Of Creamy Stories and Rose Petals

This love affair of mine, of roses and creams, is not unbeknownst to many. The stories starts when I am contemplating on a cream which my two friends regarded as the 'panacea' of skin complaints (well almost). As usual, I reached for the label and, without surprise, horrified with what I've read. Filled with chemicals is one thing but imitating cold cream is a big no-no.

Feeling heroic, this apothecarist sets into action. Armed with the arsenal of cream making (beeswax and stuff), he has successfully recreated the cream so affectionately ascribed to Galen himself.

Aiyo, what is a cold cream???!!!

The first cold cream is formulated by Galen (aforementioned). The original recipe includes beeswax, olive oil, rose petals, and rose water. The cream is termed 'cold' because as the rosewater in the cream  evaporates, it will create a cooling sensation (it does not, however, makes you 'cool' nor 'hip').

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On top of that, the original recipe lacks a fundamental ingredients which a pre-packed cream sorely needs: preservative. The original cream is designed by Galen (legend goes) to be used quickly, usually within a month or so. It is used as a cleanser and moisturiser at first and dearly requires a rinse with warm water after application to prevent the hand to be overly oily.

Taking these factors into account, I have created a lighter version of this affectionate recipe. Replacing olive oil with grapeseed oil makes it smoother and lighter while adding borax to the unguent makes it less susceptible to germs contamination. Borax is harvested naturally from mineral lakes and it is a mild emulsifier and preservative. No one wants contaminated creams and to make matter worse, spoilt cream does not necessarily smells off or looks bad.

The Modern Day Creams Dread

The modern version of the 'cold cream' is the very definition of cold in its best. Replacing the vegetable oil with mineral oil (and terming it nicely as Paraffinum liquidum) for the reason of rancidity is the biggest mistake of the pharmaceutical giants. Mineral oil is a by-product of petrol production and definitely cheap as well as abundant; not something you would want to smear on your skin really.

Natural plant oil, on the other hand, is absorbed by the skin and surely did not have such dubious reputation. Though it is more expensive, their effectiveness is guaranteed as human beings have been using it for centuries. Bear in mind cold cream has existed for almost two centuries since Galen and how long vegetable oils have existed? Perhaps since the dawn of neolithic, when agriculture began! Compare this to the mineral oil.

"Bear in mind cold cream has existed for almost two centuries since Galen and how long vegetable oils have existed?"

Aside from the mineral oil as base, the emulsifiers used to mix the oil and water are usually of petroleum origin as well. Plus the preservatives (usually paraben which has the yes-nay reputation to cause breast cancer), fragrance, and colouring, what you have is a jar of chemicals which do you temporary good but harmful side effects on the long run. We humans have never had paraffin before until recently.

This report confirms that aqueous cream do more harm than good (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3244814.stm). Half of the children with eczema often gets irritated by paraffin cream which ironically used to moisturise them.

Another concerning report is published here (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1321559/Moisturiser-aqueous-cream-BP-cream-make-eczema-worse.html). Skin cream, which claim to help alleviate skin problems such as eczema, in actual fact, makes the problem worse as Sodium Laureth Sulphate is used as emulsifier.

Mayura's Galenical Cream; An Alternative

Following the footstep of the world's first physician, Galen, I have faithfully recreated the cream, with which the Greeks have used to keep their skin moist and supple. I have termed this Galenical Cream which is the cold cream once common to everyone who wants to keep their skin from the onslaught of the elements.

Free from chemicals, this gentle cream is handcrafted from the finest nature can offer. Unrefined Beeswax and select vegetable oil is used as base whereas the finest world-renowned Damascus Rosewater offers an unparalleled moisturising experience. Finely powdered rose petals exfoliates the skin gently while caressing your skin with the lovely smell of French rose.

If you would want to purchase this cream, feel free to drop by at my Facebook page, Mayura Apothecary where I put all of my ideas to use. All the products listed there reflects the philosophy I have enumerate in this blog, so feel free to buy!

Omega 3 - a Brief Account

Working in a pharmacy means that we are constantly on the watch for hyperbolic claims. Some claims are just too good to be true and they usually are, just, too good to be true!

