Well, well.  The headline in The Times read as follows: ‘Fake reviews to be made illegal in online shopping crackdown’.  And it went on to report that under proposals, just published, the Competition and Markets Authority would be given powers to fine companies that try to boost sales by commissioning false reviews.  This is a part of a widescale shake-up of consumer protection laws for which, I believe, legislation is long overdue.

I have, over the years, written hundreds of words on this subject, because I have known for the longest time about the shadow side of reviews.  And the shadow side has grown exponentially since brands started to pay for reviews and it is now totally out of control.  There are many aspects of this article which I could comment upon, but I think it best if I just link the article below. 

All I want to add here is that you will also read that there are proposals to further prohibit commissioning consumer reviews in all circumstances.  And having just put review technology onto our site (I was outvoted) I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.  But in all seriousness, it is pretty damn shameful that we are living in a world where consumers are being duped by brands who throw money here, there and everywhere to help satisfy their insatiable greed.  To the detriment, and increasingly, the demise of others.  That’s all I want to say.  For now.
Fake Reviews To Be Made Illegal In Online Shopping Crackdown

So with our eyes wide open, let’s do the products now and the upside of the above is that the truly genuine reviews of products continue to roll in, so I will be referring to them every now and again, whilst I can.  Of course many of the reviews are about our bestselling products and so I will begin with Superior Joints and the following comment from a customer, which echoes so many similar comments over the years: ‘I have noticed a massive difference to my joints since starting to take this supplement and feel so much better’.

As is the case with most of our bestselling supplements, Shabir rarely tweaks the formulations because we honestly believe that we are recommending best-in-class products to you in each sector of health and wellbeing.  So, Superior Joints with Natural Eggshell Membrane (NEM) is a joint care supplement that helps provide pain relief for arthritis, knee pain, joint pain and back pain.  Aside from NEM, it also contains Turmeric, Ginger and Hyaluronic Acid.  Shabir has written four articles, which you can find on the product page, and I have listed one below.  And with that said, I am dropping the price of Superior Joints from £30 to £25.  With a smile.
VH Editorial: Read This If You Are Taking Glucosamine And Suffer From Painful Joints; Superior Joints £25 for 60 Capsules (Offer ends at midnight BST Friday 6 August)

And I will continue to smile because after a long, long absence, Clear Skin Complex by Viridian is finally back in stock.  This is of course the rather brilliant supplement that helps to achieve clear skin and treat acne, eczema and other inflammatory skin conditions.  As I am continually writing, it has been the most tremendous struggle to try and keep products in stock, so whilst of course we try to support each of you as best we can, given the ongoing circumstances, it is also important to continue to support the ethical brands that are taking the hardest of hits and have been doing so since the beginning of the pandemic.

So a couple of things to say on this, I am very aware that many of you are still on a wait list for Cleavers and Clove Bud Complex, so although we have written ‘long-term manufacturing delays’ across each of these products, I am hopeful they will appear within the next few weeks.  I will of course update you, but in the midst of all the trauma, Viridian have just launched a new product, ApplePhenom.

ApplePhenom is a potent source of polyphenols, which are plant-based compounds and can act as potent antioxidants.  In ongoing research, extensive studies have shown that polyphenols have a wide range of positive benefits to our health, including helping to reduce inflammation and helping to combat allergies. They may also play a role in blood glucose levels, weight loss and helping to address fatigue issues.  Rich in OPCs (Oligomeric proanthocyanidins), ApplePhenom uses an extraction of native wild green apples from mountainous areas of Central Asia.

Right, let’s bring this all together.  I have linked Shabir’s article on how to get clear skin below.  On from that if you buy either Clear Skin Complex, ApplePhenon or Cherry Night (because it’s fabulous) we will automatically include the supplement Peak Focus, which is worth £32.20.  This is the supplement we launched in the early days of the pandemic and it has been formulated to encourage optimal concentration, featuring the clinically studied Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis).  This is a limited offer, so when it ends, it ends and there is only one gift per customer.  I don’t want a riot.  By 10 am.  Thanks.
VH Editorial: How To Get Clear Skin; Clear Skin Complex by Viridian Nutrition £25.70 for 60 Capsules; ApplePhenon by Viridian Nutrition £20.40 for 30 Capsules; Cherry Night by Viridian Nutrition £27.75 for 150 grams (Peak Focus by Viridian Nutrition £32.20 for 60 Capsules)

