Matricaria chamomilla flower

Common Names: (/’kæm?mi?l/ kam-?-meel or /’kæm?ma?l/ kam-?-myl), camomile (British spelling), from Greek for “earth apple,” daisy, “the friendly flower”
The most commonly used species for cosmetics and skin care:

Matricaria chamomilla (also known as Matricaria recutita)– German or wild chamomile
Chamaemelum nobile (Anthemis nobilis) — Roman, English or garden chamomile

What’s the world’s friendliest flower? Many people will say it’s the daisy. There’s something so cheerful about the yellow center with the white petals radiating out around it, like a child’s drawing of the sun. Lovers check their relationships, pulling off a petal at a time while saying, “He/She loves me, he/she loves me not…”

But there’s more to this sunny flower than meets the eye; certain varieties have powerful herbal properties with significant health benefits. Essences from the chamomile daisy are known for calming, moisturizing, and skin soothing properties and may even improve healing and tissue regeneration.

The dried petals of members of the Asteraceae family (which includes daisies, sunflowers, and ragweed) have long been used in herbal medicines as well as modern skin care and cosmetics. Extracts from the petals are made into herbal teas and essential oils.

The wild or “German” chamomile is an annual herb, which flourishes throughout Northern Europe and grows to 2-3 feet tall. The Roman, English or “garden variety” chamomile is a very short ground cover that only grows 4-12 inches high and appears mainly in English and North American gardens. Both varieties prefer light, sandy, acidic soil with good drainage.

Children all over the world first learn about the soothing powers of chamomile from Beatrix Potter’s famous story, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Naughty Peter tries to steal vegetables from the farmer’s garden and barely escapes with his life. His mother, Mrs. Rabbit, puts her undisciplined son to bed with a dose of chamomile tea to help him sleep, saying “One table-spoonful to be taken at bedtime.” Like warm milk, chamomile is an age-old remedy to soothe and calm.

Many folk remedies have a proven scientific basis. Chamomile is considered to be to Europeans what ‘ginseng’ is to Asians; it is one of the most important plants used in herbal medicines and there is a growing awareness of its potency among Western doctors as well.

One of the herbs of choice of Asclepiades, a Greek physician who lived around 90 B.C., the word ‘Chamomile’ comes from the Greek words for ‘ground’ and ‘apple’ and is often translated as “Earth-apple.” It is believed the name comes from the scent of the flowers, which resembles the smell of fresh apples. When made into an essential oil, it has a spicy, relaxing scent and has proven healing and antiseptic properties.

Medical use and pharmacology – Alpha-bisobolol

Medicinally, chamomile is soothing for upset stomachs and irritable bowels, and is a gentle sleep aid. It is also known for its anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effects. Topical applications of chamomile in a cream or lotion promote wound healing and reduce scarring.

Scientists report anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, and mild sedative effects, which they believe mostly come from a component of the chamomile flower that chemists call “alpha-bisabolol.”

Alpha-bisabolol has also been shown to reduce fever and shorten the healing time of skin burns. Alpha-bisabolol is an antiseptic with anti-inflammatory properties when applied to skin. Alpha-bisabolol is the primary ingredient in the popular Paul Penders Cellular Renewal Serum.

Alpha Bisabolol Cell Renewal Serum

Its major ingredient is clinically proven to reduce scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone. With antioxidants, enzymes, collagen and elastin that act as “cell communicating agents,” this serum is a natural power-house product that increases cell regeneration due to degradation and cell damage due to overstretching.
Ingredients and to learn more…                          

Cosmetic uses of chamomile

Chamomile is frequently added to skin cosmetics to serve as a moisturizer or emollient and for its anti-inflammatory effects, making skin firmer, smoother, and better hydrated. Chamomile Extract is also used as a natural skin-whitening agent. It helps by slowing down the transportation of melanin to the skin’s surface, as well as inhibiting UV-induced formation of skin pigment. The appearance of scars and stretch marks can be improved by applying chamomile-based skin products.

In hair products, chamomile is also often used to “bring out the blonde,” enhancing highlights and the color of blonde hair.

