43. Supplementary benefits

Managing the strains of life is simply a matter of managing your body’s chemistry. There is a whole battery of supplements that can help you do this.

If you have had a shock, or know that you are about to go through a very busy period – getting married, sitting exams – think about investing in a B-complex supplement. This supports the nervous system. Your body can’t store B vitamins and has to replace them every day (which is also the reason you won’t overdose on them, though of course it’s sensible to follow the instructions on the bottle).

Stress affects your immune system and if you seem to be getting every bug going, you will probably benefit from an antioxidant supplement. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to help the body recover from shock faster. (When patients were given antioxidant vitamins following trauma or surgery the mortality rate was 44% lower among them one month later than in a group of patients not given antioxidants.) Consider taking a vitamin C supplement two or three times a day. Around 500–1000g in total should be enough; don’t go over 2 g a day and don’t take vitamin C if you have a history of kidney stones.