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Women
Nine
Tips for Healthy Hair
 No matter what type of hair nature blessed you with, there are things
you can do to keep it healthy, lustrous, looking its best. Here are
some tips for a healthy head of hair from
the tradition of Ayurveda, the 5,000-year old healing tradition that
originated in India:
- Like everything else about true, lasting beauty, healthy hair begins within
your body. Start with your diet. Include lots of green leafy vegetables and
sweet juicy fruits. Dairy products such as milk and fresh yogurt will also
help. Fresh coconut is also considered excellent "hair food" – sprinkle
grated coconut over salads, diced fresh fruit, or rice.
- Cut down on refined, processed and canned foods. Ayurveda considers foods
with artificial preservatives and chemical additives stripped of their
inherent "intelligence" and therefore not helpful in supplying nutrition to
your body and mind. Ice-cold beverages also hamper the process of digestion
and assimilation of nutrients.
- Cooking with certain spices adds flavor to your food and provides nourishment
for your hair. Cumin, turmeric and black pepper are some "hair-friendly"
spices. Add a healthy pinch of each to single-portion soups and stews as
they are cooking. Sauté 1/8 –1/4 teaspoon each of the three spices in a
teaspoon of ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil and add to cooked veggies.
Roasted ground cumin and ground black pepper can be sprinkled over fresh
yogurt.
- Stress can be seriously injurious to long-term health and color of hair. Try
and manage your time and tasks to minimize time-related pressures. Practice
relaxation techniques such as meditation. Seek out tranquil sights in nature
to help restore balance to your mind. Relaxing or uplifting music can be
therapeutic. Get adequate, good quality sleep to help the natural process of
rejuvenation.
- Ayurvedic herbs that help hair health include Eclipta alba and Gotu Kola.
Eclipta alba is called "Bhringaraj" – literally, king of tresses. It
nourishes the hair and helps resistance to stress as well. Brahmi, sometimes
called Gotu Kola, also helps balance the mind and nourishes the hair and
scalp. Since Ayurveda considers the health, color and luster of hair so
dependent on overall mind/body health, synergistic Ayurvedic herbal
preparations for hair can also include herbs such as Country Mallow, which is
supposed to strengthen the physiology, and Winter Cherry, which aids
resistance to stress.
- Stay away from harsh chemical topical products that can damage hair over
time. Look for gentle, natural cleansers and conditioners, especially if you
wash your hair more than three times a week. Shampoos and conditioners that
contain nourishing botanicals are even better. Read labels carefully –
sometimes, products that say "herbal" or "natural" can include no-no
chemicals.
- A warm oil scalp massage two or three times a week will help stimulate and
moisturize the scalp. You can use good quality coconut, almond or olive oil Ayurvedic hair oils also contain some of the herbs mentioned earlier. Apply
some mildly warmed oil to your hair and gently massage into your scalp evenly
with your fingertips. Leave on overnight if you can, if not, leave on for at
least an hour or two, then get it out by shampooing your hair. The scalp
massage helps you relax and aids sound sleep as well.
- Never attack wet hair with a brush, no matter how rushed for time you are.
Tangles in wet hair are best removed with a wide-toothed comb. Use a wooden
comb if you can find one; it won't generate static electricity. Excessive
blow-drying can damage hair in the long-term, making it brittle and causing
split ends. If you can, let your hair dry naturally, then brush into place.
- Last, but not least, brushing your hair regularly to stimulate the scalp will
keep it looking healthy and lustrous. Brush each night in all directions in
turn – left to right, right to left, front to back and back to front Use
smooth long strokes from scalp to hair-tips.
Your hair can indeed be your crowning glory if you treat it right!
Note – Information in this article is solely for the purpose of imparting
education on Ayurveda and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or mitigate any disease. If you have a medical condition, please consult a
health professional.
–
Vasu
Nargundkar
February 15, 2001
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