A few warnings

Because chamomile can cause uterine contractions which can lead to miscarriage, the U.S.National Institutes of Health recommends that pregnant and nursing mothers should not consume chamomile teas.

Allergic reactions are also possible, especially if you’re sensitive to ragweed. However, the potential is rated as “extremely rare contact allergy.” How rare? A survey by The Honest Herbal reports that between the years 1887 and 1982, only 50 allergies resulting from “chamomiles” were reported in the literature.

“Though the chamomile, the more it is trodden on, the faster it grows,
[like] youth the more it is waster, the sooner it wears.”
– Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 1, Act II, Scene 4

Because of its wonderful healing properties for the skin, chamomile is an integral part of Paul Penders’ unique patented herbal formula called LevensESSENTIE Gold^®. Paul Penders also uses chamomile as a key ingredient for a number of skin, hair and body care products.

Watch this blog for more from the Paul Penders Organic Herbal Garden. Paul Penders products are formulated from organically grown herbs and flowering plants. Special cold blending and other scientific processes help retain the natural benefits of these gifts from Mother Nature.

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Are you Vegetarian, Vegan or just Earth-friendly?

Paul Penders products from our earliest beginnings have always been made from herbs, flower essences, fruit and other plant products. We promise that they are suitable for use by those who practice vegetarianism and even those vegans who completely avoid animal products of any kind.

I admit it. I’ve been known to eat a hamburger and love the taste of seafood when fresh from the sea. But more and more, I’ve come to think about changing my habits and becoming completely vegetarian. Revealing information seems to come to light every day about how destructive the ‘Big Business’ and mass-market approaches are to the world environment. Scientists and medical professionals chronicle the terrible effects of eating processed foods. It’s become quite difficult to avoid the harmful chemicals polluting our food, air, water, and the personal products we use every day.

With so many people sick and dying from the ‘modern Western lifestyle,’ it really does seem to be time to look carefully at our habits and beliefs – and at the products we use. How many of the things we put in or on our bodies – from lipsticks to laundry soaps – can hurt us?

I love animals.

I was born in the Chinese Year of the Dog and I think of myself as a “Dog Person” but I am fond of animals of all kinds. About 40 years ago, I took my shampoo formula to the Dutch authorities for testing. I had this naïve idea that they would wash some rabbits with my shampoo and if their fur was clean and shiny, then my shampoo would be approved. When I saw them force-feed the shampoo to the helpless animals and put it in their eyes, I was so sickened that I vomited there in the laboratory. That day changed my life. I vowed never to allow my products to be tested on animals.

Over time, it became our policy for the Paul Penders company to avoid the use of animal products of any kind in our natural beauty lines.

That includes petroleum formed from fossils (like petroleum jelly), lanolin (from sheep’s wool), and many other ingredients that most other companies use regularly. It takes a lot of effort, time, and money, but it’s a point of pride for me to be able to honestly say:

Paul Penders products are only made from natural plant or mineral materials.

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Have you noticed anyone recently who seems to be truly at peace? Aren’t they beautiful?

Because I’ve spent most of my life working in the beauty industry, I’ve thought a lot about what and when a person is really beautiful. I have seen a radiance and calm come over mothers when their baby is resting. Some musicians I know seem to be ‘lit up inside’ when they are deep into the music. I’ve watched monks chanting and envied their serenity. I’ve watched people I love when they are asleep and thought, “How beautiful!”

Inner peace seems to be a key to outer beauty.

So many of us rush through our days trying to accomplish a hundred tasks. We worry about meeting deadlines, doing the ‘right thing,’ making enough money, pleasing others. Stress takes its toll; you can see the ‘worry lines’ show up on the face and tensions build in the body. Hair and skin lose their luster and vibrancy. People suffering under too much stress start to ‘look old before their time.’

How do you find peace of mind? A friend from India sent me the following guidance. Whether or not you agree with the ideas here (which we have shortened little bit), it’s certainly “food for thought!”

…………………………………….

