In many differing ways, the Weekend Read is an ongoing story of our lives, a sharing, an understanding, an acceptance and an exploration of what I hope are thought provoking words and articles, with one single vision and mission, to support our health and wellbeing, ethically and responsibly.  So, as I welcome you to another Weekend Read, we are going to begin by talking about our gut health, and the importance of probiotics.

With a few tweaks to the formulation across the years, Mega Probio remains our bestselling probiotic and it does so because Shabir ensured that it was a broad-spectrum formulation and as such it contains eight species of beneficial bacteria for digestive tract health and function.  Also supporting healthy colon cell growth, immune function and optimising intestinal motility, Mega Probio addresses the imbalance of beneficial bacteria which can often lead to the lowering of our immunity, making us vulnerable to infections, including viral and fungal infections, so once again, and as ever, we are recommending prevention rather than cure.

Mega Probio is dairy-free, and this is important because many of us have dairy allergies, but on from that the use of antibiotics and foods sprayed with anti-bacterial substances are known to be a major causal factor for the destruction of beneficial bacteria. The name probiotics is derived from two Latin words, ‘pro’ meaning for and ‘biotic’ meaning life and because we believe that we should all take probiotics for life, I am linking just one of eighteen articles about Mega Probio below and as I do that, I will also drop the price of Mega Probio from £24 to £21, with a note to say that the other seventeen articles can be found on the product page.
VH Editorial: The Most Important Supplement For The Whole Family: Probiotics; Mega Probio £21 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 18 August)

In recommending Mega Probio for optimal gut health, and as a core probiotic supplement, ongoing research has determined that many probiotic species have specific roles to play in the body. An example here is Florassist Mood Improve, which I wrote about two weeks ago, primarily because I was using it as an alternative to Magnolia Rhodiola, our bestselling supplement for stress and anxiety, because it doesn’t contra-indicate with prescribed anti-depressants, but there is more, so we are going to take a look.

There are many communication pathways between the gut and the brain and extensive research has shown that the gut influences our emotions.  The vagus nerve passes through the chest and abdomen, connecting the nerves from key organs to the stem of the brain and is thought to be one of the pathways referred to, with another pathway being the ability of specific probiotics to produce neuroactive compounds with the cells in the brain which produce mood elevating and nerve calming serotonin.  So, let’s go again with Florassist Mood Improve, as I drop the price once more from £26 to £23.
Florassist Mood Improve by Life Extension £23 for 30 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 18 August)

With a large number of the adult population having some form of gum disease, Florassist Oral Hygiene is an important consideration for those who are prone to gum disease, including gingivitis, which is the inflammation of the gums. The problem with gum disease is that the infecting bacteria move to other parts of the body causing inflammation, which is why gum disease is often linked to numerous other health concerns, but I cannot write about oral health without recommending Clinisept+ Mouthwash too, so I’m dropping the price of Florassist Oral Hygiene from £18 to £16 and Clinisept+ Mouthwash down from £7.95 to £6.95.
Florassist Oral Hygiene by Life Extension £16 for 30 Lozenges; Clinisept+ Mouthwash £6.95 for 400 ml (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 18 August)

With constipation being an issue for so many, there is a specific probiotic strain, Bifidobacterium lactis HN019, which has been clinically studied and found to alleviate both occasional and recurrent bouts of constipation, assuming that there is not an underlying medical condition, such as an obstruction in the gut.  This particular strain works by enhancing the production of short chain fatty acids, which set off a chain reaction that speeds up the motility in the gut leading to bowel regularity.  The name of this product is Florassist Daily Bowel Regularity, it is free from gluten, dairy and genetically modified ingredients, and it drops in price from £21 to £18.
VH Editorial: What Can’t Probiotic Supplements Do; Florassist Daily Bowel Regularity by Life Extension £18 for 30 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 18 August)

