10 ways to stimulate hair growth through shampooing

10 ways to stimulate hair growth through shampooing

Looking for immediate ways to stimulate hair growth through shampooing? Not as complicated as you might think. Hair is fairly strong and can bear normal grooming. There is a correct technique for washing hair that has been used in India for centuries-follow it to keep your hair for longer. Try this Nutrigro® plan to stimulate hair growth through shampooing.

  1. Brushing hair before washing can make loose flakes of sebum and dead skin build-up. Cleaning the scalp during shampooing would, therefore, be easier.
  2. Use a natural gentle shampoo. Even in shampoos that advertise as “natural”, quite often harsh detergents are present. These can strip away too much oil from the hair, causing shampoo residue to be left behind. Ingredients that help include Aloe Vera, Tea Tree Oil, Sage, Saw Palmetto, Nettle and non-Sodium Lauryl Sulphate detergent.

Choose a shampoo with a balanced pH; a level of 5.5 is ideal. The pH scale runs from 0 to 6.9 for acids and 7.1 to 14 for alkaline, with 7 being neutral. shampoo, conditioner and serum setGenerally, conditioners are not as notorious as shampoos with respect to containing harsh chemicals.

Shampoos with conditioners included should be avoided. Shampoos and Conditioners serve two different functions. Combining the two diminishes the effectiveness of both.

3. Wet the hair with warm water to open up the pores and increase blood circulation in the scalp.

4. Start shampooing from the front and going to the nape with your fingertips. Do not excessively shampoo the hair as this can strip vital minerals like calcium, phosphorus, nitrogen and iron from the hair. When shampooing the hair, pour the shampoo into the hands and rub the shampoo in with your hands rather than pouring it on your head. Pouring shampoo directly into the hair may promote build-up in one particular patch.

5. Shampoo with warm water – removing dirt and grease.      

6Rinse hair with cold water to open the pores and improve blood circulation. Rinsing with cool water will help shrink the pores back to their normal size. After washing your hair or the thinning area with cold water run your scalp with your fingers deeply. Do this until you feel a tingling sensation in your scalp from the heat you are generating. The heat and rubbing activate the sebaceous glands. These energise blood flow – hence increasing the growth of new healthy hair -this is an old tried and tested method.

7. Massage the scalp gently with your fingertips to loosen flakes and build-up and to stimulate circulation. Avoid using the fingernails as this may scratch the scalp and cause scarring over time.

8. After washing hair, dry the hair by blotting with a towel. Avoid rubbing, particularly with cloth towels. This will pull hair when it is already in a weakened 10 ways to stimulate hair growth through shampooing state due to the wetness.

9. Do not brush the hair when it is wet. Only after drying the hair, brush it. Wetting hair helps straighten and detangle hair much better. However, the stress on the hair shaft is increased.

10. Avoid overuse of hairstyles that pull the hair too tight e.g. ponytails and braids. These may cause traction alopecia or hair loss especially along the sides of the scalp. Leave the hair chemically untreated for a time and leave it in a loose style may be a suitable remedy.

11. Your comb should be even and smooth toothed. Your brush should have stiff and long bristles to increase blood circulation in the scalp.

 

 

10 Nutrition Rules To Get You On The Right Track

10 Nutrition Rules To Get You On The Right Track

The contemporary way of life, the habits imposed by new technologies, and the action of advertising make us eat and consume foods that are very bad for our body. Without establishing certain rules for a proper diet that protects the health and strengthens the body, we are subject to illnesses, health risks and hair loss. Here are some of our recommendations for a healthy body and healthy hair:

  1. You are what you eat

Food is just a mean of achieving a healthy life, shouldn’t be the main focus of your life. It’s important to eat healthy, as everything that you eat and drink will be converted into energy and will feed your body. Keep in mind that each single artificial ingredient added to your meals will be overloading and poisoning your body. Junk foods, deep fried foods and overeating are the worst mistakes you can do for your overall health. The food becomes part of the body and to have a healthy hair, it’s important that the products we consume are fresh, clean, full of vitamins.