The Importance of Omega-3

While it is always marketed as being 'essential' to heart health, such claim is never validated by research. In essence, it decreases the risk of heart attack as described by the American Heart Association. Omega-3 is used by the body in a myriad of metabolic processes so they are essential in ensuring good hormonal balance and proper inflammatory response. Also, it helps in regulating the clotting factors of the blood and hence helps to prevent occurrence of strokes.

Taking omega-3 also favourably impacts cholesterol metabolism as healthy inflammatory response ensues. It also assists in lowering hypertension but marginally.

Now, everyone knows that a lot of pesky companies are advertising fish oil as almost possessing the virtue of a panacea. Well, this grumpy old phytotherapist thinks otherwise. While it is true that Omega-3 along with Omega-6, are classified as Essential Fatty Acids (which means that you should be taking this everyday), it is by no mean a 'cure-all'. Fish oil is the largest source of omega-3 and naturally, a vast number of companies would like to take advantage of that by marketing their products as 'better' than others.

Omega-3 is generally divided into two forms: EPA and DHA. Both have similar physiological properties but they do have their differences. There is a third form, which consists of shorter omega-3 chain, ALA which is derived from plant such as flaxseed.

In my humble opinion, fishes, though are good source of Omega-3, are mostly overrated. Most fish oils are extracted from small fishes which claim to have little or no toxins in their body but with such pollution as well as radiation leaks, can this really be proved? Some claim that Salmon oil is the best source but who knows that farmed salmons (which constitutes almost 90% of the salmon fishes we eat today) are the most contaminated fish in the world? Such predicament arises because of inferior farming technique and unethical  practices.

To fish or not to fish?

It is also a known fact that fish oil companies sold two types of fish oil viz. Ethyl Esters and Natural Triglycerides. Either type has their supporters but research shown persistently that Natural triglycerides prevails in bio-availability tests. To add insult to injury, Ethyl Esters (EE) fish oils are chemically-processed so as to alter the chain of the fatty acid. Molecularly distilling these oils would then allow for selective concentration of EPA and DHA (the components of omega-3). However, EEs are technically not oil as the fish oils have undergone processing with alcohol to break up the chain.

The best bet is to go for natural triglycerides fish oil. It should smell fishy but not as rancid oil. Now, before I say which brand is the best (in my opinion), let me enlist the few quintessential points for choosing a good fish oil.

Henri's Quintessential Fish Oil Checklist

• It must be free from toxin so a combination from few small fishes would be preferable.
• Opt for pharmaceutical grade fish oil but try to stay away from Ethyl Esters.
• Find purified fish oil, especially those which are molecularly distilled and filtered.
• Watch out for fish oil which has too much of fish fats. Opt for those who has 40% or lower fish fats which means that you will have 60% or more of Omega-3 content.
• Inquire about the content of Arachidonic Acid (AA) before purchasing. While it is true that we do not have concrete proof that AA will kick-off more inflammation, it is better to avoid it simply because it is involved in the biochemical pathway of inflammation, just to be safe.

"Take it this way, taking CoQ10 orally has always been debatable as the absorption of the co-enzyme into the bloodstream has never been established concretely. However, taking CoQ10 orally does have a significant impact on reducing heart attacks."

Adverse effect

Omega-3 might cause haemorrhagic stroke if taken in excessive quantity (not more than 3000mg or 3g per day). Consumption of high level of EPA is not recommended in children as they need more of DHA for their normal brain and eyes growth. Also taking too much of Omega-3 during the third trimester might increase the risk of bleeding while delivering. I would recommend to keep it down to 1,000mg per day.

Conclusion

Omega-3 is a crucial component which we dearly need in maintaining good health. We can source omega-3 from myriad sources such as Flaxseed oil, Fish oil, and some nut oils. When using animal source oil, be sure to analyse according to the checklist I have furnish you with. I personally recommend taking plant based oil because of ethical issues as well as toxin contamination. However, if you opt for plant based omega-3 supplementation (such as flaxseed), make sure that they are fresh and not rancid. Be sure to always refrigerate them as the oils oxidises readily upon exposure to air.

Taming the Eczema Beast

The Introduction

Eczema is a kind of skin disorder and often coupled with asthma, also a common allergy reaction. The skin of eczema patient is dry, thickened, and itchy. Sometimes, lesion will occur, and worsen by scratching. Also, in the later stages, hyperpigmented plaques with raised appearance. The most important thing is that a patient must not scratch, or it will become worse.