To conclude this section, we all know and understand that traveller’s diarrhoea is invariably caused by contaminated water and/or food, so all I am going to do here is to say that the bacteria responsible for traveller’s diarrhoea include Salmonella, Campylobacter and various strains of E.coli, as I refer you to Shabir’s specific article on this subject where he recommends Travel Biotic, which contains a unique non-pathogenic yeast called Saccharomyces boulardii, which helps prevent pathogens from thriving.  Travel Biotic may be used to prevent and to treat diarrhoea and it drops in price from £29.60 to £25.
VH Editorial: A Probiotic To Prevent Traveller’s Diarrhoea; Travel Biotic by Viridian Nutrition £25 for 30 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 18 August)

Having done the lowdown on probiotics, let’s take a look at gout, which is a type of arthritis that causes stiff, swollen and painful joints. Gout is a common health concern and typically most people will experience it as an excruciating pain in the big toe, often caused by an excess of uric acid crystals which form around the joints, the pain being caused by the body’s inflammatory response to these crystals.  These symptoms can develop rapidly, normally within six to twenty-four hours, and often referred to as a gout attack, this can last for between three and ten days.

In his article, linked below, Shabir takes a look at dietary considerations, but one important thing to say here is that because gout is associated with inflammation, it is best to avoid sugar. Sugar produces compounds that damage the soft tissues and the hard structures within our bodies and some studies indicate that reducing sugar intake can help lessen gout attacks by up to 85%, so one recommendation here is to try and eliminate soft drinks and fruit juices, which have a high sugar content, and drink water instead.

Conventional treatments for gout include the use of analgesics for pain and prescribed medication which help to reduce uric acid levels, but there is a natural alternative and that alternative is Tart Cherry, Nettle and Turmeric, a supplement which can be used safely and on an ongoing basis to help prevent gout attacks.  Its ingredients include Tart Cherries, Turmeric, Nettle and Celery, the latter of which has been studied extensively and has been found to modulate levels of uric acid in the body.  Additionally, celery is a natural diuretic, helping to remove excess uric acid from the body and we’ll do a price drop here from £24.70 to £21.70, across the weekend.
VH Editorial: Relieving Gout Naturally; Tart Cherry, Nettle and Turmeric by Terranova £21.70 for 50 grams (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 18 August)

Following through, let’s talk about sugar.  Refined sugar ages us and extensive research has shown that many health concerns are associated to refined sugar and of course sugar is addictive. For balance, sugar in moderate amounts is actually essential for the body because being a carbohydrate, it supplies the body and the cells within our bodies with energy.  The issue that arises here is that most of us are unaware of the amount of sugar we consume since it is often hidden under less familiar names such as dextrose, maltose, high fructose corn syrup and maltodextrin. 

Actually, there are nearly sixty different forms of sugars under different names, and it is thought that these sugars are present in over two-thirds of processed foods.  So, a few things to say here, the first is that I don’t believe in excessive deprivation, but if you are concerned about your sugar intake you may wish to do a sugar-detox and Viridian do a brilliant supplement called 7 Day Sugar Detox that comes with a Sugar Detox Plan, which you can read on the product page.  And then there are sugar substitutes, such as Yacon Syrup, so to wrap this, I am dropping the price of both sizes of Yacon Syrup, as below, for the interim.
VH Editorial: Refined Sugar Ages Our Body; Can Yacon Syrup Help You Lose Weight; 7 Day Sugar Detox by Viridian Nutrition £8.25 for 14 Capsules; Organic Yacon Syrup by YaconViva £16.99 for 560 grams (drops from £18.99); Organic Yacon Syrup by YaconViva £7.99 for 220 grams (drops from £8.99)

Continuing with dietary health and having written about Vitamin K2 recently, a mention here for Natto, which is a traditional Japanese food rich in vitamins and minerals, including K2. There has been much interest in the recent past about Nattokinase, an enzyme made by a specific probiotic which is found naturally in the gut, but in the context of Nato, Nattokinase is an extracted enzyme produced during the fermentation process of soya beans, and it is also present in soy sauce and miso.

