Part ~ 2 Part ~ 3
-: Kitchen Kemistry
and Kosmetics :-
The Beautiful Art
by
Ivor Hughes
Part 1
Beauty is Skin Deep.
-::-
It is old wisdom, 'A healthy mind in a healthy body.' The condition of health may be seen as a degree of vitality on a simple scale of 1 to 10. Ten being top level. A prime self evident pointer, of where we are at on that scale, is the skin.
"Harrumph" ! .... said Judge Lord R.U.A. Bad Egg KC VD and Scar .... "
The skin is a convenient sack, of better lasting than plastic material" Here
he paused, to allow that to sink into the tough nut of the assembled Hackery
of Fleet Street. Whilst waiting for the sound of scribbling to stop, Bad Egg
snorted a quick line of Cocaine via a much used US$100 bill.
As the scribbling died away he continued " So 'Ipso de Facto' the skin is a
sack to carry around assorted bones and organ parts. If we wish to keep all
those parts in one place instead of scattered around the universe, then we
must block all of those beastly leaky holes, that those biology wallahs call
'pores'.
As the scribbling died down, Bad Egg
continued, "We are indeed fortunate that Carnage, Killem and Slaughter
International have produced a total range of cosmetics, pesticides,
bactericides and hole blockers for Mother and baby. There is not a nation in
the world, that is not familiar with their famous slogan, "Would you use on
your face, what you use on babies bum"?
In fact, this great Company, this benefactor of the human race, this epitome
of God like aspiration, has a cradle to grave policy. Bad Egg was about to
achieve lift off with his flight of oratory, when a discreet cough at his
right elbow announced Fotheringay, who promptly lowered his silver salver
and deposited the brandy on the goodies table, at the same time proffering
the note on the salver. Bad Egg read it, 'Blithering Idiots'! He muttered.
Bad Egg slipped into damage control with well oiled practice. Crumbling an
Amphetamine tablet onto the smouldering end of his prime Havana he inhaled
like a thirsty elephant sucking water. The end of the Havana flared like a
miniature supernova. Then swallowing a double snifter of brandy, he was
ready.
Bad Egg stood, and raising his arms, palms out in benediction over the
assembled heads of hackery incarnate, said in Gothic Sepulchre tones,
" Esteemed members of the press", Bad Egg paused to let the sniggers die
down. The Board of Carnage, Killem and Slaughter International
(hereinafter referred to as CKSI,) after 3 minutes of intense ethical debate
sent Chairman Mor Carnage out to feed the pigeons. This sizzling hot
report is direct from the factory farm piggery located at the New York Stock
Exchange. Bad Egg used his arms much in the same way, that one would
try to placate a snarling, frothing pack of Rotweilers with bloodshot eyes.
Down, down, he said in velvet soothing tones, I will read the press
release, are our pencils ready ? Without waiting for a reply from the
assembled hackery, he commenced in sonorous tones ......
' In a terse but emotional statement, CKSI CEO Mor Carnage said that they
would no longer be offering a Burial Policy to the morons that use their
products, "this with great reluctance and sorrow, but it was sheer
consumer pressure, and greedy undertakers, that made us rethink our policy
in this age of consumer pays twice." Mor Carnage was seen to
obtrusively wipe a tear from the corner of his eye, whilst conveniently on
centre camera'.
Bad Egg paused, as he did so, Fotheringay, all brilliantine and starched
dickie, materialised at his elbow bearing his trusty salver. "This weeks
Media Advertising Contracts my L'ud". Bad Egg took the sealed red
envelope from the salver and bellowed, "SIT !
Bad Egg continued, "Time to see which Fleet Street Hackery has won the
weekly advertising splurge of US$500,000. He slowly withdrew the folded
paper from the red envelope, unfolded it, and as he read, he gave a long low
whistle, and muttered "well phlog me with the phlogiston theory"
Without more ado, he announced "for the 38th week in a row ..... The 'Womans
Week in Perspective' for their award winning article ' Babies Smelly Bum
Syndrome, (BSBS) and what to do about it' This highly factual article was
compiled from CKSI/Con/inf/woffle leaflet/03A/Bull/Sht/BSBS.