  1. Hunger is true, craving is false

Lust is a psychological phenomenon, while hunger is a digestive phenomenon. Through hunger, the body informs us that it needs food, while appetite is not dictated

Hunger is true, lust is false

by our physiological needs, but rather by emotional instability. People’s incapacity to master the appetite indicates a very poor will. Just think of the religious act of fasting – besides its health benefits, it is meant to strengthen the will of man.

Our appetite is making us eat too much. The normal stomach load should be: food – 1/2, so it is recommended that you finish eating before you feel full. The remaining 1/4 volume of the stomach should be devoted to water and 1/4 is the empty space required for proper digestion of the food. If the stomach is filled with food, the body spends enormous energy to process it, the energy that is often higher even than the energy that we get from the food. You’ve probably noticed that when you eat too much, you feel tired, sore and sleepy – this is when your body is moving all its forces to overcome the critical situation in the stomach.

  1. Water is life. Drink up

The human body is largely made up of water, which is the juice of life. Plants that do not have enough water dry up soon, and something similar happens to our body. That’s why it’s so important to consume enough water each day, which for our climate would mean 2-3 litres of water during the summer and 1.5-2 litres in winter. It is also recommended to consume a mug of water or herbal tea 30 minutes before taking each meal to activate the digestive processes while drinking during the meal or immediately after eating should be avoided in order not to dissolve the digestive juices and slow down the normal process of assimilation of food.

  1. Take time to properly chew your food

Saliva is an active biochemical substance that plays an extremely important role in the digestion process. In particular, this means that solid food needs to be chewed for a long time until it becomes almost liquid due to its contact with saliva. At the same time, liquid food (milk, soup, natural juice, etc.) should not be swallowed at once but should be kept in contact with the saliva for as long as possible.

  1. Enjoy your meals
10 Nutrition Rules To Get You On The Right Track
Do not eat fast and do not eat much, even if you have something very tasty in front of you.

Do not eat fast and do not eat much, even if you have something very tasty in front of you. The food should stay in the mouth for as long as possible so you can enjoy the taste. This technique can make us feel we had enough even if we eat much less than we are accustomed to because the brain gives us the feeling of satiety due to the excitement of the taste buds.

  1. Pay attention to your food, not your surroundings

If you sit at the table, leave all the other activities behind. If you are eating while reading, talking to someone or looking at the TV, the brain cannot focus on the digestive process, which should be a priority. As a result, the digestion takes place in an ineffective and even harmful way for your health.

  1. Morning starts from the evening

The last meal should take place at least 4 hours before sleep, the ideal time is 7 hours. These figures are dictated by the time the body can process the food: 4 hours for vegetables and fruits, 7 hours for meat. During sleep, all processes in the body slow down. In addition, as long as we are in the upright position, the gravitational force helps to correctly move the food in the stomach and digestive tract. If we eat before sleep we cause many unpleasant and even harmful effects for the body: food stays overnight in the stomach, there will be deposits on the intestinal walls, sleep becomes inefficient, you will feel discomfort and unpleasant breath in the morning,  and diseases of the digestive system can develop.

  1. Do not exhaust yourself

Do not suddenly go to very strict diets. In fact, in every situation in life, sudden movements will shock body and mind. Radical overnight changes can cause a trauma to the body, which could generate effects exactly the opposite of what you actually expect.

  • Hair loss may be due to unbalanced diets, fasting or crash dieting. The possible reasons may be a deficiency in Vitamin C or E, Beta-carotene or other antioxidants. A supplement containing these would be beneficial when one is dieting.
  1. Cleansing is important

Our body detox is one step should not be taking lightly. This means taking care that the food and drink you consume is both qualitative and healthy, but also paying attention to the natural processes of the body. To do a special clean-up, try a total refrain from eating and drinking for 24 to 48 hours as often as you can.  This procedure must be done if you are healthy and not suffer from any medical condition that can jeopardise your health.

  1. Do not combine incompatible foods

The processing of food in the body takes place through acid-base biochemical reactions. If products that trigger acidic reactions and those that trigger basic reactions get into the body at the same time, unnecessary salts are produced, which greatly complicates the digestive process. To avoid such situations, we recommend using biochemically compatible products and vice versa, and as a little guidance, you can use the chart below. For more details on how to combine your meals and what diet is best for you try the Nutrigro Plan.

Using biochemically compatible products and vice versa is good for your health, and as a little guidance, you can use this chart.

