MEET ARIANA
March 8th is International Women’s Day and the call is to “EmbraceEquity”. Women as well as men are quite connected to their physical features, some research claim it’s interlinked with self-confidence among a littany of varying cultural issues and perceptions. Stereotypes as to how someone is supposed to look has created enormous levels of pressure and hardwork to fit into these narratives. Climbing on the pedestals of digital tools and innovation, we thought it fit to highlight and educate our community on a seemingly great concern that’s often not talked about.
One common concern for every woman all around the world is their hair length or growth rate. On average we lose 70 to 100 pieces of hair strand per day. The good news is the human hair grows between 12 and 15cm (that’s 5 -6 inches) a year but you can speed up the growth rate and length.
There are many causes of hair loss , one particular cause in both men and women is hormonal change. Another cause again in both men and woman is chronic stress. Stress robs the body of nutrient, it prevents the production of the B-vitamins that are necessary for maintaining hair health and its affects the kidney functions.
In traditional Chinese medicine the kidney chi (energy) governs the hair strength and thickness. To improve the length of your hair, you need to strengthen your kidney with these key macro minerals and they are magnesium, magnesium,copper, iron and zinc. Interestedly , these minerals are alkali and they help buffer the body acid-alkaline balance. The health of your hair depends on the circulation of these minerals to the root of the hair and their presence in the blood. Stress and a toxic bowel can prevent the circulation of these nutrients.
There are many drugs or supplements that claim to increase hair growth some contain biotin and other chemical but these drugs may have some hidden negative side effects. For instance they alter hormone levels because a lot of them contain endocrine chemical disruptors, which mimic the natural hormone made by the body. These endocrine chemical disruptors prevents the body’s own natural hormones from maintaining balance, therefore cause an imbalance.
Now what can you do to help your hair grow faster;
Firstly, you need to strength the organs that govern the hair health and they are the kidney and lung. The lungs governs the shine or lustre of the hair. While the kidney is responsible for the thickness and strength. So here are some traditional African herbs which help to support the kidneys and lung. For example bitter leaf, its Latin name is Vernonia amygdalina. Its rich in chlorophyll which help to detoxify heavy metals like aluminium from the body. You can either drink this leaf as an herbal tea or add it to your morning smoothie, visit our store to learn more. Another herb is Leaf of Life . Its common name is Miracle leaf, it helps with lung function.
A final traditional herb suggestion for the kidney is the Masai nettle. Soak the leaves in hot water and steep for 5 mins and drink. Drink it twice a day, for best result, use the tea to rinse your hair. It helps re-alkalize the system and protects the kidney from inflammation. This herb is excellent for post-pregnancy when woman hair starts to shred more after giving birth.
Next way to help your hair grow faster is your diet. You need to eat more iron rich food , for instance , garlic, liver and egg yolks . For vegetarian, eat plenty green vegetables . Also cooking with some herbs like rosemary, coriander in an iron cookware will help add iron to your diet and speed up your hair growth.
Finally , a good brand of multi-vitamins, remember to read the ingredient listing for the copper and zinc content. It must have at least 15-30mg of zinc and 1-2mg of copper. Remember lack of copper in the diet is linked to greying of hair not zinc. A natural source of copper can be found in healthy fats such as avocado, flaxseed, sesame seed, almond, chestnuts or Brazil nuts.
To find out more on traditional African herbs or have a chat traditional practitioner, visit www.gaiafarmacy.com.ng
