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We tease it, tangle it, tug it and twist it. Then we perm it, color it and straighten it. From hair spray and blow dryers to chlorine and curlers, our manes undergo a brutal assault, often losing their former glow and glory.
Crash dieting, long illnesses and even childbirth can make it become brittle and eventually fall out.
Staying healthy remains the best insurance policy to avoid tresses in distress. Balanced diet, proper rest, exercise and even acupressure will condition your hair better than any product on the market.
Diet for beautiful hair
Magnificent manes spring from a diet rich in nutrients. If your locks are limp and lifeless, add more protein such as eggs, lean meat and fish, beans and seeds, whole grains and low-fat dairy or soy products.
Vitamins and essential fatty acids can restore luster to dull hair. Good sources include green leafy vegetables, brewer’s yeast, berries, apples and citrus fruits. Biotin is considered the most potent vitamin for promoting hair health and preventing gray. Wheat bran, eggs and liver offer the highest levels.
Hair also thrives on essential minerals such as iodine, sulfur, zinc and silica. Add these to your diet with seafood, sunflower seeds, alfalfa, dandelion greens, garlic, kale, spirulina, oysters, pumpkin seeds and wheat grass. Borage, evening primrose and flaxseed oils all contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep hair supple and shiny.
Sweet dreams
Stress can destroy the beauty of your hair and accelerates hair loss when combined with sleep deprivation. Besides recharging your body, sleep provides a wonderful hair tonic. Beautiful hair and restful repose are just one drop away from botanical bliss with the use of aromatherapy. Transform an ordinary shampoo into a relaxing herbal experience by mixing in several drops of essential oil, such as lavender, jojoba and ylang-ylang, to nourish your hair. Massaging the scalp is an effective way to combat tension headaches and insomnia, thereby guaranteeing a good night’s sleep while adding more body and bounce to the hair.
Hi-ho silver away!
Herbs can help restore color and vitality to the hair shaft. He Shou Wu, an anti-aging herb used in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, revitalizes the hair while diminishing gray. For more information and to purchase online, log onto
http://alternativehealing.org. Other herbs that promote color and prevent hair loss include burdock root, chamomile, rosemary and sage.
Beneficial pressure
Acupressure stimulates lymphatic drainage, eliminates toxins and relieves stress, which all add up to a healthier head of hair. You can perform acupressure two to three times a day as part of your daily grooming routine while conditioning your hair.
There are three key acupressure points that boost hair health, one on the top of the head and two below it. Apply firm pressure on each point for five counts, then release.
Even if you do not know the exact spots, many of the points surrounding them are beneficial for the hair.
Baldness: not just for men
Your head contains 120,000 hairs and loses 50 to 200 of them daily. If that amount starts increasing, it could indicate a nutritional or hormonal imbalance or the onset of baldness.
To combat severe hair loss, combine one tablespoon of finely grated ginger with one tablespoon of sesame or jojoba oil. Massage into the scalp and leave on for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for maximum benefit. Shampoo and rinse out with tepid water.
Inner beauty
Hair products, styling and overprocessing can deplete vital bonds in the hair. But, perhaps, the true secret to beautiful hair lies within. Listen to your body and you will know exactly what it needs. In addition to regular trims, quieting the mind through meditation is sometimes the best hair conditioner of all.
Banya Lim is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist who works at the BR Clinic in Sedona, Arizona, USA. Visit ?www.brclinic.net or call 928-567-7897 to make an appointment.
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