Embracing the change in season, as the days grow shorter and the temperature drops, can be helped by a UK spa break offer for the ultimate relaxation and rejuvenation with an added extra.

The annual National Spa Week, from 30th October until 5 November this year, aims to raise awareness of the benefits of the physical, mental and emotional benefits of going to spas on a regular basis. Here at Neal’s Yard Holidays, we also understand a thing or two about the importance of a good spa break, whether for relaxing massages and exercise or more mindful practices such as meditation and yoga. We’ve rounded up the best UK spa break offers with availability this autumn and winter – so no flying or airport queues – all in tranquil settings offering a combination of healthy meals, relaxation and exercise.

Restore and recharge in the tranquil English countryside with one of these special UK spa break offers:

Raw Horizons in Yorkshire
Relax with Kundalini yoga, unwind with meditation, gently detox with delicious gourmet raw food, plus enjoy the hot tub and infrared sauna in Split Farthing Hall, close to the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.
Two nights from £345 per person twin share room, £450 single room full board, includes yoga, retreat activities, hot tub and infrared sauna, transfers to/from local train station. Massages and holistic therapies are not included. OFFER: mention Neal’s Yard Holidays when booking to receive free one-hour holistic massage, worth £55. Available 31 October – 3 November, 10-12 November, 14-17 November, 28 November – 1 December and 12-15 December 2017.

Chillout Retreat with Champneys, Hampshire
The ultimate spa retreat blending yoga, Pilates, meditation, life coaching and workshops, Champneys Forest Mere Resort near Liphook is set in peaceful and grounds with forests and a lake. Or stay at their Arundel retreat, a barn conversion in the Sussex countryside.
Two nights in Hampshire from £495 per person twin share including all food, classes, workshops and use of spa and relaxation facilities. Treatments extra. Available 8-10 December 2017. Two nights in Sussex £325 per person twin share all inclusive with hatha yoga classes, core strengthening Pilates, meditations and guided walks, 24-26 November 2017.
Or choose Chillouts’ luxury retreat offering Hugge Style Comfort in Sussex near Arundel. OFFER: a complimentary 30-minute holistic treatment worth £30 at their Arundel retreat. Available 24-26 November 2017 or 9-11 February 2018.

Enjoy your UK spa break!

Jo Fernandez is a leading UK travel journalist, with much of her career spent working for the London Evening Standard where she was Travel Editor until 2015.
Now a freelance travel journalist and copywriter, she lives in Essex and has one daughter. As a travel expert, she still enjoys jetting off to write travel pieces, with favourite destinations including Mexico, Croatia and, of course, Essex.

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Are you eating on the go? Or are you tired after a meal?
Try these simple Ayurveda tips for good digestion.

Ayurveda relies on balance of the three doshas – vata, pitta and kapha – for good health.  A healthy digestive system therefore relies on balance of the doshas and in particular – pitta, which governs the metabolism and digestive system.

Digestive problems are common and usually caused by a combination of poor diet and eating ‘on the go’. Many people rarely take the time to eat a good breakfast, usually eating a slice of toast in the car on the way to work, or not eating anything at all. Lunch time is much of the same with people eating at their desks or wolfing something down quickly before their next meeting.

Ayurveda can help improve our digestive health by not only focussing on what we eat but how we eat it. Ideally we should eat in a comfortable, relaxing environment or at least sitting down without distractions. This helps us to focus on the food, the taste and smell, and when we focus, we eat slowly, which helps digestion.

Another way to aid digestion is to stimulate the digestive fire or ‘agni’

Another way to aid digestion is to stimulate the digestive fire or ‘agni’, which is controlled by the pitta dosha. If the agni is weak, then this can make us tired after eating. If it is too strong, then it can ‘burn’ the food. Ayurveda recommends finding a balance so we can digest efficiently. To boost your digestive fire, try eating a 1-inch pinch of fresh ginger with a drop of lemon before meals.

Mixing cold drinks with hot food can cause stomach cramps or bloating so one way to help balance the agni is to avoid food or drinks that are too cold. This means drinking water or juices at room temperature and avoiding ice. Think of it like a burning fire – you don’t want to extinguish the flame!

Agni is strongest between 12-2pm, so Ayurveda recommends that lunch is the largest meal of the day. Eating too late at night can also mean the agni struggles to digest food, leaving you feeling tired in the mornings, so try to eat dinner before 8pm.

Another tip for good digestion is to have a yoghurt drink called lassi during or after meals. Lassi contains lactobacilli or ‘good bacteria’ and helps to lubricate the intestines for smooth digestion. It is made with fresh yoghurt, water and sugar to taste.

If you find that your agni goes too much the other way and you have excess acid, try eating a spoonful of pomegranate chutney before meals as this is known to control stomach acid and decrease digestive gases.

Remember, Ayurveda tips for digestion:

1. Eat in a calm environment, without distractions
2. Sit down and focus on the taste, smell and texture of the food
3. Avoid food and drinks that are too cold
4. Have a yoghurt drink that contains lactobacilli during or after meals
5. Eat a piece of fresh ginger with lemon before meals to increase digestive fire
6. Eat a spoonful of pomegranate chutney to decrease digestive fire and control acid
7. Make lunch the biggest meal of the day
8. Avoid eating dinner after 8pm

For more Ayurveda tips, see our previous blogs on Ayurveda tips for drinking water and Ayurveda tips for better health.

For our holidays where you can practise this ancient tradition of Ayurveda, see this page

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