Well, here we are, another Weekend Read and after my podium moment last weekend, in a long line of podium moments, three decades of podium moments actually, my stance remains as it ever was as we continue to uphold the integrity of clinically evaluated ingredients.  So, with that said, we are going straight in because I want to talk about the importance of multivitamins, most specifically Daily Multivitamins.

There are numerous studies that indicate deficiencies of many vitamins and minerals within the adult population, notable examples being vitamin D3, vitamin K, vitamin B-12 and Magnesium.  In most of these cases, studies indicate that well over 60% of us are deficient in each of these nutrients, and in the case of vitamin K, it is thought that this may be as high as 90%.  We will talk about the importance of vitamin K soon, but for now I am staying on subject.

And staying on subject, it is thought that rather a large proportion of the adult population take a multivitamin, and in many instances it may well be the only supplement they take, which becomes problematic in that there is so little education about the efficacy of multivitamins.  I will stand my ground by saying that the vast majority of multivitamins contain synthetic vitamins, or semi-synthetic nutrients, both of which are poorly utilised by the body, but what is of greater concern is that mega doses of these synthetic compounds are used and they actually do more harm than good.

This is where marketing and reporting falls down, and it falls down for several reasons, but essentially because there is little to no understanding of the importance of therapeutic strengths in any given formulation.  That goes across all genres, but most specifically and referencing multivitamins, food-state multivitamins contain nutrients that are in their natural state and Daily Multivitamins provides vitamins, minerals, green foods and fruit extracts which are derived from whole foods.  With many studies indicating the ongoing importance of taking a multivitamin in its correct state, I am dropping the price of Daily Multivitamins from £30 to £25.50.
VH Editorial: Are All Multivitamins The Same; DoSe Daily Multivitamins One-A-Day £25.50 for 60 Tablets (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 26 October)

And so, vitamin K.  We have been writing about the importance of vitamin K, most specifically K2, for the longest time and often labelled as the ‘forgotten vitamin’, K2 contributes to normal blood clotting and the maintenance of normal bones.  Such is its importance, it is regulated by some governments because of its health benefits, and yet, and as mentioned above, rather a lot of us are deficient in vitamin K, so we are going to take a look.

There are several reasons why we are mostly deficient in vitamin K and Shabir takes a look at those reasons in his article, linked below, but notably vitamin K was discovered in 1929 by Danish scientist, Dr Henrik Dam.  The ‘k’ stands for ‘koagulation’, meaning essential for blood clotting and there are three main forms of vitamin K, K1 (phylloquinone), K2 (menaquinone) and K3 (menadione synthetic variant). K1 is found in green leafy vegetables, including broccoli, spinach and lettuce, K3 is the synthetic form of vitamin K, which we recommend avoiding, but it is K2 where most of the research has been focused.

Vitamin K2 has been shown to decrease fractures and it has been approved in Japan for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis since 1995.  In-depth research has shown that Japan has a much lower incidence of osteoporosis than both the UK and US, notably because vitamin K2 helps to carry calcium into our bones and a deficiency allows calcium to be deposited onto the arteries and soft tissues of the body, causing the hardening of the arteries, and other cardiovascular concerns.

Having established the importance of K2, there are several different sub-types of K2, and it is MK-4 and MK-7 and it is those sub-types upon which studies have been based, so once again it is crucial to take the correct form rather than a generic vitamin K.  Super K contains the clinically evaluated sub-types MK-4 and MK-7 together with K1, so with that recommendation I am dropping the price of Super K from £23 to £20, with a note to say that it can contra-indicate if you are taking anticoagulants or antiplatelet medications, so please read the contraindication section on the product page.  Staying safe.
VH Editorial: Vitamin K2: Benefits, Food Sources & Side Effects; Super K by Life Extension £20 for 90 Softgels (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 19 October)

I remain fascinated by the historical relevance of many natural compounds, which are so often the subject of modern-day research and one of those natural compounds is Milk Thistle.  In the 17^th Century, Nicholas Culpepper recorded that Milk Thistle for liver support opened ‘obstructions’ of the liver and spleen and by the 19^th Century, German physicians were using Milk Thistle tinctures for many liver disorders and today the German Commission on safety and efficacy of herbs fully endorses Milk Thistle seeds or Milk Thistle seed extracts as a supportive treatment for liver disorders.

