I am always asked to recommend stuff so here are some of my favourite things for you, based on over 30 years’ experience. There are also tons of recommendations in the blog posts and A-Z factsheets on this site. Enjoy x
Retiring, but loads of help still here!
I have now retired from Purehealth, but I have left my site, books, newsletters etc all up so that you can still access all this lovely info from the last 30 years! I won’t be updating it now, but there is a LOT of really good info here still. Check My Favourites page for where to find info, supplements, tests, practitioners, courses and more. Anything I think could help. And Start Here if you’re not sure where to start with your symptom or condition.
Please continue to support me by using the links, which might give me a bit of commission and you some discounts, and you can buy me a coffee here if you feel moved to.
You can still follow me here.
Bless your cotton socks from me. Thanks for all your love, support and fun over the past 30-odd years. I will miss you, Micki x
Fave Lab Tests
The test service is now closed, sorry! Many of the labs require a practitioner order so you will need to talk with whoever has your case. If you need a repeat/progress test via eg. Viva, Regenerus, Genova etc, contact them and they will suggest a practitioner who can order for you. Remember that many tests can be done via your GP.
Regenerus/Omnos now require you to use a practitioner to order – you can find one here.
I will always prefer practitioner-level labs like Genova, Regenerus, Viva, Inuvi etc. Remember that your results are only valid and useful if they are done well. There are a lot of test companies springing up and I am not certain about the validity of results of most of them at all. However, these seem to be good from experience or what I’ve heard from other practitioners. Try these if you just want a test and not necessarily a consultation first:
Medichecks (affiliate link, this supports me if you use it).
Randox do some excellent well woman and well man tests.
Thriva – never used them, but have a look.
These resources are helpful for seeing what markers mean. HealthMatters and Lab Tests Online UK. Also, check out Rupa Health for more functional medicine analysis. But, as always, be led by whoever has your case as it’s often all in the interpretation. Just looking at results that say ‘normal’ or ‘within reference range’ can be misleading. In general, the reference range is an average. You may not be average! If a marker is in the upper or lower quartile of the reference range, consider of symptoms suggest there could still be an issue.
Fave Supplements, Herbals and Homeopathics
Practicals: If buying supplements through Natural Dispensary, please use Micki Rose during registration when prompted. If using Amrita, use this code to register for access to advanced products, no need to do it again then: 4Y2AE7.
SIGN UP FOR DISCOUNTS.. Anyone who subscribes here on Substack will get an email with loads of discounts as a pressie from me. I can’t publish them all on here as that’s not fair to other practitioners, sorry.
Gosh, so many! For now, go to my fave supplier here; you’ll not go wrong there as they are professional standard aimed at practitioners. Please use Micki Rose when registering and I get a tiny commission, thank you. For a good all-round supplement programme, see the Wellbeing Protocol here. Don’t forget to check out the zillions of factsheets, books and blog posts where I constantly recommend stuff too. Use the search button above to find what you need easily.
If you’re confused and need more than the Wellbeing protocols, here are some really good ranges; just choose stuff from them and you’ll be getting good stuff. (I polled my practitioner forums to ask which were their favourite recommendations, I thank you ;))
Pure Encapsulations came top – by far. They are professional standard, not cheap but will do the job properly. Personally, I use a lot of Apex – again, professional, advanced quality and many are designed by Dr Datis Kharrazian, whose advanced functional medicine training I have done a lot of.
Remember the value of supplements is in how much you need to take for how long and whether it actually does what you want it to. Most supplements are not that great and would take large doses for ages to actually make some significant changes. So, it pays, literally, to get stuff that works.
I usually say take for 12 weeks and then review as it takes 1 month to get enough in, 1 month for your body to notice and 1 month for cellular change to happen. Obviously, this is all with the caveat of getting advice if you’re on other meds etc from whoever has your case.
If Pure Encaps is too expensive for your budget, then I would look at Biocare. Great mid-range, but very well-researched and I’ve recommended them for many years. They’re cheaper – obvs not in the realms of really awful stuff you can get on the High Street – you may as well flush a lot of it down the loo IMHO!