V – Can be combined

I – should be consumed separately (within 40 minutes)

II – Only fresh milk with rice can be combined

III – 7 with 3 in a ratio of 1: 3

IV – when the body urgently needs a lot of energy without overloading the digestive system

V – and nuts

  1. Vegetables containing starch: potatoes, carrots, beets, pumpkins, etc.
  2. Cereals, flour, whole grains.
  3. Starch-free vegetables: herbs, roots, cabbage, salad, tomatoes, cucumbers etc.
  4. Protein products: berries, nuts, eggs, roe, etc.
  5. Fruit and berries (fresh).
  6. Dairy products.
  7. Meat and fish.
  8. Vegetable fats.
  9. Melon and bananas.
  10. Chocolate and cocoa.
  11. Dried fruits.
  12. There are no nailed rules

Remember: Listen to your body. If your body tells you something is wrong with the new diet, you’d better give up on it.   Your own intuition will tell you what to do and what is wrong.

Dyed Hair – Keep It Looking Fabulous

Dyed Hair - Keep It Looking Fabulous

Each dyeing is a major intervention on the hair structure. Colour treated hair tends to dry, becomes fragile, breaking quickly, falling and having split ends. Each hair dyeing process penetrates into the layers of the hair and the level of hair damage depends heavily on the dyeing technique. Too much and the hair gets dehydrated, losing its brilliance and elasticity. So dyed hair needs special care.

 Tips and tricks for healthy hair

  1. Do not use dye on clean hair

As is supposed to be, after each wash the scalp remains clean, but the removal of sebum has the following disadvantage: the scalp is no longer protected by natural oils and chemicals, and the dye can cause irritation of the skin.

  1. Use a shampoo for dyed hairNutrigro Shampoo for Dry Hair

Unlike the common belief that any shampoo goes, not all shampoos are good for dyed hair. Ideally, a woman who has dyed her hair will use a special hair shampoo and conditioner, from a professional range, avoiding any regular products found in supermarkets. Even if they are more expensive, the shampoos and conditioners designed for dyed hair do not dry and do not remove your colour as the classic products do.

  1. Water helps but also damages

Washing your hair with hot water repeatedly leads to the colour fading rapidly. For this reason, dyed hair should be washed with warm water, not hot. Women going to the pool should also take good care of their hair, protecting it from the chlorine in the water. Chlorine contributes to hair discoloration and, moreover, it dries it very hard. That’s why, if you’re going to the pool, you’d better put on a special swimming cap. Even if the idea sounds unappealing, it’s better to protect your hair than having it dehydrated.

  1. Holy conditioner

shampoo, conditioner and serum setWomen with dyed hair should not think twice about applying conditioner. Beyond the fact that the use of the conditioner is more than mandatory, it should be applied to almost the entire length of the hair (avoiding the roots if possible) to hydrate the hair. Dyeing dries and weakens hair, so using a special color-treated hair conditioner will keep your strands healthy and moisturised properly. Moreover, a hair mask can also be applied at home. All you need is an avocado, a few drops of almond oil and oily vitamin E. Mix well and apply the mixture on slightly moist hair and let sit for at least 10 minutes. If you want to spoil yourself, once a week apply a professional hair treatment. 

  1. Avoid the sun as it is damaging to the colour

It’s great to sit out on a sunny day, but the hair is not as excited about the time spent under the sun because the heat and the sun rays make it loose its shine. For this reason, wearing a hat is a must if you want to keep your colour and have a healthy hair.

  1. Shine comes with special care

Using conditioner is not enough if you’re used to dyeing your hair monthly. Ask your hair stylist to recommend a special serum or spray that will give you the nourishment your hair needs. Use the serum to protect the colour after each wash when you pat dry your hair with a towel. If your hair is freshly dyed you might want to give it two days before the first wash, just to stabilise the dye and have your hair shine. It is recommended to also use nourishing masks to provide vitamins needed for hair health.

  1. Apply a moisturising hair mask

After a week since you have dyed your hair, it is advisable to apply a moisturising hair mask for a more beautiful look. Hydration offered by a mask is especially important for the ladies choosing reddish colours because the reddish dye loses its shine quicker.

