Happy New You
Sydney Morning Herald
Tuesday January 5, 1999
Now the party's over ... Jackie Dent and Annabel Hepworth list their tips for recovering from the excesses of the festive season.
Dream machine
Overdosing on sleep is not good R&R, says Laurie Chee, the chairman of Sleep Disorders Australia. "While you can generate what experts call a sleep debt, if you have daytime naps it throws out your
circadian rhythm. It's better to get into a regular sleep pattern." A dark room, regular bedtime, moderate warmth and good ventilation help.
Love those vegetables
"Veg out," recommends dietitian Linda Cumines. She advises loading up on cucumbers, carrots and eggplant, and it doesn't matter if they are cooked or juiced. Cut back on protein. Steer clear of the after-dinner mints and alcoholic drinks for a few days.
Love that menu
Cooking is a pleasure for those who have time to grate their ginger. Washing up is for those who don't have dishwashers. There is nothing more restful than sitting back in a restaurant waiting for a meal to arrive,
splashing food all over the table, then politely leaving.
Take to the bath
Enjoy the calm of water therapy at the Korean bathhouse at the Hotel Capital (9358 2755). Find posses of girls, nude, with towels wrapped around their heads,
discussing and relaxing in pools of water. Try a massage with milk and grated cucumber. Entry is $20 and full massage and scrub is $55. Boys can head next door.
Spa for a day
Get a glamour rubdown. Overhaul the body, get rid of dead cells. Try rejuvenating spas from Aveda
(9380 5550), Urban Spa at Grace Bros city (9238 9350), Spa Chakra in Darlinghurst (9368 0888) or the Observatory Hotel's day spa and health club
(9256 2229). Packages are customised: facials from $60, linen wraps from $45 and all-day treatments up to $500.
Tea time
Sipping the finest herb teas, Ayurvedic teas from India, fragrant flowered teas or green teas will leave you far less jittery than an espresso. "Tea-drinking is a lifestyle," says Joakim Torstensson, owner of The Tea Centre of Sydney (9223 9909). Try the Fokuang Book Shop (9267 6122), the tea-house in the Chinese Garden of Friendship, Darling Harbour (9281 6863) or Vaucluse House tearooms (9388 8188).
Smooch in a park
Promote going steady. Cavorting and smooching releases chemicals that increase the pulse and perspiration, and bring on feelings of happiness. Passion "gets you out of a head space where you're worried and stressed", says Kerrie James of Relationships Australia (9418 8800).
Exercise your options
Brett Gillard, the manager of City Gym in Darlinghurst (9360 6247), says it's best to get the blood pumping after the indulgences of the season. Start off doing light
repetition weights in the morning and go for a 30-minute walk in the afternoon. "If you had a heavy night out, I wouldn't train. Just drink water all the next day," he says.
Float away
Float tanks are akin to lying in the womb, says Beverley Bultitude, who runs the Cronulla-Sutherland Hypnotherapy Centre (9525 9911). Clients float in water with a high salt content. "people want to release everything that has been building up and let it go," she says.
Any sport that you can play
and carry a gin at the same time
For the non-gym type, appear extra idle by playing tennis, badminton or cricket with a drink in hand. If a tennis court is unavailable, try backyard cricket. This makes it easier for those fielding to smoke at the same time.
Wander the markets
Aimlessness is a beautiful feeling, if you can do it with no feelings of remorse. A good aimless wander through the markets at Paddington, Balmain, Glebe, Bondi or the one at the local scout hall offers not only bargains but great people-watching.
Try a tipple
Taste, spit and tell, preferably with Bollinger or Moet et Chandon, or other star performers such as a sassy sauvignon blanc or a cool-climate pinot. As well as the vineyards in the Hunter Valley, there are regular
tastings run by wine merchants in Sydney suburbs.
Just browsing
Pass the time by lurking in your local bookstore. Sandra Burns, from Ninox Bookstore in Northbridge (9958 6643), says she doesn't mind if people just come in for a look. "We have regular browsers and we recognise our browsers," she says.
Happily herbal
Naturopath John Baxter says an aromatherapy massage with lavender or chamomile is one way to blissfully unwind. The Bach flowers remedies and B vitamins are good to de-stress. Nux vomica does wonders for a
hangover and slippery elm is good for indigestion.
Grab a mask
Go snorkelling and try to spot the famous blue grouper at Clovelly Beach. All you need is goggles (about $50 for a good set). watch out for the sea urchins when you get in. Other good spots are Oak Park and Bass and Flinders Point at Cronulla, and Camp Cove near Middle Head.
Go potty
First stop, the nursery or garden centre. Then potter in the garden. Natives, such as kangaroo paw, withstand dry weather. Roses are always sumptuous, while deciduous trees such as crepe myrtle keep you cool.
Take a deep breath ...
yoga retreats are frequently held on Sydney's outskirts in bushland surrounds. Swami Sarasvati, from the Sarasvati Yoga Society (9654 9029) farm, says the 400-plus positions lead to a deep sense of relaxation, allay depression and improve alertness.
Frisbee fun
Ultimate frisbee player Greg Lynn says the heavier the better - 165 or 175 grams is best. Throw it as if you are snapping a towel, with shoulders pointing the way that you want it to go. Sydney Ultimate players
congregate on Gore Hill and Naremburn ovals.
Switch on
A good television session is possibly the ultimate
in R&R. Admire Judge Judy or check out today's famous actors in the '70s when they had parts in
B-grade flicks.
Hit the boards
In Scrabble, you can get away with ab, ed, di, ky and mm, but for real relaxation it is word quality and not points that'll give you joy. "It is a wonderful way of passing time. It is relaxing," says Jeff Spring, liaison officer for the NSW branch of the Australian Scrabble Association. A Scrabble board retails for about $30. Scrabble Inquiries Centre, 9521 2704.
© 1999 Sydney Morning Herald
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