Well, here we are, another Saturday, another Weekend Read and following through from last weekend when I threw the focus on travel products, I have a few more travel products to talk about further down this newsletter, but the weekend begins with some words about the integrity of ingredients.  In many ways our story is far greater than any single brand or any single product, it is a story of recognising and embracing pioneering and cutting-edge compounds and allowing those compounds to dance on our platform, our collective platform.

I am, and always have been, extraordinarily vocal about the integrity of ingredients because although we each have a choice, it is our choice to throw the spotlight on dedicated research and clinical evaluation, which enables and determines efficacy.  So, as we throw the spotlight on Fulvic Acid, that is where we are going to begin, because Fulvic is an extraordinary compound which has been dancing on our platform for the longest time and Ionicell, which contains Ioniplex®, a Fulvic ionic mineral, is an extraordinary supplement, which we believe stands alone in its genre.

When we launched Ionicell, I wrote that it was a next-generation compound for hair, skin and nails and several years later, that still stands because I honestly don’t believe anything comes close to the efficacy of Ionicell, the encapsulated form of Fulvic Elixir.  I actually take both, but you don’t really need both, it’s a straight preference between liquid or capsules, but the overriding message here is that Fulvic is an extraordinarily powerful compound and its benefits are far-reaching, including its ability to help protect against cellular damage, a major cause of ageing of the body and its glands, and that includes our skin.

I think we can all recall those moments in our lives when everything changes and Fulvic was one of those moments, in a long line of moments.  I vividly remember being introduced to Fulvic, I don’t think I will ever forget it because as the shivers ran down my spine, I absolutely knew that this compound would supersede all that had gone before, not only in its specific genre, but as one of the most important compounds I would ever write about because of its ability to address mineral deficiencies, which is critically important for our health and wellbeing.

Fulvic is often described as being a miracle of nature and because it is highly bioavailable, it has the ability to penetrate cell membranes so that all nutrients can enter the cells within our bodies, thus enhancing the efficacy of all nutrients. So, two quotes about nature, the first from Lao Tzu which states ‘nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished’, and the second from Ralph Waldo Emerson, ‘adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience’.  And with accomplishment established, I am linking a five-minute video below specifically referencing Ioniplex® and on from that the price of Ionicell drops from £24 to £21 across the weekend.
What Is Ioniplex; DoSe Ionicell £21 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 22 June)

I think both of the above quotes are extraordinarily relevant, not only to Fulvic, but to all natural compounds because we must always allow time for natural ingredients to reach optimal efficacy which, in and of itself, is tremendously difficult to gauge because we are all different.  It is also really important to manage expectations and that is certainly true across the Fulvic haircare products.

The health of our hair is linked to the health of our scalp, which is responsible for supplying hair follicles with the essential nutrients for growth, so it becomes crucial to remove damaging toxins from our scalp in order to allow the properties of Fulvic to nourish hair follicles. In all of this, I absolutely know that the Fulvic products are transformational, because my hair has totally transformed across the years, and although hair loss is not an issue for me, it is an issue for so many and I often wonder whether I would have experienced hair loss had it not been for Fulvic. 

Whilst that is somewhat subjective, I will never, ever forget an email from a customer who had Graves’ Disease and with hair loss being a symptom of Graves’ Disease, she decided to try the Fulvic products and after thirteen weeks she noticed the very first signs of new hair growth, tiny signs, but they were there.  And that really mattered and actually it still matters, because although I received that email in the very early days of Fulvic, it served, and serves, to demonstrate the efficacy of extraordinary ingredients and the profound role they play in differing health concerns.

And of course you all know where this is going, because as I throw a 15% discount across each of the Fulvic haircare products, linked below, I also want to say a few words about Superior Hair because I can’t write about hair loss or thinning hair without mentioning it.  The single biggest factor of hair loss in women is an imbalance of the female hormones which leads to male hormone dominance, as Shabir explains in his article, also linked below.  Superior Hair can be taken as an adjunct to Ionicell, or as a stand-alone product, so as I close this section of the newsletter, I am dropping the price of Superior Hair from £33 to £29.
VH Editorial: Addressing Menopausal Hair Loss; Fulvic Haircare Products; DoSe Superior Hair £29 for 90 Capsules (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 22 June)

Onwards with another health concern and that health concern is sarcopenia and I know I have written about this health concern two or three times, but increasingly we are receiving emails about sarcopenia, so we are going to take another look.  Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass, muscle strength and the loss of the coordination of muscle movements and although this most commonly affects people from around the age of sixty and beyond, from the age of thirty we lose approximately 3-8% muscle mass per decade, with an acceleration of that loss from the age of fifty.

