Instructions: Lying back in a hot bath, cup of tea in hand, can be one of winters simplest pleasures. Nina Ummel has a bath-time ritual for healing body and soul that you can adapt however you wish.

Ummel sets the mood with music and candles and makes an herbal tea to sip in the bath, varying the herbs according to how she feels. If shes fighting a cold, she might drink echinacea tea, for example, or if she wants to relax, shell have chamomile.

After filling up the tub, she creates "healing waters" by adding a preblended bath salt or seaweed that contains trace minerals, which fight off the effects of stress. "Most trace minerals are used immediately by vital organs as a result of our being so stressed out," explains Ummel, who specializes in creating seaweed treatments. "By the time blood gets to the little capillaries on the surface of the skin, the trace minerals have been used up." Look for personal care products with seaweed or just use seaweed in whole form, such as a handful or so of kombu or nori, found in the Asian food section of your natural food store or at Asian grocery stores. Soak at least 20 minutes to hydrate the skin and allow the minerals to penetrate the body.

When she gets out, and while shes still damp, Ummel sprays her body with aromatic waters, to increase the hydration level of her skin and add fragrance. Next comes a rich salve for dry elbows, feet, cuticles and lips.

Then she slathers on moisturizers or oil and indulges further with a non-talcum-based powder. "Powders are wonderful," says Ummel. "Its like when youre finished putting on make-up: It sets the moisturizer and feels so good."

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