It’s the last weekend in July, life rolls on and once again I have to thank each of you for your loyalty and support because we can only ever do what we do with your loyalty and support, so I want to begin this Weekend Read by talking about reviews.  As many of you know, I didn’t want reviews on our site and I fought against it for many years, essentially because sectors of the health and beauty industry had been called out on several occasions for placing fake and incentivised reviews on their sites, and I didn’t want to be associated by default.

In all of this I was accused of any number of things, mostly that I was frightened to put reviews on our site, which was far from the truth given that the supplements we endorse and recommend are mostly clinically evaluated, but I backed down in the end and the only reason I backed down was because we instigated a robust and compliant review system with a stringent protocol.  That protocol ensured that all reviews were genuine and the reason I am writing about this today is because a new law has recently been put in place, not before time, and it reflects the requirements of the UK Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act). 

This legislation requires transparency and reflecting these regulatory changes, incentivised reviews must be clearly disclosed and the content must remain honest and unbiased, allowing consumers to make informed decisions.  In other words if a review was submitted in exchange for an incentive, it must be flagged as such and although this is a step in the right direction for the protection of consumer trust, it remains to be seen how this will be regulated, so we can only hope that this is the beginning of the end of fake and misleading consumer reviews.

And there it is, so with all of that said, I ran the statistics on our product reviews because I wanted to know which products had received the most reviews.  I could have guessed the outcome, but I wanted the official statistics and as I thought, the three products with the most reviews to date were Hyaluronic Acid, Superior Joints and Mega Probio. So, let’s start with HA, and the first thing to say here is that this is the fourth consecutive week that HA has made an appearance on the Weekend Read and having offered discounts on each of those newsletters, I wanted to do something different today in recognition of your support.

Actually, it’s only slightly different, but nevertheless it is an expression of our gratitude because it is important to be valued, but as I recently wrote, it is also important to value and respect clinical research, so that’s what we are going to do.  I really don’t need to write many words about HA, other than to say that ongoing research has determined the efficacy of this formulation, a formulation that includes BioPerine^®, a patented extract which supercharges the entire formulation, which also includes vitamin C. 

Given that we believe Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength to be best-in-class in its genre, it is joined here by NAD+ Generator where evidence-based research shows that it is in a different league to NMN and NADH, which Shabir explains in his article linked below.  With many of your reviews supporting the efficacy of NAD+ Generator in terms of increased energy, anecdotal evidence meets clinically evaluated evidence and in and of that recognition when you buy Hyaluronic Acid Capsules, we will automatically include NAD+ Generator (15 capsules), which is worth £16.
VH Editorials: Benefits Of Hyaluronic Acid Supplements; Are NAD Supplements Beneficial; DoSe Hyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength (30 capsules) + DoSe NAD+ Generator (15 Capsules) £35 (NAD+ Generator 15 Capsules Free) (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 27 July)

It will come as no surprise that Superior Joints is the second-most reviewed product on our site and this is where I am going to get emotional, because I am emotional, but when you are told that a supplement has changed somebody’s life, and Superior Joints has changed many lives, there is every reason to be emotional.  I absolutely know that I often voice the view about the media not recognising evidence-based supplementation, but it is beyond all comprehension that a product which really does make a difference in providing joint relief from arthritis, knee pain, muscle pain and backache, is overlooked because I refuse to ‘buy’ an article.

But never mind that, we know what we know and that’s all that really matters here, and because it really does matter, I am dropping the price of Superior Joints from £30 to £27, but that’s not all.  When you place an order for Superior Joints, we will automatically include Magnesium Oil Original Spray by Better You, which is worth £14.95.  Magnesium Oil is a topical mineral spray to help ease the discomfort of joint pain, so it arrives as an adjunct to Superior Joints, but in order to be equitable there is only one gift per customer, and if Magnesium Oil fails to go into your basket, that will mean that the offer is over, but the discount obviously remains across the weekend.
VH Editorial: Painful Joints; DoSe Superior Joints £27 for 60 Capsules + Magnesium Oil Original Spray Free (whilst stock lasts) (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 27 July)

And Mega Probio.  Our bestselling probiotic and it is bestselling because it is a broad spectrum, acid-resistant formulation which helps to support optimal gut health.  We all know that an imbalance of beneficial bacteria can result in low immunity making us vulnerable to infections, so inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria is important as it allows beneficial bacteria to rid the colon of the acids and toxins which would otherwise get into our blood which can often lead to skin inflammation.