In an attempt to address the stunned silence, Bad Egg harrumphed ! and said
" Esteemed members of the press" here he ignored the sniggers and
flatulence, and continued,
"The Womans Week in Perspective is a worthy winner. The whole of Womanhood
is prostrated at their feet. They alone raised the sales of CSKI toilet
cleaners to US$820 billion annually.
They literally transformed the grimy pedestal of mankind, into a gleaming
white germ free throne. Whereupon, the Sage leaders of our kind, may ponder
our fate, and pronounce their verdict before rising.
They alone boosted the sales of CSKI smell blockers, errr, I mean
deodorants to US$500 billion annually. They alone have ensured that
generations of babies have been plastered with CSKI products and given
multiple allergies, this creates demand downstream for anti histamines
creams, asthma inhalers and baby speed etc. It also ensures that our
Far Eastern sweat shops remain gainfully employed. Supplying 2 cents
per hour for 120 hours x 100,000 peasants is a lot of dirty dolluhs to find
every week. But the combined force of CSKI and Womans Week in Perspective
have proved equal to the task of keeping the peasantry gainfully employed.
This noble organ deserves the pigeon masters beneficence, if only for the
fact that the pigeon master holds 99% of the shares of 'Womans Week in
Perspective. Beneath the hysterical applause, Bad Egg was heard to mutter,
"Blithering Idiots".
Body Image.
Our mental image, of its physical body, for better or worse, is
usually true. Thus at one end of a scale, are those people that threw their
hands up in despair, and let it all hang out. Whilst at the other, we have
the champion athletic type. Many of whom will tell, of old injuries that
flare up and give them pain.If you read the opening satireas representing a
ground reality, then you will clearly understand that the image that we have
of ourselves has very little to do with us. It is usually imposed upon us
via cultural mores, and rammed home by the mass media in all of its many
manifestations.
The spin doctors, politicians, business and media hacks present us with the
images to conform to. These images may range from the earth child look, to
95 year old's still balling on the kitchen floor. So we choose a costume and
get on with it.Those square pegs that did not fit the round holes and vice
versa, are usually attended to by the legal fraternity, or the psychiatrist.
We expect the orthodox Doctor to fix our every malaise and totally ignore
the fact that Iatrogenic (Physician Caused) disease is the 3rd leading cause
of death in the developed nations.
So in other words, if heart disease and cancer does not get you, then the
Doctor will. The root of this misplaced faith in the medical system,
is to be found in the fact, that it is easier and more comforting to be told
what to do. In that way we do not have to accept responsibility for
ourselves. If one looks at what the Doctors are dying from, then one may
see, that they are dying from the same diseases, and at the same rate, that
mere mortals do. So why do we continue to think that they have the
answers ?
Eastern Philosophy has never lost sight of the truth. The body is seen as a
temple. Within the heart space dwells the deity with its compassion and
balance. The temple is kept clean, within and without. Only natural
products are used in the cleansing. Only natural products are using in the
feeding.
There are 12 body types, each one is a product of the month of the year and
season. Each of those types is further sub dividable by days in the month.
Your size and weight is only important, in so far as,
"Are You
Healthy" A healthy person is a beautiful person. They glow.
Healthy, or not healthy, may also be seen on a scale. At one end we have the
Anorexic and at the other the Obese. Both of those conditions may be
corrected by correct nutrition, It can heal many other emotional conditions
as well.
Paradoxically the anorexic and the obese are suffering from malnutrition.
The market is replete with 'Calorie Controlled Diets' 'Low Fat Diets' 'High
Protein Diets' 'Low Carbohydrate Diets' Ad nauseam.
The Skin:
The skin is the largest organ of the body. It is a masterpiece of creation.
In good condition it is incredibly elastic. Consider how many times the skin
on every joint must have stretched in one year. The skin suits us to every
purpose, it is the original wetsuit. robust yet delicate. It changes to meet
many diverse purposes from the soles of our feet to delicate mucous
membrane. Its sensory and tactile properties are phenomenal. It will meet
mental cues with a blush and exterior cues with goose pimples or sebum and
melanin. It also manufactures Vitamin 'D'. The hair and nails are appendages
of the skin, and, in the same manner as skin, are an indicator of health or
lack of it.
