Hello, it’s November and I am going to begin this Weekend Read by talking about Black Friday, which falls on Friday 27 November.  My views on Black Friday are well documented, and I think it is a tremendously difficult time for the brands who cannot afford to join in because they risk being overlooked, yet for those who do join in, and I am mostly referencing small businesses here, deep discounting can become unsustainable.

If I am honest, I feel like I am between a rock and a hard place because I would offer you the world on a plate if I could, but not only are we a small business, the majority of the brands we choose to platform are niche, independent brands.  There are exceptions, there are always exceptions, but I think it is important to explain that if a brand is offering a far smaller discount than others, it is simply because they can’t afford to compete against conglomerate discounting, for example, where market share seems to prevail over and above all else.

Fundamentally, the reason I am writing about Black Friday now is because some brands have chosen to run their Black Friday offers throughout the month of November, and I will write about several of those brands next.  The other thing I want to say is that we will not be offering deeper discounts as the month goes on, because nothing is more frustrating than learning that if you had waited, you could have paid less.  The Black Friday discounts you see today are the discounts that will remain until the end of the month, Monday 30 November, without deviation.

And so, we begin with BetterYou, who are offering 20% off their entire range, with the exception of Magnesium Muscle Spray (100 ml), Magnesium Max Original Powder (120 grams) and Vitamin K2 Oral Spray (25 ml), where a 33% discount is being offered. BetterYou was founded by Andy Thomas in 2006 and we partnered with Andy in 2007, bringing BetterYou’s first transdermal Magnesium product to market.  We went on to campaign about the importance of Vitamin D3 together, in the days when D3 was barely recognised, which was quite something because we were campaigning about D3 long before it became ‘fashionable’.

The rest is history, but that history is why I wanted to begin with BetterYou, not because of the discount, but because after almost twenty years, it is a relationship built on shared conviction, and that is important to me, even if I do feel slightly ancient writing about the length of some of my relationships.  It could be worse, I’ve known the iS Clinical boys for over twenty-five years, but I’m not writing about iS Clinical today, that will come later in the month.
BetterYou Products; Magnesium Muscle Spray; Magnesium Max Original Powder; Vitamin K2 Oral Spray (offers end at midnight GMT, Monday 30 November)

So, in no particular order, I will continue and it has been rather a long time since I last wrote about NutraTea, for which I apologise because they offer a range of functional herbal tea blends that have been uniquely developed to harness the benefits of botanicals and herbs by leading pharmacists and nutritionists.  We think they are exceptional blends offering widespread benefits, from promoting liver and kidney health to alleviating anxiety and stress, strengthening the immune system and maintaining normal bones and joints.

There are eighteen blends in the range, and we suggest using them as an adjunct to supplementation, although of course they can be enjoyed as stand-alone therapeutic products.  NutraDefence Tea is an immune-boosting tea blend packed with Elderberries and Eucalyptus to help combat cold and flu symptoms, but is also blended with Mullein, Thyme and Calendula to soothe coughs, helping to support the respiratory system.  At this time of year, NutraDefence is the bestselling tea, so with every order for any of the teas, we will send you NutraDefence, worth £5.99, as a gift with purchase, whilst stock lasts.
NutraTea Products; NutraDefence by NutraTea (offer ends at midnight GMT, Monday 30 November or whilst stock lasts) 

Thyme Out is next and here we are offering a 15% discount across each of the products in the range.  We found Thyme Out on a small trestle table at an exhibition in America and in many ways the original Thyme Out has since acquired an iconic status and following.  It is an organic, natural tincture, with Thyme steeped for weeks and blended with Aloe Vera, which can be used for blemished skin, itchy and inflamed skin, cuts, grazes, prickly heat and a wide range of inflammatory skin concerns.  Think of it as an antidote to skin woes.  Think of it earning a place in the medicine cabinet.  And suitcases.
Thyme Out Products (offer ends at midnight GMT, Monday 30 November, or whilst stock lasts)

The final Black Friday offer on this Weekend Read is from Nutriburst where we are offering a 30% discount across the range.  Nutriburst offer a range of sugar-free, vegan gummies and their bestselling product is Ashwagandha KSM-66®.  Ashwagandha, also known as ‘Indian ginseng’, is an Ayurvedic adaptogen traditionally used for stress and energy and studied for its effect on stress and sleep.  And with that said, that’s the Black Friday wrap, for now.
Nutriburst Products; Ashwagandha KSM-66® (offer ends at midnight GMT, Monday 30 November) 

As we step outside of the Black Friday offers and following through from last weekend where I linked Shabir’s article on menopausal hair loss, I now want to talk about post-menopausal bone loss.  If you have risk factors, it is worth asking your GP about a bone density scan when you reach perimenopause, which is usually from the age of 45, although it can differ, because a decrease in bone density, or low bone mass, may result in osteopenia, which affects millions of women.  If left unchecked, osteopenia can lead to osteoporosis, a far more serious condition, where the deterioration of bone density increases the risk of breaking or fracturing bones. 

It is natural to lose bone density as we age, but post-menopausal bone loss is attributable to declining oestrogen levels, with several studies indicating that women can lose up to 20% of their bone density in the five to seven years during and after menopause.  Calcium and vitamin D have always been the mainstay for the natural treatment of osteopenia and osteoporosis, and they are often prescribed alongside bisphosphonates, a group of drugs used to treat and prevent bone-related conditions by inhibiting osteoclast activity, which slows bone breakdown, but they are not without side effects, commonly related to the gastrointestinal tract.

