News & Views

 

Sunbathing Boost Man's Sex Drive

BBC news recently reported on new studies.... "Men who ensure that their body is at least sufficiently supplied with vitamin D are doing good for their testosterone levels and their libido among other things." says AdBrand
"Enjoying the sun safely while taking care not to burn should help people strike a balance between making enough vitamin D and avoiding a higher risk of skin cancer." says Cancer Research UK. 
We couldn't agree more. 
See here for a full read: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8493042.stm

Scientific Advisory Board Backs Moderate Use of Sunbeds

According to a statement by the Scientific Advisory Board of the Dutch Health Council, there is nothing wrong with tanning outdoors or in the solarium...as long as it’s in moderation. As the scientific panel continues in its letter to the Dutch Health Council which deals with health and consumer protection, on no account can it be guaranteed that the use of solariums is accompanied by a higher risk of skin cancer. 

Dutch Health Council back sunbeds (74 KB)

More dermatologists see the sense in sunshine exposure

For years we have heard 'stay out of the sun' messages from the dermatological community concerned about your skin ageing and skin cancers, and we agree they are valid concerns. However these messages have been so well heard that even in New Zealand some 40 to 50% of us have insufficient levels of vitamin D (that's naturally produced in your body from exposure to UV light, specifically UVB). There is now considerable evidence that vitamin D is necessary to good health for so many reasons it's hard to understand why the 'stay out of the sunshine' messages continue today. Finally we are seeing some movement even by those most extremely opposed to sunshine exposure, check out this article for more: 

Spanish dermatologists reconsider their position on sunbathing (23 KB)

Don't be Afraid of the Sunshine

We often hear that nearly all melanoma are caused by sunshine - this is not supported by evidence, in fact the more research that is done the more sunshine is shown to be just a small part of the puzzle. Check out what has been said by London researcher and dermatologist Dr Veronique Bataille in this report: 

The Process of Tanning

Our skin is designed with a natural inbuilt mechanism to protect us from UV rays, this mechanism is called a tan and thickens the outer layer of the skin.  When exposed to UV rays, cells deep in our skin produce more pigment-Melanin, which 'browns' as it rises to the skin's surface and a tan develops.  This process can take between 3 to 5 days so a tan takes time and patience to build.  If this process is not allowed to develop at its natural pace it will result in sunburn (erythyma).

Our skin has a natural repair mechanism but if this is triggered off too frequently it may become exhausted and result in permanent damage to the skin.  People react differently to UV rays depending on the type of skin they have and their ability to tan which in turn is determined by hereditary factors.  Before using a sunbed, or indoor tanning equipment, get to know your skin type so that you can follow a tanning programme according to your skin's tanning ability.

The skin of some very fair people does not contain pigment and they cannot produce it so they do not tan.  These people should not sunbathe outdoors or use indoor tanning equipment.  Tanning equipment is designed to provide a gradual tanning programme without burning and accommodate different skin types.

• CLEANSE - before beginning to tan use an exfoliant to prepare your skin.  It takes approximately 30 days for your skin to shed it's outer layer.  Exfoliating before tanning will give you best results and help keep your tan longer.  Exfoliating approximately once a week will keep your skin and tan feeling and looking good.
• ACCELERATE - accelerator products help promote a tan faster, moisturise your skin while tanning, and usually have a fragrance to cover up body odor that develops while tanning.
• MOISTURISE - after tanning use an all over body moisturiser - a hemp based moisturiser is excellent for this purpose - returning maximum moisture to the skin, which is easily absorbed.  Hemp seed oil is the closest natural oil to the oil produced by the human body, and therefore will be absorbed by the skin faster.

The great health debate – is sunshine the miracle cure?

Our bodies make vitamin D when the sun shines, and new research suggests the positive effects on health are greater than we ever guessed. Too much or over exposure to sun or UV increases your risk of skin cancer. This article takes a closer look into this scientific dilemma and suggests that there is enough evidence that vitamin D has a key role to play in helping to maintain our general health.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/feb/08/vitamin-d-sun-health

About Hemp – Nature’s Beauty Secret

Hemp is quite simply, nature's beauty secret - and the secret is in the seed. Hemp seed oil and extract offer many benefits useful in personal care products. The reason hemp is so effective is largely because of the essential fatty acids (EFAs) it contains. More than 75% of the EFAs in hemp seed oil are poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), known for their excellent emollient and lubricating properties.

