And so, it is the last Saturday of the month and I’m honestly not sure how we got here, but we are here and with a reminder that the clocks go back this weekend, we get an extra hour in bed tomorrow morning, so let’s talk about the importance of sleep.  We all know that sleep is a great healer, but we also know that a lack of sleep can have serious implications on our health and wellbeing, with a strong connection between a lack of sleep and our emotional wellbeing, so this Weekend Read is, in part, dedicated to sleep solutions.

A few years ago I wrote about a study published in the European Heart Journal indicating that an optimal bedtime could be linked to better heart health, so I thought it would be interesting to re-visit the findings of that study which was carried out on 88,000 volunteers.  In one of those findings it was thought that synchronising sleep to match our internal body clock may explain the association found with a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes, also impacting concerns such as high blood pressure, with the suggestion that going to sleep between 10 and 11 pm could be the sweet spot for our health and wellbeing.

I fully concur with those findings, mostly because I far prefer the stillness of early mornings, but it’s one thing going to bed at around 10 pm and it’s quite another to be able to be able to fall asleep, so looking at sleep solutions we will begin with Sleep Tight Plus, our bestselling supplement for sleep disruption.  But before I talk about the product, it is important to say that sleep is often disrupted because our levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, are extraordinarily high and cortisol blocks the production of our sleep hormone, melatonin, so it follows that any form of supplementation must incorporate efficacious ingredients to help promote relaxation and sleep.

And Sleep Tight Plus does just that, it incorporates several herbal extracts including Magnolia officinalis with its potent cortisol balancing properties and Avena sativa which contains high amounts of B vitamins together with a compound called Gramine, which has a sedative effect on the nervous system. Ashwagandha, Theanine and Magnesium, a nerve and muscle relaxant, are also included.  It is important to say here that Sleep Tight Plus is not a drug, it is a natural solution for sleep disturbances and as such it is not an overnight fix, it has a cumulative effect, so with that understanding the price of Sleep Tight Plus drops across the weekend from £26 to £23.
VH Editorial: Are You Getting Sufficient Sleep; DoSe Sleep Tight Plus £23 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 27 October)

Taking a look at sleep deprivation from a different perspective, extensive research has shown that a lack of sleep can affect the health of our skin and these findings have been upheld by various studies.  Our bodies heal as we sleep and a lack of sleep raises cortisol levels, as above, which in turn increases inflammation in our bodies and of course inflammation is one of the biggest underlying skin issues.  With cortisol being the flight or fight hormone, it sends blood to our muscles rather than to our skin, depriving skin of oxygen and vital nutrients, which can leave skin looking dull, so here we recommend Skin Restoring Ceramides to help address increased inflammation.

I wrote about Skin Restoring Ceramides last weekend and its role in protecting the barrier of our skin, so it makes another appearance this weekend, both here and on Shabir’s article, which I have linked below.  In this article, Shabir writes about the importance of sleep, beauty sleep as it were, also recommending Peptide Rescue Serum, which has been formulated with Neurophroline (Wild Indigo).  Neurophroline has been clinically proven to reduce the cortisol levels in our skin by up to 70%, so it is an important serum for inflammatory skin concerns and because of the difference it makes, and it really does, I am dropping the price of Peptide Rescue Serum from £22 to £19.
VH Editorial: Does A Lack Of Beauty Sleep Affect Skin; Skin Restoring Ceramides by Life Extension £25 for 30 Liquid Capsules; DoSe Peptide Rescue Serum £19 for 30 ml (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 27 October)

I want to stay with that article and I want to stay with cortisol because it is well documented that stress causes hair loss, so it follows that increased cortisol levels also cause the inflammation of our hair follicles where keratin manufacture takes place.  Whenever I write about hair loss or thinning hair, I generally write about menopausal hair loss, which is most definitely a thing, but I actually think that stress-related hair loss is an even bigger thing, so here Fulvic Elixir plays a catalytic role in supercharging cellular energy, allowing the nutrients present in this formulation to be absorbed by the cells in our body.

Those nutrients include seventeen vitamins, fifty-nine minerals, twelve amino acids and three essential fatty acids, so it makes total sense that Fulvic is often referred to as nature’s miracle molecule.  What also makes sense, given its content, is that Fulvic Acid is considered to be one of the safest and most potent anti-viral compounds currently available, and this goes well beyond using it as a preventative for colds and flu.  When Shabir wrote his article about Fulvic Elixir, he named it ‘The Elixir Of Life’, but perhaps that should change to ‘The Elixir For Life’, because I believe, and have always believed, that Fulvic is for life.

