New to natural health? Taking your health into your own hands can be an empowering process. Wondering how to choose the best supplement? This guide breaks down what to look for and the best nutrients to choose. You’ll also get naturopath recommended diet and lifestyle tips to match your specific health goals.
Whether you want some ‘bounce out of bed’ energy or to calmly breeze through your day there’s plenty of scientifically researched supplements to help you thrive.
In this guide you’ll find:
- Gut health top picks
- Healthy energy tips
- Hair, skin & nail support
- Sleep & relaxation
- Immune health must-haves
Let’s unpack your wellness goals and support your journey towards holistic health across all areas - mental, physical and emotional.
A natural health approach can help address the root causes of your health needs – no quick fixes here.
So, where do you start?
The wellness world can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be. Our team approach health holistically and are here to support and guide you every step of the way.
- Customer care – our super-knowledgeable team are here to help – you can connect with us via Live Chat, phone or email.
- Wellness Blog - these holistic guides are full of easy tips - written by our health experts -naturopaths, medical herbalists, and nutritionists who love sharing their wellbeing knowledge.
- Product reviews – curious about which supplements other people like best? Check out thousands of reviews from everyday Kiwis sharing their experience. You can find helpful reviews at the bottom of product pages.
Why choose HealthPost?
Choosing is easy when every new product HealthPost stocks is naturopath-approved and follows strict ingredient and environmental standards. We’ve checked every product label, so you don’t have to. You can learn more about our strict ingredient standards and Ethical by Nature Promise.
My top picks when you’re new to natural health
Gut Health
Digestion need some love?
Normal, regular bowel habits and a comfy tummy sound good? Your digestive wellness starts with a thriving, happy microbiome. A quality Probiotic is arguably the best gut health supplement– they’re great for all areas of gut health.
Why choose a probiotic for your wellness?
If you’ve got any sort of gut issue, probiotics are likely to be the first thing a naturopath will recommend for you. They’re key for whole-body-wellness (like mood, calmness, healthy weight and immune health)- considering they’re depleted by everyday things like stress, sugar, alcohol, and herbicides – most of us could do with microbiome spruce-up.
How to choose a probiotic:
With so many probiotics available it’s not always easy to choose the best one for you. Here’s what to look for.
To keep it simple look out for:
- Quality: for viable CFUs (colony forming units) - this can be more important than how many billions there are
- Diversity: studies show the more variety of different species in your probiotic, the better, (like different types of Lacto and Bifido)
- Microencapsulation: to protect probiotics – this keeps the probiotics alive and active until they get to their destination
The best probiotic for everyday wellness: Lifestream Probiotics 14 Strains
There are plenty of reasons why this is a top seller. And why it's always a Naturopath top pick. It’s. Just. That. Good. It covers the three main things to look for: a superior quality formula, 14 research based strains for diversity and it’s microencapsulated so the good bacteria can stay intact until they reach your bowel. What’s more, Lifestream is a Mindful Brand - they use recyclable plant-based plastic packaging. You’ll be doing your gut and the planet a favour at the same time.
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Holistic gut health tip:
Probiotics love plant fibre. Help your resident good bacteria thrive by eating plenty of fruit, veggies, nuts and seeds.
4 ways to up your fibre
- Veggies with the skin on - scrub potatoes and carrots instead of peeling
- Fruit skin - try a little (ideally organic or well washed) orange or kiwifruit skin in your smoothie
- Wholegrains – ditch the refined and go for brown rice, wholegrain pasta and brown bread
- Focus on high fibre options like pumpkin, pears, beans and flaxseed
Keen to try some gut loving foods? Explore these recipes lovingly developed by Lena Fisher – our holistic nutritionist - her passion for healthy, delicious food shines through in her creations.
Energy & feeling good at the top of your list?
Switch-on with B-Complex
To support energy and mental clarity you can’t go past an activated B Complex - you’ll be perky and bright. Your body also needs them for happy mood, stress resilience and hormone balance. Activated Bs are easy for the body to use, and this makes all the difference. People often share that activated B Complex is a rewarding and worthwhile supplement to take. Not sure where to start? Find out what to look for in your Vitamin B Complex.
For energy & focus - BioBalance Liposomal BioActive B Complex
With activated B Complex vitamins, you’ll be giving your body the best raw materials to release energy from food and power through your day – mind and body. The liposomal formula makes it even easier for your body to use. Already taking a B Complex? It's worth considering swapping over to this one. BioBalance is a proudly B-Corp certified brand too, so you can feel good knowing your choice is ethically and environmentally sound.
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Holistic energy tip:
Lacking energy? It can often be traced back to your diet, sleep or stress – it can be a good idea to do a self-check to see it one of these factors could be the culprit. Keen to know more? Check out our guide on the ‘What, Why and How’ of energy
Healthy hair, skin & nails
Collagen
Whether you’re after smooth skin, joint comfort, or both, a Collagen supplement supports your inner scaffolding – keeping it strong and resilient. It’s especially important once you hit 25 when it naturally starts to deplete.
How to choose collagen
Your body rebuilds itself constantly – taking collagen supplies the body with the raw materials it needs to replenish itself. But there’s something else to consider here too. We know that our collagen depletes with age, so ideally, we cover this angle too. But how? Antioxidants. These little beauties help protect from oxidation – which is basically the process that causes aging. So, taking collagen along with antioxidants (like Vitamin C and plant Antioxidants) is a smart solution. It means you’re covering your collagen health from more angles – it's a comprehensive approach. My two top picks below follow this principle.
