As I welcome you to another Weekend Read, I just need to tell you that I’m flying back to London as you read this.  No doubt I will have endless emails to respond to when I get home, so please bear with me, but my primary reason for this announcement is to say that I can’t write about any feedback from last weekend because this WR was written before I went away, so if there is any feedback, I will save it for next week.  Also if there has been any breaking news of any significance, I will also talk about that next week.

In this world anything can happen, and it usually does, so for now let’s keep our finger on the pulse on the things that matter most, our health and wellbeing.  And let’s start by talking about stress.  Of course levels of stress differ, but nevertheless stress seems to be omnipresent in this increasingly divisive world.  I really don’t think I can remember a time when life was so difficult, in numerous ways, and this is certainly echoed from the emails I receive from so many of you.  So, once again, I take your lead.

I know I have written this before, but stress has become an epidemic of our times, often reaching levels where we don’t even recognise who we are, such is our lack of self-esteem or worth.  The triggers for low mood are varied, but one of the most important things here is to say that there is absolutely no stigma whatsoever if you are going through this phase, because I totally believe that most of us will have experienced, or are experiencing this state of mind.  And if you need prescribed medication, sobeit, we seem to have become a medicated society and there is no shame attached to any of this.  Whatever it takes.  Because we each have a choice.

So having written about prescribed medication, there are of course those who would prefer not to take prescribed medication, so the choice here is to take a natural mood elevating supplement, such as Magnolia Rhodiola Complex, which is our bestselling supplement for anxiety and low mood.  And all I really need to do here is to link Shabir’s article below about combating stress effectively and take the price of Magnolia Rhodiola Complex down from £28 to £23 across the weekend.  Actually one more thing to say, there are six other articles on the product page, which you may be interested in reading.
VH Editorial: How To Combat Stress Effectively; Magnolia Rhodiola Complex £23 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 8 May)

Into another bestselling supplement we go, which is Diosmin Plus.  As we continue our exploration of best-in-class products, Diosmin Plus is, in our opinion, one such product.  Formulated to help address poor circulation, it targets some of the most common health concerns associated with poor circulation, such as Varicose Veins, Spider Veins, Haemorrhoids and Restless Leg Syndrome.

Diosmin is a naturally occurring hesperidin bioflavonoid which is extracted from the rinds of sweet oranges, and although used extensively in many formulations, it is poorly absorbed by the body, which is why the superior Diosmin 95 is used in this formulation, as it has been shown to reach the bloodstream, helping to reduce all the markers for poor circulation.  As ever, all supplements are not created equally, far from it in fact, so I think it appropriate to refer you here to Shabir’s article on poor circulation, where he takes a look at each of the above-mentioned concerns, and talks about Diosmin Plus, in more detail.

To conclude, I am taking the price of Diosmin Plus down from £27 to £22 across the weekend, but more than that I am also going to take the price down of Viridian’s Organic Horse Chestnut Balm.  This is a soothing topical balm that helps alleviate the discomfort of Haemorrhoids by helping to reduce the swelling associated with Haemorrhoids.  It will also help alleviate itchy veins as it has great anti-inflammatory properties.  So, Organic Horse Chestnut Balm drops from £18.70 to £16, also across the weekend and I’ll end with a note of caution.  Please do not take Diosmin Plus if you are on blood-thinning medication, such as Warfarin.  That’s it.  Done.
VH Editorial: A Natural Remedy For Varicose Veins, Spider Veins, Haemorrhoids and Poor Circulation; Diosmin Plus £22 for 60 Capsules; Organic Horse Chestnut Balm by Viridian Nutrition £16 for 100 grams (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 8 May)

Three health concerns in a row as I now want to talk about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).  This is another subject I have often referred to over the past couple of years, but there is a real need because although CFS is incredibly difficult to diagnose, an increasing amount of people live with fatigue for long periods of time, without realising that they do in fact have CFS.  On from that, the secondary symptoms of CFS include depression, mood swings and dizziness, which Shabir talks about in his article listed below.

I think it is important to understand why we feel the way we do and I hope that this may give further understanding if you are experiencing some of the symptoms.  And although, we have many excellent products for energy enhancement, including Daily Energy, for the purposes of CFS Shabir recommends Energy Renew.  Energy Renew contains a scientifically accredited unique set of compounds, called Roburins, which are found in Oak Wood.  In one specific study a significant improvement was shown in the symptoms of CFS after supplementing for three months.  Those are the headlines, Shabir does the detail and I drop the price of Energy Renew from £30 to £27.
VH Editorial: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Energy Renew by Life Extension £27 for 30 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 8 May)

Right, let’s do a new product launch.  The product is called Let’s Concentrate and it’s a Skin Glowing Serum.  It comes from Temple Spa and it throws the focus on hyperpigmentation using three key ingredients, Vitamin C, Sodium Hyaluronate and Alpha Arbutin, the latter of which is an incredibly potent ingredient to help reduce age spots and even-out skin tone.  These ingredients are joined by blemish-fighting Zinc and Magnesium and this serum should be used after cleansing and before moisturising.  It can also be used to target specific areas of concerns, if you so wish.    As it helps brighten up your skin.  And your day.  Perhaps.
Let’s Concentrate by Temple Spa £50 for 30 ml

I want to stay with skincare and follow through on my words from last week about the loyalty and trust we have in the skincare brands we choose to list on our site.  Discernment is of course key, as is research and development, so having written about Derma E last weekend, I want to take a minute to write about LixirSkin.  As I also wrote last week, each skincare brand has their own unique following and LixirSkin certainly has that following, as evidenced when we launched Good Skin Shaker – Super Dew a few weeks ago.  For which I thank you.

