you don’t have to deal with the rich meals, sugar, sleep issues, and general stress this holiday season the same way you always have before. This incredibly useful supplement guide is helping us do the holidays better this year.
Integrative and functional medicine doctor, Dr. Frank Lipman of acclaimed NYC wellness center, Eleven Eleven is walking us through the key supplements you need to survive the holidays well-rested, in vibrant health, and without too much stress. Grab his list of top supplements and enter to win his Holiday Survival Kit below…
During the stretch from Thanksgiving to the eve of December 31st, between the influx of parties and social gatherings, stresses of family and long legs of travel, the holiday spirit can mix a little too heavily with our overall wellness routines. Lack of sleep, one too many drinks, overindulgent meals and one night too many at the in-laws can turn our focus from celebration to simply trying to cope.
Here are our top 7 supplement recommendations to combat the stresses of the holidays. Our survival kit combines each of Dr. Frank Lipman’s personal recommendations for the top concerns when it comes to navigating the holidays – helping us maintain our inner balance when it comes to digestion, stress, sleep and even detox, so we can face the holidays head on.
manage sugar Cravings: L-Glutamine
Are your sweet cravings out of control? The holidays can disrupt our dietary routines with plenty of tempting foods that throw our body balance out of whack. L-glutamine to the rescue.
L-glutamine will help reduce sugar cravings and also stabilize blood sugar so we can indulge in that tempting treat, but also save ourselves from eating the whole tray.
How to Supplement: Take two capsules 2 times per day to help support gut lining from the potential overindulgences of the season. Additionally, when you get a craving or know cravings are on the way, take 2 capsules to help alleviate them. You can’t overdo this supplement!
manage Stress + depletion: Adaptogenic Herbs
Stresses of the holidays got you down? Consider supplementing with adaptogenic herbs. Eleuthero, ashwaganda, American ginseng, rhodiola rosea help to combat stress and promote recovery from burnout and depletion. Ashwagandha adapts to your body’s specific hormonal and stress-related needs and can give you an energy boost or help you feel more mellow as needed.
Vitamins C, B2 and B6, and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) also help with stress. Lemon balm and valerian root can help to calm the nervous system as well.
How to Supplement: Take adaptogens and vitamins daily when you know you’re heading into a stressful family, work or travel situation.
Detoxify daily: Glutathione
One too many drinks last night? It happens! A good strategy to help avoid a hangover is to stay away from sugary drinks and stick to clear alcohols like vodka and tequila (with seltzer and citrus). But if you did have that one last drink, glutathione, the master antioxidant, can help you bounce back and give your liver a boost. It helps to reduce free radicals and strengthen immunity too. Stress, gaps in our diet and chronic illness, as well as long-term toxic exposure, can not only deplete stores of glutathione but also inhibit its production.
How to Supplement: Take daily. If you know you will be imbibing, we highly recommend 4 capsules of glutathione per day to help aid your liver with detoxification.
optimize Digestion: Digestive Enzymes + Probiotics
Big meal? Don’t know what’s in that mystery meat dish your aunt just piled on your plate? Digestive enzymes help your body break down protein, carbohydrates and fats to improve nutrient absorption and reduce unwanted effects of indigestion associated with these harder-to-digest foods.
Probiotics are your friend this holiday season! They optimize the digestive system, help with heartburn and indigestion, reduce gas and bloating for a flatter tummy, boost overall immune system function and may even enhance the ability to cope with stress and anxiety. Although we recommend taking a probiotic year round for optimal well-being, we highly recommend it during the holiday season to keep your gut flora in balance.
How to Supplement: Take probiotics daily to build up gut health and help to keep your immune system strong all holiday season long. Take enzymes with you to all your social gatherings and take before a big holiday meal to help your gut digest foods better.
get great sleep: GABa, melatonin + 5-htp
Between travel, added stress and late-night parties, the holiday season can disrupt our natural sleep cycle and leave us feeling less than rested. Aim to keep a regular sleep schedule during the holidays to maintain balance, and, if you need a little extra help, our sleep formula will help you fall asleep and stay asleep, yet won’t affect daytime alertness like sleep medications can. GABA promotes relaxation by quelling overstimulated nerve cells, while melatonin helps to synchronize our circadian rhythm so we are alert during the day and at rest during the night. 5-HTP helps to create the “feel good” hormone, serotonin, which is great for inducing sleep.
How to Supplement: Take right before you get into bed.