Causes

The cause of this problem is generally nutrition-related. Ezcemic patients are often severely lacking in omega-3 (to choose a good omega-3, click here) fatty acids and have digestive problems. Sometimes, eczema is a common reaction to food allergy.

"Sometimes, eczema is a common reaction to food allergy."

Infants who have been fed with solid food too early will sometimes cause allergy reaction such as eczema. This is caused by the passage of food to the immature gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), which can cause immune reactions. Immune reactions are created through the introduction of foreign protein usually into the blood stream. As the immune system is able to distinguish between self and non-self, foreign protein is more than able to be detected as harmful. This triggers the immune response on some people and allergy reactions happen as a consequence. Some people only sensitive to certain proteins, but some are not.

Food allergy might be the causes to a lot of headache and certainly, this is not a minor problem. Many have overlook the seriousness of food allergy and pay no details to the food they eat. It might be the sandwich that you love so much that causes your eczema. The food we eat may activate the inflammatory mediators in the gut, so we must pay attention to what we eat and which food will cause us to have allergic reaction.

However, imbalance of intestinal floral will cause allergic reaction as well. This is because the bacteria that lives in our gut is overpowered by the bad guys. This can cause the accumulation of endotoxins which can trigger allergic reaction as well. Consuming yogurt or supplementary acidophillus will do the trick of restoring our intestinal floral and thus eliminating allergic reactions.

Eczema in infants are best treated with breastfeeding as the baby might be allergic to cow's milk or any other substitute milk. However, if the problem arises from breastfeeding, then it should be discontinued and the mother should be treated as this might indicate that the mother might have health problems.

In eczema patients, there are usually many abnormalities in their micro-circulation of the skin. Often, there are considerable blanching, and cold skin. The application of vascodilatories will not improve the skin condition but will worsen it. This is cause by the presence of potent vascoconstrictors and inflammation agents such as endothelins, which are associated with allergic reaction and asthma.

The other cause of eczema is digestion related. There are some patients who have lowered stomach acid level and those who will have problem metabolizing fatty acids. The patient involved might have difficulties digesting and utilising linoleic acid. This however, can be fixed by consuming what we known as evening primrose oil or DHA (which is abundant in fish oil or cod liver oil).

"...patient involved might have difficulties digesting and utilising linoleic acid."

Recommendations

When experiencing itchiness, and any other symptoms associated with eczema, one is advised to apply emollient substances to calm down such inflammations. In my archive, you can search an article detailing in making lotions and a myriad of other stuff posted in this blog.

As for topical preparations such as creams, lotions, or even gel, one has to be careful as to what kind of ingredients go into the preparations.  While bad flare-ups usually warrant the usage of steroidal preparations (which should be prescribed by doctors or pharmacists) but such remedies should be used as infrequently as possible as it could potentially cause skin thinning at best and hormonal interference at worst!

Mayura Apothecary's Soothing Skin Salve
for Relief of Angry and Red Skin

Natural preparations would always be preferable and for this reason, we have whipped up a batch of marvelous emollient consisting of natural ingredients to help with moisturising and relief of such angry skin. Containing German Chamomile extract which acts as an anti-inflammatory and blended into a base of pure beeswax, extra virgin olive oil, rice bran oil, and almond oil, such ingredients will leave your skin feeling supple while soothing the dreaded inflammation of the skin.

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Another natural alternative would be the topical applications of neat witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) or castor oil. Soaps or preparations containing white sandalwood (Santalum album) might be of help too. Distillations and preparations containing Peppermint (Mentha piperita) and/or Spearmint (Mentha spicata) might help to relieve itchiness. However, if you found yourself having sensitivity towards such herbs, stop using it. Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) is also a well-known treatment for eczema, its juice (from the fruit) is useful when applied topically as a lotion. An infusion made from the leaves, also, have the same effectiveness when applied as lotion on the afflicted area.

However, in my opinion of eating right, pick up a book, titled 'eat your colors' by Marcia Zimmerman, published by Henry Holt® and Company. You can't go wrong by following the author's advice. Given in such precision and articulations, you will find even the slightest details that most dietary books will miss out and food will never be the same with this book. This is the website for this book: http://www.thenutritionsolution.com

This means that correct eating will eliminate a lot of problems. As I turn around the corner of health issues, it all come back to the same thing, correct eating, ample exercise, and plenty of fluids. This is the true recipe of health.