Good morning, and as I welcome you to the Weekend Read, I want to take a moment to talk about travel and immunity, most specifically Daily Immunity.  The demands of travel are extensive, navigating crowded airports, the recycled air on a plane together with being in the proximity of several hundred people, the inevitable late nights, well almost inevitable, and disrupted sleep most specifically when flying long haul.  So, with the travel season upon us, we are going to take a look at how Daily Immunity can help support our health and wellbeing during the travel season.

The key nutrients in Daily Immunity are vitamin D3, vitamin C, Zinc, Astragalus, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, Elderberry, Garlic, Oregano, together with Maitake and Shiitake mushrooms.  The list is extensive, but given that the reasoning behind the formulation matters as much as the formulation itself, I think it is important to discuss the role of the key ingredients and I’ll begin with Maitake and Shiitake mushrooms.

Maitake and Shiitake mushrooms contain powerful compounds called beta-glucans, which have been extensively studied and found to activate the immune system through a variety of mechanisms, including binding to white blood cells, thereby activating their ability to scavenge for invading organisms.  Travel, of course, is precisely the moment our white blood cells require activation, but moving on, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, being among the most widely studied probiotic organisms in the world, have a powerful, beneficial effect on restoring optimal gut health.

Aiding the production of antibodies, it is estimated that over 80% of our immunity is derived from Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and given how comprehensively travel disrupts gut flora, they play a crucial role in this formulation, as does vitamin D3.  Research has confirmed that the onset of colds and infections may actually be a symptom of vitamin D deficiency, with Danish scientists finding that T-cells, which are critical for immune defence, are dependent upon adequate levels of vitamin D in our blood.

Moving through the key ingredients, Elderberry, which is rich in vitamins C and B as well as flavonoids, has been the subject of extensive studies indicating that oral administration of Elderberry extracts helps reduce the duration of infections, potentially due to an ability to inhibit viral replication. Oregano, which contains carvacrol, is a potent antibacterial and antiviral compound, with additional properties that have been shown to help alleviate catarrh, while suppressing coughs.

Garlic also offers numerous benefits including enhanced circulation and it also displays powerful antimicrobial and antiviral properties, while Zinc is often considered to be the most important of all nutrients for immunity.  Zinc is vital for the thymus gland which trains and matures T-cells, the white blood cells responsible for co-ordinating the body’s immune response against infections and abnormal cells.  Finally, vitamin C which helps boost white blood cell counts and antibody production.

Interestingly, when we first spoke about the importance of immunity supplementation, which was over two decades ago, we recommended taking supplementation from the first day of autumn to the first day of spring, but we now recommend taking immunity supplementation throughout the year because the world has changed so significantly since then.  Seasonal boundaries that once defined the cold and flu season have become increasingly blurred, with infections now circulating throughout the year, rather than being confined to the colder months.

In conclusion, supporting immunity has become less about defending against a single season and more about maintaining a consistently resilient foundation throughout the year.  Having thrown the emphasis of supporting our immunity during the peak travel season, we recommend taking Daily Immunity for at least seven days before travel, for the duration of travel and seven days after travel, so with all of that said, I am dropping the price of Daily Immunity from £29 to £25 until midnight BST, Monday 6 July.
VH Editorial: A Daily Supplement That Supercharges Your Immunity; DoSe Daily Immunity £25 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 6 July)

I often write about foundational supplementation, and I consider Daily Immunity to fall into that genre, because it plays numerous roles in numerous health concerns.  Candida overgrowth is one such example and because Candida overgrowth is associated with a weakened immune system, together with an imbalance of bacteria in the gut, we always recommend Daily Immunity as a base supplement taken in conjunction with a specifically targeted formulation, and that formulation is Candipure®.

There are of course many remedies and recommendations available, purporting to treat Candida overgrowth, but unfortunately the majority simply do not eradicate this fungus.  There are approximately 150 known species of Candida, a yeast-like group of fungi that exists in more than 80% of us.  Common symptoms include gastrointestinal disturbances, allergies, food intolerances, headaches, oral thrush, genital thrush and genitourinary tract infections, since the fungi usually exist in the genitourinary, respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts.

Typically, yeast-like fungi are not harmful, however an abnormal overgrowth can cause an infection often referred to as Candidiasis.  Candipure® contains clove powder which naturally contains clove oil which has been found to possess strong anti-fungal activity against Candida albicans, Aspergillus and other fungi.  It also contains Black Garlic, which has powerful antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, so it would seem prudent to take a course of Candipure® for one month annually, to ensure that yeast-like fungi are eradicated from our bodies.

However, for those who have Candida overgrowth, Candipure® should be used on an ongoing basis, we suggest several months, since Candida set their roots in the gut and become tremendously difficult to eradicate.  The dosage we recommend in this instance is one capsule, twice daily and Candipure® drops in price from £19.95 to £17.50.  I am linking Shabir’s article about Candida overgrowth below, but I am also linking his article about Candipure® for vaginal thrush, which I hope helps explain how this natural solution can support both concerns.
VH Editorials: How To Treat Candida Overgrowth; Treating Vaginal Thrush; Candipure® £17.50 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Monday 6 July)

