Body Butter Heaven Scent Angel Essence

Posted on February 20, 2010 by admin

SHEA BODY BUTTER HEAVEN SCENT ANGEL ESSENCE

Use & Recommend BODY PRODUCTS WITH SHEA BUTTER

The Savannah is a term that invokes thoughts of dry dusty areas of land, sparse vegetation and a difficult way of life for its inhabitants, it is a term used to describe areas of land situated between tropical rainforest and desert.
In the Savannahs of West and Central Africa there grows a tree called the Mangifolia tree which produces a nut called a Karite Nut, Shea butter is extracted from the kernel of the nut creating a a very natural non toxic product.
It is normally done by hand and involves African women in the collecting and processing, this is a long, laborious and arduous task.

The Karite Nut Tree has a long life, it is a valuable asset as most of the tree has some use, its bark and nuts are both used in traditional medicine to help in the relief of symptoms associated with common illnesses, the shell of the nut has been used to repel mosquitoes, the vegetable oil extracted by crushing the nut is used in soap making and cooking besides the uses we know for skin and hair care.
We all love moisturisers and have been buying beauty products for years, but the introduction of Shea butter has brought a new meaning to the beauty market, most shops specialising in beauty products will now have products on the shelf containing this valuable ingredient.

Shea butter’s rich and creamy consistency has ensured it a place in many body massage products as well as soap, shampoos, lip and skin care products, anti-wrinkle and hand creams.

Shea butter also has healing properties, a natural moisturiser with high levels of vegetable fats it helps to heal damaged skin and protect against the suns ultraviolet rays, its use on a daily bases can delay the fine lines and wrinkles associated with ageing, it is known to help prevent skin cancer and reduce the affects from harmful smog and chemicals in the atmosphere.

Our Shea butters are fragranced with Lavender, Rose, Relaxing and Self Indulgent and Angel Essence they are sourced from sustainable natural sources; the production of Shea butter helps the women of Nigeria, Ghana and neighbouring areas to improve their quality of life in one of the poorest countries in the world.

Benefits to the areas from which we source our body butters include the introduction of clean and sustainable water supplies, changing rural communities and providing an education to the sons and daughters of the workers.


To view our full range of Shea butters and other products please go the link

Shea Body Butters

Research for this article has been done though the internet via Google and the internet geography website.

Posted in Bath and Body Products | 9 Comments

Restless Legs Syndrome

Posted on August 31, 2009 by admin

  RESTLESS LEG SYNDROM

 It is often overlooked but (RLS) is fairly common, it is a disorder that affects the movement and sleep pattern. This condition can have unpleasant sensations which causes and overwhelming urge in their legs to move.
 
Going back over the ages (RLS) was recognised as early as the 17th century, but in the 1940’s a Dr Karl Axel Ekbom first described what restless leg syndrome was, and so the condition has from time to time be called Ekbon syndrome.

Over 1.5 million people in the U.K. suffer from (RLS) which is 3% of the adult population, but that could be a lot higher. Women can be more likely to suffer (RLS), but it usually tends to affect most people as they get older.
 
Restless leg syndrome can be caused by inactivity, which leads to an uncomfortable sensation, but by moving it can improve. It is usually in the evening when (RLS) is more noticeable which can cause you to loose sleep.

Not every body has the same level of (RLS) it can vary from person to person, to some people it is just uncomfortable or irritating, while to other people it can be more severe which can cause distress or disabling, (RLS) is not life threatening but it can have cause a severe impact on your life from day to day.
 
Some symptoms of (RLS) include:-

An controllable urge to move the legs.

Sensations that is uncomfortable deep in the legs. 

Your sleep is disturbed or you have difficulty getting to sleep.

Where your leg movements are involuntary (jumping legs) that happen through the night.

Restless leg syndrome is where you have this uncontrollable urge to move the legs and you get an uncomfortable feeling which can be tingling or a pricking sensation in the legs, it has been said that it is like an electric current sensation or bones that are itching. These symptoms only usually occur when you are resting either by, sitting, sleeping or just laying down, and by moving your legs the relief is only temporary. It is at early evening when (RLS) usually begins and can get worse during the night.