Let’s be neat.  And we will do so by talking about Lemon Balm again.  In this context Lemon Balm makes an appearance in Shabir’s cold sore regimen.  The tannins in Lemon Balm have potent anti-viral and anti-microbial properties and added to that terpenes in Lemon Balm numb the painful tissue, providing soothing properties.  And because we believe in, and trust, the inside:out approach, Shabir is recommending taking L-Lysine to help the cold sore virus replicating.  Be banished.  I say.
VH Editorial: Cold Sores Treatment; Lemon Balm Cream £9 for 60 ml; L-Lysine HCI by Lamberts £13.95 for 120 Tablets

It is a very long time, perhaps ten years or longer, since I have regularly used any form of volumizing treatment on my hair.  This would of course be because of the efficacy of all things Fulvic, the shampoo, the conditioner, the mist and of course the elixir.  These products have, over time, totally transformed my hair, so whereas it used to hang like a limp pair of curtains, it no longer does.  Thankfully.  And then a product landed on my desk and I decided to test it, on your behalf.

The product is Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer and it is from Color Wow.  And they have done their research.  They say that popular thickening products create volume by actually damaging hair, and I agree with them.  It is a known fact that these products use hair-dehydrating ingredients to dry out and force open the hair’s outer cuticle layer.  In so doing each strand is rougher and bigger, so that the strands no longer lay flat against each and that creates the overall look of bigger, fuller hair.  At a cost.  To the health of your hair.

So straight out of the lab, a futuristic foamy froth arrives and according to Color Wow, it is the first non-invasive volumizing formula that leaves the hair’s essential cuticle layer smooth, intact and hydrated.  It is fortified with strand-strengthening Bamboo that mimics a raised cuticle layer.  And put to the test, I can tell you that Xtra Large works like a treat.  I have biggish hair anyway, but it blew up the volume to such an extent that I came over all Dusty Springfield.  And then it occurred to me that this could well be a solution for those who are suffering from the thinning of hair, the root cause being the stress that so many are experiencing at this time.  Whatever it takes.
Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer £23 for 200 ml; All Things Fulvic

As we continue, I find it interesting that Color Wow have chosen to use Bamboo in their formulation.  And coincidentally, or otherwise, Shabir has written an entire article about how Bamboo Extract is the richest source of Silica, which plays an important role in hair health and growth.  Bamboo Extract, as a supplement, also contains Biotin, which also helps to enhance hair growth.  So as Xtra Large meets Bamboo Extract, I will refer you to Shabir’s article to save me writing any more.  Other than I am taking the price of Bamboo Extract down from £19 to £16.  And then of course there is the Rainbow S Brush.  The original.  Which is possibly my favourite hair brush of all time.
VH Editorial: The Best Kept Secret For Healthy Hair, Skin And Nails; Bamboo Extract £16 for 60 Vegicaps (Offer ends at midnight BST Sunday 1 August); Rainbow S Brush £12 (this is the original; the market is now flooded with cheap fakes)

Skincare.  Part one.  A lot of you are Aurelia fans, so this is for you.  I am reducing the price of The Probiotic Concentrate from £38 to £19.  It is a momentary offer and although it may well last across the weekend, or perhaps longer, there are no absolute guarantees.  The Probiotic Concentrate will help supercharge your skincare regimen to target pigmentation, wrinkles, loss of elasticity and hormonal breakouts.  Done.  And onto the next.
The Probiotic Concentrate by Aurelia London £19 for 10 ml (while stocks last)

Skincare.  Part two.  It’s not a competition (well maybe it is slightly), but even more of you are Fulvic fans.  And mostly we use a moisturiser on top of our chosen serums.  Day and night.  So for those who swear by Fulvic Face Cream, I have decided to reduce the price of Fulvic Face Cream from £30 to £25 and whilst I’m at it, I know that Shabir will be rolling his eyes once more, so in the event that he may develop lines around his eyes because of this, let me take his favourite eye serum, Eye Contour Serum, and reduce the price of that down too.  From £18 to £15.  I seriously don’t think I need to write anything more.  All information is on the product pages.  How pleasurable.  Is this.
Fulvic Face Cream £25 for 60 ml (Offer ends at midnight BST Friday 6 August); Eye Contour Serum by Garden of Wisdom £15 for 30 ml (Offer ends at midnight BST Sunday 1 August)

Back to health we go and we are now going to talk about stomach problems.  Stomach problems are very common and if you suffer from constant heartburn, have abdominal pain or have a very sensitive stomach, you may be suffering from gastritis, which is the inflammation of the lining of the stomach.  Of course there are many causes of stomach issues which include stress, excessive alcohol consumption and prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).  Stress is the big one, which is why the incidences of stomach issues are rising.

