Good morning, it’s May, it’s a Bank Holiday weekend and the month of May is dedicated to raising awareness for a wide variety of health concerns including Mental Health Awareness Month, Dementia Action Week, Stroke Awareness Month, High Blood Pressure Awareness Month, Arthritis Awareness Month, Skin Cancer Awareness Month, National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month and National Osteoporosis Month, the list is long.

I am going to begin with mental health because one of the most important aspects of mental health awareness is to reduce the stigma of mental illness which is widely considered to be one of the most significant hurdles in mental health care.  Stigma often stops us from acknowledging our own struggles, but it also stops us from seeking help.  Current statistics show that one in five people experience common mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, but these statistics also confirm a worsening mental health crisis, particularly among young people, which is tremendously worrying.

As many of you know, Sally Brampton was one of us, but she was also the poster girl for mental health issues and the raw honesty of her words reached millions of people, supporting and guiding those who faced similar struggles.  Sally’s legacy is a powerful reminder that raw honesty is often the first step towards healing and stripping away the stigma of mental health and, through her writing, she helped break the shame and silence surrounding mental illness.  As above, so below.
Sally Brampton: Words

In all of this, statistics confirm a significant and steady rise in prescribed antidepressants over the last decade, with a notable surge since 2020.  In England, antidepressant prescriptions increased by over 40% between March 2020 and March 2025, and approximately 8.89 million people were prescribed antidepressants in 2024/25, an increase of almost 4% from the previous year.  The other side of those statistics is an increasing pharmaceutical influence, and its dominance extends beyond drug sales into the core structures of healthcare optimisation, with concerns consistently being raised about the balance between corporate profit and root-cause resolution.

We have always believed in integrated medicine, but a truly integrated approach should balance allopathic medicine with complementary medicine, shifting the focus from symptom suppression to holistic wellbeing.  This fundamental shift in philosophy not only changes the narrative, but it enables the empowerment of our own informed choices and decisions, and with many of us choosing natural solutions for anxiety and mild depression, our bestselling supplement in this genre is Magnolia Rhodiola Complex, which drops in price from £29 to £26 across the long weekend.
VH Editorial: How To Combat Stress Effectively; DoSe Magnolia Rhodiola Complex £26 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 4 May) 

By way of caveat, Magnolia Rhodiola Complex may contra-indicate with prescribed antidepressants, so if you are taking antidepressants and feel you need extra support, we recommend Florassist® Mood Improve.  Aligning with extensive and ongoing research regarding the gut-brain axis, two specific bacteria, Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175 have been found to influence mood positively.  Florassist® Mood Improve has been the subject of human clinical trials with one study showing a 50% decrease in low mood scores and a 55% improvement in anxiety scores.  Florassist® Mood Improve also drops in price, from £26 to £23.
VH Editorial: A Probiotic Supplement To Relieve Anxiety; Florassist® Mood Improve by Life Extension £23 for 30 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 4 May)

Arthritis is often misunderstood as a disease of old age, yet it impacts millions of people across all demographics, it remains the primary cause of disability in the UK and approximately two-thirds of people living with arthritis are under the age of sixty-five.  Arthritis Awareness Month serves as an educational platform, highlighting the growing prevalence of arthritis and the burden of chronic pain and disability which affects more than ten million people in the UK across all age groups, including children.

One of the most promising discoveries in the battle against joint and arthritic pain in recent years is Natural Eggshell Membrane (NEM®), a thin membrane that sits between the egg shell and the egg white.  NEM® contains proteins and amino acids that help repair the cartilage network in between our bones, noting that it is the degradation of this cartilage that causes the release of acids, including uric acid, which often results in the pain and stiffness experienced by those with arthritis.

Several studies have indicated that supplementing with 500 mg NEM® for eight weeks has a positive impact on joint health, with many patients reporting benefits of pain relief and joint flexibility earlier than the eight week determination point.  However, we are all different and benefits will vary, but notwithstanding that, NEM® is also a powerful anti-inflammatory compound and given that long-term repairing properties are critical, NEM® is the key compound in Superior Joints and it is joined by other compounds, including Tart Cherry Extract, Manganese and vitamin C, to help cushion joints and bones and protecting joints from free radical damage.
VH Editorial: An Overview Of Joint Supplements

I really can’t write about painful joints without mentioning Hyaluronic Acid (HA).  A substance naturally present in our bodies, HA is found in our connective tissues and synovial fluid and a lack of HA can often result in the progressive wear and tear of our joints, leading to cartilage destruction, joint pain and reduced flexibility.  HA provides the cushioning between our joints, yet our HA levels decline with age and as such we consider HA to be one of the most crucial compounds for healthy ageing. 