While it is acknowledged that Calcium is the most critical mineral for bone health, it is not the only one. Silicon is a mineral which supports bone formation, alongside vitamin K2, which activates osteocalcin, a protein produced by the bone-building cells that helps to bind Calcium to bone.  Vitamin D3 facilitates Calcium absorption in the intestines, and D3 is the preferred form over D2.

Each of these compounds can be found in Bone Restore with Vitamin K2, together with Magnesium, which plays a role in regulating Calcium transport within the body, and Manganese and Zinc, two supporting nutrients that have been studied alongside Calcium for bone health. As I link Shabir’s article on osteopenia below, I am dropping the price of Bone Restore from £25 to £22 across the weekend, with a cautionary note to say that if you are taking anti-coagulants, you should not take this supplement.  Safety first.
VH Editorial: Osteopenia Treatment; Bone Restore with Vitamin K2 by Life Extension £22 for 120 Capsules (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 8 November)

Over the past few weeks, I have been throwing the focus on the relationships we have with brands we support and endorse and one of those brands is Viridian Nutrition.  Viridian is a family-owned British company, founded in 1999 by Cheryl Thallon, a former health-food journalist who believed supplements could be made differently, but it is not only about the products, because Viridian, rather like us, are a small, independent business who understand the importance of being answerable to their customers, rather than to shareholders.  And that matters, it really matters.

On a personal note, I have a very close relationship with Cheryl and I have often written that Viridian are the other side of us.  It can often be exceptionally difficult, if not lonely, to fly the flag for independent, niche brands, we are a dying breed, that much I know, but I take great comfort in knowing that Cheryl is flying the same flag, for the same reasons and with the same conviction.  I care about the brands who uphold their founding principles, that consistency is rare and it must always be celebrated, so we celebrate together, as I throw a 15% discount across each of the Viridian products, with a wave to Electrolyte Fix Liquid.  Best-in-class.
Viridian Products; Electrolyte Fix Liquid (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 8 November)

Onwards with seasonal infections, which I have written about often throughout the past few weeks, and here I want to write a few words about Zinc.  Zinc plays a crucial role in supporting optimal immune system function.  White blood cells, which help fight infection, depend upon Zinc for their development and activation.  A deficiency of Zinc can result in diminished amounts of white blood cells and reduced ability to fight infection and heal wounds.  I am going to link Shabir’s article on the role of Zinc, because it has several health benefits aside from supporting our immune system, with a note to say that we recommend Terranova's Zinc Complex, basically because it is a highly active formulation containing Zinc Glycinate enhanced with Magnifood.  This intensely synergistic complex of botanicals and superfoods drops in price by 20%.  
VH Editorial: Zinc Supplements: Uses, Side Effects & Benefits; Zinc Complex by Terranova (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 8 November)

Having written above about Thyme Out achieving an iconic status, there are so many products which we have launched and loved, all of which really do stand the test of time.  Breath Of Life Aromatherapy Inhalation Essence is one such product, and while I write about it often, it deserves it, because it is a breath of aromatic fresh air in a bottle whose antibacterial and anti-viral properties really do help to ease breathing and clear sinuses, most especially if you are suffering from a cold.

Formulated with Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Lavender and Menthol, it can be sniffed directly from the bottle, or you can add a little to a tissue if you prefer, but you can also sprinkle a few drops onto the floor of your shower, turn up the temperature of the water and step into a therapeutic experience.  Such is its brilliance, it can also help bring clarity and energy when you are feeling tired.  There are those products which are truly beautiful, and Breath Of Life is one of them.  I love it.  So does Shabir.
Breath Of Life Aromatherapy Inhalation Essence by TEMPLESPA £15 for 10 ml

Having just mentioned Menthol, let’s talk about Menthol because when Shabir was formulating Fulvic Foot Cream, I had several formulations to test, and I chose the formulation which included Menthol because I felt it made a significant difference to the formulation.  All of which leads me to this review about Fulvic Foot Cream, and I quote ‘I was really excited to review this product.  This is the best foot cream I have ever used.  My feet love it.  Hard skin softened and then so easily removed.  Beautifully soft feet.  A game changer in foot care’. 

Well, that made me happy, so let me share that happiness, which will probably send Lara, Claudia and Adina around the bend and back again, because I am about to pull forward a Black Friday offer, which will devastate their scheduling, but they will get over it.  And here it is.  So, when you buy Fulvic Foot Cream, we will automatically send you another Fulvic Foot Cream free, which has a value of £18.  And there it is, happiness shared and this offer runs through to midnight GMT, Monday 30 November, provided our stock levels hold up.
Fulvic Foot Cream £18 for 100 ml + A Second Fulvic Foot Cream Free (offer ends at midnight GMT, Monday 30 November, or whilst stock lasts)

Most obviously, I am in sharing mode, so to close this Weekend Read, we are offering a 15% discount across Spacemasks.  Spacemasks are brilliant, they gently warm the eye area, helping to remove tension, allowing you to unwind and prepare for a restful night’s sleep and of course we have included them in our seasonal gift category, linked below.  Each box of Spacemasks contains five individual masks, and I know I write this every year, but it makes total sense to split the pack and gift an individual Spacemask.  Perfect as a stocking filler. Perfect full stop.
Seasonal Gifts; Spacemasks (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 8 November) 

Into the Saturday only treat, and with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically send you All Talk Lip Balm (5 ml) by TEMPLESPA*.  I know I gift lip balms rather a lot, but you can’t have too many lip balms, in my opinion, and All Talk Lip Balm is packed with natural plant extracts, vitamins and botanicals, formulated to leave lips soft and nourished.  Product details linked below.
All Talk Lip Balm 

And finally, a song for happiness. Shared.
Put A Little Love In Your Heart by Dolly Parton; The VH Playlist

Happy weekend, happy everything.

With love

Gill x