Hello on another Saturday morning, and before anything I would like to thank you for your emails after the words I wrote about the importance of taking an independent stance last weekend.  In all honesty, I find it tremendously disturbing that entrepreneurial achievement and success is being suppressed for many differing reasons and of course it is not only applicable to the health and beauty industry, but in a world where the conglomerates are increasingly dictating the status quo, the health and beauty industry has become a shadow of its former self, and that shadow darkens in each and every moment with little, if any, accountability.

I really don’t want to write many more words on this subject today and although there is much evidence to support my words, all I am doing here is acknowledging your acknowledgement, which remains so incredibly important.  So, with that said, let’s head into some common health concerns and I am going to begin by talking about cardiovascular health, but most specifically I want to discuss the difference between high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both of which affect the heart and blood vessels, but they are different in how they impact the body, and we’ll start with high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is often described as the ‘silent killer’ because unless you know what the symptoms of high blood pressure are, you would not necessarily know that you have high blood pressure.  Medically known as hypertension, it is a serious concern which can lead to heart attack, stroke and kidney failure, so although I am going to write about two specific products to support cardiovascular health, I need to stress the importance of having your blood pressure monitored frequently and I am also referencing Shabir’s article, linked below, where he talks in depth about the symptoms and causes of high blood pressure.

There are many herbs which are reported to be of benefit to the heart and these include Hawthorn and the Indian herb, Arjuna.  These specific herbs are often termed as cardiotonics because they have the ability to enhance the contraction phase of the heart, which means that more blood is pumped around the body.  Hawthorn has long been established as a heart tonic as it improves the efficiency of the pumping action of the heart by increasing blood flow in the coronary arteries which supply blood to the heart muscle tissue. 

Studied extensively, Hawthorn extracts contain a range of biological compounds, including flavonoids and polyphenols and it is a consideration that Hawthorn’s source of procyanidins, which are powerful antioxidants, may help prevent the oxidation of fats which normally leads to their deposition onto the arteries.  Deposition of fats onto arteries can lead to the furring of arteries, thus putting a burden on the heart to pump blood around the body.  Here we recommend Hawthorn Berry, a standardised extract containing 100% natural ingredients, which drops in price from £15.05 to £13 across the weekend.
VH Editorial: High Blood Pressure; Hawthorn Berry by Viridian Nutrition £13 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 18 May)

The second product we recommend for high blood pressure is Cardio Peak, which can be taken as an adjunct to Hawthorn Berry or as a stand-alone product and although it has a wide number of benefits, its greatest benefit is that of a cardiotonic herb, acting as a heart tonic.   Numerous clinical studies have indicated the ability of Arjuna to help reduce arterial plaque formation and Cardio Peak contains a high concentration of Arjuna bark, which has a long history of use for maintaining healthy blood pressure.  Rich in polyphenols and glycosides, Arjuna promotes cardiovascular health and drops in price from £19 to £16, also across the weekend.
Cardio Peak by Life Extension £16 for 30 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 18 May)

Having discussed high blood pressure, we turn to high cholesterol and most specifically how to lower cholesterol naturally.  Lowering cholesterol naturally is a choice, a considered choice because increasingly statins are being prescribed to help lower cholesterol levels which are not without side effects, so once again I am going to reference another article, linked below, where Shabir explains the difference between the two different types of cholesterol, LDL which is ‘bad’ cholesterol and HDL which is ‘good’ cholesterol. 

It is a given that if too much LDL circulates in our blood it can clog arteries and studies have indicated that Red Yeast Rice supplementation can lower cholesterol levels up to 25% based upon extensive research which further indicated that Red Yeast Rice reduces triglycerides, thus helping to lower LDL levels.  Red Yeast Rice is the predominant compound in CholestSafe, which has been formulated with a number of other nutrients which play a role in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, including Artichoke which helps to support the liver, the primary gland which manufactures and destroys cholesterol.

