Hello Saturday and hello to each of you as I welcome you to another Weekend Read.  I often think back to the times when I wrote a monthly newsletter and I find it hard to believe that we only really touched base once a month, and although we sent out various emails throughout the month, it wasn’t the same as talking to each other as often as we do so now.  It enables conversation. I am big on enabling, and it remains of great importance that we continue to enable each other to bring us to a place of understanding, a place where we can share the things that matter most.  And what matters most is our own health and wellbeing.

What is also important is that we continue to trust and believe that we are doing our very best, and in so doing we need to acknowledge the fact that we are only human.  As such, and at any given moment of time, we can become vulnerable because of circumstance, which so often relates to our choice of supplementation.  And it is relative because there are those supplements that only need to be taken for a required period of time, determined by need, and then there are others, that we call base supplementation, which we recommend taking on an ongoing basis.

I think I want to start here by talking about Magnolia Rhodiola Complex, which is our bestselling supplement for helping to support and improve emotional wellbeing.  Magnolia Rhodiola Complex addresses symptoms associated with stress, anxiety and low mood.  When Shabir formulated this supplement, he did so to enable temporary relief from the above-mentioned symptoms, which often came with a recommendation to take Magnolia Rhodiola Complex for approximately three months, acknowledging that it can take up to twenty-eight days to fully kick in.  That was then.

In the now, and although the above still stands, the vast majority of us have been through many stressful, and often traumatic, moments across the past three years, most obviously from the onset of the pandemic, the repercussions of which are ongoing and much evidenced.  As such, the need for calming supplementation has increased exponentially, thus it has shifted from offering a temporary solution to a permanent solution for so many.  Recognising the change, it is perfectly safe to take Magnolia Rhodiola Complex on an ongoing basis and having addressed that change, I am dropping the price of Magnolia Rhodiola Complex from £28 to £23 across the weekend.
VH Editorial: How To Combat Stress Effectively; Magnolia Rhodiola Complex £23 for 60 Capsules (offer ends midnight BST, Sunday 11 June)

Conversely, Hyaluronic Acid Capsules were formulated as a base supplement, to be taken on an ongoing basis.  As I wrote last weekend, HA continues to play a crucial role in the anti-ageing stakes as well as being hugely beneficial for aching joints and helping to alleviate dry eye syndrome and gum disease.  But something else comes into play here and that something else is the health/beauty crossover.  Over the years we have launched many beauty brands on a health platform because they help address varying concerns and surely, on subject, skincare is health provided the ingredients used incorporate the correct therapeutic dose of actives to make that difference.

HA supplementation demonstrates the health/beauty crossover, together with the inside/out approach, and it goes something like this.  If you buy Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength, then we will automatically include Hyaluronic Acid Serum, which is worth £11.50.  Three points to make about Hyaluronic Acid Serum, the first is that it is not sticky, the second is that it doesn’t contain alcohol and the third thing is that we don’t use silicones in any of our serum formulations.  And with all of that said, there is only one gift per customer and it is a limited edition offer which may or may not last across the weekend.
Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength £35 for 30 Capsules + Hyaluronic Acid Serum 30 ml by Garden of Wisdom for VH Free (whilst stock lasts)

Let’s stay with the story, because the very foundation of the Fulvic range is based upon the health/beauty crossover, and of course the inside/out approach.  There are many ways to demonstrate this, but perhaps the best way of doing so is to put two of the Fulvic products together.  So, I’m taking Fulvic Acid Elixir as the foundation product here, primarily because I can’t imagine life without Fulvic Acid Elixir, and I’m pairing it with Fulvic Face Cream, which is our bestselling skincare product, but no surprises there because it quietly does what it is meant to do, with seriously good results, and I like it that way.

So, here we go.  I am dropping the price of both products, Fulvic Acid Elixir drops from £30 to £25 and in line with that, Fulvic Face Cream also drops from £30 to £25.  However, there is a twist, and the twist is that if you buy both together, using the link below, that price becomes £45, dropping from £50.  And here comes the logistical stuff, this offer will only work if you use the dedicated link and it will not work if you put each of the products into your basket separately.  All for the love of Fulvic.  And its astounding efficacy across the health and beauty platforms. 
VH Editorial: Fulvic Acid – The Elixir Of Life; Fulvic Acid Elixir £25 for 480 ml; Fulvic Face Cream £25 for 60 ml; Fulvic Acid Elixir (480 ml) + Fulvic Face Cream (60 ml) £45

A new product launch, so please allow me to introduce you to Ashwagandha KSM-66 Gummies.  I think we are all pretty well-versed in the attributes of Ashwagandha, it is also known as Indian Ginseng and it is an Ayurvedic adaptogen known for its abilities to help decrease stress and increase energy levels.  It can also help improve concentration levels, lower cholesterol and help balance blood sugar.  The most important factor is that the efficacy of any Ashwagandha supplement depends upon the quality of the ingredient used, and KSM-66 has been evaluated in twenty-four ‘Gold Standard’ published clinical studies, which is quite something.

