Weekend Read 3 June 2023

Weekend Read 3 June 2023

Hello, we are now in June and before anything I would just like to acknowledge and thank those of you who shared your own experiences regarding decency and respect, which I wrote about last weekend.  The lack of such is so very real in this ever-changing world, which is why it is so important to talk about these issues between us, not least because that very lack so often triggers threatening and abusive behaviour, which is unacceptable on any level, but when it becomes personal, it is something else completely.  That much I know.

What I also know is that I will continue talking about this and other issues because it is an integral part of the work that we do, it always has been.  The vagaries of life dictate the need to do so, now more than ever, as we continue to witness and experience the societal changes that so often lead to trauma and mental health issues, which are so prevalent in the often tone-deaf world we appear to be living in.  And that’s all I want to say here, other than we find our strength in each other and in so doing we come together to offer and enable the comfort and understanding that so many of us need.  And I include myself in that statement.

With that said, if we are to enable each other, then surely we must do so with the cutting-edge and pioneering products that really do make a positive difference to our health and wellbeing.  There are those supplements where we can see and feel a difference and there are others where we only recognise the extent of their efficacy if we stop taking them.  And perhaps the best example of this is HA, which continues to be our bestselling supplement, and that really doesn’t surprise me given that it plays 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.
VH Editorial: Benefits Of Hyaluronic Acid Supplements; Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength £35 for 30 Capsules

The thing about HA is that it sits happily alongside most other supplementation, notably Superior Joints, but if we are talking about the two supplements that are most often bought together, then those two products would be Ionicell and HA.  Ionicell really does help to make a difference to our hair, skin and nails, with the most noticeable difference being the increased strength in our hair and our nails.  And although its efficacy is hugely noticeable for most of us, Ionicell is another one of those supplements where you can really see and feel the difference if you stop taking it.  So, let’s do something about that.

And that something is that if you buy Ionicell, then we will automatically include the travel size of HA (15 capsules), which is worth £17.50.  I absolutely know I did this offer last weekend with Daily Energy, but I wanted to do it again to honour your commitment and support, and so here it is.  Once again, I am going to have to caveat this by saying that there is only one gift per customer and as this is a limited offer, I am not sure how long it will last, but if the HA Capsules fail to go into your basket, that will mean the offer is over.  And I absolutely promise you that I won’t be doing another offer with HA next week, because we won’t have any stock left to do it with.  Staying factual.
Ionicell For Women £22 for 60 Capsules + Travel Size Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength Worth £17.50 Free (whilst stocks last)

Interestingly, although HA is our bestselling supplement, the highest search results across health are for Turmeric and it has been that way for many years.  I suppose I could go on to write about the reasons why Turmeric supplementation is not created equally, but I’m not going to do that.  What I will do in recognition of those evidence-based statistics is to drop the price of Turmeric Curcumin C3 Complex from £26 to £23 and say this. Curcumin C3 Complex with BioPerine® is clinically validated to help reduce inflammation, and its active compounds protects them from the digestive system, which is key to therapeutic efficacy.  And efficacy is key to result-driven supplementation.   
VH Editorial: The Science Of Staying Younger; Turmeric Curcumin C3 Complex £23 for 60 Capsules (offer ends midnight BST, Sunday 4 June)

Let’s talk about Diosmin Plus. Diosmin Plus provides support for the circulatory system, helping to modulate inflammation, which is one of the primary causes of unsightly veins, capillaries and haemorrhoids.  Formulated using a potent blend of botanicals, these include Horse Chestnut, which has a long traditional use for strengthening and supporting lower limb circulation, Dandelion which is an excellent diuretic and Gotu Kola which promotes wound healing and is often used in the treatment of varicose veins.

Shabir does the full lowdown in his article linked below and it’s interesting to note that Diosmin Plus can also help bring relief to those who suffer with Restless Leg Syndrome.  So, let’s wrap this as I drop the price of Diosmin Plus across the weekend from £28 to £25 and as I do so let me tell you that I can relate to all I have written because I’ve just started to take Diosmin Plus.  I’m about eight days in, and I started to take it after the veins in my left leg started to throb.  The throbbing has subsided somewhat, but it’s early days and as Shabir reminded me, it’s probably an age thing.  No holding back then.
VH Editorial: A Natural Remedy For Varicose Veins, Spider Veins, Haemorrhoids And Poor Circulation; Diosmin Plus £25 for 60 Capsules (offer ends midnight BST, Sunday 4 June)

I think it’s fair to say that whenever we launch a new brand or product, the outcome is relatively unknown, and that is certainly true if we are talking about Darling, the Italian suncare brand.  I’ve walked you through this over the past few weeks, so there is no need to repeat anything I have written.  Except there is one more thing to add.  I wrote last Saturday that we were still waiting for our delivery, which was correct until it wasn’t correct at 6 pm on Friday evening when we received our delivery.  And I sat with my head in my hands.  Again.

