Life twists and turns, it always has done and as I welcome you to another Weekend Read I would like to share some more changes we will be making in the fullness of time.  There are many reasons why we are making these changes, one of them being the volatility of the economic climate which, coupled with ongoing raw ingredient shortages, creates uncertainty.  There has always been uncertainty in life no matter what, but I am very clear that we must try to create some form of stability wherever we can in order to sustain and embrace the infinite opportunities that are presented to us.

With a total awareness of what really matters and what really works in the health and beauty industry, we have retained our independence in an industry which is now overwhelmingly governed by the conglomerates.  If we are to make a difference, we have to be that difference, and however challenging this may be for SMEs, and it is, I trust in the process and I trust in the research and development which enables us to identify those cutting-edge and pioneering products which truly help to make a positive difference to each of us.  Mediocrity is not a word that I understand.  And I have never understood it.

What I do understand is that there has always been a need to acknowledge and support evidence-based supplementation and most of our bestselling supplements are those which have been therapeutically formulated, embracing scientific findings.  Those findings are fundamentally based on numerous studies and clinical trials, ensuring safety and efficacy.  Upholding our responsibility in our recommendations and reporting on complementary health and wellbeing, please allow me to introduce you to DoSe by VH™, which has been a long time coming, but now it is nearly here, I am so excited to share this with you.

The primary function of DoSe is to bring together all of our own products, with the exception of Fulvic, under that branding for clarity and recognition.  Beneath that decision, it has become increasingly important to implement scientific findings into our formulations, without waiting for the wider market to do so.  If we are to lead, rather than follow, then I really do have to look at the pricing structure of these products too, as I am often dismayed at how ‘excellence’ seems to equate to ‘expensive’ on the pretext that some expert or ‘name’ has endorsed it.  The only endorsement required is its own efficacy, and I believe that makes total sense.

In order to qualify my statements, please allow me to use the recent launch of Turmeric Curcumin C3 Complex as an example.  Formulated using the novel Curcumin C3 Complex with BioPerine®, we knew that studies had shown that BioPerine® increased the bioavailability of Curcumin compounds by up to 2000%, and being a significant advancement in the efficacy of Turmeric and Curcumin supplementation, we recommended this formulation over and above all other Turmeric formulations.  And, because it was important to do so, we addressed the pricing structure by keeping it beneath the price of the former bestselling product in this category.
VH Editorial: Turmeric – The Spice With Health Benefits; Turmeric Curcumin C3 Complex £26 for 60 Capsules

Ultimately, DoSe will enable the flexibility to continue creating that change and being that change, covering all aspects of health and beauty.  In the coming weeks and months, we are going to be recommending more supplement changes, staying in line with our ethos of only ever recommending best-in-class products and of course we will be introducing new products too, so it is an exciting time.  It is going to take time for the new branding to be implemented, purely for logistical reasons, but I wanted to tell you about it now.  I really don’t know which supplement will be the first to carry this new branding, but I’m hoping it will be HA.  My long-time hero.
Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength £35 for 30 Capsules

Continuing with change, Shabir has just tweaked another one of our bestselling products and that product is Sage Complex.  Sage Complex is one of those supplements which has had quite a few changes over the years, but it has always retained a presence and a choice for perimenopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal support.  It started life as Meno-Herbs, but it had a name change after a pharmaceutical company decided they wanted to use that name, and the rest is history.  For the record, I believe in integrated medicine, but I don’t believe in the crushing of anybody’s identity, or creation, for an obvious and nefarious gain. 

Anyway, back to it and the tweak I have just mentioned is the inclusion of Vitamin B6 in the formulation.  Vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity, and it joins other key nutrients, including Wild Yam, Chaste Berry, Siberian Ginseng and of course Sage Leaves.  Addressing many concerns, Sage Complex is a natural female hormone balancing supplement, which helps alleviate hot flushes, excessive sweating, vaginal dryness and mood swings.  To celebrate the inclusion of Vitamin B6, I am dropping the price of Sage Complex down to £23 from £26 and in further support, I will include Temple Spa’s AAAHHH (15 ml) with every order for cooling purposes.  Only one gift per customer, whilst stock lasts.
VH Editorial: The Hormone Mimicking Supplement; Sage Complex £23 for 90 Capsules + Free AAAHHH Instant Cooling Balm (15 ml); AAAHHH Instant Cooling Balm by Temple Spa

Having referred to the Fulvic products above, further clarity in that each of our Fulvic products fall under the umbrella branding of Ful.Vic.Health and will remain as such.  And of course I couldn’t possibly write about the branding without mentioning one or two of the Fulvic products.  So, I’ll mention three products, the first being Fulvic Body Lotion, which Shabir formulated because I just felt that we all needed a deeply rich, wound-healing body lotion to address numerous dry skin issues, most especially for our legs, which seem to be prone to excessive dryness throughout the year.  And as I so often write, crocodile legs are really not on my agenda.

