With multitasking today a way of life with most women, you can only shape up or burn out. Farah Baria shares her feel-good recipe for living.

Jerry Hall, former supermodel and ex-wife to that Old Boy of Rock, Mick Jagger, once summed up what it took to be the consummate femme. "A woman," sniped Hall, "needs to be a maid in the living room, a cook in the kitchen and a whore in the bedroom." Ouch, that hurts! Still, most of us ladies could probably add about 20 other qualifications to the pithy pronouncement. For starters, what about parent, tutor, resident nag, budget planner, housekeeper, hostess? Or domestic dietician, administrator, policewoman, therapist and accountant? Home minister, supplies manager, sanitation supervisor, kitchen cabinet secretary, chief-of-staff? Or even playmate, arbitrator, cheerleader, friend and philosopher?

Needless to say, all this multitasking qualifies as honorary employment, executed 24/7, 365 days a year (including Sundays, bandh-days and bank holidays), sans salary, pension, gratuity or provident fund. And, oh yes, just for the record, we also manage to juggle jobs, plan careers, pitch for promotions, run businesses, play office politics, compete with co-workers and bond with colleagues. No sweat guys, except that sometimes it feels a bit like cruising on autopilot with the fuel on 'E'. SOS? Shape up or burn out. Here's how.

Food is the body's energy source, providing us with the horse power required to take the kids swimming, fence politely with neighbours, crunch deadlines, or attempt the Kamasutra Position No 108. What's more, nutrients in our diet tinker with the body's delicate biochemistry, wire our brains and determine emotional states. Some foods are 'uppers' - they keep us alert and edgy - while others, called 'downers' leave us slothful and mellow.

Generally, proteins are uppers, so chicken, fish, soya or paneer with a generous helping of salad for lunch will keep those grey cells ticking for that afternoon presentation or Junior's assignment on Pythagorean Theory. On the other hand, carbohydrates like rice, potatoes and pasta all contain tryptophan, an amino acid that triggers the release of serotonin, a calming brain chemical. These are traditional 'comfort foods', ideal to help you relax and unwind at dinner. Incidentally, milk and bananas are so loaded with tryptophan that the good old banana milkshake with a dash of honey and nutmeg at bedtime often works better than Valium! Breakfast can include an upper and a downer to keep you both sharp and serene. (Tofu, cottage cheese or egg on wholewheat toast are all excellent choices.) Try herbal tea and avoid sugar and caffeine like the plague: they can send blood sugar levels on a roller coaster ride and make you feel like a jittery space cadet on Mission Pluto.

On the subject of wholesome chow, a good multivitamin pill can provide that extra boost. Vitamins A, C and E are anti-oxidants - they attack and neutralise a breed of menacing molecules called Free Radicals that are present in pollution, electronic devices and radiation. These invisible predators damage body cells causing degenerative disorders like heart disease and cancer and attack brain cells, precipitating memory loss and senility. A, C and E are Free Radical Scavengers, a sort of nutritional punk group, that defends the body from alien invasions.

Then there are the Bs, an industrious little family of nutrients that combust food into fuel, spring clean the body's digestive tract, rejuvenate the liver, condition the hair and skin and insulate the nerves against that favourite scourge of the twenty-first century: stress. In fact, vitamin B6, the busiest of the Bs, is actually a feminine elixir: it regulates fat metabolism, prevents water retention, promotes healthy pregnancies, calms jumpy nerves and prevents pre-menstrual tension. Finally, Vitamin D, calcium and magnesium protect the bones and guard against osteoporosis.

If you're the type who's always on the zebra crossing with your foot poised over the accelerator, you might also want to try an adaptogenic (read anti-stress) herb. Ayurveda has several but among the most effective are ashwagandha and tulsi. (The latter is less potent but more available; pluck five to six fresh leaves from the shrub and infuse in hot water to make tulsi tea). Brahmi, an ancient brain tonic, regulates the nervous system and rewires cerebral circuits, lowering anxiety levels and depression. And shatavari, the traditional women's tonic, balances the hormonal seesaw that causes those nasty mood swings.

But a good diet and supplements are simply not enough. "Life is movement," says New Age guru, Rudolph Ballentine, who runs the famous Center for Holistic Medicine, in New York City. By challenging both muscle and will power, exercise builds body and mind, strengthening the bond between them. The perfect mix is aerobic activity coupled with yoga.

Begin with ten minutes of the yogic Sun Salutation, a series of twelve dynamic postures that combine cardiovascular fitness, strength and flexibility - a great warm-up routine. Ballentine also recommends twenty minutes on the rebounder, a kind of mini trampoline available at sports shops, that offers a wonderful, low impact aerobic workout. Jumping on a rebounder encourages lymphatic drainage, flushing toxins out of the body. Plus, it increases bone mineralisation and lifts both sagging muscles and drooping spirits. (Try rebounding with some upbeat retro music and watch your energy levels soar!)

Next, squeeze in ten minutes of stomach crunches, squats and lunges for more stubborn adipose and cool down with the basic yoga routine: one forward bend (Paschimottanasa, two minutes), one back bend (Cobra Pose, two minutes) and a spinal twist (Ardha Matsyasana, two minutes). Finish with Shavasana, the yogic Corpse Pose and deep diaphragmatic breathing. This entire 'No Excuses Routine' should take just under three-quarters of an hour, first thing in the morning. (If it's somewhere at the bottom of your daily planner move it to the top, before the chaos of organising dinner, walking the dog, filing that report or shuttling between Hindi and Math tuitions begins.)

Finally, make sure you indulge in some weekly pampering: get a massage, paint your nails, go for that pedicure. After all, as Ms Hall will vouch, even maids, cooks and whores need to feel good about themselves!