It is no secret that I am extraordinarily close to LixirSkin’s founder, Dr Colette Haydon, and having launched the brand with her, and for her, several years ago, that closeness remains.  I think it is a testament to the ethics and efficacy of any given niche brand that they are able to stand tall in an industry where the odds really are stacked against you, but that’s the way of the world as it is right now.  With that said, I believe in applauding exceptional products and LixirSkin has many of them.  So in recognition of exceptional people and exceptional products, I am taking 10% off all LixirSkin products across the weekend.  As Colette and I dance another dance.  Together.
LixirSkin

Can we please talk about cracked corners of the mouth, because this is such a common concern, but it’s not a subject that many people talk about, so we’re going to talk about it.  Medically referred to as Angular Cheilitis, it is an infection, bacterial or fungal, which is characterised by inflammation around the corners of the mouth, which can get worse due to excessive licking, often resulting in redness and cracking of the skin around the lips.  There are solutions, three of them, which are highlighted in Shabir’s short article, linked below.  I think Shabir is on a mission because he seems to have a thing about Lysine Lip Balm.  But then it really does work.  For so many.
VH Editorial: Cracked Corners Of Mouth; Lysine Lip Balm by Good Health Naturally £5.95 for 5 grams; Clinisept+ Mouthwash £6.49 for 400 ml; Omega 7 Sea Buckthorn Oil by Pharma Nord £19 for 60 Capsules (I’ve just dropped the price from £21.95 until midnight BST, Sunday 8 May)

I know I’m going a bit supplement heavy this week, but we are all different and we all have different concerns, one of which is extraordinarily dry skin.  Yes, of course there are some fabulous topical products to help alleviate dry skin, but we need to get to the very core of this issue and we can do that with supplementation, or most specifically with Skin Restoring Ceramides.

Ceramides play an important part of your skin’s role as a protective barrier, helping to bind together the cells that make up the surface of your skin.  These nourishing oils help retain moisture, but ceramide levels naturally decrease as we age making it difficult to maintain smooth, supple skin.  Everything seems to decrease as we get older, so it stands next to Hyaluronic Acid, the Holy Grail, in that respect.

I know all these things can be confusing, so for clarity I am linking Shabir’s article below where he talks about Skin Restoring Ceramides and Hyaluronic Acid.  He also mentions Astaxanthin in his article, which is of course a brilliant antioxidant, but with so many of you now taking L-Ergothioneine, which is a next-generation powerful antioxidant, you really don’t need to take both, although they are different.  Anyway, let’s conclude this section with a price reduction on Skin Restoring Ceramides, which drops from £25 to £22 across the weekend, ending at midnight BST, Sunday 8 May.  Another decrease.  But a good decrease.  I feel. 
VH Editorial: Beauty Supplements To Boost Your Skin; Skin Restoring Ceramides by Life Extension £22 for 30 Liquid Capsules; Hyaluronic Acid High Strength Capsules £35 for 30 Capsules; Essential Youth L-Ergothioneine by Life Extension £20 for 30 Capsules

I suppose I really should follow through with a topical treatment for dry skin, most especially for our often dry, parched legs.  Except I have a slight issue because I love Fulvic Body Lotion so much, but I wrote about it not long ago, so I feel a bit bad about that because I would appear to be biased.  Except I am biased because it is an exceptional formulation.  So to alleviate my overriding sense of guilt for writing about it yet again, I will reduce the price of Fulvic Body Lotion, yet again, and at the same time I will drop the price of Fulvic Acid Nail Cream from £12 to £10.  That feels better.  To me.
Fulvic Body Lotion £15 for 200 ml (drops from £20); Fulvic Acid Nail Cream £10 for 30 ml (offers end at midnight BST, Sunday 8 May)

Bearing in the mind I opened this newsletter talking about low mood and stress, I would now like to talk about a very limited edition offer from ilapothecary, and it really is limited.  Beat The Blues has always been the bestselling range from ilapothecary and its name just says it all really.  So whilst stock lasts, we will automatically include the travel size Beat The Blues Room Spray (15 ml) with each order placed for any ilapothecary product.  Three important things to say.  The first is that there is only one gift per customer, we need to be fair, the second thing to say is that if the gift fails to go into your basket, the offer will have ended and finally, due to shipping restrictions ilapothecary products are only available to purchase in the UK. Thank you.
Ilapothecary; Beat The Blues Room Spray £29 for 50 ml; Beat The Blues Candle £54; Beat The Blues Pulse Point £28

In mode and continuing, I want to do that Spacemask treat again.  It’s the one where if you buy a box of Spacemasks, we will automatically include a single Spacemask, which means you get six Spacemasks for the price of five.  I love doing this, not least because their brilliance never ceases to amaze me, but also because I know that so many of you split the box open and share each individual Spacemask with those who really benefit from their use.  Sharing.  To the power of six. 
Spacemasks £16.50 For Five Spacemasks + One Free Spacemask (whilst stock lasts)

Straight into the Saturday only treat we go and with every order placed for £30 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Biobelle’s Cutie Pie Botanical Fibre Facial Mask, which is loaded with Pumpkin Seed Oil and Sugar Maple Extract.  I hope you enjoy using it.
Cutie Pie Botanical Fibre Facial Mask by Biobelle

Finally, and as we come to the end of another Weekend Read, my thoughts are with each of you, most especially those who are struggling to maintain any form of equilibrium in this ever-changing world.

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 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.