Hello on a Saturday morning and my heart skipped a few beats last weekend after Nigella declared her love for Fulvic Shampoo in The Sunday Times, and I sat with a smile on my face because it is quite something when a product receives recognition, genuine recognition.  It is no secret that Nigella is one of us, and actually she has been using Fulvic Shampoo almost as long as I have, which is a very long time.  And in all of this, there is an overriding and powerful acknowledgement of the love, support and generosity which plays such an integral role in our community, following through on the words I wrote about community two weeks ago.

So let’s talk about Fulvic Shampoo, and Fulvic Shampoo stands alone in that my hair sulks if I test other haircare products, so I just don’t bother any more, but actually the longevity factor comes into play here because the health and condition of my hair has completely changed across the years and whilst I have very fine hair, I have quite a lot of it, which is far removed from its former limp state of being.

Loaded with Ioniplex®, an ionic mineral complex, Fulvic Shampoo is a treatment shampoo playing a significant role in supporting optimum scalp and hair health, with a particular emphasis on hair loss and thinning hair, but it also helps to calm itchy scalps, which is a very common problem caused, to a large extent, by the use of harsh chemicals in haircare products. I think it is important to recognise that harsh chemicals may be damaging to the hair follicles, which exacerbates hair loss, but additionally resins and silicones, which are also commonly found in haircare products, can starve the follicles of vital oxygen and nutrients, which can result in excessive hair shedding.  

So with all of that said, the icing on the cake, as it were, arrived on Monday when Nigella wrote about the incredible life-changing magic of Fulvic Shampoo and Fulvic Conditioner on her Instagram page as she posted a picture of her hair in its natural state, so before you start hitting your keyboards, I'll save you the bother by linking it below. Staying real. Together.
Fulvic Shampoo £25 for 240 ml; Fulvic Conditioner £25 for 240 ml; Nigella Instagram

I want to follow through by saying that if you are concerned about hair loss and thinning hair, then we also recommend Superior Hair, a comprehensive supplement formulated with scientifically researched ingredients working in synergy to support the repair of damaged hair follicles, as well as helping the healthy growth of hair.  Decades of extensive research has determined that the biggest factor of hair loss in women is an imbalance of the female hormones, leading to male hormone dominance, but genetics also play a role in causing hair loss and this is often referred to as female pattern baldness.

It is thought that approximately 40% of women experience hair loss or thinning hair with the onset of the menopausal years, predominantly because of the declining levels of oestrogen. The body works with finite levels of hormones and it follows that the concentration of testosterone in the bloodstream increases.  This does not mean that more testosterone is being produced, but that these levels become concentrated and the concentrated levels of testosterone are converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT).  When DHT reaches the scalp, it can cause inflammation, resulting in damage to the hair follicles, which may ultimately lead to hair loss.

This is the most widely accepted theory of menopausal hair loss and scientists estimate that nearly 95% of all cases of hair loss are the result of increased levels of DHT in the body.  In his article, linked below, Shabir takes an in-depth look at menopausal hair loss, although of course there are other causal factors for hair loss, so with that acknowledged, a caveat here to say that there are no overnight fixes to hair loss or thinning hair, and it can take up to six months, or longer, to notice a difference and because that is a big ask, I am dropping the price of Superior Hair from £33 to £29, across the weekend.
VH Editorial: Addressing Menopausal Hair Loss; DoSe Superior Hair £29 for 90 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 8 September)

Having done menopausal hair loss, let’s do menopause.  Menopause is of course a rite of passage, and whilst some women do not experience many of the symptoms associated with this rite of passage, others do and the symptoms can often be extraordinarily difficult to manage.  These symptoms include mood swings, hot flushes, fatigue, mental fog, a lack of libido, hair loss, as above, and vaginal dryness, all of which are attributable to declining female hormones.  So, let’s take a look at what is happening here.

Put simply, in the perimenopausal and menopausal years, the ovaries stop producing oestrogen and progesterone, and the relative imbalance between these two hormones is termed as ‘oestrogen dominance’, essentially because progesterone levels normally decline well before oestrogen.  It is here that phytoestrogens come into play, and discovered in 1926, ‘phytoestrogen’ is a scientific word for naturally occurring plant compounds that are chemically similar to oestrogen, thus they can mimic oestrogen, allowing a balancing effect on the body by binding to oestrogen receptors in cellular activity, demonstrating the wisdom of nature. 