Staying with travel, there are many health concerns that can arise when travelling, so I am linking Shabir’s article below where he talks about some of the most common health concerns we may encounter.  Many of you will have read this article before, I link it at least once or twice a year, but with everything in one place, it would seem sensible to document those concerns together.  Concerns covered include prickly heat, travellers’ diarrhoea, preventing and treating insect bites, travel sickness, jet lag, summer cold sores and the importance of electrolytes for dehydration.
VH Editorial: Common Holiday Health Problems Solved

Just to follow through, there are three DoSe supplements included in the article, Mega Probio, which is rather obvious, Diosmin Plus to help prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and NAD+ Generator as a natural jet lag remedy.  I am going to throw a 15% discount across each of those products, but on from that, and because I like being neat, I am also linking specific articles referencing DVT and NAD+ Generator for jet lag for further clarity.
VH Editorials: Do You Suffer From Swollen Feet Or Ankles; NAD+ For Jet Lag; DoSe Mega Probio; DoSe Diosmin Plus; DoSe NAD+ Generator (offers end at midnight BST, Monday 6 July)

Onwards, and I just want to follow through from last weekend when I wrote about Sun Chlorella and the story behind it. There are times when I wish I had a crystal ball so that I could predict the outcome, but I don’t have a crystal ball and so Sun Chlorella tipped itself into a wait list, for which I apologise. We are now back in stock, but I apologise if you found yourself on that wait list.

I think it’s important to say, that we will always honour the offers I write about each weekend, but notwithstanding that, I am going to extend the 15% on each of the products in the Sun Chlorella range, and if you missed what I wrote last weekend, you can read it here.
Sun Chlorella A (300 Tablets); Sun Chlorella Powder (10 x 3 gram sachets); Sun Chlorella Powder (30 x 3 gram sachets)

As ever, each month we bring you a carefully curated set of brand promotions which could be an invitation to discover something new, or simply an opportunity to stock up on the product you already love, so we begin with TEMPLESPA.  Aaahhh! Instant Cooling Balm (the exclamation mark is part of the name) is a wonderful cooling gel for tired feet and limbs which helps to reduce puffiness, but it can also be used to relieve shoulder tension.  Brilliant in the heat, it drops in price from £25 to £15 throughout July, ending at midnight BST, Friday 31 July.
Aaahhh! Instant Cooling Balm by TEMPLESPA £15 for 150 ml

Whenever I write about BetterYou, I get rather emotional because we launched this brand for and on behalf of Andy Thomas in 2006.  Launching with Magnesium Oil, we went on to launch the world’s first intra-oral vitamin D Spray together in 2009, extensively campaigning about the importance of vitamin D at a time when it was barely mentioned in mainstream health discussions.  The rest is history.

There are those brands, sadly not that many, that never forget their roots and BetterYou is one of those rare brands, which I believe matters rather a lot.  So, in recognition of early adoption, ongoing acknowledgement and support, we are throwing a 20% discount across the brand, also ending at midnight BST, Friday 31 July, with a further note to say that D3 4000 IU+K2 oral spray has just been released, which is at maximum strength and it is also included in the discounted structure.
BetterYou Products

Joining the party, as it were, Aduna are also offering a 20% discount across their full range for the month of July.  There are nineteen products in the range and the bestselling product is Super-Cacao Powder.  Super-Cacao Powder is a far better source of antioxidant flavanols than raw cacao powder.  Flavanols are potent antioxidants which support healthy blood flow, which supports and protects cardiovascular health. 

The Aduna story is quite compelling as the brand was founded on a genuine commitment to sourcing superfoods directly and fairly from communities across Africa.  Most specifically Super-Cacao Powder is sourced from cacao that hasn’t been processed at high temperatures, which means significantly more naturally occurring flavanols survive intact, rather than being lost to manufacturing.  Super Cacao-Powder can be stirred into warm milk, blended into a smoothie or simply added to porridge. 
Aduna Products

Two new products from Ameliorate, both of which are limited editions, and they arrive for the summer season.  The first is Transforming Body Lotion Tropical Retreat, a variation of the bestselling Transforming Body Lotion, Tropical Retreat is a lightweight everyday moisturiser fragranced with Bergamot, Coconut, Ylang Ylang and Bourbon Vanilla.  The second product is Transforming Body Wash Tropical Retreat, a pH balanced cleanser that replenishes the skin’s natural protective barrier, leaving it smoother.  It is also fragranced with the limited edition blend of Bergamot, Coconut, Ylang Ylang and Bourbon Vanilla.

To celebrate the launch of these two products, we are offering Transforming Body Exfoliant (300 ml), which is worth £18, as a gift when you spend £15 or above on any of the Ameliorate products, including the two new Tropical Retreat products.  This is a limited edition offer and if the gift fails to go into your basket, that will mean that the offer is over.  And with all of that said, we head into the Saturday only treat.
Transforming Body Lotion Tropical Retreat £24 for 300 ml; Transforming Body Wash Tropical Retreat £12 for 300 ml; Ameliorate Products 

So, the Saturday only treat and with every order placed for £35 or above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include BetterYou’s Magnesium Oil Original Spray (100 ml)*, which seems appropriate given my earlier words about the brand.  Product details linked below.
Magnesium Oil Original Spray

Finally, and on theme, ‘Holiday’ from the Bee Gees, a song written by Barry and Robin Gibb which was released on their album Bee Gees’ 1st in 1967. Another nostalgic moment, in a long line of nostalgic moments.
Holiday by The Bee Gees; The VH Playlist

Wishing each of you a wonderful weekend.

With love

Gill x