Of course, no range does everything you want – that would make life FAR too easy, wouldn’t it? So, start with those above and also consider Viridian, Metagenics (was Nutri) and Nutrigold.
For TGF (TrulyGlutenFree) grain, corn and dairy free specific supplements, check the free TGF Master List (ear in mind we are no0 longer updating these so do your due diligence, always!). We tend to go a lot for Pure Encaps, ARG and Biotics, but there is no one range that is TGF-safe, sadly.
Herbals
Zen Maitri I was going to make a load of herbal balms and blends for you myself. And then I came across these and their products are just as good and pure as I would have made them. Made by medical herbalists so the levels of ‘actives’ in them are enough to do what they say they will. My favourites are the balms, tinctures and blends.
Other herbal supplement ranges – see the supplement brands recommended above, but also I really like SHS and Fushi.
Napiers Herbalists are really useful too and have a vast range. Click on the image below.
Homeopathics
The best ranges come from Helios, Weleda, Ainsworths, Heels and Guna. Use COMPLEX5 for Guna shop items to get 5% discount for Purehealth customers (not the main remedies). Ainsworths has a good remedy selector here. They also do flower remedies and pet homeopathics, as do Guna. Helios can also get the brilliant Heels remedies (like Traumeel, Hormeel etc), or ask me and I can get those or Guna remedies delivered to you.
Here’s how to take homeopathic remedies. It’s always a good idea to get advice from a homeopath and you can find well-qualified ones here.
Fave Functional Medicine Practitioners
I highly recommend you use a Kharrazian Institute trained practitioner – everyone who has done Datis Kharrazian’s advanced functional medicine training agrees it knocks spots off any other – I have done a lot of it myself, of course! They tend to work virtually but some have actual clinics. They will not be the cheapest, as they are the best-trained, but they are the best value because they will get you much better more quickly usually. You can find practitioners in several countries, including the UK here.
Generally, I would advise anyone who has done the KI training – but if you use eg. BANT, check what specialisms they have and bear in mind that some of them might have done some KI courses but not got the certification yet.
Here are a couple to consider and start you off:
Muriel Wallace-Scott, good for AI/MCAS https://www.theautoimmuneclinic.co.uk
Ruth Etches has a team here in Cornwall but works virtually: https://www.rehealthclinic.co.uk/
Fave Videos
I am starting to add fave videos I think you might like to the Extras playlist on my Youtube channel. You’ll find my videos there too. Here they are.
Fave Skincare
Truly non-toxic toiletries to help you lower your toxic load and really feed your skin rather than stick (hidden) chemicals on it. What we put onto our bodies as well as in them, is crucial for wellbeing. Below are my favourite ranges – and I used to be a free from skincare judge, so I do know my onions here! Much more info and tips in the Pure Skincare handout I’ve done for you here.
Weleda. This is the range we used to stock and recommend the most in the dispensary. It is quite simply inexpensive, very effective, ethical and truly non-toxic so it gets my vote every time. If you are looking for an everyday but beautiful non-toxic range for the whole family, use this.
Green People. Fabulous stuff. I particularly rate the suncare, scent-free, dental and make-up ranges.
Inlight Beauty. This is a fabulous brand and certainly not your average skincare products. Extremely effective, smells gorgeous, miron glass, a little goes a very long way. Pretty much everything is TGF safe – grain, corn and dairy free. Use PUREHEALTH when ordering to get 15% off your first order (full size)!
Akamuti. A lovely handmade organic brand. The first TGF safe one I found. I especially like the Evening Primrose Face Cream and Orange Cleanser. Lots of balms, soaps and haircare.
Fave Books
I’m gradually building a list of my favourite books for you. Check it out on Bookshop.org, which supports local booksellers and the writers more than Amazon, but if you prefer to use eg. Kindle, all good; you can use my Amazon link here. And, of course, there are the books I’ve written too. Just sayin’. You’ll find them all here.
Fave Recipes
See my Pinterest boards here – thousands of healthy and freefrom/special diet ideas there for you to try. Michelle also has a load of freefrom recipes on her FoodMatters site. Check the Books above too where I’ve put some of my fave cookbooks.