We have always believed in the importance of treating the root cause of menopause rather than just treating the symptoms and whilst of course we each have treatment choices, such as HRT, there are natural solutions. Sage Complex is a natural and powerful hormone balancing supplement containing researched phytoestrogens and ingredients such as Wild Yam, Red Clover, Sage Leaf, Chaste Berry and Vitamin B6, the latter of which contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity. And the wrap here is that Sage Complex is our bestselling supplement in this genre, basically because it works, and with that said the price drops from £29 to £26, across the weekend.
VH Editorial: Hormone Mimicking Supplementation; Sage Complex £26 for 90 Capsules (offer ends at midnight BST, Sunday 8 September)

Actually, perhaps that’s not a total wrap because Sage Complex can be taken well beyond the menopausal years, or whenever we feel that our hormones are dancing out of control, which is always a fun time.  Anyway, we move on and having written about sarcopenia last weekend, I just want to follow through by taking a look at vitamin B12, because although I wrote that a lack of B12 had a link to sarcopenia, it is thought that half of the adult population may have sub-optimal levels of B12, which is commonly referred to as the energy vitamin.

The scientific name for B12 is ‘cobalamin’ and it is a co-enzyme which is required by the enzymes in our bodies to perform critical functions within the body that include the production of red blood cells which carry vital oxygen for energy release.  It also plays a role in the production of the adrenal hormones which are involved in stress management and energy production and it is required for the manufacture of melatonin, the sleep hormone.

In its natural state, B12 is found in animal sources of food, but it is not available from plants since plants do not require B12 for any function, and the plant sources of B12 which are available are analogues and will actually block the uptake of B12, leading to deficiencies.  It was initially considered that only vegetarians and vegans were B12 deficient, but extensive research has overturned that early thinking and because not all B12 supplementation is created equally, it is important to take the most active form of B12, which Shabir explains in his article linked below.
VH Editorial: Are You Getting Sufficient B12; B12 Elite by Life Extension £14 for 60 Lozenges

A few words here to talk about sarcopenia in that it was the most read article from the last Weekend Read and as such we had a wait list for the protein product recommended, Whey Concentrate Protein.  So, let’s go again and with that article and that product linked below, confirmation that we are now back in stock of Whey Concentrate Protein. Sarcopenia is well and truly on the map.  The preventative health map.
VH Editorial: What Is Sarcopenia; Whey Concentrate Protein by Purition £11.49 for 200 grams

Right, let’s do ear infections because they are incredibly common and the first thing to say here is that the medical term for an ear infection is otitis media, ‘otitis’ meaning inflammation of the ear and ‘media’ meaning middle, as the infection usually occurs in the middle ear canal.  Ear infections are extremely common in children, which is often due to the narrow passage that connects the middle ear to the nose which can easily get blocked, yet of course adults suffer too and the most common symptoms of an ear infection are ear pain, discharge and congestion in the ears, which can lead to muffled hearing.

There are many common causes for ear infections and these include poor immunity, airborne allergens, structural blockages such as enlarged adenoids and food sensitivities, which Shabir notes in the first article linked below.  There is another cause, and that is called ‘swimmer’s ear’ and this is when water gets trapped in the ear canal due to a build-up of wax which then causes bacteria to grow, leading to infection.  So, a second article here about the removal of earwax and Otosan Ear Drops are recommended in both articles because they help soothe ear irritation and they also cleanse the ear canal, emulsifying earwax making it easier for removal.
VH Editorials: Ear Infections & Earaches; Earwax Removal At Home; Otosan Ear Drops £9.59 for 10 ml

From our ears to our eyes and having recently written much about eye infections, with the emphasis on styes, I want to take a look at conjunctivitis because we have received so many emails about this condition too.  Conjunctivitis is often referred to as pink eye and it can be due to the inflammation and/or an infection of the membrane that lines the eyelid and eyeball.  It may be viral or bacterial in origin, but whatever the cause it can take three or four weeks to totally clear up, and the same can be said about styes actually.

In writing about styes, we recommended Silver Eye Drops and we recommend the same product for conjunctivitis.  Silver Eye Drops display powerful antimicrobial and antiviral properties, providing soothing relief from dry eyes, itchy eyes and gritty sensations in the eyes too, with a further note to say that these eye drops are suitable for use if you wear contact lenses and just perhaps Silver Eye Drops are a medicine cabinet essential bearing in mind their multi-functional use, rather like Zam-Buk, which is totally brilliant for differing reasons unrelated to eye health of course, but I felt like mentioning it, so I have.
Silver Eye Drops by Good Health Naturally £9 for 30 ml; Zam-Buk Antiseptic Ointment £3.99 for 20 grams

Let’s do some feedback and all I really want to do here is to thank you for your support when we launched two new DoSe skincare products last weekend.  They were of course the long-awaited Daily Cleanser and PHA Exfoliating Serum and it would seem that Lara is now rather taken by jumping on Instagram to talk about things that excite her, which she did twice across last weekend.  And we are on countdown to another big DoSe skincare launch, which will happen soon and at this point I’m not sure whether it will be Shabir or Lara who talks about it on Instagram.  One thing is certain, it won’t be me.
DoSe Daily Cleanser £17 for 100 ml; DoSe PHA Exfoliating Serum £22 for 30 ml; Instagram

On a recent Weekend Read, I wrote that I would start talking about Christmas gifts in September, and we are now in September.  The reason we go early with this is because many of these gifts aren’t only for Christmas, they can be used as gifts throughout the year and because they are often limited edition gifts, they tend to sell out quite quickly, so it’s good to get them whilst they are available and I am going to begin with Neom’s Ceramic Star Natural Diffuser, which sold out really quickly last year, no surprise actually because it’s £5, and everybody loves a star.

