MAKING YOUR OWN SAFE COSMETICS

KOMBUCHA - NATURALLY The Tea of Immortality

KOMBUCHA TEA The Tea of Immortality is one of those rare things that has survived because of the efforts and intelligence of the people who use and share it. Another rare thing about it is that it is free. It has been around for at least two thousand years, handed down by people who depended on it, and it is called by many names: Mushroom Tea, Cha Gu, Heldenpitz and Cajnyj Kvas are just a few of them. We are told by Guenther Frank, in his book, 'The Fascination of Kombucha', that the first recorded mention of the tea was in China in the year 221 B.C. It was called The Tea of Immortality. KT grows from a culture, a round, rubbery 'mother' that resembles a mushroom with no stalk. When it is fed with a mixture of of black or green tea, pure water and sugar, it metamorphoses into a drink that frees our bodies of toxins and allows them to perform at maximum capacity. Because it helps our immune systems to work properly, a wide variety of healing functions are enabled. My first thought, when reading the huge list of things that might be helped by KT was, "This is another gimmick". I changed my mind after I had tried it. I am pretty healthy, but the extra energy bounce from KT is noticeable and very welcome. KT is said to 'smash cold and flu symptoms', and I have come to believe that as well. To look at some of the ways it can help our beleaguered bodies, with everything from a hangover to cancer, just punch in Kombucha Tea on your computer. You will be fascinated. Of course, I was intrigued by the cosmetic possibilities of KT. I had read that it would soothe burns and sunburn, would smooth out cellulite, would work as a deodorant and would fade liver spots. I have not had time to check all of these yet, but I will get to it! KT also has lots of potential as a skin and hair conditioner and I am experimenting with it as a cosmetic ingredient. So where can you get it? I was given some by a friend and will be delighted to pass it on, as each batch grows a new 'baby KT'. One of the unique aspects of this stuff is the fact that there is an enormous website with links to almost every country in the world, containing lists of people who are willing to give away their KT babies and share their health. This is one product that the big drug companies are not going to promote - no money to be made here! For those of you who are already using KT, I would love to hear your stories, because this has to be the most benign product, I have ever come across.

HISTORY OF KOMBUCHA Coming soon...

METAMORPHOSIS I have had so many questions about Kombucha Tea, that I will try to share some of the answers. There is a wealth of information on the web, but sorting through it takes a lot of time, so here are the basics: Q. WHAT IS IT MADE OUT OF? A. A brew takes about a gallon of water, 6 teabags (green or black), a cup of white sugar, and a KT culture. Q. SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF TEA AND SUGAR. HOW CAN THAT BE GOOD FOR ME? A. The tea and sugar is not meant to feed YOU - it feeds the culture, which reproduces itself. In the process it causes a metamorphisis of the surrounding liquids. This is the good stuff. Q. O.K. SO WHAT HAS THE 'GOOD STUFF' METAMORPHOSED INTO? A. The KT culture is an enzyme factory, with lots of by-products. It manufactures enzymes (catalysts to boost other components), amino acids (build protein, repair tissue andform antibodies against marauding infections), ascetic acid (gets rid of harmful bacteria), nucleic acid (cell regeneration), butyric acid (fights yeast infections), oxalic acid (energy), lactic acid (digestive system), malic acid (detoxification), gluconic acid (binds up toxins and sends them to the excretory system), and glucoronic acid ( a booster for cancer sufferers). Other by-products are vitamins from the B and C groups. Q. IS KT AN ANTIBIOTIC? A. No, it could rather be described as a probiotic. Whereas antibiotics flatten harmful and useful bacteria indiscriminately, KT develops and encourages specific types of beneficial bacteria. Q. WHAT DOES THE KT COLONY CONSIST OF? A. A 'zoogleal mat' made up of yeast and bacteria in a cellulose matrix. It looks like a skinny hockey puck made of gelatine, but it is a living entity and will die if mistreated. So be kind to your zoogleal mat... Q. HOW DOES KT HELP YOUR INTESTINAL FLORA? A. Vital to your health are those twenty-plus feet of intestines. They process your food with the help of myriad intestinal flora. KT perks up the flora and adds healthy replacements. Q. WHAT DOES THE FDA HAVE TO SAY ABOUT KT? A. Nothing negative about the culture or its potential. They warn that it must be made and used under clean conditions to prevent contamination. Q. HOW CAN KT BECOME CONTAMINATED? A. If you use dirty utensils or ingredients, or if you allow cigarette smoke, flying insects or chemical contaminants near the culture or the brew. If mould forms, or if the brew smells unpleasant, discard and start from scratch, as you would any other food item. Follow the instructions and you will have no problems. Q. WHERE CAN I FIND A STARTER AND INSTRUCTIONS? A. There is a world-wide list of donors on the web (see the link below). I am starting a list of local donors, so contact me if you would like to be either a recipient or a donor. There are also commercial sites that sell starters very reasonably, and give you lots of good information as well (See 'links'). Q. ARE KT STARTERS REALLY FREE? WHY? A. You can purchase starters on the web, but free local ones are fresher. There is something special about being able to pass on the gift of health to friends, family or people in need (and to be able to bypass the commercial conglomerates! Yes!) Q. WHAT DOES ALL THIS HAVE TO DO WITH KITCHEN COSMETICS? A. This is the most exciting natural skin treatment I have ever come across. I am wowed with the results and the potential.

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