I’ve gone slightly off tangent but bringing it all back to stress-related hair loss, when you buy Fulvic Elixir we will automatically include Fulvic Hair Mist (60 ml) with your order which is worth £12.50.  Fulvic Mist is of course powered by the patented compound Ioniplex® and it works hard to renew cell life and keratin function in our scalp, follicles and hair, but given that we are each different you may choose to buy Fulvic Elixir as a stand-alone and so here I am dropping the price of Fulvic Elixir from £30 to £25.  Given that choice, please ensure that you click on the correct link below, otherwise mayhem could well descend upon our Fulvic heads.
VH Editorial: Fulvic: The Elixir Of Life; Fulvic Elixir £30 for 480 ml + Fulvic Mist (60 ml) Free; Fulvic Elixir £25 for 480 ml (offers end at midnight GMT, Sunday 27 October)

I suppose the following words could also be off tangent, but nevertheless if we are talking about sleep then I want to talk about the sheets we sleep on, and I share these words with those of us who have sensitive skin.  I have never been able to use biological washing powder, it makes me itch and it brings me out in a rash.  So, the alternative is non-biological washing powder, except despite the marketing claims of non-biological powders and liquids being suitable for sensitive skin, many of them are not at all suitable.

So, I am having my very own What’s The Solution moment because there is a solution and that solution is Terra Wash+Mg, an organic washing detergent replacement, which is skin and fabric friendly.  This laundry sachet is filled with highly purified magnesium pellets, to a 99.95% purity and when this specialised form of magnesium comes into contact with water, it generates bubbles of hydrogen and forms ionized alkaline water, which makes it easy for water to remove and eliminate dirt, germs, bacteria and odour from fabrics.

The packaging states that Terra Wash+Mg is the laundry revolution from Japan, and I will absolutely attest to that statement given that it is ten times more effective in removing odour than conventional detergents.  This patent-protected innovative technology is of course hypo-allergenic and is free of toxic and synthetic chemicals.  As such it has been approved by Allergy UK, it is reusable and based on an average washing cycle, this sachet will last for up to 365 washes.  And just perhaps this laundry revolution isn’t just for those of us with sensitive skin. And I’ll leave it there.
Terra Wash+Mg £35 for One Pack

Right, let’s talk about cardiovascular health because having referenced a study published in the European Heart Journal above, it has long been established that high cholesterol levels are linked to cardiovascular disease.  Increasingly many are seeking natural solutions to prescribed medication, mostly because of a growing discomfort with the side effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs.  So, let’s take a look at two natural solutions, but the first thing to say is that in many instances elevated cholesterol is not necessarily associated with a high fat diet, but is linked to both genetics and the ageing liver where cholesterol is manufactured.

Cholestsafe, the first natural solution, contains Red Yeast Rice and Policosanol from the sugar cane plant, both of which have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels by an average of 25% within eight weeks.  I often make reference to clinical findings, and it is important to do so, but taking a pragmatic approach, it should be noted that efficacy will vary because we are each different, but with that said, Cholestsafe also contains Artichoke to support the liver, where cholesterol is ultimately destroyed, and a small amount of CoQ10 to prevent cholesterol from oxidation because this makes it sticky, therefore it is likely to deposit onto the artery walls.

So, as Cholestsafe drops from £27 to £24 across the weekend, further research indicates that the majority of cholesterol production occurs during the early hours of the morning, we therefore recommend a dosage of two capsules in the evening and one capsule in the morning.  Oat Beta Glucans, the second natural solution, have been the subject of more than 100 scientific studies, where positive benefits have been shown for those with high cholesterol levels.  Here we recommend Oatwell™ Original Powder, which drops in price from £13.59 to £12, and it can be used as an adjunct to Cholestsafe or as a stand-alone product.  Onwards.
VH Editorial: How To Lower Cholesterol Naturally; DoSe Cholestsafe £24 for 90 Capsules; Oatwell™ Original Powder by Lifeplan £12 for 150 grams (offers end at midnight GMT, Sunday 27 October)

From our inception, I have always believed that there is a tremendous power and comfort in being understood and within that understanding there is an acknowledgement that there are many health concerns which are somewhat embarrassing in nature and one such concern is a tremendously common concern.  Vaginal odour is rarely discussed, so I am discussing it here because many women choose to use deodorants in the hope of eliminating vaginal odour, yet this only masks the odour and probably makes matters worse.