In this context, it supports Superior Joints, restoring the natural viscoelastic properties of our joints, so with that support acknowledged, when you buy Superior Joints, we will automatically include Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength (15 capsules), which has a value of £17.50.  I will often link HA with other forms of supplementation, mostly because I strongly believe in the efficacy of HA and having held that belief for the longest time, it is perhaps unsurprising that HA and Superior Joints are two of our bestselling products and in and of that statement, a belonging, a synergistic belonging and protocol.
DoSe Superior Joints £30 for 60 Capsules + DoSe Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength (15 Capsules) Free (Worth £17.50) (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 4 May)

Onwards, and although May is the National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month, preventing bone loss is an ongoing commitment, given the dangers of silent bone loss and the fact that one in two women and one in four men over the age of fifty will break a bone due to osteoporosis.  It is perhaps critical to discuss osteopenia here, because if left unchecked, osteopenia can often lead to osteoporosis, where bone density has deteriorated to such an extent that it increases the risk of breaking or fracturing bones.

Osteopenia is more common than osteoporosis and acting as a precursor to osteoporosis, osteopenia affects millions of adults, including many younger and middle-aged women.  It is natural to lose some bone density as we age and bone loss in women starts roughly from the age of thirty-five in line with the gradual diminishing levels of the female sex hormones, but accelerates after menopause when osteopenia becomes a common concern.  Rapid bone loss in men is usually ten years later than in women, although that is not an absolute as certain medications, such as steroids, can cause accelerated bone loss in men earlier than anticipated.

It has long been established that calcium is the most critical mineral for bone mass, and together with vitamin D, it is the mainstay natural treatment for osteopenia and osteoporosis.  Bone Restore contains both compounds, but it also contains silica, a mineral which imparts strength to our bones, vitamin K2 which ensures that calcium is taken to the bones without the deposition onto other parts of the body, such as the heart, and boron which is thought to mimic the effect of oestrogen, which helps protect our bones.

On subject, bones contain between 30% and 40% of collagen, forming a collagen matrix onto which minerals such as calcium, magnesium and silica can deposit to give bones their strength. Collagen levels decline with age and while many supplements provide collagen peptides, collagen tripeptides are the smallest unit of collagen so, given that they are many times smaller than collagen peptides, this enables greater deposition onto our bone tissues.  And because this is another example of a synergistic belonging and protocol, when you buy Bone Restore, we will automatically include Collagen Tripeptide Complex (42 Capsules), which is worth £25.
VH Editorial: Osteopenia Treatment; Bone Restore by Life Extension £25 for 120 Capsules + DoSe Collagen Tripeptide Complex (42 Capsules) Free (Worth £25) (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 4 May)

Before anything else, I just want to say that if you are taking anti-coagulant medication, you shouldn’t take Bone Restore as it may contra-indicate and the other thing to say is that I have always believed in the importance of sharing and although I recently wrote many words about sharing, here are a few more.  If we are to be responsible and accountable for your health and wellbeing, then we have to be responsible and accountable for the products we endorse and recommend, because true accountability demonstrates the sharing, and gifting, of advanced and cutting-edge formulations.  And just perhaps, that is a mission statement.
VH Editorial: Is Collagen Vital For Bone Health; DoSe Collagen Tripeptide Complex £45 for 90 Capsules

Moving on, I honestly don’t have the space to write extensively about each dedicated awareness campaign, but I don’t want to ignore them either, so it is important to say that up to 90% of strokes are preventable through lifestyle changes, and that includes managing high blood pressure.  The term ‘silent killer’ is often used to describe high blood pressure because unless you know the symptoms of high blood pressure, you wouldn’t necessarily know that your blood pressure is high. 