The Japanese diet has long been associated with healthy ageing and heart health, but with Natto being an acquired taste, Nattokinase supplementation is coming to the fore, most especially because studies have indicated that Nattokinase can help to improve healthy blood flow, supporting the body’s natural clotting mechanisms and maintaining healthy blood pressure, all of which are markers for heart health.  In one randomised controlled trial, it was found that Nattokinase supported healthy blood pressure by taking 2000 FU daily for eight weeks, so with Shabir’s exploratory article linked below, I will drop the price of Nattokinase from £26.95 to £24. Also for the interim.
VH Editorial: Nattokinase Supplements, Benefits & Side Effects; Nattokinase by Good Health Naturally £24 for 90 Capsules (Caution: not suitable for those with a soya allergy)

Having taken an in-depth look at Liposomal Vitamin C recently, let’s talk about Liposomal Glutathione and I want to talk about it because Glutathione it is often termed ‘the master antioxidant’ as it is used by every cell in our bodies to mop up damaging free radicals. Glutathione levels decline with age for numerous reasons, one of which is of course stress and although there are many nutrients which display antioxidant activity, Glutathione is considered to be the most powerful donor of electrons which help neutralise free radicals, preventing oxidative stress. Much has been written about oxidative stress, so let’s take a look.

Oxidative stress occurs when we don’t have sufficient antioxidants in our body and unstable molecules (free radicals) start damaging our genetic material as well as our organs, which Shabir writes about in his article, linked below.  Understanding the role Glutathione plays is really important, but of equal importance is that we have used Setria® Glutathione in this formulation, a clinically studied form of Glutathione, which is the gold-standard.  Nothing comes close to the efficacy of Setria® Glutathione, it is pure and safe and it has an assay value of between 98% and 100%.  It also drops in price across the weekend from £49 to £45.
VH Editorial: Glutathione: Benefits & Side Effects; DoSe Liposomal Glutathione £45 for 150 ml (30 Days’ Supply) (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 18 August)

Last weekend I wrote about the high volume of emails we receive about eye health, and although I was specifically talking about eye infections, I think that we all need to be aware of the potential damage from cosmetic products, which I have often written about across the years.  Together with Sarah Stacey, I have been campaigning about the dangers of certain lash serums for almost fifteen years, it actually might be longer, so although I know many of you have read Sarah’s investigation before, I am linking it once again for those who may not be aware of the risks involved by using some of these products, which of course the beauty industry will deny.

The moral of this story is to keep you safe, and in so doing I am dropping the price of Natucain’s Lash Serum from £34.95 to £29 and their Brow Serum also drops from £34.95 to £29, with a note to say that these formulations have no known side-effects and they are free from hormones, silicones, parabens and sulphates.  And just to complete this section, I will also drop the price of Nutucain’s Hair Activator Growth Serum from £59.95 to £50 for the 100 ml size and from £99.95 to £90 for the 200 ml size, and I’ll run this offer for the interim.
The Natural Eyelash Growth Enhancer That’s Safe And Really Works by Sarah Stacey; Lash Serum by Natucain £29 for 3.9 ml; Brow Serum by Natucain £29 for 6.2 ml; Hair Activator Growth Serum by Natucain £50 for 100 ml; Hair Activator Growth Serum by Natucain £90 for 200 ml

Onwards with some new products and they are from PerfectTed.  This is where Matcha is made easy because PerfectTed have just released Nespresso® compatible pods which arrive in three flavours, Caramel Matcha, Vanilla Matcha and Matcha Green, which is the original.  There are ten pods in each packet, they contain ceremonial grade matcha and no sugar has been added. Clever, clever little pods. 
Caramel Matcha Green Tea Powder Pods £5.50 for 10 Pods; Vanilla Matcha Green Tea Powder Pods £5.50 for 10 Pods; Matcha Green Tea Powder Pods £5.50 for 10 Pods

