Naturen er et mangfold av billioner av organismer med begrenset levetid. Naturen fornyer seg kontinuerlig gjennom årstidene og livsprosessene. Når en plante dør, for eksempel om høsten eller på grunn av et miljø som er for vått og kaldt, eller for tørt og varmt, starter råtnings-/døingsprosessen veldig raskt. Når grønnsaker eller frukt høstes, kan råtningsprosessen bremses ved tørking, avkjøling, vakuumpakking eller sterilisering. Råttningsprosessen til urter starter ikke hvis de tørkes i henhold til lovbestemmelser og oppbevares tørt og hygienisk. Olivenolje har en utløpsdato, men økologisk ekstra virgin olivenolje av høy kvalitet kan brukes langt etter utløpsdatoen hvis den oppbevares i en kald, mørk kjeller i uåpnede glassflasker eller uåpnede metallbokser. Olivenolje i åpnet flaske eller boks må brukes innen en begrenset tid: luft, varme og lys er en del av forringelsesprosessen. Olivenolje som er for gammel lukter harskt. De kretiske leverandørene av Cretan-Garden-såper er anerkjente fagfolk som leverer høykvalitetsprodukter.
Den ubegrensede “levetiden”, holdbarhet, til Cretan-Garden-såper
Såper laget av tørkede urter infusert i olivenolje og ikke inneholder andre naturlige ingredienser enn eterisk olje har ingen utløpsdato. De verdensberømte Aleppo-såpene er laget av olivenolje og laurbærblad og forbedres i kvalitet med alderen. Cretan-Garden såper er laget av olivenolje og andre urter enn laurbær, men også tørket og til og med beriket med eteriske oljer.
Holdbarhet før salg
Lageret av Cretan-Garden-såper holdes ved en konstant temperatur på 14 grader Celsius, i et godt ventilert, hygienisk, mørkt og tørt rom, i nye, lukkede, resirkulerte pappesker. Såper pakkes hygienisk i silkepapir og innpakning tidligst på utsendelsesdagen, og sendes i nye resirkulerte pappesker.
Holdbarhet på såpen ved mottak
Når den bestilte såpen har kommet, er det best å oppbevare såpen i samme boks i en skuff eller et skap i et tørt rom. På denne måten forblir den eteriske oljen i såpen. Fordi såpen ikke er vakuumpakket i plast, fordamper den eteriske oljen, men i svært liten grad. Når såpen er i bruk, er det nødvendig å oppbevare den på et tørt sted: ikke på en våt såpeskål, og ikke i et vått baderom, da såpen vil mykne og løse seg opp. Etter vask er det best å legge den våte såpen på en tørr vaskeklut, tørr badesvamp eller loofah, utenfor badet.
Såpe kan brukes inntil den siste biten. Samle små stykker i en beholder. Du kan rive den til fotbad, for eksempel for å vaske gulvet, eller bruke den i hagen som et naturlig plantevernmiddel: 1 til 2 ss til 4 liter varmt vann.
#28. Expiration date
The limited lifespan of living organisms
Nature is a diversity of trillions of organisms with a limited lifespan. Nature continually renews itself through the seasons and life processes. When a plant dies, for example in autumn or due to an environment that is too wet and cold, or too dry and warm, the rotting/dying process starts very quickly. When vegetables or fruits are harvested, the rotting process can be slowed by drying, cooling, vacuum packaging or sterilization. The rotting process of herbs does not start if they are dried according to legal regulations and stored dry and hygienically. Olive oil has an expiration date, but high-quality, ecological extra virgin olive oil can be used well past its expiration date if stored in a cold, dark cellar in unopened glass bottles or metal boxes. Olive oil in an opened bottle or box must be used within a limited time: oxygen, heat and light are part of the deterioration process. Olive oil that is too old smells rancid. The Cretan suppliers of Cretan-Garden soaps are recognized professionals who deliver high quality products.
The unlimited lifespan of Cretan-Garden soaps
Soaps made from dried olive oil with herbs and that contain no natural ingredients other than essential oil, have no expiration date. The world famous Aleppo soaps are made from olive oil and bay leaves and improve in quality with age. Cretan-Garden soaps are made from olive oil and herbs other than laurel, but also dried and even enriched with essential oils.
Shelf life before sale
The stock of Cretan-Garden soaps is stored at a constant temperature of 14 degrees Celsius, in a well-ventilated, hygienic, dark and dry room, in new, closed, recycled cardboard boxes. Soaps are hygienically packed in tissue paper and wrapper no earlier than the day of shipment, and shipped in new recycled cardboard boxes.
Shelf life of the soap upon receipt
When the ordered soap has arrived, it is best to store the soap in the same box in a drawer or cupboard in a dry room. This way the essential oil remains in the soap. Because the soap is not vacuum packed in plastic, the essential oil volatilizes, but to a very small extent. When the soap is in use, it is necessary to store it in a dry place: not in a wet soap dish, and not in a wet bathroom, as the soap will soften and dissolve. After washing, it is best to place the wet soap on a dry washcloth, dry bath sponge or loofah, outside the bathroom.
Soap can be used until the last bit. Collect small leftovers in a container. You can grate it for a foot bath, for example, to mop the floor, or use it in the garden as a natural pesticide: 1 to 2 tablespoons to 4 liters of warm water.
“Med den økte bevisstheten om naturlige produkter stiller flere mennesker spørsmål om forskjellen mellom eteriske oljer og ekstrakter. Begge har en viktig rolle i naturlige velværeprodukter som brukes i alt fra aromaterapi til te, og riktig prosess er avgjørende for å få mest mulig ut av disse naturlige stoffene.
Hovedforskjellene mellom essensielle oljer og ekstrakter er prosessen. Mens begge utvinnes fra forskjellige deler av anlegget, er prosessen veldig forskjellig. Eteriske oljer må ekstraheres gjennom destillasjon, mens ekstrakter dynkes i en væske for å isolere smaken.
Oljer som er samlet fra de aromatiske delene av blomster, røtter og blader er kjent som essensielle oljer. Disse oljene er konsentrert i naturen og tilberedes ved dampdestillasjon. Anleggsdelene plasseres inne i et dampkammer, damp slippes ut over anleggsdelene og oljer samles opp ved å klemme under damptrykk. De ekstraherte stoffene samles i dampkammeret og avkjøles i en kondensator. Kondensatoren lager vann og skiller oljen til en konsentrert form.
Med ekstrakter går plantene gjennom en trekke prosess, hvor det oppsamlede stoffet blir konsentrert. Dette kan også gjøres ved å pulverisere planten. Den vanligste utvinningsprosessen er urtete, mens tinkturer krever at plantestoffet bløtlegges i alkohol i lang tid for å fjerne de essensielle forbindelsene.
Hver metode fjerner de viktigste forbindelsene fra plantene og konsentrerer det beste fra naturen i en enkel, lett å bruke substans.”
I min håndlagde såpeproduksjon bruker jeg olivenolje, som har blitt tilsatt 720 grams urter som rosmarin, oregano, salvie, lavendel, i 15 liter olivenolje. Infusjonstid er et halvt år. Deretter filtreres de bløtlagte urtene ut, og pulverisert i kjøkkenmaskinen, filtreres igjen og føres tilbake til den tilsatte oljen, slik at alt det som er mulig å trekke ut av de bløtlagte urtene beholdes og brukes i såpeproduksjonen. Den infuserte olivenoljen ser svart ut når malingen og tilbakefiltreringen er klar. Lukten er ekstraordinær. Ved siden av det bruker jeg en te fra samme urteekstrahert (i mange dager), som også er veldig mørk. Jeg bruker denne teen til å blande med for såpe å lage nødvendig natriumhydroksid. Senere, når væsken begynner å forsåpe, tilsetter jeg den nødvendige mengden eterisk olje av samme urt for den batchen. Spørsmålet mitt er: er resultatet av infusjon, og måten jeg lager oljen på, også et slags ekstrakt?
“With the increased awareness of natural products, more people are asking questions about the difference between essential oils and extracts. Both have an important role in natural wellness products used in everything from aromatherapy to tea, and the correct process is essential in getting the most out of these natural substances.