So, as I drop the price of CholestSafe from £28 to £25, a mention here too for oats because over 100 scientific studies have proven the positive benefits of oat beta glucans for those with high cholesterol levels.  Specifically, OatWell Powder has been proven to reduce cholesterol, improve digestive health and reduce blood sugar peaks after eating, so the price of OatWell Original Powder drops from £13.59 to £12 and CardiOat Crispy Hearts drops from £9.19 to £8.
VH Editorial: How To Lower Cholesterol Naturally; DoSe CholestSafe £25 for 90 Capsules; OatWell Original Powder by LifePlan £12 for 150 grams; CardiOat Crispy Hearts £8 for 7 x 30 gram sachets (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 18 May)

Having written that natural supplementation is a given choice and that statins are increasingly being prescribed to lower cholesterol levels, it is well established that statins deplete CoQ10, a vital nutrient in the body.  I have written extensively about taking the correct form of CoQ10 and in line with our commitment to clinically evaluated compounds, Liposomal CoQ10 has been formulated with ubiquinone because studies have shown that ubiquinone has far greater efficacy than ubiquinol, with that efficacy further supported by utilising liposomal technology to protect CoQ10 from the harsh environment of the stomach.

At best, and with optimal digestion, it is recognised that the absorption of most CoQ10 supplementation is between 50-60%, so it was important to offer a formulation which delivers almost all of its contents into the cells of the body and Liposomal CoQ10 is that formulation.  Having specifically written about the importance of taking CoQ10 if you are taking statins, it should also be said that our levels of CoQ10 decline with age and by the time we reach our forties, our levels decline to approximately half of what they were in our twenties, so I just want to take another moment to talk about its importance for each of us.

CoQ10 is involved in the production of the powerhouse molecule ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which fuels every single cell of the body, ensuring that these have the energy to produce and regenerate, but it also oxygenates all the muscle and soft tissues of the body, and the most important muscle tissue is the heart muscle tissue, which is why it is so beneficial for cardiovascular health.  Furthermore, it prevents the oxidation of cholesterol within the blood stream, ensuring that cholesterol doesn’t stick to our arteries and veins.  The moment is not quite over, because I am dropping the price of Liposomal CoQ10 from £48 to £43.
VH Editorial: Choosing The Right Co-Enzyme Q10; DoSe Liposomal CoQ10 £43 for 240 ml (48 days’ supply) (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 19 May)

I’m nearly finished writing about cardiovascular health, but it is worth mentioning that Magnesium is also a key nutrient for heart health.  Much is written about the attributes of Magnesium, and I will link an article below that discusses those attributes, but specifically referencing cardiovascular health, Magnesium helps regulate muscle contractions and helps relax our blood vessels, improving blood flow around the body.  Magnesium can also act as a natural calcium blocker, thereby preventing excess calcium from entering the heart muscle tissue, which can lead to over-contraction, so to complete this section, Magnesium Complex drops in price from £22 to £19.
VH Editorial: Magnesium Supplements: Benefits, Deficiencies & Side Effects; DoSe Magnesium Complex £19 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 18 May) 

Moving on, I want to talk about histamine intolerance (HIT), a condition where the body is unable to eliminate histamine from food and drink, which can lead to gastrointestinal and allergy-like symptoms.  Histamine is a natural chemical produced by the body and it works by transmitting messages between the body and the brain.  It also plays an important role in digestion by triggering the release of stomach acid, as well as influencing the immune system. 

Histamine levels are kept within finite levels by the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO), but excess histamine can be problematic, which is difficult to diagnose, but the majority of those diagnosed are women in their forties.  HIT has a wide range of symptoms and these include nausea or vomiting, headaches, itching, rashes or hives, bloating and the swelling of the lips or throat, although it is important to mention that Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is often mistaken for HIT.

With MCAS, the mast cells in the body, which are part of the immune system, become overly active and release histamine and a range of other chemicals, with symptoms including irregular heartbeat, difficulty in breathing and more diverse digestive problems.  Although the causes of HIT are not fully understood, we do know that DAO is responsible for breaking down histamine and a deficiency of DAO may be caused by medications which block DAO, such as antihistamines and some antidepressants, inflammatory bowel disorders, including Leaky Gut Syndrome, and foods that block DAO, outlined in Shabir’s article linked below.