KSM-66 is undoubtedly the best Ashwagandha extract on the world market today. It went through fourteen years of research and development to develop and refine and as it stands it carries the highest concentration full-spectrum extract, and nothing comes close.  So, this is one of those moments where I say that if you take Ashwagandha gummies, please change over, not least because this formulation also contains a balanced blend of ionic minerals, Concentrace, delivering a concentrated complex of naturally occurring trace minerals.  The retail price of the Ashwagandha KSM-66 Gummies is £21.99, but I’m dropping that across the weekend to £18.99.  
Ashwagandha KSM-66 by Nutriburst £18.99 for 60 Gummies (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 11 June)

Moving away from supplementation for a moment, I want to talk about the Darling suncare products.  If you have followed this launch, you will know that it has been problematic in terms of supply and demand, not because of raw ingredient issues, but because Darling are head-quartered in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy where severe flooding recently took place.  Most obviously the impact hit hard and, together with Darling, we would like to thank you for your understanding and support, which really matters when you are faced with immense difficulties.  And to some extent, those difficulties still continue, with one or two products still out of stock.

In recognition of that support, if you spend £35 or over on the Darling products, we will include the Darling After Sun Lotion (200 ml) as a gift, which is worth £41.  Darling After Sun Lotion is a face and body lotion, which is suitable for all skin types.  It has powerful soothing, emollient and anti-ageing properties and its ingredients include Chamomile, Mallow and Aloe Vera.  I absolutely know this is a high-value gift, but it is given in the spirit of sharing with acknowledgement and as such there is only one gift per customer, whilst stock last.  As ever, we will honour all orders placed, with the exception of the out of stock products, and After Sun Lotion is one of those products.   If the gift is not added to your basket then the promotion is over.  
Darling Suncare Products

Right, let’s talk about teas, functional teas to be precise.  Functional teas differ to other teas because their ingredients have a therapeutic action and as such they can be used as an adjunct to supplementation, or as a stand-alone.  So, a new range of teas to tell you about and although there are sixteen different teas in the range, I am just going to tell you about three of them today and allow to explore the entire range as and when you have a moment but let me just say that Shabir is rather taken with this range.

We will begin with NutraRelax, which is ideal for the moments when you feel anxious as it addresses symptoms such as agitation and mood swings.  Loaded with Chamomile, Lemon Balm and Passion Flower, it is the perfect adjunct to Magnolia Rhodiola Complex, which is why this one came first.  NutraJoint tea comes next and this herbal tea has been formulated for painful joints and includes Curcumin, which does of course offer relief from inflammation, while managing the pain associated with injury and arthritis.  If used as an adjunct, it sits rather well with Superior Joints and of course Curcumin Turmeric C3 Complex.
Superior Joints £30 for 60 Capsules; Curcumin Turmeric C3 Complex £26 for 60 Capsules

Finally, NutraRelease is a refreshing herbal blend with Dandelion Root, Parsley and Uva-Ursi that can help maintain the health of the bladder and urinary tract.  Dandelion is a natural diuretic and as such helps to keep fluid moving through our bodies, removing waste and helping to prevent swelling and bloating.  As a natural antibacterial, Uva-Ursi helps prevent infections thereby supporting a healthy urinary tract.  It is joined by Juniper Berry and Parsley which also help to increase urine flow.  And having written about those three teas, I am launching the entire range at £4.99, which drops from the RRP of £5.99. For the interim.
NutraRelax Tea by NutraTea £4.99 for 20 Tea Bags; NutraJoint Tea by NutraTea £4.99 for 20 Tea Bags; NutraRelease Tea by NutraTea £4.99 for 20 Tea Bags; All NutraTea Teas

Shabir has just had his moment, but he is about to have another moment as he has become fascinated with tongue scraping, in fact he has written an entire article about it.  The art of tongue cleaning has existed since Roman times and in Ayurvedic medicine, the tongue reflects the health and wellbeing of the heart, kidneys, spleen, liver, lungs and stomach, so regular inspection of the tongue is a good gauge to our overall health.