The most common symptoms include loss of muscle mass, weakness, an inability to maintain balance and the loss of the ability to walk and stand for any length of time.  Sarcopenia is a natural process of ageing, but it is not a reversable condition and various studies have indicated that nutrient deficiencies can spur on sarcopenia, whilst other studies show that increasing protein intake can help manage symptoms.

Although I have thrown the focus on sarcopenia, I am also going to link an article below where Shabir explains why protein is so important and although the Department of Health advises that we require at least 50 grams of protein per day regardless of age, this is only applicable if you are relatively inactive or under the age of fifty.  So, three recommendations here, the first is European Whey Protein Isolate, which drops in price from £32.49 to £29, the second is Pulsin’s Pea Protein, which is the vegan option and finally, Creatine Monohydrate Powder, an amino acid known as the building block of protein, which drops in price from £38.99 to £35, for the interim.
VH Editorials: What Is Sarcopenia; Why Protein Is Important; European Whey Protein Isolate £29 for 700 grams; Pea Protein by Pulsin £8.99 for 250 grams; Creatine Monohydrate Powder by HealthAid £35 for 200 grams

Before we take a look at a new product, the resurrection of a product (which I thought had gone to product heaven) and some more travel products, a few words about tinnitus essentially because this affects rather a lot of people.  Tinnitus is a Latin word meaning ‘ringing’, which is the perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sounds, with the most common noise being a shrill high pitched unpleasant tone.  The symptoms can come and go and can affect one or both ears, yet at some point in our lives most of us will experience tinnitus, but for the majority it is only a temporary concern.

Tinnitus is not a disease, but it is a symptom resulting from a range of possible underlying causes including ear infections, wax in the ear, fluid retention in the middle and inner ear canal and Meniere’s disease, which is a disease of an unknown cause that affects the membrane of the ear.  Although, there is no cure for tinnitus, Plantago Tincture, a herbal remedy, has been found to be useful for the treatment of tinnitus as it has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, astringent and demulcent properties, which explains its frequent use in helping to alleviate catarrh, sinusitis and many concerns affecting the nose and throat.

Additionally Plantago has been found to help middle and inner ear infections, as well as glue ear, due to its ability to break down mucus together with its tissue repairing and healing properties.  This is due to its content of zinc and silica, but a deficiency in vitamin B12 is also linked to many concerns associated with the nervous system, including tinnitus. Vitamin B12 plays a vital role in the proper function of the nervous system and since tinnitus may trigger the nerves in the ear canal, there is justification to supplement with B12 and here we recommend B12 Elite which contains two of the most active forms of B12, methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin.
VH Editorial: What Is Tinnitus; Are You Getting Sufficient Vitamin B12; Plantago Tincture from A. Vogel £11 for 50 ml (drops from £12.99 for the interim); B12 Elite by Life Extension £14 for 60 Lozenges

Right, the new product and it comes from Weleda, so please allow me to introduce you to Weleda’s Period Pain Relief Oral Drops.  It is estimated that 96% of females aged 16-40 will suffer period pain at some point in their lives and this formulation contains a single, yet powerful, plant active.  That plant active is Lemon Balm and working gently with the body to help alleviate period cramping, these oral drops can be added to water and they will not contra-indicate with prescribed medication.  Suitable from the age of twelve, Period Pain Relief Drops launch at £12.50, but I’ll lower that to £11 for the interim.
Period Pain Relief Oral Drops by Weleda £11 for 25 ml

I have lost count of the number of products which have gone up to product heaven over the years and I honestly thought that Sylk, a natural water-based lubricant, had also gone to product heaven. For many years Sylk was our bestselling product in its genre and then it disappeared, and it has been gone for so long, I just assumed that it had disappeared forever, but I was wrong.  And I am so happy to be wrong because it really is an exceptional product and as it resurrects itself, it arrives with a new name and a slight formulation change.

