Well, here we are and after last weekend’s seminal moment, I think we should have another moment, but this moment is all about skin health and the importance of being real and staying real.  We have always taken a pragmatic approach to skincare products and that pragmatic approach has determined, and driven, the creation and efficacy of each of the DoSe skincare products.

So, if last weekend was all about DoSe supplementation, let’s begin this weekend with the DoSe skincare products for balance and of course Ergothioneine Serum will take the lead here, mostly because I stand by every word I wrote about Ergothioneine when we launched the DoSe collection, as follows.  Ergothioneine is a natural antioxidant and Ergothioneine Serum contains a bioidentical form of L-ergothioneine, an amino acid which displays powerful antioxidant, anti-ageing, anti-inflammatory and hydrating properties and, as such, Ergothioneine is more powerful than CoQ10 and Idebenone.

What I also wrote is that as an ingredient, Ergothioneine has one of the widest range of benefits of any single skincare ingredient or skincare technology currently available, yet it has gone relatively unnoticed, despite the fact that it is one of the most important and efficacious skincare ingredients to have emerged in recent years.  There is no doubt in my mind that Ergothioneine is an outstanding ingredient and there is no doubt in my mind that Ergothioneine Serum makes a statement, a statement supporting the efficacy of clinically researched ingredients which, in turn, allows and demonstrates a significant advancement in skin health.

Every moment has a purpose, and the purpose of this moment is to reinforce my recent words about Fulvic, in that I have been writing about Ergothioneine, as a supplement, for many years. Ergothioneine Serum is undoubtedly the hero of the DoSe skin health range, but each of the serums are heroic in their dedication and commitment to the health of our skin and because Fulvic Face Cream carries that same commitment, with every DoSe skincare product bought across the weekend, we will automatically send you Fulvic Face Cream (30 ml), which is worth £15, with Fulvic Face Cream linked below for information.
VH Editorial: Ergothioneine Serum And Its Benefits For Skin; DoSe Ergothioneine Serum £26 for 30 ml; DoSe Skincare Products (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 21 July and only one gift per customer); Essential Youth L-Ergothioneine by Life Extension £22 for 30 Capsules; Fulvic Face Cream £30 for 60 ml

Would it be really naughty to say that if Ergothioneine Serum had a ‘designer’ label, it would probably cost about £300 and be worshipped from high above, I guess it would be, but I don’t actually care because I always write what I think, and if I’m not writing about what I think, I write what you think, because that’s just the way it rolls between us. The thing that amuses me the most, is that whenever I write about the shenanigans of the health and beauty industry, the emails come flooding in asking for more revelations because you all know that I’m sitting on rather a lot of stories, but the thing here is that the truth always gets revealed in the end.  Tra la la.

Right, before I get carried away, which I easily could, I think we need to talk about some health concerns and I will begin by talking about fibromyalgia, the symptoms of which are widespread.  These symptoms range from chronic pain, multiple tender points in joints and muscles, sleep disturbances, extreme fatigue, stress and anxiety, so the list of symptoms is pretty long, but the other thing to say here is that approximately 90% of those who have fibromyalgia are female, with a high percentage also experiencing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), suggesting that a food allergy may also be implicated.

So, let’s begin by addressing chronic pain and the tender points in joints and muscles because Superior Joints has been specifically formulated to support arthritic symptoms and in the incidence of fibromyalgia, it can help alleviate some of these symptoms.  Turmeric and Ginger both have anti-inflammatory properties, both are included in this formulation and both are excellent circulatory herbs, helping to enhance the oxygenation of all the tissues in the body, including muscle tissues.  Additionally, Cherry extracts, which are also in the formulation, help provide antioxidant support and help to remove acidic compounds, such as lactic acid and uric acid, which cause pain.

Referencing gastrointestinal disturbances, which of course are not just specific to fibromyalgia, we suggest Mega Probio, a broad-spectrum probiotic delivering eight strains of beneficial bacteria into the intestines where they colonise and perform their role of neutralising inflammatory compounds, often responsible for gastrointestinal disturbances.  Probiotics are useful for diarrhoea because they prevent the pathogenic bacteria from flourishing, but they are also useful for constipation because they help to break down food, preventing stagnation in the gut. 