Basic Functions of the Skin:
(A)
It acts as a protection for the body, by use
of its own bacteria against foreign invaders.
(B) It assists regulation of body
temperature by the evaporative effect of perspiration.
(C) It keeps the hair soft and
supple and nourished with sebum.
(D) It protects itself from over
exposure to UV rays by the production of melanin.
(E) It stores fat for when the
body requires energy.
Glowing with Health.
Diagrams and explanations found in text books
of Anatomy and Physiology, leave one with a sense of emptiness for what is
missing. This is the sense of wonder at our bodies.
The reality is, that everything is alive, and it is all happening at once,
thousands of times per second. We are a shimmering pulsing energy field of
flares and nova. Kirlian photography demonstrates the luminescence, that the
exchange of energy manifests. When we see a person who is glowing, we may
not see the colours, but we can sense that energy. We know that we are in
the presence of health, probably at 8 or 9 on our scale of 10. In this
same way we instantly know the vitality rate of those we meet if that person
is under par. It is their skin that proclaims health or lack of it.
The Skin as an Organ of Elimination.
From cradle to grave, 24 hours per day we are
burning energy, to power a body function of one kind or another. Burning
energy creates waste products that must be removed on a regular basis, in
the same way that household waste must be disposed of. If it is not then in
both cases disease is the result. The body has 4 main strategies that it
employs in returning oxidation products and other waste to nature for
recycling.
(1) Defecation.
(2) Urination.
(3) Respiration.
(4) Transpiration and secretion.
(Sweat and sebum)
The skin performs strategy 3 by exchanging gases with the outer and inner
environment in the same way as the surface of a leaf. Strategy 4 is the
major recycling route. Waste deposits from the lymph, (The liquid transport
system for the blood cells) are bought to the outer surface of the body for
recycling and are packaged by the sebum for disposal. The sebum is a miracle
oil that conditions the skin and hair, and keeps both soft, supple and
protected. They glow with health.
The
Skin as an Organ of Protection.
In addition to keeping all the organs in one
place as Lord Bad Egg would have it. The skin and its secretions are the
first line protection for the organism as a whole. I have used the term
'miracle oil' for sebum. The pharmaceutical approach is, 'one oil for
everyone'. Natures approach is that everyone has their own special oil. One
that is suited exactly, to our own unique metabolism. Made by Nature
especially for you.
The ozone layer can be likened to a cosmic ray filter which encloses the
Earth as a skin. Animal life on our planet can only exist, within a narrow
band of the total Solar emissions. Each race evolved its own specialised
type of skin to meet the changing environmental conditions. Those
conditions are determined by the changing gaseous atmosphere, as well as the
type of rays accepted from the ozone layer. It is our sebum that determines
which type of rays that we receive. This ensures that each one has their
place in the Sun. It is the sebum that is our cosmic ray filter.
The skin is constantly being replaced as the trillions of older cells die,
form hard layers and then slough off. Were it not for our sebum, we
would move around like a miniature snow storm. Dry or flaky skin and
dandruff are symptoms of lack of sebum. Oily skin and black heads are a
symptom of excess of sebum. These are internal causes. Causes that need to
be attended to before we resort to palliative methods such as the
outrageously priced and often useless cosmetic products.
The Care of the Skin.
Sebum may be removed from the skin in a number of ways.
(A) By the use of a flat bladed
scraper. This was a preferred method in the bath houses of ancient Rome. It
was first preceded by a good steam bath. The scraping was performed by a
slave.
(B) We may remove sebum from the
skin by the use of soaps and detergents, bubble baths and shower gels. The
sebum is emulsified and washed off with the dead skin cells. This type of
treatment is harsh to the skin. Soap manufacturers live off the slogan
'Gentle on Your Skin' or, that they contain some sort of magic moisturising
ingredient. So they might, but the job of soap is to emulsify and with
emulsification of the sebum, it gets washed off, the magic ingredient
get washed off at the same time. The rule is ..... 'not too often'.
