Skip to main content

Author: Margit Hiebl

CultureAndCream Author from Munich Since many years I am working as a freelance writer of beauty and lifestyle topics for magazines like Vogue or Glamour. What drives me again and again: not only the product or the trend, it is the people and the story behind - and what it does to us. In addition, my job often takes me to the most beautiful places in the world. Even in private one likes to find me in one or the other wellness location, research not excluded. Culture and Cream, then. Always in the luggage: fragrance, sunprotection and lipstick. What color? Red. What else

Ayurveda – Well suited to Everyday Life

Written by Margit Hiebl on . No Comments on Ayurveda – Well suited to Everyday Life

Tips on how to practice easily at home and how to stay healthy through the winter I can already hear the comments: “Oh, Ayurvedic living is so complicated!” But is it really? We asked Carina Alana Preuß, managing director of the Ayurveda Parkschlösschen in Traben-Trarbach. The 32-year-old, who grew up in an Ayurvedic environment, has been managing the 5-star establishment since last year. 25 years ago, her parents founded the first address for Ayurveda in Germany. Carina glows, inside and out, and whoever meets her is immediately drawn to the Ayurvedic way of living. She conveys her message with great passion and freshness and her expertise as an Ayurveda expert and yoga teacher is more than convincing. In order to make this ancient Science of Life (the meaning of the term “Ayurveda”) even more accessible and approachable to greater number of people over and beyond the classic Panchakarma cure offered at the hotel, she also makes use of various social media channels. She has, for example, developed an online course that is quick and easy to navigate, even for beginners. It is obvious from her online blog that she is the best example of a lived Ayurvedic lifestyle. A mentor in matters of contemporary Ayurveda, someone who knows what she’s talking about and who takes it very seriously. Living in the here and now, however, she does occasionally treat herself to French fries. Is Ok for an Ayurvedian to eat French Fries? Carina Alana Preuß: Exceptions and being undogmatic are part of Ayurveda. It’s just a question of being sensible about it. After indulging in a portion of French fries for example, it’s best to take Triphala (an Ayurvedic herbal formula that helps digestion). Or after a late night and a heavy dinner, one can skip breakfast or have a soup day. If I don’t want to get too carried away, sweet potato slices baked at home with salt, curry powder and oil are my healthy alternative to frozen foods and deep-frying in oil. Everyday hotel life, further training, constantly on the go – how do you manage to stay in balance? That’s a very good question. I really do invest a of energy in my endeavors to one day make the world a healthier and more awareful place. My diary may sometimes be bursting at the seams, but my food is sacred to me. I make no compromises there and insist on a healthy, warm and freshly prepared lunch.… weiterlesen

Professor Bader mobilizes Stem Cells

Written by Margit Hiebl on . No Comments on Professor Bader mobilizes Stem Cells

How a scientist intends to rejuvenate our skin Through and trough a scientist and a physician, that’s him. Beauty was not something that Professor Augustinus Bader used to be concerned with much – so far, that is. Being one of the leading scientists in stem-cell research, he has succeeded in finding a break-through development in the area of tissue-engineering. He has more than 200 patents under his belt. For example, Bader developed a hydro-gel that allows for the most serious burns to heal without scarring, and without the requirement of transplantations. This research led him to come up with the idea for an anti-aging care. Now, how does his technology translate onto wrinkles, pigmentation marks and impure skin? We spoke to Professor Bader about his new approach. Professor Bader, is this yet again another stem cell product? No, there is not a single stem-cell in my product. We did re-define the stem-cell technology, though. In order to understand this, we first have to do away with the existing myths. Which myths would that be? The first myth: “stem-cells need to be supplied to our body”. In fact, there is no shortage of stem cells in our body at all. They reside everywhere – they are not always active, though. A stem-cell is like a location-specific repair-cell. It has the task of repairing a defect at the given location. It is present but it needs to be activated – via an inflammation. Second: assuming that the magnitude of the injury influences the response behavior of the cell (meaning: “will I keep a scar or not“), there could be a connection to the lack of a semiochemical (the “messenger substance”). Replacing the latter will make our own stem-cell perform a perfect healing. I was able to implement this approach in the medical area for extremely serious burns. They can now heal within a few days without the need for any transplantation. And the third myth: “stem-cells in creams can have an effect.” Really? How would a stem-cell of an apple – as it is used for many products – support the human skin in any way? At most, it can create an apple. How did you arrive at this new approach? That happened while working on my clinical projects. The cells of the human body are highly specialized to carry out exactly those repairs that are required at the given time. Example: if I have a cut on my right hand, only exactly this will be repaired.… weiterlesen