The main differences between essential oils and extracts is the process. While both are extracted from different parts of the plant, the process is very different. Essential oils need to be extracted through distillation, while extracts are soaked in a liquid to isolate the flavour.
Oils that are collected from the aromatic parts of flowers, roots and leaves are know as essential oils. These oils are concentrated in nature and are prepared by steam distillation. The parts of the plant are placed inside a steam chamber, steam is released over the parts of the plant and oils are collected by squeezing under steam pressure. The extracted substances are collected in the steam chamber and are cooled in a condenser. The condenser creates water and separates the oil into a concentrated form.
With extracts, the plants go through a straining process, where the collected substance becomes concentrated. This can also be done by grinding the plant. The most common process of extraction is herbal tea, while tinctures require the plant matter to be soaked in alcohol for a long period of time to remove the essential compounds.
Each method removes the most important compounds from the plants and concentrates the best of nature in a simple, easy to use substance.”
In my handcrafted soap production I use olive oil, that has been infused with 720 gram herbs like rosemary, oregano, sage, lavender, in 15 liters olive oil. Infusing time is a half year. Then the soaked herbs are filtered out, and grinded in the kitchen machine, filtered again, and returned to the infused oil, so that all what is possible to extract from the soaked herbs are kept en used in the soap production. The infused olive oil looks black when the grinding and filtering back, is ready. The smell is extraordinary. Next to that I use a from the same herb extracted tea (during many days), which is also very dark. I use this tea to mix with the for soap making necessary caustic soda. Later, when the liquid starts to saponify, I add the for that batch necessary amount of essential oil of the same herb. My question is: is the result of infusing, and the way I create the oil, also a kind of an extract?
Det offisielle navnet er Luffa aegyptiaca, eller egyptisk Luffa. Det er en agurklignende frukt, men tilhører gresskarfamilien. Når frukten er moden, kan den spises. Hvis det henger igjen og blir overmodent, tørker det gradvis ut og et fibrøst stoff blir igjen. Når frukten er høstet, kan skinnet fjernes og det fibrøse materialet kan kuttes opp, selges og brukes som en badesvamp.
Svampen føles hard når den er tørr, men myk når den er våt. Svampen føles da som en fast frotté, som fortsatt er grov nok til å fjerne gamle hudceller. Ved å bruke svampen mens du masserer aktiveres alle hudfunksjoner og blodsirkulasjonen i huden styrkes, noe som bremser aldringsprosessen i huden. Regelmessig bruk av loofahen holder huden ung, frisk, skinnende og strålende. Luffaen kan også brukes til en ansiktsskrubb.
Huden
Huden er et organ, akkurat som hjertet, nyrene, leveren. Totalvekten er en sjettedel av kroppsvekten. Huden er et komplekst og aktivt organ, en mantel, som fungerer som et beskyttende lag mellom kroppens sensitive vev og alt utenfor kroppen. Huden er ikke bare en barriere, den er også involvert i å opprettholde kroppstemperatur og indre fuktighet, nevrosensoriske funksjoner og naturlig motstand mot infeksjon og sykdom. Aldringsprosessen påvirker huden på flere måter. Overhuden tynnes ut og fornyelseshastigheten avtar dramatisk etter hvert som vi blir eldre, og hos kvinner spesielt etter overgangsalderen. Det meste av hudpleie er først og fremst rettet mot å bremse aldringsprosessen, bremse dannelsen av rynker. Når vi begynner med ekte hudpleie i tide, holder huden vår seg sunn mye lenger og hudsykdommer og rynker er mindre sannsynlige
Hudpleie
Huden kan få næring både fra utsiden og fra innsiden. Siden huden er et naturlig vev, er det logisk at en naturlig olje er det beste produktet for pleie av hudens overflate, det vil si utsiden. En olje som har alt i seg for den omsorgen er olivenolje. Du kan bruke den oljen direkte på huden, men du kan også tilsette 10 dråper eterisk olje, etter eget valg, til 10 cl olivenolje. Eterisk olje kan du kjøpe på en helsekostbutikk som Arnika, og Med24. Etter vask og skrubbing med den såpeaktige loofahen, skyll kroppen. Deretter legger du litt olivenolje i håndflaten, og sprer olivenoljen over den fortsatt fuktige kroppen din. Tørk deretter kroppen. Oljen trenger raskt inn i huden fordi den er varm.
Hudpleieprodukter
A. Utsiden av huden La oss se på følgende bilde. Vi får se på det en forstørrelse av hudoverflaten. En naturlig såpe, for eksempel Cretan-Garden såper, er et utmerket middel for å fjerne talgkjertelfett, svette, kroppslukt, skitten, bakterier, sopp og virus.
Hud, med hår, døde hudceller, tette porer, bakterier og virus (iStock)
Når du bruker en fet såpe, for eksempel en olivenoljesåpe, blir det et veldig tynt lag med olivenolje igjen på huden etter vask og tørking. Ved å bruke olivenolje som kroppsolje, støttes huden i sin elastisitet, fuktighet og tilstand. Olivenolje er høy i vitamin E og K, som begge er svært viktige i hudpleie. Olivenolje er også et universalmiddel etter soling, eller til og med solbrent hud Dagslys er veldig sunt for huden, men det er nødvendig å beskytte deg mot overdreven direkte sollys. Selv da er olivenoljen en god måte å beskytte huden din ekstra på.
B. I huden Ved å spise sunt og regelmessig, drikke nok vann, grønn te og fersk fruktjuice, holder du huden sunn fra innsiden og ut. Frukt, grønne økologisk dyrkede og usprøytede grønnsaker og også økologisk olivenolje er bra for sunn hud. Alkohol tørker ut kroppen og huden. Som et resultat kan huden eldes og det kan oppstå for tidlige rynker.
Hudtilstand
Ved å bevege seg nok daglig, være i frisk luft, få nok søvn, bo i et godt ventilert hus, gir du blodet nok oksygen og at oksygenrikt blod er sårt nødvendig for å forhindre rask hudaldring. På neste bilde vi ser ung hud til venstre og eldre hud til høyre. Du ser at den eldre huden er tynnere, inneholder mindre fett i de nedre lagene og blodårene inneholder mørkere blod: det er blod med lite oksygen.
Oksidanter (frie radikaler) er aggressive stoffer, som skapes i kroppen av blant annet stress og underhudsspenninger. Disse aggressive stoffene produseres også av stråling fra mobiltårn, Wi-Fi, smartmålere og alle andre trådløse enheter.
Et overskudd av frie radikaler eller en mangel på antioksidanter forårsaker oksidativt stress: skade på sunt vev og celler i kroppen vår. Resultatet er ukontrollert celledeling, raskere aldring av kroppen og større risiko for helseproblemer[kilde]. Oksidanter, frie radikaler, forårsake vev og hudskader. Antioksidanter bekjemper oksidantene, men elektromagnetisk stråling reduserer effekten av antioksidantene. Dette er vitenskapelig undersøkt og bevist i flere studier. Siste studie: se her. Å unngå stråling i størst mulig grad er derfor et godt valg. I tillegg er det viktig å støtte antioksidantene med vitamin A, C og E, og mineralet magnesium.
Vitamin E er rikt representert i olivenolje og rosmarin (urt). Olivenolje inneholder i tillegg tilvitamin E også vitamin A, K og mineralene jern, kalsium, magnesium og potassium. Daglig bruk av olivenolje til måltider, men også som hudpleieprodukt, anbefales derfor.
Mer anbefalinger
Anbefalinger for terapi, ressurser og aktiviteter som bidrar til å redusere stress inkluderer
PubMed: Histologisk og histokjemisk studie av den beskyttende rollen til rosmarinekstrakt mot skadelig effekt av mobiltelefonelektromagnetisk stråling på parotiskjertlene – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27155802/
The official name is Luffa aegyptiaca, or Egyptian Luffa. It is a cucumber-like fruit, but belongs to the pumpkin family. When the fruit is ripe, it can be eaten. If it lingers and becomes overripe, it gradually dries out and a fibrous substance remains. Once the fruit is harvested, the skin can be removed and the fibrous material can be cut up, sold and used as a bath sponge.
