As I welcome you to another Weekend Read, there is only one place for me to start and that is to thank you for incredible support and loyalty following the words I wrote last weekend about the importance of retaining our independence.  There can be no doubt that we are constantly being challenged in an ever-changing world, but you either roll over, accept the status quo and conform or you stand your corner, and I choose to stand our corner.

There are rather a lot of us standing in that corner, but then so many of us have walked together for the longest time and there is a real comfort in walking through life with like-minded people.  Wearing my heart on my sleeve, I have always believed our emotional health and wellbeing to be an extraordinarily important aspect of who and what we are together, but we can only ever be safe if we trust the process, and in trusting the process we must always honour the confidential nature of the work we do.

As such, I rarely write about the work we do behind the scenes, yet I have always considered this to be the backbone of our being and I suppose one of the closest ways we come to sharing personal issues, outside of one-on-one communication, is when I write generically about subjects such as bullying and online abuse, which I consider to be beyond the pale.  Overcoming adversity is tremendously difficult, there can be no doubt, but somehow our pain is eased knowing that we are not alone and that covers all aspects of our health and wellbeing, including terminal illness, which is such an emotional aspect of the work we do.

Essentially, What’s The Solution is another form of sharing which allows us to talk about any number of health concerns, often quite rare health concerns, because there has to be a platform offering an understanding about the root cause of health issues, most specifically the health issues which are not often spoken about. What’s The Solution serves to support that understanding and I have always believed that if we help just one person, which is often the case, we have helped to make a difference to that one person, and that really matters.  For reference, I have linked the What’s The Solution archive below.
What’s The Solution

In all of this, we receive far more emails than we can ever publish and there are times when I will take a current concern onto this newsletter and I am doing that today because we have received rather a lot of emails about Summer SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).  Summer-onset SAD, which is sometimes called summer depression, occurs in the summer months and the symptoms can begin in the spring months and although these symptoms may be relatively mild, they become more apparent as the season progresses.

SAD is almost always associated with the winter months, and far fewer people experience Summer-onset SAD, yet I think it is important to talk about it, although it is rather subjective because there is little research about Summer-onset SAD as such.  Notwithstanding that, it has been theorised that those with Summer-onset SAD may have reduced melatonin levels, which are consistent with long, hot days which can lead to disruptive sleep patterns. 

Both serotonin and melatonin help maintain the body’s daily rhythm, which is linked to the seasonal night-day cycle, so it is thought that these changes in serotonin and melatonin disrupt normal daily rhythms, but there is something else which is relevant and I am almost convinced it plays a major role in Summer-onset SAD.  Negative thoughts and feelings about the summer months can affect mood, and although it is unclear whether these thoughts are causes or effects of mood disorder, one very common thread running through those with Summer-onset SAD is a feeling of being alone, whilst the rest of the world is out in the sun, having fun.

This is not true, but nevertheless it can feel very real and if your symptoms are severe, then please do seek professional help because there are many treatment strategies that can support and help.  If your symptoms are milder then there are other options and here there are many benefits from taking a supplement, such as Magnolia Rhodiola Complex, which contains a potent extract of magnolia helping to relieve symptoms of anxiety.  Magnolia extracts have been clinically evaluated and shown to help reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, so even if you just take a course of three months, it will help support you during the summer months.

I am dropping the price of Magnolia Rhodiola Complex from £29 to £26 across the weekend, but I also want to talk about vitamins B and C because at times of stress, the adrenal glands place a huge demand for the water soluble B and C vitamins.  Both these vitamins are required for the manufacture of anti-stress hormones and deficiencies cause stress in the adrenals, resulting in greater amounts of cortisol production.  Additionally, both vitamins have been shown to directly affect the neurotransmitters in the brain, including serotonin and dopamine, the nerve calming and mood elevating hormones.