Fulvic Body Lotion addresses that scenario extraordinarily well, but that’s because it has been formulated with two breakthrough skin technologies which deliver intense hydration, so its ability to help repair skin was, and is, of vital importance.  And then we have Fulvic Nail Cream, which is epic for helping to strengthen nails, encouraging nail growth whilst helping to prevent nail splits, cracks and ridges.  So, let’s put them together, and as I do so I will tell you that with every Fulvic Body Lotion bought, we will automatically include Fulvic Nail Cream (30 ml) as a free gift, worth £9, together with Fulvic Acid Mist (60 ml), which is worth £12.50.  Yes, it’s a full-on Fulvic party.
Fulvic Body Lotion £20 for 200 ml + Free Fulvic Nail Cream + Free Fulvic Acid Mist (60 ml) (Whilst stock lasts)

Back to health we go and we do so by taking a look at the lymphatic system, which is the largest circulatory system within the body.  The lymphatic system is a network of vessels, glands, spleen, thymus gland and tonsils, which carry a clear fluid called lymph.  Lymph’s composition is similar to blood, except it does not contain haemoglobin or blood proteins.  The organs, ducts and lymph nodes of the lymphatic system act as filters for the removal of toxins, so in essence the lymphatic system is a detoxification system, a nutrient delivery system and it is also the home of the immune system.  The lymphatic system is essential to life itself.

Unlike the circulatory system, which has the heart as the pump, the lymphatic system does not have a circulatory pump and the notable effects of a sluggish lymphatic system include tiredness and fatigue, fluid retention, susceptibility to infection and weight gain.  For so many of us it is really important to get lymph moving and, in his article linked below, Shabir does the lowdown on this vital system, recommending Cleavers (Sticky Weed) to help move, drain and filter cellular waste out of the body, helping to stimulate specialised white blood cells that work to engulf bacteria and viruses. In turn, this helps to support immune health and inflammatory skin concerns.
VH Editorial: The Lymphatic System; Cleavers by Viridian Nutrition £15 (drops from £18.15) (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 26 March)

Let's do another health concern. Osteopenia is defined as low bone density or low bone mass, a condition in which there is a decrease in bone structure which is greater than the normal amount for a relevant age.  Osteopenia, if left unchecked, leads to Osteoporosis, a serious condition in which the bone density has deteriorated to such an extent it increases the risk of breaking or fracturing bones. It is difficult to identify Osteopenia and Osteoporosis because there are often no noticeable symptoms, but Osteopenia is more common than Osteoporosis and it affects millions of young and middle-aged women. 

Often a medical check may identify Osteopenia and it is recommended that women have a bone density scan when they reach perimenopause, which is usually when menstrual irregularities occur.  With that said, I think it is really important to understand Osteopenia and the causes of Osteopenia.  It is also really important to take the correct form of supplementation in order to help prevent the onset of Osteopenia, or to help lessen the impact, and that supplement is Bone Restore With Vitamin K2, which provides all the nutrients required to help build strong and healthy bones, as explained in Shabir’s article, linked below.
VH Editorial: Osteopenia; Bone Restore With Vitamin K2 by Life Extension £22 (drops from £25) (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 26 March)

Onwards with supplementation and I have always believed it is important to recognise the strengths of others, most particularly the brands specialising in a given genre, and we will continue to do that.  And such was the strength and offering from PerfectTed, which I wrote about last weekend, their Ceremonial Grade Matcha Powder is now out of stock and won’t be available until April.  Although we don’t have a specific date, we fulfilled as many orders as we could, but I suppose this is what happens when you launch an exceptional product with the backing of two exceptional Dragons.  As PerfectTed did.  We are going to do things a little differently here.  If you are interested in this, we invite you to sign-up for an email notification.  You will then be alerted automatically as soon as it arrives. 
VH Editorial: The Benefits Of Drinking Matcha Tea; Matcha Powder (Organic Ceremonial Grade) by PerfectTed £14 for 30 grams

I want to talk about skincare, if I may.  I have always kept our skincare curation pretty tight as I see little point in sensationalising new skincare brands, or products, every other day of the week.  Skincare is a considered choice and it needs to stay that way because that choice is based upon many differing factors, including cost.  As it stands Fulvic Face Cream is our bestselling moisturiser, which really isn’t surprising because it was formulated by Shabir for those of us who have sensitive skin and can’t use skincare which is loaded with essential oils.  It is my considered choice, but I do mix it with other products, including iS Clinical, which I’ve used for over twenty years.
Fulvic Face Cream £30 for 60 ml; iS Clinical

Given that we do have a choice, I have a particular fondness for the skincare brands we have launched over the years, with a few notable exceptions, and one of those brands is LixirSkin, founded and formulated by the rather exceptional Dr Colette Haydon.  I really don’t need to write reams about LixirSkin, but just to say that when we launched LixirSkin, an unnamed skincare brand owner told me it wouldn’t last six months.  Except we are nearly six years in and it goes from strength to strength so, to acknowledge the brilliance of LixirSkin, with every product bought, we will automatically include the heroic Vitamin C Paste (30 ml).  Nobody puts baby in the corner.
LixirSkin (this is a limited edition offer and there is only one gift per customer in order to be equitable)

