Love for Life

Benefits of Hemp Seed and it's Oil

About Hemp

Hemp is one of the purest, most complete plants on Earth.

Its uses are many and varied; of particular value to humans are the nutritional and healing properties of Hemp seed and its oil.

Hemp grows almost anywhere and requires no pesticides or fertiliser. The plant is good both for the soil and the atmosphere. The potential for Hemp is vast - including sustainable bio-mass (power) and bio-diesel (fuel).

Hemp also makes an excellent source of textile and paper. The fibres are long and very strong, making the most beautiful fabric and paper. Many of the world's most famous historical works are written on hemp paper.

Hemp Textile

People have been using hemp to make textile for some 6000 years all over the world. The hemp plant grows to heights of 15-20 foot and the fibre, when stripped from the plant, is as long as the plant itself, giving hemp added strength when woven into textile.

The oldest tradition of hemp cultivation is in China. The discovery of new softening techniques and the investment of millions of dollars into the hemp factories in China has resulted in Hemp garments that still retain all the traditional qualities of hemp textile but with a softness and quality that has not been seen before.

Hemp Seed Oil

Hemp seed oil is extracted from raw hemp seed and contains a fully balanced spectrum of essential fatty acids. When processed and stored correctly, the beneficial properties of the oil can be readily absorbed by the skin. Hemp seed oil is noted for these benefits:

Superb moisturiser, natural anti-inflammatory

Rare source of gamma-linoleic acid

Protects from UV radiation and pollution

Assists healing, soothes acne

Prevents and repairs hair damage

Treats eczema and psoriasis

Rich in anti-oxidants

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Hemp Seed Milk

Perhaps the biggest gift the hemp plant has for mankind lies within the seed. Anyone can access the full nutritional impact of the hemp seed by following this simple recipe:

Take some organic fresh hemp seed and soak for 24 hours in distilled water with a few organic almonds.

Drain, rinse and blend in a blender with a little distilled water.

Strain through a cloth or sieve.

This milk will then be ready to drink and should be consumed immediately, although it will keep for 48 hours refrigerated. This milk will combine well with all fruits and vegetables.

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Did You Know.....

The British Empire was built on hemp. The ships all used hemp, from the sails to the ropes down to the sailor's uniforms. At one point Britain and France went to war over protecting the Russian hemp supplies, as the Russian hemp made the strongest sails and ropes.

And the American Declaration of Independence 200 years ago was signed on paper made from hemp.

George Washington was a hemp farmer....

And Bill Clinton did inhale...

Dunno about Tony Blair though!

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Benefits of Hemp Seed and it's Oil

Hemp seed has been consumed by mankind (and animals) for centuries. Indeed, whole populations have survived off hemp seed in times of famine. In China, at the cinema, you can still buy roasted hemp seeds in the same way as you can buy popcorn in the West.

Hemp has 3 unique nutritional factors. It has an ideal balance of Omega 3 and 6 for sustainable human health, it has a full amino acid spectrum meaning it provides complete protein, and it has a massive trace mineral content - truly one of nature's superfoods.

Consumption of hemp oil and hemp seed is ideal for people with low essential fatty acid intake, and also perfect for athletes. It is of course particularly valuable to the veggie/vegan population, and even more so for veggie/vegan athletes, who are always looking for complete protein sources.

One of the easiest ways of consuming hemp is in smoothies. Just mix a handful of organic hemp seed (whole or de-hulled) with fruit and juice of your choice in a blender. Perfect for children too. Or perhaps make up a little hemp seed milk (see recipe on Hemp page).

Other benefits of hemp seed oil include its effect on the skin and the hair, nourishing both on a cellular level. Hemp oil is easily absorbed by the skin and those EFA's go straight to work!

And of course hemp needs no pesticides or fertilisers, is low maintenance and grows just about anywhere, making it the ideal crop for organic sustainable farming in just about anywhere in the world.

Policy
Yaoh is primarily a hemp company. All of its products contain hemp.We respect the hemp plant above any other on the planet, and see it as a true gift to the people. We will continue to support the development of hemp projects around the world, and all our products will always contain hemp.
Bom Shanka!

Products
All of them!