There is evidence to suggest that both these vitamins achieve balance in the body by metabolising chemicals known to cause anxiety and since both these vitamins are water soluble, they are not retained in the bloodstream for any length of time, which supports the need for supplementation during times of stress.  In recommending Terranova’s Vitamin B Complex with Vitamin C, we further recommend taking it as an adjunct to Magnolia Rhodiola Complex and Vitamin B Complex arrives as a food-state formulation ensuring maximum absorption and maximum utilisation by the body.
DoSe Magnolia Rhodiola Complex £26 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 13 July); Vitamin B Complex with Vitamin C by Terranova £12.38 for 50 Capsules

Caveating the above, we do not advise taking Magnolia Rhodiola Extract if you are taking prescribed anti-depressants, but if you feel you need further support then we recommend Saffron Extract.  Known as the ‘sunshine spice’, Saffron is dubbed as such not only because of its distinct colour, but also because it has been clinically researched to help support mood and emotional balance, alongside other studies on its far-reaching health benefits, including sexual wellness.  A powerful antioxidant, Saffron Extract drops in price from £38.70 to £32 across the weekend.
Saffron Extract by Viridian Nutrition £32 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 13 July)

Turning to skin health, I want to talk about photoaging because unlike intrinsic ageing, which is governed by genetics and time, photoaging is mostly responsible for changes in skin and that includes wrinkles, uneven skin tone and texture and damaging the DNA within skin cells. UV rays trigger the production of free radicals in skin and these free radicals are responsible for inflammation, collagen breakdown and DNA damage.

Most of us rely on topical sunscreens to protect our skin from UV rays, but scientists have found that topical skin protection is limited for various reasons, including incomplete coverage.  Studies have indicated that sunscreen application used incorrectly can range from between 25% to 50% less than the amount used for SPF testing, which translates that the protection offered can be up to 50% less than that stated on the bottle.  The other thing to say here is whilst UVB rays mostly affect the top layers of skin, UVA rays penetrate deeper often causing damage which is not immediately noticeable.

So, two things to discuss here and both relate to the same subject, how can we protect our skin from UVA damage and to do this I am referencing PPD, which stands for Persistent Pigment Darkening.  PPD is a test carried out on sun-protected skin to see how long it takes for it to darken from UVA rays compared to bare skin.  It is one of the main ways scientists can measure how well a sunscreen blocks UVA rays, and they range from PPD level 2-4 offering a low level of PPD protection to PPD 16+ which offers a very high level of PPD protection.

Not that many sunscreens list PPD levels, but the Altruist products do.  So, a few words to say that the Altruist sunscreens were created by skin cancer specialist, Dr Andrew Birnie, and each of the Altruist products provide high PPD values and given that UVA rays are responsible for premature ageing, as well as skin damage, it is worth investigating this range of products because our skin is vulnerable to UVA damage even on cloudy days.
Altruist Products

The second part of this conversation references a supplement and that supplement is called Shade Factor.  Whilst most people assume that protection against UV radiation is solely from topical products, scientists have researched an oral topical fern extract Polypodium leucotomos extract (PLE) which works deep within the skin, protecting skin against UV radiation.  PLE is rich in polyphenols and it has demonstrated the ability to reduce UV-induced erythema and as such it helps protect DNA material in cells, preserving Langerhans cells, which are the key immune defenders in skin.

PLE is joined in this formulation with Red Orange Complex® and in a small study involving eighteen volunteers, scientists measured the effects of Red Orange Complex® on UVB-induced damage.  After fifteen days, the intensity of the induced redness due to UVB exposure decreased by almost 35%, which is not an insignificant reduction.  That is just one of several studies carried on Red Orange Complex® and PLE was the subject of a double-blind study published in the American Academy of Dermatology where oral PLE was shown to enhance the skin’s resistance to UVB damage.  Clinical references are linked in Shabir’s article below and Shade Factor drops in price from £28 to £25.
VH Editorial: A Supplement To Protect Against Photoaging; Shade Factor by Life Extension £25 for 120 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 13 July)

