Sehat Olive Shampoo is an herbal shampoo with olive oil and glycerin. Olive oil is rich in vitamin E and is considered as an effective natural conditioner. Olive oil, as a natural conditioner, leaves the hair and scalp soft and silky. Glycerin is a moisturizer that makes the hair and scalp soft and silky and gives it manageability.

• Olive oil is gentle on the skin and scalp
• Has a skin-friendly pH
• Comes with a pleasant fragrance

Olive

Scientific Name: Olea europaea
English: Olive tree
French: Olived Europe, Oliver franc, Oliver
German: Oliven baum, Oel baum
Persian: Zeytoon
Arabic: Shajar Alzeitoon

The olive tree is a small wild tree with perennial, dark green leaves. It is 5 meters tall or a bit taller, but it can be 12-15 meters tall with a 3-4 meters circumference of bole if cultivated in favorable circumstances. Bole of old olive trees have an uneven and twisted skin with deep and irregular notches, while young ones have a bole with grayish-green and smooth skin. 

The wood of the tree is very hard. It is used to make fine woodworks. 

The leaves have a dark greyish-green color above and are pale with whitish scales below. 

The small white flowers, with four-cleft calyx and corolla, two stamens and bifid stigma, are borne generally on May, in racemes springing from the axils of the leaves. 

Useful parts of olive tree are its leaves, fruit and oil. 

Olive fruit is oval, fleshy and dark green with a hard seed. There is another kind of olive which is black. 

In the jungles of Spain, where no quinine is available, the physicians of Napoleon's Army used stewed olive tree leaves and skin or its powder to bring down the fever. Doctors in Spain have been well aware of this from ancient times. Spanish villagers, who are well-known for long lifetime, relate their health and lifetime to excessive use of olive. 

Olive tree lives long, maybe up to 1000 years, but it cannot resist against severe and sudden coldness. 

Although there is no wild olive tree in Egypt, it has been mentioned before Christian era. It seems that olive tree Syria, Palestine, Crete and Rhodes was domesticated, and then was transferred to Italy in 7th century BC. During the Roman Empire, cultivation of olive tree was spread over large area of Mediterranean and North Africa. It is said that olive trees were almost eradicated by Arabs. It was cultivated again in Corsica, and then transferred to US after the discovery of the Americas. There are more than 11,000 hectares of olive trees in California. 

Grisebach, the German botanist, believes that all olive trees are produced from a wild olive tree in Asia Minor, and it is misnamed to Olea europaea.

Olive Oil:

Olive oil is a fruit oil obtained from the olive .It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps. 

Olive oil is classified by how it was produced, by its chemistry, and by its flavor. All production begins by transforming the olive fruit into olive paste. This paste is then malaxed to allow the microscopic oil droplets to concentrate. The oil is extracted by means of pressure (traditional method) or centrifugation (modern method). After extraction the remnant solid substance, called pomace, still contains a small quantity of oil. 

The grades of oil extracted from the olive fruit can be classified as:

• Virgin means the oil was produced by the use of physical means and no chemical treatment. The term virgin oil referring to production is different from Virgin Oil on a retail label.
• Refined means that the oil has been chemically treated to neutralize strong tastes (characterized as defects) and neutralize the acid content (free fatty acids). Refined oil is commonly regarded as lower quality than virgin oil; the retail labels extra-virgin olive oil and virgin olive oil cannot contain any refined oil.
• Pomace olive oil means oil extracted from the pomace using chemical solvents—mostly hexane—and by heat.

Quantitative analysis can determine the oil's acidity, defined as the percent, measured by weight, of free oleic acid it contains. This is a measure of the oil's chemical degradation; as the oil degrades, more fatty acids are freed from the glycerides, increasing the level of free acidity and thereby increasing rancidity. Another measure of the oil's chemical degradation is the organic peroxide level, which measures the degree to which the oil is oxidized, another cause of rancidity. 

The most traditional way of making olive oil is by grinding olives. Green olives produce bitter oil, and overripe olives produce rancid oil, so care is taken to make sure the olives are perfectly ripened. First the olives are ground into paste using large millstones. The olive paste generally stays under the stones for 30–40 minutes. The oil collected during this part of the process is called virgin oil. After grinding, the olive paste is spread on fibre disks, which are stacked on top of each other, then placed into the press. Pressure is then applied onto the disk to further separate the oil from the paste. This second step produces a lower grade of oil.

Constituents:

Olive oil is composed mainly of oleic acid and palmitic acid and other fatty acids, along with traces of squalene (up to 0.7%) and sterols (about 0.2% phytosterol and tocosterols). The composition varies by cultivar, region, altitude, time of harvest, and extraction process. 

Olive oil contains a group of related natural products with potent antioxidant properties which give extra-virgin unprocessed olive oil its bitter and pungent taste and which are esters of tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, including oleocanthal and oleuropein.

Health Benefits:

Evidence from epidemiological studies suggests that a higher proportion of monounsaturated fats in the diet is linked with a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease.This is significant because olive oil is considerably rich in monounsaturated fats, most notably oleic acid. 

Another health benefit of olive oil seems to be its property to displace omega-6 fats, while not having any impact on omega-3 fats. This way, olive oil helps to build a more healthy balance between omega-6 fats and omega-3 fats. 

In addition to the internal health benefits of olive oil, topical application is quite popular with fans of natural health remedies. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the preferred grade for moisturizing the skin, especially when used in the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM). OCM is a method of cleansing and moisturizing the face with a mixture of extra virgin olive oil, castor oil (or another suitable carrier oil) and a select blend of essential oils. Olive oil is also used by some to reduce ear wax buildup. 