The sponge feels hard when dry, but soft when wet. The sponge then feels like a firm terry cloth, which is still rough enough to remove old skin cells. By using the sponge while massaging, all skin functions are activated and blood circulation in the skin is strengthened, which slows down the aging process in the skin. Regular use of the loofah keeps the skin young, fresh, shiny and radiant. The loofah can also be used for a face scrub.
The skin
The skin is an organ, just like the heart, kidneys, liver. The total weight is one sixth of the body weight. The skin is a complex and active organ, a mantle, which acts as a protective layer between the body’s sensitive tissues and everything outside the body. The skin is not only a barrier, it is also involved in maintaining body temperature and internal moisture, neurosensory functions and natural resistance to infection and disease. The aging process affects the skin in several ways. The epidermis thins and the rate of renewal slows dramatically as we age, and in women especially after menopause. Most skin care is primarily aimed at slowing down the aging process, slowing down the formation of wrinkles. When we start real skin care in time, our skin stays healthy much longer and skin diseases and wrinkles are less likely
Skin care
The skin can receive nourishment both from the outside and from the inside. Since the skin is a natural tissue, it is logical that a natural oil is the best product for caring for the skin’s surface, i.e. the outside. An oil that has everything in it for that care is olive oil. You can use that oil directly on the skin, but you can also add 10 drops of essential oil, of your choice, to 10 cl of olive oil. You can buy essential oil at a health food store such as Arnika and Med24. After washing and scrubbing with the soapy loofah, rinse your body. Then put some olive oil in the palm of your hand and spread the olive oil over your still damp body. Then dry the body. The oil penetrates quickly into the skin because it is warm.
Skin care products
A. The outside of the skin-surface Let’s look at the following image. We will see an enlargement of the skin surface. A natural soap, such as Cretan-Garden soaps, is an excellent remedy for removing sebaceous gland fat, sweat, body odor, dirt, bacteria, fungi and viruses.
Hud, med hår, døde hudceller, tette porer, bakterier og virus (iStock)
When you use an oily soap, such as an olive oil soap, a very thin layer of olive oil is left on the skin after washing and drying. By using olive oil as a body oil, the skin is supported in its elasticity, moisture and condition. Olive oil is high in vitamins E and K, both of which are very important in skin care. Olive oil is also a panacea after sunbathing, or even sunburned skin. Daylight is very healthy for the skin, but it is necessary to protect yourself from excessive direct sunlight. Even then, the olive oil is a good way to protect your skin extra.
B. Inside the skin surface By eating healthy and regularly, drinking enough water, green tea and fresh fruit juice, you keep your skin healthy from the inside out. Fruit, green organically grown and unsprayed vegetables and also organic olive oil are good for healthy skin. Alcohol dries out the body and skin. As a result, the skin may age and premature wrinkles may appear.
Skin condition
By moving enough daily, being in fresh air, getting enough sleep, living in a well-ventilated house, you give the blood enough oxygen and that oxygen-rich blood is badly needed to prevent rapid skin ageing. In the next picture we see young skin on the left and older skin on the right. You see that the older skin is thinner, contains less fat in the lower layers and the blood vessels contain darker blood: it is blood with little oxygen.
Oxidants (free radicals) are aggressive substances, which are created in the body by, among other things, stress and subcutaneous tension. These aggressive substances are also produced by radiation from mobile towers, Wi-Fi, smart meters and all other wireless devices.
An excess of free radicals or a lack of antioxidants causes oxidative stress: damage to healthy tissues and cells in our body. The result is uncontrolled cell division, faster aging of the body and greater risk of health problems [source]. Oxidants, free radicals, cause tissue and skin damage. Antioxidants fight the oxidants, but electromagnetic radiation reduces the effect of the antioxidants. This has been scientifically investigated and proven in several studies. Latest study: see here. Avoiding radiation as much as possible is therefore a good choice. In addition, it is important to support the antioxidants with vitamins A, C and E, and the mineral magnesium.
Vitamin E is richly represented in olive oil and rosemary (urt). In addition to vitamin E, olive oil also contains vitamins A, K and the minerals iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. Daily use of olive oil for meals, but also as a skin care product, is therefore recommended.
More recommendations
Recommendations for therapy, resources, and activities that help reduce stress include
therapeutic massage:
foot zone massage, Thai yoga massage, shiatsu, Ayurvedic massage
acupuncture
walking
hiking
sports
gardening
yoga
meditation
herbal therapy:
relaxing medicinal herbs, such as Avena Sativa, Valerian, Passiflora, Melissa Officinalis
aroma therapy:
essential oils such as lavender, orange, pine, cypress, ylang ylang, sage
blossom therapy:
38 Dr. Bach flower remedies and Dr. Bach Rescue Remedy
Introduksjon til informasjon om vulvovaginal (genital) helse (engelsk) (norsk)
Den følgende artikkelen om kvinnehygienens rolle i vulvovaginal helse er laget av tre ansatte i Reckitt Benckiser LLC[1], et selskap som produserer rengjøringsprodukter. Selskapet produserer rengjøringsmidler, desinfeksjonsmidler og luktfjernere til husholdningsbruk. Reckitt Benckisers produkter betjener kjemisk industri og husholdningsprodukter. Det betyr at det er interessekonflikter. Til tross for det, publiserer jeg den for å tilby en interessant lesning, for å skape bevissthet om alle fasettene rundt kvinnelig hygiene. Cretan-Garden såper er ikke kjemiske, men naturlige, og er trygge å bruke til også intimhygiene, hvis du bruker såpen på riktig måte: skyll med mye vann. Hvis du aldri har brukt Cretan-Garden-såper før, observer hvordan huden din reagerer. I tilfelle du lider av vulvovaginale helseproblemer[2], anbefaler jeg at du ikke bruker noen form for såpe eller vaskemidler, men å først kontakte din fastlege, eller en offisielt registrert naturlege.
Rollen til kvinnelig intimhygiene i vulvovaginal helse: Global hygienepraksis og produktbruk https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1745505717731011 Anmeldelse av: Ying Chen, Elizabeth Bruning, Joseph Rubino, Scott E Eder Første gang publisert: 22. september 2017
Abstrakt
Kvinner bruker ulike feminine hygieneprodukter, ofte som en del av deres daglige renserutine; Det er imidlertid en mangel på publisert medisinsk litteratur relatert til den ytre vulvaen og hvordan personlig hygienepraksis kan påvirke den. Denne oversiktsartikkelen gir bakgrunnsinformasjon om de fysiologiske endringene som skjer i løpet av kvinners liv og vurderer relevansen av forbigående og fastboende mikrobiota når de er relatert til vanlige vaginale og vulva lidelser. Den diskuterer også behovet for kvinnelig intimhygiene, vanlige praksiser for feminin hygiene fra et globalt perspektiv, og de potensielle fordelene ved å bruke egnede eksterne, aktuelle feminine vulvavaskinger for å minimere risikoen for vulvovaginale lidelser og for å forbedre den generelle intimhelsen hos kvinner rundt verden.
Støttet av internasjonale retningslinjer, er daglig skånsom rensing av vulva et viktig aspekt ved feminin hygiene og generell intim helse.
Kvinner bør oppmuntres til å velge en nøye formulert og klinisk testet ekstern vask som gir målrettede antimikrobielle og andre helsemessige fordeler uten å ha negativ innvirkning på den naturlige vulvovaginale mikrobiotaen. Les videre her [i engelsk].
[Tillegg av admin. A.J.: daglig vask med urteolivenoljesåpe er trygt, når du bruker såpen på riktig måte, som betyr: bruk nok vann til å skylle.]
Alt du trenger å vite om vaginal damping – Healthline
Salvie for perimenopause og utover / hormoner, histaminer og vaginal helse – Sydney Naturopath
Helsefordelene med salvie – ganske enkelt kosttilskudd – Simply Supplements
Sammenligning av effektiviteten til Salvia officinalis[Salvie], clotrimazol og deres kombinasjon på vulvovaginal candidiasis: En randomisert, kontrollert klinisk studie – Research Gate
The following article about the role of female hygiene in vulvovaginal health is created by three employees of Reckitt Benckiser LLC[1], a company that manufactures cleaning products. The Company produces cleaners, disinfectants, and deodorizers for household use. Reckitt Benckiser’s products serve the chemical and household products industries.This means that there are conflicts of interest. Despite that, I publish it to offer an interesting read, to create awareness about all the facets concerning female hygiene. Cretan-Garden soaps are not chemical, but natural, and are safe to be used for also intimate hygiene, if you use the soap in the right way: rinse with much water. If you never used Cretan-Garden soaps before, observe how your skin reacts. In case you suffer from vulvovaginal health[2] problems, I advise not to use any kind of soap or detergent, but to contact first your general practitioner, or an officially registered naturopath.