Non Gender Specific (NGS) is one of the more recent skincare brands we launched into the UK, and as a case in point, that launch took place nearly two years ago.  Anyway, it has a huge following in the US and I have often written about their Everything Cleanser because it forms a part of my skincare wardrobe.  And because I have a thing about sharing the products that I use and love, with every order placed for any of the NGS products, with the exception of Flooid, we will automatically include Everything Cleanser, which is worth £25, with every order placed.  This is a limited edition offer and there is only gift per customer. 
Non Gender Specific

I have been writing about some of the new products from Neom over the past few weeks, and today I want to tell you about another three new products.  Those three products are Super Shower Power Shampoo, Super Shower Power Conditioner and Super Shower Power Body Cleanser.  So now I’ve told you what they are, I will refer to you the product pages, linked below, so you can read all about them.  What I also need to tell you that is the Shampoo and Conditioner both drop in price from £20 to £16 and the Super Shower Power Body Cleanser drops from £28 to £23.  It drops with a caution though, please don’t go near this cleanser if you have an allergy to essential oils.  It won’t be cute.
Super Shower Power Shampoo £16 for 300 ml; Super Shower Power Conditioner £16 for 300 ml; Super Shower Power Body Cleanser £23 for 500 ml; All by Neom Organics

I have written about Neom’s Wellbeing Pod Essential Oil Diffuser recently, together with their three Essential Oil Blends, so I just want to say this.  Such was the demand for these products, and they really are very special, I have decided to hold the dropped prices, as below, for the interim.  The interim means that I will probably hold these price drops for as long as I am able to do so, dependent of course on stock availability.  And I may be allergic to essential oils, but this is a perfect way to get an essential oil fix without the oils touching my skin.  And for that I am immensely grateful. 
Wellbeing Pod Essential Oil Diffuser £49; De-Stress Essential Oil Blend £18 for 10 ml; Happiness Essential Oil Blend £18 for 10 ml; Perfect Night’s Sleep Essential Oil Blend £18 for 10 ml: All by Neom Organics

Just another couple of things to tell you about and I will begin with Temple Spa.  As most of you are aware, each month we offer a Temple Spa treat and the treat for March was, and is, Windows Of The Soul, a cooling eye gel.  With a saving of £9, Windows Of The Soul dropped in price from £34 to £25 and it will stay that way until midnight BST, Friday 31 March.  And next weekend I will be writing about April’s offer.  And I absolutely know it is Saturday 1st April.  April Fools’ Day.  How incredibly tempting.
Windows Of The Soul by Temple Spa £25 for 15 ml

Finally, I want to talk about The Death Book, which was created by Harriet Inglis, the inimitable founder of Spacemasks.  As I wrote at the time, I was in two minds as to whether to tell you about it, essentially because of the name of the book.  I played around with it in my head for at least a year, but then I thought it was such a brilliant idea and because I had one myself, I decided to share it with you and we sold loads of them, although I doubt anybody gifted it to another person.  Anyway, as things go, there has been a change of title and it is now called The Little Book Of Life Admin, which I feel is far more palatable.  And a free Spacemask with every book sold, whilst stock lasts.
The Little Book Of Life Admin £12.50 + One Free Spacemask (original)

So, into the Saturday only treat we go and with every order placed for £30 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include a Neom product in recognition of their new range of products, which we think are very special.  That product is Perfect Night’s Sleep Overnight Facial Cream (10 ml)* which, as the name suggests, you use whilst you sleep.  Full product details listed below.
Perfect Night’s Sleep Overnight Facial Cream by Neom Organics

The end bit.  I really don’t think there is much more to say other than a reminder that the clocks go forward in the UK tonight, so we have one less hour in bed, but lighter days are ahead, which can only be a good thing.  And because we are now officially in Spring, let’s sing this song together.  It’s one of those songs that always makes me feel happy.  And happiness is contagious, I believe.
Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles; The VH Playlist

With love

Gill x

DISCLAIMER: The views, opinions and information expressed in this article and on Victoriahealth.com Ltd are those of the author(s) in an editorial context.  Victoriahealth.com Ltd cannot be held responsible for any errors or for any consequences arising from the use of the information contained in this editorial or anywhere else on the site.  Every effort is made by the editorial and content team to see that no inaccurate or misleading information, opinion or statement appear, nor replace or constitute endorsement from medical bodies or trials unless specified.  Victoriahealth.com Ltd accept no liability for the consequences of any inaccurate or misleading data, information, opinion or statement.  Information on Victoriahealth.com Ltd and in the editorials is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional.  You should not use the information on this website or in the editorials for diagnosing or treating a health concern or disease, or for the replacement of prescription medication or other treatment.

Prices and products advertised at times of sending and publishing are subject to change and availability.

*Free gifts will only be granted if the items purchased are physical products and your total basket value exceeds the required amount noted.  Saturday only treats are subject to change should the specified gift run out prior to your purchase and are only included in orders placed between 7.45am (GMT) and Midnight (GMT) on the Saturday the Weekend Read is sent.  VH Addicts membership is a digital product and therefore will be excluded from the basket value.  Some gifts are blocked from international shipping due to local limitations imposed based on the country destination.  If this is the case, we will replace the gift with one that is able to be shipped to your destination.