Interview with Grudimir Grudev (ANCHIALO) on TV Bulgare

An interview with Grudimir Grudev, owner and manager of AZIMUTH 6000 EOOD, producer of ANCHIALO products made with Black Sea lye and mud. The interviewer is the singer Sandra Petrova for the programme “Around Bulgaria with Bulgare TV”. Filmed on 12.08.2020 for Bulgare TV’s film about our beloved town of Pomorie.

Sandra: There is a difference between lye and therapeutic mud. There is a difference between fresh sea air and city air. But I think right now it would be better to talk about lye.

Sandra: Hello and welcome.

G. Grudev: Hello.

Sandra: What is the difference between therapeutic mud and lye?

G. Grudev: Lye is a residual product of salt production by the classic method, through the evaporation of sea water. The technology dates back a very long way: sea water first enters the lake, from there it flows into smaller basins known as “pans”. From there it enters the salt pan itself, where the final thickening takes place. Sodium chloride, that is, the salt we eat, crystallises first and settles on the bottom, while all the remaining salts, above all magnesium salts and sulphates, stay above this layer of salt. This is in fact the lye, and in order for the sodium chloride, that is, the salt, to be collected, this liquid (editor’s note: the lye) is pumped into other basins, after which the salt harvesting begins. We, for our part, use this “residual product” called lye to produce cosmetic products.

Sandra: What exactly are the healing properties of lye?

G. Grudev: What makes lye so beneficial is its high content of magnesium salts, above all magnesium chloride and magnesium sulphate, which begin to be lacking in the human body, especially after the age of 30 to 35, when their levels are harder to restore.

Sandra: Ladies and gentlemen, if you are over 30 you really should pay attention to magnesium and magnesium salts in your life 🙂

G. Grudev: Absolutely. The other distinctive thing about using lye, and above all the valuable magnesium salts it contains, is that it is best absorbed transdermally, that is, through the skin, which is a more effective method of absorption than taking supplements in tablet form.

Sandra: This is actually what we talked about beforehand — that magnesium is absorbed 100% when it passes through the skin.

G. Grudev: I wouldn’t say 100%, but in reality magnesium is absorbed better transdermally, that is, through the skin, rather than by taking it in tablet form.

Sandra: When did people discover the power of lye?

G. Grudev: A very long time ago, more than 2000 years ago, ever since salt production began in Pomorie (editor’s note: the town’s old name is Anchialos, which is the brand under which we currently produce our products). Even back then people understood the importance of lye.

Sandra: What technology do you use to create your ANCHIALO products?

G. Grudev: The window for extracting medicinal lye is only 20 to 25 days a year, during which it is pumped out of the lye basins already mentioned. We buy it from the concession holder, which manages both the Pomorie and Burgas salt pans. Then a rather longer process of filtration and stabilisation begins, so that it becomes safe for use in cosmetics and so that we can preserve its qualities for at least 2–3 years ahead. That is the more complex part of the process, after which we use this base product to make the rest of our products with lye.

Sandra: How are the products developed? How do you come up with the idea for something?

G. Grudev: Sometimes the market itself dictates what should be produced. If something catches on, we develop it further in different variations. But on the whole the market drives things and we simply respond to demand. Put simply, we try to take the treatments carried out in the sanatoriums in Pomorie and make them available to far more people, so that they can also use them at home. Because not everyone can afford to spend 15 days at a sanatorium.

Sandra: This is ANCHIALO stabilised Black Sea lye.

G. Grudev: Yes, this is the liquid in its natural form, processed by us (editor’s note: filtered and stabilised) and then bottled.

Sandra: ...and it can happily keep like this for roughly 2–3 years.

G. Grudev: Exactly. 2 to 3 years.

Sandra: What does it actually help with?

G. Grudev: Above all with bone and joint conditions — arthritis, osteoarthritis, coxarthrosis. Also with recovery after fractures and injuries. With athletes who have sports injuries. Including occupational postural problems.

Sandra: How often is it used and how is it applied?

G. Grudev: There are several ways of applying it. The best known and most widely used is with compresses.

Sandra: How often should we do them?

G. Grudev: The ideal is twice a day for at least 7 days.

Sandra: We put on a cloth...

G. Grudev: ... the best option is a flannel cloth (editor’s note: a cloth made of non-woven cotton fabric). You soak it, wring it out and make a compress.

Sandra: How long do you keep the compress on?

G. Grudev: Around 40 to 50 minutes.

Sandra: Do you have to stay still during that time?

G. Grudev: No, there’s no need. Once the cloth is in place, it can be covered with plastic or cling film so that it doesn’t slip off.

Sandra: And you have in fact developed a range of different products.

G. Grudev: Yes — oils, gels and others.

Sandra: What is the idea behind the different products? Perhaps they absorb better through the skin, or they are applied differently?

G. Grudev: The oils and gels are similar in composition. The gels simply have a higher viscosity and the oils a lower one. Of the various therapists who use them, some are used to working with a more fluid consistency, while others prefer a thicker one. It’s a matter of personal preference.

Sandra: And what are your other products?

G. Grudev: We have two very interesting oral hygiene products. A mouthwash and a toothpaste with lye. For the toothpaste in particular, we have revived an old technology from the former Pomorin brand, and we really do use 35% Black Sea lye in it, just as it was back in the day.

Sandra: Does it taste good?

G. Grudev: Some people may find the taste unusual, but it helps a great deal.

Sandra: And what exactly does it help with?

G. Grudev: Above all with firming the gums, with bleeding gums and mild periodontitis. The mouthwash has the same function — it is in fact a 10 per cent solution of Black Sea lye.

Sandra: Wonderful. You mentioned that you also have a body mask?

G. Grudev: Yes. The product is a combination of Black Sea lye and liman mud. Its action is both therapeutic and cleansing, and the skin becomes smooth and soft. Here too the active ingredients are the trace elements contained in both the lye and the mud. We combined the lye and the mud into a single product, which turned out to be very successful, as it can be used not only in sanatoriums but also at home.

Sandra: Thank you so much for making it possible for us to have Pomorie lye in such a convenient form that we can apply it at home. Could you give us some tips for quick lye treatments in today's busy everyday life, when it is hard to set aside 40–45 minutes? Is there a way, using the oils and gels...

G. Grudev: The oils and gels are a concentrated version of lye, which we have enriched with our own Bulgarian extracts such as arnica, lavender, juniper and rosemary. They are very easy to use at home — you simply rub them into the problem areas with massage movements. You then wrap the area in cling film and can calmly carry on with your daily activities without it getting in the way.

Sandra: There's the solution. Life has changed lately and we work mostly at the computer. We apply the lye, wash it off and sit down at the computer to work.

G. Grudev: Absolutely.

Sandra: I think this is a very pleasant way to help ourselves treat some of our problems.

G. Grudev: Exactly.

Sandra: Thank you for this pleasant conversation and for the chance to shine a light on lye.

G. Grudev: Thank you too.

Source: Luga.bg