Saturday 10 August, and as weekends go, last weekend was incredibly special because so many of us were able to share our thoughts in an open and transparent nature.  This was always our vision, a vision of a safe space, dedicated to the sharing of our deepest thoughts and experiences which, in turn, are shared on our collective platform, enabling the health and wellbeing of others.  But this sharing also supports those of us who are in pain, physically and emotionally, and if not ourselves, then those who are closest to us, which is increasingly evidenced in the communication and relationship between us.

I wrote rather a lot of words last weekend, so I think we should go straight in today and I will begin by talking about two of the supplements I take, although most of you will know what they are because I am extraordinarily vocal about the efficacy of both of these products.  I know I am always talking about the importance of clinical evaluation, but clinical evaluation is key to the pioneering and cutting-edge formulations we recommend and endorse, which is why our curation of products has always been incredibly tight.  We set the bar extraordinarily high, because nothing else makes sense to me.

I have always taken a pragmatic approach whenever I write about supplementation, actually I take a pragmatic approach across most things, but with the focus on supplementation it is often the case that we only realise the full impact and efficacy of any given supplement if we stop taking it.  This is something that I also talk about rather a lot, and with that said, most of you will have guessed by now that the two supplements I am referring to here are HA Capsules and NAD+ Generator, both of which are bestselling products and both of which are integral to healthy ageing, evidenced of course by clinical studies and evaluation.

We will always stand by researched evidence and notably the efficacy of HA is super-charged by up to 2000% with the inclusion of BioPerine®, and RiaGev®, the key ingredient in NAD+ Generator, has been proven to slow down cellular ageing, enhancing NAD+ levels, which are required for the optimal functioning of numerous processes in our body.  Also supporting the functionality of other biologically active molecules in the body, NAD+ plays a significant role as an enzyme for metabolic processes, cell function and DNA repair, and it also plays a role in producing energy from nutrients.

As ever, I am linking two articles below, one covering the attributes of HA and the other article takes an in-depth look at the reasons why RiaGev® is far more efficient than NMN, which some may consider to be a controversial statement, but actually it isn’t if the correct due diligence is carried out, rather than staying stuck in the NMN narrative.  Anyway, we have moved on and because the levels of HA and NAD+ both decline with age we should, if feasible, be supplementing with both, so across this weekend when you buy NAD+ Generator, we will automatically include Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength (15 Capsules), which is worth £17.50.  No restrictions here.
VH Editorial: Benefits Of Hyaluronic Acid Supplements; Are NAD Supplements Beneficial; DoSe NAD+ Generator £32 for 30 Capsules + Free Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength (15 Capsules) (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 11 August)

I recently wrote about some of the supplements Shabir takes and I am now going to write about a supplement which we both take, and that supplement is Super Ubiquinol Co-Enzyme Q10.  I honestly don’t want to sound like a broken record, but facts are facts and our levels of Co-Enzyme Q10 decline with age, so by the time we reach our forties, levels of this nutrient decline to roughly half of the levels of when we were in our twenties, so let’s take a look.

Co-Enzyme Q10 is a powerful antioxidant, which helps to neutralise free radicals, highly reactive molecules known to damage the tissues and the genetic material within the individual cells of our body.  Because ageing is a multi-faceted process and the cells of our body have a finite lifespan, antioxidants are considered essential for the healthy ageing process, not least because CoQ10 is involved in the production of the powerhouse molecule ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which fuels every single cell of the body, ensuring that our cells have the energy to reproduce and regenerate.

Co-Enzyme Q10 is known to be beneficial to cardiovascular health, notably because of its ability to oxygenate the heart muscle tissue, which is the most important muscle tissue within the body, but it also prevents the oxidation of cholesterol in the bloodstream, ensuring that cholesterol does not stick to the arteries and veins.  This latter point is of particular relevance for those taking prescribed cholesterol medication, because it is a well-established fact that statins deplete this vital nutrient from the body.

Providing the active state of Co-Enzyme Q10 our bodies require, I am dropping the price of Super Ubiquinol CoQ10 from £45 to £40, with a note to say that I am using the super strength here because that is the strength Shabir and I take. Super Ubiquinol CoQ10 has been formulated with Kaneka Ubiquinol, a highly available form of Co-Enzyme Q10 and its efficacy is increased with the addition of the adaptogen, PrimaVie® shilajit, which has been shown to increase absorption levels.
VH Editorial: Choosing The Right Co-Enzyme Q10; Super Ubiquinol CoQ10 with Enhanced Mitochondrial Support by Life Extension £40 for 60 Softgels (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 11 August) 

In this next section, I want to take a look at some specific health concerns, and I will begin by talking about digestive problems after gallbladder removal, which actually is quite a common occurrence.  The gallbladder is often removed due to pain and digestive discomfort and the issue here is that most people expect this discomfort to end post-surgery, yet those who have had their gallbladder removed often complain of digestive discomfort, including frequent bowel movements, gas, bloating and liver problems, alongside that the risk of developing a fatty liver is also increased.