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Welcome To The World Of Yaoh

Yaoh is based in Bristol UK and is primarily a hemp company, with a range of hemp bodycare and food products. We also organise the world’s biggest vegan event, the Bristol Vegan Fayre, and we publish A Vegan Guide To Bristol – a free 80 page guide to the vegan lifestyle in the South West.

Yaoh Hemp Products

A superb range of hemp products is available from Yaoh.

Our bodycare range includes bathroom products, skincare and suncare, and is rich in organic hemp seed oil as well as being free from parabens, SLS and toxic ingredients.

Our food range includes our award winning raw food hemp bars, as well as hemp oil, hemp seed (whole and dehulled) and our amazing hemp seed milkmaker.

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Hemp Foods

Yaoh works with the finest quality organic hemp seed to create an imaginative and tasty range of products. Our award winning Raw Food Hemp Snack Bars combine some of the most nutritious fruits seeds and nuts available in different combinations with organic hemp seed to create a unique range of flavours and textures whilst still maintaining an exemplary nutritional read-out.

Meanwhile, our organic cold-pressed Hemp Seed Oil is available in two sizes, 250ml and 500ml, whilst the Hemp Seed is available both whole and dehulled in 125gm packs.

Hemp Seeds, Oil and Snack Bars
» Hemp Raw Food Snack Bar
» Hemp Seed Oil
» Hemp Seeds
» Hemp Protein Powder *NEW

Accessories
» Hemp Seed Milk Maker

Ingredients
Yaoh are continually sourcing the finest hemp seeds and other ingredients.

At present, our oil is pressed from certified organic hemp seed grown in China. The Chinese have a long tradition of growing hemp and recent investment has seen an improvement in both conditions and quality. Meanwhile, our de-hulled seed comes from Germany.

All our ingredients are certified organic, vegan and Hemp seed oil in its raw, unrefined state, has many health benefits, as do other plant oils like sunflower, pumpkin, soya, olive and walnut.

But once processed and heated, the health benefits can be lost. Cooking oil (ie: frying, roasting, etc) destroys the nutrients and in some cases turns the oil carcinogenic.

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The Benefits of Raw Foods

Eating uncooked, raw food has major health benefits.

Raw versus Cooked - The Benefits of Raw Foods
More and more people are turning to a raw food diet, no longer cooking their food but eating raw salads, greens, fruit, nuts and seeds. Some people are 100% raw, others settle for a 70% raw - 30% cooked diet.

Great health claims are made for the benefits of 'living' food, whilst health scares are more and more associated with cooking food. As with many health issues, it depends on whom you want to listen too and whom you want to believe as to how you may feel about the issue.

One thing is becoming clear (or has been clear for ages, some might say) - that eating uncooked oils has major health benefits, whilst heating oils is known to destroy the goodness, and in some cases turn the oil carcinogenic. Uncooked oils may include cold pressed olive oil, flax oil, soya, hemp or walnut oil, and if used in their raw state, undamaged by heat, light or age, can have major health benefits. This is because the oils can be metabolised easily and used efficiently. Once cooked, however, the molecular structure is changed, and the body struggles to metabolise the fats. This is one of the reasons that people on a high fat raw food vegan diet do not put on weight.

For further information about oils and fats, see Udo Erasmus's book Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill. This groundbreaking book is considered by many to be the best on the subject of oils, fats and human health.

For further information about the benefits of raw foods, see www.fresh-network.com, www.rawcreation.com, or contact Jill Swyers from Living Foods For Optimum Health on 0208 870 7041 (www.jillswyers.com) or read The Sunfood Diet Success System by David Wolfe. For some fascinating pictures of what cooking does for food, see Eating For Beauty by David Wolfe.

Policy
Yaoh's policy is to keep our food products raw, vegan and organic. Our snack bars are uncooked to preserve the full nutritional status, and our oil is organic, cold pressed and nitrogen flushed.

Both are stored away from heat or light, and are made/pressed in small runs to guarantee freshness.

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Products

Relevant Yaoh products include the 3 raw food hemp bars - the Coconut and Pineapple, the Date and Walnut and the Apple and Cinnamon. Also the organic cold pressed hemp seed oil, available in 250ml and 500ml bottles. The de-hulled and whole organic hemp seeds are available in 125gm packs.
See the Foods page for further details.