Staying with skin inflammation, Mega Probio is a dairy-free formulation, dairy-free because skin can often worsen due to dairy allergies which are extraordinarily common.  So, we stay safe, and noting that scientific evidence estimates that a healthy gut should contain approximately 85% of beneficial bacteria, that evidence also indicates that most of us simply do not have sufficient beneficial bacteria, so it makes total sense to supplement with a broad spectrum probiotic to support optimal gut health and Mega Probio is that probiotic.

To date, there are twenty articles about Mega Probio which you can find on the product page, but I am using just one of those articles on this Weekend Read and that article is about the restoration of gut health.  The reason I have chosen that specific article is because it also talks about the importance of digestive enzyme production, noting here that our levels of digestive enzymes decline with age.  Digestive enzymes are important because they break down food groups such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats efficiently allowing a greater absorption of nutrients, but they also have an anti-inflammatory effect in the gut.

Playing a significant role in both gut health and digestive health, digestive enzyme deficiencies can lead to various digestive problems including wind, indigestion and bloating, and although taking any form of supplementation is a considered choice, I do take both and have done so for the longest time.  And having started this section by writing about Mega Probio, it didn’t feel complete without talking about digestive enzymes for gastrointestinal health, so we are now complete as I drop the price of Mega Probio from £25 to £22 and Digestive Enzyme Complex also drops, from £29 to £26.
VH Editorials: Restoring Gut Health; Digestive Enzymes For Bloating, Gas Or Indigestion; Mega Probio £22 for 60 Capsules; DoSe Digestive Enzyme Complex £26 for 60 Capsules (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 27 July)

We move on, and last weekend we launched Coconut Balm Wipes by Peep Club and I also wrote quite extensively about Dry Eyes Syndrome, so this week we are going to take a look at another very common health concern, eye floaters and flashes because at some point in each of our lives, we will each experience mild symptoms of both.  Eye floaters are tiny spots that float around in our vision and they are called floaters because they are defined as small specks or clouds that drift in the field of vision and they are generally harmless.
Coconut Balm Wipes by Peep Club £25 for 30 Biodegradable Wipes

Eye floaters have a tendency to sink to the bottom of the eyeball and can cause a temporary blurring of vision until they move to another area within the eye and in most cases they are simply annoying and are associated with the ageing process.  They are generally harmless, however you should see an ophthalmologist if the frequency increases dramatically, there is a decrease in your vision or you experience sudden flashes in your vision. 

Flashes are caused by the degradation of the vitreous humour, the gel-like liquid in the eye, which is made primarily of Hyaluronic Acid, but the ageing process determines that this gel-like consistency becomes more watery, most specifically around the middle of the eye, whilst the outer parts begin to get more solid.  I wrote about the importance of supplementing HA for our eyes last weekend, so perhaps it is somewhat fortuitous that HA makes another appearance today, as above, but there is one more supplement which we believe plays a significant role in eye health, and that supplement is Nutrof Total.

Most of us are aware that antioxidants protect all the structures within our bodies and according to the AREDS study (Age Related Eye Disorder Study), very specific antioxidants such as Selenium, Zeaxanthin and Lutein help to protect our vision and other eye disorders including the prevention of cataracts and macular degeneration.  The AREDS 2 study, which is ongoing, further recommends the inclusion of good strengths of Omega 3 essential fats obtained from fish and Nutrof Total has been formulated to combine each of these nutrients, offering support to help alleviate floaters, but it has also been shown to help and protect eye health.
VH Editorial: Eye Floaters And Flashes; Nutrof Total £14.99 for 30 Capsules (drops from £16.99 across the weekend with the offer ending at midnight BST, Sunday 27 July)

One more thing here regarding the health of our eyes.  I can’t exactly remember when I first wrote about this, it was some time ago, but I am almost convinced that certain eye pencils contain ingredients which irritate eyes, often leading to eye infections.  Too many people I know seem to be affected by this, and although I am not calling out any single brand, a friend recently developed a dreadful infection because of one such eye pencil, which just happened to be the same brand that Lara and I had a problem with.  Silver Eye Drops cleared my eyes, so a mention here for Silver Eye Drops which help soothe the itching effects of allergies rather well and they are good for styes too.
Silver Eye Drops by Good Health Naturally £9 for 30 ml 

Over the past few weeks, I have been writing about products which have either entered product heaven, or they have disappeared off the radar for any number of reasons and one of those brands was Goli^® Nutrition.  I think it must have been a territorial thing, because Goli^® is now back in the UK and I suspect it had everything to do with distributor issues, which can often happen, actually it happens all the time, but notwithstanding that Goli^® Gummies are available once more, and with a range of seven different gummies, let’s take a look.

