Health Tips # 29 - Tips for healthy, beautiful hair

Here are some simple tips and tricks for healthy soft silky hair.

• Drink plenty of water and take a healthy diet comprising of fruits and vegetables.
• Include cereals, eggs, peas, meat and other essential nutrients in diet for healthy & beautiful hair.
• Take food rich in proteins and minerals.
  
• To add luster to hair, add few drops of lemon juice in water & wash your hair with it.
• Boil dried amla in water and wash your hair with it to make them shiny & healthy.
• Always use a conditioner and shampoo that suits your hair type.
• Avoid excessive use of bleach, hair color, dye etc. as it may make hair rough, brittle and develop spilt ends. Test the dye on arm before applying to avoid scalp allergies.
• Regular trimming will keep your hair in healthy shape and will remove split ends too.
• Hot or warm water is not good for hair so always use cold water for rinsing and washing your hair.
• Give oil massage especially with olive oil as it is a natural moisturizer.
• Apply curd with lemon juice or use some medicated shampoo available to cure dandruff.
• Do not rub your wet or damp hair with towel as the chances of falling hair will increase. You can blow dry your hair occasionally. Also never go to bed with wet hair.
• Protect your hair from direct sunlight and pollution. Always cover your hair with cap or scarf while driving or going out.
• If you are swimming (wear swim cap) or using hairspray then you should wash hair thoroughly later else it will cause split ends and will damage the hair.
  

Health Tips # 8 - Hair loss - the reasons.

As a part of our life, we experience some hair shed every day (up to 100 is considered normal). Some people experience a high level of hair loss and later it result to baldness.

The pattern of hair growth and loss in men and women is different. Different factors affect the loss of hair, including hormonal imbalances. If the thyroid gland is overactive or under active it could lead to hair loss. Significant fluctuations in the level of androgen and estrogens could also cause hair loss.

Sometimes medicines can also cause hair fall. The medicines which are generally used for blood pressure, birth control etc fall in this category - they contain some ingredients that reduce the growth of hair.

Over styling is yet another serious cause for hair loss. Hair coloring, hair straightening and perking give a negative effect, because these treatments use chemicals and excessive heat. Chemicals and over heat will affect the normal growth and health of hair.

In youngsters, because of the excessive tension and stress that is present today, we can see significant hair loss.

Some infections also cause hair loss. Certain fungal infections and presence of dandruff is another cause for the hair loss.

Proper care of hair will reduce the amount of hair loss. We have to keep the hair properly shampooed, cleaned and conditioned using the natural ingredients (as much as possible) which would ensure the hair loss is kept under control.