Gill will be back in the New Year, but I’m here again today to walk you through the final Weekend Read of the year, and honestly, we need to start with immunity because mine fully abandoned me last week.

Out of nowhere, at 5 pm on the dot, my body just switched. One minute I was fine, the next I was in full fever mode, shivering, burning up, sweating, freezing, all at once. I genuinely cannot remember the last time I had a temperature, I get the usual cold, the occasional sore throat, but this was completely different.

Then came the headache. And the jaw pain. And the feeling that my head was about to implode. I thought it was flu, then downgraded myself to sinusitis, but honestly it was not cute, so thank goodness for Breath Of Life, which I will mention again later.

And that whole episode pretty much set the tone for the start of this Weekend Read because today, we’re talking immunity.  The immune system, unlike any other bodily system, relies on a complex web of interactions: glands such as the thymus and tonsils, proteins, chemical compounds, hormones, white blood cells, and probiotics, all working in synergy to make our bodies less susceptible to infection.

Many of these compounds require nutrients to function properly, for example, a deficiency in vitamin D3 may leave white blood cells dormant, unable to engulf and eradicate bacteria and viruses that enter the bloodstream. So, I’m going to take you through six of my favourite supplements which support immunity because when that 5pm crash hit, I was incredibly relieved that I had a “survival cabinet” to get me back on track.

Before jumping in, I’m going to say something painfully obvious which is that supplements only work when we actually take them. If we forget, skip days, or ignore the suggested dose, then we suffer the consequences and I suffered the consequences.  My New Year goal is to buy a pill sorter (we don’t sell them, but honestly, we should).  A project for me, in a long line of projects.

Daily Immunity is a great all-rounder for adults and children over twelve, helping to prime the immune system and helping to protect the body from seasonal infections. It contains vitamins C, D, and zinc, essential for normal immune function and for reducing the tiredness and fatigue that often come with infections.  I love this formulation.  Clever Shabir, he included all the important nutrients we need to support our immunity.
DoSe Daily Immunity Was £29, Now £26 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 21 December)

Several studies show that taking vitamin C just before, or soon after, the onset of upper respiratory symptoms may ease them and shorten the duration of illness. There are various forms: acidic, buffered, and the gentler highly absorbable liposomal forms. Acidic vitamin C can cause loose stools because the body prefers an alkaline environment, and any excess acidity reaching the intestines is excreted.  This is not the case with Liposomal vitamin C. The liposomal vitamin C form is wrapped in a phospholipid layer and is absorbed far more efficiently from the intestines into the bloodstream.
DoSe Liposomal Vitamin C £49 For Two x 240 ml (96 Days’ Supply With A Saving Of £21) (whilst stock lasts) 

We often think of probiotics as digestion-only, but probiotics are involved in countless processes: calming, elevating mood, preventing UTIs, supporting oral health and, of course, helping immunity. Gut health really is the foundation of everything and studies on L. acidophilus and Bifidobacteria show they can enhance antiviral activity and help reduce the occurrence and duration of viral respiratory infections. These friendly bacteria produce antibodies that bind to pathogens, helping white blood cells identify and destroy them. They also help stimulate specialised white blood cells that defend against bacteria and viruses.

Mega Probio which provides eight strains of acid-resistant bacteria, including the key two above, able to colonise the intestines and support their many roles — immunity included.   So yes, probiotics might start in the gut, but their impact goes everywhere — and when your gut is happy, your immunity is so much stronger for it.
DoSe Mega Probio Was £25, Now £22 for 60 Capsules (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 21 December)

Vitamin D3 is well known for supporting healthy bones and teeth, but in the last decade, researchers have discovered vitamin D receptors in almost every gland in the body, which means that vitamin D is involved in far more processes than we once thought. Deficiency is common and widespread adult deficiency is well documented. Numerous studies link vitamin D levels to immune health. T-cells, the specialised white blood cells that destroy bacteria and viruses, depend on adequate vitamin D to activate. Without it, they remain dormant.

My go-to is Vitamin D 3000IU, an oral spray absorbed through the tiny capillaries in the cheek, by-passing the stomach entirely.  It is the one that we consistently recommend and this little bottle will last approximately three months.  There are various strengths of vitamin D, and there is also a junior version, but during the winter months we would suggest Vitamin D 3000.
Vitamin D 3000IU Oral Spray by BetterYou £9.45 for 15 ml

Zinc has long been a favourite for upper respiratory infections. It helps modulate the immune response, preventing the kind of out-of-control inflammation that can do more harm than good. Without sufficient zinc at the time of infection, inflammation can become widespread. Ideally, zinc should be taken consistently, or at the very first sign of symptoms. Terranova’s Zinc Complex provides 15 mg of highly absorbable zinc bisglycinate, a far better form than citrates or other forms that demand our high levels of stomach acid to break down.
Zinc Complex by Terranova Was £14.84, Now £12.61 for 100 Capsules (offer ends at midnight GMT, Sunday 21 December)

Finally, Triple Flu Defense. There are only a few units left of this seasonal tincture, and once it’s gone, it’s gone until autumn 2026. Triple Flu Defense is a homeopathic remedy that helps support the symptoms of flu and colds and should be taken at the first sign of feeling unwell at a dosage of three times a day, followed by a weekly maintenance dose, which we recommend.
Triple Flu Defense (2025-2026) by Dr Nenninger £30 for 30 ml

Now that we’ve covered supplements, let’s talk about Breath of Life because it genuinely gave me life last week. I dropped a few drops in the shower before I got in, let the room steam, then added a few more when I got into the shower. Deep breaths in.  It was so uplifting.  Breath Of Life can be used as an inhalation treatment for stuffiness and headaches or as a travel companion to combat tiredness. And I have never been happier that I took a new bottle home with me recently. I am that person, the one who needs everything fully stocked.  Just in case. 
Breath Of Life Aromatherapy Inhalation Essence by TEMPLESPA £14 for 10 ml

A quick word on seasonal gifts. I mentioned supplement organisation above, but this is organisation for 2026.  Seasonal gifts aren’t just for Christmas and not all of them come in seasonal packaging. Many make brilliant gifts all year round and are great to keep in the cupboard for the year ahead.  So consider this to be my second public service announcement because we are still offering a 15% discount on seasonal gifts, well the gifts that are left. Smarter, not harder.
Seasonal Gifts

One last thing. Nothing is simple, like nothing. We have wanted to offer a convenient service that allows you to collect your order from a local shop here in the UK for as long as I can remember, it just makes sense, it makes life easier because so many of you aren’t at home during the day and worry about deliveries. “Ship to Shop” is just that and whilst the eagle eyed of you will have noticed that this service very briefly went live a couple of months ago, technically it wasn't as plain sailing as we had hoped.

For various reasons the whole thing fell down, we had to roll it back, but with a massive thank you to Claudia and Adina for powering through every bug and every glitch, of which there were many, we have just rolled it forward again. Easy and convenient, pick the DPD Collect From Local Shop option at Checkout, enter your location and select one of the participating stores in your area. And never miss a VH delivery again.

So, into the Saturday only treat and with every order placed for £35 and above, excluding p&p, we will automatically send you a lucky dip gift*.  A variation on the lovely treats from earlier in the year.  Our way of spreading the love, spreading the joy and celebrating the unknown.

With this being the final Weekend Read of the year, I wish you a wonderful, peaceful and healthy holiday season.

Thank you for your amazing support this year, we’re looking forward to an exciting 2026 and Gill returns with the first Weekend Read of the year on Saturday 3 January.

With love,

Lara