Especially Health

14/11/2025

With winter slowly looming, we thought we’d create a simple guide on how to naturally support your immune system. ☕️🫚🛌🌿

And talking of immunity, did you know that this Saturday, November 15th 2025, is World Echinacea Day?! 🌎🌸

And not only that, but it’ll also be 70 years of A.Vogel’s super immune boosting Echinaforce! 🌿🎉 That’s right, the Swiss brand has been growing and extracting fresh, organic Echinacea from their own fields since 1955!

So to celebrate, we’re giving away packets of Echinacea seeds with every purchase of the brand’s Echinacea, until stocks last! 🌱

06/11/2025

As some of you may or may not know, we’re expecting an Especially Health baby in January!

Whilst the act of creating life is amazing, it turns out, it’s also really hard work!

Pregnancy pushes the body to its absolute limits, requiring it to burn energy at 2.5x times the normal rate and pump 50% more blood than usual, all whilst pulling calcium from bones, iron from blood, and nutrients from every reserve, all to prioritise a developing baby’s needs.

So, getting the right support during this time has been essential, especially as I’m plant-based.

And even after birth, I know my body will take a long time to fully recover, as it rebuilds bone density, restores nutrients, and resets metabolic function. Something which can take anywhere from 6-12 months, perhaps even longer as I intend to breastfeed.

In light of this, I wanted to share all of the amazing supplements and products that have been keeping myself and baby happy and healthy throughout pregnancy.

💚BioCare Methyl Pregnancy Multinutrient

High in iron, zinc, lutein, choline, and folate, just 2 capsules a day helps me feel secure that I’m getting all the nutrients I need, alongside my whole foods diet, to support baby’s development.

💚BioCare Pregnancy BioFlora

Considering how compromised the immune system is during pregnancy, this probiotic has been critical in supporting my microbiome - which my baby will go on to inherit during birth!

💚BioCare Vegan Omega 3

Sourced from micro algae, the DHA in this Algal Oil has been crucial for baby’s eye and brain development.

💚Viridian High Potency Magnesium

This has been essential for supporting my muscles during periods of rapid growth, as well as reducing leg cramps, maintaining my blood pressure, and improving my sleep.

💚Electrolyte Fix

This not only helps to keep me hydrated, but maintains levels of amniotic fluid and increases blood volume.

💚Spatone

The difference just 2 sachets a day of this iron-rich water has made to my energy levels is astonishing!

💚Earthie Bonded Mama + Baby Body Butter

Made from all natural, organic ingredients, this butter melts into my skin and has thus far kept my growing bump soft, supple, and stretch mark free.

30/10/2025

It’s been a minute since we last spoke about immune support - since 2023 to be exact! - and with the season change upon us, we’ve had a lot more people walking through our door feeling run down or just outright sick, so we thought it was time to update you on some of our best immune boosters!

🍯MELORA MULTIFLORAL MANUKA WITH LEMON

Containing natural antibiotic qualities, Manuka Honey works to help eliminate pathogenic bacteria in the body, whilst actively supporting healthy bacteria, such as oral and intestinal flora. It’s also really soothing for sore throats and one of the few things suitable for use during pregnancy.

🐝BEE PREPARED MAX STRENGTH IMMUNE FORMULA

With a super-strength combination of Bee Propolis, Olive Leaf, Elderberry, Acerola Cherry, Astaxanthin, Reishi, and Beta Glucans, these plant-sourced capsules offer a high concentrate of immune boosting ingredients.

🍄‍🟫THE HERBTENDER DAILY DEFENCE

Utilising a combination of adaptogens, functional mushrooms, nootropics, and medicinal herbs, such as Reishi, Chaga, and Echinacea, this vegan-friendly blend offers an immune charging super mix to help fortify your defences.

💚DR. NENNINGER HOMEOPATHIC TRIPLE FLU DEFENSE

Uniquely reformulated each year for optimal immune defence against the latest strains and viruses, this completely natural homeopathic blend is suitable for both adults and children (age 2+) and helps to offer protection from issues such as seasonal viruses, as well as respiratory and stomach flu.

🗻KIKI HEALTH HIMALAYAN SHILAJIT

Dating back centuries, this mineral rich resin has long been used for its antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, which have been shown to help your body fight viral infections whilst supporting your immune system.

🤲🏼And to help support you further, we’re offering our followers 10% off any of the products mentioned above until November 6th!

All you need do is save this post and quote ‘IMMUNE10’ when you purchase in-store, or place an order over the phone (yes, we deliver!).

23/10/2025

We were so delighted to be able to co-sponsor last week’s Menopause Event run by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust in celebration of Menopause Awareness Week.

We personally have so many women coming into the store each week seeking guidance and support for perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopausal symptoms, that it means a lot to us to be able to give our support to this organisation.

