As I welcome you to the Weekend Read, I want to take a moment here to talk about What’s The Solution, led by Shabir.  What's The Solution is where we take a look at some very real health concerns, real because you ask the questions and we suggest the solutions that may help and support each individual concern. I have often written that some of the concerns are extraordinarily rare, but I have always believed that by focusing on real, person-to-person health concerns, even the rarest ones, we are able to support a bespoke approach to our health and wellbeing, valuing each individual journey.

In all of this, and conversely, there are those health concerns which many of us can relate to and I am lifting an example of this from a recent What’s The Solution, mostly because I haven’t written about Magnolia Phellodendron Complex on a newsletter for the longest time, but also because I think it is important to understand the role cortisol, the stress hormone, plays in weight gain. For ease, the question and solution below:

I am 63 and have recently put on weight and have seen various articles about cortisol as a cause. Can you recommend a product to take to help?

Weight gain, especially around the midriff area, is relatively common as female hormones decline or due to ongoing stress because the decline in female hormones and stress has an impact on every single hormonal gland in the body. This decline causes the adrenals to produce more stress hormones, which cause the thyroid to produce fewer thyroid hormones, so weight gain can be a concern. Additionally, the pancreas is affected, causing greater insulin release, which is fine up to a point.

Insulin, when in great excess, is the fat depositing hormone of the body and since the fat cells are concentrated around the stomach, this leads to midriff weight gain being more apparent. I would suggest taking Magnolia Phellodendron Complex to help reduce excess cortisol that leads to a copious production of insulin, closely linked to weight gain and the accumulation of visceral fat around the midriff. Please note that whilst this supplement reduces cortisol quickly, a concerted approach to diet and exercise will help to shed the weight in addition to taking this supplement.

So, there it is, and as I am writing this, I am having an emotional moment because Magnolia Phellodendron was one of the first pharmaceutical grade, clinically proven botanicals we brought to the forefront, if not the first. It was researched and developed by Next Pharmaceuticals and somewhere up in the sky, the wonderful Bob Garrison, CEO, President and Co-Founder of Next Pharmaceuticals, is watching over us. He helped shift the conversation from ‘alternative’ myths to peer-reviewed science and his legacy lives on with Magnolia Phellodendron Complex, which drops in price from £32.95 to £29 across the weekend.
Magnolia Phellodendron Complex £29 for 120 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 19 April)

Having just mentioned the thyroid, let’s take a closer look. The thyroid gland is a hormonal gland that sits at the base of the neck and although it is a small gland, it plays a large role in many functions carried out in the body. The thyroid gland regulates metabolism, and hence weight, as well as many other functions which can impact our health and wellbeing.

The thyroid gland is an endocrine gland and as such it releases its hormones directly into the bloodstream and is part of the endocrine system, a series of glands including the adrenals, pituitary, thymus and pancreas. Each of these glands release different hormones, each with a specific process to carry out and since hormones are chemical messengers, an imbalance on one hormone can have an impact on each of the other glands.

The thyroid gland secretes two important hormones into the bloodstream called thyroxine, T4 and triiodothyronine, T3, which help to metabolise fats, protein and carbohydrates, as well as enhancing energy, maintaining healthy blood pressure, controlling our heart rate and regulating our body temperature. The pituitary gland secretes a hormone called TSH which tells the thyroid how much of the thyroid hormones to release. If T3 and T4 levels are high, less TSH is secreted and the reverse occurs when T3 and T4 levels are too low, when more TSH is secreted.

There are two categories of thyroid problems, hypothyroidism, which occurs when the thyroid does not produce sufficient hormones and although the symptoms are variable, they include hair loss, weight gain, fatigue, low energy and constipation. Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid produces higher levels of hormones and symptoms include weight loss, mood swings, brittle hair, irregular periods and a racing heart.

When the thyroid gland produces thyroid hormones, this process releases free radicals that can cause inflammation. This results in oxidative stress which hinders not only the production of thyroid hormones, but also the conversion of T4 into the active T3 form used by cells. This conversion of the inactive T4 to active T3 takes place in the liver. There is an indicator that shows whether T4 to T3 conversion can occur effectively, that indicator being our levels of glutathione and a link between glutathione and T3 activation was established in 1988 and translated, even if you have sufficient T4 levels, you may not have sufficient T3 if glutathione levels are low.