(C) By the use of an absorbent
substance such as 'Fullers Earth' or Kaolin in the form of a face pack. This
is not only a messy business but it leaves particles in the pores and the
sebaceous gland that surrounds a hair shaft. This then requires
further processes to remove them lest they cause problems.
(D) By use of the cleansing creams, cold creams and the
like. They are usually a water in oil emulsion and work by diluting and
absorbing the sebum prior to being removed. The treatment is then usually
followed by the application of an astringent lotion to tauten the skin and
remove the last of the oil and sebum.
Body and Skin Bacteria.
The type of bacteria that live upon the waste products of your skin depends
entirely upon what you eat. For example a greasy hamburger will produce a
different type of waste to that of an apple. So in effect what we eat,
determines whether we culture vultures or sparrows in bacterial terms.
Our personal bodyguard of bacteria live in tribes and families. They
inhabit the warm moist regions of our bodies. In the event that space
traveling foreign bacteria land, they are quickly dealt with by our
bodyguard.
However if our inner environment is polluted then the nature of the waste
products will change. If our food is changed then the product of that food
is changed. Anyone who has ever changed a Diaper (US) or Nappy (UK) will
vehemently defend that statement as fact. Simply put, burning wood or coal,
has ash as a product, but the composition of the ash is different. A
consequence of inner pollution, is that we host unwanted bacteria, which may
prove harmful to us if our immune system is compromised.
If we persist in dousing our bodies, our children, our animals, our homes
and our gardens with bactericides we are going to come to a sticky end,
because we will have no bacteria to protect our families from the swiftly
mutating bacteria, and the rising manifestations of disease that is now
evident in all westernised countries.
If you pong and hum, then it is something that you ate, that needs to get
out. You pong and hum because you have been using bactericides on your body.
No bacteria to eat the piles of waste. So the waste just rots and
pongs.
Our inner environment also hosts bacteria that are absolutely essential to
our health. They are not only engaged in protection but also with digestion
and the manufacture of a vitamin or a precursor. If we are troubled by
"Thrush", it means we are cultivating the wrong type of bacteria. Change the
bacterial environment and the bacteria will vacate.. Again it is something
you ate. If we use anti-biotics then we must constantly replace the gut
bacteria that is being killed by the anti-biotic. That is best done by
consuming live organic yogurt.
Sweat.
If we cannot transpire (perspire) we die. Either from heat exhaustion
or blood poisoning. Perspiration not only keeps the body cool by its
evaporative effect but it also helps to transport the metabolic waste
to the surface of the skin. The skin is an integral part of our immune
system ,and secreted in the sweat is our own personal antibiotic. We may
halt the process of perspiration by the use of an astringent, the pores
pucker in the same way as the mouth. However the effect is short lasting.
With a fanfare of trumpets enter the Deodorants. Either underarm or between
the legs. The deodorants are designed to block sweat. As a class of
product, they caused Carnage, Killem and Slaughter International, a few
technical problems. You see the problem was, ..... How to keep a pore closed
for more than 10 minutes' .... without resorting to major surgery.
The Business Solution.
The 3 times winner of the Nobel Prize for Hamburgers. Sir Iva Shiny
Bonehead PhD BSc, MSc, LLB, Hbt, BEM, was looking at the bullet holes
that peppered the wall, of his youngest daughters bedroom. As head of
the CKSI research team, he had spent a fruitless and sweaty week trying to
solve the 'keep the pores closed problem'
He absent mindedly reached for his tube of of Supa Dupa hole filler.
Then lo! the openings bars of 'Thus Spake Zarathustra blossomed in a
crescendo of sound within his grey matter. Sir Iva entered the halls of
justice, mythology, science and history. So it was into hole blocking
with a vengeance.
Problem was that a lot of the stuff they popped into the holes wouldn't stay
in place. Until someone figured that aluminium salts blocked the holes
nicely. CKSI spent oodles of boodle refuting the scurrilous rumor that
Aluminium was linked to Alzheimer's disease. But I cant help wondering,
after all, one cant buy an aluminium pan anywhere nowadays. I wonder why not
? Ah no wonder, world production of aluminium is geared to hole
blockers.
