Rather a long time ago, and perhaps it is over two decades ago, we were campaigning about the importance of magnesium and through those decades we have seen the mainstream acceptance of magnesium supplementation. Certainly, over the past few years, there has been a virtual explosion of magnesium products to hit the market and we are more than aware that this leads to confusion and misunderstanding, yet in all of this the fundamental fact is that magnesium is a vital mineral, it is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions carried out in the body and evidenced research has shown that we are mostly magnesium deficient.

It is perhaps unsurprising that we were early adopters of the importance of supplementing with magnesium given the extensive studies and clinical evidence available at that time but, with research ongoing, it is increasingly apparent that our diets are unable to provide us with the magnesium levels required for optimal health and wellbeing. With our bodies rigorously maintaining about 1% of magnesium within our blood, it is notoriously difficult to identify a deficiency, but upholding the words of Dr Linus Pauling, a winner of two Nobel Prizes: ‘You can trace every sickness, every disease, and every ailment, ultimately to a mineral deficiency’.

The benefits of supplementing with magnesium are extensive and several studies have indicated that people with low magnesium levels use more energy, which can lead to tiredness and fatigue. There is also a body of research which indicates that a magnesium deficiency can lead to chronic fatigue syndrome and there are several health concerns linked to magnesium deficiencies including hormonal imbalances, insomnia, stress headaches, anxiety and cramps and spasms, including Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), a poorly understood neurological disorder, yet studies have shown that RLS can respond well to magnesium supplementation.

Having established the critical importance of magnesium, confusion often arises because there are varying forms of magnesium and whilst individual magnesium compounds have specific benefits, we have long considered it essential to take a cutting-edge complex incorporating each of the most important forms of magnesium in their correct therapeutic dosages. And so, Magnesium Complex.

Formulated with eight of the most important magnesium compounds, Magnesium Complex is an advanced formulation and Shabir has recently tweaked the formulation to include Magnesium Threonate. Magnesium Threonate is a highly bioavailable form of magnesium and is unique in its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, supporting the neurological functions of the brain. Optimising magnesium levels in the brain, it is joined by seven other magnesium compounds including magnesium glycinate, magnesium aspartate, magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate, magnesium malate, magnesium gluconate and magnesium BHB.

With the role of each form of magnesium explained on the product page, Shabir deep dives into the benefits of magnesium in his article linked below and dropping the price of Magnesium Complex from £22 to £19, I am also going to link an article about the benefits of taking magnesium for sleep. With studies suggesting that we need a minimum of seven hours sleep for optimal health, magnesium is a safe solution for sleep loss and some of those studies are cited and referenced in Shabir’s article. The evidence is rather compelling.
VH Editorials: Magnesium Supplements: Benefits, Deficiencies & Side Effects; Can You Take Magnesium For Sleep; DoSe Magnesium Complex £19 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 1 March)

Topically, Magnesium Flakes are highly concentrated forms of Magnesium Chloride, sourced from ancient sea beds, and unlike Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate), they are highly soluble and known for their superior transdermal bioavailability. We have long advocated therapeutic bathing and the benefits of soaking in a magnesium bath are numerous, including muscle relaxation, stress reduction and of course improved sleep.

Magnesium Oil Original Flakes is the bestselling product in an extensive range, but on topic I am going to throw the focus on Magnesium Sleep Flakes. Providing a relaxing blend of Zechstein magnesium, lavender and chamomile have been added to help soothe tired and aching muscles in preparation for sleep. With both products linked below, we are offering an invitation to explore the rest of the range, but actually it is an invitation to explore all of the Better You products, mostly because we are offering a 20% discount across the brand, across the weekend.
Magnesium Oil Original Flakes; Magnesium Sleep Flakes; Better You Products (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 1 March)

I want to follow through with some more words about the early adoption of compounds because the early adoption of novel compounds, combined with rigorous, pioneering research is fundamental to developing effective products. It is this early adoption that ensures that the products we formulate, endorse and recommend stand out in a crowded market, delivering superior results which are supported by solid scientific research.