Alongside Councillor Angela Baker from Edenbridge Town Council - who opened the event - and our fellow co-sponsors Wells Health and Sam Palmer, our store manager Julia and Naturopathic Nutritionist Camilla ( .nutritional_alchemy ) were present to offer advice and goodie bags brimming with amazing supplements and products for all the women who attended.

As such, we’d love to offer our gratitude to the brands that provided us with these wonderful gifts, as well as the Trust for having us in attendance at such an important event. We really appreciate our community and are always looking for ways in which we can contribute, so this felt very fitting. 💛

Let us know in the comments if you were in attendance and what you thought of the event! We’d love to hear from you.

23/10/2025

Although somewhat complex and widely debated, the history of singing bowls is thought to date back to ancient Mesopotamia over 5,000 years ago.

They were originally used as spiritual aids for rituals, meditation, and healing in ceremonies and monasteries throughout places such as Tibet and Nepal, but since the 1970’s they’ve become more popular in the West, due to the increased interest in Eastern philosophies and alternative medicine.

Now Tibetan Singing Bowls are regularly used as a form of sound therapy, helping to deepen meditation and promote relaxation, either by practitioners or individuals at home.

🧠It is thought that the sound and physical vibrations of the singing bowls produce binaural beats, which encourage brain waves, such as beta waves or trance-like theta waves, that act on the energy field of the body, helping to release blockages and reduce the stress hormone cortisol, thereby promoting relaxation.

🔬Research has even showed that just 20 minutes of singing bowl therapy has resulted in improved mental, emotional, and physical health, especially when it comes to issues such as anxiety, stress, depression, insomnia, tension, anger, and confusion, along with high blood pressure and muscle tension.

🧘🏼‍♀️On a spiritual level, the vibrations can offer a focal point during meditation, helping you focus the mind and reach a deeper meditative state, whilst the sound may possible help you feel more at peace and attuned to your inner self and the world around you, enhancing your overall sense of wellbeing.

🤲🏼If you’d like to try a Tibetan Singing Bowl for yourself, we’re offering our followers 10% off until Halloween! Simply save this post and quote the discount code ‘SINGING10’ when purchasing in store, or placing an order over the phone - we’re always happy to post to customers who aren’t local to Sevenoaks!

We have a beautiful selection to choose from, each ranging in tone and colour in accordance with the chakra system and they’re easy to use, whether you’d like one for personal practice, or for offering sound healing during sessions and classes.

Have you experienced the healing power of Singing Bowls? Let us know in the comments! 👇🏼

22/10/2025

16/10/2025

Did you know that it’s not just your gut that has a microbiome? 👀

Even your mouth has an oral microbiome - consisting of a diverse community of over 700 different species of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and archaea - which plays a crucial role in both oral and systemic health by acting as your body’s first line of defence against pathogens.

But how? 🤔

As the mouth is the beginning of the gastrointestinal tract, microbes from the oral cavity can travel to the gut, creating an oral-gut microbiome axis, meaning that your oral health can reflect and influence your gut health.

In addition, oral microbes help convert dietary nitrates into nitric oxide, aiding in the dilation of blood vessels, supporting healthy cardiovascular function, hence any dysbiosis could influence conditions such as heart disease.

And that’s not all…

Research has shown a link between imbalances in the oral microbiome and many inflammation-related conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and even diabetes.

Hence, maintaining a healthy, balanced oral microbiome is essential for overall health!

Yet beyond regular brushing, flossing, and other dental care practices, your diet and lifestyle can also significantly impact your oral microbiome.

Thus, eating a balanced diet, rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds, along with reducing your alcohol intake, and avoiding smoking, can all help.

And did you know that there are even probiotics designed for your oral microbiota!

With over 30 years of research behind them, BioGaia offer Prodentis Lozenges, a probiotic supplement expertly crafted to help maintain your oral health with two premium, patented bacterial strains that are proven to support a balanced oral microbiome.

Swipe to see what else we offer in-store to help support your oral health. 👉🏼

15/10/2025

Does your child struggle with their learning, behaviour, sleep, development or mental health?

Would you like to know simple ways to boost your family’s immune system?

Then this inspiring talk with Lucinda Miller is for you! 🫵🏼

As a best-selling author, naturopath, and child nutrition expert, Lucinda has worked with thousands of families over the years, helping them to support and feed growing bodies and brains, no matter what else they were juggling.

And now she’s offering to share her wisdom with you directly in-person!

So, why not come along for the evening to Sevenoaks School and discover how nourishing young minds with proper food can improve their overall health and well-being.

🔗Tickets available via the link in our story.

08/10/2025

You may have heard about Methylene Blue, but do you know what it is and what it does? 🤔

Let us explain…

As an organic dye, it was first used in 1876 as a textile dye, yet within a few years scientists began using it to stain microorganisms to help diagnose infections.