Ten Commandments for Peace of Mind

How to attain mental peace

From Shri Gyan Rajhans

1. Do not interfere in others’ business

Most of us create our own problems by interfering too often in others’ affairs. We do so because somehow we have convinced ourselves that our way is the best way, our logic is the perfect logic, and those who do not conform to our thinking must be criticized and steered to the right direction, our direction.

2. Forget and forgive

This is the most powerful aid to peace of mind. We often nurture ill feeling inside our heart for the person who insults or harms us. We forget that the insult or injury was done to us once but by nourishing the grievance we go on excavating the wound forever.

3. Do not crave for recognition

This world is full of selfish people. They seldom praise anybody without selfish motive. They may praise you today because you are rich and have power but no sooner you are powerless, they will forget your achievement and start criticizing you.

4. Do not be jealous

We all have experienced how jealousy can disturb our peace of mind. You know you work harder than your colleagues in the office but they get promotions, you do not. You started a business several years ago but you are not as successful as your neighbor whose business is only one year old. Should you be jealous? No, remember everybody’s life is shaped by his previous Karma that has now become his destiny.

5. Change yourself according to the environment

If you try to change the environment single handedly, the chances are you may fail. Instead, change yourself to suit the environment.

6. Endure what cannot be cured

This is the best way to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Every day we face numerous inconveniences, ailments, irritations and accidents that are beyond our control. We must learn to endure them cheerfully thinking, “God will it so, so be it”.

7. Do not bite off more than you can chew

This maxim should be always remembered. We often tend to take on more responsibilities than we are capable to carry out. This is done to satisfy our ego. Know your limitations.

8. Meditate regularly

Meditation makes the mind thoughtless. This is the highest state of peace of mind. Try and experience it. If you meditate earnestly for half an hour every day, you will tend to become calm during the remaining twenty-three and a half hours.

9. Never leave the mind vacant

An empty mind is the devil’s workshop. All evil deeds start in the mind. Keep your mind occupied with something positive, something worthwhile. Actively follow a hobby. You must decide which you value more – money or peace of mind.

10. Do not procrastinate and never regret

Do not waste time in wondering, “should I or shouldn’t I?” Days, weeks, months and years may be wasted in that futile mental debating. You can never plan enough because you can never anticipate all future happenings.

Image courtesy of Jomphong /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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What do you do to maintain your health? You probably go to a doctor when you feel sick. And that’s always wise. But even greater wisdom is to do things to maintain your health so that you are far less likely to get sick in the first place.

Part of the appeal of travel in Asia is to find treatments that are little known in the West.

As I wrote previously on this blog about acupressure foot massage which I go to as upkeep for good health when I am at the Penang office, when in Langkawi, I go to a spa where I can get what I call a “3-in-1.” The Korean spa offers 3 treatments which have a multiplied effect for various health benefits.

They offer a ‘package’ that includes a unique form of acupuncture with needles going into one hand. The results are amazing!

The Master Puncturist from Korea, Mr. Lee Shim Sin Taik, who heals many in the island community here is a jewel. In Korea, his style of acupuncture is fairly usual but here it is certainly not. Look at this picture of my hand with 50 needles punctured into it.

He starts by feeling the pulse in your wrist and from there establishes his treatments. He can diagnose almost anything in the body that is not working properly, from bloodstream and gastric issues to back pain and headaches. He can tell you in about 30 seconds what his “judgment” is of your condition.

You hold out one hand and he begins to insert small sterile needles at pressure points. It can sting a tiny bit and then there is often a ‘buzzing’ sensation but it soon settles down and your hand will feel fine, even though there’s lots of needles sticking out of it! Then comes the ‘miracle’ – I’ve gone to him primarily for pains in my back and legs. After just a few treatments, the pain has almost disappeared. And it stays away for weeks at a time unless I re-injure myself accidentally.

Many island people as well as overseas tourists have told me their health has improved greatly because of these treatments. As for beauty (which is what this blog is about), any modality that stimulates the blood circulation in the body helps to give you beautiful radiant skin. The Korean treatments work wonderfully well!