Role of female intimate hygiene in vulvovaginal health: Global hygiene practices and product usage https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1745505717731011 Role of female intimate hygiene in vulvovaginal health: Global hygiene practices and product usage Review by: Ying Chen, Elizabeth Bruning, Joseph Rubino, Scott E Eder First Published: September 22, 2017
Abstract
Women use various feminine hygiene products, often as part of their daily cleansing routine; however, there is a paucity of published medical literature related to the external vulva and how personal hygiene practices can affect it. This review article provides background information on the physiological changes that occur during women’s lives and reviews the relevance of transient and resident microbiota as they relate to common vaginal and vulvar disorders. It also discusses the need for female intimate hygiene, common practices of feminine hygiene from a global perspective, and the potential benefits of using suitable external, topical feminine vulvar washes to minimize the risk of vulvovaginal disorders and to improve overall intimate health in women around the world.
Supported by international guidelines, daily gentle cleansing of the vulva is an important aspect of feminine hygiene and overall intimate health.
Women should be encouraged to choose a carefully formulated and clinically tested external wash that provides targeted antimicrobial and other health benefits without negatively impacting on the natural vulvovaginal microbiota. Read on here.
[Additional by the admin. A.J.: daily washing with herbal olive oil soap is safe, when using the soap in the right way, which means: using enough water to rinse.]
Photo by Maria Eduarda Loura Magalhães from Pexels
Comparing the effectiveness of Salvia officinalis, clotrimazole and their combination on vulvovaginal candidiasis: A randomized, controlled clinical trial – Research Gate
Shampoos are just another kind of soap, a liquid soap, and with as many chemicals as the most of the industrial soaps and detergents. Even the neutral shampoos can contain chemicals. Read therefore the information on the box or container before buying a soap or shampoo. Soap is per definition alkaline. Shampoos therefore as well. To make a shampoo more neutral, by lowering the alkalinity, the industry uses mostly chemicals, acidic chemicals. To make a shampoo lather the industry adds special chemicals, named sulfates. An informational article about it: The facts about shampoo lather. Lather is not a guarantee that your hair and scalp become clean though.
Shampoos, all sorts of shampoos, the many brands, all are claiming to be the best for your hair, offering for every hair type another shampoo, another conditioner, another hair mask. I have used for as long as they exist pH nautral shampoos, hair conditioners, masks, but my hair was, despite the neutral pH of the shampoos, and the beautiful natural conditoners, and masks, never really okay. My hair is thick, curly, dry, fluffy, and now I am becoming grey it is even dryer. I have tried everything. Because of the mentioned characteristics of my hair it is impossible to have it long. Not even half long.
Herbal olive oil soap as a shampoo bar
I have started lately to use my own herbal olive soap for hair washing, to see what happens. It looks better and better. . The most significant difference is that I do not need to wash my hair more than once per week. My hair looks and feels normal, is so much easier to be dressed. I was wondering why.
Though pH neutral shampoos can be used every day, the question is if washing your hair every day is really okay for hair and scalp. My thoughts go far back in time when hair was washed just once per week. That had a reason: the skin of the scalp is not the same skin as on the rest of your body. Every single hair is growing out of the scalp-skin and it is the skin that keeps the hair in a good condition. We need indeed hair conditioners and hair masks when we wash the hair daily. But if we offer the skin of the scalp the time to do their work in their own natural way, and if we do not immediately destroy their work, by daily taking away what the skin itself produces, namely sebum, we do not need hair conditioners as we do now. Daily washing the hair is maybe okay according to shampoo manufacturers, but it is a matter of logic thinking that the natural resistance of the skin and the hair will decrease because of exhaustion, or will become overactive at the very beginning, when the daily shampoo attacks start, even when the shampoo is pH neutral. Using a neutral shampoo once per week was for me not the solution. Reason to use it more. And that did not work either.
A natural conditioner: argan oil
My own experiences with my oily cold process herbal olive soaps are that washing my hair with it once per week is really enough. After making my hair towell dry I use a teaspoon pure argan oil and spread it over and through the towel-dry hair and massage it into the scalp and hair. I let the hair dry naturally. My fluffy, dry hair is gone, but I expect that hte condition of my hair will improve more. In a few weeks I will add an update here.
To make it more personal I have added about 20 drops of rosemary essential oil to the 50 ml bottle, and stirred it very good. Argan oil and essential oils can be bought at House of Deli, Crete:
Hairloss due to electromagnetic radiation from overuse of cellphone – ResearchGate
My personal experiences with EMF and hair loss: during the time that I was not aware of the impact of EMF on my health, not informed about symptoms of overradiation, I was indeed losing so much hair that I was wondering what was going on. I have written about this in my blog Multerland, in several posts[Archives 2017-2018]. It was the start of a private study about EMF. The consultation of an osteopath was helpful to stop my bad physical condition: she worked on my scalp, neck, and it felt as if a layer of glass broke and my scalp was back to normal again. After several treatments my hair was growing again. The new hair looked like baby hair, but after some months it was back to normal. The only way to get rid of the effects if wireless radiation is to live in an EMF free environment. I bought the Acousticom2. This calibrated device is able to measure EMF. In this way I could find the rooms where the radiation is almost zero, or at least the less, where to put the bed, where the desk with computer. Of course all wireless is turned off, the smart meter is turned off, the Wi-Fi is turned off, also in the computer and printer. All is cabled, I do not have internet on my cellphone and mostly the cellphone is on flymodus.
In September 2015 I was for a week on Crete and visited Knossos, and the Minoan Palace, the largest Bronze Age archaeological site[11]. I had already seen many pictures of the palace on the web, but when there I was touched by the atmosphere in a surprising way. Because thousands of tourists visit this site day after day, and so many tourist buses and cars fill the parking places, I expected that it would become a noisy, stressy experience, but the visitors were silent, calm, and did not even talk with each other. The atmosphere was so intense peaceful that it is justified to comparethe site with a holy place. I remember what I once read about powerful energy spots on earth, in the magnetic field of the earth, in the soils, and all the layers beneath the surface.
Monasteries were also built on these special spots. Stonehenge[12] is another example. The Minoans who lived in the palace of Knossos were highly civilized, not only rationally, but also spiritually. Priestesses were also living in the palace of Knossos, an enormous complexity of buildings with even four storeys. The Minoan Lady, also named La Parisienne, was a priestess[1]. Continue reading below the picture.
When I decided to start a web shop to sell the seven soaps, made out of Cretan olive oil, herbs and essential oils, and searching for the picture that could be used for the logo, the icon in the media and blog, my thoughts went almost immediately to that one picture[17] that I made in the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion, in 2015. It was an intuitive choice. For me the Minoan Lady was and is what I would like to represent in my products: ethics, values, respect, dignity, esthetics, beauty.
It is a pity that I lost the article that I once read about Minoan priestesses in Knossos and their role in the herb garden: only priestesses were allowed to pick the herb salvia fruticosa, or Greek sage. For that sage ritual they had to wear a white dress, because that herb was holy. When I smelled dried Greek sage some years ago -for the first time in my life- I understood. Because of that intense smell I also understand why it is used in rituals to clean the atmosphere in rooms, in buildings with negative energies, graveyards, in a diversity of cultures, world wide[16].