And more.  The original matcha powder has been flavoured, four flavours to choose from and they are Vanilla Bean Matcha, Summer Berry Matcha, Salted Caramel Matcha and Creamy Chocolate Matcha and again they contain ceremonial grade matcha and you just need to add milk or water, hot or cold.  To complete this new collection, PerfectTed have released a shaker with a gauze on top which is ideal for making matcha drinks because it effectively breaks up clumps with the gauze helping to aerate the matcha, enhancing its flavour and frothiness. Shake it up. Baby. We’ll be singing that soon.  
Vanilla Bean Matcha £11.50 for 75 grams; Summer Berry Matcha £11.50 for 75 grams; Salted Caramel Matcha £11.50 for 75 grams; Creamy Chocolate Matcha £11.50 for 75 grams; Matcha Shaker £6

Right, let’s have a sharing fest and I am going to begin with Margaret Dabbs.  I often write about Margaret’s products and that would be because I have loved the brand since inception and there are always those products which really do stand out in the crowd and there are several in the range, including Pure Nail Strengthening Treatment which sold out over and over again when it launched.  Anyway, the thing here is that if you buy any Margaret Dabbs product, with the exception of the Super Shiny Buffer, we will send you the Super Shiny Buffer, which is worth £9, whilst stock lasts.  This is a limited edition offer, so if it fails to go into your basket, the offer will have ended. One gift per customer. 
Margaret Dabbs Products

Rolling on with Ameliorate.  Again this is a limited edition offer, so if you buy any Ameliorate product, we will automatically send you their Exfoliating Body Mitt, which is worth £10, excluding of course the Exfoliating Body Mitt, which efficiently sweeps away dead skin cells.  It is designed to treat Keratosis Pilaris, but of course anybody can use it.  For reference, I am linking Shabir’s article on Keratosis Pilaris below and there is only one gift per customer, whilst stock lasts.
VH Editorial: Keratosis Pilaris; Ameliorate Products

And finally, a gift from Lixirskin and that gift is the Vitamin C Paste (30 ml), which is the hero product of the range.  It became a hero when we launched the brand and it continues to be the hero product because this skin brightening paste revives dull lacklustre skin and it does it so well.  The thing here is that you only need to use a pea-sized amount, so this will last several weeks and, once again, this is a limited edition offer and when it is over, it is over, with only one gift per customer.
Lixirskin Products

Into the Saturday only treat and with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically send you Color Wow’s Color Security Conditioner (75 ml)*.  This conditioner contains a proprietary Sealicon colour shield complex and will hydrate and detangle hair without weighing it down.  And a smile here because I had completely forgotten that I interviewed John Frieda and Gail Federici when we launched the brand, and although it is somewhat out of date now, that interview is still on the product page, with the memory of John trying to persuade me to launch a T-shirt brand with him.  It never happened. Product details below.
Color Security Conditioner

As we come to the end of another Weekend Read and having written above that we will be singing soon, here we go and of course the song is Twist & Shout, mostly because it’s not only matcha we like to shake up.  Actually, Bruce Springsteen sang this as part of his encore at Wembley last month and the entire stadium erupted, but notwithstanding that, The Beatles version is linked below and it comes with much love From Me To You, also linked.  Well, we’ve had a product fest, so let’s have a Beatles fest too on a Saturday morning.
Twist & Shout by The Beatles; From Me To You by The Beatles; The VH Playlist

All that is left is for me to wish you a restful weekend and to thank you for your ongoing loyalty and support.

With love

Gill x

PS: As per Bruce Springsteen at Wembley, Lara did a post on the Rainbow Brush on Instagram a few days ago, and she is still wearing the blue Bruce ribbon on her wrist. Maybe it's there for life.
Instagram

 

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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 (BST) and Midnight (BST) 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. One gift per customer, whilst stock lasts.