Vol.１3SOAP
In modern times, environmental disruption poses a serious threat to mankind. Water, which covers 70 per cent of the earth's surface, has been continuously dumped with toxic wastes. Recent studies suggest that, rather than coming from factories, many of these toxic wastes come from private households, where a large amount of synthetic detergent is used.

Soaps made from natural ingredients, when discharged into the environment, are resolved into water and carbon dioxide, with the rest recycled into the ecosystem as a source of nutrition for micro-organisms. But synthetic detergent, which contains a synthetic surface-active cleaning agent, can penetrate into the body through the skin and remain highly toxic even at a very low concentration. Also, once released into the environment, it combines with other harmful substances, creating very serious contamination. The toxicity of these substances grows higher and higher as it goes up the food chain, which can result in genital disorders, lower fertility and virility, and abnormalities in the immune system and behavior.

The danger of synthetic surface-active agents has not been openly discussed among scientists. But, in the case of Japan, environmental disruption has become dramatically apparent In the past 40 years, since the use of synthetic surface-active agents in the form of shampoos, rinses, washing powders, and dishwashing liquids overtook the use of natural soap. Today many people are suffering from various forms of skin troubles without known causes, including eczema, atopic skin inflammation, and premature hair loss, all extremely rare until 40 years ago. We believe this has very much to do with the wide use of synthetic detergents.

In earlier days, when there was no such thing as soap, people are said to have cleansed themselves using alkali clay, charcoal, ashes of burned seaweed, rice bran, and wheat flour, which all worked as natural surface-active agents. Subsequently, when soap became widely available in Europe and the public became aware of the importance of personal hygiene, the mortality rate from contagious diseases dropped
dramatically. We at INTI. are bringing back genuine soap from the good old days with the concept that environmental protection, health and beauty are closely inter-related. Creating total beauty is our commitment.



Vol.２3SHAMPOO
Since early times in Japan, hair has been said to be the life of a woman. You wash your hair thoroughly, apply a rinse and finish with a treatment pack. You might think you are taking very good care of your hair. But did you know that the main ingredient of most shampoos, rinses and treatment agents is a synthetic surface-active agent
that is harmful to the human body? The toxicity of a synthetic surface-active agent increases when it combines with other chemical substances in most shampoos (such as foaming agents, antiseptic agents, anti-oxidants, anti-mold agents, preservatives, artificial coloring and fragrances) and penetrates deep into the body through the scalp.

It is no wonder that there are many women today who complain of thinning hair and premature hair loss at the crown of the head. The causal relation of these symptoms and the use of synthetic surface-active agents have not been proven scientifically and many people are reluctant to wash their hair with natural soap as it leaves hair starchy and creaky, making it difficult to comb. But it is said that this is because of the residue of synthetic surface-active agents stuck to the scalp, hair roots and hair, which prevent soap from cleansing hair thoroughly. However, if you continue washing your hair with soap, the residue of synthetic surface-active agents will eventually be removed and healthy and shiny hair will be restored. In fact, people with short hair who had not used a rinse or treatment agent after shampooing, found that it took a relatively short period of one week to one month until washing hair with soap left satisfying results. But for those with long hair who had always used a rinse and treatment agent after shampooing, it took up to four months.

On the other hand, for clothes washed with synthetic detergent, it took more than six months to remove the residue of synthetic surface-active agents, a main component of synthetic detergent, by washing them every day with soap.

INTI’s natural soaps in the HARVEST HOME and FLORAL ESSENCE series, as well as BABY DOLL, which is an unscented soap, all offer hair a natural and safe alternative to a synthetic shampoo. One user who had suffered from dandruff and itchiness told us recently that the problem disappeared after washing her hair with our soap. If your hair continues to feel starchy and creaky, rinse with water with a few drops of citric acid added.



Vol. 33AMINO ACIDS
The human body is said to be made up of a large variety of AMINO ACIDS all the way down to the very end of a hair. Modern medicine, which has been looking into DNA since the end of the last century, now tells us it is AMINO ACIDS that activate some 60 trillion cells making up the human body. It is no wonder that there is now a renewed interest in rice bran that contains a large amount of AMINO ACIDS.

INTI. RICE SHOWER made from organic rice bran is an aromatic soap for face and bath. Enriched with aloe extract and three kinds of pure essential oils - PATCHOULI, GRAPEFRUIT and ROSEMARY - it gently cleans the whole body from head to toe.

