Business desk article 22 October 2009 

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In the last few years, I have had the opportunity to discover Ayurveda as a natural way for wellness and I am so glad that it is finally taking its place in our Western society. For Ayurvedic medicine tackles health as a whole including hygiene of life, body and mind. Despite its numerous and recognised benefits, access to real ayurvedic medicine in Europe is still  limited and even in India from where it originates, only a handful of ayurvedic centres can pretend practising real Ayurveda. In Europe, it is mostly known through some of its aspects such as massages, yoga, dietics….

AYUR-VEDA = LONG LIFE AND KNOWLEDGE

In recent years, we have witnessed a renewed interest for this 5000 years old traditional medicine and it is anticipated that it will be increasingly incorporated in medical spas.

AYURVEDA aims at defining the PRAKRUTI of each individual, i.e. their own physical constitution and the principle ruling their metabolism. Ayurvedic medicine is supposed to acknowledge the physical particulars, the illnesses and the most common imbalances which can affect patients. It is in fact a science of ‘moods’ and the principle is that each individual is caracterised by a mixture of 3 different moods which represent the basis of DOSHAS, the vital energies regulating the body.

These 3 moods are respectively called VATA (wind), PITTA (bile) and KAPHA (phlegm).

In a nutshell, people whose mood is ruled by VATA tend to be slim, imaginative and impulsive and might suffer insomnia and anxiety; those ruled by PITTA are usually enduring but can be prone to anger and passionate reactions while those under KAPHA element are robust, with tendency to weight gain and tend to be slow and are prone to have obesity and cholesterol problems.

Of course, these ruling types are in variable proportions according to the person and ‘pure’ types virtually do not exist. It would take too long to describe this fine medicine through which numerous criteria are defined by examining various parts of the body: the tongue, the eyes and above all the wrist from which the pulses will give information about the vitality of the patient and his possible illnesses. Urine constitutes a major part of the diagnostic.

Ayurveda is truly a holistic medicine in the sense that it considers the whole individual.

TREATMENTS BASED ON FOOD AND NUTRITION

Once the diagnostic has been established, ayurvedic medicine promotes dietary meals adapted to the function of the weakest organs of each type. The treatment of the illness consists of 4 main steps:

 1. SHODAN: it is a cleansing of the body which allows the toxins to be released. First, a massage is performed with special oils and herbs, followed by PANCHA KARMA which consists of therapeutic enemas, nasal showers and vomiting, all considered as liberating.  Food such as clarified butter or a special type of yogurt widely used in Indian cooking are then prescribed to restore the digestive flora.

2. SHAMAN: this step allows to reconcile doshas through the incorporation of the spiritual aspect to the treatment. Fasting, chanting, yoga, meditation and breathing exercises are part of this ‘enlightening’ method. Here herbs and spices intake is also included so that Shaman works both on the emotional level and immune system of the ill individual or if the person is healthy, on the improvement of the general state.

3. RASAYANA, the third step is a tonifying process, able to increase capacities and performances of the body. This is a very important step to promote fertility and improve sexual performances. Rasayana is also supposed to have antioxydant properties to extend longevity. Here physical and breathing exercises are combined with herbal preparations based on minerals and composed according to the person mood type.  

4. SATVAJAYA is the final step and it aims at reducing stress and increasing psychological balance in order to attain a higher spiritual state and better mental performance. This is the step where one learns mantras, known as SOUND THERAPY, yantras to improve concentration and tantras to direct the energy through the body and free consciousness.

Like Chinese medicine, ayurvedic medicine is complex and scientific. Unfortunately, charlatans have populated spas and centers in Europe, meaning that patients do not get the benefits of such a wonderful and natural medicine which desperately needs to be integrated in our European lifestyles.