I have literally just skimmed the surface here, but Shabir has written an in-depth article on chronic stomach problems, which I have linked below.  In this article he talks about a remedy approved in Japan as a drug to treat ulcers, the main ingredient being Zinc Carnosine.  It was found to help strengthen the barrier of the cells lining the stomach as well as inhibiting the growth of the H pylori infection, which he also writes about.  His recommended supplement for all these issues is Gastro-Ease.  Over to Shabir Daya MRPharmS.  The Pharmacist.  Amusing myself.  Once again.
VH Editorial: A Natural Solution To Chronic Stomach Problems; Gastro-Ease by Life Extension £35 for 60 Capsules

In this week’s Health Notes, Sarah reports on her encounter with a grumpy wasp, her subsequent mild allergic reaction and what she wishes she had known before.  The chance of any of you having been stung by a wasp as you read this is of course pretty remote, but wasps and bees are in the air, so I think it is important to read this so you are aware of the best course of action to take, should it happen to you.  And I sincerely hope it doesn’t after reading Sarah’s story.
How To Treat A Wasp Sting by Sarah Stacey

Let’s do some feedback and I’m going to start with your feedback on the Ashwagandha Gummies, which is ongoing and killing me.  After reading what I wrote last week about both the Ashwagandha Gummies and the Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies, most of your reviews are talking about how delicious they are.  So just to say I’m on my second jar, but then I did start before you, and I’m wondering if the review technology can be adjusted so that reviews on new supplementation is only sent after 28 days.  I’m going to investigate.  Doubt I’ll get very far.  IT trauma.  Continues.
Ashwagandha Gummies by Goli Nutrition £18.95 for 60 Gummies; Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies by Goli Nutrition £18.95 for 60 Gummies

And some news about Magnolia Rhodiola Complex.  Most of you will have read last week about the impending Magnolia Rhodiola Complex famine, which has now become an actual famine.  Once again this is because of serious raw ingredient shortages, but there is a glimmer of hope.  I anticipated that we would be out of stock for approximately six weeks, but there is a chance it could arrive sooner.  So can we please close our eyes and say a prayer for Magnolia Rhodiola Complex, because the stress of not having our bestselling supplement for stress and anxiety is stressing me out.  And I’ve gone through five packets of Calm Patches.  This week.
Magnolia Rhodiola Complex £28 for 60 Capsules (Wait List); Calm Patches by Ross J. Barr £15 for Ten Patches

With the exception of personal emails, I see and read every single email that we receive, and I always have done.  This is a crucial aspect of the work that we do because in any given week, I know exactly what your concerns are and these, in part, determine what I write each week and it also enables me to offer relevant treats, knowing that these treats may help so many of you.  It goes without saying that stress is the biggest concern, and has been for the longest time, but running a close second is a total lack of energy, resulting in exhaustion, on all levels.

I know that this Weekend Read is pretty supplement heavy, it just goes like that at times, but because of the level of concern about depleted energy, I am taking Shabir’s formulation, Daily Energy, and taking the price down from £20 to £16.  All information is, as ever, on the product page, but this is the supplement I asked him to formulate for us at the beginning of the pandemic.  And so he did.  And to balance, I recommend taking an Atlantic Seaweed Bath.  I know I always bang on about it, but it is an amazing therapeutic experience.  And it always has been.  Submerge.
Daily Energy £16 for 60 Capsules (Offer ends at midnight BST Friday 6 August); Atlantic Seaweed Bath £12

As we head into the Saturday only treat, I must say that I am now wondering about Shabir’s personal emails.  For all I know he could be plotting to overthrow me, although I’m not quite sure who he would replace me with.  Could be interesting, but let’s not dwell as I tell you that most of you know of my love of cleansers.  So because I haven’t written about a cleanser today, I am going to gift you one. With every order placed for £30 and above, excluding p&p, we will include Derma E’s Hydrating Gentle Cleanser (44 ml), which is loaded with HA, Chamomile and Papaya.  And that is the end.  Of the product section.

And it’s nearly the end of the Weekend Read, but as ever, I have to thank so many of you for your emails in response to last week’s newsletter.  There is no need to add to the words I wrote last week, other than to say that I have to stand in my own truth because for so many, it is your truth too.  So all I want to do here is share a quote that was sent to me last weekend.  As follows:  ‘Life Isn’t About Waiting For The Storm To Pass.  It’s About Learning To Dance In The Rain’.  The quote is pretty profound, as is the song that was also sent to me to share with you.  Because we have been singing and dancing.  In the rain.  Together.  For the longest time.
Something Inside So Strong by Labi Siffre

With love and gratitude for your kindness.

The VH Army marches on.

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.