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20 Christmas health essentials to add to your medicine cabinet

Jess Bacon
·Contributor
·7 min read
Woman sneezes as she lies ill with cold during the festive Christmas period.
Socialising a lot over the Christmas period can lead to an onslaught of illness. Be prepared with what comes by ensuring your medicine cabinet is fully stocked. (Getty Images)

Christmas might be the most wonderful time of year, but indulging in rich foods, sweet treats, late nights and one too many proseccos often results in illness. Not to mention all of the ways the cold weather impacts our physical health.

From the pesky colds doing the rounds to over consumption upsetting stomachs and minor cooking injuries, it’s well worth stocking up your medicine cabinet - in addition to your kitchen cupboards - when the festive season falls.

The NHS has found that cases of the flu, norovirus, COVID-19 and respiratory viruses have risen drastically, with a 350% increase in flu cases compared to this time last year.

NHS GP and Director of Health at Manual, Dr Jeff Foster said: "It is important to have a well-stocked medical cabinet over Christmas for several reasons. We are more likely to get cough and cold in winter, due to changes in weather which promotes the proliferation of nasal infections. We are also trapped inside with more people when the weather is cold which helps spread germs.

"Having simple flu remedies like paracetamol and ibuprofen can be very beneficial. I’d also probably keep some alcohol gel or hand sanitiser in case you do meet friends as you want to keep germs at bay as much as possible."

Many chemists and doctors are also closed or have limited opening hours over Christmas and New Year so it’s best to prepare in advance for any on-going or growing health concerns that tend to get worse this time of year.

Top of the list is Gaviscon, as it’s the best way to treat acid reflux and indigestion quickly and regularly. As indigestion tends to happen after eating too much or foods you don’t tend to eat as often, Christmas is the prime time for heartburn to arise. The medicine comes in chewable tablets or a liquid and is even available as a powder for children under 2.

Feel a cold coming along? There’s always at least one going around this time of year. Cold and flu tablets are essential this time of year to aid recovery and prevent any early signs and symptoms developing into a full blown cold or flu. Many supermarkets and drugstores have their own brand of cold and flu tablets that contain the same ingredients as branded ones, but are usually more affordable too.

There are so many great cough syrups on the market that can soothe, suppress and ease any type of cough. The best cough medicine will vary on the type of cough that you have, make sure you get one that correlates with your chesty, dry or congested cough. If you’re planning on driving over Christmas, make sure you choose a non-drowsy option too.

When your nose is blocked, there is nothing better than inhaling vapour rub either from a bowl of steaming water or from your chest. It works quickly to clear nasal passages and relieve coughs to help you breath easily thanks to the oils that work as cough suppressants. It’s always worth having a pot of this in the cupboard. A plug-in diffuser (you can buy a Calpol version for children or an oil diffuser to add eucalyptus drops to for adults) may be worth investing in to help keep you breathing clearly all night long.

Dry, cracked lips are very common at this time of year so it's well worth having a pot of Vaseline to hand. It's great for applying on other sore skin spots - such as around the nose after a cold.

Nothing helps soothe a sore throat or swiftly calm a cough like a throat lozenges. These medicated tablets can come in a variety of different flavours to suit your taste and provide fast and effective relief to uncomfortable sore throats.

Hosting this year? Then it might be worth restocking on plasters, as you never know when there might be a little accident in the kitchen while chopping one of many vegetables or potatoes.

If this isn’t already a must-have for you after the pandemic, it might be worth investing in a small bottle to have on-the-go. Most hand sensitisers are 99% effective in reducing germs, and with so many of them around this time of year, it does no harm using sanitiser more often when you’re commuting, out at work or socialising this winter.

If you aren’t able to take cold and flu tablets with your existing medication, make sure you have plenty of paracetamol or ibuprofen around to help ward off any colds, headaches or flu symptoms. If you're a parent to little ones, then it's well worth having some Calpol or Nurofen for children to hand, too.

Many people have found peppermint capsules or peppermint tea to soothe symptoms of IBS such as bloating, gas, stomach pain and diarrhoea. Stores such as Holland & Barrett and Boots sell these capsules, which contain peppermint oil, as a natural way to support the digestive symptom.

Decongestants are great to have to hand as a fast acting option for short-term relief for blocked or stuffy noses. Don’t worry if you don’t use it all up at Christmas, as it can also help with hay fever and allergies in the warmer months too.

A simple and easy way to unblock your nose is using some saline nasal spray. It might be a small bottle but it packs a mighty impact when offering relief from congestion during a cold.

If someone in your house starts to feel very hot and sweaty, a thermometer will help you determine whether their body temperature is elevated (above 38 degrees) or if it’s normal. If they have a fever, start to drink lots of fluid and get them to rest as it should pass within a few days.

Whether it’s tears, sneezes or all out colds, a box or two of tissues in the cupboard is always worth having around this time of year. Tissues can also help stop germs spreading in your home as the tissue traps the germs when you sneeze or cough.

Before popping a plaster on any scrapes, cuts or grazes, it’s always worth cleaning minor wounds with antiseptic cream to prevent any infections. It’s a first aid must-have that can also help soothe superficial burns from any turkey-mishaps too.

Looking forward to a social drink over Christmas? Then it might be worth grabbing some rehydration sachets for any mornings after a night of drinking, such as Christmas parties or family gatherings. They work to replace any lost fluids and can also help relieve diarrhoea.

With minimal sunlight in winter, a high concentrate vitamin D spray is a great way to get your recommended daily dose. The NHS recommends that children and adults over 4 have a vitamin D supplement during the winter as it's difficult to get enough of the vitamin from food alone.

Vitamin B

Alongside vitamin D, prioritise taking a vitamin B tablet this winter as it helps support your immune system. The NHS says it can help to keep your nervous system healthy and help the body break down and release energy from food.

Antihistamines

Allergies aren’t just for summer! A box of antihistamines is great for any flare ups due to the Christmas tree, dust from decorations or friend’s who visit with different pets. Always better to be prepared for any reactions ahead of time.

In between cold and flu tablets, a holistic way to soothe a sore throat is to have hot water infused with a teaspoon of honey, lemon juice and fresh ginger. The honey helps to ease the irritated throat, while the lemon juice is rich in vitamin C. Ginger also contains gingerols which throughout history have been thought to help ail colds, fevers and sore throats, according to BBC Good Food.

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