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The use of soap in the Minoan Civilization
It is not certain if the Minoan Lady has used soap herself. There is nothing written about the use of soap in the palace of Knossos, though the first soaps seem to have been made in Greece, during the Minoan time. Here are some articles with information that explain for instance the use of salt in bathing rituals:
“Before modern medicine, salt water treated patients as a healing remedy. Before modern spa day, firm believers of its healing created a concept of therapeutic bathing. In order to cleanse the body, they infused salt with herbal blends, lavender and bay laurel leaves that extracted daily toxins. Another contribution salt progressed into was basic soap making. Dated around 2800 BC, the Greeks were one of the first soap makers who created mixtures of alkaline salts with local vegetable oils, animal fats and wood ashes to form soaps and detergents. By contrast, today an individual uses soap for bathing or personal hygiene, in ancient times, it was produced for cleaning cooking utensils, goods and medicinal purposes.”[18]
“The oldest archaeological findings in Europe related to bathing habits date from the Bronze Age (2,400–800 BC). In the palaces of Knossos and Phaistos in Crete, the population of the Aegean Minoan civilization has left traces of special chambers devoted to bathing. Alabaster bathtubs excavated in Akrotiri (in Santorini Island), as well as wash basins and feet baths, showed how people from the Minoan civilization maintained their personal hygiene.”[19]
“Lustral Basins were first identified by Arthur Evans[15] at Knossos and consist of a sunken rectangular room reached by an L-shaped or dog-legged stairway. There is often a balustrade running alongside the stairway, normally ending with a pilaster supporting a column. All of the examples at Knossos, like the one at Mallia (above) were lined with gypsum and so Evans thought they were used for bathing—a clay tub was even found in one of them. However, a few of them were found in areas of the palace, the Throne Room for example, where relaxing in the tub seems unlikely. In those cases Evans believed they were used for ritual purification through lustration—hence the name”[20]
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Sources and additional information
Minoan woman or goddess from the palace of Knossos (“La Parisienne”) – Khan Academy
When writing this post it is July 2021. We, humans all over the world, have an experience with skin and pH(power of Hydrogen) values, while knowing maybe not anything about pH and if not being aware of the fact, why the skin of the dorsal of their hands looks so incredible bad since the last year. Most probably this is caused by the antiseptic sprays (high percentage alcohol) at the entrance of all shops. Not one doctor, dermatologist, talks about it. However, when one uses a soap to wash hands it has to be skin neutral. They say.
The pH value of the skin is on all places of the body different. Therefore one uses an average pH value, which is about 5 or lesser. What exactly is causing the pH value of the skin? First one needs to know what exactly is “skin”. Skin is an organ which covers and protects all what is beneath the skin, and outside the skin. The skin is nourished by the food we eat. If we never eat a balanced food, concerning pH levels, acidic and alkaline, the skin will not be able to have a healthy pH level. The influence of too much acidic food, which is the most popular among humans in the “civilized” countries, influences of course the constitution of the skin, and its pH values.
Also influences from outside the skin, like air pollution, artificial electromagnetic radiation, burning sun rays, extreme temperature, contribute to the condition of the skin, and its pH. On health websites one claims that only soaps with a pH value that is similar with the skin pH are healthy for keeping a healthy skin. This would mean that swimming in the salty sea pH 8,2), or ocean (pH 8,2), even bathing in tap-water (pH value between 6,5 and 8,5) or taking a shower should be avoided.
The neutral pH level soaps are a mix of the normal alkalinity of soaps, and mostly several chemicals to achieve a lower pH level. These chemicals are more skin damaging than a normal soap ever can. With other words: a lot of industrial propaganda for their so-called neutral pH products should be suspected.
The term alkaline is a sort of curse in the ears of many, because of the industrial propaganda for their self created myths that a soap must have a neutral pH value. How can they explain the alkalinity of for instance breast milk(pH of 6,35-7,35)[1], the alkalinity of the skin of new-borns(pH value 7)[2], the alkalinity of the amniotic fluid(pH value 7,1-7,3)[3] in which the foetus swims before it is born? The foetus is extremely sensitive: imagine the damage that could be created in its development of organs, brains, eyes, blood vessels, nervous system, bones, skin…. Nature however found it better to let it swim in alkaline fluid, not in neutral fluid, neither in acidic fluid. The pH value of blood ranges between 7,35 and 7,45. It is the blood that nourishes the skin from inside, and the lymphatic fluid in the skin pours out the acidic waste to the surface of the skin. If the food habits of the human being are not healthy, unbalanced, too acidic, of course the blood will be more acidic and the skin as well. How high was the pH level of the skin of our ancestors? They washed with alkaline soap, without any problem. Skin problems occur because of an unhealthy life style, bad hygiene, the poisonous environment we live in, and the poisonous food people eat.
Healthy lymph have a pH that ranges between 7 and 10. The lymphatic system, part of the immune system, is a network of ducts that carry the lymphatic fluid (LF). LF also contains white blood cells called lymphocytes, fats, and proteins.[4]. The lymphatic system, made up of lymphatic fluid, tiny vessels, nodes and organs, is responsible for removing excess fluid, infections and acidic waste[5].
Viruses, Corona and pH
There are several publications about viruses and how they react to low or high pH values. The most of the publications contradict each other. Some write: Viruses thrive, like bacteria, in an acidic environment. Viruses infect body cells by binding to the proteins in the cells and then multiplying. Scientific research shows that this process mainly takes place at a low pH value or in an acidic environment. An acidic environment has a pH of 0 to 7. As the pH becomes more basic, the activity of viruses decreases sharply. Scientists have established this in various studies in numerous viruses in both humans and animals. The relationship between pH value and infection-increasing activities has been demonstrated in, among others, influenza1, corona2, hepatitis C3, foot-and-mouth disease4 and other viruses in animals. By increasing the alkaline buffer in your body, which improves the pH value of your body cells, the sensitivity to viruses in the body could decrease[6][7] More: [8][9]
Since scientists are not unanimously concluding that alkalinity of food, or body care products, create a not virus-friendly environment it is necessary to wait for more research.
Huden er et ekstremt følsomt organ som holdes sunt på grunn av et konstant regenererende, genialt sirkulasjonssystem av vann, lymfe, blod og fett. På grunn av kompleksiteten til huden, for å forstå hvordan huden er bygget opp, hvordan dette organet fungerer, er det nyttig å se en eller flere pedagogiske videoer om det. Jeg har samlet disse i en videoliste.
Siden næringen av huden foregår i selve huden via kroppens systemer og ikke på overflaten, er det viktig å spise sunn mat og drikke nok vann (1-2 liter per dag) ved siden av andre væsker som kaffe, te, suppe, juice, etc.. Kaffe og svart te dehydrerer kroppen. Å puste inn frisk luft, samtidig være fysisk aktiv, bidrar til en optimal fordøyelse og dermed også for en sunn hud. Dagslys er også en del av den naturlige hudpleien. Dagslys skaper et naturlig vitamin D som tas opp og transporteres av huden inn i kroppen. Vedlikehold av huden utenfra er en del av den daglige hygienen for å holde vond lukt, bakterier, virus og sopp unna, for å unngå sykdommer. Hudvennlige kroppsoljer fukter huden, og sammen med eksfoliering og massasje er den en måte å holde den vital, elastisk og skinnende.
1. Såpe
Det er forbløffende at såpeprodusenter av for eksempel den så populære Aleppo-såpen Savon de Marseille og Castilla-såpen ikke gir informasjon om pH-verdien. pH-verdien på alle natursåper er 9. Cretan Garden-såpene er natursåper, sammenlignbare med Aleppo-såpene, og har også en pH-verdi på 9. Dette pH-nivået er relatert til formelen for håndlagde naturlige såper i henhold til gamle tradisjoner. Det finnes produsenter av de såkalte nøytrale såpene, eller såkalte økologisk nedbrytbare såper som heller ikke gir noe informasjon om det. Det finnes natursåpeprodusenter som tilsetter naturlige sure stoffer av for eksempel aloe vera for å senke pH-nivået. For meg har det vært et bevisst valg å følge opp de gamle tradisjonelle metodene og formlene. Selv om Cretan Garden olivensåpen er alkalisk, trenger huden bare 15 minutter på å komme tilbake til sin egen pH. Fordelene med olivenolje, urter og essensielle oljer i såpen er fortsatt tilstede i den tynne filmen som forblir på huden, nærer, beskytter og holder huden elastisk.
