Especially Health

12/12/2025

If you’ve been struggling with unexplained bouts of abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and fatigue, then you may be experiencing the symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

As IBS and the fight-or-flight response are deeply linked through the gut-brain axis, when you become stressed or anxious, your body shuts down digestion in order to prioritize its response to a perceived threat.

In the event of an actual, physical threat, this can save your life! However, when your stress is triggered due to something emotional, as the body can’t differentiate between a perceived threat and an actual one, its response is the same.

Over time, if this becomes a regular occurrence, it can lead to gut sensitivity, dysbiosis, continual IBS flare-ups, and eventually something called leaky gut.

Otherwise known as intestinal permeability, this is when the lining of your gut weakens, allowing undigested food particles, toxins, and microbes to leak into the bloodstream, causing inflammation, food sensitivities, fatigue, nutrient deficiencies, and autoimmune issues.

Thus, helping support your nervous system by reducing stress and anxiety can keep IBS at bay. Things such as cranio sacral therapy, yoga, and meditation can help the body relax, whilst supplements and herbs such as magnesium bisglycinate, lemon balm, l-theonine, and ashwagandha, all help with stress response and anxiety.

It’s equally important however to treat the gut once it’s been affected, so getting tested with a bioresonance practitioner or with a naturopath can be helpful, so as to know which supplement or dietary change is required.

Was this helpful? Let us know in the comments below.

05/12/2025

With the festive season in full swing, we thought we’d lighten your load by making gift giving as simple and luxurious as possible! Hence, we’ve sourced a beautiful range of unique items from differing makers, all with an ethical, sustainable, and holistic approach.

Such as the delicious candle selection by Embers + Roots, a family run company that specialise in making hand-poured soy wax candles infused with natural essential oils. Pair with Booja Booja’s luxury hot chocolate and gift to someone who deserves a sumptuous night in.

Alternatively, Cosmic Dealer’s selection of handmade, luxury, organic nut butter filled dark chocolates, make for an indulgent gift. Why not pair them with an ethical and eco-friendly hand-poured soy wax candle and one of Manicurist’s toxin-free nail polish gift sets, for someone truly in need of spoiling!

If you’ve got a skincare lover in your midst, then French brand Caudalie offer a selection of opulent stocking fillers that are both 100% clean and totally effective! Whether you choose their trio of Nourishing Hand Creams, Beauty Elixir combo, or Firming Solution gift set, you’re sure to impress!

For the more spiritually inclined, we have a beautiful selection of ethically sourced sage bundles, palo Santo, and crystal jewellery, all of which would pair nicely with one of our natural coconut shell chakra candles, made from hand-poured soy wax.

But if it’s sweet treats you’re after, then why not try the Crispy Hazelnut Praline Truffles by Rhythm 108, or Booja Booja’s limited edition Winter Special organic truffles, both are delicious and vegan!

And lastly, if you’d like to set your table with crackers that contain something more interesting than jokes and paper hats, then why not treat your dinner guests to a selection from Ancient & Brave. Packed with sachets of some of their best supplements, they’re sure to keep the festivities going beyond the post-dinner slump!

What would make it onto your Christmas list? Let us know in the comments below!

27/11/2025

As the holiday season fast approaches, we know a lot of you will be starting to do your festive shopping.

We also know how convenient online shopping and Black Friday Sales are, but we’d like to ask for your support over the coming period.

Sadly, over the course of the past few years we’ve seen so many of our fellow small and independent businesses disappear from the high street, leaving us with more big, well-known chains, and less and less sense of community.

Please know that every time you choose to shop with a small, local, or independent business or maker, you not only help keep their dreams alive but you also help to maintain the connection and personal touch that can only come with knowing who you’re buying from.

In light of this, we’d like to connect with and support all and any of our fellow small and independent businesses by sharing their accounts, so please mention yourself or anyone you know and love in the comments below and we’ll tag the account in this post!

From all of us at Especially Health, thank you! ❤️

27/11/2025

We’re delighted to be welcoming Reiki practitioner Tanya Smale to our Therapy Room!