Moving on, a mention here for vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, and the reason I am mentioning B1 is because multiple studies have indicated that when taken in its correct therapeutic strength, it will make you less prone to insect bites.  It is thought that B1 produces a skin odour which is not detectable by humans but is disagreeable to flying insects.  It would seem to be especially suitable for those with hypersensitive allergies and given that it takes approximately two weeks to fully saturate the skin, we recommend taking one tablet daily two weeks before travel, continuing the dose throughout your holiday.  B1 drops in price from £36 to £32 for the interim.
Vitamin B1 500 mg by Solgar Vitamins £32 for 100 Tablets

On subject, I haven’t written about this product for absolutely ages, but it makes an appearance today because it really is brilliant and I think that everybody should know about it.  The product is Zap-Ease and it is a simple and effective way to relieve itching caused by mosquito bites, jellyfish and nettle stings.  By repeatedly ‘clicking’ the Zap-Ease in the area of the bite, the poison is localised and the production of histamine, which causes the itching and urge to scratch, is reduced.  The toxicity of the mosquito bite becomes neutralised, thus preventing inflammation and swelling.

The Zap-Ease lasts up to 1000 bites, perhaps five years but who is really counting, and it is clinically proven by the London School of Hygiene & Medicine where it was found to be effective on 96% of people tested.  Obviously, I am also going to recommend using Unstung Hero Mosquito Repellent because I think it is fabulous, but we all manage to miss an area of skin, as with sunscreen, so this lightweight and compact tool could really be classified as a summer essential, rather like Unstung Hero.
Zap-Ease Instant Bite Relief by Incognito £7.99; Mrs White’s Unstung Hero Mosquito Repellent £20 for 250 ml (glass bottle); Mrs White’s Unstung Hero Mosquito Repellent £15 for 100 ml (aluminium bottle)

Right, let’s do some summer scenting with Neom because they have three new limited-edition home fragrances, including Complete Bliss Citronella, an outdoor candle with a fill level that is protected from outdoor breeze.  Utilising a harder outdoor wax and a stronger, thicker wick, Complete Bliss Citronella is blended with Rose, Lime, Pepper and Citronella.

The other two candles in the range are Great Day which is fragranced with Wild Mint and Mandarin, and Energy Burst which has been blended with Spearmint, Rosemary and Eucalyptus, but just to say here that these two candles are not recommended for outdoor use.  Notwithstanding that, I am dropping the price of each individual candle from £55 to £49, whilst stock lasts.
Complete Bliss Citronella by Neom Wellbeing £49; Great Day by Neom Wellbeing £49; Energy Burst by Neom Wellbeing £49

We are nearly at the end of the Weekend Read, but before we head into the Saturday only treat, a word about the sales and offers section on our site.  Lara has taken it upon herself to populate the products in this section, which she rather enjoys, and it is a constant moving feast, in that she dips in and out of it every day, so at any given moment it can change, so it’s worth checking regularly.  Anyway, I’m linking the section below as I move on with one more message.
Sales And Offers

And that message is about last weekend where we threw a 15% discount across the DoSe supplements, and I am just referencing supplementation here.  I know that there are those of you who sometimes miss the offers I write about each weekend, so I am taking three of our bestselling supplements, Hyaluronic Acid Capsules, NAD+ Generator and Collagen Tripeptide Complex and offering the same 15% discount this weekend.  And of course I have a smile on my face, because in the shortest time Collagen Tripeptide Complex has become a bestselling product, significantly out-performing collagen peptides, the industry norm. Et voilà.
DoSe Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength; DoSe NAD+ Generator; DoSe Collagen Tripeptide Complex (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 13 July)

As we arrive at the Saturday only treat, with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include the award-winning Deep Sleep Pillow Spray (5 ml)* from This Works.  Having written about the seasonal night-day cycle above, I thought this might help those of you who are struggling to sleep, but even if you don’t struggle, it’s an amazing product to spritz on your pillow, home or away.  Full product details below.
Deep Sleep Pillow Spray

Finally, this song fits for so many of us.  It’s who we are.
Heart On My Sleeve by Olly Murs; The VH Playlist

With love

Gill x