*Råd. I tilfelle såpen brukes til hodebunn og hårvask: bruk rosmarin såpe, og arganolje etter vask, på håndkletørt hår hvis du har tørt og/eller krøllete hår. Grått hår kan også være veldig tørt. Arganolje brukes også i den såkalte marokkanske oljen, men arganolje er ren olje, inneholder ikke parfyme eller andre kjemikalier. For å gjøre arganoljen mer din kan du blande en dråpe eterisk olje med arganoljen i håndflaten før du sprer den over håret, og gni den inn i håret og hodebunnen i omtrent ett minutt.
*Råd for bruk av såpe på huden i ansiktet: Ikke bruk såpe for ofte. Bruk lunkent vann og tørk ansiktshuden.
2. En hudvennlig kroppsolje
Lag din egen hudbalsam: Kjøp økologisk olivenolje, og den eteriske oljen som brukes i såpen. Tilsett 200 ml olivenolje / 20 dråper eterisk olje [kun for ekstern bruk!] i en tom og godt rengjort flytende såpeflaske med pumpe. Tilsett bare en liten håndfull av den hjemmelagde kroppsoljen umiddelbart etter vask til den våte og varme kroppen fra ansikt til tær, fordel den over hele huden. Tørk deg deretter med et håndkle. En veldig tynn lag er igjen. Den gir en matt effekt på huden, uten å veie den, uten å etterlate fete spor. Det forbedrer hudens elastisitet samtidig som det forhindrer fuktighetstap som kan bidra til aldringsprosessen. Den holder huden glatt og myk, samtidig som den etterlater en naturlig sunn glød, et yngre resultat og den fantastiske duften av den eteriske oljen. Du kan kjøpe eteriske oljer på BioAroma, Kreta, Hellas.
OBS: den anbefalte summen av dråper eterisk olje på 200 ml olivenolje, for en kroppsolje er en sikker total. På nettstedet til Aroma Therapy Foundation står det skrevet at totalen avhenger av kraften til hver enkelt eterisk olje: de er alle forskjellige i vekt, noe som betyr at en dråpe lavendel er lettere enn en dråpe oregano, for eksempel. De anbefaler for en kroppsolje 20 – 40 dråper på 100 ml olivenolje. Jeg anbefaler maksimalt 20 dråper på 200 ml olivenolje, for bruk på kropp og ansikt. Huden din kan reagere på det uansett. Råd: prøv din hjemmelagde kroppsolje på en liten flekk på armen, og vent å se hvordan huden reagerer før du bruker den på hele kroppen. Ikke bruk kroppsoljen som sololje. Du kan bruke den som en ettersolbehandling. Beskytt huden din mot solen med en krem med høy beskyttelsesfaktor. Den beste beskyttelsen er imidlertid å unngå direkte sollys, ved å bruke solhatt eller å sitte i skyggen.
3. Eksfoliering av huden
Eksfoliering er prosessen med å fjerne døde hudceller fra det ytre laget av huden din. Hvis du gjør dette bra, på den måten som passer med din hudtype, skaper dette en lys, sunn hud fordi sirkulasjonen i huden har blitt bedre. Den riktige måten å eksfoliere på gir bedre absorpsjon av kroppsoljer og kremer. Se også Cretan Garden-blogginnlegget: Eksfoliering av huden.
*Råd: huden i ansiktet ditt må ikke eksfolieres på samme måte som kroppens hud. Fordi ansiktets hud er konstant avdekket, håndterer variasjoner i temperaturer, luftforurensning, overdose av aggressivt sollys, tørr luft inne i huset om vinteren, airco om sommeren og vinteren, trenger ansiktets hud et mildt vedlikehold Ikke noen form av eksfoliering er mild, med mindre man bruker en vaskeklut forsiktig.
4. Terapeutiske massasjer
Siden Wikipedia tilbyr en veldig utmerket artikkel om massasje, typer massasje, massasje i historien og terapier med massasje, vil jeg bare legge til noen merknader.
Massasje stimulerer muskler, blodsirkulasjon, organer, metabolisme i cellene, balanserer kroppssystemene, fjerner blokkering av chakraer, skaper en bro mellom sinnet og kroppen din, og aktiverer huden også, fordi huden er mediet mellom hendene. av terapeuten og kroppen under huden. For å venne seg til en terapeutisk massasje kan man begynne med fotmassasje. Videoer: spilleliste 1, spilleliste 2
Den profesjonelle og terapeutiske thaimassasjen er et mulig neste trinn: du har på deg komfortable klær. Videoer: spilleliste.
Den profesjonelle og terapeutiske Abhyanga («oljemassasje») er en form for ayurvedisk terapi som involverer massasje av hele kroppen fra hode til tå med Dosha-spesifikk varm urte-olje. Selvmassasje er også mulig. Abhyanga-massasje forbedrer hudhelsen. Healthline publiserte en artikkel om det. Video: Abhyanga self-massage. Video: Abhyanga massage India
Abhyanga selvmassasjeAbhyanga massasje av en terapeut
5. Frisk luft
Huden er vår naturlige grense mellom vår indre fysiske kropp, vår indre verden, vårt selv og omverdenen. Den menneskelige utviklingen, knyttet til den såkalte sivilisasjonen, førte til endringer i vaner, også i klær. Våre forfedre hadde ikke på seg klær, de brukte huden og pelsen til dyrene de drepte til mat, for å beskytte mot kulde. De bodde ikke i lukkede hus, men i huler, hytter eller telt. Frisk luft var en konstant faktor. Luften var ikke forurenset på den tiden. Huden kunne bade dag og natt i ren luft. Frisk luft, oksygen, er nødvendig for å holde huden i god stand. Å åpne vinduer, minst en time eller to per dag, er et must for å holde lufthygienen optimal. Om sommeren gjør jeg dette hver morgen, etter å ha våknet rundt klokken seks, og lukker vinduene etter en time eller to. Om vinteren gjør jeg dette to ganger om dagen, i bare fem minutter: det er ekstremt kaldt i de norske fjellene.
Å gå en daglig tur, også om vinteren, i et miljøvennlig område, skaper en sunn blodsirkulasjon. Blodet anrikes ved å puste inn rent oksygen. Blodsystemet transporterer oksygenet til også huden.
6. Dagslys
Vi er avkom av menneskene som levde i friluft, med overflod av dagslys. Vi må innse at huden vår ikke endret seg så mye under evolusjonen som våre vaner i klær og liv. Vi bor nesten konstant i et lukket hus, kontor, arbeidsplass, bil eller enhver form for offentlig transport, med kunstig lys. Naturlig lys, dagslys, er avgjørende for vårt velvære, og for å opprettholde en sunn hud. Merk: dagslys skapes av solen, men å være i full varme fra en brennende sol er ikke sunt. Skyggen gir også naturlig dagslys.
7. Vann og sunn mat
Hva du spiser og drikker kan påvirke hudens helse betydelig. Drikk minst en liter vann per dag, ved siden av alle andre væsker som kaffe, te, juice eller suppe. Healthline tilbyr utmerket informasjon om god mat for en sunn hud.
Mayo Clinic – et non-profit amerikansk akademisk medisinsk senter fokusert på integrert helsevesen, utdanning og forskning – Gir drikkevann hydrert hud?
Healthfully:Effektene av sollys[dagslys, admin] og frisk luft på kroppen
The skin is an utterly sensitive organ that is kept healthy because of a constantly regenerating, ingenious circulation system of water, lymph, blood, and fats. Because of the complexity of the skin, to understand how the skin is built, how this organ functions, it is helpful to watch one or more educational videos about it. I collected these in a playlist.
Since the nourishment of the skin takes place in the skin itself via the body systems and not on the surface, it is essential to eat healthy food and drink enough water (1-2 litres per day) next to other liquids like coffee, tea, soup, juiceses, etc.. Coffee and black teas de-hydrate the body. Breathing fresh air, being also physical active, contribute to an optimal digestion and therefore for a healthy skin as well. Daylight is also part of the natural skin care. Daylight creates a natural vitamin D that is adopted and transported by the skin into the body. The maintenance of the skin from the outside is part of the daily hygiene to keep bad smells, bacteria, viruses and fungi away, to avoid illnesses. Skin-friendly body oils moisturize the skin, and together with exfoliating the skin and massages a way to keep it vital, elastic, and shining.