Glutathione is the body’s most important antioxidant, often referred to as the master antioxidant, it is made from three amino acids, cysteine, glycine and glutamic acids and it works to neutralise free radicals from the body’s metabolic activity which releases the free radicals that can stress our glands. As we age, and like so many compounds, our glutathione levels decrease making us susceptible to oxidative stress from radical damage and without sufficient glutathione, our bodies struggle to regulate thyroid gland function.

That’s the lowdown, Shabir’s article, linked below, digs a little deeper and Liposomal Glutathione has been formulated with the clinically studied Setria® Glutathione, which we consider to be best-in-class in its genre. Liposomal Glutathione is ideal for the liver where the conversion of inactive to active thyroid hormones takes place, which is where free radicals are produced. And of course, being a master antioxidant, Liposomal Glutathione protects our entire bodies from free radical damage, so with apologies for the length of this complex explanation, and thyroid health is complex, Liposomal Glutathione drops in price from £49 to £42.
VH Editorials: Glutathione For Thyroid Health; Liposomal Glutathione: Benefits & Side Effects; DoSe Liposomal Glutathione £42 for 150 ml

I just want to come in here to say that I recently wrote that we try to keep our messaging simple, and that wasn’t simple, but this is. Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid are both required for the body to function, however they are required in different ways and they function in different ways. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient, meaning that our bodies cannot produce its own supply of vitamin C, yet it is critical for the synthesis of collagen, wound healing and for immune system function.

Hyaluronic Acid is naturally produced by the body, but levels decline with age and as the primary molecule for hydration, it acts as a lubricant and cushion for joints, eyes and skin, allowing tissues to remain moist and flexible. Put simply, Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid play different roles in our bodies, but both are required for healthy ageing, so when you buy Liposomal Vitamin C, which has been formulated using Quali-C™, a pharmaceutical grade vitamin C, we will automatically include Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength (15 capsules) which is worth £17.50.
VH Editorial: The Best Vitamin C Supplements; DoSe Liposomal Vitamin C £35 for 240 ml (48 days’ supply) + Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength (15 Capsules) Free (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 19 April)

Writing extensively about hay fever recently, we recommended several solutions to ease the symptoms of hay fever. Leading with Aller-DMG, our bestselling supplement in this genre, I am repeat messaging because we are now in peak allergy season, so for ease I am linking Shabir’s article about hay fever below where he takes a look at several solutions and once again, I am dropping the price of Aller-DMG from £30 to £26, across the weekend.
VH Editorial: Hay Fever Relief For The Family; Aller-DMG by DaVinci Laboratories £26 for 60 Tablets (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 19 April)

Right, let’s do some feedback and some time ago I wrote about Support Breathe Shower Mist, a refreshing, steam-activated blend of Eucalyptus, Lavender and Peppermint. Perhaps it was unsurprising that after I wrote about Support Breathe Shower Mist we had a wait list and although we fulfilled all outstanding orders some time ago, I just want to say that whenever a product flips onto a wait list across the weekend, we will always honour our commitment given that there are no extenuating circumstances preventing us from doing so.

More often than not I know if a product is going to flip within an hour of the Weekend Read being released and I then spend the entire weekend stressing about it, albeit there is nothing I can do at that given time. But what I can do is tell you that I have upheld the price drop of Support Breathe Shower Mist from £38 to £34 and what I can also do is acknowledge your support and acknowledgement of each of the products from Aromatherapy Associates, so if you spend £65 or more on any of the Aromatherapy Associates products, we will send you a gift, that gift being their Relax & Restore Selfcare Gift Set which has a value of £73.

