Friday, September 26, 2014

6 Top Remedies for Hair Growth

Hair is important for our looks. Why else would anyone spend so much of time, efforts and money to find that most suitable hairstyle for one’s face? Your hair gives you a distinct personality. So if you are worried about hair loss that you have noticed recently, there is nothing unnatural here. Even if you are losing only the normal amount of hair but want to have thicker hair, you may do so through various remedies for hair growth. So here we go and give you 6 (plus one super tip) hair growth remedies with which you can have a good volume of hair without spending a whole lot of money for clinical treatments!

Home Remedies for Hair Growth

1. Onion juice- smelly but effective remedy for hair growth

Onion not only makes your food tasty but also makes your hair grow and multiply effectively. Why? Because onion juice has sulphur in it which boosts the production of collagen tissues. These tissues assist in re growth of your hair. You will only need red onions, even shallots would do.
Directions:
  • Take two to four onions.
  • Grate the onions and squeeze out the grate thing to get its juice.
  • Massage your scalp with this fresh onion juice.
  • Let it be there for, preferably one hour. If not, leave it there at least for 15 minutes.
  • Now wash off your hair with a mild shampoo and water.
Alternative method for using onion for hair growth
If you are scared of tears and irritation in eyes due to grating of onions while taking out its juice, you can use onions in another way. Here are the directions for it:
  • Take 4-5 onions and chop them.
  • Take a liter of water and boil it.
  • Add the chopped onions to boiling water.
  • Let it boil for another 5-10 minutes.
  • Put off the flame and let the water cool.
  • Now strain and use the water to wash your hair after using shampoo.
  • If you can stand the smell, do not rinse hair with other water that day. Next day shampoo your hair use clean water to wash off.
  • If you can’t stand the smell, at least do not wash off with clean water for an hour. After that shampoo and rinse hair with clean water.
Onion not only helps in re growth of hair but also lends your hair with a fabulous sheen.

2. Potato Juice- yet another vegetable that helps your hair grow
No, we are not in a vegetable juice shop nor are we cooking food in your kitchen but these vegetables really do wonder when it comes to hair growth. Along with onions, you can also use potatoes to grow your hair. In fact, potato juice can even cure thinning of hair due to ‘alopecia.’ Potatoes are rich in certain vitamins like vitamins A, B and C. When your body lacks this vitamins, your hair gets dry and brittle. So, you must have those foods that are rich in these vitamins. Using potato juice on hair directly too is beneficial. Just grate 3-4 potatoes and squeeze out the juice from it. Massage your scalp with this juice for at least 15 minutes. Rinse off with water. If your hair is very dry, instead of using just the potato juice, you can use this potato hair mask.
You will need:
  • Potatoes – 3
  • Egg yolk- from one egg
  • Honey – 1 tablespoon
Directions:
  • Grate and squeeze out the juice from potatoes.
  • Add egg yolk and honey to this juice.
  • Mix well to get the potato hair mask.
  • Apply on your scalp and leave for at least half and hour.
  • Wash off with mild shampoo and water.
The egg yolk and honey add a good amount of moisture to potato juice which is beneficial for your dry hair. This hair mask helps in growing hair faster.

3. Eggs give extra protein to grow extra hair

Hair is primarily made up of protein. What’s the better way to grow hair than to provide it with extra protein,in fact, one of the best proteins- the egg white. What you need to do is take one or two eggs and massage your scalp with the liquids in it. Let it sit there for an hour, preferably covered with a shower cap. Then wash it off with a mild shampoo and water. You may even make an egg mask for your hair to give it extra shine and strength.
For egg hair mask, you will need:
  • Egg white – from 1-2 eggs
  • Olive oil- 1 tsp
  • Honey- 1tsp
Directions:
  • Mix egg white, olive oil and honey well to make the egg hair mask.
  • Apply this mask on your scalp. Cover your hair too.
  • Let it sit there for about 15-20 minutes.
  • Wash off with mild shampoo and water.
4. Rinse Hair with Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has many benefits for your hair. It stimulates the hair follicles and help them grow faster. It also cleanses scalp apart from maintaining the pH balance of hair which accelerates their growth. You just have to use this vinegar as an after-wash rinse. Add apple cider vinegar with water and use it as a final rinse for your hair each time you shampoo your hair. Although it has a mild smell that doesn’t bother anyone too much yet if you want your hair smell good even when they grow with apple cider vinegar, just add a couple of drops of some essential oil (such as lavender oil) to your mixture of water and vinegar.