AMINO ACIDS in rice bran maintain the normal hair growth cycle and make hair healthy and beautiful by activating the scalp, which is the source of hair growth. Normally, hair grows and falls off in a cycle of every two to three years, with approximately 100 hairs lost every day. Once this cycle becomes disrupted, the growth and falling off go out of balance, resulting in thinner hair and premature hair loss. The nutrient constituent of rice bran penetrates deep into the scalp and removes excessive oil in the pores, while its moisturizing effect protects the scalp from drying.
With these powers, the scalp growth becomes activated and the normal hair cycle is restored. Other important features of rice bran are vitamin B complex and vitamin E,
which improve blood circulation and promote cell metabolism. Together with an array of minerals, including calcium, phosphorous, iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc and copper, rice bran gently stimulates hair growth.

INTI. has introduced rice bran, which was used as a natural surface-active cleaning agent in the good old days, to produce a soap for health and beauty.



Vol.43THE GENUINE FRAGRANCE
Today, we enjoy an affluent and comfortable lifestyle thanks to the power of civilization. But our health and beauty are quickly deteriorating because of what the
civilization is doing to our natural environment: we are constantly exposed to a myriad of chemical substances, exhaust gases, ultra-violet lays, electromagnetic waves, and so on. We may not notice it, but stresses from these factors are slowly eating away our well-being.

In this backdrop, there is a growing interest in the force of nature to heal the body and mind. It is something that has been used throughout the world with its effectiveness having being proven scientifically.

The genuine fragrance of pure essential oils, extracted directly from plants, is believed to have the effect of maintaining hormonal balance while enhancing self-healing power inherent in us. It is also widely known these days that this natural scent works directly with the brain to relieve agonizing inner stresses. There are so many other things that this force of nature can do to you. For example, many people feel refreshed and uplifted when they smell the lemon or orange scent. Similar things happen with floral scents. On the contrary, you would not want to stay in a place with foul smell no matter how clean the place looks. Fill the air around you with a fragrance of your choice. It will keep your mind balanced with clean and refreshing feeling, and you will find yourself healed.



Vol.53A BLESSING OF THE EARTH
Clay, a blessing of the earth, is found at a depth of 40 to 60 meters along river beds. Clay has long been used in France and other parts of Europe for medical and beauty treatments.

The constituent and color of clay depends on where it comes from and it is classified accordingly. But the main component is silica, which contains organic minerals such as magnesium, calcium, iron, sodium, zinc, chlorophyll and enzymes. These nutrients, when absorbed into the body, become charged with negative ions that can activate self-healing power, enhance immunity and adjust hormonal balance and nerve systems. Clay also has the effect of changing the body's balance to weak alkali by eliminating poisonous waste matter from the system. Furthermore, clay is said to weaken and even neutralize the activities of bacteria and viruses. Recently, clay has been used for the treatment of modern skin ailments including atopic skin inflammation. Clay has the effect of improving blood circulation. It also normalizes metabolism by removing the old horny layer of skin and stimulate skin regeneration, removing excessive oil. Because of these features, clay has also been used for beauty treatments for facial and bath care.

INTI. COLORED PINK BATH SALT is blended with red and white clays imported from France. The white clay is excellent for dry, aged and sensitive skin due to its gentle effect. The white clay alone can even be used as a deodorant bath powder. The red clay, which contains a large amount of iron, keeps the skin moisturized and accelerates skin regeneration.

Other uses of clay include hair and body masks, toothpaste and wet compresses for muscular pains and sprains. It is also good for the treatment of pet wounds. Or spray over carpets and vacuum clean to deodorize. Clay is such a wonderful gift of nature.



Vol.63
 SOURCE OF POWER -1-
Why unpolished rice is good for you?
Why unpolished rice is good for you.
Because unpolished rice has the effect of invigorating the body's cells, strengthening the function of internal organs and improving the physical constitution, it can be used as a specific remedy or preventive medicine for illnesses. But the most notable feature of unpolished rice is undoubtedly the effect of ridding the body of chemical substances such as pesticide residues and harmful metals (namely lead, mercury and so on) by bonding with them and discharging them from the body. We have sacrificed our natural environment in exchange for leading a civilized life. We are surrounded with harmful substances and it is no longer possible to stay away from them completely. In this kind of environment, we believe that the effect of unpolished rice to rid the body of harmful substances that we have been taking unwittingly, is mother nature’s gift. There was once a case of indiscriminate killing in Japan, where the perpetrator put pesticide into a bottle of wine. The only survivor of the incident, who vomited the contaminated wine soon after drinking, was known to have been eating unpolished rice regularly. Try to avoid consuming large-sized fish or animals
that contain a large amount of endocrine disruptors, namely bisphenol A, and additives such as chemical taste enhancers. Let unpolished rice help the system discharge poisonous substances that you have taken unwittingly. It is sure to make a difference in our health and the health of our future generations.



