There is really no place for me to start this Weekend Read other than to say thank you for your emails following my words about the moral corruption of the health and beauty industry last weekend. It goes without saying that I personally responded to each of your emails, but there is something else here and that something else is that I absolutely know that we really do stand together when we need to.  There is always a tipping point, in all things there is a tipping point, and I have reached that tipping point for and on behalf of all of us.  And I will not back down.

On a personal note, I am so incredibly touched by your concern, but please know that it is always a considered choice to go legal, and I am not at all phased by any of it.  I actually find it extraordinarily liberating because there is an immense freedom in the truth, and if we are to believe in all that we believe in, there can be no other way.  I haven’t changed, we haven’t changed, but the world around us has changed.  Power is merely a perception, a perception which crumbles in the face of evidenced truth and due diligence.  That much I know.

I have never felt the need to play power games and I have always believed that there is enough for everybody, no matter what.  Of course we are all different, but I will fiercely defend our right to protect ourselves and the choices we make for our health and wellbeing and surely that’s the most important thing here.  I am more than aware of the deception used to gain market share, but I think it best if I leave it there for the moment other than to say that market share does not enhance the efficacy of any given product.  And it never will.

If we are to stay true to ourselves, then we have to follow a stringent pathway in order to help make that positive difference to our health and wellbeing.  There can be no deviation from ongoing research, together with the studies and clinicals that support such research and we are constantly assessing the efficacy of the products we recommend.  This was of course demonstrated last weekend when we launched NAD+ Generator, which we believe to be a new leader in the field of longevity, so I thank you for your support and recognition of the compound RiaGev®-WS™, which out-performs all that has gone before, including NMN.

As I wrote last weekend, RiaGev®-WS™ targets all three biomarkers for healthy ageing in one single ingredient, NAD, ATP for energy and GSH (glutathione) for antioxidant support, but there is more, so let’s look at immunity.  Our immune system relies on a variety of hormones, compounds, white blood cells, nutrients and glands, all of which need to perform in order to maintain a healthy immune response.  Our immune system relies on sirtuins, which are proteins that help repair the body in each and every moment.  Sirtuins consume NAD+ for energy, giving them the ability to repair.  And there is more.

Without NAD+, repair processes grind to a halt, DNA repair is decreased and the body is less able to fight diseases and infections.  It is also of critical importance that our immune cells function as best they can because as we age some immune cells become over-active, which can lead to autoimmune diseases, whilst others slow down leading to infections.  This process is called immunosenescence and is influenced by mitochondrial function and energy balance in every cell and both functions depend upon adequate levels of NAD+.

Our levels of NAD+ decline with age, it’s an ongoing fact which applies to many other nutrients, including Hyaluronic Acid.  There is an awful lot to be said about the benefits of preventative supplementation and I truly believe that the research and clinicals demonstrating how our NAD+ levels can be safely increased is of great significance.  It is a major breakthrough in scientific terms and I would classify RiaGev®-WS™ as being one of the most important compounds to have been discovered for several years.  And I don’t say that lightly.  At all.
VH Editorial: Are NAD Supplements Beneficial?; NAD+ Generator £32 for 30 Capsules; Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength £35 for 30 Capsules

If we are talking about preventative supplementation, then we really do need to look at stress and hormones.  There is no doubt that stress ages us and at times of stress our bodies produce excessive amounts of cortisol, which is responsible for a variety of concerns including anxiety, weight gain and sleep disturbances.  Cortisol is an inflammatory hormone and stress is by far the single biggest causal factor for ageing skin, but the classic definition of stress is ‘any real or imagined threat, and your body’s response to it’.

Stress is often considered a mind-altering state and the causes of stress produce a physical reaction in the body.  Overwhelming situations throw our bodies into a ‘fight or flight’ response and this response can physically increase our heart rate and increase our blood pressure.  Having said that our cortisol levels increase with stress, our insulin levels do the same thing and these two hormones work in synergy, resulting in increased insulin production.  Insulin is the fat depositing hormone and scientists have acknowledged that visceral fat, the fat around your midriff, is a contributory factor to other health concerns.

Of course I have barely hit the surface on how stress affects our bodies, but stress is also known to contribute to reduced immunity, elevated blood sugar levels and of course it can lead to the symptoms of anxiety and depression.  I think it is tremendously important to talk about anxiety and depression because so many of us are affected and however much is written about it, there is still a stigma attached to the fact that we may need help.  At differing stages of our lives we all need help and with that said, I am dropping the price of Magnolia Rhodiola Complex, our bestselling supplement for stress and anxiety, down to £25 from £28.
VH Editorial: How To Combat Stress Effectively; Magnolia Rhodiola Complex £25 for 60 Capsules (please do not use if you are on prescribed anti-depressants) (offer ends at midnight BST Sunday 17 September)

At this point I think we should also talk about declining female hormones, perimenopause and menopause.  Simplistically, perimenopause is the time before menopause when the ovaries begin to stop producing oestrogen and progesterone.  It is generally accepted that this occurs roughly eight years prior to menopause, which is normally between the ages of 45 and 55.  As a result many women experience a whole array of symptoms attributed to declining female hormones and the relative imbalance between these hormones.