 Up to 85% of the people with (RLS) may have what is called Periodic Movement Disorder; this is where there is jerky leg movements in the lower leg (calves) and the feet, again these only usually occur at night time

People with mild (RLS) symptoms they may occur just occasionally and cause you minimal sleep interruption and very little distress. However, in severe cases of (RLS) you can get repeat symptoms up to 2 to 3 times a week, were your sleep is disrupted severely which in turn can lead to you being tired during the day. It is not only you that suffers; it can also have an affect on your partner if you suffer from (RLS) during the night, which can have an impact on your day- to-day life, for example working or your personal life.
  
What causes Restless Leg Syndrome is not known, but test suggest that it could be related to an imbalance of a chemical in the brain called dopamine. Dopamine is a substance that occurs naturally and it affects movement. At night our levels of dopamine fall and this could explain why the symptoms of (RLS) are more often worse in the evening and during the night.

Restless Leg Syndrome could also be caused by the lack of iron that is very essential in the production of dopamine.

There are classes of RLS one is primary and the other secondary.
  
PRIMARY RLS
  
This occurs naturally and can start at any age, most of the time it starts in our early adult life, giving us fairly mild and occasional symptoms. As we get older however the symptoms can get more frequent and a lot more severe, which leads to a badly disturbed sleep, this usually occurs beyond 50 years of age.</p>

Primary RLS can run in families this is backed up by research, in one case it was found that people aged under 45 who developed (RLS), half of the immediate family were also known to have the condition, but, people who were over 45 years of age only 10% of their relatives were affect with restless leg syndrome.

SECONDARY RLS
  
If you think you may have (RLS) then the secondary can occur, this is a complication of another condition.
  
Do you have any of the following symptoms?

An urge to move your legs, this can be accompanied by or caused by very unpleasant or uncomfortable sensations?

Does resting bring the symptoms on, are the sensations getting worse when you rest or when you are not as active, lying or sitting down?

Getting up and moving around, when you walk or stretch your legs does this relieve the sensation? 

Are the evening and nights worse than those during the day, or does it only occur evenings and nighttime?

If your answer to the above questions was yes, there could a strong possibility that you could RLS. A visit to your GP will help with a diagnosis, he will look at your medical history and ask questions, don’t be embarrassed in discussing your symptoms with him, it will help in the end to know for sure if you have RLS and whether it is mild or how severe the conditions is, he is there to help.

CHANGE TO YOUR LIFESTYLE. 

There are a number of thing you could do to help ease the symptoms.

Try to cut down your intake of caffeine, tobacco and alcohol. 

 Stopping smoking will help a lot.

Having daily exercise walking, maybe riding a bike etc.

Trying to get a regular sleep pattern will help, going to bed and getting up the same time every day, try not to have a sleep in the afternoons, set some time aside to relax before you go to bed, avoid such stimulants as caffeine etc. before bedtime.

If you are taking medication that you think might be triggering RLS, continue but make an appointment with your GP.

Methods to help with RLS. 

Try stretching the legs then massaging the legs to give relief.

A hot or a cold compress directly to the muscles will help.

A hot bath in the evening or before bedtime will relax the muscles. 

Distracting your mind by reading a good book, magazine or just watching something good on the television.
 
RLS due to IRON DEFICIENCY ANAEMIA

If this is the case then by taking iron tablets it could help to reduce the symptoms, if you’re RLS is caused by being pregnant then usually the symptoms of RLS will disappear within one month of giving birth.

You should also try to have a good sleep pattern this should help to reduce the disruption that is caused by restless leg syndrome during night time. 

A quiet and comfortable sleeping environment is a must. 

Try to avoid late nights and to go to sleep and wake up the same times every day.

Don’t exercise before bedtime.

Try not to eat late at night or drink anything which contains caffeine late at night.

Don’t give in to naps during the day.-

Relax as much as possible before bedtime either by having a warm relaxing bath or a nice hot milky drink.

Products in our range that have been developed specially to help with this distressing condition are the creams containing essential oils and herbs, follow this link Restless Legs to accesss this page.

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Posted in Restless Legs | 11 Comments

Alternative Medicine / Herbal Remedies

Posted on July 21, 2009 by admin

Understanding about Herbal Remedies and their place in modern medicine is still misunderstood by a lot of people, this is written to give a brief overview of their place in modern society.

What is today referred to as Alternative Medicine was once the only way that people had to help them through their illnesses, regardless of their wealth and position in society.

