WE all know how difficult it is to juggle work, family and leisure time.

As we attempt to stuff so much into our busy lives, it is no surprise that our health often suffers. Going to the doctor with minor ailments is often overlooked, and anyway what can they do for that continually nagging backache, irritating spots or your inability to get a restful night's sleep?

The answer is actually easier than you think because your body already has all the answers – it is simply a matter of your chakras being out of balance. Put them back into balance and harmony is restored.

Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning "wheel" or "vortex" and is described as a ball of energy that interacts with the physical body through the endocrine and nervous systems. Each of the seven chakras of the body is associated with a particular part and function. This is the basis for psycho-neuroimmunology (pni), the body/mind connection.

When you feel tension in your consciousness then you feel it in the chakra associated with that part of your physical body. For instance, when we are nervous our legs may tremble or our bladder becomes weak.

When we are embarrassed we may blush, sexual thoughts provoke a physical response and the thought of food can make your mouth water - the famous Pavlovian response.

In the same way, when a chakra is out of balance you may feel discomfort or disease in a certain part of your body. For example, your base chakra, the first to develop and connected to our sense of self, is located between your hips and your knees. If we are constantly rushing around, feel challenged in our personal safety, physically or emotionally, this chakra may get out of balance. This can result in the inability to sleep well, varicose veins, constipation, IBS, circulation problems and even hip, knee and heel problems.

Your sacral chakra is located between the pubic bone and the naval and is all about challenges with money and career, how we feel about our parents, children, siblings and lovers – in other words our relationships. If this chakra is out of balance then you may suffer from sexual or reproductive problems, urinary infections, lower back problems or even excess weight around your lower tummy.

If you suffer from digestive problems like excess stomach acid, bloating, liver problems, pancreatic issues (diabetes), liver/spleen problems or even gall stones then your solar plexus chakra may be out of balance. This chakra is located in the upper abdomen. It's all about self-esteem and if you don't feel good about yourself then the chances are you may have stomach problems. If someone insults us we often say we are feeling "gutted" which is in effect our energy leaving our system. When we are given a compliment, we can experience a warm glow of positive energy here.

One person who has studied the interplay between our chakras and our health for over 15 years is Sarah Williams of Organic-Aromatherapy Ltd. Sarah suggests that we should listen to our body's "whispers", or niggling aches and pains, before it has to "shout" at us or even stop us in our tracks with severe pain and disease. Over the years Sarah has developed a range of Soul Harmony Chakra Balancing Creams that work by using essential oils that have balancing properties to the respective chakras. By rubbing a little of the creams anywhere into your body, the oils are absorbed into the chakra via the bloodstream, harmonising the imbalance which prevents as well as relieves problems.

"It helps to acknowledge what is causing your pain/discomfort by registering what part of your conscious life is causing you grief," says Sarah. "Then by applying just a little of the cream, the oils get to work harmonising the imbalance. You don't even need to believe in their healing properties for them to work!"

Sarah initially trained in body massage and aromatherapy but has continued her training by working with various teachers and body-workers around the world. She is also a qualified teacher. "I am now able to bring all the techniques I have discovered, as well as the creams I have developed, into my treatments. I would describe myself as an holistic practitioner/teacher, working very much with balancing the natural energy within."

The creams are available from the Organic-Aromatherapy Ltd website, www.organic-aromatherapy.co.uk, where further information is available on the problems and diseases that can be helped, as well as workshops that Sarah holds to teach people about the seven chakras and how to harmonise them.