The 11 simple things I did that mean I now look like th…

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A decade ago, I was a busy hospital consultant dermatologist with three young children, juggling intense stress at work, school pick-ups and family illness.

I was not sleeping, never had time for exercise and usually ate in the car between clinics and school. One day my oncologist husband Sebastian told me something had to change, and he persuaded me to take a year’s sabbatical.

Over the next two months, I slowly let go of my old life. I started moving more, eating better, sleeping soundly and stopped ruminating – and it completely transformed my face. I kept up these new habits even after returning to work full-time, and my patients began commenting on how much younger I looked.

Now, at 54, I’m the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been. For the first time in my life, I’m prioritising my health. Here’s how I did it…

1. I started walking an hour every day

This was non-negotiable. I would put my walking boots next to the front door and, whenever I could, I’d go for a walk. It almost always made me cry – I guess all my emotions were coming out – to the point where Sebastian would ask me if I’d ‘gone for my cry’. I listened to the back catalogue of BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs and Soul Music.

2. I focused on my gut health

After attending an interesting lecture at the American Academy of Dermatology in Washington about the importance of the gut microbiome for systemic and skin inflammation, I started reading about probiotics and prebiotic food. I asked my patients about their diet and noticed a link between gut health and their rosacea. So I started taking 60ml of Symprove Daily Live and Active Bacteria (£22.99, hollandandbarrett.com) on an empty stomach every morning. Within a couple of months I felt better and, interestingly, started craving healthier foods.

3. I began winding down for bed from 9pm

Reading Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams, I was struck by the importance of morning light to help regulate daytime cortisol and night-time melatonin. It’s recommended to get light into the retina as soon as possible after waking, so I start my day by sitting on the bench outside the front of our house with a cup of tea in hand, pyjamas under my coat, for at least 20 minutes. I also avoid late-night alcohol and caffeine and leave my phone downstairs when I go to bed.

4. I created healthy food habits

So much of what we do is automatic, so I really focused on making healthy eating as easy and tempting as possible. I didn’t keep any wine in the fridge – only sparkling water and non-alcoholic beers. I had bowls of lemons and limes to add to ice and water to boost hydration. My freezer was always stocked with frozen fruits and spinach. And I had seeds and nuts in easily accessible boxes for adding to salads, yogurt and soups.

5. I repaired my skin barrier

Stress had disrupted my skin barrier – it was dry and tight, especially after showering – so I started focusing on restoring it. I used Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (£11.50, boots.com) after showering to remove the residue of shampoo that was leaving my skin irritated. Next, I’d apply La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Suractivated Serum (£45, lookfantastic.com) to draw moisture to the skin, followed by Murad Restorative Hydro-Hyaluronic Cream (£65, murad.co.uk) to seal in that hydration. Once my skin was restored, I introduced antioxidants to protect against UV and pollution: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic vitamin C serum (£165, skinceuticals.co.uk) in the morning and SkinCeuticals Resveratrol B E night serum (£160, skinceuticals.co.uk) before bed.

6. I applied SPF daily

I made sure I wore a daily SPF. My favourite is La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Invisible Fluid SPF50+ (£20, lookfantastic.com).

7. I had collagen-boosting treatments

Despite being a dermatologist, I rarely had treatments myself because I was always so busy. I decided to have two courses of treatments – IPL laser (from £250 per session) and micro-needling with PRP (from £300 per treatment) – every six weeks for six months. Within two months I noticed my dry and irritated skin started to settle, and some glow and bounce returned.

8. I (finally) had my teeth straightened

My teeth shifted during my pregnancies and became noticeably overcrowded, so I’d started putting my hand in front of my mouth in photos. I’d also read a lot about the implications of gum disease. Straightening my teeth would mean they not only looked better, but it would be easier to keep my gums healthy. Rather than opt for Invisalign, which I knew would take forever, I chose fixed ceramic braces for 18 months (£3,200). They worked perfectly well as long as I avoided brace-staining curry.

9. I swam four times a week for half an hour

I bought some waterproof headphones, kept my robe and towel in the kitchen next to the kettle, and started swimming in our local lido for half an hour four mornings a week (£150 for a season ticket). I used Mel Robbins’ 5-4-3-2-1 technique for motivation. On days when I felt tired at 6:30am, I’d say ‘5-4-3-2-1’ and jump out of bed; if I decided at that point that I wanted to go back to bed, I could. Once I was up, I always headed to the pool.

10. I started contrast therapy

Cold water brings rewards, but it’s much easier to get into the sea or lido when there’s a sauna waiting at the end. I started going at least twice a week in the winter, preferably on weekends, but if I couldn’t do both Saturday and Sunday, I’d go on a weeknight. I’d either book the sauna at the lido after swimming or I’d book the sauna on the beach in Goring, Sussex (£15 per hour), and go between the sauna and the sea for an hour.

11. I began to fuel my creativity

I had been told that suppressing creativity can create anxiety, so I took creative writing classes for 18 months and mentioned to my friend Julie that our writing would be great together. We have since written three promenade plays for our local arts festival, and it has taught me so much. I now take a much more creative approach to problem solving in medicine, I’m much more observant and I listen more – very important skills for a doctor. When I look back at that photo of myself in 2016 it makes me feel so sad, but I also want to tell her: you’re strong, you’ll get through this, it’s going to get better… not immediately, but it will.

Follow her clinic @tarrantstclinic