Call me selfish, but holiday shopping for loved ones doubles as an opportunity for me to drool over items that I would like for myself. I then try to fool myself that I can buy up shops in a single bound. Since this is nowhere near reality, it doesn’t take long for me to feel shopping-deprived – something easily cured by a decent pedicure or massage.

Guess what? Some treatments have been given a stamp of approval by the government this month. But there’s a catch – while massage and other forms of Complimentary and alternative medicine have been given the thumbs up, many other therapies have not. All the therapies that fall under Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) have now been categorized according to compulsory standards as well as claims of effectiveness. For example, Group 1 therapies have measurable scientific evidence of effectiveness.

These include osteopathy, acupuncture, herbalism and homeopathy. While the treatments in Group 2 lack a firm scientific foundation, they are still considered beneficial. These include aromatherapy, bach flower remedies, massage, hypnotherapy, Alexander technique, meditation, reflexology, shiatsu, and nutritional medicine. The rest of the therapies are relegated to Group 3 because there is no evidence that they are effective. According to the government, getting your nails done and having a facial does not offer measurable health benefits.

The existence of Group 3 undermines our current obsession with crystals and ayurvedic medicine (incidentally, the basis of many new products from Aveda and The Body Shop). I believe that these treatments are up there with taking antibiotics in terms of wellbeing.

What the government doesn’t appear to understand is that ‘science’ is not the only means to measure benefits. Thousands of years have proven the positive effects of Ayurvedic medicine, yoga, as well as other therapies. Despite what they may think, the House of Lords won’t prevent us from wishing that our stockings are filled with gift certificates for complimentary medicine. In my books, these therapies are some of the best ways to recover from the excesses of the holiday season.