Olive oil is unlikely to cause allergic reactions, and as such is used in preparations for lipophilic drug ingredients. It does have demulcent properties, and mild laxative properties, acting as a stool softener. It is also used at room temperature as an ear wax softener. Olive oil is also a potent blocker of intestinal contractions, and can be used to treat excessive Borborygmus. 

In Islam, olive oil is mentioned in the Quranic verse: "God is the light of heavens and earth. An example of His light is like a lantern inside which there is a tourch, the tourch is in a glass bulb, the glass bulb is like a bright planet lit by a blessed olive tree, neither Eastern nor Western, its oil almost glows, even without fire touching it, light upon light." The Qur’an also mentions olives as a sacred plant: "By the fig and the olive, and the Mount of Sinai, and this secure city." Olive oil is also reported to have been recommended by the Muslim Prophet Muhammad in the following terms: "Consume olive oil and anoint it upon your bodies since it is of the blessed tree." He also stated that it cures 70 diseases. 

Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, olive oil's protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation. 

Studies have shown that people who consumed 25 milliliters (ml) - about 2 tablespoons - of virgin olive oil daily for 1 week showed less oxidation of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of antioxidant compounds, particularly phenols, in the blood. 

But while all types of olive oil are sources of monounsaturated fat, EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is less processed. 

Olive oil may also have a role in lowering the risk of several types of cancers, including breast, colon, lung, ovarian and skin cancers. Chemical compounds specific to olive oil, known as phenolics, appear to combat the build-up of free radicals in the body and may be able to reduce oxidative damage to DNA. Including olive oil in your diet may also offer benefits in terms of colon cancer prevention

Also olive oil may help reduce or manage blood pressure, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis and immune function. 

Alzheimers - this disease is associated with the clogging of arteries caused by cholesterol and saturated fat. Replacing other fats with olive oil will reduce the risk. 

Olive oil promotes the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones naturally and lowers the incidence of gallstones. 

There are more olive oil benefits. It's great for skin and hair care, used in natural remedies, and is more versatile cooking oil than you may think.

Olive Oil and Hair:

Cold-pressed oils are far superior to cheaper oils. This is because the process of cold-pressing does not destroy the vitamins, minerals and enzymes found in the olives from which it is made.The very best oils are cold-pressed, extra virgin oils made with organic olives. Put about 100 mls of oil into a shallow bowl. If you keep your olive oil in the fridge do this several hours before you need it so that it gets a chance to warm through to room temperature. Brush your hair through and then part your hair carefully with a comb or brush. Dip your fingers into the oil and use your finger tips to carefully massage the oil into your scalp. Re-part your hair an inch or so away from the first parting and repeat the process. Cover your entire scalp this way, paying particular attention to hard to reach areas like the back of your neck. When hair and scalp are both well covered with oil, wrap a towel around your head so as to keep your head warm. Now spend half an hour or so relaxing while the olive oil does its work. When you are ready, unwrap your hair and wash it carefully with your favourite environmentally-friendly hair shampoo. (You may need slightly more of it than normal.) When your hair is dry you will find that it is soft and silky and easy to manage.

Olive Leaf:

Olive leaf is the leaf of the olive tree (Olea europaea). While olive oil is well known for its flavor and health benefits, the leaf has been used medicinally in various times and places. Natural olive leaf and olive leaf extracts (OLE), are now marketed as anti-aging, immunostimulators, and even antibiotics. Clinical evidence has proven the blood pressure lowering effects of carefully extracted Olive Leaf Extracts. Bioassays support its antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory effects at a laboratory level. A liquid extract made directly from fresh olive leaves recently gained international attention when it was shown to have an antioxidant power almost double green tea extract and 400% higher than Vitamin C. 

The primary medical constituents contained in unprocessed olive leaf is believed to be the antioxidant oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, as well as several other polyphenols and flavonoids including Oleocanthal. 

Olive leaf and extracts are utilized in the complementary and alternative medicine community for its ability to act as a natural pathogens killer by inhibiting the replication process of many pathogens.[1] [2] [3] More specifically, it disables infections long enough for the immune system to eliminate them and prevent pathogens from spreading. 

Olive leaf is commonly used to fight colds and flu, yeast infections, and viral infections such as the hard-to-treat Epstein-Barr disease, shingles and herpes. Olive leaf is also good for the heart. Olive leaf has shown to reduce low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or bad cholesterol. Researchers have found that olive leaf lowers blood pressure (see below) and increase blood flow by relaxing the arteries. 

Olive leaf harbors antioxidant properties that help protect the body from the continuous onslaught of free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive chemical substances that, when oxidized, can cause cellular damage if left unchecked. Some recent research on the olive leaf has shown its antioxidants to be effective in treating some tumors and cancers such as liver, prostate and breast cancer but the research on this is preliminary. 

Olive leaf can be taken as a dried leaf tea, powder or capsule. The leaf extracts can be taken in powder, liquid extract or capsule form though the fresh leaf liquid extracts are quickly gaining popularity due to the broader range of healing compounds they contain. 

Olive leaf extracts are combined with olive oil in soaps and skin creams for application to the skin or other body surfaces. 

To prepare olive leaf tea, a large teaspoon (approx. 10g) dried olive leaf is placed in a tea ball or herb sack and dropped into two quarts boiling water. The heat is immediately reduced to a medium simmer and the tea let brewed in a covered pot for three to ten minutes with occasional stirring. Tea should be a medium amber color.