From our earliest records people found that using certain plants and herbs helped to alleviate the symptoms for certain aliments and injuries, helping with the natural healing processes within the body. As the years have gone by people are now returning more and more too alternative medicine / herbal remedies because they have the natural qualities and ingredients with no added chemicals and associated side effects. Herbal and natural does not always mean a total removal of side effects as with any type of treatment there is always a possibility of a reaction due to the natural chemicals within each individual being in different proportions and having differing tolerances, the old adage “one persons cure can be another’s poison” still has relevance today, even modern medicines do not suit everyone the same.

Herbal and natural solutions can still have certain side effects just the same as you can have from taking ordinary medicine, at the end of the day it is up to you to act responsibly and apply small amounts of toiletries, cosmetics, creams, and oils. Drinks, tablets and liquids should start with small amounts before committing to the full dosage, you should limit the type and amount to that which you think is better for you. Whilst we still need our doctors and their pills and potions for severe and chronic illnesses treating our ailments with out the use of antibiotics is now proving to be beneficial not just to the patient but in restricting the virus from mutating..

I know from experience that alternative medicine / herbal remedies do work, a friend I know had trouble walking she bought some herbal remedy pain relief cream Blue Stuff and used this on her knee, the pain went away but it has not cured her, that will only happen if she has an operation, she knows this but in her mind the pain had gone and she could move around again and this made her feel better.

Alternative medicine / herbal remedies are not claimed to cure but they help with allsorts of problems from small to large, if the result of their use is to make us feel better and maybe improve our well-being maybe that’s a good thing.

Use this link to return directly to our Arthritis remedies page.

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Your comments would be appreciated.

Posted in Welcome Page | 65 Comments

Arthritis conditions now exceed over 100 types.

Posted on June 16, 2009 by admin

About.com:Arthritis

A recent report by Carol & Richard Eustice, in About.com is bringing into context the various different types of Arthritis, the disease now covers over 100 different diseases and conditions.

These include the common types that most people encounter like arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia.

The disease which is diagnosed in 1 in 5 Americans is expected to increase as the population ages.

Carol and Richard in their report are concerned that the level of information given to people who think they might have some symptoms however minor needs to be given more priority, as early diagnosis can lead to better control.

With the number of variations in the disease they consider early symptoms do not always give a clear diagnosis and may cause overlap between the various types.

The about.com site has some very useful screening pages which let you check out your particular type of arthritis and would be worthwhile visiting as a first check.

Whilst we have tried to find natural herbal based products , some of our herbal remedies for arthritis have been well received helping to alleviate pain and discomfort, they are not to be considered replacement for a true diagnosis, as Carol and Richard have discussed there are so many different conditions, whilst these remedies are known and recommended by our users they can not be relied on in place of a true medical investigation.

One lady actually told her medical practitioner about our Blue Stuff and how much it helped her by reducing the pain, it now allowed her to walk more easily, even though she needs an operation to effect a cure.

Return directly to our Arthritis remedies page. Use the Home link to return to our home page.

Posted in Arthritis | 16 Comments

Link to Eczema and Asthma

Posted on June 6, 2009 by admin

Link to Eczema and Asthma

According to a report by the BBC on their site news.bbc.co.uk research carried out in the US by the Washington University School of Medicine has confirmed a link between eczema and asthma.

When investigating the substances excreted from eczema wounds they found that thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is present.

The same substance, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), is also produced in the lungs of asthma patients.

It is considered in the report that existing drugs for the treatment of (TSLP) may be used to treat asthma even where there is no link to eczema.

Tests carried out on mice seem to confirm that the skin damaged by eczema secretes TSLP and once the body responds it can affect the lungs.

Lead researcher Dr Raphael Kopan said: “We are excited because we’ve narrowed down the problem of atopic march to one molecule.”

Dr Elaine Vickers of Asthma UK said: “This is the first piece of research to suggest that the natural protein TSLP could play a direct role in causing people with eczema to develop asthma.

The full report is on the BBC website Eczema’s link to asthma uncovered

Headed: –

The report stresses that whilst the research is in early stages of development and has only been tested on mice, its possibilities are exciting but any eventual benefits to humans has yet to be proven.

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Please use this link to return to our dedicated Eczema remedies page.

 

Posted in Eczema | 10 Comments

Helpful New Drugs to Treat Arthritis

Posted on June 3, 2009 by admin

The Mail has released a new article explaining the new developments made by Israeli scientists who are at the leading edge of technology into developing a new drug which works like a vaccine, whilst not proclaiming a cure they appear to be effective in soothing joint pain and reducing swelling.