The Relax & Restore Selfcare Gift Set includes two products in their iconic wash bag, those two products being the calming Deep Relax Sleep Mist and the luxuriously rich Travel Deep Relax Body Butter. Managing expectation, this is an extremely limited offer and if the gift fails to go into your basket, that will mean the offer is over, but of course the offer on Support Breathe Shower Mist still stands and bearing in mind Support Breathe Shower Mist offers an invitation to create a spa-inspired ritual, it could be that those who have already bought this product, may well have fallen in love with it.  This offer is whilst stocks last and if the gift fails to go into your basket, it means that the promotion is over. 
Support Breathe Shower Mist by Aromatherapy Associates £34 for 100 ml; Aromatherapy Associates Products

More feedback, this time the feedback is about the Waterless Skin Cleansing products from Nilaqua, a revolutionary way to wash effectively and easily without additional water or rinsing. Using Towel Off® technology, these products are approved for hospital use by the NHS, but of course they offer a deep cleansing solution outside of hospital use including post-operative care at home, incontinence, period leaks or any time you need to wash quickly without water.

There are always those products which help and support us, for some these products can be life changing and I am so grateful for your wonderful feedback, but it is not only about the feedback, it is also about a new product in the range. That product is Nilaqua’s Shampoo Wrap, an innovative, eco-friendly shampoo cap that provides a convenient, rinse-free hair wash. Designed for sensitive scalps, everyday use or healthcare settings, it also uses Towel Off® technology, it leaves hair clean, soft and fresh and is fragranced with Fresh Apple and Jasmine.
Shampoo Wrap Fresh Apple & Jasmine by Nilaqua £2.75; All Nilaqua Products

I want to end this Weekend Read with three products, each of them heroic in their own way and just perhaps they are the quiet heroes, often residing in the background, yet each excelling in their individual mode of being. The first is the Tweezy Facial Hair Remover, a quick and easy way to remove unwanted hair from the root, think chin hairs, and once you get the knack of how to use it, you will never want to be without it. It also happens to be rather satisfying, well I think it is, and it’s a one-time investment, because it lasts forever.
Tweezy Facial Hair Remover £10

Zam-Buk Antiseptic Ointment is the next quiet hero, and I was prompted to include it after I read a review from a customer stating that it had been trusted in his family since the 1950s, although it first appeared on chemist’s shelves in 1903, before the discovery of penicillin and other antibiotics. Famously endorsed by Harry Houdini, who used it to soothe his wrists after his escapology feats, Zam-Buk is a useful home remedy for cuts, sores, bruises, sprains, burns, chilblains and insect bites, arriving in a retro-style tin.
Zam-Buk Antiseptic Ointment £3.99 for 20 grams

Finally, Rose Petal Salve, dubbed as ‘the celebrated beauty balm’ it has a multitude of uses from hydrating dry skin to highlighting cheekbones, making it the perfect antidote to dry lips, rough skin and dehydrated cuticles. It can also be used as a lip gloss, a brow tamer, a calming sleep balm, it has a beautiful Rose scent and it also arrives in a retro-style tin. Tins make me happy, most especially retro-style tins, so with that said we are now heading into the Saturday only treat.
Rose Petal Salve £3.99 for 20 grams

So, here it is, and with every order placed for £35 or above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Palm Balm (15 ml) by TEMPLESPA*. Palm Balm is loaded with Mediterranean essential oils together with Aloe Vera and Jojoba to help replenish lost moisture, leaving your hands feeling soft and smooth. Full product details below.
Palm Balm Nourishing Hand Cream

Finally, and more often than not, certain songs will start playing in my head as I write specific words and this is quite common because our brains retrieve a strong neural connection, known as involuntary musical imagery. Often triggered by emotion, recent memories or unprocessed thoughts, the song I am going to share today has most definitely been triggered by my emotions and, just perhaps, a lost era.

We have each lost people, people we loved, people we respected and people who made a difference, but really made a difference and as I was writing about Next Pharmaceuticals and Bob Garrison, the song ‘Human Touch’ played in my head. Human Touch because it speaks of the deep, fundamental need for connection in an often cold and overly corporate world. Human Touch because Bob Garrison didn’t just focus on the science or the bottom line, but on the real people at the end of his prescriptions. Human Touch isn’t only a tribute, but a reminder that the heartbeat of any achievement is the empathy we extend to one another.
Human Touch by Bruce Springsteen; The VH Playlist

No further words required.

With love

Gill x