Wherever you are in the world, there are natural “alternative” treatments that can help you get and stay healthy. If you’re on Langkawi, I urge you to try this treatment:

LGK ASHI Spa & Massage, Email: LGKashi@gmail.com
PANTAI KOK, Kampung Batu Ara, Kuala Teriang, Langkawi, Kedah
Tel: +604 955 3113 Operating Hours: daily 11am -10pm
Free transfer anywhere on the island!

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What if there was a plant that you could eat to lose weight, improves your overall health and enhances your complexion?

Well, it does exist! Right on our tropical island home on Langkawi!

Its scientific name is “Gynura Procumbens” but it’s known by many names in Asia and Africa. I just call it, “Longevity Spinach,” but throughout Southeast Asia where they’ve known of its benefits for centuries, they call it “the leaves of the gods.”

You can add it to a salad or a smoothie or cook it up with butter or boil in a soup or a tea. It lowers your blood pressure, cholesterol and helps control your blood sugar levels. It is anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, anti-cancerous and stimulates a great complexion as well as even stimulates hair growth. Sounds unbelievable, right?

We recently ordered more than 1,000 starter plants for the Paul Penders Organic Herbal Garden on Langkawi Island in Malaysia. They will thrive very well in the tropical environment.

This leafy green vegetable resembles spinach but I think it tastes better.

Gynura procumbens is a perennial plant with stems that grow 10 – 25 cm tall, although that can extend to 6 m long. The fleshy leaves are bright green and feel smooth to the touch. The shape of leaves can vary depending on the growing conditions, ranging from roundish to oval in shape but all have toothed edges. Interestingly, the young stems are green but as they age they turn light purple with green spots. Some of the leaves will also turn purple. If they are trimmed and pinched regularly, plants will grow as a low bush or can be staked on a trellis to grow up a wall.

Gardeners advise me that this plant grows easily from stem-cuttings, although seeds are not available. Watering is crucial to its survival — it is best grown in well-draining, fertile soil that is kept moist at all times. Semi-shade is preferred by this plant although it can be slowly adapted to grow in full sun, provided the plant does not dry out at the roots. Initial planting under direct sunshine will result in burnt leaves and stunted growth.

Like the “miracle plant of Southeast Asia” – pegaga – the gynura procumbens has medicinal and local cosmetic uses that indigenous peoples have known for centuries. Modern science is just beginning to discover its beneficial properties and uses.

Packed with healthful anti-oxidants, recent studies have shown that it also contains the enzyme asparaginase, which works in the body to inhibit synthesis of a certain protein called ‘asparagines’ into aspartic acid and ammonia. This amino acid is essential to cancer cells and tumors; without it, cancers and tumors will stop growing and die. What it comes down to is that by adding longevity spinach to your diet, you can help prevent the growth of those harmful cells.

No wonder it is called “Longevity Spinach!”

Chinese herbalists recommend eating recommend eating 3 – 7 leaves daily in the raw form. They say it is one of the best things you can eat to help with weight loss.

Some other interesting facts about this special plant:

• A study done in showed that an alcoholic extract of Gynura procumbens was able to reduce elevated blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, while another study by a Korean group of researchers reported that this herb possessed anti-hypertensive properties.
• According to the Plant Resources of South East Asia (PROSEA), “this plant is also used in Africa, where the boiled leaves are applied externally to relieve general body pains and raw leaves for rheumatic pains. Dried and pounded leaves are mixed with oil and applied as a poultice to treat skin complaints. It also used for the treatment of kidney problems and dysentery.”
• It is used as an herbal medicine by herbalists around the world for a range of illnesses: eruptive fever, skin rashes, kidney disease, migraine, constipation, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and cancer.

I am extremely excited about this handsome green and purple plant. Once they are thriving, we’ll collect the leaves and shoots for extractions. Our exceptional Research & Development chemists will start to experiment with the Gynura procumbens for its potential benefits to the Paul Penders skin and hair products.

The on-going search for beneficial herbs often reaps surprising rewards. We are always on the lookout for Nature’s gifts of plants and minerals to become ingredients in our innovative natural beauty products. Gynura procumbens is going to be a great addition to the Paul Penders Organic Herbal Garden.

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