 

Natural home remedies for dyed hair

The natural care of the coloured treated hair is made according to two principles: one is represented by the colour of the hair and the other by its tendency to dry, get oily or break. More specifically, each colour has a natural treatment type so that the pigment lasts longer.

Coloured hair care mask – Normal or Dry Hair

For normal or dry hair, an intensely moisturising and regenerating mask is recommended that rebuilds the hair’s protective structure. This mask is prepared as follows: take a bowl and mix two tablespoons of castor oil, two tablespoons of olive oil, half a lemon juice, 10 drops of oily vitamin A (bought from the pharmacy), liquid vitamin E and A (all from the pharmacy), an egg yolk and two tablespoons of honey. The mask lasts for half an hour, then the hair is washed with shampoo. This mask is used two or three times a week.

Coloured hair care mask – Greasy Hair

For oily hair that has been dyed, a mask made from two lemon juice, one tablespoon of castor oil, 10 drops of oily vitamin A, one capsule of vitamin E, and 3 crushed cucumbers made into a paste will do the trick. This mask is applied on the hair and at the roots massaging the scalp for 5 minutes, then let it work for half an hour. Later wash the hair with water and shampoo. The mask is done twice a week.

Finally, no matter what colour your hair is, the following natural products will be used to preserve the paint pigment:

For blond-gold hair: Prepare a decoction of 100g of chamomile flowers or marigolds in a litre of water that boils until the water drops to half. It is then squeezed and used in water to rinse hair. The hair will not be wiped off or rinsed with water.

For brown hair: prepare a decoction of a bunch of green nut shells and a litre of water. Boil until the water drops to half. The decoction is used in rinsing water. It has the role of enhancing the effects of brown hair.

Dyed Hair - Keep It Looking Fabulous
Invest In Your Hair

For red-brown hair, the decoction is made of 3 punches of onion leaves and one litter of water. Boil, then let it cool and rinse your hair. After several showers, blonde hair gets copper shades, and if you use red onion sheets, the shades will be a rusty brown.

For black hair, you can use black tea. To one litre of water, put 10 sachets of black tea, boil water and, after cooling, apply it to the hair. Leave it to act for half an hour after which you only rinse your hair again with water.

What hair colours do you wear in 2017?

The colours of hair dyeing have become as fashionable as clothes. Each season VIPs and Hollywood stars have set the trend with bold, new shades of green, blue and pink. 2017 will be the year of bold and nonconformist nuances, but also of romantic and natural shades (light blond, dark or dark brown).

Bold shades are pink, blue, green or turquoise. Whether you dye your entire hair, just a few strands or the ends, these hair dye colours quickly charmed the public.

All you need to know to have a healthy hair

All you need to know to have a healthy hair

The knowledge of trichology (science related to hair) is poorly understood whilst problems related to hair including receding hairline, postmenopausal thinning and other hair disorders remain a major concern to all adults.  We know that the psychological impact of losing ones hair can be enormous as this can be seen as a symptom of lost youth or looking unattractive whereas healthy hair and scalp gives confidence. In his book, Hair Today, Hair Tomorrow, Ravi Bhanot gives valuable information on scientific, dietary and life style ways to improve hair rather than information on hair transplants or hair pieces. It also gives the nutrition for hair growth – Nutri(tion) for gro(wth) – Nutrigro®. Here are some of the things you need to know:

What causes hair loss or hair thinning?

Have we moved on from the time of the Greek physician Hippocrates in figuring out what causes hair loss or hair thinning? Traditional methods and medical research have shown different ways of treating alopecia or hair loss. What one can deduce is that every individual is different and everyone’s individual circumstances need to be considered to assess the best course of action.

Before understanding how to slow down hair thinning or boost hair regrowth, we need to understand what hair is, how it grows and the conditions that may play a part in this growth.

  • An average head carries 100,000 – 150,000 hairs.

There are a variety of colours in hair – black is the most prevalent particularly amongst the Middle Eastern and Asian countries. In the west we have blondes, brunettes and redheads – only 2% are blondes and redheads. These have a low level of the dark pigment eumelanin and a higher level of the pigment phaeomelanin. Brown hair contains high levels of the dark eumelanin and lower levels of the pale pigment phaeomelanin.