I have always believed that industry standards are essential because they establish a framework, and platform, for education, trust and efficacy. For the past year I have been writing about the evidence which supports the efficacy of collagen tripeptides, such evidence superseding the efficacy of collagen peptides, but there are others including NAD+ Generator. NAD+ has been formulated with RiaGev®, which has been clinically proven to out-perform NMN, and with a wry smile on my face Ergothioneine is beginning to receive mainstream recognition and I’m not sure whether I want to laugh or cry. Probably laugh.
DoSe Collagen Tripeptide Complex £45 for 90 Capsules; DoSe NAD+ Generator £32 for 30 Capsules

Albeit that I have been writing about the efficacy of Ergothioneine for at least five years, there is one other compound I want to reference today and that compound is Natural Eggshell Membrane (NEM®). NEM® is a clinically proven source of chondroitin, hyaluronic acid, collagen and other glycosamino-glycans which are essential for healthy joints and because it is clinically proven to reduce pain and stiffness, Superior Joints was formulated with NEM® and early adoption here too, essentially because the clinical evidence on NEM® not only determined efficacy but determined and upheld the name of the product.

As such, we consider Superior Joints to supersede all else in this genre, it is a therapeutic solution to joint pain, often within a short space of time as referenced in an important clinical trial, but this can vary because we are each different. As a guideline, we believe that most, but not all, supplementation kicks in within twenty-eight days, but there are no hard and fast rules and certainly there are no overnight fixes, but notwithstanding that, Superior Joints is an important anti-inflammatory formulation and it drops in price from £30 to £26, across the weekend.
VH Editorial: Read This If You Suffer From Painful Joints; DoSe Superior Joints £26 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 1 March)

Having referenced Ergothioneine, let’s have an Ergothioneine moment, and we are having an Ergothioneine moment because I have news, and that news is that Essential Youth L-Ergothioneine has been superseded by Mega L-Ergothioneine. Offering powerful cellular protection against oxidative stress, Mega L-Ergothioneine delivers 25 mg of L-Ergothioneine per capsule in the form of ErgoActive®, a clinically studied, award-winning and bioavailable version of this rare amino acid, levels of which decline with age.

Mega L-Ergothioneine is five times the strength of Essential Youth L-Ergothioneine, and most obviously we are now recommending Mega L-Ergothioneine. However, there is a price differential and for that reason we will retain our stock levels of Essential Youth L-Ergothioneine, given that we each have a choice, and as such I am dropping the price of Essential Youth L-Ergothioneine from £22 to £19, but with that said, and in celebration of the launch and increased efficacy of Mega L-Ergothioneine, that also drops in price from £32 to £27, and I’ll hold those prices until midnight GMT, Thursday 5 March or whilst stock lasts.
VH Editorial: Ergothioneine Supplements: Benefits & Side Effects; Essential Youth L-Ergothioneine by Life Extension £19 for 30 Capsules; Mega L-Ergothioneine by Life Extension £27 for 30 Capsules (offers end at midnight GMT, Thursday 5 March)

But that’s not all because If we are going to have an Ergothioneine moment, that moment must also recognise the depth of research indicating that Ergothioneine has one of the widest range of benefits of any single skincare ingredient or technology. As such, Ergothioneine Serum drops in price from £26 to £22 and Ergothioneine Hand Cream drops in price too, from £20 to £17. Another smile.
VH Editorial: Ergothioneine Serum And Its Benefits For Skin; DoSe Ergothioneine Serum £22 for 30 ml; Ergothioneine Hand Cream £17 for 75 ml (offer ends at midnight GMT, Monday 9 March)

Let’s talk about heartburn because it is estimated that approximately 40% of the adult population suffer from heartburn. Heartburn occurs when the contents of your stomach travel backwards into the oesophagus causing pain, inflammation and damage with recurring episodes. This condition is called GERD, or reflux, and the inflammation accompanying this is termed ‘oesophagitis’ and whilst most attribute this inflammation and discomfort to excess acid, this is not always the case because other enzymes found in the contents of the stomach, such as pepsin and bile, can also cause damage to the oesophageal lining, resulting in the symptoms of heartburn.

Whilst I have always believed in integrated medicine, several of the drugs which are often prescribed for recurring heartburn can be problematic and Shabir takes a look at some of the side effects in his article linked below, notably that they can suppress stomach acid production, neutralising stomach acid which is required for the breakdown of food. Having established that there are often side effects to prescribed medication, we are going to take a look at two natural solutions, the first being Centaurium Tincture.