One of the main causes for vaginal odour may be Bacterial Vaginosis (BV), which I have written about before.  BV is an infection caused by the overgrowth of a bacteria species, Gardnerella vaginalis, in the vagina and women who suffer from BV may experience an increase in vaginal discharge, which often has an unpleasant, fishy odour, but that odour can also be caused by a forgotten tampon, which is also extraordinarily common. In his article, linked below, Shabir discusses vaginal odour, together with two recommended products, which are also linked below, alongside the BV article, and although there is an obvious crossover, I don’t think that matters.
VH Editorial: Bacterial Vaginosis; Eliminating Vaginal Odour; Balance Activ BV Treatment Vaginal Gel £11.99 for Seven Single Use Tubes; IntraFresh by Biocare £19.99 for Seven Pessaries

Given that the opening theme of this Weekend Read throws the focus on sleep, I am heading into the seasonal gift section with Neom’s Perfect Night’s Sleep Discovery Collection Set, which includes four of their bestselling products from their Scent To Sleep collection.  These are Perfect Night’s Sleep Mist (30 ml), Perfect Night’s Sleep Magnesium Butter (30 ml), Perfect Night’s Sleep Bath Foam (50 ml) and Perfect Night’s Travel Candle.  I think this is such a thoughtful gift for those who struggle to sleep, and with a product value of £62, the Sleep Discovery Collection Set is £50.
Perfect Night’s Sleep Wellbeing Discovery Collection by Neom Wellbeing £50

Another thoughtful gift from Neom and this time it is their fabulous Wellbeing Pod Mini Essential Oil Diffuser, which works at the touch of a button, helping you achieve better sleep as mood is boosted through chosen natural oil blends.  Using cold diffusion technology, essential oils are converted into micro fine vapour without using heat or water and released into the atmosphere.  Designed to work in small spaces, the thought of blasting my car with fragrance appeals to me rather a lot, but that aside I am dropping the price of the Wellbeing Pod Mini Diffuser from £55 to £49 for the interim, and if it rolls onto pre-order status, we will of course honour all orders placed, stock permitting.
Wellbeing Pod Mini Diffuser by Neom Wellbeing £49 (whilst stock lasts); Neom Wellbeing Products

Two seasonal gifts from Neom and now two seasonal gifts from TEMPLESPA, the first being The Recharge Spa, a collection of six products dedicated to specific aromatherapy journeys using botanical blends of Mediterranean essential oils.  The products are Seize The Day Power Shower Gel, AAAHHH Instant Cooling Balm, Simply The Zest Good Vibes Shower Gel, Soul Food Glow Boost Body Lotion, Take Your Time Restoring Shower Gel and Rest Easy De-Stressing Body Lotion, so with full details listed on the product page, I’m moving on to the next TEMPLESPA gift set.
The Recharge Spa by TEMPLESPA £30

And that gift set is Time To Glow, a collection of TEMPLESPA’s glow-giving skincare heroes which are enriched with vitamin C and AHAs.  This time there are five products in the collection and with full details on the product page once more, the products include Easy Glowing Transforming Cleansing Gelee, Let’s Concentrate Skin Glowing Serum, Moisture To Glow Radiance Moisturiser, Sugar Buff Fresh Smoothing Body Scrub and Soul Food Glow Boost Body Lotion.  The Time To Glow collection is £50, with a product value of £85.
Time To Glow by TEMPLESPA £50

More from TEMPLESPA and this isn’t a seasonal gift, but I suppose it could be, because this is a reminder that the Repose campaign ends at midnight GMT next Thursday, 31 October.  I have been writing about Repose throughout the month, so a recap here to say with every purchase of Repose (50 ml), we will give you another jar of Repose (50 ml) free.  And with every duo sold, a donation of £6 will be given to the Alzheimer’s Society, this year’s chosen charity, as together with TEMPLESPA we continue to support the research that is so vitally important in this field.
Repose by TEMPLESPA £46

And to wrap, let’s do a stocking filler gift and I write this every year, mostly because thoughtful gifting is an art, and I have always believed that gifting a Spacemask is an act of kindness in a world where fifteen minutes of warm, fragranced relaxation goes such a long way to help relieve the stress and tensions we each experience.  So, this is what we are going to do, with every box of Spacemasks bought, we will automatically include another single Spacemask (original) as a gift, with the suggestion that you break open a box of Spacemasks and gift them individually, so in other words instead of having five Spacemasks to gift, you will have six.  Spreading the joy.
Spacemasks £18.50 For Five Masks; Spacemasks: Chamomile Scented £18.50 for Five Masks; Spacemasks: Orange & Grapefruit Scented £18.50 For Five Masks (whilst stock lasts)

And let’s spread that joy further as we head into the Saturday only treat, and with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically Fulvic Shampoo (60 ml)*, because it actually matters that gifts have a meaning and Fulvic Shampoo delivers a responsible and meaningful approach to the health and wellbeing of our scalp and our hair.  Product details listed below.
Fulvic Shampoo

As we come to the end of another Weekend Read and with an extra hour in bed tonight, let me leave you with this song, because ‘nightswimming’ deserves a quiet night.
Nightswimming by R.E.M; The VH Playlist

With love

Gill x

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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 after discount 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. One gift per customer, whilst stock lasts.