There’s no denying that end of year celebrations are some of the most joyous of times, with our social calendars filling up faster than our stomachs at Christmas lunch. It’s the one time of year where a bit of overindulgence isn’t just allowed, but we dare say encouraged!
Often the trend of over-indulgence is carried into the first few weeks of the new year too. A combination of warm weather, long sunny days and precious time off work lends itself to a very ‘why not’ mentality – which is perfectly fine, because life is all about balance.
But then! All of a sudden, it’s mid-January; the euphoria of the silly season is wearing off and you decide it’s time to have a little health check-in with yourself. The carefree attitude you adopted over the past couple of weeks suddenly feels quite apparent and you notice you’re not feeling 100% health-wise.
It’s time to get back on track so you can start your 2023 with a bang! We’re here to share with you our top vitamins and supplements to help you bounce back from the antics of the silly season.
Vitamin B
The B-complex of vitamins are essential for a myriad of our body’s processes, including energy production, brain and nerve function, and skin health.
Vitamin B is most depleted under times of stress, which can affect almost everyone during the chaos of December. Consuming alcohol also depletes our body’s store of vitamin B, so it’s crucial to replenish if you’ve been shaking one too many Mr. Consistent’s in the past few weeks.
Try incorporating a Vitamin B supplement into your daily routine to support your energy levels bouncing back:
If you’re already taking a multivitamin, it would be worth checking how much vitamin B you’re already consuming with your Pharmacist first before adding additional supplements into your routine.
Electrolytes
Long days in the hot sun sitting by the pool or lazing at the beach enjoying the company of family and friends is what the silly season is all about! So it’s easy to become dehydrated when you’re not paying attention to your water intake or consuming alcohol.
Replenishing your electrolyte stores will help you remain hydrated, so keeping Hydralyte on hand in your medicine cabinet is an absolute essential! Hint: the Strawberry Kiwi flavour is elite in a glass of ice-cold water, but there are also plenty of other flavours available for those who are fussy!
Milk Thistle
Used as a herbal remedy for centuries, milk thistle is often touted for its ability to support the liver and protect it against toxins. Let’s face it – all our livers could use a bit of extra support, especially if grandma was a little too heavy handed on the brandy in the Christmas pudding.
Here are three Milk Thistle supplements we love to recommend:
- Caruso’s Milk Thistle
- Thompson’s One-a-day Milk Thistle 42000
- Nature’s Own High Strength Milk Thistle 35000mg
Digestive Supplement
No explanation is really needed on this one! A supplement designed to aid with digestion and debloating is going to be your best friend after you’ve finally eaten your way through all those Christmas Day leftovers.
If you’re someone who has food intolerances, we really can’t recommend Intoleran’s range enough. The majority of their range (which is tailored to your specific intolerance or concern) is meant to be taken at the time of eating or drinking to help digest the components of the trigger food. All Intoleran’s digestive enzyme range are FODMAP friendly.
Try out these supplements to help support your digestion:
- Intoleran Quatrase Forte
- JSHealth Detox + Debloat (available in store only)
- Herbs of Gold Digest-Zymes
- Nutra-Life Digestive Enzymes
- Nature’s Sunshine Activated Charcoal
Probiotic and Gut Health Supplement
The good bacteria living in our gut would have undoubtedly taken a hit after the overconsumption of highly processed, sugary (but delicious) foods and alcohol. Repopulating your gut microbiome with some beneficial bacteria is going to help support balancing out your moods (hello post-holiday blues), digestion, and energy levels.
There are a few different ways you can approach giving your gut some TLC. You can try to incorporate more fermented foods into your diet (think kimchi, sauerkraut, and kefir), take a probiotic supplement, or try out collagen which is loaded with gut-loving amino acids.
Check out some of our gut-loving top picks:
- Foraged For You The Mothers Blend
- Gelpro The Original Collagen Peptipro
- Life-Space Triple Strength Probiotic
Immune Support
When you’re on the go, rushed off your feet and not prioritising good nutrition and sleep hygiene, your body’s immune system and ability to bounce back from stress becomes diminished. An immune support supplement is going to lessen the chances of your immune system becoming too run down. There’s nothing worse than coming off the high of the holiday season by being stuck in bed for a week afterwards!
Letting your immune system become run down also increases your chances of contracting Covid-19 as well as other viruses and infections, so make it a priority to put in some preventative measures with these supplements!
An immune support supplement will often use a multivitamin approach to help enhance immune system function. Look for vitamin C, zinc, quercetin, and vitamin D to ensure you’re maximising the potential benefits.
A lot of our recommendations below contain a combination of vitamins that we have individually recommended above, so as always consult a health practitioner before combining supplements.
Some immune support supplements that we love:
- Bush Tucker Blends Immunity
- Imuni Immune Defence 60 Hard Capsules
- Pillar Vitamin C + Zinc Immune Training Advantage
- Bioceuticals ArmaForce (Pharmacist only medicine available in store or for Click & Collect only)
- Fyto Immune +
Greens Powder
If tablets aren’t really your thing and you’d prefer to get a hit of essential vitamins and minerals in a more palatable way, a greens powder may work for you. Greens powders are versatile because you can quickly mix them into water in the morning if you’re in a rush, or you can incorporate them into one of your extravagant smoothie creations.
When mixed with water, powders also absorb into your body quicker than oral tablets or capsules. Plus, the vibrant green colour really makes you feel like your health journey is back on track!
Try out one of our favourite greens powders below:
Vitamins and supplements recommended in this article should only be implemented in your diet after consultation with your GP or a healthcare professional.
Always read the label and follow the directions for use.