  • Hair’s primary function is to regulate temperature. Human beings being warm-blooded animals need to keep their body temperature stable. In cold temperatures muscles attached to the hair follicles contract causing the hair to stand up. This results in warm air being trapped between the hair. Since we have other means to keep warm e.g. clothes, our partners ( they can certainly get you heated up), exercise and eating hot curries – the main purpose of hair is cosmetic.

How does hair form?

  • Hair is made from strong strands of a protein called keratin. Chemically this means oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, carbon and hydrogen (2). Hair is made up of two types of Keratin-type 1 and type 11. Type 1 is acidic in nature whilst type 11 is basic. Together they make the keratin to form hair and nails. (No wonder many people with alopecia also have problems with their nails- and you thought it was nerves!). The proportions of the individual elements that make up hair differ between people of different ages, sex, type and even in the colour of the hair. Hair is not living. It has no nerves and is difficult to destroy.
  • Hair grows in our scalps from follicles. These are unevenly spread in the scalp – usually in groups of two to five. Each follicle has its own life cycle. It produces about six inches (15cm) of hair annually for about four years. It then falls out and after a short period, the whole cycle starts again. Just imagine if this did not happen you could have used the same hair dye once in your lifetime – no such luck I am afraid!

In adolescence, the hair grows at its fastest rate and this reduces with age

The cell growth pattern can change due to drugs, pregnancy, illness etc. With age, the growth phase of the hair cycle reduces in length and the subcutaneous (below the skin surface) of the scalp also becomes thin and the hair becomes more brittle.

  • Every hair has a life cycle of its own. Each hair grows from its own individual hair follicle. A follicle will produce new cells for a certain period of time. This period is called the growth phase.
  • When the hair follicle enters the rest phase, the hair shaft breaks. The existing hair falls out and a new hair takes its place. The length of time that the individual hair is able to grow during the growth phase controls the maximum length of the hair.

 How do we keep the hair in this phase?

  • The hair follicles on your scalp let the hair grow for many years, so the hair can grow very long. Each hair grows on average half inch every month in the Anagen (growth period). In the resting phase, 30 – 150 hairs are shed per day. On average around 85% of hairs are in the growing phase and 14% are in a resting state and 1% in the Transitional stage (1). If the Anagen hair count is less than 80% of the total, the person has true hair thinning. The loss of a single or few hairs generally go unnoticed as there are hairs around the ‘lost’ hair that are in the Anogen or growing phase. Each hair is replaced every three to five years.

For more on hair loss or hair thinning click here!

Hair style tips for thinning hair

Hair style tips for thinning hair

Although you can’t change your genes, there are things you can do to protect your hair and stimulate hair growth. See results within months with these easy tips from Ravi Bhanot, Author of Hair Today, Hair Tomorrow book.

Weekly steps to protect your hair 

Use natural hair care products.

Natural hair care productshampoo, conditioner and serum set. Hair style tips for thinning hairs are always on the list of natural remedies for hair growth. Even if it costs more and are not easy to find in shops, it is recommended to use natural hair growth products. If you want the natural hair mask or conditioner to be more effective, you can add a tablespoon of olive oil every time you apply it to your hair.

A good shampoo needs to be:

  • Able to form lather
  • Not to be too concentrated to avoid waste
  • The pH of the shampoo needs to be between 4.5 and 5.5 needs to be free of harsh chemicals such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (or relative of) base shampoo
  • Natural based
  • Biodegradable
  • Not tested on animals

Switch your part. Hair tends to lie flatter against the scalp when brushed repeatedly in the same direction; if you typically part your hair on the right, flip it to the left. It will stand away from your scalp and look more voluminous.

Get a volumizing cut. Shorter cuts are kinder to thinning hair. Ask your hairstylist for interior layers, which are placed throughout your cut, to add fullness.

Colour strategically.  Well-placed highlights hide thinning by making your hair colour more similar to the colour of your scalp. The dye also expands the hair shaft slightly so it appears thicker.

Do not wash your hair too often. Avoid washing your hair twice or three times a week. It dries your hair and will remove natural oils that protect the scalp and stimulate hair growth. It is advisable to wash your hair every four days.

  • Hair needs a balance between sebum, protein, moisture and acid balance.