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Why Vegan?

Yaoh is a vegan company, and most of its marketing and charity work is involved with the vegan lifestyle. So why vegan? What are the benefits of the vegan lifestyle?

Why Vegan?: Health

A diet free from animal products and rich in organic fruit vegetable and grain is now widely accepted as being beneficial to health.

Cancer rates are generally lower amongst the veggie/vegan population, and even the athletes are getting on the benefits of vegetables - last season Chelsea were eating vegetarian on match days, and the nutritional adviser to Manchester City FC is internationally renowned vegan Gareth Zeal.

Why Vegan?: Animals

A vegan diet sees the end to the mass slaughter and abuse of millions of animals. It is well documented the appalling conditions in which are animals are kept, and more and more people are turning veggie/vegan on compassionate grounds.

Why Vegan?: Environment

A vegan lifestyle takes the pressure off the planet, simple as that. It takes 100 times more land, water and other resources to feed a population on animals rather than vegetables. And in many parts of the world that is too much. We have to learn to tread lightly on the planet, and a vegan diet does just that.

For further info about the vegan lifestyle, contact the Vegan Society www.vegansociety.com or Viva! www.viva.org.uk. for local events and news see www.veganbristol.co.uk.

Policy
"In 1984 I was watching Bob Geldof on telly. It was the time of Live Aid. Someone was asking him why he was doing this. He replied something along the lines of: "When I die, and I stand before God, and he asks me if I'm guilty or not of ignoring the plight of hundreds and thousands of starving people, I want to be able to reply 'Not Guilty'."

And it was then that I realised that we feed our animals TEN TIMES the amount of grain that was needed to feed the worlds hungry. And all to support an animal based diet. A diet that sees our children in the West suffering from obesity whilst children elsewhere starve A diet that takes 100 times more land to feed the people than a vegetable diet.

And that's when I went vegan... I want to be 'Not Guilty' too. Or at least try to be. By going vegan, you make a huge difference. To the sustainability of the planet, to the sustainability of your own health, and towards the end of the abuse of our animals. By going vegan, you make the biggest single lifetime contribution you can to finding a solution to these problems.
Tim Barford - Manager Yaoh 2004

Products
All of them - they are all vegan and always will be.

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Health Issues

Yaoh take a keen interest in health and diet and provide here a wide range of information.

Benefits of Essential Fatty Acids

Essential Fatty Acids are a key issue right now - and mainly because we are generally deficient in them. These fats are considered necessary for human health and must be available from food sources as the body cannot manufacture them itself. EFA's are also known as Omega 3 and Omega 6 and are available from seeds, nuts and oily fish.

Although there are arguments for the use of fish oils as a source of EFA's, there are also concerns about the high level of toxicity in fish oils. A preferable source therefore maybe organic seeds and nuts.

However, a balance between omega 3 and omega 6 intake is also very important, as too much omega 6 can have detrimental effects. EFA guru Udo Erasmus considers hemp seed to have the ideal ratio of Omega 3 and 6 for sustainable human health.

EFA's benefit the body in many ways but two stand out - the effect on the cells and on the brain. EFA's help repair cell damage as they are part of the cell membrane, and they also help keep the cells fluid - important in maintaining the correct function of the skin, whilst also improving the energy flow between cells, as well as the nutrient absorption and detox function. In short, healthy glowing skin! EFA's are readily absorbed into the skin when applied direct.

Meanwhile, our brains are 60% fat! And over 1/3rd are EFA's. Therefore the quality of fats is imperative for proper brain function. And a lack of EFA's has been associated with learning difficulties and behavioural problems with children.

For further information read Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill by Udo Erasmus or visit www.udoerasmus.com.

Policy
Yaoh recognises the importance of EFA's in our diet, and also the unique features of the hemp seed in relation to this. All our food and bodycare products are rich in organic hemp seed or organic hemp seed oil. We use the freshest, ripest seed and the best possible manufacturing/processing techniques. In short, our EFA delivery is second to none.

Products
All of them, but especially the raw food bars (ideal for children) and the 250ml and 500ml bottles of organic cold pressed hemp seed oil.
See Food and Bodycare pages.