Medically known as hypertension, I am linking Shabir’s article below where he recommends two products, Cardio-Peak™ and Hawthorn Berry, both of which contain herbs which are often termed as cardiotonics.  Cardiotonics have the ability to enhance the contraction phase of the heart, which means that more blood is pumped around the body. In effect both Cardio-Peak™ and Hawthorn Berry are tonics for the heart and they can be taken separately or together, so here Cardio-Peak™ drops in price from £19 to £16 and Hawthorn Berry drops from £15.05 to £13.
VH Editorial: High Blood Pressure; Cardio Peak™ by Life Extension £16 for 30 Capsules; Hawthorn Berry by Viridian Nutrition £13 for 60 Capsules (offers end at midnight BST, Monday 4 May)

Nearly there, and referencing National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, I am mentioning Aller-DMG once again, because although I have written about its efficacy for hay fever in recent weeks, it has been formulated to help reduce histamine release, whilst also helping to alleviate symptoms associated with many allergies and asthma.  I am linking Shabir’s article on hay fever below, with a note to say that Aller-DMG provides symptom support for skin reactions, pet dander and food intolerances and it drops in price from £30 to £26, across the long weekend. 
VH Editorial: Hay Fever Relief; Aller-DMG by DaVinci Laboratories £26 for 60 Tablets (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 4 May)

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the UK and over 150,000 of non-melanoma cases and approximately 17,500 melanoma cases are diagnosed annually.  Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer because of its aggressive nature and its tendency to metastasise rapidly to other parts of the body.  While it is less common than non-melanoma forms, such as basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma, it accounts for the vast majority of skin cancer-related deaths.

Statistics show that approximately 86% of melanoma cases are considered to be preventable through proper sun protection and Skin Cancer Awareness Month focuses on education, emphasising daily sun protection, identifying warning signs through regular skin checks.  But Skin Cancer Awareness Month also serves to dispel social media myths, tackling the increasing volume of misinformation, so commonly found on social media platforms.  I’m linking an article from the Skin Cancer Foundation below, which I urge you to read, and best I leave it there before I write something I may live to regret, although you can’t regret the truth.
Social Media And Skin Cancer 

Finally, Dementia Action Week which serves to raise awareness and to support those living with dementia.  This year’s campaign continues to highlight the importance of timely and accurate diagnosis and currently one in three people living with dementia do not have a formal diagnosis, which is a shocking statistic as it prevents them from accessing critical care and support.  As with Skin Cancer Awareness Month, Dementia Action Week is not about products, but about supporting and understanding each of these concerns, and by way of support, I am linking Sarah’s article about supporting those with dementia.
Supporting People With Dementia by Sarah Stacey

To the end, and on a lighter note let’s talk about the Limited Edition product just released from TEMPLESPA and that product is Sugar Buff Zest.  With Sugar Buff Mediterranean Body Scrub being one of TEMPLESPA’s bestselling products, Sugar Buff Zest follows through and has been formulated with Olive stone and Raspberry seed powders that buff away dead skin cells, encouraging cell renewal.  Joined by Pomegranate and Fig extracts together with Sodium Hyaluronate and vitamin E, Sugar Buff Zest leaves skin feeling soft, radiant and rather fabulous.
Sugar Buff Zest by TEMPLESPA £32 for 220 grams 

Staying with TEMPLESPA, throughout this month, four of their moisturisers, Double Cream, Be Still, Moisture To Go and Moisture To Glow, are each discounted by 20% and as such they each become £38.40 until midnight BST, Sunday 31 May and with full product details linked below, just a couple of more things to say.
Double Cream £38.40 for 50 ml; Be Still Settling Moisturiser £38.40 for 50 ml; Moisture To Go £38.40 for 50 ml; Moisture To Glow £38.40 for 50 ml

Actually, the two things I have to say are both about Weleda and the first thing is that Weleda have just launched UV Glow Fluid, an innovative fluid with SPF30 not only providing protection against harmful UVA/UVB rays, but it also gives skin a natural glow.  Formulated with antioxidant-rich Moringa oil and glow pigments, its lightweight texture makes it perfect as a primer under make-up. It’s invisible on the skin, so it can also be used as a stand-alone without make-up and the second thing is easy, we are offering a 20% discount across each of Weleda’s fabulous bath milks, shower washes and shower bars.
UV Glow Fluid by Weleda £12.95 for 30 ml; Weleda Products (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 31 May)

Into the Saturday only treat, and with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Green People’s Intensive Repair Conditioner (30 ml)* which has been formulated with Aloe Vera, Jojoba and vitamin-rich Avocado.  Full product details linked below and this can be used as a daily conditioner or a weekly hair mask.
Intensive Repair Conditioner

Finally, I cannot end this Weekend Read without sharing a reflective moment, a reflective moment because we lost Sally ten years ago, on 10 May 2016.  So, a moment to pause, a moment to honour and a moment to say that whenever I think about Sally, ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’ plays in my head.  Our shining star in the sky, her guidance and wisdom is infinite.
Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds by The Beatles; The VH Playlist

With love

Gill x