Vol.73
 SOURCE OF POWER -2-
Why bittern is good for you?
Our SALT DROP is a 100 percent natural bittern derived from our INTI BALI SALT, which is a concentration of a large variety of minerals contained in the deep sea water. Just like brown rice, the most notable feature of bittern is that it can enhance metabolism and cleanse the body of toxic substances. Nowadays, we taken in and accumulate in our body chemical substances that are found throughout the civilized society, and when combined with mental stress, they can cause a multitude of troubles. Our SALT DROP can help you ease them.

** Bittern water
Mix one or half a teaspoonful of bittern with one liter of water.
Drink about two liters of this bittern water each day to help
the body excretes old wastes accumulated in the creases
of intestines to normalize the cycle of absorption and excretion.
The enhanced metabolism means better bowel movement, which
helps with constipation and in controlling weight. Furthermore,
it can normalize hyperglycemia and hypertension caused
by overweight. It is also effectively used in the treatment
of atopic skin inflammation.

** Bittern lotion
Mix bittern and water in a ratio of 1 to 4 to an extent the
skin does not feel sting. This homemade bittern lotion is
quickly absorbed into the skin, revitalizing the skin metabolism.
Its moisturizing and antiseptic effects can help with acne,
blemish, atopic skin inflammation, or skin inflammation
caused by excessive oil.
(For instance, excessive secretion of oil from the
head skin causing itchiness and dandruff due to
oil becoming oxidized.)
Bittern lotion can also rid the skin of old horny layer,
making the skin soft and smooth.

** Brushing teeth with bittern
Brush your teeth with INTI.BALI SALT with a bit of
bittern added. This would stimulate blood circulation
of the gum, revitalizing metabolism, which would result
in firming of the gum and thereby helping with the
treatment of pyorrhea and bad breath.

** Cooking with bittern
Water mixed with bittern boils faster because of its
high permeability. Add a little bit of bittern when you do
cooking and you will notice things heat up faster, which
means less breakage of fibers. Just like INTI.BALI SALT,
it is also an ideal taste enhancer for various dishes as
it brings out the natural flavor of each ingredient.
Add a small amount of bittern water when you cook rice.
Your rice will be full and soft, sweet and shiny.



Vol.83Endocrine disruptors
Chemical substances that are indispensable to the civilized society are found throughout our daily life. Namely artificial surfactant, the main component of detergent, shampoo, and rinse, and many others found in cosmetics, agricultural chemicals, insecticide, plastics, and so on. Everyday we take in these chemical substances, though small in amount, which are accumulated inside the body, much of them without being discharged due to their nature. Once these substances are in the system, they act similar to hormones. Those so-called “environmental hormones,” or officially, exogenous endocrine disrupting chemical substances, can cause disorder not only in metabolism but in our ability to reproduce, including formation of eggs and sperms, growth of an fertilized egg, determination of the sex of a fetus, and so on.

During the Vietnam War (1961 to 1975), the U.S military sprayed the tropical forest with defoliant containing 170 kilogram of one of these environment hormones called dioxin, the deadliest of all. As a result, stillbirth and miscarriage showed a sudden increase from the latter part of 1960's and from around 1978 when miscarriage was declining, the incidence of cancer grew, with the cases of congenital anomaly among fetus continued to rise into the 1990s.

Even among wild animals, there have been numerous reports from all over the world of disorder in the reproductive system and other cases of abnormality. In every one of them, chemical substances (environmental hormones) are found in the body and are considered to be disrupting the normal hormonal function. Water pollution by these chemical substances is especially worrying. Among fish and shellfish, males having the nature particular to female are found, an indication that these substances are causing the reproductive system to malfunction. In these animals, environmental
hormones acted very much like female sex hormone. Now, considering that toxicity of these substances condenses and grow even more powerful as they rise up the food chain, this poses a serious problem to anyone who consumes a large amount of seafood.

The placenta protects the fetus from receiving harmful substances that the mother takes in. But environmental hormones pass through the placenta, exposing the fetus
to these substances. The thyroid gland of a fetus that promotes the development of brain is complete between the period of the 26th week of pregnancy and one week after the birth. But if the mother’s thyroid gland was disrupted during this period, the hormone secreted from the gland, called thyroxine, become restrained, giving significant effect on the brain a fetus. In a study conducted in the U.S., environmental hormones were found to be lowering the concentration of thyroxine in animal testing, pointing to its possibility of causing mental retardation among unborn children. At present, it is said that living environment has much to do with hyperactivity and learning disabilities among school age children, and environmental hormones are considered to be one of the causes contributing to them. What can we do then? We believe we have to start with small things, such as ridding our life of things that may
contain harmful substances. Avoid consuming things that presence of toxicity is suspected as much as possible is something we must to do for our future generations.