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Parabens and Sodium Lauryl Sulphates

Recently Parabens and Sodium Lauryl Sulphates have been the subject of health scares in the national press and more and more people are looking for bodycare products without these ingredients.

Parabens and Sodium Lauryl Sulphates - The Truth
And the truth is ... we don't know. The jury is out on both. Some say the most appalling things about both, and others swear blind they are both OK.

Parabens are preservatives found in nearly all cosmetics. They are added to kill bacteria and inhibit mould. They have also been found to mimic oestrogen, and having been found in breast cancer tumours there are growing concerns for its safety. They are known as skin and eye irritants, and have also been linked to damage to sperm production in males.

Some manufacturers argue that they are used in such small concentrations that they cannot have any adverse effect on humans. However, as they cannot be broken down, the concern is that over time they accumulate.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is a detergent that is used in many shampoos and washing products. Considered safe in small doses, but again linked with cancer scares. Combined with other chemicals to form nitro samines, which are carcinogenic and lodge themselves in the liver and the lungs. It is also a skin and eye irritant in higher concentrations.

However, there are some experts who believe that SLS is fine and that these are just scare stories.

Policy
Yaoh avoids the use of Parabens and Sodium Lauryl Sulphates, as we do not see them as necessary (or indeed preferable) and there are too many doubts about them. We make our products in small runs and they do not sit on the shelves long. We use olefin sulfonate and cocomidyl propylbetaine as our detergent and foaming agent in our shampoo and washing products, both of which are a lot milder alternatives. We use citric acid and potassium, sorbate as preservatives. All our products conform to current UK legislation and are tested for stability and safety. We do not test our products or ingredients on animals.

Products
Yaoh shampoo, bubblebath, shower gel and liquid soap are free from SLS and parabens, and are mild and nourishing whilst still effective. All the others are free form parabens.

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Sunblock Health Issues

As a nation we are using more and more sunblocks and sunscreens - but is it good for us and more importantly our children?

Sunblock
Hhhmmmmmm sunblock - very much an area for debate. We are using more sunblock than ever before ... but is it any good for us? The answer, to be truthful, is probably yes and no. The chemicals used in sunblocks either absorb or reflect the UVA and UVB rays, so preventing them from damaging the skin.

But what about the chemicals themselves? Do we absorb them? And if so, does it do any harm?

In some cases, the jury is out. Take Titanium Dioxide for example. A mineral based compound found in some 'green' sunblocks, and often referred to as 'natural'. It does reflect UV light (rather than absorb) but is also absorbed into the skin. As it is used to break down organic matter, there is concern that it mat effect human DNA. But to be fair, there are some scares associated with octylmethoxicynnamate, which is also used in sunscreens. Both are 'safe for cosmetic use', according to the relevant government advice sources.

What about the SPF value - what does that mean? SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and the value (anything from 2 to 60) refers to the amount of time longer you can be in the sun before you burn. So the concentration of chemicals is higher as the SPF value increases.

Are there any plant sources that can provide the equivalent SPF factor, thus avoiding the use of chemicals? Well, again, yes and no. Certain plant extracts, such as hemp oil, coconut oil, shea butter, buriti oil, edelweiss, carrot seed oil and aloe vera have been found to have some sun protection value, but not as extensive as the chemicals. However, the plant based materials do not interfere with the absorption of vitamin D like the chemicals do, and also provide much in the way of cell repair.

Policy
Yaoh provides a range of products to suit all tastes. We aim to help people make an informed decision about their choice of sun protection. From the suncream (plant based material only - suitable for people with darker or already tanned skin) to the SPF 30 ( for people very sensitive to the sun who burn easily) with SPF 15 in between, all Yaoh sun product are simple, straight forward, clearly labelled, fresh, smell great, and above all are effective.

We advise people to wash off the chemical sunblocks with soap and water at the end of each day, to help return the skin to its normal function overnight.

Products
The Suncream, SPF 15, SPF 30 and the After Sun are all part of the range. the Moisturisers are also useful for the face and hands after exposure too the sun. A diet rich in EFA's (Hemp oil, seeds and bars) helps the skin in its natural protection against the sun.

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Link to this Website: http://www.yaoh.co.uk