It was too late to change the newsletter, so as things go the newsletter got released at the same time as many of you received back in stock notifications.  I could have sent out another email, but I held back from doing that, it was Bank Holiday weekend and I didn’t want to bombard you with another dramatic missive.  I did update the online version and here we are.  There are still one or two products which are out of stock with the manufacturers, but I will update you as and when I know exactly what is going on, but for now most of the Darling products are back in stock and the wait lists have more or less been conquered.  Let the sun shine upon us.
Darling

As one thing leads to another, let’s continue talking about summer sunshine moments.  We started the conversation last weekend when I wrote about Apple Cider Vinegar mocktails and Willy’s Organic Live Apple Cider Vinegar.  I linked you to Willy’s Sparking Elderflower ACV Mocktail recipe and this week I’m linking you to another recipe, the ACV Mediterranean Salad, which sits neatly next to the ACV mocktail.  Just to also say that we are now back in stock of Willy’s ACV after it flipped into wait list territory.  Maybe it was all about the glass bottle, which I love, but more than that, I’m holding out for a wait-list-free weekend.  That will be a novel experience. 
VH Editorial: The Health Benefits of ACV; Willy’s Organic Live ACV £10.55 for 1000 ml; Willy’s Turmeric, Black Pepper and Honey ACV Shot £2.65 for 60 ml; ACV Mediterranean Salad

Right, let’s do a new product launch, and it’s a rather neat launch.  Perhaps it’s not a launch as such, but a variation on a theme, so please allow me to introduce you to PerfectTed’s Organic Matcha Tea Sticks.  We launched PerfectTed’s Organic Ceremonial Grade Matcha Powder earlier this year after its appearance on Dragons’ Den, which was quite something because each of the five Dragons wanted to invest.  As I wrote at the time, if I was a Dragon, I would have fought to be an investor, but I’m not a Dragon, so the best I can do is to support PerfectTed and their outstanding products.  Primarily because they really are outstanding.

So, let’s drill down to the specifics and there are ten x 1.5 gram pre-measured sachets of Organic Matcha Tea in one box.  The idea here is that you can take a sachet with you when you are on the go, or you could hand them out at a summer mocktail party, which would be fun.  And suddenly I have a vision of a mocktail bar, but what is a mocktail bar without a whisk, and so let’s add the PerfectTed whisk into the equation.  It’s actually called The Perfect Whisk and I have become somewhat besotted with it, which really isn’t difficult when you love the small and simple things in life. 

The Perfect Whisk blends and froths, it is USB-Rechargeable and it has two super-fast speeds.  It has been designed to make the Perfect Matcha, but of course you can use it to blend any mocktail or cocktail, or for frothing milk and milkshakes.  And after all of that, and not to be outdone by ACV mocktails, I am linking a recipe below for Matcha Bounty Bars.  As my inner Nigella comes out to play.  Waving.
VH Editorial: The Benefits Of Drinking Matcha Tea; Organic Matcha Tea Sticks £9.99 for Ten x 1.5 gram sachets; Organic Matcha Powder £14 for 30 grams; The Perfect Whisk £13; Matcha Bounty Bars

With over three million people in the UK living with osteoporosis, the chances are that most people know about osteoporosis, the condition where your bones become weaker due to a loss of bone density, how much bone tissue inside your bones, and break easily.  These ‘fragility fractures’ are most common in the wrists, hips and spine, but what is less well known is osteopenia, where your bone density is lower than the average adult, but not low enough to be diagnosed as osteoporosis.  Sarah takes a look at this condition and because it’s never too early to start looking after your bones, this is a thoughtful and interesting read.
Take Good Care Of Your Bones by Sarah Stacey; Bone Restore with Vitamin K2 by Life Extension £25 for 120 Capsules

Returning to summer products and the holiday season, there are many health concerns that come to the fore in the summer months and it’s good to talk about these concerns, most especially if you are travelling.  Shabir has written an article highlighting many of these concerns and I suppose it could be called a summer checklist as he recommends the products that will help ease some of these concerns, including treating Prickly Heat, Travellers Tummy and Travel Sickness.  He also recommends Diosmin Plus for helping to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), so one product, two mentions.
VH Editorial: Common Holiday Health Problems Solved

