poor. By pre-planning your meals ahead of time, you can reduce unhealthy impulse purchases and ensure that each day is filled nutritious and delicious meals.

4. Maintain a good posture

Posture plays a big role in your physical well-being. Most work environments involve computers that are rarely set-up in the optimum way, which often means people hunching over their keyboards without realising. Ask your employer for a desk rick assessment to ensure that your work station meets health and safety requirements to help keep your spine aligned. Keeping your posture correct will help to reduce any back pain and injuries as well as making you look and feel more confident.

5. Practice some physical activity for 30 minutes every day

Making sure you fit in at least 30 minutes of some kind of aerobic exercise a day is just as good for your mental health as it is your physical health. This can be anything from a brisk walk to a gym session and don’t forget we have a Fitness Suite at the clinic that can help you to achieve this. One way to ensure you adhere to this practice is to make it social – having friends or family who support your overall health and life goals can help you to stay committed and motivated as well as making your exercise more fun too!

6. Take time to detox from technology every day

It’s important to take time to breathe and not feel the pull of the outside world. Self-care can be as simple as putting your phone away for 10 minutes to give yourself time and space with your own thoughts. Having strong boundaries around work emails, texts, calls, and social media can help you create more downtime, which helps to reduce stress.

7. Get a good night’s sleep

The aim for all adults should be 7-9 hours sleep a night, but the majority of adults in the UK get less that 7 on average. Getting sufficient sleep is vital for your well-being. During sleep, your brain eliminates toxins, consolidates memories, and builds new neural pathways meaning you can practice self-care whilst you are dreaming!

This year we want to help you put yourself first, so that you feel good and make a positive start to this brand new year.

A great way to start 2020 is with a yearly review, where you dedicate some time to take stock and appreciate all of the accomplishments you made last year.

Here are some thought starters to help you really step back and look at 2019 in a positive light. It might be a good idea to write these down if you’re doing this exercise on your own. You could also use them as discussion points if you carry this exercise out with a partner, friend or family member.

1. What were some of my best accomplishments last year?
2. What steps did I take to improve my life?
3. What steps did I take to improve my relationships?
4. What changes did I make to my life that are now making me happier?
5. What do I wish I had given more time to?

Consider these questions in relation to all areas of your life, there are no wrong answers or accomplishments that are too small. Evaluating your year like this will help you appreciate all of the positive achievements of the year as well as helping you to identify areas you’d like to make further improvements so that you can set yourself new goals for the coming year.

The most important thing is to prioritise yourself this year, make time for yourself each day to work toward your goals, because when you are feeling happy and fulfilled you can offer more to the people around you. Next week we’ll be sharing our top tips for self-care.

If you’re stuck for an idea for a Christmas Gift, why not get your friend or family member a Gift Voucher for Snowberry Lane Clinic? We can create a bespoke voucher for you for any denomination that will be valid for one year from the date of purchase.

Best for existing clients:

If you know someone who already comes to the clinic for treatments, then a voucher of any denomination to contribute towards this cost would be a very thoughtful gift.

Best for new clients:

If a friend or family member has spoken about wanting to come to the clinic, but hasn’t made that final step, then a £30 voucher for a consultation is a very popular choice.

Give us a call on 01225 700072 if you’d like to organise a bespoke voucher in time for Christmas, or pop in and buy a voucher in person, we look forwards to seeing you!

Dr Strawford will be carrying out some of our existing surgical procedures such as the Laser Liposuction treatments, as well as bringing some brand new specialist treatments to the clinic – so watch this space!

Dr Strawford is a member of the British College of Aesthetic Medicine and a member of The Association of Surgeons and Primary Care. He has many years experience as a GP and as a Cosmetic Practitioner and is an International Trainer.

The reason that Dr Strawford is a great fit for Snowberry Lane Clinic is that he shares our commitment to the provision of high quality, safe and meticulous care, to help enable our clients to look and feel their best with treatments that provide natural looking results.

Dr Strawford is dedicated to keeping his knowledge and skills up-to-date so that he can remain at the forefront of the industry. He is regularly invited to speak and train at cosmetic conferences both in the UK and internationally.

We like to offer the most effective treatments and provide the best possible service, so let us introduce you to our brand new Fitness Studio to help complete the new you!

Newly opened, our Fitness Studio brings a selection of popular gym equipment to the convenience of the doorstep of the clinic.

Equipment includes:

• Static Rowers
• Static Bikes
• Free weights
• Resistance bands
• Kettle bells
• Stepper

Membership is available to all clients, we’re running an introductory offer if you sign up for 12 months and pay upfront you’ll get 12 months for the price of 10.

For information on pricing simply call to speak to one of the team who can book an induction with one of our instructors: 01225 700072

Dr Gabriel was recently featured in a Medical Professionals segment for Bath Life, so we thought we’d share his Q&A with you.

In a nutshell, what do you do?

I run a cosmetic clinic in Wiltshire alongside my wife Ann, where we aim to increase or in some cases restore our clients’ confidence with minimally invasive cosmetic procedures. Our philosophy is to use our treatments to make improvements that look as natural as possible.

Proudest recent accomplishment?

It was Snowberry Lane Clinic’s 13^th anniversary at the start of the year so I think that’s been my most recent source of pride, reaching this milestone and celebrating it in our new premises with new staff has been wonderful.

Any exciting news?

I’m incredibly excited about the latest results of our weight loss therapy Alevere. It’s a combined treatment involving medically designed meal substitutes and body contouring. At our latest count we’ve worked with 97 clients so far who have lost an incredible 1,130 kilos between them (that’s 180 stones if you’re old-school like me!).

Professional plans for 2016?

In 2016 I’d like to make sure the clinic stays at the forefront of aesthetic medicine, we’re always keen to see how the industry is changing and learning new techniques and treatments so that we can offer the quality of service and results that our clients are looking for.

Biggest challenge in your professional life?

The biggest challenge I face, without a doubt, is time. I need more hours in the day to get more done! We’re incredibly busy at the clinic and it feels like you’re letting people down when you can’t see them straight away, hopefully they understand, and find that it’s worth the wait.

Biggest misconception about what you do?

I think the biggest misconception about the cosmetic industry as a whole is that it’s a quick fix. People often forget to consider downtime and are expecting results to be instantaneous, although some treatments do provide fast results most take time to develop especially when the focus is on natural-looking treatment.

What do you love about working in/around Bath?

Snowberry Lane Clinic is based in Melksham just outside of Bath, the best thing about working here is the countryside setting and the brilliant variety of clients that come to see us.

Dream client?

I love live music so a dream client would be Lianne La Havas, I saw her perform live in Bristol a few years ago with my wife and daughters, and she has an incredible voice.

Favourite subject at school?

It’s probably a little obvious, but I genuinely enjoyed the sciences when I was at school. I had a very inquisitive mind and they presented the most opportunity for discovery to me.

In your free time we’d most likely find you…

If the weather is good I’ll be mountain biking or motorbiking with friends, or if the weather forces me indoors I’m absolutely mad about table tennis, so I’d be playing that with my family or soon-to-be-son-in-laws!

Surprise us with something about yourself

Last year (with a lot of help from friends and family) I installed a water turbine at the weir in Bradford-on-Avon, this will help to generate green electricity for the local area and also to off-set the CO2 produced by the clinic. My dream is for the clinic to be carbon neutral to eliminate the negative impact our use of electricity has on the earth.

Get to know the rest of the team here.