The symptoms of low progesterone are different to those of low oestrogen, with progesterone levels normally declining well before oestrogen, which gives rise to ‘oestrogen dominance’, which has its own symptoms.  The impact of these low female hormones is widespread and include hot flushes, stress, fatigue, vaginal dryness and hair thinning, or loss.  Phytoestrogens help to achieve hormonal balance, and they play a crucial role in this respect, which is why we have always recommended that every woman over the age of thirty-five, with a few exceptions, should consider the use of phytoestrogenic supplementation, such as Sage Complex.

Phytoestrogens were first discovered in 1926 and it is a scientific word for naturally occurring plant compounds that are chemically similar to oestrogen.  As such they mimic oestrogen, often without side effects, and they have a balancing effect on the body by binding to oestrogen receptors in cellular activity.  Phytoestrogens consist of more than twenty compounds and can also be found in more than three hundred plants. 

Sage Complex, which was formulated by Shabir, is a powerful female hormone balancing supplement.  It contains Vitamin B6, which contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity, alongside herbs such as Wild Yam, Dong Quai, Red Clover, Kadzu, Chaste Berry and of course Sage Leaf.  Sage has a rich content of hormone mimicking compounds and it has also been shown to work on the hypothalamus, the temperature regulating gland, thus helping to alleviate hot flushes and night sweats.  Shabir does the in-depth in his article, linked below, and I am taking the price of Sage Complex down to £25, from £28, across the weekend.
VH Editorial: Hormone Mimicking Supplementation; Sage Complex £25 for 90 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST Sunday 17 September)

Notwithstanding the recent spell of hot weather, I would just like to reiterate the importance of taking Vitamin D3, preferably with K2, over the coming months.  Together with Andy Thomas, founder of BetterYou, we have been campaigning about the importance of D3 for more years than I care to remember, but it is only in the recent past that D3 has truly received the recognition that it fully deserves and that’s the most important thing here. So, this is just a reminder that we are offering a 25% discount across all of the BetterYou products for the month of September.  The campaigning continues.  For the better good of each of us.  
BetterYou Products

From one brand to another, this is just to let you know that Aduna have released five new Advanced Superfood Blends, each combining active botanicals specific to each formulation.  Those five blends are Beauty, Digestion, Energy, Mind and Super Greens and however much I would like to write each of them in detail, I really can’t otherwise this newsletter will go on forever, so I will refer you to each of the products below where you can read all about them. I will also add that we are offering a launch discount of 25% across each of these products.  For the interim.
Advanced Superfood Blend Beauty £16.49 for 250 grams; Advanced Superfood Blend Digestion £16.49 for 250 grams; Advanced Superfood Blend Energy £16.49 for 250 grams; Advanced Superfood Blend Mind £16.49 for 250 grams; Advanced Superfood Blend Super Greens £16.49 for 250 grams

Right, let’s lighten things up and talk about soap.  I think you all know that I have a thing about soaps, and I’m still mourning the loss of Magnesium Soap, but as one door closes, another door opens and that door opened when I tested Sea Magik’s Black Mud Soap.  Made with mineral-rich Dead Sea Mud and Organic Seaweed, it deeply cleanses the body without drying your skin.  As such, you can also use it on your face if you so wish, but the main reason I love it so much is because it is fragrance free and it can be used on the most sensitive of skins.  And for those of us who can’t tolerate conventional soaps, this is amazing, it really is.
Black Mud Soap by Sea Magik £4.95 for 100 grams

We all have different habits and I like to use soap in my bath, but not in the shower where I prefer to use a body wash.  Except I don’t use a body wash, I use Fulvic Shampoo and I have done so since we launched our Fulvic products.  Fulvic is just amazing when used on the skin, and for those who use Fulvic Face Cream and Fulvic Body Lotion, I think you may agree with me, so I really recommend using Fulvic Shampoo as a body wash.  But that’s not all, I use Fulvic Conditioner on my entire body because it conditions my skin rather magnificently.  All you need to do is leave the conditioner on your skin for a minute or two and then rinse it off.