5. Use Fenugreek- the age old remedy for hair growth

Fenugreek has been used to treat hair fall since ages in many parts of the world. Even you can use this spice for growing hair.
You will need:
  • Fenugreek seeds – 2-3 tablespoons
  • A large pan filled with water
Directions:
  • Soak the fenugreek seeds in the water for 24 hours.
  • Strain and use the water to rinse hair.
  • Do not immediately was hair with normal water. Let this water be there for at least 3 hours
  • After 3 hours, wash your hair with lukewarm water (never use hot water on your hair)
  • Repeat this daily for at a month to see your hair gaining strength and volume.
Fenugreek can also be used to make a superb hair mask for growing hair faster.
For Fenugreek hair mask, you will need:
  • Fenugreek seeds paste- 1 tsp
  • Coconut milk – ¼ cup or more if you have longer hair
Directions:
  • Mix fenugreek seeds paste and coconut milk well.
  • Apply to your scalp and hair.
  • Leave for half an hour.
  • Now wash off with a mild shampoo and water.
6. Ayurvedic Herbs -Amla Shikakai Reetha- for long and strong hair

Indian gooseberry (amla) is well recognized as the powerhouse of vitamin C and antioxidants. Thus it helps in production of collagen and also fights off free radicals promoting hair growth and even improving pigmentation of your hair. You can simply mix 2 teaspoons each of amla powder and lime juice and rub this on your scalp. After some time, rinse with warm water. This will help your hair grow. There is, however, another herbal remedy using amla which can promote faster hair growth by making your hair long, strong and shiny. For this you’ll have to make a shampoo at home using amla, shikakai and reetha.
To make amla, shikakai, reetha shampoo, you will need:
  • Amla or Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis) – 100 gm
  • Shikakai (Fruit of Acacia concinna shrub) – 100 gm
  • Reetha or soapnut (Sapindus Mukorossi) – 100 gm
  • Water – 2 liters
Directions:
  • Soak all the three herbs- amla, shikakai and reetha – in water overnight.
  • In the morning, boil the mixture till the time water reduces to half.
  • Let it cool.
  • Once the mixture cools, with the help of hands mash the boiled herbs to pulp in the water itself.
  • Now strain and collect the homemade shampoo in another utensil.
  • Wash your hair with this shampoo.
  • Do not try to rub the herbal liquid as you do when using regular shampoos. This will entangle your hair leading to breakage as your hair goes rough as soon as it comes in contact with this herbal shampoo.
  • The right way to use Amla-Shikakai-Reetha shampoo is to apply it over all of your wet hair and let the hair soak in it for about 5 minutes.
  • After 5 minutes, rinse with water and apply some conditioner.
  • Take care to not let the concoction enter your eyes.
This homemade shampoo will remove all the oil and dirt from your scalp and hair giving you healthier shiny hair with lots of volume. Use this amla herbs mix whenever you shampoo your hair for about 2 months. You will love the pace at which your hair grows.

The Super Tip for Hair Growth

Apart from using one or many of the above remedies for hair growth, you should always do one thing regularly. Massage your hair with some nutritious oil at least once a week. Warm a little olive oil, coconut oil or almond oil and gently massage rubbing this oil on to your scalp in circular motions. This is done best when you leave the oil overnight in your hair. However, you cannot or do not wish to do so, dip a towel in hot water, squeeze the extra water from it and wrap the towel around your oiled hair. Leave it like this for sometime and then wash off your hair with mild shampoo and conditioner. Warm towel treatment helps the massaged oil reach deep hair follicles, which in turn makes your hair strong, thick and healthy.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Future heart health 'shaped by diet'

Growing up starved of calories may give you a higher risk of heart disease 50 years on, research suggests.
Researchers in The Netherlands tracked the heart health of Dutch women who lived through the famine at the end of World War II.
Those living on rations of 400-800 calories a day had a 27% higher risk of heart disease in later life.
It's the first direct evidence early nutrition shapes future health, they report in the European Heart Journal.
The Dutch famine of 1944-45 gave researchers in Holland a unique opportunity to study the long-term effects of severe malnutrition in childhood and adolescence.
A combination of factors - including failed crops, a harsh winter and the war - caused thousands of deaths among people living in the west of The Netherlands.
The women, who were aged between 10 and 17 at the time, were followed up in 2007.
The team, from the University Medical Center Utrecht and the University of Amsterdam, found those who were severely affected by the famine had a 27% greater risk of developing heart disease than those who had had enough to eat.
Diet impact
Lead author Annet van Abeelen told the BBC: "The most important message is that it is good to realise that disturbing the development of children through acute malnutrition can have implications for later adult health.
"It's not only the short-term direct consequences that matter. Even 50 years later, there is still a higher risk of adult coronary heart disease."
Victoria Taylor, senior heart health dietitian for the British Heart Foundation, said: "This study showed a link between children and young adults experiencing famine and the likelihood of them developing heart disease later on in life.


"Although it wasn't clear exactly what changes occurred in the body to increase the risk, this highlights how our environment can have a long-term impact upon our heart health.
"Fortunately, the problems of famine seen in other countries have not been an issue in the UK in recent times. But that doesn't make this study irrelevant for us.

"It adds to the importance of providing a healthy diet for children and young people because of the way it can shape their future heart health."