I am more than aware that I wrote about DoSe supplementation last weekend, and I am also more than aware that I threw a discount across each of those products, but the thing here is that each of those twenty-three products serve to address numerous health concerns, without being totally condition specific.  In all honesty I really don’t think that I will ever write a Weekend Read without mentioning DoSe supplementation because their clinical evaluation demonstrates the critical importance of efficacy, so as we go again, I am dropping the price of Superior Joints from £30 to £27 and Mega Probio drops from £24 to £21.
VH Editorial: Managing The Symptoms Of Fibromyalgia Naturally; DoSe Superior Joints £27 for 60 Capsules; Mega Probio £21 for 60 Capsules (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 21 July)

Having written about vaginal dryness last weekend, I want to talk about vaginal thrush this weekend, because in the realm of common health concerns, vaginal thrush is an extraordinarily common concern.  Vaginal thrush is a yeast infection generally caused by the fungus candida and it is estimated that three out of four women will experience an incidence of vaginal thrush, which is also known as candidiasis.  The yeast organism, candida, if left unchecked, starts to multiply within the body, eventually leading to thrush and candida usually reside in the gut, vaginal and genital areas and under armpits.

There are many over-the-counter remedies with anti-fungal agents available and although these do help to diminish the yeast infection, it is estimated that for one in five women these treatments don’t work, most specifically when an infection recurs more than four times a year and this is known as complicated thrush.  The other thing to say here is that some of these drugs can disturb the pH lining of the vagina, so we would always recommend a natural remedy, primarily because there are no side effects, and Candipure is our recommendation here.

Candipure contains powerful herbal extracts of Black Garlic, Cinnamon and Cloves, all of which display potent anti-fungal properties as well as probiotics to help restore the balance of beneficial bacteria, so a repeat message here about probiotics because they do of course help to inhibit the growth of bad bacteria.  As an adjunct, we recommend Kolorex Vaginal Care Cream, a topical cream formulated with extracts of Horipoto together with Lactic Acid, the latter being a crucial compound which inhibits yeast from thriving in the vagina.  And with all of that said, Candipure drops in price from £18.95 to £16.95 across the weekend.
VH Editorial: Treating Vaginal Thrush; Candipure £16.95 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 21 July); Kolorex Vaginal Care Cream £18 for 50 grams

Three specific health concerns this weekend and the third concern I want to take a look at is osteopenia.  Osteopenia is defined as low bone density or low bone mass, a condition where a person experiences a decrease in their bone structure which is greater than the normal amount for their relevant age.  If left unchecked, osteopenia can lead to osteoporosis, a serious condition in which the bone density has deteriorated to an extent that increases the risk of breaking or fracturing bones, but with that said, osteopenia is far more common, yet it is difficult to identify because there are no noticeable symptoms.

It is recommended that women should have a bone density scan when they reach perimenopause, usually between the ages of 45 and 55, and although it is natural to lose bone density as we age, osteopenia can accelerate after menopause, yet rapid bone loss in men is usually approximately ten years later than in women.  So, with that established, calcium and vitamin D3 have always been the mainstay for the treatment of osteopenia and osteoporosis, with calcium being the most critical mineral for bone mass, but Silica is an important mineral too because studies have shown that it increases Collagen type 1, which is found in the bone matrix.

Bone Restore with Vitamin K2 has been formulated with Dicalcium malate, a very specific form of calcium which has been found to reduce bone loss considerably, and certainly more than other forms of calcium, such as calcium citrate and calcium carbonate.  The inclusion of vitamin K2 in this formulation ensures that calcium is taken to the bones where it is required and does not deposit onto other parts of the body.  Bone Restore also includes magnesium, which plays a role in regulating calcium transport within the body, so we are complete and all that is left is for me to drop the price of Bone Restore with Vitamin K2 to £22 from £25.
VH Editorial: Osteopenia; Bone Restore with Vitamin K2 by Life Extension £22 for 120 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 21 July) (Caution: please do not use Bone Restore if you take anti-coagulants)