If you are prone to having dry skin, this regimen really does help and of course I recommend that you follow through with Fulvic Body Lotion.  Interestingly I recommended this regimen to one of our customers who swims on a regular basis.  The chlorine was playing havoc with her skin, but this resolved her issues.  I have always loved multi-functional products, so let’s do a Fulvic Treat which looks like this.  Fulvic Shampoo drops in price from £25 to £20, Fulvic Conditioner also drops in price from £25 to £20 and Fulvic Body Lotion drops in price from £20 to £17.  Across the weekend.
Fulvic Acid Shampoo £20 for 240 ml; Fulvic Acid Conditioner £20 for 240 ml; Fulvic Body Lotion £17 for 200 ml (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 17 September)

I just want to come in and say something here and that something is that I really feel uncomfortable calling you customers because you are so much more than that.  If I refer to you as a friend, then people will think that I have all of my friends endorsing our products, so that doesn’t work.  And I really don’t know what does work, but there is no separation between us, there never has been and there never will be.  It’s all rather perplexing, so I just wanted to talk about it.  And to the wonderful person who thanked me for banging on about Fulvic constantly, those two paragraphs were for you.  And also for my swimmer customer, who is now a close friend.

I wrote a couple of weeks ago that I would be drip feeding seasonal gifts over the coming weeks and months and so please let me tell you about Neom’s Catch A Shooting Star Ceramic Natural Diffuser.  This is a little hanging star which has been designed to fragrance your world by spritzing the porous ceramic with your favourite essential oil blend or mist.  Neom have some wonderful scents such as Perfect Peace and Cosy Nights, but of course you can use whatever you have.  Each star is engraved with the words ‘Anything Is Possible’.  And that speaks volumes.
Catch A Shooting Star Ceramic Natural Diffuser by Neom Organics £5; Perfect Peace Essential Oil Blend by Neom Organics £22 for 10 ml; Cosy Nights Essential Oil Blend by Neom Organics £22 for 10 ml

Let’s do one more seasonal treat from Neom and it is their Perfect Peace Travel Candle.  It is a limited edition and it is a blend of twenty-five pure essential oils, including Pine, Myrrh and Lime peel.  Neom say it is sparkling, bright and uplifting and I say that although I burn candles throughout the year, I do love festive fragrances so I thought I would share this with you now. I will also tell you that I am dropping the price of the Perfect Peace Travel Candle from £19 to £17, whilst stock lasts.
Perfect Peace Travel Candle £17 for 75 grams (Burn time, approximately twenty hours)

Earlier in this newsletter I wrote that stress is the biggest causal factor of ageing skin, so I want to follow that through with a topical product which helps take down cortisol levels in skin.  I absolutely know that I talk incessantly about Neurophroline Serum, but it has been clinically proven to take down cortisol levels and facts are facts.  On from that, let’s have a moment with all of the Garden of Wisdom products, so with every Garden of Wisdom order, we will automatically include Pore Cleaning Powder, whilst stocks last, which is worth £14.  Only one gift per customer in order that we can share widely.  Thank you.
VH Editorial: Stress Ages Our Skin; Garden of Wisdom Products

Before we head into the Saturday only treat, a few words about Wednesday evening.  It was Trinny’s book launch and it was wonderful to celebrate the publication of Fearless with Trinny and those who are closest to her.  Her book is dedicated to each of our lives, because when we fear less, we are able to achieve so much more.  Covering life, beauty and style, Trinny asked Shabir to talk about key supplementation, which he does across three pages.  I think that’s the closest he will ever come to writing a book, so my thanks to Trinny for her generosity and support and for the acknowledgement at the end of her book which made me cry.  Of course it did.
Fearless by Trinny Woodall

Into the Saturday only treat and with every order placed for £35 or above, we will automatically include Aurelia’s Brightening Eye Serum (7 ml)*.  This serum combines a Probiotic Complex with Arnica and Shea Butter and together with essential oils, it helps smooth, hydrate and enhance the eye area. Full product details are listed below.
Brightening Eye Serum by Aurelia London

As we come to the end of this Weekend Read, all I really want to say is that however much I dislike the health and beauty industry, and I do, there are some good people in the industry who truly understand what it means to help make a difference.  You probably won’t know who these people are, but I do and I also know how they are treated by the big names. They are treated with utter contempt, so if you ever wondered why I do what I do and I say what I say, I do so because of the cruelty and greed that is bestowed upon those who try their very best to support and serve each of us.  You really can’t buy integrity.  Or class.

I want to end this with a song and that song is Here, There And Everywhere.  I have chosen it because we are here, there and everywhere in geographical terms, but in reality we are all in the same place. And I believe that’s all that really matters. Here. 
Here, There And Everywhere by The Beatles; The VH Playlist

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.