Then, in 1891, it was found to treat malaria, thus making it the first synthetic compound ever used as an antiseptic in clinical therapy and the first antiseptic dye to be used therapeutically.

Fast-forward to present day and it’s now commonly used as a medication to treat methemoglobinemia - a rare blood condition that affects how red blood cells deliver oxygen throughout the body - along with gonorrhoea, bladder infections, Candida infections, and even Lyme disease, thanks to its disinfectant, anti-viral properties.

But that’s not all…

🫀It’s also been shown to inhibit the effects of nitric oxide (NO), inducing hemodynamic effects in people with vasoplegic syndrome - vasodilative shock that can present as severe hypotension, tachycardia, altered cardiac output, and reduced pulmonary pressure.

🧠It additionally has neuroprotective effects, due to its ability to pe*****te the blood-brain barrier and reduce oxidative stress, thus, researchers have been investigating it for the treatment of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease.

🔋And, as it’s highly soluble in both water and organic solvents, it has the capacity to freely enter cells and various organelles, including the mitochondria, within which it helps facilitate the movement of electrons whilst reducing the production of superoxide molecules - helping to slow cellular aging, including in the brain, along with maintaining energy levels and fighting fatigue.

🔬In conclusion, Methylene Blue has been shown to have diverse therapeutic potential, spanning from cognitive enhancement to anti-aging effects, however, as research is still on-going, we highly recommend consulting a practitioner before taking it.

❌And those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, on serotonin increasing medications (such as SSRIs and SNRIs), or have renal issues should avoid supplementation completely.

02/10/2025

PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) is a vitamin-like anti-oxidant found in certain foods and human breast milk.

It’s responsible for promoting the growth of new mitochondria (the energy-producing centres of cells), helping protect cells from oxidative damage, and supporting energy production.

As such, benefits of either eating foods rich in PQQ or supplementation can include:

🧠BRAIN AND COGNITIVE HEALTH

As PQQ protects brain cells from oxidative damage, it can provide protection, helping to promote cellular survival.

It can also support cognitive function, attention, and memory by increasing blood flow to the cerebral cortex and elevating NGF (nerve growth factor).

It has also been shown to reduce stress and fatigue, helping to promote better sleep quality.

🧬CELLULAR AND METABOLIC FUNCTION

As PQQ stimulates the growth of new mitochondria, it can help enhance energy production and cellular function.

In addition, it can activate AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), a key enzyme involved in glucose uptake and fat metabolism.

🫐ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

PQQ can support circulatory function, as well as overall heart health.

By promoting mitochondrial health it can reduce oxidative stress, slowing the aging process.

It has also been shown to help protect against conditions like osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.

Foods that naturally contain PQQ include: 🫘fermented soybeans (natto), 🫑green peppers, 🥝kiwifruit, 🌱parsley, 🍃spinach, ☕️tea (especially green tea), 🥬cabbage, 🥕carrots, 🥔potatoes, and 🍫dark chocolate.

However, the amount these foods contain is usually only a trace - perhaps 0.1 to 2mg - and may not be sufficient enough to benefit from. Thus, 💊supplementation of 10-20mg daily may be recommended if you’re seeking specific support.

27/09/2025

We’re proud to sponsor this great upcoming event at Sevenoaks School on November 6th, whereby Lucinda Miller will be joining for an inspiring talk on raising neurodivergent children.

If you’d like to attend, tickets are £15 (or £13 for early bird) and available here: https://buytickets.at/stlawrencepta

24/09/2025

Everyone’s been talking about Creatine, but do you really know what it is and what it does? 🤔

Well, let us explain…

Creatine is a compound that comes from three amino acids: glycine, arginine, and methionine.

Through a two-step, two-enzyme process done in the liver and kidneys, these amino acids are combined to form Creatine, which is then transported into the body’s tissues - predominantly the muscles and brain - where it is stored as phosphocreatine (phosphoric acid + Creatine) and used to rapidly regenerate ATP (adenosine triphosphate) - cellular energy.

As such, research has shown that Creatine can:

🏃🏽Increase performance for athletes and those looking to gain muscle mass

🦵🏽Reduce the frequency of dehydration, muscle cramping, and injuries to the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, and nerves

💪🏼Speed up muscle recovery

📈Increase anabolic hormones, such as insulin, human growth hormone (hGH), estrogen, and testosterone, contributing to growth and tissue repair

👩🏻‍🦰Support women with muscle and strength loss during and after menopause

🧠Improve cognitive function and brain health, whilst reducing mental fatigue

🦴Counteract age-related declines in skeletal muscle and bone mineral density

Whilst Creatine is naturally synthesised, it is also found in foods such as red meat and fish, as well as being available through supplementation.

For those on plant-based diets - who may have a reduced Creatine intake in their diet - or who have conditions which affect the metabolism of Creatine, supplementation may be especially beneficial.