There is also developments in the US and the UK at the University of Newcastle.

The Arthritis Research Campaign (ARC) is also mentioned for its work on anti-TNF drugs.

The full article can be found on the Mail website under

The drug that helps your body defeat arthritis

The spring edition of the ARC magazine carries its own very interesting article on anti-TNF drugs.

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Posted in Arthritis | Tagged | 9 Comments

All About Parabens

Posted on April 30, 2009 by admin

PARABENS: – is their use safe and how does the media hype stack up against the facts?

Paraben’s found naturally and synthetically are an effective preservative; because of their low cost and long history of safe use their popularity in many products has created consumer awareness.

Whilst scientific studies have not proven they are harmful an increasing number of individuals and organisations are increasingly objecting to their everyday use.

Hydroxybenzoic acid is the base for Paraben’s, it is also from this that the name derived.

Common paraben’s include methylparaben E218 ethylparaben E214 propylparaben E216 and butylparaben. Less common paraben’s include isobutylparaben, isopropylpararben, benzylparaben and their sodium salts.

Some paraben’s are found naturally in plant sources such as methylparaben from the blueberry shrub where it acts as an antimicrobial agent.

Synthetically produced Paraben’s are used in commercial applications; some are identical to those found in nature. They are produced by the estification of parahydroxybenzoic acid with the appropriate alcohol.

Hydroxybenzoic acid is in turn produced industrially using potassium phenoxide and carbon dioxide.

The low toxicity profile of these Paraben’s, with a recorded history of safe use means they are considered to be safe, however, a few recent studies have begun to challenge this view.

These studies have shown that they are rapidly absorbed when tested on the acute, subtonic and chronic effects in rodents.

These studies have also found them to be practically non-toxic, rapidly absorbed and excreted.

Their uses by individuals with normal skin have for the most part proved them to be both non-irritating and non-sensitising.

Paraben’s can however cause skin irritation and contact dermatitis in individuals with Paraben allergies, cases have arisen where they have been known to affect a small percentage of the general population.

Studies on breast tumours indicate a Paraben’s were found in samples but the validity of this studies conclusions have been debated in the scientific literature, this study has been responsible for fuelling the belief that Paraben’s in underarm deodorants have migrated though the lymph glands and the breast tissue and contributed to the development of the tumours.

There is no evidence to support that a link with cancer has ever been proven or indeed a link with any known form of cancer.

Their effects on the male or female breast or male reproductive tract being linked to cancer is highly implausible as a recent review found it is biologically unfounded that Paraben’s could increase the risk, even in the worst-case where daily exposure to Paraben’s would present substantially less risk than relative exposure to naturally occurring Paraben’s in the diet.

In conclusion there is no good scientific evidence that use of cosmetics that include Paraben’s such as antiperspirants increase the risk of cancer, this conclusion has not silenced the critics, whilst the debate continues the consensus of Public Interested bodies is that there needs to be more research.

Because of the controversy surrounding Paraben’s we have selected products where their use is known to be none or to be of very little consequence
Use this link to go direct to our Bath and Body Products where you can view our range of Paraben free products.
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Posted in Parabens | 23 Comments

Welcome

Posted on April 30, 2009 by admin

Welcome to our Blog, hopefully here you will find something of use either about our products and services, our ingredients, or just helpful news items and information.

We are here to help and welcome comments about our website, the products or questions relating to them.

The various information about particular ailments and ingredients is not always our own research, we have taken our findings from goverment and private research centres and condensed it. As far as we know the information is correct at the time we publish it, but we do not claim to be the original authors.

On the right is our list of categories to which we are continually adding new information, now you have taken the time to find us please browse and give us any feedback you feel relevant.

Use the Home link to return to our home page.

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Arthritis

Posted on March 31, 2009 by admin

Everyday someone is diagnosed with Arthritis, it could be something simple as a painful joint or more serious like “you will not be able to work anymore, as the Arthritis gets worse you will be confined to a wheel chair”. This is not a situation any of us would like to find ourselves in, our new site aims to help with problems and also provide a forum for discussion.

Return directly to our Arthritis remedies page. Use the Home link to return to our home page.