Collagen for Skin – Clinicians Rejuvenate with Collagen
For firm, plump and hydrated skin, collagen pairs well with protective antioxidants and nutrients that support collagen repair. This offers a comprehensive approach – think of collagen as the building block and nutrients as the building maintenance.
With these capsules you get:
- Aotearoa marine collagen for firmness
- Hyaluronic acid for plumpness
- Astaxanthin for antioxidant protection
- Avocado oil for skin-loving lipids
You can start with two capsules for the first two months then drop down to the maintenance dose of one daily.
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Holistic skin tip:
Research shows that one of the best ways to protect your skin from the visible signs of aging (like fine lines and loss of firmness) is with sunscreen. It protects collagen from being broken down by UV rays, and what scientists call ‘photo-aging’. In 20 years, your radiant and luscious skin will thank you for that sunscreen you used. That’s why we call SPF your no.1 antiaging ingredient.
Collagen for Joints - Solgar no 7
Tender joints need some tender loving care? With this formula you can combine collagen with plant extracts renowned for supporting joint comfort. Collagen supplements support joint strength and flexibility. Plant extracts of Boswellia, Turmeric, White Willow and Ginger support joint comfort and tissue health, plus they supply protective antioxidants. Vitamin C supports collagen synthesis for healthy joint repair. It’s like taking seven supplements in one – so it’s excellent value too.
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Holistic joint health tip:
Drink plenty of water – sounds almost too simple – but keep in mind that your joints have a fluid cushioning system, they need enough water to work properly. Hydrated joints are comfy joints.
Still not sure where to start? Explore 10 bestselling collagen products to get behind.
Dreamy night sleep & relaxed outlook
Chill out with Magnesium
Magnesium is the go-to mineral for supporting deep sleep, stress, muscle comfort and healthy blood pressure.
Lying awake with a busy brain? If your mind is racing when you want it to be zzz'ing, research shows Magnesium supports sleep onset - a calm mind to settle into sleep. Tricky to drop back off after waking? Magnesium supports sleep quality too, so you can slip easily back into dreamland, it also supports staying asleep in the first place.
Stress or daily pressures affecting your sleep? Ashwagandha is excellent for stress related sleep issues – it also supports your coping ability, calmness and energy.
How to choose a magnesium supplement
No need to lose sleep over choosing the best magnesium. The two main factors to consider are the form and co-factors. The best forms of magnesium appear to be amino acid chelates (like glycinate, taurate or malate) and citrate - they’re well absorbed. You need the cofactor Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) to use Magnesium effectively, so it makes sense to choose a Magnesium with B6. Calcium is synergistic with Magnesium so ideally, they’re taken together too.
Magnesium - Ethical Nutrients Megazorb Magnesium Powder
This easily mixed powder offers a bioavailable form of Magnesium (glycinate) and includes the important co-factors Vitamin B6 and Calcium. Whether you’re looking to support calm nerves, easy sleep, or relaxed muscles. The delicious raspberry flavour makes it a treat you’ll look forward to every day. Want to explore other Magnesium options? Check out our best magnesium supplements for your health guide.
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Holistic sleep tip:
Light has a massive influence on your circadian rhythm. You could say it totally governs it. Morning sunlight gets your wakeful brain chemicals pumping, so you feel alert and sleep better later. Just like avoiding blue light 1-2 hours before bedtime helps your sleep chemicals kick in at sleep-time. These two chemicals see-saw with each other, one must be up for the other to be down and vice versa.
For immune health
Zinc
It’s the queen of immune minerals and deficient in NZ soil, so lots of Kiwis need extra Zinc. It’s not only key for thriving immune defenses, you need it for everyday health too – it does hundreds of jobs around your body. Skin healing, healthy fertility, kids growth and development are a few examples. It’s especially important if you exercise (it’s lost through sweat) or follow a plant-based diet (meat and fish are rich in zinc), alcohol and stress also increase your zinc needs too. So, you can see why it’s a popular supplement.
How to choose a zinc supplement
Does it matter what type of zinc you take? There’s not a lot of research on this and different forms yield different levels of actual zinc too – so it's almost impossible to compare all forms directly. Most forms of zinc found in supplements are well absorbed (chelated forms like zinc monomethionine, zinc citrate, zinc picolinate, zinc gluconate and zinc sulphate are all great options). Zinc oxide tends to be relatively less well absorbed than the others.
Easy-to-take Zinc – Radiance Vitamin C + Zinc Gummies
Keen to do something to care for your immune health? Being the queen of immune minerals, it makes sense to pair Zinc with Vitamin C – the hero immune vitamin. They’re both crucial for immune health and work well together. Featuring easy-to-absorb zinc sulphate. These yummy gummies have great reviews for taste and being easy to take. They come in a re-useable aluminum tin, which is very a handy size and an excellent ecofriendly choice (aluminum is infinitely recyclable).
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Holistic immune tip:
Regular exercise helps you sleep better. And both exercise and sleep improve your immune defenses. So, to keep your immune system fighting fit - aim for 7-8 hours of nightly zzz’s and 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week, according to science.
No matter where you’re at on your wellness journey, it’s all about making slow, sustainable changes to your day that become habits and have a long-term positive impact.
Looking for more personalised recommendations for your unique health needs? Take our wellness goals quiz. We’ll be able to send you the most relevant recommendations, tips, and inspiration from our team of naturopaths and nutritionists.
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