Talking SHOP

If you have ever tried to get your body into ketosis, you will know what keto flu feels like – and take it from me, it’s not fun. With side effects such as hunger, fatigue, mood changes and irritability, dizziness, headaches, decreased concentration and brain fog, insomnia, constipation, and muscle aches, these symptoms can quickly send you hunting for chips and chocolate. This programme and its included products help combat keto flu symptoms while giving you a good kickstart into ketosis, getting you well on your weight loss journey.

LAZU KETO SHAKE POWDER

LAZU Keto Shake Powder is a nutritional meal alternative designed to support a healthy lifestyle and optimal weight management by helping you maintain a healthy state of nutritional ketosis. It provides a blend of fats and proteins to assist with weight management while helping to reduce cravings and improve metabolism.

LAZU Keto Shake is available in chocolate and vanilla. I preferred the vanilla but they were both pleasant to drink, lump-free and easy to prepare. I had no problems getting through the day on my lunchtime shake. I did get a rumbly tummy, but that was just noise and not hunger.

RRP $57.99 for 441g

LAZU BIORESTORE POWDER

LAZU Biorestore Powder helps restore essential electrolytes lost during a keto diet, known to cause muscle cramps and flu-like symptoms. It contains probiotics that help to restore and rebalance gut bacteria which can be affected by high-fat diets and intermittent fasting and is great to take daily during extended fasting. LAZU Biorestore Powder also helps to promote energy and assists with elevating mood.

I was very surprised by this product; I didn’t think I would be that person who drank electrolytes while on this journey, but how wrong was I? This was the product in the LAZU range with the most impact for me; the shake helped keep me full and away from naughty foods, but the powder – which you mix with water – got me through the hideous side effects of keto flu. RRP $60.99 for 189g

LAZU KETO MAX CAPSULES

LAZU Keto Max is a dietary aid containing 1800mg beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) per serve and electrolyte minerals formulated with the dietary supplement boron and apple cider vinegar.

LAZU Keto Max helps to reduce cravings and appetite, gets you into ketosis and stay there, all while assisting you in reducing the common side effects. This formula also includes electrolytes that help to provide additional support for a healthy keto lifestyle. LAZU Keto Max helps you stay focused while providing mental clarity and promoting better brain and memory function.

These capsules did what LAZU claims – reduced cravings and suppressed my appetite. The only problem I had was remembering to take them before a meal. (But that is a common problem for me because I am not overly compliant.) RRP $45.99 (for 90 capsules)

LAZU 21 DAY CHALLENGE KIT

Of course, LAZU has combined the products into a 21 Day Challenge Kit, designed to get you through the first three weeks when keto flu is at its worst. This kit includes all the above products and a box of ketosis test strips to test whether you have managed to get your body into a state of ketosis, which will see you burning fat and thus losing weight. This kit also allows you to register your progress, and I recommend following social media for yummy recipe ideas.

I also advise doing some marketing around this range. Pharmabroker has provided tools to support marketing, and you could create an effective promotional strategy by backing your customers on their journey. Consider setting up a LAZU Keto Facebook group, organising walking and yoga groups, and sharing keto recipes and success stories.

RRP $174.99 (for three products)

When you have a cold, few things are better than snuggling up in bed with a hot lemon toddy. The bonus with Maxigesic Cold & Flu Hot Drink is that it combines a soothing lemon drink with effective pain relief, marrying the power of paracetamol and ibuprofen to provide fast treatment for cold and flu symptoms.

I didn’t have a cold when I tried Maxigesic Cold & Flu Hot Drink – just a whopper of a headache. But sitting down to enjoy a comforting lemon drink – and benefit from the paracetamol and ibuprofen it contains – made me feel much better.

Each sachet contains paracetamol 500mg and ibuprofen (as lysine) 150mg, and is gluten-free. '

The instructions say:

• Adults and children over 12 years: 1–2 sachets every six hours, as required.
• Pour contents of one or two sachets into a mug and fill with hot, but not boiling, water. Stir until dissolved.
• Do not consume more than eight sachets in 24 hours.

Maxigesic Cold & Flu Hot Drink is perfect for a customer with general pain and discomfort caused by colds and flu. The soothing drink helps to relieve symptoms and is nice to cosy up with.

RRP $17.99 for 10 sachets;

RRP $29.99 for 20 sachets

When I was asked to review the new Eyden range, the first thing that went through my mind was, ‘How am I going to write about this one?’ Well, here goes…

I had to do a fair amount of research first – and, boy – have I learnt a lot. We don’t speak about pelvic health enough, especially considering that 46 per cent of women experience a pelvic floor issue at some stage. Additionally, one in three women will experience urinary incontinence, and one in five will have pain during sex. Wellingtonbased pelvic floor physiotherapist Liz Childs says pelvic floor conditions are common and often treatable.

“However, many people have accepted the pain and symptoms they experience as normal because no one has told them otherwise,” she says. I think it’s time we started talking about it, especially as health professionals.

New Zealand company Share Satisfaction wants to shine a light on the body’s most neglected and misunderstood muscles – those of the pelvic floor. It developed the Eyden range in consultation with pelvic health physiotherapists, designing it for the thousands of New Zealanders suffering in silence.

The collection, consisting of Kegel and dilator kits, can help to improve bladder and bowel control, reduce the risk of prolapse, assist rehabilitation treatment post-cancer, increase sexual sensation and enhance sexual and physical wellbeing. Alongside a campaign to raise awareness of pelvic health, Share Satisfaction is partnering with Community Foundations NZ and will donate $1 from every sale of its new Eyden collection to initiatives supporting women’s health nationwide.

I was lucky to receive the Eyden remote controlled Kegel trainer, which comes beautifully packaged and includes three different weight attachments. These are rechargeable via a USB port, and if used every day for the recommended five minutes, the charge lasts a good week to two. The remote control lets you to choose the most comfortable vibration setting for your requirements, altering intensity and rhythm. After using the Eyden remote controlled Kegel trainer for six weeks, I was able to move up a weight and noticed a difference in how long I can hold on for (no judgement, the bladder isn’t what it used to be – I’ve had two kids and I’m getting old!)

The Eyden range can:

• provide post-cancer treatment assistance
• enhance and maintain pelvic health
• help pregnant women and new mothers wanting to ensure the best pelvic health outcomes during and after pregnancy
• help perimenopausal and menopausal women experiencing bladder and bowel issues, painful sex or hormonal changes.

This range would be great if your pharmacy is close to a maternity hospital or a gynaecologist or if you would simply like to let your customers know there is a solution to a problem many women think they just have to live with. However, I suggest ensuring every member of your team is well-trained and comfortable talking about it.

The Eyden range includes:

• Kegel balls in 12 colour variations
• three Kegel ball set
• adjustable Kegel eggs with weight variation
• remote controlled Kegel trainer
• dilator kit.

RRP $59.95 to $119.95

For more information, visit sharesatisfaction.com