Posted in Arthritis | 5 Comments

Eczema Types and Grades

Posted on February 24, 2009 by admin

Eczema is a form dermatitis causing inflammation of the outermost layers of the skin. There are many types of eczema, which range from the mild to the persistent skin conditions. These can include dryness and recurring skin rashes, eczema symptoms are redness, skin swelling, itching blistering, dryness, flaking, crusting, and cracking skin, sometimes the skin becomes sore and will weep or bleed, it is often red and painful.

Eczema can often be found where the joints are in your body, for example the elbow or wrist or at the back of the knee. Where it affects babies is mostly on their faces, particularly the cheeks.

There are two sorts of eczema atopic and contact. The most common form of eczema is Atopic, which often tends to develop in our childhood sometimes even just after being born. Many children who get eczema do grow out of it as they get older, but sometimes it is possible that it will return when they become adults. It tends to run in families, it is known that if you are susceptible to other atopic conditions such as hay fever or asthma then you are more likely to get eczema.

Contact eczema usually just affects adults; it is mostly caused by being in contact with a type of allergen such as nickel, or some substances that can irritate the skin, like detergents, certain soaps, perfumes, lubricating and coolant oils as used in industry.

There is a less common form of eczema which affects the scalp and the eye-lashes which are like a severe type of dandruff, this type can also cause circular patches of eczema on any part of the body.

Bacteria that may live on the skin can aggravate the eczema causing you to scratch which breaks the skin, once broken it allows the bacteria in, this in turn intensifies the irritation.

Many people find that certain things make their eczema worse these may include:-Emotional or physical stresses, illness, certain foods that they eat, women have been known to react to their menstrual cycle, even a change in the climate can effect the skins reaction, and sufferers should be wary of any changes to their skin condition whilst in warm or high humidity climates.

You can help yourself by: trying not to scratch, wear loose cotton clothing, try to reduce stress and monitor things which affects your eczema, by avoiding these you can better control your eczema,

Even when the eczema is under control, using a daily moisturiser on the skin will help to prevent it becoming dry, creams that soften the skin and soothe keeping your skin hydrated such as our Multipurpose Skin Cream for mild cases. More specific eczema skin problems are catered for using our EC range of creams.

We also provide skin softening oils that can also be used in the bath water. Certain creams can also be used as a substitute for soap.

Itchy skin is the main symptom of eczema, we know that itching is common in other conditions; although it is an essential symptom for eczema; it is not specific and it does not always indicate that it is eczema.

Increased redness of the skin means an increase in blood flow. When skin is inflamed blood vessels widen which increases the flow of blood making the skin red, particularly noticeable after scratching.

Inflammation in eczema can be triggered by many things, but when eczema flares up it is important to take in to account the presence of bacterial infection, this can get into the deeper layers of the skin causing an increase in redness, it is important that infections are treated to bring the eczema under control.

Thickening of the skin is caused where the areas of eczema that have been inflamed are much thicker than in other areas of unaffected skin, this is due mainly to the repeated bouts of scratching. The affected areas of skin are usually where the skin needs to be flexible so the condition is aggravated as they become thick, causing splits to occur because the skin is less flexible. This also restricts the joints which in turn are unable to bend.

Blisters occur in eczema where there is less adhesion in skin cells due to inflammation, this causes scaling which makes it easy for bacteria to get into the skin and that in turn causes fluids to ooze, this then gathers causing blisters. Small blisters may occur in active eczema but sometimes larger ones occur due to the nature of the eczema. In sever cases of the skin being infected the blisters may be filled with pus as well.

Crusts on the skin are caused where inflamed skin ooze fluid, this fluid is very rich in protein, when the fluid comes in contact with the air it dries out leaving a crusty deposit and if infected the crusty deposit usually has a golden colour.

A way to grade eczema can be based on how much activity and over what period the eczema has been active.

The 3 most useful grades are as follows:-

Acute: Means rapid onset. Conditions that are prevalent over a short period of time and are also vigorous in activity, acute eczema would be an area that has just recently flared up, it is red, blisters and some has some oozing or crusts.

Chronic: Means long standing, where the initial activity has died down so a bit of the skin that has been eczematous for a while is now dry, scaly, thickened and cracked.

Infected: Eczema can become infected at any stage; this is not always obvious, it is different from acute eczema unless the blisters become pus-filled.

Please use this link to return to our dedicated Eczema page.

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Posted in Eczema | 3 Comments