Tanya is an Usui Reiki Master Teacher, who first began her Reiki journey over twenty years ago.

If you’re new to the modality, Reiki, meaning ‘Universal Life Force Energy’, is a powerful Japanese energy healing technique, created by Mikao Usui in the early 1900’s, that helps to balance and enhance the body’s energy system, supporting its capacity to heal itself.

It is a relaxing, non-invasive healing treatment, that can be done through gentle touch, or at a distance, and is suitable for all ages and conditions.

Benefits can include:

🤲🏼Deep relaxation

🤲🏼Stress reduction

🤲🏼Improved sleep

🤲🏼Relief from anxiety

🤲🏼Physical healing

🤲🏼Pain relief

🤲🏼The shifting of negative emotions and energies

🤲🏼The balancing and activation of your chakras

🤲🏼Increased spiritual awareness

🤲🏼Inner peace

If this sounds like something you, or someone you know, would benefit from and you’d like to book a session or gain further information, you can contact Tanya directly on 07980 992 410 or email her at tanya.smale@googlemail.com.

20/11/2025

✨ Fancy doing something nourishing with your favourite human this Saturday? ✨

Maybe you and your best friend…your partner-in-chaos…
your soul sister…or that one person who keeps saying, “We really should have a day just for us…”

Well — this might be your sign ✨

This Saturday, we’re hosting our Seasonal Pause Retreat in Tonbridge — a gentle, cosy, soul-softening day designed for slowing down, breathing out, and easing into winter with a full heart.

We’re opening a sweet little offering:
Come as two… and the second place is half price.

(Yes, really! Share the cost, share the calm… maybe even call it an early Christmas gift to yourselves.)

A whole day to step out of the rush, wrap yourselves in softness, and just be — side by side.

Two spaces together: £187.50
(£125 + £62.50)

If you’ve been craving a meaningful day out, a cosy reset, or simply a chance to escape the world with your favourite human… this is your moment.

Booking link: https://liminalconnections.co.uk/Services/kent-day-retreat - choose the option "bring a friend for half price"

Join us this Saturday in Tonbridge 10am -6.30pm

Come soften into the season — together. 🍂✨

20/11/2025

The most abundant protein in the body, collagen provides structural support to tissues like skin, muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments, making it essential for maintaining skin elasticity and healthy joints, whilst also playing a role in tissue repair and other bodily processes.

Whilst your body naturally produces collagen, this production gradually decreases over time, mostly due to aging, but other factors also play a role, such as sun damage, smoking, and lack of nutrients.

A lack of collagen can lead to joint pain and stiffness, muscle loss, delayed wound healing, digestive issues, weak or brittle hair and nails, wrinkles, sagging, and loss of elasticity in the skin.

Whilst certain lifestyle changes, such as increasing hydration, adding collagen-rich foods to your diet, and limiting UV exposure, can all help to increase your body’s natural collagen production, supplementing is another option available to offset decline.

But it can be confusing to know which form is right for you, especially when there are so many options available, from bovine to marine, capsule to powder.

So let’s simplify it!

If you’d like something naturally flavoured and free from refined sugar, that’s clinically researched, as well as being convenient and easy to take, then let us introduce you to our new range!

Made from hydrolysed marine peptides, Essentia Natura’s science-backed, high-potency liquid collagen supplements offer high bioavailability and easy absorption for the gut, whilst:

✴️Lubricating your joints

✴️Building connective tissue

✴️Healing injuries

✴️Promoting healthier, stronger, younger-looking skin, hair, and nails

✴️Regulating your body’s metabolism

✴️Reducing inflammation

✴️Supporting hormone balance

✴️Improving digestion

Choose between:

🔆Essentia Natura Collagen Resilience Liquid Supplement - A high potency formula combining type II collagen, glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, and Vitamin D3, to help maintain healthy joints.

🔆Essentia Natura Collagen Brilliance Liquid Supplement - A blend of marine collagen, hyaluronic acid, a Vitamin B complex, and Vitamin C, aimed at hydrating the skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

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