Cut your hair when the moon is rising. The moon influences tides, but also hair growth. If you want your hair to regenerate and grow faster, trim your hair in the week featuring a rising moon.

Massage your scalp. A good scalp massage stimulates blood circulation and helps nutrients get more easily into hair follicles. Every day, massage your scalp for five minutes with the tip of your fingers. Once a week use olive or coconut oil – they are very rich in nutrients that nourish the hair. Alternatively, you can use Coolherbals Vata Hair Oil, Pitta Hair Oil or Kapha Hair Oil.

Now let’s talk diet 

Hair style tips for thinning hairThe body needs the right food. The foods have to be broken down more efficiently, the body needs to be in a healthy state and the condition of the scalp and hair has to be improved. It is then that the body would function in combination with all its parts to work efficiently to keep the hair that we have.

DIET DOS: If you’re vegetarian, vegan, fasting or anaemic, you may lack adequate iron, which is essential for strong, healthy hair. Make sure this summer you’re eating plenty of leafy greens—such as spinach, kale, and chard—and beans, tofu, or lean cuts of red meat, which are all great sources of iron as well as taking biotin and zinc, two nutrients that may also play a role in hair growth.

Increase the beta-carotene intake. Beta-carotene is a precursor of vitamin A, more precisely the body turns beta-carotene into vitamin A. It is an essential element for hair growth, having beneficial properties in the health of your nail and skin. You can find it in orange and red vegetables and fruits, like carrots, peaches, apricots.

Eat soy. A low-protein diet can be blamed for thinning or slow growth of hair. Adopt a soy-rich diet and things will change radically. Tofu is a good source of soy.

Remember: make sure you have a healthy diet!

On the list of natural remedies for hair growth, there is healthy food. If you want your hair to look good and grow faster, it’s important to eat foods rich in vitamins, fibre and protein. Consume fresh eggs, fresh fruits, vegetables and fish. It is important to give up junk-food snacks.

 

 

Expert DOs to help with hair loss

Expert DOs to help with hair loss

We all know that in winter the hair tends to fall in greater quantities than in spring or summer. If on the other hand, your hair has started to become really thin then it is necessary to do something to stop this. Mr Ravi Bhanot, the author of Hair Today, Hair Tomorrow, talks about how you can prevent hair loss at home and how you can help your hair to regenerate.

  1. During hair washing, massage your scalp with circular movements, starting from the neck to the top of the head. This will activate blood circulation and the skin will become more receptive to the products you use.
  2. Important: choose a suitable shampoo for your hair. Find out what type of hair you have and choose accordingly. Go with natural, preservatives/ SLS free products
  3. Use warm water for washing your hair, not hot, and be sure to rinse hair well, to eliminate all traces of shampoo.
  4. Do not rub your hair with a towel in an attempt to dry it, it is aggressive and you can break the hair. Just pat it gently.
  5. If possible, leave your hair to dry outdoors. Using hair dryers, especially set to hot air, will make the hair brittle.
  6. Brush your hair gently, each morning and evening. Combing it with strong moves will not be in your favour.
  7. In winter, do not use curling tongs or other styling devices as they assault the hair.
  8. Drop your use of braiding or your love for really tight ponytails until your hair regenerates and stops falling
  9. Dyeing and bleaching are not recommended especially in cold weather so take a break for a few months.
  10. Reduce the number of products used for styling – mousse, hairspray, wax etc. Allow your scalp to breathe and regenerate.
  11. Eat balanced to give your hair the nutrients it needs: amino acids found in red meat, vitamin B from brewer’s yeast, vitamin E obtained from grape seed oil, iron, magnesium and calcium, which are abundant in grains, fish and green vegetables.
  12. Treat your hair and scalp with traditional remedies, so-called “old wives recipes”: make a mask of a yolk and a teaspoon of honey or olive oil, try the castor oil mask mixed with vitamin A and vitamin E, massage your scalp and hair with essential oil, jojoba, almond or avocado (leave to act 30 minutes), dabbing your scalp with hot pepper tincture, nettle or garlic (stimulates circulation).
  13. When it’s cold, wear a hat or hood, because extreme temperatures and harsh winds are assaulting your hair.
  14. Avoid stress because it is one of the main causes of hair loss.
  15. Lastly, if you see that you cannot stop hair loss schedule an appointment to at GP. Do the analysis and, based on the interpretation of results, start appropriate treatment.