Hemp seed oil contains what is considered to be an ideal ratio of Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids- 3:1, perfectly matching the needs of the human body. In addition to the EFAs hemp seed provides, it is also one of The Earth’s richest sources of amino acids. Along with the EFAs, these two components are responsible for keratin formation, the primary protein that gives your hair structural integrity.

Facts on hemp
The hulled hempseed does not contain any Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). (THC is normally stored in the fleshy parts of the plant, especially the leaves. None is contained in the seeds, flowers, or roots of the plant.)

Supre tests every batch of every Hempz product to ensure there is no THC in our formulas.

Hemp seed can be processed, much like soy, into many nutritious foods and cosmetic ingredients. Hemp seed is far more nutritious than even soybean oil and though it contains less total protein, it is far more digestible to humans.

Hemp seed contains, on average: 25% protein, 30% carbohydrates, 15% insoluble fibre, 30% oil, the nutrients carotene, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron, zinc, and the vitamins E, C, B1, B2, B3, and B6. Hemp seed also is one of the few seeds to contain Omega-6 and Omega-3 Linoleic acid, commonly found in fish and useful to the immune system.

Hemp oil has been found to be a highly nutritious, essential hair and skin aid for protection, growth and anti-aging.

Hemp has excellent healing and moisturizing properties.

Because of its EFA profile, hemp seed oil instantly counteracts the effects of degreasing and dehydration, conditions that produce dry skin and hair.

In addition to improving the structural quality of the hair, hemp seed oil's high lipid content helps increase elasticity, volume, Combability and shine.

Hemp is used as fibre for rope, twine, tough cloth, and paper as well as other products where wood pulp is currently used.

Hemp could help preserve natural resources. For instance, hemp used for paper would replenish itself in 90 days instead of the 20-40 years required to grow trees.

An acre of hemp can produce 4 times the amount of paper that an acre of trees can produce.

Hemp requires no herbicides or pesticides for cultivation and refertilisers soil naturally making the ground useful for future crops.

History of hemp
Hemp has been in continual use by human civilization for at least 10,000 years.

The first written record of cannabis was supposedly penned by one of the early Chinese emperors around 2700 B.C.

Islamic/Arabic empires created Europe's first paper mill utilizing hemp in about 1150 A.D.

In 1563 A.D., as part of the economic and military build-up of the time (80 years war), Queen Elizabeth I orders all land owners with 60 acres or more to grow Cannabis or face a £5 fine.

For centuries the fibre of the hemp plant has been used for rope, sails and other textiles.

Early drafts of The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution were written on hemp paper.

George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both farmed hemp crops – the colonists were legally bound to grow hemp as one of their crops and could use hemp to pay their taxes. During times of shortage, farmers were sent to jail for not growing hemp.

In 1941 Popular Mechanics introduced Henry Ford's new plastic car, manufactured from and fuelled by hemp (an early bio diesel variant). Hoping to break the petroleum industries' monopoly of control on his company, Ford illegally grew hemp for over a year.

The 1942 Japanese invasion of the Philippines cut off the US supply of Manila hemp, among other vital resources. The US government distributed over 400,000 pounds of hempseed to farmers in order to limit the supply gap as much as possible, subsidizing hemp cultivation during WWII. American farmers grew about a million acres as part of that program.

In New Zealand hemp businesses began to appear, in more recent times, during the early to mid 1990s. Hemp product availability has continued to grow ever since.

By 2004, a few U.S. states had again legalised production of industrial hemp and this continues to grow.

In 2005, for the first time a New Zealand hemp seed oil was available in health stores and outlets. Last year, a successful venture by two Canterbury businesses culminated, in March of 2006 with the first harvest of Hemp on a commercial scale in New Zealand. The crop was grown spray free and required very little irrigation.