Milk Thistle Complex has been formulated with a therapeutic strength of Milk Thistle, also known as Silybum marianum, together with Milk Thistle seeds, Dandelion, a diuretic, and Artichoke, each of which have a long traditional use for liver cleansing and liver detoxification.  Milk Thistle Complex also contains N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), Curcumin and Choline to support healthy liver function.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), our emotional wellbeing is intrinsically linked to the health of the liver and Milk Thistle is traditionally used to clear heat and dispel toxicity from the liver, supporting the healthy flow of vital energy (Qi), which in turn helps regulate emotions.  I think it is important to cleanse our liver two or three times a year, but it can be taken on an ongoing basis to support optimal liver health, so with two articles linked below to support these words, I am dropping the price of Milk Thistle Complex from £20 to £17.
VH Editorials: Milk Thistle For Liver Detoxification; How To Heal Your Liver; DoSe Milk Thistle Complex £17 for 30 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 19 October)

Actually, before we move on, a few words here to say that Milk Thistle Complex is also recommended if you have gallbladder problems, most specifically referencing digestive issues after the removal of the gallbladder.  The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ situated under the liver and concentrates bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver that aids in the breakdown of fat, releasing bile into the small intestine.  Milk Thistle plays a role in increasing bile production, helping to ease digestive issues, and the other thing to say here is that gallbladder problems often arise as a result of a compromised liver function.
VH Editorial: Digestive Problems After Gallbladder Removal

Right, let’s do post-nasal drip and this is something I write about at least once a year because it is such a common concern and it is associated with the excessive production of mucus by the nasal mucosa, which can accumulate at the back of the throat, or in the nasal cavity, causing difficulties in breathing and other associated concerns. 

So, with Shabir’s post-nasal drip regimen linked below, he recommends Marshmallow Capsules to soothe inflamed mucus membranes, Plantago Tincture to help break down the bonds that form mucus and Ivy Thyme Complex, which is about to have its own paragraph.
VH Editorial: The Post-Nasal Drip Regimen; Marshmallow Capsules by Power Health £7.88 for 30 Capsules; Plantago Tincture by A. Vogel £11 for 50 ml (drops from £12.99 for the interim)

Ivy Thyme Complex is an exceptional formulation because it helps to reduce the thickness of mucus, helping to clear the respiratory tract, but it also helps to prevent mucus from infection.  Respiratory problems are also extraordinarily common and Ivy Thyme supports numerous health concerns, including post-nasal drip and asthma as Ivy extracts soothe the lining of the respiratory tract.  Staying on subject, we also recommend The Cisca Saltpipe which helps calm the cells of the respiratory system and Ross J. Barr’s Breathe Patches, which are brilliant and ease difficulties associated with respiratory conditions.
Ivy Thyme Complex by A. Vogel £12 for 50 ml (drops from £13.49 for the interim); The Cisca Saltpipe £33; Breathe Patches £13 for Five Patches (drops from £15, also for the interim)

Skin Health

As per last weekend, I am just going to talk about one formulation and that formulation is Squalane Face Oil, which is a light oil that works like your skin’s own oil, sebum, to help prevent moisture loss.  The benefits of Squalane Oil are numerous, but aside from its superb moisturising benefits, it is an oil-soluble antioxidant which helps protect skin from damaging radicals that are produced when skin is exposed to UV radiation.  I often write about having a skincare wardrobe, and Squalane Face Oil sits in my own curated wardrobe because it doesn’t clog pores, it tends not to irritate skin and I often drop it into Fulvic Face Cream as an overnight skin treat.  Amen.
VH Editorial: What Is Squalane Oil; DoSe Squalane Face Oil £12 for 30 ml (drops from £15); Fulvic Face Cream £25 for 60 ml (drops from £30) (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 19 October)

Seasonal Gifts

Three from TEMPLESPA, and sure I’m biased, hands up, but I’m biased because each and every seasonal gift from TEMPLESPA reflects the season with thoughtful consideration given to the entire season, not just one or two days of the festive season, and so we’ll begin with Looking Good Illuminating Body Oil.  Looking Good is a luxurious body oil which is enriched with Raspberry seed oil, Castor Oil and Grapeseed Oil, together with a brightening blend of vitamin C.  Enriched with light-reflecting shimmer particles, it melts into the skin to create a subtle, natural glow, leaving skin silky soft and luminous.  And of course it is a limited edition.
Looking Good Illuminating Body Oil by TEMPLESPA £20 for 50 ml

