The arrival of shorter days in the Southern Lakes marks the start of the colder months and the health and wellbeing team at Queenstown’s Wilkinsons Pharmacy are urging people to shift their focus from sun safety to immunity boosting to assist in staying healthy during winter.

Pharmacist and co-owner, Glenn Mitchell, says people can be both in control of their own health and proactive in the prevention of winter ailments with the support of vitamins and natural health products.

“Everyone is different and our friendly team can help customers with their unique concerns, whether it is preventative, combating early signs of illness or dealing with symptoms once they’ve developed.”

For people in the full-blown throes of a virus, Glenn has high praise for a relatively new product now stocked at Wilkinsons.

“Kaloba is a natural product from Germany and relieves upper respiratory symptoms and markedly speeds up recovery. The quicker you get onto it, the better.”

A New Zealand made brand, Kiwi Herb, uses all-natural ingredients and can be safely used by the whole family.

“This brand is fantastic across the board and because it is 100 per cent natural it is particularly good in providing relief for infants and young children who have coughs or colds,” he says.

Pharmacist, Brian Wong says since he started working in Wilkinsons several years ago he has noticed the rapid change in climate has an obvious effect on people’s health at this time of the year.

“It’s important for people to get their immune systems strong to fight the effects of the relatively extreme weather here, be it through multi-vitamins or more whole food options like spirulina or essential greens, which help get digestive systems healthy.”

“Probiotics and prebiotics help keep the gut healthy which has a flow-on effect for the health of the rest of the body.  These are also good for tourists who may not be used to the diet in New Zealand and need something to settle their stomachs”.

Brian says Vitamin C is an effective immunity booster and can be taken in a few different forms, from a commonly used daily tablet to the more expensive but highly effective liquid sachet such as  Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C that is quickly absorbed into the body  and can ward of illness at the early onset stages.

“The Go Healthy Go Viral Defence is also very efficient at the early stages of feeling unwell.  We recommend it be taken immediately after noticing the first signs of a cold. Its ingredients include olive leaf, zinc, echinacea and a cough suppressant.”

Wilkinsons Pharmacy is located on the corner of The Mall and Rees Street and is open seven days a week from 8:30am until 10.00pm.