A Word from the Hallowed Halls of Science.
Hygiene of the Skin: When Is Clean Too Clean?
By Dr. Elaine Larson.
Even with use of antiseptic preparations, which substantially reduce counts
of hand flora, no reductions beyond an equilibrium level are attained. The
numbers of organisms spread from the hands of nurses who washed frequently
with an antimicrobial soap actually increased after a period of time; this
increase is associated with declining skin health. In a recent survey,
nurses with damaged hands were twice as likely to be colonized with S.
hominis, S. aureus, gram-negative bacteria, enterococci, and Candida spp.
and had a greater number of species colonizing the hands.
The trend in both the general public and among health-care professionals
toward more frequent washing with detergents, soaps, and antimicrobial
ingredients needs careful reassessment in light of the damage done to skin
and resultant increased risk for harboring and transmitting infectious
agents. More washing and scrubbing are unlikely to be better and may, in
fact, be worse. The goal should be to identify skin hygiene practices that
provide adequate protection from transmission of infecting agents while
minimizing the risk for changing the ecology and health of the skin and
increasing resistance in the skin flora.
Soaps and detergents have been described as the most damaging of all
substances routinely applied to skin. Anionic and cationic detergents are
more harmful than nonionic detergents, and increased concentrations of
surfactant result in more rapid, severe damage. Each time the skin is
washed, it undergoes profound changes, most of them transient. However,
among persons in occupations such as health care in which frequent
handwashing is required, long-term changes in the skin can result in chronic
damage, irritant contact dermatitis and eczema, and concomitant changes in
flora.
Water content, humidity, pH, intracellular lipids, and rates of shedding
help retain the protective barrier properties of the skin. When the barrier
is compromised (e.g., by hand hygiene practices such as scrubbing), skin
dryness, irritation, cracking, and other problems may result. Although the
palmar surface of the hand has twice as many cell layers and the cells are
up to 30 times thicker than on the rest of the skin, palms are quite
permeable to water.
Long-term changes in skin pH associated with handwashing may pose a concern
since some of the antibacterial characteristics of skin are associated with
its normally acidic pH. In one report, pH increased 0.6 to 1.8 units after
handwashing with plain soap for 1 to 2 min and then gradually declined to
baseline levels over a period of 45 min to 2 hr (50). Some soaps can be
associated with long-standing changes in skin pH, reduction in fatty acids,
and subsequent changes in resident flora such as propionibacter.
A myriad of antimicrobial soaps and skin care products have become
commercially available. While antimicrobial drug-containing products are
superior to plain soaps for reducing both transient pathogens and colonizing
flora, widespread use of these agents has raised concerns about the
emergence of bacterial strains resistant to antiseptic ingredients such as
triclosan. Such resistance has been noted in England and Japan, and
molecular mechanisms for the development of resistance have been proposed.
Although in some settings exposure to antiseptics has occurred for years
without the appearance of resistance, a recent study described mutants of
Escherichia coli selected for resistance to one disinfectant that were also
multiple-antibiotic resistant. Some evidence indicates that long-term use of
topical antimicrobial agents may alter skin flora. The question remains
whether antimicrobial soaps provide sufficient benefit in reducing
transmission of infection without added risk or cost.
Dr. Elaine Larson is professor of pharmaceutical and therapeutic
research, The School of Nursing, and professor of epidemiology, Mailman
School of Public Health, Columbia University. She is editor of the American
Journal of Infection Control and former chair of the Healthcare Infection
Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) and member of CDC's National
Center for Infectious Diseases Board of Scientific Counselors.
Healthy Food for Healthy Skin.
We pay a heavy price for our many conveniences. Do you know how much ?
Part 2 in this series, will be : Food as Medicine in Arcadia. In part 2 we
will take a look at food as it relates to health and beauty. We will also
take a look at the conditions of 'Anorexia' and that of 'Obesity'. Part 3
and final will deal with Natural Cosmetics and how to
make them.
