Forget body talk, says JO HAYWOOD, and start listening to your face instead.

IT'S time to face facts. The state of your health is reflected in the freshness and vitality of your face.

If you feel grotty, your skin is likely to be lacklustre and your eyes less than shiny. So, what can you do about it? Here are a few tips on how to naturally regain your healthy demeanour and youthful glow.

Eyes

Symptom: If you have sore and watery eyes it may be an indication that you have eyestrain. Long hours in front of computer screens, for work and play, can also cause recurring headaches and blurred vision.

What you can do: Bilberry is a European relative of blueberry and cranberry. Its properties came to light during the Second World War when it was discovered that pilots eating bilberry preserves had better night vision. Its dark purple-black berries have since been shown to help a myriad of vision problems. Bilberry stimulates the regeneration of rhodopsin, a pigment that is responsible for night vision. Long term use of bilberry has helped near-sightedness and visual acuity. FSC's Bilberry Eye (£19.99 for 30 capsules) formula is available from good independent health food shops and pharmacies.

Nose

Symptom: If you have a runny or constantly tickly nose you may very well have hay fever. For the three million people who suffer, sneezing, runny noses and red eyes can interfere with exams, cause absence from work and even affect relationships with colleagues and clients. The number of those affected by hay fever is gradually increasing, as is the intensity of the symptoms.

What you can do: Butterbur, the leaves and roots of which have been used for medicinal purposes since ancient Greek times, offers effective sedative-free relief from the symptoms of hay fever. Standardised Butterbur (£10.99 for 60 capsules) is available from good health food shops.

Lips

Symptom: Chapped lips are often a symptom of iron deficiency, a problem experienced by 89 per cent of women at some point in their life.

What you can do: Eat lots of leafy green vegetables. But if you can't face eating your own bodyweight in broccoli, try Spatone Iron+ (£3.85 for two weeks supply, £6.49 for four weeks) instead. It's a spa water found in the Welsh mountains of Snowdonia National Park that naturally contains iron. The body simply soaks up as much iron as it needs and the rest is quickly flushed out without any side effects. It is available from Boots, Holland & Barrett, independent health food stores and pharmacies, and via mail order on 01492 640 057 or www.spatone.com.

Cheeks

Symptom: Menopausal temperature fluctuations, known as hot flushes, affect 80 per cent of European women over the age of 45. Half of the British female population will be over 50 by 2005, so managing these heated moments is an important issue.

What you can do: Kira's Black Cohosh (£9.99 for 30 one-a-day capsules) is a herbal remedy that has been clinically proven to relieve some of the most distressing symptoms of the menopause including hot flushes and night sweats. It is available from Boots, Superdrug, Lloyds Pharmacy, independent chemists and via mail order on 01628 533307.

Updated: 10:55 Tuesday, June 22, 2004