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Talking about PERFUME WORKSHOP

Hosted by: Isabelle Date and time: 18 April 2009 at 09:45 Location: Imperial College View this event on Windows Live

I want to share my most latest finding which is about to revolutionise anti-ageing practices: an ecological face cream acting like Botox! Being a usually rather skeptical person when one talks about miracle cosmetics, I thought that I should try this one on my fine lines to see whether the results would match the claims of 50% wrinkles reduction and 80% smoother skin texture.

I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT IT WORKS!! Once again, Nature proves that all we need is readily available.

The cream is based on a recent discovery which won the Swiss technology awards in 2006: Syn-Ake®. SYN-AKE® is a new anti-wrinkle active compound based on a synthetic tripeptide that mimics the effect of waglerin 1, a peptide that is found in the venom of the Temple Viper, Tropidolaemus wagleri.

Research at Pentapharm in Brazil, has shown that Syn-Ake® is the optimum size peptide, and amino acid combination, to reduce the formation of wrinkles.

SYN-AKE® is an excellent anti-wrinkle active compound with a snake venom-like mode of activity. Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow have adopted it as their daily cream... and with fabulous results only after 2 weeks of using it morning and evening (wrinkles are smoothed and the skin feels moisturised and balanced), there is no doubt we will hear more about this cream soon...

You can read an article written in the Daily Mail in February 2008, boasting the merits of this cream and showing that Harvey street cosmetic surgeons are not really happy about this discovery.

NOTE: No snake is harmed to create this cream. Only the venom is extracted (in the same way as for a vaccine) and transformed in the cosmetic laboratory.

Les Parfums d'Isabelle is an authorised reseller for Syn-Ake face cream. Why pay £50 in high street stores. Our unique price is: £38.99 only. For more information or to order, contact Isabelle by using the 'Send a message' option on this blog.

The 'sweet violet' (violeta odorata) is like Marmite: we love it or we hate it! But did you know it was the flower for Valentine's celebration before rose took its place...

The fact is that it is making its way back into botanical perfumery!

If you have ever visited the city of Toulouse, more commonly known as the ’’Pink rose city’’ in the South West of France, you have probably experienced a close encounter with the sweet violet or ‘’Violette de Toulouse (TM)’’, a flower unique to the Gascony region used in a variety of applications, including candies, chocolates, pastries, cocktails and of course in the ’’Liqueur de Violette’’,(see recipe below), a sweet-violet flavoured liquor which is difficult to find even in France.

The Sweet Violet has become so internationally popular that the city of Toulouse hosts a yearly Festival of Violet in February and the Violet Society defends the virtues of this multi-facet flower.

Sweet violet’s essential oil (extracted from the leaves) is used in aromatherapy as a remedy to treat headaches as it contains salicylic acid found in aspirin. It is also excellent for bronchial coughs and colds so if you get hit by the winter cold, why not try violet tea...

In the UK, Sweet violet still tends to be associated with old ladies but did you know that the Violet flower has been used to many different purposes since the Ancient Times and that in Greek and Hindu mythology, the flower is a symbol of virility and fertility? Sweet Violet was also the flower used to celebrate Valentine's day before the rose!

I just love the smell of violet! It is fresh, uplifting, discreet and feminine and above all, original and unique. Its sweet smell makes you feel like eating it: it is an addictive fragrance well worth bringing back into your life...

Violet Eau de toilette, handcrafted in Southern France, is now available at Les Parfums d'Isabelle website.

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Recipe for traditional liquor of violet

For 20 people, you need:

• 1 glass of water • 375 g of sugar • 180 g of sweet violets* (make sure they are not treated with any pesticide and rinsed well) • 3/4 liter of eau-de-vie at 40° (vodka is ideal) • Bottles (preparation is directly into the bottles) • 1 pod of fresh vanilla

Prepare a syrup by mixing the sugar and vanilla grains in water and leave to cool. Separate stem and stamen off the flower, keeping only the petals. Infuse them in the eau-de-vie for 5 mins.

Filter and mix the obtained perfumed liquid with the syrup. Put in bottles and close. Serve in a brandy glass. Drink moderately!! And enjoy!!

*Usually found from your local or specialised garden center