Stress and hair loss: Are they related?

Does stress make you lose hair? YES! Stress symptoms may be affecting your health, even though you might not realise it yet. You may think illness or extreme fatigue are to blame for that nagging headache, your frequent insomnia, losing hair or your decreased productivity at work. But stress may actually be the cause.Generally speaking, it is not the stress, but the ability to deal with stress that makes the difference in people losing hair due to stress.

How can you reduce stress?

1.Let out your feelings – If you are stressed or feeling negative about your hair call a friend or join a group. Otherwise, there is always your Doctor or Counsellor.

2.Visualisation and affirmation – Before going to sleep every night visualise the type of hair you would want to have. In bed close your eyes look about 30 degrees (1 o’ clock position of a clock) in an upward direction. It is thought that we look at the future in an optimistic light doing this. Make the vision in colour – bright, large and alive – almost as though you could touch, feel and see it.Add as much clarity to it as you can – including the colour of the hair you would like, its texture, thickness and style. If you are struggling with this – just remember it is only a dream, a goal. Remember a belief is strong but a conviction has more certainty – that is what it must be! Dream of your vision last thing before sleeping. Affirm to yourself, ideally speaking aloud “I have lovely healthy, strong hair.”

3.Relax more – Find an activity that makes you feel happy. If you don’t know what they are, make a list of possible activities, even small ones such as reading. Try laughing more as a way of relaxing.

4.Associate with happy people or those who have a positive outlook to life. Read books and articles that are positive in nature. Going to self-development seminars can help too.

5.Write out your complaints or troubles on one page and on the other side of the page write the answer(s) to your problem.

6.Have a Massage –To find a masseur visit www.yell.co.uk or www.ayurvedainstitute.org or use your local telephone directory or do an Internet search for a list of Therapists. Massage therapy can relax muscles and increase blood flow to skin and muscles. This would also help relieve mental and emotional stress.

7.Learn to say no when you don’t want to do something or you have imposed unrealistic demands on yourself. Be honest with yourself.

8.It is not what you say but how you say it – learn to say something effectively without offending others or feeling ignored.

9.You can only change yourself – avoid saying or thinking “if only he, if only she, if only they”. Rather think more “what can I change about myself to make my situation better.”

10. Sometimes accepting that things are the way they are and you cannot do anything about the situation helps.

Hair loss in women – a time bomb?

For one in four women hair loss is a potentially devastating problem they may suffer from

For one in four women hair loss is a potentially devastating problem they may suffer from. But the good news is you can do something behind this statistic. There’s some new research behind the science of hair loss.

Stress has always been known to be one of the top reasons for female hair loss, or telogen effluvium.

New research shows the second highest predictor of central hair loss in women is their marital status. Divorce or death of a partner can actually cause thinning of hair. In women, there can be other reasons for hair loss including diet, major surgery, poor self-image, lack of exercise, storing toxins, weight loss or medications.

To keep your hair for longer try the NUTRIGRO PLAN.

As I have said in my book Hair Today …Hair Tomorrow “the body almost says you are going to lose hair at a certain time. The secret is to learn to forestall that time.”

Nutrition. Ensure you are eating a good source of protein, biotin and iron supplements. A new study found that excessive drinking and smoking can also increase the risk for hair loss in women. During or after menopause reduced oestrogen can cause hair loss. Increase in oestrogen rich foods such as soya and tofu, consider hormone replacement therapy or a hair food supplement.

Use non-harsh chemical hair products that contain the Lauryl Sulphates or Ammonia and do not excessively style your hair. A recent American study shows 30 percent of middle-aged black women are balding due to using harsh chemical products, too tight braiding and ponytails that are pulling the hair. Try setting your hair dryer on low, your styling equipment to 160 degrees Centigrade for thinning hair, 190 degrees for normal and 220 degrees for thick hair and try to limit heating your hair locks to maximum three times a week.

Train or exercise has shown to help better blood flow and hence nutrients to the scalp. Simple exercises such as walking or running will help. Try 20 minutes exercise at least three times a week at a brisk speed of 50% faster than your normal pattern.

