Winter comes but once a year, and with it, it brings a whole line-up of wellness concerns that differ from person to person. From dry, dehydrated skin (caused by the chilly breeze and increased use of air-conditioning) to low energy and mood triggered by the darker days and longer nights, there’s never been a better time to get your winter self-care concerns in check.
Not sure where to start? We called on the supplement experts at The Nue. Co and DIRTEA for their top tips on how to supercharge your routine against the negative effects of the cold winter weather.
What are some of the common health and wellness concerns that arise in the winter?
Winter is known to welcome a selection of wellness concerns as we bundle up for the bitter months ahead. Although common to experience some mild illness or other during the winter, it’s natural to want to avoid feeling under the weather if you can help it, including:
- Cold & Flu
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Dry, Dull & Chapped Skin
- Cold Hands and Feet
- Low energy and mood
What are the best supplements for improving energy levels?
Feeling lower than the temperature this winter? As we emerge from party season, where we pretty much enjoyed burning the candle at both ends, January to March can seem like a dreary 3 months to get through. But Jules Miller, founder & CEO of The Nue. Co, and Simon Salter, co-founder of DIRTEA, share their favourite supplements to help invigorate both skin and senses.
“I would suggest incorporating CoQ10 Capsules into your daily routine,” Jules confirms. “Found in almost every cell in the body, CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from oxidative damage, helps convert food into energy and supports cardiovascular and respiratory health. It’s a great option to recharge energy at a cellular level.”
Aligned to his mushroom-enriched supplement brand DIRTEA, Simon spotlights the power of fungi for helping to improve energy levels: “Cordyceps [is] known as mother nature's energy boost. Within this mushroom is something called cordycepin, which is really interesting because it is structurally similar to adenosine, which makes adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the molecule that is responsible for cellular energy production to give you energy.”
Struggling for gym motivation on this dark winter evening? Simon also suggests using cordyceps as a great addition to your pre- or post-workout shake!
What are the best supplements for good gut health in the winter?
There are many signs of an imbalanced or unhealthy gut – including frequent discomfort, gas and bloating, heartburn, and even chronic fatigue, to name a few. If you’re looking for the best gut health supplements, The Nue. Company has you covered once again:
“Research suggests that taking a prebiotic and probiotic combined (known as a synbiotic) creates a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship that helps probiotics to populate and flourish in the gut,” explains Jules.
“Our Pre+Probiotic is a vegan spore-based probiotic, which delivers 15 billion CFU (colony forming units) per dose and was formulated specifically to help support the health of the gut microbiome,” explains Jules. “It is our brand’s bestseller and the cornerstone of all our products because it benefits so many functions in the body, from digestion to skin.”
What are the best supplements for hair growth?
Hair growth supplements are on the rise lately, with many of us looking to keep our strands in mint condition. According to Jules, there are a lot of factors that can contribute to the growth of healthy hair:
“Your daily dose of key vitamins, proteins and adaptogens cover all bases when it comes to a healthy hair growth cycle,” she affirms. “. Stress is one of the main causes of hair loss, pushing hair into the telogen (hair loss) phase. Balancing nutrition deficiencies, regulating hormones, calming stress and protecting against free radicals [can all contribute to] longer, thicker, fuller hair.”
The best way to combat stress on hair, skin and body? Adaptogens!
“We took a 360 approach to haircare when making Growth Phase: an ingestible supplement that’s clinically proven to increase hair growth in 90 days,” explains Jules. “We added adaptogens reishi mushroom and eleuthero root extracts, traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine, to help reduce cortisol (stress) levels, so as not to impact the hair growth cycle. Key vitamins in Growth Phase are also antioxidant-rich, which protect hair follicles from environmental stressors, too!”
We also love the Hair Gain Capsules and Hair Gain Gummies, both of which are powered by the brand’s pea shoot-derived AnaGain ingredient to help support the growth of long, strong and healthy-looking locks from the inside-out.
What are the best supplements for supple, healthy-looking skin?
Although topical treatments will likely be your first point of call, we can give our complexion additional support through supplements that seek to offset concerns from the inside-out.
“Our Matcha contains three different functional mushrooms for added benefits: Lion's Mane, Tremella and Reishi,” Simon reveals. “We have also added in 1,000mg per serving of our very own DIRTEA Tremella, which contains unique molecules called Tremella polysaccharides that have shown water-retaining properties within the skin, holding over 500 times its weight in water.”
Tremella mushrooms are said to deliver a surge of hydration to the skin, helping to protect our natural barrier and lock in much-need moisture – so it’s no surprise Simon is a huge advocate of using this ingredient in DIRTEA’s wellness supplements.
What are the best sleep supplements to help support rest and relaxation?
Good beauty sleep can be hard to come by – but maybe not for long if you know where to look (and what to drink!):
“If you want some nice, deep quality, restorative sleep, [our] Cacao Blend is wonderful – plus you get the benefits of a dark hot chocolatey treat with a fraction of the sugar you get in your average hot chocolate,” shares Simon. “Cacao is rich in flavonoids, which are compounds that act as antioxidants, and also contains a naturally occurring compound called phenylethylamine (PEA), which may offer an uplifting and mood-enhancing feeling. So, if you feel like you want a warm hug, this is the perfect DIRTEA treat.”
And the benefits don’t stop there: “In addition to the incredible benefits from our raw cacao, we have also added three functional mushrooms, Lion’s Mane, Tremella and Reishi, which result in a total of 2,500mg of mushrooms per serving. If that isn’t enough, DIRTEA Cacao contains both MCT and Moringa - two adaptogens designed to restore balance in our bodies.”
