Good morning, grab your tea or coffee, make yourselves comfortable because we are doing the VH Awards today, that annual event where we do whatever it is that we need to do.  Setting the scene, the VH Awards are our way of embracing and recognising pioneering products and cutting-edge innovation, together with the brands and the people who have really helped to make a difference to each of us throughout the year, so a few things to say before anything else.

Being an interpretation of what I believe awards should look and feel like, these words are a reflection of your feedback, reviews, emails and of course the statistics that determine our bestselling products.  These awards are very real and I have always written them with a sense of fun and humour, stemming from the very first time I wrote about our own awards, which was a tongue-in-cheek response to the paid-for awards doled out by the health and beauty industry.  I wore a tiara for the occasion.

I honestly didn’t intend for the VH Awards to become a thing, but now that they have this is the moment to say that I feel the need to do things a little differently this year.  Before I had even run the stats, I knew that our own products would win in most of the bestselling genres, but I ran them anyway just to ensure that I wasn’t hallucinating, and I wasn’t. 

My initial reaction was that I would drop the awards this year, essentially because it would feel weird to self-award my way through the categories, but somehow that didn’t feel right, so this is what we are going to do.  I am going to take a retrospective look at the year, which will cover our own products, and after we have done that, I will throw the focus on the products, brands and people who have made a real difference to so many of us over the past year as I wrote above.  Let’s do it, with a few treats thrown in along the way.

Supplementation

I really don’t need to tell you that HA remains our bestselling supplement, but let me also say that having launched five new VH supplements over the past year, each of those supplements make an appearance in our bestselling supplements statistics.  In no particular order, those products are Magnesium Complex, Turmeric Curcumin C3 Complex, Sleep Tight Plus, Daily Multivitamins One-A-Day and NAD+ Generator and together they sit alongside our other long-standing bestselling supplements, such as Superior Joints, Mega Probio and Magnolia Rhodiola Complex to name just three.

Having come out the other side of last weekend, which was pretty wild, I had a moment, an epiphany perhaps, when I realised that we have come full circle since our What’s The Alternative days.  As I wrote last weekend, at that time we were recommending pioneering natural health products each week in The Sunday Times as an alternative to allopathic medicine, bringing natural health to the forefront in the mainstream media.  So, full circle because we have, in a way, become the very epitome of What’s The Alternative, mostly because, with evolvement, we have now created and formulated our own products as an alternative to the mainstream offering.

Enabled by ongoing cutting-edge research and development, our newest supplement, NAD+ Generator, serves as an exemplary example of a pioneering product, which we honestly believe knocks everything else out of the water in the longevity stakes, including NMN.  And I can’t resist having a moment, so please take this in the spirit that it is intended because I know what we did on Black Friday and I know what we did last weekend, but notwithstanding any of that, if you buy NAD+ Generator across this weekend, we will automatically include the travel size of HA (15 capsules), which is worth £17.50, in with your order.  My sharing gene has come out to play.
VH Editorial: Are NAD Supplements Beneficial; NAD+ Generator £32 for 30 Capsules + Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength (15 Capsules) Free (only one gift per customer and offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 17 December)

Fulvic

Many years ago, I wrote that Fulvic Acid was probably one of the most important ingredients I would ever write about, and that statement still stands.  I can’t imagine life without Fulvic.  Fulvic Elixir has always been, and continues to be, the foundation for all the other supplements I take as it enhances the absorption of vitamins and minerals in our body.  But of course the Fulvic range is not only about Fulvic Elixir, it’s about the haircare products and the skincare products, notably Fulvic Face , which is our bestselling product in its genre, together with Fulvic Body, which is our bestselling product in its genre.

Obviously, I am not going to self-award here, but if I was to give an award to the most versatile product on our site, it would be Fulvic Nail Cream.  All I really need to do here is to refer you to the reviews of this product and without me saying another word about its attributes, I think we should have a Fulvic moment and it looks like this.  If you buy any Fulvic product, with the exception of Fulvic Nail Cream, we will automatically include Fulvic Nail Cream, which is worth £14, as a gift.  In and of itself, Fulvic Acid is a gift and the news here is that we will be launching a new Fulvic product next year.  No dates yet. 
Fulvic Products (only one Fulvic Nail Cream per customer and offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 17 December)