My Fave Healing Programmes
I’ve written a whole factsheet on Brain Retraining, Limbic Impairment, Nervous System Reset programmes here so do check that out.
Primal Trust is by far the best IMHO – it’s a nervous system re-regulation, vagal-toning, limbic-calming, brain neuroplasticity type programme. It’s a so-called top-down and bottom-up programme so very different to most brain retraining programmes which just do neuroplasticity.
It’s very supportive and there are lots of classes you can do/people you can talk to or buddy up with. Start with the new 40 day programme where they send you a daily practice of 4-7 minutes – a fab way to develop a consistent practice (coming Feb 26). Then, repeat if that suits you, or continue with the level 1 Regulate – I advise it nowadays as the first approach to take with any chronic illness, especially any not resolving with usual approaches and anything involving hypersensitivity of any kind – food, chemicals, meds etc.
Use code PUREHEALTH10 to get 10% off – yay! Try Primal Trust for a month or pay as you go. Or, choose a better value 5 month or a 12 month package when you feel ready.
Gupta is my second choice for brain retraining, although I don’t feel it is as comprehensive as Primal Trust. Re-Origin also seems good.
My Fave Tech
Sensate is the wearable vagus nerve toning device I recommend in my Healing Plan. It uses vibrations and sound to destress your nervous system and build resilience. You switch it on, connect it to the Sensate app on your phone or desktop, select a soundscape, pop it round your neck so it rests on your breastbone and lie back whilst it vibrates.
If you’ve no idea what the vagus nerve is or why you need it to be nice and strong, check my Vagus Factsheet out. Trust me: it is absolutely crucial for healing, especially of any chronic illness. There are loads of different vagal devices about – I chose this one as it is the gentlest – some devices I have found can overstimulate and, in stress or chronic conditions, you need gentle! It’s can also support limbic programmes like Gupta (that link will give you a discount) and Primal Trust.
You can read all about Sensate and, if you use this link, you will get 10% off, yay! I truly hope it helps.
Nurosym is the next stage vagus nerve device I like, once you have got used to Sensate. Some people can go straight to this level, of course. If you’re not a hypersensitive person, then this would be a good one to start with. I did a lot of research on vagus devices and I like this one. This link will give you a 5% discount specially for Purehealth peeps. I’ve put some articles about it here for you:
If you happen to be in Europe, my research suggested this German tVNS was the best vagus device overall – but is also the most expensive, of course. They do not ship to the UK because of Brexit! The difference here is the vagus nerve is stimulated at a different point of the ear to eg. Nurosym, so is more effective – but that might also mean more overstimulation for hypersensitives. I always advise you build up with vagus work.
Cronometer is excellent for tracking your diet. As is Carb Manager if you are diabetic, keto or lowering your carbs.
Fave Exercises
You don’t have to spend hours sweating it out in the gym to get fit. Studies show it’s all about consistency. Simply doing 10 minutes most days is enough to make a huge difference. And that’s why I wrote the free 10 Minute Mind and Body Exercise ebook for you. Read it, start it and reap the benefits of an added 60 hours’ more exercise a year in such a simple, quick fashion.
The best exercise DVD ever in my opinion, is Elle Macpherson’s The Body Workout. Been going for years and still tops the charts. You can find it on YT if you’ve not got a DVD player. Bit fuzzy, but still good. I still do many of the exercises now with my weights almost daily.
I love Lee Holden’s Qi Gong classes and courses. He teaches the more modern version of Qi Gong and I recommend him in my Healing Plan. I do the 10 or 20 minute morning or evening sessions really regularly. This is nice and easy as you can stream it free on You Tube here (morning) and here (evening). But try following a full programme – just fab. You can see more from Lee Holden here.
If you prefer a more traditional approach – I do switch sometimes – I love this one, but you’ll need a DVD player! You can find good ones on You Tube here too. I like the 8 pieces of brocade set of movements best in the DVD – here’s a lady doing that, although I wish she wouldn’t stand so close to the water!!
You can find more ideas on my Exercise page in the A-Z.
Fave Courses for Practitioners
Kharrazian Institute. Every time.