Right, having referenced collagen above, this would seem a good moment to tell you that we are throwing a 15% discount across all of the Ingenious products this weekend, and the bestselling supplement in the range is Ultimate Collagen+.  Ultimate Collagen+ is a second-generation collagen supplement which has been the subject of a twelve week clinical trial where it was shown to significantly improve the quality of skin.  Formulated with Marine Collagen peptide, Hyaluronan Complex and Astaxanthin, I am dropping an article below which takes an in-depth look at collagen supplementation.
VH Editorial: How To Take Collagen Supplements; Ingenious Products (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 21 July)

On from this, it is often thought that collagen should be taken with vitamin C to maximise its benefits, so let’s take a moment to talk about this.  Vitamin C is most definitely required by the body to manufacture collagen, but although most of us consider that we are getting enough vitamin C, studies indicate otherwise, primarily because vitamin C is involved in numerous processes within our body and is readily excreted, resulting in sub-optimal levels within the bloodstream.  Let’s do the detail.  

We have always recommended taking vitamin C no matter what, but if you do choose to take a collagen supplement, vitamin C does not need to be taken at the same time to get the full benefits of collagen.  The market is flooded with vitamin C supplementation, but we do not recommend taking acidic or buffered forms of vitamin C, because these forms are unable to provide high doses in the body, which is why we recommend DoSe Liposomal Vitamin C.  One teaspoon provides 1000 mg of highly absorbable vitamin C directly into cells and because that is critically important, I am lowering the price of Liposomal Vitamin C from £35 to £30.
DoSe Liposomal Vitamin C £30 for 240 ml (48 days’ supply)

Let’s talk about soap.  Actually, let’s have a soap-fest and we’ll begin with a seasonal soap, Incognito’s Luxury Citronella Soap.  Blended with Java citronella and pure coconut oil, this soap has a wonderful citrus fragrance which serves a purpose, that purpose being that it reduces our attractiveness to insects, which can only be a good thing.  The next soap is a nostalgic soap, it’s the 4711 Eau De Cologne Cream Soap and with no more words needed about this classic fragrance, a mention here for Soapsmith, just because these soaps are very special, they always have been, so let me offer a 10% discount across all the Soapsmith products this weekend.
Incognito Luxury Citronella Soap £5.99 for 100 grams; 4711 Eau De Cologne Cream Soap £3.59 for 100 grams; Soapsmith Products (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 21 July)

Staying with classic products, I think that Weleda’s Skin Food could be called a classic product because this is their multi-tasking hero cream for dry, rough skin.  Deeply nourishing, protecting and repairing, Skin Food is blended with enriching oils and waxes together with Calendula, Chamomile and Wild Pansy and it can be used on all skin types, including rosacea-prone skin, eczema and dermatitis.  The reason I am writing about Skin Food is because in another one of those limited edition offers, Skin Food drops in price from £14.95 to £10, and because it is limited, I am not sure how many hours this offer will last, but it won’t be many.  And over is over.
Skin Food by Weleda £10 for 75 ml

I am going to follow through with another ‘food’, but this time it is Foot Food, or to give it its full name, Basix Skin Defence Cream Foot Food.  Formulated for dry, cracked and hard skin, the formulation includes Peppermint Oil, which has a wonderful and stimulating effect on tired feet and it has anti-itch, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and natural anaesthetic properties.  Being neat, I will also follow through by saying that this is also a limited offer, limited to this weekend, so if it flips onto a wait list, we will honour all orders placed and the last thing to say is that price drops here from £12.99 to £10.
Basix Skin Defence Cream Foot Food £10 for 50 ml (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 21 July)

And into the Saturday only treat we go, so with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically send you a gift* from TEMPLESPA and it could be one of several gifts we have to share with you, which I hope you will enjoy using.  And if you are in the mood to browse, I am linking all of their products below for ease.
TEMPLESPA

Finally, and with the Bruce Springsteen World Tour hitting Wembley Stadium on Thursday night, a song about love and friendship, to share.
Drive All Night by Bruce Springsteen; The VH Playlist

With love

Gill x

 

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*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.