1. Soap
It is astonishing that soap manufacturers of for instance the so popular Aleppo soap, Savon de Marseille, and Castile soap do not offer information about the pH value. The pH value of all natural soaps is 9. The Cretan Garden soaps are natural soaps, comparable with the Aleppo soaps, and have a pH value of 9 as well. This pH level is related with the formula for handcrafted natural soaps according to old traditions. There are manufacturers of the so-called neutral soaps, or so-called ecological degradable soaps who do not offer any information about that either. There are natural soap manufacturers who add natural acidic substances of for instance aloe vera to lower the pH level. For me its has been a conscious choice to follow up the old traditional methods and formulas. Though the Cretan Garden olive soap is alkalic, the skin needs just 15 minutes to come back to its own pH. The benefits of the olive oil, herbs and essential oils in the soap are all still present in the thin film that remains on the skin, nourish, protect and keep the skin elastic.
*Advice. In case the soap is used for scalp and hair washing: use argan oil after washing, on the towel-dry hair if you have dry and/or curly hair. Grey hair can be very dry as well. Argan oil is also used in the so-called Moroccan oil, but argan oil is pure oil, does not contain perfumes, or any other kind of chemicals. To make the argan oil more yours you can mix one drop essential oil with the argan oil in the palm of your hand before spreading it over the hair, and rub it in the hair and the scalp for about a minute.
*Advice for the use of soap on the skin of the face: Do not use soap too often. Use luke warm water and pat the skin of the face dry.
2. A skin-friendly body-oil
Make your own skin conditioner: Buy organic olive oil, and the essential oil used in the soap. Add 200 ml olive oil / 20 drops essential oil [for external use only!] in an empty and well cleaned fluid soap bottle with pump. Add just a little hand full of the homemade body oil immediately after washing to the wet and warm body from face to toes, spread it all over the skin. Then dry yourself with a towel. A very thin film is left. It offers a matt effect to skin, without weighing it, without leaving oily traces. It improves skin elasticity while preventing moisture loss that can contribute to the aging process. It keeps the skin smooth and soft, while leaving a natural healthy glow, younger looking result, and the wonderful scent of the essential oil. You can buy essential oils at BioAroma, Crete.
Attention: the advised total of drops essential oil on 200 ml olive oil, for a body oil is a safe total. On the website of the Aroma Therapy Foundation is written that the total depends on the power of each single essential oil: they are all different in weight, which means that one drop of lavender is lighter than one drop of oregano, for instance. They recommend for a body oil 20 – 40 drops on 100 ml olive oil. I recommend the maximum of 20 drops on 200 ml olive oil, to be used on body and face. Your skin could react on it anyway. Advice: try your home made body oil on a small spot on your arm, and wait to see how the skin reacts, before using it on the entire body. Do not use the body oil as a sun-oil. You can use it as an after-sun treatment. Protect your skin against the sun with a high protection factor cream. The best protection however is to avoid direct sunlight, by wearing a sun-hat, or to sit in the shadow.
3. Exfoliating the skin
Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells from the outer layer of your skin. If you do this well, in the way that fits with your skin type, this creates a bright, healthy looking skin because the circulation in the skin has improved. The right way of exfoliating allows a better absorption of body oils and creams. See also the Cretan Garden blog post: Exfoliating the skin.
*Advice: the skin of your face may not be exfoliated in the same way as the skin of the body. Because the skin of the face is constantly uncovered, dealing with variations in temperatures, air pollution, overdose of aggressive sunlight, dry air inside the house in winter, airco in summer and winter, the skin of the face needs a mild maintenance Not any kind of exfoliating is mild, unless one uses a wash cloth carefully.
4. Massages
Because Wikipedia offers a very excellent article about massage, types of massages, massages in history, and therapies with massages, I only would like to add some notes.
Massages stimulate the muscles, blood circulation, organs, metabolism in the cells, are balancing the body systems, unblock chakras, create a bridge between your mind and your body, and activate the skin as well, because the skin is the medium between the hands of the therapist and the body beneath the skin. To get used to a therapeutical massage one could start with foot massages. Videos: playlist 1, playlist 2 The Thai yoga massage is a possible next step: you wear comfortable clothes. Videos: playlist.
Abhyanga (“oil massage”) is a form of Ayurvedic therapy that involves massage of the entire body from the head to the toe with Dosha-specific warm herb-infused oil. Self-massage is also possible. Abhyanga massage improves skin health. Healthline published an article about it. Video: Abhyanga self-massage. Video: Abhyanga massage India
Abhyanga massage by a therapistAbhyanga selvmassasje
5. Fresh air
The skin is our natural border between our inner physical body, our inner world, our self, and the outside world, The human eveolution, related with the so-called civilization, brought changes in habits, also in clothing. Our ancestors did not wear clothes, they used the skin and fur of the animals they killed for food, to protect against cold. They did not live in closed houses but in caves, huts or tents. Fresh air was a constant factor. The air was not polluted in that time. The skin could bath day and night in clean air. Fresh air, oxygen, is necessary to keep the skin in a good condition. Opening windows, at least for an hour or two per day, is a must to keep the air-hygiene optimal. In summer I do this every morning, after waking up at about six o’clock, and close the windows after an hour or two. During winter I do this twice per day, for just five minutes: it is extreme cold in the Norwegian mountains.
Taking a daily walk, also in winter, in an environmentally healthy area, creates a healthy blood circulation. The blood is enriched by breathing in pure oxygen. The blood system transports the oxigen to also the skin.
6. Daylight
We are the offspring of the humans who were living in the open air, with abundancies of daylight. We must realize that our skin did not change so much during evolution as our habits in clothing and living. We live almost constantly in a closed house, office, working place, car or any kind of public transport, with artificial light. Natural light, daylight, is essential for our well-being, and to keep a healthy skin. Note: daylight is created by the sun, but being in the full heat of a burning sun is not healthy. Also the shadow offers natural daylight
7. Water and healthy food
What you eat and drink can significantly affect your skin health. Drink at least a liter water per day, next to all other liquids like coffee, tea, juices or soup. Healthline offers excellent information about good food for a healthy skin.
Mayo Clinic – a non-profit American academic medical center focused on integrated health care, education, and research – Does drinking water cause hydrated skin?
Healthfully:The Effects of Sunlight[daylight, Admin] & Fresh Air on the Body
Hygiene er en rekke rutiner som utføres for å bevare helsen. I følge Verdens helseorganisasjon (WHO), “Hygiene refererer til forhold og praksis som bidrar til å opprettholde helse og forhindre spredning av sykdommer.” Personlig hygiene refererer til å opprettholde kroppens renslighet. Hygieneaktiviteter kan grupperes i følgende: hjemme- og hverdagshygiene, personlig hygiene, medisinsk hygiene, søvnhygiene og mathygiene. Hjemme- og hverdagshygiene inkluderer håndvask, åndedrettshygiene, mathygiene hjemme, hygiene på kjøkkenet, hygiene på badet, vaskehygiene og medisinsk hygiene hjemme.
Mange setter likhetstegn mellom hygiene og “renslighet”, men hygiene er et vidt begrep. Det inkluderer slike personlige vanevalg som hvor ofte du skal dusje eller bade, vaske hender, klippe negler og vaske klær. Det inkluderer også oppmerksomhet på å holde overflater i hjemmet og på arbeidsplassen rene, inkludert baderomsfasiliteter. Noen vanlige hygienepraksiser kan anses som gode vaner av samfunnet, mens forsømmelse av hygiene kan anses som ekkelt, respektløst eller truende. [Kilde]
Norge, Cretan Gardens residens
Cretan Gardens nettside, blogg og nettbutikk ligger i Norge og følger derfor opp reglene til Norsk Handelskammer, og det såkalte Matttilsynet, Mattilsynet. Kosmetikk, som også såpe hører til, er en avdeling av denne myndigheten. Hygiene er et nøkkelord. Følgende tekster er en oversettelse av begrepet “hygiene” i Big Norwegian Medicinal Encyclopaedia. Når det var relevant la jeg til informasjon om hygiene i forbindelse med å lage, herde, oppbevare, pakke og sende håndlaget såpe. Disse tilleggene er merket med “Cretan Gardens tilleggsinformasjon”. “I dagligtalen handler ordet hygiene om det som er rent, friskt og fremmer det som er sunt, i motsetning til det som er usunt og fører til sykdom. I tradisjonelt legespråk er hygiene ofte en samlebetegnelse for helsefremmende arbeid og forebyggende medisin. Det legges ofte særlig vekt på tiltak fra det offentlige for å sikre folkehelsen. I universitetsundervisningen av medisinstudenter er hygienebegrepet erstattet med forebyggende medisin eller samfunnsmedisin.” Kilde
Håndhygiene
“Håndhygiene er håndvask med såpe og vann eller hånddesinfeksjon med alkoholbasert desinfeksjonsmiddel. Vask og desinfeksjon fjerner store deler av den midlertidige, overfladiske bakteriefloraen på hendene, som består av hvite stafylokokker og difteroider.