Perhaps Goli^® were best known for their Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies, because they offered the benefits of traditional Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) without the harsh taste or acidity, which can often deter people from taking liquid ACV.  As ever it is a choice, but given that choice, Goli’s^® Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies were the bestselling product in the Goli^® range, and I have a feeling that it will uphold its status as the bestselling product once again because the health benefits of ACV are very well documented, which Shabir discusses in his article linked below.
VH Editorial: The Health And Beauty Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar; Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies by Goli^® Nutrition £16.95 for 60 Gummies (drops from £18.95)

In their first incarnation, the Goli^® Ashwagandha Gummies followed through in second place, unsurprisingly because they are formulated with KSM-66^®, a highly concentrated, full-spectrum form of Ashwagandha which has been clinically studied for its adaptogenic benefits.  Traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine, Ashwagandha helps to manage stress and support mood, cognitive performance and hormonal balance which, in turn, helps reduce cortisol levels.  As the name suggests, adaptogens can help your body adapt and adjust to physical, chemical or biological stress, so another article and another discussion, this time about the benefits of adaptogens.
VH Editorial: Adaptogens: What They Are And Which Ones Should You Choose; Ashwagandha Gummies by Goli^® Nutrition £16.95 for 60 Gummies (drops from £18.95)

There are five other products in the range, so I am linking the entire range below and in line with the ACV and Ashwagandha Gummies, each product will drop in price from £18.95 to £16.95 for the interim.  So, whilst I leave you to explore, a note to say that Goli^® gummies are vegan, vegetarian and gelatine-free, as well as being gluten-free, so that’s a wrap, but not a complete wrap because I still have a few things to write about on this newsletter, by way of update really.
Goli^® Nutrition Products

Two weeks ago I wrote about Zap-Ease, a simple and effective way to relieve itching caused by mosquito bites, jellyfish and nettle stings, which will last up to 1000 bites.  Clinically proven by the London School of Hygiene & Medicine, it was found to be effective on 96% of people tested, which is a rather impressive statistic and because I wrote that the toxicity of the mosquito bite becomes neutralised by clicking the Zap-Ease, thus preventing inflammation and swelling, the demand was huge and we went out of stock, so this is just to say that it is now back in stock, so we can ‘click’ our way through the summer months of 2025.  And beyond.
Zap-Ease Instant Bite Relief by Incognito £7.99

Secondly, with this being the last weekend in July, a reminder that the offer on Trufflelixir from TEMPLESPA will end at midnight BST, Thursday 31 July.  If you missed what I wrote last weekend, Trufflelixir is formulated with encapsulated Retinol, HA and Truffles which help to brighten skin.  The formulation also includes Champagne extract containing fruit acids for gentle exfoliation, together with marine extracts to help boost collagen and elastin.
Trufflelixir Serum by TEMPLESPA £50 for 30 ml

Finally, and before we head into the Saturday only treat, I think we should do a final fling and reverting to my words about genuine reviews, Fulvic Face Cream is right up there.  It may not have received as many reviews as the three products I have written about at the beginning of this newsletter, but the reviews on Fulvic Face are pretty extraordinary, but I have always believed Fulvic Face to be an extraordinary product, so let’s celebrate those genuine reviews and with every Fulvic Face Cream (60 ml) bought, we will automatically send you Fulvic Face Cream (30ml), which is worth £15, as gift.  No limitations here.  And I’ll run this until the end of the month.
Fulvic Face Cream £30 for 60 ml + Fulvic Face (30 ml) Free (Worth £15 and offer ends at midnight BST, Thursday 31 July, or whilst stock lasts)

As we arrive at the Saturday only treat, with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically send you Fulvic Body Lotion (60 ml)*.  Well, we may as well keep things neat and with its two breakthrough skincare technologies, Fulvic Body Lotion delivers intense hydration to dry skin and with full product details listed below, we come to the end of another Weekend Read.
Fulvic Body Lotion

All that remains is for me to wish each of you a restful weekend and after the words I recently wrote about the importance of retaining our independence, I received many emails from small, independent business owners who shared their own stories.  Words can be extraordinarily cathartic, sharing in a safe space is also extraordinarily cathartic and love is palpable. Holding hands as we sing.
Can You Feel The Love Tonight by Elton John; The VH Playlist

With love 

Gill x