Serums

Year after year, Vitamin C 23% + Ferulic Acid is our overall bestselling beauty product, closely followed by Alpha Arbutin 2% and Kojic Acid 1% Serum.  Thankfully, this is the last section where we talk about the VH products, so before we head into the next section, an acknowledgement for each of the Garden of Wisdom for VH products, which were of course formulated by Shabir.  No award for him either, but in line with last week, I am discounting the entire range by 15% just in case anybody missed it last weekend, but mostly I do this with gratitude for your ongoing support and loyalty.  Thank you and let’s move on.
Garden Of Wisdom For VH Products (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 17 December)

Best Launch Of The Year

This one is easy, it’s the Eye Rescue Lidstick from Peep Club.  Yes, it is the first-of-its-kind overnight eye balm stick and yes, it was specifically formulated for those with dry eyes, sensitive eyes, inflamed or dry eyelids, but there is something else.  And that something else is that this is an eye product that actually delivers on promise and so many don’t. I genuinely believe that the Lidstick puts most other eye products into a corner and I absolutely know that I am not alone when I say that most eye serums and creams are hugely disappointing, no matter the cost, and I’ve tested rather a lot of them over the years.

Actually, eye products bore me rigid, which is why I never use them, but the Lidstick surpasses all my expectations.  It is everything I need an eye product to be, not least because it helps to protect my eyes when I’m sitting in front of my computer screen.  So, an award for the Eye Rescue Lidstick, not only because it has become a legend in its own short lifetime and not only because the wait lists, when they happen, are beyond all other wait lists, but because this epic product will change everything we ever thought we knew about eye products.  And I believe that’s quite something. 
Eye Rescue Lidstick by Peep Club £15 for 2.2 grams (currently in stock)

Hero Products Of The Year

There were several contenders for this award, so there are three awards here, with the first being for Dr Nenninger’s Triple Flu Defense+.  Triple Flu gets this award because this homeopathic remedy helps to combat infective viruses, reducing the severity and supporting the symptoms of infection including sore throat, congestion, fever and fatigue.  The formulation is adjusted each year for new seasonal viruses and for several years running it has been one of our bestselling winter products.  It deserves the recognition.
Triple Flu Defense+ (2023-2024) £30 for 30 ml

An award for Ross J.Barr and his collection of patches, but if I am to single them out then I will dedicate this award to the Breathe Patches.  Newly launched, these Breathe Patches are quite something as they were formulated to help ease difficulties associated with various breathing and respiratory concerns.  Using a selection of herbs with a long history of traditional use, the Breathe Patches come into their own when we sleep as they also have calming and sedative properties.  Love these patches.  Bravo Ross and thank you.
Breathe Patches by Ross J. Barr £15 for Five Patches

The third hero product of the year award goes to Ross Walker (how many Ross’s are there in the world) and Clinisept+ Mouthwash, which is an utterly brilliant oral health product.  It continues to dominate this health category and as such it continues to be our bestselling product for oral concerns.  Standing alone in its brilliance, I don’t believe anything in this genre comes close, so a celebration.  When you buy Clinisept+ Mouthwash we will include another Clinisept+ Mouthwash as a gift from us to you whilst stock lasts.  A celebration, yes of course, but this is also in celebration of your amazing support for an innovative niche brand.  And that really matters.
Clinisept+ Mouthwash £7.95 for 400 ml + Clinisept+ Mouthwash 400 ml Free

Best Supplement Of The Year

Outside of our own products, there are those products which really stand out and Neuro-Logical Plus is one such product.  This supplement supports the health of the nervous system and its primary nutraceutical ingredient is PEA (palmitoylethanolamide) which is often described as a safe alternative to cannabidiol (CBD).  For that alone I would give it an award, but the other thing to say here is that efficacy of PEA has been demonstrated in multiple clinical trials and it targets chronic pain, working at any pain site to turn off pain signals.  As such it is a non-addictive option to reduce reliance on pain killers and their inherent side effects.  Five gold stars.
VH Editorial: Supporting Our Endocannabinoid System (ECS); Neuro-Logical Plus by Lamberts £38 for 60 Capsules (drops from £42.95)

Innovative Product Of The Year

Well, it’s the Eye Rescue Lidstick.  It wins hands down.  Nothing more to say.