One for the boys, and it’s Fresh Start Refreshing Grooming Essentials, which includes Seize The Day Power Shower Gel, infused with Lemon, Juniper, Lime and Bergamot, Peace Be Still Calming Skin Balm and Cool, Calm & Collected Clear Thinking Cologne.  Peace Be Still is a soothing lightweight moisturiser with calming essential oils and aromatherapy ingredients and Cool, Calm & Collected Clear Thinking Cologne combines uplifting and aromatic notes with a spicy, woody undertone of Cedarwood, Patchouli and Cardamom.  Perfect.
Fresh Start Refreshing Grooming Essentials by TEMPLESPA £25

Finally, let’s do the glitz and glamour with Shine On Glistening Lip Gloss, a striking liquid gloss in a stunning pink coral shimmer, delivering hydration, shine and plumping volume.  Shine On Glistening Lip Gloss is enriched with light-reflecting micro-pearls, which can be layered to build intensity and shine.  I love an intense lip.  Always have.
Shine On Glistening Lip Gloss by TEMPLESPA £15 for 3.5 ml

All roads lead to the Saturday only treat, so with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include one pair of Sleep Patches*, created by Ross J. Barr to help aid and support the induction and depth of sleep.  Full Product details linked below.
Sleep Patches

Going Back

I want to take a moment to talk about our emotional response to music, a complex phenomenon where music engages the limbic system, a region of the brain critical for emotions and memory.  Leading to profound emotional and physiological responses, this activation often triggers the release of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, and explains why we might cry when a piece of music resonates with a significant personal experience or memory.

Listening to music allows us to experience intense emotions, such as crying, a cathartic process which, in turn, can release the hormone prolactin which is associated with crying and grief, but it is also associated with comfort and relief. Allowing cathartic and emotional processing, there have been many studies about how music can change our stress response, and in one study (Finn & Fancourt 2018), patients who listened to music had less anxiety and lower cortisol levels than people who took prescribed medication. 

And so, ‘Crying’ by Roy Orbison.  Written by Orbison, ‘Crying’ was inspired from an experience with a former girlfriend and released in July 1961, it is thought that Orbison wanted to portray crying as a sign of sensitivity, rather than weakness.  It allowed him to demonstrate his powerful emotional depth and range, resonated by capturing the universal experience of heartbreak and loss.
Crying by Roy Orbison

And with my emotions on the line, ‘No Woman, No Cry’ from Bob Marley was released from his album ‘Live!’ which was recorded at the Lyceum, London in 1975 and it was to become his first hit single.  The original line of the song, ‘No Woman, Nuh Cry’ uses the Jamaican word ‘nuh’ (don’t) and was inspired by Marley’s upbringing in the impoverished Trenchtown area of Kingston, Jamaica.  It offers reassurance and celebrates the strength of women and communities in the face of hardship and whilst dedicated to a specific woman, the song became a universal message of hope, reminding people of shared past struggles and the potential for a brighter future.
No Woman, No Cry by Bob Marley & The Wailers 

Co-written by Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin, a backing vocalist with Guns N’ Roses, ‘Don’t Cry’ was written in 1985, shortly after Guns N’ Roses was formed, with Rose stating it was the first song that was written for Guns N’ Roses.  The song was composed after Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin both fell in love with the same woman, but she wouldn’t make a choice between them and ‘Don’t Cry’ were the words spoken by her to Rose after he was overcome with emotion.  The song was released on 17 September 1991 and became the first part of the epic multi-million video trilogy, with ‘November Rain’, the second video, released in 1992 and ‘Estranged’ in 1993.
Don’t Cry by Guns N’ Roses; Estranged by Guns N’ Roses

On a personal note, my children were educated and brought up with music and ‘Estranged’ is probably deeply imbedded in their DNA.  It is widely considered to be one of Guns N’ Roses most emotionally raw and complex songs and ending with a cathartic release, it allows a powerful framework for understanding and navigating complex feelings.  And to end, I fully concur with the numerous studies that have shown that exposure to music is a powerful tool for a child’s cognitive, social and emotional development.
The VH Playlist

And there it is, my emotional response to your overwhelming emotional response to the music we share each weekend.

Have a wonderful weekend.

With love. 

Gill x