When it comes to feeling your very best before the big day, there’s one understated yet clever hack in the world of wedding wellness: nailing your supplementation. Specifically speaking, these are power pills packed with vitamins and minerals to address a number of common concerns, including hair and skin quality, bloating, low mood and lack of energy. But where to start? The Wedding Edition’s beauty and wellness editor Olivia de Courcy asked Jessica Sepel, clinical nutritionist and founder of wellness empire JSHealth, the most-asked questions around choosing vitamins and supplements for brides, to demystify and equip every bride to start their pre-wedding wellness journey on the right foot.
Why should a bride adopt a supplement programme ahead of their wedding?
The answer, says Jessica, is simple. “Beginning a supplement regime ahead of your wedding is a wonderful tool to help you both feel and look your best come the big day.”
Are vitamins a quick-fix for a healthy lifestyle?
In short, no. “I have always seen vitamins as supplements for health,” explains Jessica. “Here in Australia, supplements and vitamins are actually considered listed medicines. This aligns with how I like to think of them as “medicinal” – and to take them to address a certain concern alongside diet and lifestyle. I have a very targeted and less is more approach to supplementing. For example, if you have a headache you take paracetamol. This is how I like to think of supplements, for example if you are struggling with digestive health – taking a probiotic may really support you alongside a healthy diet. If you are struggling with skin breakouts, fish oil and our Skin + Digestion formula can really target this concern. If you are anxious and stressed, you may notice a huge amount of support taking our Anxiety + Stress formula alongside lifestyle adjustments.”
But do supplements actually work?
“The biggest supplement myth is that they don’t work and there is no evidence to support them!” says Jessica. “Really there is almost too much evidence to support the power of individual vitamins and minerals on the human body. I’ve always believed in the transformative power of vitamins and nutrients. When I was in private practice as a health professional, I saw the way a good formulation could help my clients. And the anecdotal evidence says it all – all you have to do is take a look at the tens of thousands of customer reviews at jshealthvitamins.com and you can see how the right herbs and nutrients can be life-changing for many. The way I saw how pure vitamin formulas helped my patients in my nutrition practice was very eye opening.”
Which supplements should brides take?
JSHealth has a nifty online tool which offers bespoke advice, ideal for brides who are on a timeline and so don’t have time to test and trial. “We recently launched The JSHealth Vitamins Nourish Hub which is a free online destination that connects the community with our in-house Naturopaths and Nutritionists for personalised product guidance and support on general health, balanced dietary and lifestyle advice. It’s affordable, fast and reliable advice at your fingertips,” explains Jessica. She also has some quick-fix advice for brides, based on her plethora of experience.
Best supplements for a good night’s sleep
Sleep is key for cellular repair and rejuvenation, as well as a balanced mood. My favourite herbs and nutrients to support a good night’s sleep of 7-8 hours are lavender, passionflower, chamomile and magnesium. In supplement form, these can be taken about an hour before bed to help calm the mind and relax the body for slumber. I would recommend taking these a couple of months out to establish a regular sleep pattern and ensure your body is not lacking sleep approaching the wedding.
However if you don’t struggle with sleep, this may be something you opt for a couple of weeks out when the mind could be prone to being over active before bed (due to excitement and/or nerves!), and definitely to have on hand the night before if you can’t get to sleep. Everybody is different, however I find many people can benefit from a sleep supplement in their life in general.
Try: JSHealth PM + formula, which is designed to calm the mind, ease stress and support restful sleep – what more could a bride want? Enjoy 1-2x tablets before bed. Especially the day before the wedding.
Best supplements for glossy hair
I recommend taking a quality kelp-containing supplement. Kelp is a rich source of iodine, as well as fucoidan, to support hair growth and thickness, as well as healthy, shiny locks on the big day. The added bonus is that it will also support energy levels, which definitely comes in handy when you’re busy planning a wedding!
Try: JSHealth Hair + Energy Formula for hair growth, health and thickness – I would suggest taking 1 tablet each day for 3-6 months in the lead up to the wedding.
Best supplements to calm pre-wedding nerves
Paired with the PM + formula for your restorative slumber, as you get closer to your big day, you may like to consider additional anxiety and stress support, with a therapeutic dose of passionflower, an incredible herb for calming the mind and nerves.
Try: JSHealth Anxiety + Stress formula.
Best supplements for skin health
“For skin, hair and nails, you can’t go past a quality collagen formula. Collagen contributes to skin physiology and structure, allowing its many functions to perform. The amount of collagen in young, healthy skin has been shown to be greater than 75%! Unfortunately, collagen production declines as we age. I prefer hydrolysed marine collagen for its superior bioavailability and kind of collagen (primarily type 1), compared with bovine or porcine sources. Supplementing with marine collagen can support and maintain beneficial collagen levels for healthy, youthful, hydrated and glowing skin, plus healthy hair and nails. Take 3-6 grams daily mixed in water, a smoothie, or even added into your coffee, depending on the product.
Try: JSHealth Vitality X Collagen formula – again for the 3-4 months prior. We use a unique marine collagen, all the way from Norway that is 1.5x better absorbed – designed to support collagen formation, skin hydration and skin firmness.
Best supplements to stop bloating
For bloating relief, fennel is my absolute go-to ingredient to supplement with, which can be really effective at reducing uncomfortable abdominal bloating. Other key ingredients for digestive health are turmeric and probiotics.
Try: JSHealth Detox + Debloat formula, which contains ingredients that help reduce bloating, allowing for more confidence on the day.
How long does it take for supplements to work?
“I always encourage people to be taking supplements for 6-12 weeks to see optimal results,” says Jessica. Like facials, the biggest gains come from the long game. The earlier you begin, the more likely brides are to feel the best results come their wedding day. “Although people report using certain formulas such as the PMS+ Sleep Formula and Anxiety + Stress with more ‘immediate’ results of feeling calm and having a better night’s sleep.”
What are JSHealth Vitamins?
JSHealth Vitamins were created by Jessica, “born from my passion to provide high quality supplements to my community,” she shares. “The range is specifically formulated to address various concerns and needs – from skin health and bloating, to anxiety and sleep – to help restore the health and confidence that everyone deserves.” And of course, that absolutely includes brides.
Related Article: 9 Questions with Jess Sepal, Founder of JSHealth
