Q. While on a cruise holiday recently I suffered with swollen ankles.  The therapist at the on-board spa suggested a lovely treatment where my legs were scrubbed from knee to toe, then covered in Mineral Mud while soaking in warm (muddy) water and afterwards a detox oil was applied.  It was great!  I have been trying to find the products online.  Can you help please? A. We are actually singing ‘mud, mud, glorious mud’, the old Flanders and Swann song, under our breath as we respond.  The solution to your problem is Hungarymud, a fabulous product.  You can find this multi-purpose natural wonder on www.victoriahealth.com. (It comes dry, which is helpful.)

Hungarymud comes from the rural plain of Hungary and is certified as ‘curative’ by the Hungarian National Health Service.  You can read more about how it works, if you wish, on www.hungarymud.com.

Really there isn’t much that this mineral-rich substance won’t do.  With its inherent thermal action, it penetrates deep into tissue, stimulating blood flow and flushing out toxins.  This results in it being an effective treatment to relieve arthritic and muscle pain including any sort of toxic build-up in soft tissue, inflammation and also sports-related injuries, ease stress, and also to exfoliate and brighten skin.  (So no wonder it helped your swollen ankles.)

You can use Hungarymud as a mud foot/leg soak, as in your case, a mud wrap, exfoliation, or mud mask for the face.  You can also empty it into your bath to soak away aches and pains.

As for rest of the treatment you mention, we suggest you try Elemis Devils Mint Body Scrub and then polish off your programme with detoxing Elemis Cellutox Active Body Oil, a potent combo of essential oils including sea buckthorn, sea fennel, lemon and juniper.

• Hungarymud/£20 for 250g at www.victoriahealth.com - buy here

• Elemis Devils Mint Body Scrub/£26 for 150ml at www.timetospa.co.uk - buy here

• Elemis Cellutox Active Body Oil/£32.50 for 100ml at www.timetospa.co.uk - buy here