Vann og såpe sammen med mekaniske bevegelser av hender og fingre løser opp bakterier og smuss, og rennende vann skyller det vekk. Tørk av hendene med et papirhåndkle og skru på kranen igjen med det brukte papirhåndkleet. Riktig håndvask er den enkleste, billigste og mest effektive måten å hindre spredning av infeksjoner på. Å unngå nysing eller hosting for hånd og i stedet bruke enten et papirhåndkle eller albuekrok er også viktig for å redusere mengden bakterier eller virus på hendene til enhver tid. Kilde
Mathygiene
“Mathygiene omfatter tiltak for å sikre at vann og mat er egnet til konsum, og ikke gjør mennesker eller dyr syke. Tilsynet med dette er lagt til Mattilsynet. Tiltakene er i stor grad basert på felles europeiske regler.” Kilde
Håndlaget såpehygiene
Cretan Gardens tilleggsinformasjon: For å få lov til å selge håndlaget såpe i Norge må man være registrert i Brønnøysundregistrene, en organisasjon med strenge regler for hygiene i kategorien “kosmetikk” hvor også hjemmelaget såpe hører hjemme. Reglene om hygiene er laget av Mattilsynet.
Jeg følger strengt opp deres regler, ikke bare om hygiene, men også om informasjonen som må skrives i informasjonen til nettbutikken, og emballasjen til såpen. Hver Cretan Garden-såpe er pakket inn i en papirinnpakning: informasjonen er trykt på innsiden av omslaget.
Internasjonale avtaler
“Gjennom Verdens helseorganisasjon (WHO) er det etablert internasjonale avtaler om hygieneregler for personer som reiser mellom ulike land og i internasjonal godstransport. Se internasjonale helseforskrifter.” Kilde
Generelle hygienetiltak
“I praksis er det ofte en nær sammenheng mellom tiltak for å sikre hygiene og det som er gjort av estetiske årsaker. Dette gjelder for eksempel arbeidsplasser og i offentlige bygg hvor rot og manglende renhold er de første tegnene på at tilstanden kan bli uhygienisk Godt teknisk vedlikehold, for eksempel av ventilasjonsanlegg, er også avgjørende for å opprettholde et hygienisk forsvarlig innemiljø Det er viktig at tiltak iverksettes i tråd med faglige vurderinger Det kan forebygge overdrevne tiltak som i seg selv kan være skadelige. miljøriktig helsehjelp i kommunene står begrepet hygienisk skjønn sentralt Dette er skjønnsmessige vurderinger av hvilken risiko tekniske og miljømessige forhold kan være for redusert helse og sykdomsutvikling Vurderinger av estetiske forhold, som rot og manglende renhold. , er sentrale i dette arbeidet, som nevnt ovenfor.” Kilde
Cretan Gardens tilleggsinformasjon: Cretan Garden-såper lages i et hygienisk og godt ventilert rom. I et spesialoppsett for dette formålet støvfritt og tørt, middels varmt rom, kan såpene tørke, oppbevares hygienisk når de er herdet, og pakkes hygienisk ved bestilling.
English:
#2. Hygiene
What is “hygiene”?
Hygiene is a series of practices performed to preserve health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Hygiene refers to conditions and practices that help to maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases.” Personal hygiene refers to maintaining the body’s cleanliness. Hygiene activities can be grouped into the following: home and everyday hygiene, personal hygiene, medical hygiene, sleep hygiene and food hygiene. Home and every day hygiene includes hand washing, respiratory hygiene, food hygiene at home, hygiene in the kitchen, hygiene in the bathroom, laundry hygiene and medical hygiene at home.
Many people equate hygiene with ‘cleanliness,’ but hygiene is a broad term. It includes such personal habit choices as how frequently to take a shower or bath, wash hands, trim fingernails, and wash clothes. It also includes attention to keeping surfaces in the home and workplace clean, including bathroom facilities. Some regular hygiene practices may be considered good habits by the society, while the neglect of hygiene can be considered disgusting, disrespectful, or threatening.- [Source]
Norway, Cretan Garden’s residence
The Cretan Garden website, blog and webshop are located in Norway and therefore following up the rules of the Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, and the so-called Matttilsynet, the Norwegian Food and Safety Authority. Cosmetics, whereto soap also belongs, are a department of this authority. Hygiene is a keyword.
The following texts are a translation of the term “hygiene” in the Big Norwegian Medicinal Encyclopaedia. When relevant I added information about hygiene within the context of making, curing, storing, packing and sending handcrafted soap. These extras are marked with “Cretan Garden’s additional information”.
“In everyday speech the word hygiene is about what is clean, fresh and promotes what is healthy, opposing to what is unhealthy and leads to disease. In traditional medical language, hygiene is often a collective term for health-promoting work and preventive medicine. Special emphasis is often placed on measures from the public sector to ensure public health. In the university teaching of medical students, the concept of hygiene has been replaced by preventive medicine or community medicine.” Source
Hand Hygiene
“Hand hygiene is hand washing with soap and water or hand disinfection with alcohol-based disinfectant. Washing and disinfection remove large parts of the temporary, superficial bacterial flora on the hands, which consist of white staphylococci and diphtheroids.
Water and soap together with mechanical movements dissolve bacteria and dirt, and running water flushes it away. Wipe your hands with a paper towel and screw the tap back on with the used paper towel. Proper hand washing is the easiest, cheapest and most effective way to prevent the spread of infections. Avoiding sneezing or coughing by hand and instead using either a paper towel or elbow hook is also important to reduce the amount of bacteria or viruses on your hands at all times.” Source
Food hygiene
“Food hygiene includes measures to ensure that water and food are suitable for consumption, and do not make people or animals sick. The supervision of this has been added to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. The measures are largely based on common European rules.” Source
Handcrafted soap hygiene
Cretan Garden’s additional information: To be allowed to sell handcrafted soap in Norway one must be registered in the Norwegian “Brønnøysundregistrene“, an organization with strict rules about hygiene in the category “cosmetics” whereto also home made soap belongs. The rules about hygiene are created by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Mattilsynet.
I strictly follow up their rules, not only about hygiene, but also about the information that has to be written in the information of the web-shop, and the packaging of the soap. Each Cretan Garden soap will be wrapped in a paper wrapper: the information is printed on the inside of the the wrapper.
International agreements
“Through the World Health Organization (WHO), international agreements have been established on hygiene rules for persons traveling between different countries and in international goods transport. See international health regulations.” Source
General hygiene measures
“In practice, there is often a close connection between measures to ensure hygiene and what has been done for aesthetic reasons. This applies, for example, to workplaces and in public buildings where clutter and lack of cleanliness are the first signs that the condition can become unhygienic. Good technical maintenance, for example of ventilation systems, is also crucial for maintaining a hygienically sound indoor environment. It is important that measures are implemented in line with professional assessments. It can prevent excessive measures which in themselves can be harmful. In environmentally sound health care in the municipalities, the concept of hygienic judgment is central. These are discretionary assessments of what risk technical and environmental conditions may be for reduced health and the development of disease. Assessments of aesthetic conditions, such as clutter and lack of cleanliness, are central to this work, as mentioned above.” Source
Cretan Garden’s additional information: Cretan Garden soaps are created in a hygienic and well ventilated room. In a special for this purpose set up dust-free and dry, medium-warm room, the soaps can dry, to be stored hygienically when cured, and to be packed hygienically when ordered.
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