The gallbladder is a small organ located on the underside of the liver and its main function is to store bile that is produced by the liver.  Bile is a substance that helps break down fats from the food we ingest so that we can absorb some of these for the manufacture of hormones and other compounds.  Any extra bile that the liver produces is stored in the gallbladder until we eat more food containing fats, when it is released from the gallbladder into the intestines. 

Normal digestion is of course possible without a gallbladder, but it can be problematic because the liver produces trace amounts of bile on an ongoing basis, which trickle into the small intestine, so when you eat a meal containing fats, the bile in the small intestine is simply insufficient to digest all the fats, which can result in diarrhoea, bloating, nausea, together with symptoms of indigestion.  Gallbladder problems often arise as a result of compromised liver function, so the two recommendations here are to eat some good fats, but avoid bad fats wherever possible, including saturated fats.

In his article linked below, Shabir explains the reasons why a low fat diet, which is often recommended, is not necessarily the correct course of action and on from that our second recommendation is to take Milk Thistle Complex for all and any gallbladder issues.  Here, Milk Thistle, Dandelion Root and Artichoke work in synergy to enhance the production of bile, which should help ease digestive problems after the gallbladder has been removed, but of course regardless of gallbladder issues, we recommend Milk Thistle to support healthy liver function and with that said, I am dropping the price of DoSe Milk Thistle Complex from £18 to £15.
VH Editorial: Digestive Problems After Gallbladder Removal; DoSe Milk Thistle Complex £15 for 30 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 11 August)

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is one of many disorders listed under the general term ‘Repetitive Strain Injury’, yet of all the known repetitive strain injuries, Carpal Tunnel is the most recognised and prevalent concern, affecting millions of people each year.  CTS often develops over a number of years with no noticeable symptoms, but when these do appear they include a burning or tingling sensation in the fingers often accompanied by pain and numbness in the hand, with incidences of CTS notably increasing over the past decade, which has been theorised to be linked to repetitive motions, such as texting.

The most common treatment for CTS is the use of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) which work to reduce inflammation, but of course they are not without side effects, so the natural solution here is Bromelain.  Bromelain is a protein digesting enzyme obtained from the stems of the pineapple plant and it has been extensively researched for the past two decades where it has been shown to be highly effective in inhibiting inflammation, facilitating the healing of soft tissue injuries, which does of course include CTS.

Additionally, and as an adjunct to Bromelain, we recommend Pure Magnesium Oil Spray, which should be sprayed onto the wrists twice a day, but there is one more recommendation and it is a clever drug-free device, Aculief, which works on the principle of acupressure, and most specifically the acupressure point known as the LI-4 meridian spot.  This meridian spot is located between the thumb and forefinger so, when worn, the pressure exerted enhances circulation and energy.  Shabir uses the Aculief regularly, probably because he sends too many text messages, but let me end this by saying that the price of Bromelain drops from £31.55 to £28.  For the interim.
VH Editorial: Treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; Bromelain by Viridian Nutrition £28 for 90 Capsules; Pure Magnesium Oil Spray by Life-Flo £14.99 for 237 ml; Aculief £19.95 (also supports headache relief)

Last weekend, I opened the newsletter by writing about What’s The Solution, so a further comment here to say that we receive an extraordinarily high volume of emails about eye issues.  There are many differing eye concerns, but most recently we have received an abundance of emails about styes, and then I developed a stye. There are several reasons why styes will appear, and they are generally associated with inflammation of the eye lids such as blepharitis, dry corners or dry eye lids, poor eye hygiene or the non-effective removal of cosmetics. 

I am fastidious about removing make-up, so I’m not sure which box I need to tick, but what I do know is that antibacterial Silver Eye Drops, which contain colloidal silver, are the solution for styes, itching and a lot of eye infections. Another thing I know is that Hypochlorous Eyelid Spray is really important for cleansing our eyes in order to achieve optimal eye hygiene and because I operate a no-risk policy on eye health, this eyelid spray has now landed in my bathroom as I wonder whether we are in the midst of a stye epidemic, and just perhaps we are.
Silver Eye Drops by Good Health Naturally £9 for 30 ml; Hypochlorous Eyelid Spray by The Eye Doctor £10 for 100 ml 

Right, let’s roll our way to the end of this newsletter and I am going to begin with three new products from Weleda, and they are stick deodorants formulated without alcohol to offer 24-hour protection against body odours.  There are three in the range, the first is Deodorant Stick Citrus & Bergamot, the second is Deodorant Stick Eucalyptus & Peppermint and the third is Deodorant Stick Sensitive, for those of us with sensitive skin, and there are many of us.  Each of these deodorants are £8.95, but I’m going to drop them to £7 each, across the weekend, but we will honour all orders placed if they flip onto a wait list.
Deodorant Stick Citrus & Bergamot by Weleda £7 for 50 grams; Deodorant Stick Eucalyptus & Peppermint by Weleda £7 for 50 grams; Deodorant Stick Sensitive by Weleda £7 for 50 grams (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 11 August)