Best Suncare Brand Of The Year

And it’s Darling.  I’m not sure that I have ever launched a brand where I threw the focus on the launch gift rather than the products, but I had a real thing about the pink pouch and I still do.  The products are of course amazing too, but it wasn’t the easiest of launches because it coincided with the dreadful floods in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and Darling was seriously affected.  Consequently, all orders were affected too, but we rode the storm and came through.  So, an award for Darling and a 15% discount across the brand, most especially for those who are heading into the winter sun.  I’m not.
Darling Products (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 17 December)

Best Tool Of The Year Award

Tongue scraping is an ancient Ayurvedic method of tongue cleaning and in Ayurvedic medicine, the health of the tongue is linked to the health of the heart, kidneys, spleen, liver, lungs and the stomach.  The Copper Tongue Cleaner wins this award because it plays an important role in helping to remove bad bacteria and toxins that accumulate in the mouth.  In a way, the Tongue Cleaner is the perfect partner to Clinisept+ Mouthwash, and although not the sexiest award ever given, tongue cleaning is a thing, a very important thing and this is where ancient wisdom meets modern day living.  Which, in and of itself, is a thing.
VH Editorial: The Benefits Of Tongue Scraping; Copper Tongue Cleaner £12

Best Heritage Brand Of The Year Award

This award goes to Weleda, a brand that continues to demonstrate excellence with each of their products.  We all have our favourite Weleda products, but the hero product of the range is of course Skin Food.  So, as we bestow this award upon Weleda, let me also say that if you spend £12 or above on any of the Weleda products on one order, we will automatically include their Comfort Shower Gel (200 ml), which is worth £8.25, as a gift.   This really is a very limited offer, so if Comfort Shower Gel does not appear in your basket, that will mean that the offer is over.
Weleda Products

The Gratitude Awards

Once again, three awards here and the first goes to TEMPLESPA.  We have partnered with TEMPLESPA for the longest time and I am so grateful to Liz and Mark Warom for their love and support throughout the years.  The TEMPLESPA products have always been incredibly special, but a heartfelt mention here for this year’s seasonal gifts, which were stunning in design and innovation.  I know how much love and care went into their creation and there are times when it’s not just about the products, but about the stories behind the products and the people who make a difference with the correct intent.  Thank you TEMPLESPA.
TEMPLESPA Products

I give this same award every year and I have done so ever since we launched Spacemasks for and on behalf of Harriet Inglis.  Having launched any number of brands and products across the years, there are always the launches, products and people that really stand out.  Once again, it’s not only about the products because however brilliant Spacemasks are, and of course they are totally brilliant, there are those people who have never forgotten how it all began and Harriet is one of those people.  Harriet, you are one of life’s very special people so please accept this award for the love, support and integrity which exudes from your very being.  All love to you.
Spacemasks

Finally, an award for Poppy Delbridge.  Poppy, the creator of Rapid Tapping, came into our lives just as the pandemic hit in as she led many of us through the first, of several, dedicated Rapid Tapping sessions.  There are many scientific studies that endorse the benefits of tapping, but in its most simplistic form it allows us to tap into our ultimate potential, offering opportunities to enhance and embrace the possibilities of life, often against a backdrop of the many challenges and difficulties that life can bring to each and every one of us.

On a personal note, Poppy has stood right by my side since those early days and as I tap every single day of my life, I have experienced the power of tapping and how it has helped me to understand and clear the many difficult moments in my own life, and there have been quite a few.  In the New Year we will be doing another community tap, led by Poppy, but for now another celebration as Rapid Tapping hits the mainstream with the release of Poppy’s Rapid Tapping App.  I have put a link to the App below, which is free for seven days whilst you explore the possibilities that could help change your life.  And that’s quite something, but Poppy is quite something too.  A shining star.
Rapid Tapping App by Poppy Delbridge

And so we have come to the end, the end of the awards and the end of another year, a year where we have shared so much and a year where we continue to support each other as best we can.  Together with Shabir, Lara and the entire VH team, my thanks to each and every one of you for the amazing love, loyalty and support you have so generously shared with us.  When all is said and done, I am a consumer, we are all consumers, and all we ever need to do is to stand in our own truth in all that we are and in all that we do.

I have chosen to share this final song of the year for so many different reasons, but I have always believed in soul energy and I have always believed that we share soul energy.  So, as we dance the dance of life on a platform which belongs to all of us, the dedicated words of this song speak of the protection and love we share. We must always let ourselves be beautiful and nobody can ever be allowed to take that away from us.  Make love your goal.
The Power Of Love by Frankie Goes To Hollywood; The VH Playlist

Happy and healthy everything and the next Weekend Read will be published on Saturday 6 January.

Stay safe.

With love

Gill x       

 

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