Wellbeing season

So here we are in early January. For those of us in Northern Hemisphere that means winter and trying to get motivated after the Christmas – New year binge!

For our lovely friends in the Southern climes, it’s the glorious summer holiday season, but still most likely a new wellness routine. Personally, I find this a great time of year to reset and try something new. I have never really been one for the New Year resolutions, I think it comes from a fear of failure, and in reality trying something new is more fun than trying to kick something else out of your life!

Wellness warriors 

I feel like I am very much like many of our Forest Spa clients, we are wellness warriors at heart, but can often find it all a little overwhelming, and knowing ‘what’s right for me’ can be our biggest hurdle.

So, I have done a little experimenting over the holidays to try and offer you, our ‘Forest Tribe’, a little new perspective and some nice tips on how to really get the boost you need most, to set you up for the year ahead.

Since we concepted the brand and developed the first product; our amazing Nordic Adaptogen Supplements, I became fascinated with the way adaptogens work in the body.

Knowing that they have the power to potentially keep your stress reactions in check (homeostasis is the correct term) was a breakthrough for my personal wellbeing and I have really enjoyed trying different ingredients to see how they work for me at different times. But there is an aspect of this reaction and the efficacy of the adaptogen you are using which I hadn’t put to the test until now.

You see adaptogens are believed to be more potent and can be even more effective when you take short breaks in between dosages.

Cycling supplementation

Now without trying to complicate things, the advice from our product development team is to do just as above, take a short break - maybe a few days off - occasionally or every other jar.

This is just like not letting your body get too comfortable with things and keeping your physiological wellbeing on its toes. I went one step further over the holidays and experimented with introducing some other adaptogens for different applications, and I really felt the difference.

Being that it was the silly season, I took a week off my Nordic Adaptogen supplements, and introduced a favourite of mine; Shield by Rohtos Labs. Shield is formulated to support the body’s immune function and metabolic waste removal processes, so it was a natural choice to help support my liver function as well as my body’s natural detoxification. It also offers a nice immunity boost, so it felt right for an end of year splurge.

I used Sheild for a week alone, at 3 caps per day, and then reintroduced my Forest Spa supplements in the second week, and this felt magic! What a great combination of a serious energy boost and feeling like I had really detoxed – especially in the tummy; I felt truly renewed.

Products we love  

Rohtos make a range of functional supplements for different applications, and I have tried them at different times, they are also a Finnish brand and are really trusted quality formulas. Another favourite and my current New Year supplement to cycle with is from Natural Nordic, another Finnish product, they have some super fun and really great quality instant drinks, that are for different types of health boosts.

My current January poison is ‘Energy Instant Drink’, a delicious natural drink formula, with some of my favourite Nordic fruits, berries and herbs, including Seabuckthorn - as featured in our Nordic Adaptogen Serum – and Spruce Sprouts.

These are so easy to use and are surprisingly natural tasting; you really get a not sweet but fruity and slightly earthy (in a good way) flavour. I am planning to try all four of them all over the coming months. It can seem difficult to know what our bodies are lacking but I am convinced that a little supplement cycling can give you the chance to introduce some different things and focus on alternative applications.

I highly recommend a look at the brands I have mentioned here and do some experimenting. I know it gave the lift I was looking for so I am sure you will find the perfect combination for your wellness goals.

Daniel Collins
Founder- Forest Spa Finland