The Urban Veda Tongue Cleaner is made from 100% pure and antibacterial copper, which in the realms of tongue cleaners is really important.  This U-shaped tongue scraper has a blunt edge that will help remove bad bacteria and toxins that accumulate in the mouth and as such it will help reduce bad breath and it will also help remove plaque build-up thereby improving overall oral health.  It is not often that Shabir becomes totally besotted with a product, but he is besotted with this, and I think I may join him.  But in my own bathroom.
VH Editorial: The Benefits of Tongue Scraping; Copper Tongue Cleaner by Urban Veda £12

Can we talk about feet please, because I like talking about feet.  So, let’s run through this and I’ll start by saying that my most favourite foot file in the world is called just that, the Foot File, with nothing to add other than I have used this Foot File for many years.  Not the same one of course, I change it as and when I need to, but it does everything I want it to do.  Basically.
Foot File by Alida £13.99 

I am also a huge advocate of foot baths, I think they are brilliant and they bring relief and comfort for tired, aching and swollen feet.  And my best foot bath treat right now is to add a couple of teaspoons of Yunohana Natural Hot Spring Bath Powder into a bowl of warm water where it dissolves to assist the body’s natural lymphatic drainage.  It also helps improve blood circulation and will help ease nerve pain and skin sensitivity. Having studied Reflexology, I absolutely know how important it is to look after our feet, with the aim of bringing a state of relaxation to the entire body through the nurturing care of our feet.  It works.
Yunohana Natural Hot Spring Bath Powder £18 for 120 grams; All Japanese Bath Powders

Leaving products on one side for the moment, increasing rates of overweight/obesity means more people with Type 2 diabetes.  One practical solution is a low carb diet, which also helps many other health conditions.  Sarah reports on pioneering Merseyside GP Dr David Unwin’s experience, but of course it’s not only about Type 2 diabetes, but other conditions also including heart disease and stroke, osteoarthritis and mental illness, which are all linked to piling on the pounds and it is happening at an alarming rate.  The facts are concerning, so please do take the time to read this important report.
Lowdown On The Low Carb Diet by Sarah Stacey

Back to products we go, and most specifically we are going to talk about a product for compromised skin conditions, including dry skin, eczema, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.  That product is Basix Skin Defence Cream which contains Kigelia Africana, the fruits of the African Sausage Tree.  Kigelia Africana displays reparative and potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties, making it a useful treatment for a wide variety of skin concerns. 

So, as I drop the price of Basix Skin Defence Cream from £16.99 to £14, we would recommend using this as a topical application, supported by Viola tricolor, which is regarded as a traditional remedy for compromised skin concerns.  And in one final fling, I am taking the price down of Viola tricolor from £11.99 to £10.  I know I did this two or three weeks ago, but I’m doing it again because this is an outstanding tincture and I want to give it a touch more recognition in the hope that it will help many of you. 
Basix Skin Defence Cream £14 for 50 ml (whilst stock lasts); Viola tricolor by A. Vogel £10 for 50 ml

Into the Saturday only treat, and with every order placed for £30 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Temple Spa’s AAAHHH! Instant Cooling Balm (15 ml) with every order placed.  I’ve chosen this gift because as I have written about feet today, I thought it was an appropriate choice.  Full product details listed below.
AAAHHH! Instant Cooling Balm

Finally, these words: ‘Look At The Stars. Look How They Shine For You’.  Let’s look. Let’s sing. Let’s believe. 
Yellow by Coldplay; The VH Playlist

With love

Gill x

 

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Prices and products advertised at times of sending and publishing are subject to change and availability.

*Free gifts will only be granted if the items purchased are physical products and your total basket value exceeds the required amount noted.  Saturday only treats are subject to change should the specified gift run out prior to your purchase and are only included in orders placed between 7.45am (GMT) and Midnight (GMT) on the Saturday the Weekend Read is sent.  VH Addicts membership is a digital product and therefore will be excluded from the basket value.  Some gifts are blocked from international shipping due to local limitations imposed based on the country destination.  If this is the case, we will replace the gift with one that is able to be shipped to your destination.