Hair tips ~ natural remedies to help promote healthier, fuller, shinier hair.
I am a very curious person, on rare occasions that curiosity may have gotten me in to a little trouble, but usually it serves me well. When problems arrive I tend to be a bit like a dog with a bone in that I won't give up...I'll see it through until I find a solution. For the times where that solution is not mine to find I always remember this quote...
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference."
My latest example of finding a solution for a problem is when I was becoming a bit self conscious about my hair as it was falling out from the roots and snapping off at the ends. Last year it was the longest it had ever been but because all the bits had snapped off it just looked really uneven and not healthy at all. So in order to improve the look of it I had to get about eight inches cut off it. I cried for days about that, as it was right down my back and the longest it had ever been in my life. It helped to get it cut but I didn't like the length at all. Then after some more stress in the summer last year it got thinner again.
When I was a child it was much like a boys and was often cut to a couple of cm's from my head. Then as I went through the whole teenage thing....with the human league look...black eyeliner....straightened hair with fringe over one eye. Which all had to be done about three times a day with lashings of hairspray and furious blasts with hairdryer and pulled with a brush to glue it into place! It's a wonder it still had any curl left in it, but you could guarantee as soon as I went out in any damp weather it would curl back up again! So in reality I was fighting a loosing battle. As I got older I realised I actually did like my curls, and kept being told I was really lucky as I didn't have to put a lot of effort into styling my hair.
So mostly it gets washed twice a week with a lovely organic green people avocado and quinoa natural shampoo and conditioner and I let it dry naturally. Days in-between I just spray with some water and give it a little ruffle about with my fingers. Then before the new regime below I applied either some coconut oil or some of my lip balm to the ends, to tame any frizzy bits. It looks thick but isn't, as my hairdresser says "you have thin hairs but there are lots of them." I'm not sure what she means by that but I kinda get it. Anyways you can tell about the thinness by my weird thin eyebrows. Why do I have these really thin almost non existent eyebrows and all my sons have lovely thick, beautifully shaped eyebrows!
Apart from the fact that I do like my hair to look, smell and feel nice and soft. The actual spiritual nature of hair from a yogic perspective is that hair is an amazing gift of nature that can actually help raise the Kundalini energy (creative life force) which increases vitality, intuition and tranquility.
I've always known that my hair is affected by the way I feel, and when I was really ill it was also affected by the changes in my endocrine system, having it rubbing against the pillows all the time which at times dried it out, and the medications I took affected it too. So like me as one spiritual mentor told me "it has well and truly been through the battle of the titans." The photo above was taken the last time it recovered so I'm hoping it will go back to that.
So the questions...
Well as usual I had ask the right questions and then treat it holistically like I would any other part of my body. I had to ask myself about what could be affecting it physiologically, psychologically, physically and spiritually?
Asking the right questions prompted the right answers to pop up. First of all stress and hormonal changes had affected it from the follicle, no doubt about that. Then there was the fact that it reacts with my emotional state of being on a day to day basis, seriously I kid you not. As we age anyway it can get thinner, but also there aren't the same amount of oils produced. Then I realised that my actions and despair were also affecting it. I had become aware that the more it dried then split off the more I played with it and kept trying to pull the ends down, and of course the more I did this the worst it got. I'd use argan oil which made it too greasy and also at times coconut oil which smells Devine, and I love it on my body, but it doesn't work so well on my face or hair, conversely it can have a bit of a drying effect, and it can block the pores on the face too.
The conversations I'd have with my hair went like this ~ Why aren't you growing? Why do you look so bad? I don't like the way you look all thin and unhealthy. So as you can see I wasn't always doing my hair any big favours.
The solutions...
A few drops of baobab oil massaged into the scalp every night. To start with it’s a great moisturiser for dry scalp and can penetrate deep into the hair follicles to trigger cell growth. The presence of omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin A, D3 and E, supports a healthy nutritional environment required for hair growth. This is so effective that it’s been reported that apparently even baldness can be cured successfully by the regular application of baobab oil. It is an excellent oil to repair damaged hair. It not only protects damage from harmful pollution and UV rays, but also repairs the damaged cells. The scalp is the thickest part of our skin and other oils just can’t penetrate this layer of epidermis cells. Baobab oil warms well and can easily penetrate the epidermis and the hair shaft to reinvigorate the hair from within.It is also due to this that this oil has a non-greasy feel to it on the surface. But it keeps your hair moisturised and conditioned from the inside. Regular application of baobab oil can also make your hair thicker too. Makes hair glossier with an excellent shine and increases the elasticity of your locks.
2. Macadamia nut oil on the ends 1-2 times a day. Macadamia nuts contain a type of omega-7 monounsaturated fat called palmitoleic acid, which is a main constituent in the sebum produced by our hair follicles. However, as one ages, the natural sebum levels begin to deplete. As the palmitoleic acid in macadamia nut oil resembles this sebum, it gets absorbed into the scalp really quickly. It then replenishes the hair follicles with the required palmitoleic acid content, thereby rejuvenating the hair. Thus, this oil is also touted for its synergy with the capillary sebum, increasing the strength of the hair strand right from the root. It is capable of moisturising and strengthening rough, dry, frizzy and limp hair. This is because unlike coconut oil which penetrates the scalp, this oil coats the hair follicles and scalp, preventing loss of moisture.