Staying with Weleda, so many of their products are iconic and that includes their Pine Reviving Bath Milk which takes its inspiration from the tranquility of a Siberian pine forest.  Over the years I have written many words about ritualistic bathing, because I have always believed in the healing powers of water and ‘forest bathing’ has been a thing for many years.  Weleda do it so well, so in a limited edition offer, I am dropping the price of Pine Reviving Milk Bath from £16.95 to £13.95, with a nod to fresh summer bathing.   
Pine Reviving Milk Bath by Weleda £13.95 for 200 ml (whilst stock lasts)

In our ongoing discussion about skin health, I have always been very clear that there are no overnight fixes in the treatment of compromised skin conditions and very often it can take several months before any noticeable improvement is recognised.  Of course, we are all different and some may see results sooner than others and here I am making reference to age spots, uneven skin tone and pigmentation problems, all of which are very common skin concerns which arise due to the excessive production of the skin’s pigment, melanin, so some words about melanin.

Long-term sun exposure, hormonal changes, inflammation and ageing increase the skin’s melanin production by the pigment producing cells, melanocytes, which can lead to an uneven skin tone due to the uneven distribution of an excessive volume of melanin.  The enzyme responsible for pigment production is called tyrosinase and the ingredient, Alpha Arbutin, has been found to have a strong effect in inhibiting tyrosinase, and with studies and clinicals supporting this evidenced research, Alpha Arbutin 2% & Kojic Acid 1% Serum was created.

As I wrote last weekend, each of the Dose serums are comprehensive treatment products and Kojic Acid, which is derived from the fermentation of by-products by mushrooms, is included in this formulation because it works as a high performance agent, penetrating into skin to fade UV-induced pigmentation, acne marks and age spots. Niacinamide is also present for its ability to help block the accumulation of pigment in the outer skin cells, which has also been the subject of a double-blind clinical trial where it was found to be as effective as hydroquinone, without the side effects.

And as I wrap this section, it probably goes without saying that Shabir included Ergothioneine in this formulation and I will probably be singing about its attributes for the rest of my life, make that my VH life, but that also applies to Fulvic Face Cream, not least because it has wound-healing properties, which I believe is integral for the optimisation of skin health.  And you absolutely know what I’m going to do here, I am going to include Fulvic Face Cream (30 ml), with every order placed for Alpha Arbutin 2% & Kojic Acid 1% which is worth £15, because I would feel bad if I didn’t.  And in and of itself, that is a wrap.
VH Editorial: Alpha Arbutin For Uneven Skin Tone; DoSe Alpha Arbutin 2% & Kojic Acid 1% Serum £18 for 30 ml + Free Fulvic Face Cream (30 ml) (only one gift per customer and offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 11 August)

Nearly there, but just to say that last weekend I wrote about the August offer from TEMPLESPA, which was Trufflesque, a hydrating radiance mask loaded with black summer truffles, gold and silk peptides and natural plant extracts, which are blended with a fruit and amino acid cocktail.  I am forever writing about products which flip onto wait lists and this happened last weekend, probably because the price dropped from £65 to £32.50. So, this is just to say that it is now back in stock and I know I wrote last weekend that in my next life I was coming back as an investigative journalist, but I’ve changed my mind mostly because I think I need to come back as a psychic.
Trufflesque by TEMPLESPA £32.50 for 80 ml

The final fling is a fully transparent fling and it is all about Fulvic Elixir (240 ml) which has a value of £15, except because we have some Fulvic Elixir which is dated November 2024, I am offering it at £10 on a first-come, first-served basis.  If you take Fulvic Elixir, which many of us do, then this will be used well before November, and if you don’t take Fulvic Elixir, this is an opportunity to try this ionic mineral complex, which has an array of benefits. Shabir talks about these benefits in his article linked below and I will end by saying that Fulvic is a remarkable ingredient, it always has been.
VH Editorial: Fulvic Acid: The Elixir Of Life; Fulvic Elixir £10 for 240 ml (whilst stock lasts) 

Into the Saturday only treat and with every order placed for £35 or above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Peace Be Still (15 ml)* by TEMPLESPA, which is a calming lightweight body moisturiser containing plant extracts and essential oils.  Full product details are listed below.
Peace Be Still by TEMPLESPA 

As we come to the end of another Weekend Read, all that is left is for me to leave you with some music which is composed of piano, guitar and electronic samples of natural soundscapes.  This is interesting because ‘Weightless’ has been dubbed as the world’s most relaxing song and was written by Marconi Union in 2012 specifically to reduce anxiety, blood pressure and heart rate. Please do not play this when driving because the low tones in this composition are included to help induce a trance-like state.
Weightless by Marconi Union; The VH Playlist

Wishing each of you a restful weekend.

With love

Gill x

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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.