Happy 2024! We hope that over the past week or so, you’ve been able to reconnect with loved ones, enjoyed your favourite foods, drinks, and activities and, of course, that you’ve had a chance to rest and relax.
We love the holiday period as much as the next person, but it can be an overwhelming, chaotic time, and can take its toll on the body and mind.
Here are some of our top tips, and products, to help get you back on track so you can dive headfirst into the new year, feeling your best!
Early bird gets the … protein!
Over the Christmas/New Year period, many of us are out of routine, having put different types of foods and drinks into our bodies, in different quantities, and at different times. To get back into your regular eating habits, a breakfast high in protein is an excellent place to start.
Protein is crucial for a range of bodily processes. It repairs tissues such as skin, hair, organs, and muscles, balances hormones, regulates blood sugar and energy levels, and is important for heart health. Moreover, it keeps you fuller for longer and by incorporating it into your breakfast, you have better chances of establishing and maintaining a regular appetite throughout the day. In other words, a protein-rich brekky will help you to feel satisfied, and to avoid mindless, unhealthy snacking later in the day. This can help to re-establish important habits after the Christmas period, and assist with optimising weight.
“But how do I incorporate protein into my breakfast?” we hear you ask!
Well, you could try having higher protein foods, like eggs, oats or yoghurt, or adding a protein powder, such as Happy Way’s Vanilla Ice Ice Baby Whey Protein Powder, to your favourite smoothie or pancake recipe. The options are endless—give it a go and discover how you enjoy your protein best!
Boost your immunity
Often our bodies keep trucking along throughout busy, chaotic periods. Once we stop, however, things have a tendency to catch up with us and we can become run down and unwell.
As a result, it’s important to keep your defences high! Try boosting your immunity by returning to a healthy, balanced diet packed with fresh fruits and veggies, maintaining good sleep hygiene, getting regular exercise, and supplementing vitamins if you feel you need it.
At WholeLife we stock a range of products to keep your immune system strong. Ki Immune Defence & Energy Formula is an Australian-made, natural multi-herb formula that strengthens the immune system and supports energy production. It contains astragalus, shiitake mushroom and olive leaf, with benefits for white blood cell production, digestion, and cardiovascular health.
Get that gloss back in your hair
We often talk about skincare, but what about haircare?
Over summer, many of us spend extra time in the great outdoors, and while nature is great for the soul, the sand, sun, saltwater (or river water!) can leave our hair feeling limp, dry, and dull.
Give it a boost with Growth Bomb’s Hair Serum, made from the Amazonian yerba maté leaf, designed to activate hair cells and leave you with beautiful, strong, silky hair.
Wholefoods are the new snack foods
Goodbye processed, salty, oily potato chips and hello to seeds, nuts, grains, and dried fruits!
This one doesn’t have to be as boring as it sounds … we promise. Being healthy is all about balance, so it’s fine to indulge in those holiday treats, but by the end of the season they can start to make us feel worse instead of better. They don’t fill us up properly, and by eating more macronutrients (protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates), our cravings for processed foods will reduce.
At WholeLife we stock an extensive range of nuts, seeds, and grains which you can enjoy as snacks, or add to meals. Grab a bag of raw macadamias or raw peanuts, or sprinkle a spoon of chia seeds or psyllium husk over your fruit and yoghurt in the mornings to keep you fuller for longer!
If you don’t use a face mask, are you really practicing self-care?
Whether you’ve found the holidays fun, happy, sad, engaging, or burdensome, self-care is always important. Taking the time to do something nice for yourself is a great reset and important for mental health.
So pick out your favourite candle, hop in the bath and chuck on some soothing music or your favourite TV show! Best enjoyed with a face mask, like the Tea Tree and Manuka Honey Clay Mask by Thursday Plantation, or the Soothing Gel Mask from Inika!
Here’s to kicking 2024 off on the right foot!
REFERENCES
Hjalmarsdottir F (2023) ‘How Protein at Breakfast Can Help You Lost Weight’, healthline. <https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/protein-at-breakfast-and-weight-loss>.
Macpherson R (2022) ‘5 Health Benefits of a High-Protein Breakfast, According to a Nutrition Coach’, Outside. <https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/clean-diet/5-health-benefits-of-a-high-protein-breakfast/>.