3. Next on the list of solutions is green juices which contain barley grass and are helpful for many things listed below...
Deep liver cleansing ~ One of the most significant benefits of barley grass is to cleanse the liver and eliminate toxic build up. A good analogy is the oil filter of the engine. Over time, if the filter is not maintained, it causes many issues to arise ~ issues that are not so easily identifiable, but all go back to the root cause of the dirty filter. Your liver is similar. An over-worked liver that is not properly cleansed will begin to cause issues from lethargy, memory loss, breakouts/acne, headaches and anxiety are just a few. The chlorophyll and beta carotene content in Barley Grass Juice Powder stimulate the elimination of waste and detox the liver on a daily basis.
Immune System Support ~ Barley grass juice powder contains far more vitamin C than oranges. In addition copper is another immune boosting nutrient provided. These two factors increase your resistance to illness, helping you to fight off stress and fatigue while staying well. In addition, copper is essential for hemoglobin in red blood cells.Repair your DNA – Our DNA changes due to environmental and lifestyle factors, things like stress, chemicals and food additives, pharmaceutical can contribute to changing DNA.
Improves your skin health ~ Improves skin elasticity and tone. Barley grass is a source of selenium and a protector of the elements, including environmental factors like smog and harmful UV rays that prematurely age the skin and leave it dull and lifeless. Barley grass increases skin vitality and helps keep the glow associated with good health. Barley grass contains chlorophyll, iron and vitamin B, all of which can renew and regenerate cells, which leads to maintaining healthy and youthful skin and hair.
Useful for cancer prevention ~ Barley grass contains superoxide dismutase enzyme and catalese enzymes, aka two amazing cancer prevention agents. These enzymes prevent proliferation and kill cancer cells. In particular, women can benefit from barley grass, as superoxide dismutase enzyme can help with breast cancer prevention.
Osteoporosis – Barley grass juice powder contains phosphorus and copper, and contains 11 times more calcium than milk. It also provides manganese, which is crucial for bone production. While you cannot cure osteoporosis, you can slow the process and keep your bones in better condition.
Antioxidant Power ~ Barley grass has incredible antioxidant properties that can prevent development of diseases caused by oxidative stress. Along with B-12, vitamin E, beta carotene, the critical enzyme superoxide dismutase helps to neutralise the effects of oxygen free radicals.
So apart from the presence of 20 amino acids including the eight essential ones humans cannot produce, young barley grass also provides vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, E, K as well as biotin, choline, folic acid, niacin and pantothenic acid. For hair in particular biotin helps with improving the keratin structure of hair by, it rebuilds damages hair shingles and helps to thicken it, it's also very good for skin and nails too. Pantothenic acid can strengthen and nourish the hair follicles and cells.
Next on the list was adding one little teaspoon of balboa powder to my green juice just twice a week for a month to see if it makes a difference.
The Balboa tree is Africas Iconic tree of life.The important health benefits of baobab include its ability to boost the immune system, build bone strength, soothe the gastrointestinal system, prevent chronic disease, lower inflammation, reduce blood pressure, and stimulate growth and repair.
Also a weekly hair mask of mashed avocado, 1 tsp balboa powder, 2 drops rosemary oil 2 drops lavender and 2 tsp honey also helps with this repairing and growing regime. Pop your shower cap on or a cotton bandana and leave on for 20 mins. After rinsing the mask off, wash and condition, and thereafter for an extra lovely shiny boost use 1 cup of water with 1 tbs of cider vinegar pour over hair then final rinse with cool water 💦
I’ve noticed a difference already by doing all this by how it looks and feels and that’s just been a week. Only a few hairs are coming out when I wash compared to the clumps that were coming out before. Have ordered a sandalwood wide toothed comb too for the days I wash it as that also supposed to help, the rest of the time I just use my fingers anyway.
I also had a think about the mitochondria dysfunction which I believe was previously prevalent with my ill health. And wondered about any amino acids (the building blocks of protein) which would help. The amino acid Cysteine is relevant, and also Carnitine which is a depeptide derived from the amino acids lysine and methionine. Both help with hair growth amongst many other things. In supplemental form they are L-Cysteine and L-Carnitine. I researched to see if I was getting enough of these in the foods I eat with my daily diet, and I am, so I don’t think I need to supplement with them.
And lastly on the spiritual and emotional side, I have taken to speaking to my hair each morning and night. So rather than being all annoyed with it. I tell it I love it 😍 how luscious, thick, healthy, long and gorgeous it is. Even though it may sound a wee bit mad....I think it may be listening and working because I have definitely seen an improvement over the last week!
This green juice has nectarine, orange, cucumber, spinach, basil, mint, barley grass, flaxseed and balboa. Saluti!
Will be back with an crowning glory update very soon! 👑 Quick update (11/03/18). It's been two weeks of this new regime and my hair feels thicker. It's fuller, wilder, much softer and to top it all it seems about an inch longer already...I'm not sure if it has actually grown by a whole inch or if there is another reason, but doesn't really matter as I am achieving the desired result! Also the little raised bumps I've continually had on my scalp for years have completely gone!
