A Leading Acupuncturist Shares Her Self-Care Essentials

I’m an early riser. My day starts around 6am and the first thing I do is hydrate with a large glass of water with a squeeze of lemon juice before making a cup of coffee. I’ll catch up on emails that have come through overnight and make a to-do list for the day ahead. 

Around 7am, it’s time for some form of movement. My morning movement is non-negotiable – it makes such a difference to how I feel throughout the day and my resilience to stress. If it’s a crisp, winter morning, I’ll head out for a gentle jog but, more often than not, it’s a Peloton session or yoga. I love Iyengar, hatha and yin yoga but for something more active, nothing beats a HIIT ride on the Peloton with Cody Rigsby. I’ll then spend ten minutes stretching to release tension and do some simple breathwork techniques to set me up for the day – I love box breathing. 

My approach to exercise has changed over the years. I used to be obsessed with metrics and data, how long I was spending on the bike or the miles I’d run, but now I exercise to feel good in myself. Running makes me feel powerful – the rush of endorphins you experience afterwards keeps me in a space of flow all day. I also find I’m better able to cope with higher amounts of stress and pressure when I run regularly. I don’t use headphones when I run or listen to music – for me it’s about the silence and getting some headspace. Being outside in nature is incredibly soothing. And if I’m not up for a run, nothing beats a long dog walk. 

Breakfast features my homemade granola. I batch cook this on the weekend and have it with Greek yoghurt and stewed apples. If I fancy something warm, it’ll be a bowl of porridge. On a Sunday, I love making French toast with homemade blueberry compote, or eggs with pancetta. I don’t tend to eat again until lunch but, if I do want a snack, I’ll have a piece of fruit and some nuts or seeds. Lunch tends to be leftovers. I always cook extra at dinner and keep flatbreads in the cupboard so I can assemble a wrap with ingredients like ricotta, hummus, avocado, chicken, and grated courgette and carrot. 

Supplements keep me balanced. After breakfast, I add iodine drops to a glass of water to keep my thyroid balanced. I also take Bare Biology vitamin D, The Nue Co’s Prebiotic + Probiotic and Wild Nutrition’s turmeric capsules. I periodically take Symprove to keep my gut on track, too. My favourite supplement discovery of the year is MPowder’s Meno-Boost, a combination of 36 vitamins, minerals, botanicals and wholefoods designed to target menopausal symptoms. You can stir it through porridge or add to a smoothie. When it comes to keeping hormones balanced, eating, exercising and breathing well keep the body in check.

I love being in the kitchen. After a busy day, I love unwinding in the kitchen making a new recipe, especially after I get a delivery of my all-time favourite magazine, Gourmet Traveller. I love anything slow cooked, especially in winter, and I make a cake or biscuits most weekends, too. I’m currently into food from the Philippines – lots of broth-based recipes that use lots of fresh herbs and greens. I’ve definitely developed more of a sweet tooth with age and, while I keep it balanced during the week, I can’t resist a slice of cake. I’m a firm believer we should enjoy everything in balance. 

It's important to eat with the seasons. I don’t always buy organic, but I keep an eye on the Dirty Dozen, an annual list of the fruits and vegetables most contaminated with residues from pesticides. As a rule, if you eat the raw skin of a fruit or vegetable, it’s better to buy organic – think apples and stone fruits – but if it’s something like a banana or orange, there’s no need to buy organic. 

A juice cleanse is a great way to reset the body. Green juices made with minimal fruit are a fantastic way to flood the body with vitamins and antioxidants after a period of indulgence. I’m a big believer in the power of liquids to heal the body – when I’m feeling run down, a bowl of chicken noodle soup always makes me feel better. If I have a cold, I’ll also dose up on echinacea, do some acupuncture and dial down any intense exercise. 

I see a chiropractor regularly. I can’t imagine life without my chiropractor of 20 plus years, Dominic Cheetham. His treatments keep your spine aligned so the nervous system can flow more easily. I also love facials with Holly Warren – her holistic facials use an intuitive, healing approach along with facial massage to clear physical and mental blockages for a healthy glow. 

PEMF therapy has been game changing. Pulsed electromagnetic field technology works by sending low-level frequency throughout your body to recharge cells, aid healing and calm the nervous system. It’s been proven to reduce inflammation, support immunity and improve chronic pain. Over time, it can improve mental focus and enhance sleep quality – there’s nothing like it. I love my PEMF mat and will lie on it at the end of the day to unwind. 

I’ve always struggled with sleep. I tend to fall asleep easily but often wake in the night and struggle to get back to sleep, which is why I created my sleep range. Soaking in my Anchor Bath Salts – a blend of magnesium, three types of salt, lavender, frankincense and jasmine – is the ultimate antidote to a frazzled mind. I also keep the Anchor balm next to my bed – it’s perfect for light sleepers and those with an overactive nervous system. Whenever I wake in the night, I take a few deep inhalations with this grounding oil blend and always feel ready to drift back to sleep. Having a good bedtime routine also makes the world of difference. I keep my bedroom dark and cool and have a strict no-screen policy in the bedroom.

Being well is about finding balance. Where being healthy used to be an aesthetic goal, I now believe it’s about finding balance in all aspects of life. An all-or-nothing approach quickly becomes an unsustainable way of doing things. It’s far more powerful to find balance in the things you love, what makes you feel great, brings out the best in you and makes you function at your optimum. A lot of this comes down to listening to your body – pause and listen to what your body really needs rather than engaging with an overactive mind. 

For more from Annee or to book a treatment with her, visit DeMamiel.com