Remove toxin build up on the scalp and body regularly. Massage the scalp regularly. Try massaging whilst shampooing. To learn the technique of ayurvedic head massage and shampooing email me. The ancient Indian technique of using hot and cold water whilst washing hair can help in hair loss.

Imagine the hair you want.

Paulo Coelho rightly says “Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.”

The growth of hair is best achieved doing the above.

Ravi Bhanot

Losing hair? Try these tips

If you are losing hair try these tips: Hair loss isn’t just for middle-aged men but is affecting more and more women under 40.

1. Choose non-harsh shampoo. Look at the ingredients on your shampoo bottle and try to avoid products containing the chemicals sodium lauryl sulphate, petroleum and silicone. These chemicals are commonly used in many shampoos to “foam up” but they can irritate your scalp.

2. Does your scalp need some tender loving care? You should try to massage your scalp at least twice a week with a few drops of serums such as Nutrigro serum. A scalp massage releases tension in your forehead and scalp to aid blood. Using your fingertips, massage in small circular motions near your temples, and then move your fingers out over the rest of your scalp. For more details email us at info@nutrigro.com.

3. Use less of your appliances. Overuse of hair dyes, hair gel, hair dryers and curling irons can aggravate the problem of hair loss. If you have to use a hair dryer, switch it to the lowest and coldest setting. Also avoid using hair straighteners or curlers on very wet hair.

4. Make your hair healthy by eating the “right” foods. Hair is essentially protein, so make sure you eat high-quality meat, oily fish, poultry or eggs. Your diet should also include lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, olive oil, live yogurt, nuts and seeds. Reduce dairy foods, caffeine, sugar and salt. If you live on a “fast” food diet you may be missing out on some or all of the 22 amino acids to make the protein for hair. In this case take a food supplement which contains all the amino acids, vitamins and minerals required for healthy hair.

5. Consider some Iron. Iron is a key in maintaining healthy locks. If you are a vegetarian, try an iron supplement.

6. Ask for some advice! Though some hair loss is normal – we can shed up to 100 hairs a day – it can be a sign of stress, poor diet and lifestyle factors. If the problem of hair loss continues for an extended period of time, see your doctor as there might be a more serious underlying cause.

By Ravi Bhanot

www.nutrigro.com

My hair is dry and breaks easily should I get a wig?

Question from Benidita:  I have afro type hair that is dry and breaks easily. What can I do?

The simplest answer to dry hair is to use a Hair Oil if you want a greasy look or a Serum if you want a water-based finish. Use a shampoo for dry hair as well. If the hair is breaking it is probably too weak. Try this:

Wet the hair with warm water to open the pores and to increase blood circulation to the scalp.

Apply shampoo to the tips and then rub into the scalp. Don’t apply the shampoo directly to the scalp. Excess shampoo can strip vital minerals like calcium and iron from the hair.  Also, excess shampoo in one spot can promote build up in one particular patch. Shampoo with warm water to remove dirt and grease. Then rinse hair with cold water to shrink the pores back to normal size. Run your hands through the hair in a to and fro movement, particularly to the thinning hair to generate heat. This activates the sebaceous glands and energizes blood flow increases the chances of healthier hair.

Pat dry hair by blotting with a towel rather than rubbing it with cloth towels.

This will pull hair when it is already in a weakened state due to the wetness.

Brush your hair only after drying it. Wetting hair helps straighten and detangle hair much better, however, the stress on the hair shaft is increased. Use a brush that has stiff and long bristles to increase the blood circulation in the scalp.

Use a non-harsh non-SLS shampoo that does not weaken hair. Try Nutrigro Shampoo.

Give hair food to strengthen hair. Hair is 97% protein. Get this from your diet ensuring you get all the 22 amino acid building blocks hair needs or from a supplement. Try some hair protein, vitamin and mineral capsules such as vegetarian based protein Nutrigro Capsules or fish based protein Noukrin for three months and see if they make a difference.

Along with this follow the Nutrigro Plan. It is a plan that Professor Gupta of Bolton University calls “a revolutionary way to keep your hair for longer and combat hair loss”. Email me for more details on this or visit www.coolherbals.com.

Ravi Bhanot