The Ceramic Star Natural Diffuser is a little hanging star to fragrance your world and it can be added to Christmas trees, but it can also be tied to door handles or popped into drawers wherever, and whenever, you want a fragrance boost.  All you do is spritz the ceramic diffuser with your favourite essential oil or fragrance, and that includes pillow and room mists.  Neom do a range of essential oils, which I have linked below, but of course you can use whatever you have and because of my essential oil allergy, I might just spray mine with Chanel’s Allure and pop it under my pillow. I’ve always loved Allure.
Ceramic Star Natural Diffuser £5; Essential Oil Blend Scent Discovery Kit £35; Perfect Peace Essential Oil Blend £22 for 10 ml; Cosy Nights Essential Oil Blend £22 for 10 ml; Christmas Wish Essential Oil Blend £22 for 10 ml: All by Neom Wellbeing

So, we are on a roll with seasonal gifts and we have just put the seasonal gift section live on our site, so you can begin to explore some of those gifts, but of course we will be adding many more gifts in the days and weeks to come.  And if anybody wonders why we have put Silversocks on that list, it’s because they are one of our bestselling winter products, they are especially brilliant if you have poor circulation, cold feet or chilblains, but conversely in the warmer months they keep our feet cool.  Clever, clever.
Seasonal Gifts; Silversocks (Size 3-7) £12.50; Silversocks (Size 6-11) £12.50

More on all of this next weekend, but having opened the Weekend Read with a Fulvic product, a few words here about Fulvic Nail Cream. Fulvic Nail Cream has always been one of our bestselling products, not least because of its ability to promote nail growth and to help strengthen nails which in turn helps prevent them from splitting. As with each of the Fulvic products, Fulvic Nail Cream is formulated with Ioniplex®, a fulvic ionic mineral and it sits in a base of coconut oil and vitamin E, but it also includes vitamin B7, also known as biotin, to help condition nails and cuticles. 

With its wound-healing properties, Fulvic Nail Cream is often used to help eradicate fungal infections, but it is the power of Fulvic which has made a difference to so many of us and because I believe in sharing powerful products, if you buy Fulvic Nail Cream, we will automatically include Fulvic Elixir (120 ml), whilst stocks last.  I honestly don’t know how long that will be, but what I do know is that I have taken Fulvic Elixir since we first researched this natural compound and at that time I wrote it would be the ingredient of the decade, and two decades later, I still stand by those words.  And I take it every single day.
VH Editorial: Fulvic Acid: The Elixir Of Life; Fulvic Nail Cream £14 for 30 ml + Fulvic Elixir (120 ml) Free (whilst stock lasts)

I have a few more things to say, but I will say them after the Saturday only treat and with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically include Willowberry’s Nutrient Boost Day Cream (30 ml)*, which is loaded with HA, antioxidants and essential fatty acids from Rosehip, Chia Seed and vitamin E. Full product details listed below.
Nutrient Boost Day Cream

Before we come to the end of this Weekend Read, it is a given that we all feel low at times, so I wanted to share an article which Sarah has written about learning to embrace ‘glimmers’.  Glimmers are those fleeting joyous moments in the day which can help lighten your mood and help to shift a negative bias, according to psychotherapist Julia Samuel, so that article is linked below, which I hope you enjoy reading.
Embrace The Glimmers by Sarah Stacey

Finally, this is a ‘save the date’ moment and as many of you will have read on a previous Weekend Read, I wrote that we have a core responsibility to look after each other and that together with Poppy Delbridge I was going to extend an invitation for you to join us on an evening in September where we would be looking at some of the challenges we are each facing in this difficult world, together with an exploration of spiritual wisdom, which has always meant so much to me.

This will happen next Sunday, 15 September at 6 pm (BST), so please save that date and I will put a registration link on the next Weekend Read, but just to say that Poppy will lead, this is not a commercial offering, but it is a transformational heart-led invitation which is free and open to each and every one of you.  And just also to say, you don’t have to dress for the occasion, thank goodness, because it will be on a Webinar platform and we won’t be able to see each other, so all I ask is if you want to join us, come with an open mind and an open heart, essentially because moments such as these can really change your life, which so many of you have experienced. 

And a song.
I’ll Be There by Jess Glynne; 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 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 (BST) and Midnight (BST) 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.