Centaurium Tincture is a natural remedy and is considered to be a stomach bitter, helping to enhance digestive enzymes production, helping the breakdown of food efficiently, preventing stagnation in the gut, but also helping to prevent reflux and heartburn. Centaurium Tincture regulates gastrin production, a hormone that controls the tight band of muscles between the stomach and oesophagus which helps restore elasticity to the valve, given time, so that acid does not creep upwards into the oesophagus, easing the symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn, as well as burping or flatulence which can also be problematic for many.
Centaurium Tincture from A. Vogel £11 for 50 ml (drops in price from £12.99 for the interim)

The second natural solution is EsophaCool, a chewable berry flavoured antacid tablet which has been formulated with GutGard® deglycyrrhizinated licorice root (DGL), a patented and clinically studied compound specifically designed to support gastrointestinal health. Containing over fifty flavonoids, DGL was also shown to encourage the healing of damaged tissues in the lining of the oesophagus and the form of magnesium used in this formulation, magnesium carbonate, helps to tone the muscles of the oesophagus, ensuring stomach contents do not come up to the oesophagus, but optimally carry downwards into the intestines.
VH Editorial: Drug-Free Relief From Heartburn; EsophaCool by Life Extension £12 for 60 Chewable Tablets

The evolvement of supplementation is an absolute determination of scientific advancement and technological innovation, but the evolution is no longer about just filling the gaps in a poor diet, it has now transformed into a sophisticated pursuit of biological optimisation. In recent years we have witnessed and embraced liposomal delivery systems, chelated minerals and fermented nutrients (Fulvic) that ensure the body actually absorbs compounds. And with the focus also on cellular health, the targeting of mitochondrial function and NAD+ restoration remains of optimal importance in the pursuit of healthy ageing.

Moving on from supplementation, this is a reminder that the TEMPLESPA offer for this month, which is Windows Of The Soul, will end at midnight GMT tonight, Saturday 28 February. Dropping in price from £37 to £27, Windows Of The Soul is a cooling eye gel which has been formulated with Edelweiss, Milk Thistle and Echinacea targeting puffiness, dark circles and dry lines.
Windows Of The Soul by TEMPLESPA £27 for 15 ml

Let’s do some feedback and retrospectively I suppose it was unsurprising that after I wrote about Support Breathe Shower Mist from Aromatherapy Associates recently we had a wait list, for which I take full responsibility. We have now fulfilled all outstanding orders, but I just want to say that whenever a product flips onto a wait list across the weekend, we will always honour our commitment given that there are no extenuating circumstances preventing us from doing so.

More often than not I know if a product is going to flip within an hour of the Weekend Read being released and I then spend the entire weekend stressing about it, albeit there is nothing I can do at that given time. But what I can do is tell you that I have upheld the price drop of Support Breathe Shower Mist from £38 to £34 and acknowledging your support, we go again.
Support Breathe Shower Mist by Aromatherapy Associates £34 for 100 ml

Right, the final fling and it’s a Spacemask final fling where I drop the price of Spacemasks from £18.50 to £16, mostly because they are the perfect antidote to long and stressful days, gently warming the eye area and helping to remove tension, allowing us to unwind and prepare for a restful night’s sleep. Each mask heats up and will last for approximately 15 minutes and because I believe Spacemasks are a gift which keeps on giving, in alignment I will include an individual Spacemask (original) with every box of Spacemasks bought. Another happy moment. For the interim.
Spacemasks

Into the Saturday only treat, and with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically send you Fulvic Shampoo (60 ml)*, mostly because I love sharing the products I love and use, but also because I have written extensively about the early adoption of nutrients today and we adopted Fulvic rather a long time ago. Full product details linked below.
Fulvic Shampoo

Finally, this song by Alanis Morissette seems to fit with the words I have written today, but perhaps just not today, but for all time. The title of the song is Edge Of Evolution and here Alanis Morissette sings about our greater collective human potential, the greater human potential of standing empowered by the choices we make and of course early adoption is a choice, a shared choice of recognition and awareness which really does matter.
Edge Of Evolution by Alanis Morissette; The VH Playlist

Wishing each of you a restful weekend.

With love

Gill x