And now it’s my turn to talk about useful summer products and I’ve got three of them.  The first is Zam-Buk Antiseptic Ointment and although it can’t really be defined as a summer product, it might be a good idea to take this away with you as it is a useful remedy for cuts, sores, burns and insect bites.  Bites Stings Ticks is a homeopathic tincture which promotes healing and helps to reduce the duration and severity of symptoms from bites and stings, such as redness, swelling and itching.  And finally, Travel Well is a great adjunct to supplementation as it helps promote ease of travel and adaptation to time zones.  Done.
Zam-Buk Antiseptic Ointment £3.99 for 20 grams; Bites Stings Ticks by Dr Nenninger £22 for 30 ml; Travel Well by Flower Essences of Australia £9 for 25 ml

It’s been a great year for Neom Organics because they have launched some amazing new products this year, notably their Wellbeing Pod Mini Diffuser which I think is wonderful.  So here is another new product launch and it’s a Calming Pen.  The Calming Pen is an aromatherapy rollerball with calming essential oils, including Lavender, Roman Chamomile and Orange.  It was created to provide quick relief from stress and anxiety symptoms, helping to provide calming, soothing and uplifting benefits.  The Calming Pen has a launch price of £20, but I’m dropping that to £17 for the interim because we all need a touch of calm in our lives.  And it travels well.
The Calming Pen by Neom Organics £17 for 12 ml; Welling Pod Mini Diffuser by Neom Organics £55

It seems that each week I have to write about the death of a brand or the death of a product and this week is no exception, as I write about EarthKind.  EarthKind created and innovated a selection of shampoo bars, including the pre-wash Elasticity Bar which we launched for them last year.  I thought something was wrong a couple of weeks ago because they were not responding to our emails and upon further investigation I was told that they were seeking new ownership, but that was through a third-party contact. I am therefore uncertain if there is a future for EarthKind, but we do have some stock left, so you may want to get them whilst you can.
EarthKind

So, from shampoo bars to shampoo, Fulvic Acid Shampoo.  And keeping this short and sweet, if you buy Fulvic Acid Shampoo, then we will automatically include the Fulvic Acid Conditioner (60 ml) and the Fulvic Acid Mist (60 ml), the latter of which has a value of £12.50.  It balances rather well with Ionicell, further promoting hair strengthening and growth and of course scalp health, which is so incredibly important.  This offer will last across the weekend and there is only one gift per customer.  I’m sorry to keep writing this, but I have to manage expectations in order to gift as widely as I can.
Fulvic Acid Shampoo £25 for 240 ml + Fulvic Acid Conditioner (60 ml) and Fulvic Acid Mist (60 ml) Free (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 4 June)

Aurelia’s Balancing Ultra-Light Moisturiser gets its name because it is a light airy cream that hydrates your skin without weighing it down.  Using restoring probiotic technology, PROTIDA, it has been formulated with Mulberry, blemish-fighting Salicylic Acid and distilled Witch Hazel which helps to reduce sebum production as it balances combination, oily or blemish-prone skin.  And here comes the treat as I take down the price of Balancing Ultra-Light Moisturiser from £30 to £15.  I have no caveats here other than to say that this is a limited edition offer and once it has gone, it has gone.  And I don’t know when that will be.
Balancing Ultra-Light Moisturiser by Aurelia London £15 for 50 ml (whilst stock lasts)

In treat mode, so let’s do a serum.  Prickly Pear Serum needs no introduction from me, it is one of our bestselling serums and if you go to Page 11 on the review section for this product, you will understand why we once had 28,000 people on a wait list for this product.  It was one of several meltdown moments in the history of VH, but that was then and this is now.  So, in the now, I am dropping the price of Prickly Pear Serum from £21.50 to £18.50.  And in a cryptic moment, I am still waving.
VH Editorial: Beauty Benefits Of Prickly Pear Seed Oil; 100% Pure Prickly Pear Seed Oil £18.50 for 30 ml

Nearly finished, but before we head into the Saturday only treat, please allow me to announce the June offer from Temple Spa.  It’s Eye Truffle, which is a 24-hour eye rejuvenation cream for the eye contour.  And it’s a luxurious cream because its rich in Black Summer Truffles, which has a cashmere-like texture that melts easily into your skin.  The price of Eye Truffle is £65, but for the month of June that price drops to £35, which means there is a saving of £30.
Eye Truffle by Temple Spa £35 for 15 ml

Into the Saturday only treat we go and having just written about Temple Spa, with every order placed for £30 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically send you Temple Spa’s Toning Essence (30 ml).  Toning Essence is an alcohol-free toner which has an anti-inflammatory, soothing and calming action.  It could classify itself as a summer product because it can be used as a cooling facial spritz and it will also help hydrate parched skin when flying.  Full product details below.
Toning Essence by Temple Spa

All that is left is for me to leave you with a song.  That song is That’s Life and as we roll through the months together, I thought it was quite appropriate in more ways than one.
That’s Life by Frank Sinatra; The VH Playlist

Wishing each of you a restful weekend.

Warmest

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 (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.