My Year of Restoration from the Inside Out

A personal reflection on listening to my body, testing, and long-term health

 

I’ve been sitting with this for a while, and today felt like the right day to finally put it into words.

It’s officially been a year since I started my journey with BalanceOil omega -3 oil, and I wanted to say a huge thank you to every single one of you who, over the last 12 months, has had a test, bought products, supported me, or committed to a subscription. Some of you have been quietly consistent, some curious, some sceptical at first and I value all of you more than you know.

I also wanted to share, honestly and from the heart, what this last year has meant to me personally.

When I started, I was deep in menopause symptoms. Hot flushes, restless legs, broken sleep, aching joints, and gut issues I’d lived with for nearly 30 years that had always been labelled as “IBS” with the advice to “eat more fibre”. I didn’t feel great, I didn’t sleep well, and if I’m honest, I don’t think I looked great either.

Fast forward to now, and so much has changed.

My hot flushes have gone.

The restless legs have stopped.

My sleep is so much better (with the odd disturbed night, usually around moon cycles).

I still take the oil daily, along with the gut powder and the xtend multivitamins.

The biggest shift, though, has been my gut.

After nearly 30 years of pain, bloating and discomfort and planning life around food, I finally understand that it wasn’t “just IBS”. It was gut dysbiosis and chronic inflammation. By calming that inflammation and feeding the good bacteria properly, my gut has settled in a way I genuinely didn’t think was possible.

For the first time in almost three decades, I can enjoy meals out without anxiety. I’m virtually pain-free. That still feels incredible to write.

What’s also made me smile is how often I now bump into people around Holmes Chapel who say,

“Oh, you’re looking well.”

Which always makes me think… how rough did I look before?! Years of broken sleep, swollen joints and constant gut issues clearly take their toll more than we realise.

One moment that really stuck with me was at a recent eye check. The optician asked how my eye floaters were, and I honestly said, “What eye floaters?” She reminded me that I’d mentioned them a lot at my last visit. She smiled and said, “You’re taking a good quality omega-3 now, aren’t you?”

I walked out of that room like a peacock, straight over to my husband, so proud. It’s those quiet little confirmations that really matter.

And touch wood, I haven’t had a cold, cough or flu for over 12 months now. Anyone who knows me knows I used to go from one cold straight into another, sometimes with symptoms lingering for months. That alone feels like a small miracle.

Lastly energy. I use to suffer with big energy lows in the afternoons plus I would regularly at a weekend crash with complete brain overload. I would not be able to function for 24 hours till my brain rebooted. I am please to say, I not longer feel that week. I am able to copy with stressful events in a much stronger way.

Late last autumn, Zinzino also launched their Gut Health Test, which looks at how well your gut microbiome is functioning and how diet and lifestyle are influencing inflammation, immunity and overall balance. It’s a simple finger-prick test done at home, but the insight it gives can be genuinely life-changing.

Alongside this, I’ve been exploring other products that support health more deeply as we age. X-Gold has supported my joints and inflammation response, while spirulina-based products like SpiruMax+ and PhycoSci+ support energy, immunity and cellular nourishment. Zinzino’s Collagen Boozt, with marine collagen, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, supports skin, connective tissue and hydration from the inside out.

Looking ahead, I also wanted to share something exciting happening behind the scenes. Zinzino has announced a major investment into advanced algae technology and bioreactors, with the aim of securing a future, sustainable supply of omega-3 for BalanceOil+. Fish oil is a finite resource, and this move is about future-proofing omega-3 using plant-based microalgae while maintaining the polyphenol-rich, omega-balancing approach Zinzino is known for. It very much feels like a “watch this space” moment.

A quick note as well for those of you on subscription, many people don’t realise that Zinzino operates a rewards system called ZinoCash. Each time you place a subscription order, your postage costs are credited back into your personal account as ZinoCash, which you can see building up in your dashboard. Some people already have £50 or more sitting there ready to use against free single product purchases. A few clients have also chosen to share this with friends and family, and through the Zinzino4Free option are now receiving their own oil at no cost.

If you’d like to understand a bit more about ZinoCash or the Zinzino4Free option, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly, I’m always happy to explain.

And on a more personal note, I’ve also been back in touch with The Good Food Company to see if I might be able to have another stall at the next Barbara O’Neill event in Cranage, I’m just waiting to hear back. I was also shortlisted for the Happy Place Festival in Knutsford and London, so fingers crossed for 2027.

I’m sharing all of this not to make promises or claims, but simply to be open and honest about my own journey. This past year has changed how I feel in my body, how I live day-to-day, and how hopeful I feel about ageing well.

Thank you for being part of that journey with me. Truly.

With love,

Vicky