Sylk® Bliss is a nourishing water-based vaginal lubricant enhanced with plant-based adaptogens, Ashwagandha and Maca, which help support libido and aid relaxation.  Silky and smooth, it is non-drying, pH friendly, hormone and paraben free and it is also glycerine free, which differs from the original formulation which included glycerine, and that’s a good thing.  What is also a good thing is that it is odourless and it is condom and toy compatible so, and with a link to Smile Makers below, I am dropping the price of Sylk® Bliss from £12.99 to £11, also for the interim.  Love a celebration.
Sylk Bliss Natural Water-Based Lubricant £11 for 100 ml; Smile Makers From £49.95

And now the travel products, and I will begin with a recommendation from a VH Addict who sent me an email saying that she always takes the Salt Pipe on flights to help keep her lungs clear because there are so many viruses floating around and she didn’t want to risk catching an infection.  She continued by saying that she wasn’t sure if this was a ‘thing’, so I responded by saying that I would make it a ‘thing’ by writing about it because it makes total sense to me. What also makes total sense is travelling with Altitude Oil because it supports and protects the immune system whilst in the confines of an air cabin.  Altitude Oil is fabulous, it has always been fabulous.
The Cisca Salt Pipe £33; Altitude Oil by de Mamiel £35 for 10 ml

I really should have let Lara write this next section because these are the products she won’t leave home without, but I know exactly what they are, mostly because she talks about them all the time, so let’s begin with the Moskinto Itch-Relief Patch, which instantly soothes insect bites in adults and children.  Free from medicine and chemicals, it has a patent-pending grid-shaped patch design which can relieve itching and swelling of mosquito and other insect bites in under twenty minutes, and they are waterproof, which is really important too.
Moskinto Itch Relief Patch £6.95 for 24 Plasters

Next on Lara’s list is deCrease Travel Iron Spray, a crease remover spray which uses patented technology to decrease your clothes with a simple spray without the use of an iron.  This is the spray that absorbs into the inner core of fibres and relaxes the yarn allowing the polymer chains to pull back to its original crease free shape.  It is fragrance-free and works really well on cotton, wool and linen so all you need to do is hang your clothes up, spray them and allow decrease to do the de-wrinkling.  And the best thing of all, it is now available in a travel size (100 ml) for your hand luggage and with their slogan of ‘get living, not ironing’, I think I might concur.
deCrease Travel Iron Free £8 for 100 ml (warning: not suitable for fabrics that water-spot, such as silk and rayon)

Staying on subject, an on-the-spot stain remover, deStain, which are individually wrapped wipes formulated to remove those awkward spillages that often happen.  Working exceptionally well on many common stains, the formulation absorbs deep into the inner core of fabrics, drawing the stain to the wipe and away from your clothes. Removing the effort of having laundry issues when travelling, just simply pop a sachet into your bag as a precautionary solution, but actually these wipes are pretty useful to have, home or away.
deStain Instant Stain Removal Wipes £8.50 for Ten Individual Wipes (warning: not suitable for fabrics that water-spot, such as silk and rayon)

And finally, two wonderful little tins, which I suppose we could say are heritage products because they have been around forever and thank goodness for that because they are both brilliant.  The first is of course Zam-Buk Antiseptic Ointment, a remedy for cuts, sores, bruises, sprains and burns and the second is Rose Petal Salve which can only be described as a true all-round beauty hero with a multitude of uses and it can be used as a balm for dry skin, a lip gloss, a cheekbone enhancer and a cuticle cream.  It will also help to heal blisters and I love the words on the tin ‘the celebrated beauty balm’, because it is.
Zam-Buk Antiseptic Ointment £3.99 for 20 grams; Rose Petal Salve £3.99 for 20 grams

Into the Saturday only treat, and with every order placed for £35 excluding p&p, we will automatically include Banana Balm 3-in-1 Lip Sheen from Lanolips*, which is worth £8.99.  The thing is that we can never have enough lip balms, well that’s my belief, and Banana Balm ticks all the right boxes, leaving your lips smooth, soft and deeply hydrated.  Full product details linked below.
Banana Balm 3-in-1 Lip Sheen

As we come to the end of another Weekend Read, this song and my thanks to each and every one of you for your ongoing support and loyalty.
Summer Nights – Grease; The VH Playlist

With love

Gill x