With DAO being linked to HIT, it follows that nutrients enhancing DAO levels will be beneficial and Vitamin C is a powerful antihistamine and an anti-inflammatory nutrient.  When vitamin C levels decrease, histamine levels increase, therefore vitamin C is considered a vital nutrient to produce the histamine degrading enzyme DAO, so here we recommend Liposomal Vitamin C which has been formulated with Quali-C™, a pharmaceutical-grade vitamin C wrapped in phospholipid liposomes delivering far greater absorption and bioavailability than most other forms of vitamin C.  Liposomal Vitamin C drops from £35 to £30, with a generic article about vitamin C linked below.
VH Editorial: The Best Vitamin C Supplements; DoSe Liposomal Vitamin C £30 for 240 ml (48 days’ supply) (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 18 May) 

There are two more supplements I want to talk about which can offer support for HIT, but as with vitamin C, both of these supplements support differing health concerns, which is important, and the first supplement is Synerbio Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG, a probiotic.  Food sensitivities to foods high in histamine almost always indicate that there is something going on in the gut, and whilst there are many causes for HIT, it appears that intestinal permeability such as Leaky Gut Syndrome and SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) are two of the most common causes. 

From the small amount of research available, it appears that the bacteria used to ferment yoghurt, or fermented foods, could exacerbate HIT, typically Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, but the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG appears to have a positive effect by increasing anti-inflammatory compounds in the gut to help prevent intestinal permeability as well as preventing pathogenic bacteria from adhere to the walls of the gut, which affects the gut’s immune response.  Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG has been extensively researched, it has been the subject of over 250 clinical studies and it drops in price from £24 to £21.
Synerbio Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG by Viridian Nutrition £21 for 30 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 18 May)

And finally, Quercetin.  Quercetin is a flavonoid antioxidant that is found in a variety of plants and food, including onions, parsley, sage and kale.  Quercetin has been shown to display potent antioxidant and inflammatory compounds in the bloodstream.  Additionally, it is thought to help stabilise mast cells, which produce histamine, and so it works rather like a natural antihistamine, helping to combat the symptoms of HIT.  Quercetin is thought to be the most researched bioflavonoid and it is also recognised as being more active in the body than any other bioflavonoid so, to wrap, the price of Quercetin drops from £24.95 to £22.
VH Editorial: Causes And Symptoms Of Histamine Intolerance; Quercetin by Lamberts Healthcare £22 for 60 Tablets (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 18 May)

Having dedicated almost the entire Weekend Read to two health concerns, albeit with a few deviations here and there, I have a few more things I want to share with you and I’ll begin with Coola.  I have loved Coola products for a very long time, actually long before we listed the brand on our site because I used to stash their products when I was in America, and I used to be in America rather a lot, but I am writing about Coola today because they have just launched a new product, so I want to tell you about it and that product is their Clear Skin Oil-Free Moisturiser SPF 30. 

Clear Skin Oil-Free Moisturiser provides sheer SPF 30 protection while calming sensitive, acne-prone skin.  Formulated with Niacinamide and Centella Asiatica, it helps reduce inflammation and helps prevent breakouts, while offering broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection without the shine, making it ideal for everyday use.  It is a great addition to their range and to celebrate this new product together with the brilliance of their Lip Balms, and they are brilliant, I am throwing a 15% discount across the brand.
Coola Clear Skin Oil Free Moisturiser SPF 30; All Coola Products (offer ends at midnight BST, Friday 23 May)

Just one more thing to say before we head in the Saturday only treat, and in repetition of my words from last weekend, we are offering a 25% discount across each of the Better You products and a 20% discount across the Dirtea products, including their recently launched Gummies.  Both of these offers will end at midnight BST, Saturday 31 May, when I will probably mention them again.  If I remember.
Better You Products; Dirtea Products 

So, the Saturday only treat and with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Weleda’s Refresh Citrus Creamy Body Wash (20 ml)* featuring a lemon scent from organic lemon oil, delivering a mood-boosting shower experience.  Product details linked below.
Refresh Citrus Creamy Body Wash

And finally, as I wish each of you a restful weekend, a song, a beautifully evocative song from Kate Bush reflecting the transient nature of our lives, and the moments we share.
Moments Of Pleasure by Kate Bush; VH Playlist

With love

Gill x