Hemp Seed Information
Hemp seeds come from an edible type of Cannabis sativa, a plant belonging to the same family as hops and fig trees. Hemp has been cultivated for over 6000 years, far longer than crops like soy beans have. This useful plant also provides a resistant textile fibre and renders a high-quality oil.

Hemp seed is exceptionally nourishing and beneficial. It is rich in proteins, and contains 30% to 50 % more protein than fish does. It also provides anti-oxides, including cysteine, carotene (Vitamin A) and tocopherols (Vitamin E). These substances act together to hydrate and restore dry skin and help to maintain healthy eyes and cell membranes.

Hemp is the source of a polyunsaturated oil that is rich in the essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega 3 and Omega 6. The body does not synthesize these beneficial fats, and ordinary diets are often lacking in Omega 3. These two EFAs work together in synergy and one cannot be activated without the other. In hemp oil the proportion of these two fats to one another is 3:1, an ideal ratio from a nutritional viewpoint for their optimal use in the body. EFAs help to prevent or relieve inflammation problems, arthritis, asthma, osteoporosis, cardio-vascular disease and hormonal disturbances linked to menopause, These substances play a role in preventing autoimmune diseases, overweight and cancer.

Hemp seed also contains considerable quantities of iron and calcium, as well as other minerals. It does not contain THC, the psychoactive substance found in marijuana. It is also free of saturated fats, cholesterol and gluten. Hemp seed on its own provides nutritional and nutraceutic benefits that can be matched only by a combination of several different foods or supplements.

Culinary uses
Hemp seeds are delicious tasting and can be used very similarly to wheat germ, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds or pine nuts. Hemp seeds can be sprinkled on salads, soups, hot or cold breakfast cereals, granola, yoghurt, sauces, pesto, dips, pancakes, and pastries. It is preferable to eat hemp seeds raw. If they are cooked, they should not be heated to temperatures higher 180°C/350°F. After a package or jar of hemp has been opened, the contents keep for 3 to 4 months at room temperature and for up to a year in the refrigerator.

More Information
Hemp seeds are one of the world's richest sources of polyunsaturated fats, including both of the essential fatty acids (Omega 3 and Omega 6) and GLA (gamma Linolenic acid), which make it an excellent natural emollient and moisturizer. Body care products containing hemp seed oil can reduce skin discomfort by soothing and restoring dry or damaged skin and increasing the natural moisture retention capacity. With regular use, body care products containing hemp seed oil can help slow down the effects of skin aging and leave the skin smooth, soft and moisturized. In hair care products, hemp seed oil imparts gloss and manageability to hair, bringing relief from dry scalp or hair damage by blow-dryer heat, chemical perms, coloring or sunlight.

Our Products
Shampoo, Conditioner, Lip Balm, Chap Stick, Bath Soap, Hand and Body Lotion, Moisturizing Cream, Massage Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Hemp Protein Powder and Soy Candles with Air Fresheners.

The importance of the ratio of Omega-6/Omega-3 essential fatty acids
Several sources of information suggest that human beings evolved on a diet with a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) of approximately 1 whereas in Western diets the ratio is 15/1-16.7/1. Western diets are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, and have excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids compared with the diet on which human beings evolved and their genetic patterns were established. Excessive amounts of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and a very high omega-6/omega-3 ratio, as is found in today's Western diets, promote the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, whereas increased levels of omega-3 PUFA (a low omega-6/omega-3 ratio) exert suppressive effects. In the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, a ratio of 4/1 was associated with a 70% decrease in total mortality. A ratio of 2.5/1 reduced rectal cell proliferation in patients with colorectal cancer, whereas a ratio of 4/1 with the same amount of omega-3 PUFA had no effect. The lower omega-6/omega-3 ratio in women with breast cancer was associated with decreased risk. A ratio of 2-3/1 suppressed inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and a ratio of 5/1 had a beneficial effect on patients with asthma, whereas a ratio of 10/1 had adverse consequences. These studies indicate that the optimal ratio may vary with the disease under consideration. This is consistent with the fact that chronic diseases are multigenic and multifactorial. Therefore, it is quite possible that the therapeutic dose of omega-3 fatty acids will depend on the degree of severity of disease resulting from the genetic predisposition. A lower ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids is more desirable in reducing the risk of many of the chronic diseases of high prevalence in Western societies, as well as in the developing countries, that are being exported to the rest of the world.

Fun Facts
The Hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the early 1960s and spread around the world, The word hippie derives from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district. These people inherited the countercultural values of the Beat generation, created their own communities, listened to psychedelic rock, embraced the sexual revolution, and used drugs such as cannabis and LSD to explore alternative states of consciousness.

In 1967, the Human Be-In in San Francisco popularized hippie culture, leading to the legendary Summer of Love on the West Coast of the United States, and the 1969 Woodstock Festival on the East Coast. In Mexico, the jipitecas formed La Onda Chicana and gathered at "Avándaro", while in New Zealand, nomadic housetruckers practiced alternative lifestyles and promoted sustainable energy at Nambassa. In the United Kingdom, mobile "peace convoys" of New age travellers made summer pilgrimages to free music festivals at Stonehenge.

Hippie fashions and values had a major effect on culture, influencing popular music, television, film, literature, and the arts. Since the 1960s, many aspects of hippie culture have been assimilated by the mainstream. The religious and cultural diversity espoused by the hippies has gained widespread acceptance, and Eastern philosophy and spiritual concepts have reached a wide audience. The hippie legacy can be observed in contemporary culture in a myriad of forms—from health food, to music festivals, to contemporary sexual mores, and even to the cyberspace revolution.