Reblog: 5 Health Habits that Lead to Stronger, Longer Hair

Thought I'd share this with you guys.

See original post here. 

5 Health Habits that Lead to Stronger, Longer Hair

By Christina of The Mane Objective
It’s almost the end of 2012 and everywhere you turn, people are once again drawing up laundry lists of resolutions for the new year. According to statistics from the Journal of Clinical Psychology, at least 45% of people make New Year’s resolutions. Some of the top ten resolutions include losing weight, getting or staying fit/healthy, and quitting smoking. Interesting that many resolutions revolve around health, right? With rates for (largely) preventable diseases on the rise, there is no wonder that folks are hopping on the health bandwagon in record numbers.
Beyond that, there is an undoubtedly strong connection between our overall health and the health of our hair. There is only so much that conditioners, oils, and other products can do when it comes to growing and maintaining our manes. There are five essential areas of our health that we need to get a grip on if we want a healthy body that will grow healthy hair.

1. Reducing Stress

I’m sure one way or another, you’ve heard that stress can cause premature hair loss. Certainly, external stressors can make you want to yank the hairs off your head. But emotional and physiological stress can and does cause hair loss for any number of reasons. Being depressed or stressed for one day isn’t going to cause major trauma per-se, but long-term behaviors that impact your body’s internal balance is what causes hair loss. For example, if you are going through a bad breakup or job loss, that may spurn you into behaviors like not eating well, or losing sleep. Your emotional response triggers a physiological imbalance, which manifests itself in hair loss. No, you won’t lose hair because you hate your Ex. But losing sleep over him long-term may cause your resting hairs to shed prematurely. Other stressors that aren’t necessarily emotional but can cause physiological imbalance and hair-loss are: a strict low-calorie diet, severe illness or infection, low estrogen levels after childbirth, major surgery, and switching on and off oral contraceptives.

2. Getting Enough Sleep

Beyond relaxation, sleep is a restorative, repairative, and rejuvenating process for our bodies. While we’re in la-la land, our bodies are fast at work — repairing muscles, tissues, and sending growth hormones (HGH) throughout our system. The same growth hormones that are responsible for repairing muscles and tissues that we use and abuse throughout our busy day, are responsible for stimulating your hair growth. Although growth hormones are released in small doses throughout the day, more are released at night. If you are losing sleep (or your sleep pattern is erratic/disrupted by apnea or other causes), you’re hurting your hair’s chances to be stimulated to growth internally. In fact, if you aren’t getting proper rest, you may notice that your hair is drier, more brittle, and breakage-prone than normal. So before you switch your sealing products, check your sleeping patterns.

3. Exercise

Another internal growth mechanism is kicked into high gear when you get moving. Heart-pumping exercise gets your blood circulating like none other. When blood is moving through your body, it carries nutrients and oxygen to your scalp — stimulating growth. Sure, you could achieve this by massaging your scalp with a good oil. But the hands down best way to stimulate the blood flow throughout your body is exercise. Cardiovascular exercises like running, walking, dancing, kickboxing, elliptical, biking, and more are great ways to get your heart pumping. Weight lifting and resistance training are awesome as well. Aside from feeding your hair, regular exercise supports weight loss/healthy weight maintenance, decreased risk of hypertension, diabetes, and everything else under the sun. Do you really need another reason to get moving?

4. Good Nutrition

As it was mentioned under physiological stress, super calorie-restrictive diets are one of the triggers that can cause hair loss. Typically, nutrition plans where under 1,000 calories per day are consumed place you in the danger zone for hair loss and more (I’m looking at you, Master Cleanse). Simply put, our bodies need fuel to function. When our bodies are deprived of fuel, functions begin to slow or shut down entirely. Because we are survivalists by intelligent design, whatever our bodies don’t get in food, we get by breaking down fat and muscle. Don’t start jumping for joy thinking starvation will cause weight loss and keep your body going. Only essential functions will continue in the state of starvation — and let’s face it: hair growth is not an essential function when compared to keeping your heart and lungs pumping. On the flip side of that coin is our rapidly growing over-dependence on heavily processed pseudo and fast foods. As a general rule of thumb, the more processed a food is (meaning it has less real food ingredients, and more chemicals and junk that you can’t pronounce or don’t readily have available in your house), the less beneficial it is nutritionally. The converse also applies. When less whole food ingredients are present, our bodies are deprived of essential nutrients that help us function optimally, and consequently, that stimulate hair growth. To maximize your health and hair growth, make it a point to include more whole foods into your diet.

5. Moderating Alcohol Consumption

Drank. Shots. Booze. The elephant in the room that nobody wants to discuss. I’m not here to crash your party, or encourage you to pour your margarita down the drain. However with the exception of wine, alcohol consumption has little to no benefit to the body, except for loosening inhibitions and making us believe we are having a great time. In moderation, alcohol consumption has virtually no impact on the body. But when done in excess, alcohol consumption can lead to weight gain, liver damage, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and hair loss. Yes, getting wasted every weekend can cost you your precious mane. Frequent or excessive alcohol consumption can lead to increased estrogen levels (hello, hormone imbalance) and spur a condition known as Telogen effluvium into high gear. Telogen effluvium is a temporary hair loss condition that can be curbed when the body’s balance is returned. In addition to the aforementioned condition, alcohol consumption decreases the levels of important nutrients in the body, such as zinc and iron. Decreased levels of zinc result in dry, brittle hair that can break easily at the roots, while decreased levels of iron prevent hair follicles from receiving important nutrients that are needed for hair health and growth.

How do your health habits affect your hair?


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Happy reading.

-AF 

Cold + Hair = ???

As part of my "hide your hair challenge" I'll already be transitioned and prepared for colder weather. But here are some ideas on how to transition into fall. Fall and winter months are great times to do protective styling but it is very important not to negelect your hair and its need for moisture. Simple "protection" will not and should not be the end of your efforts.

And remember that even thought here is a wealth of info out there not all of it will work for you. Just do what you feel is right and works best for YOUR hair. I've included some links for more information at the bottom as well.

Via Black Girl with long hair - original here

24 September 2012

Transitioning to Cool & Cold Weather Hair Care

Natural Hair Care

By Geniece of Beautifully Made

School buses, leaves in lovely orange, red and golden hues and cooling temperatures signal the end of one season and the beginning of another. Personally, summer is my favorite season. The heat, however, can dry out my hair. Cooler weather has can be beneficial for the hair but once the weather become brutally cold you will need to winter proof your hair to ensure maximum moisture. In providing you a few helpful tips I think it’s important to distinguish between hair care in cool, autumn weather and winter weather. In my experience, hair responds differently to cool temperatures and extreme cold.

Cool Weather Hair Care

Cooler temperatures in the fall bring a decrease in humidity and arid heat. In many ways the weather is conducive to retaining moisture but not humid enough to spoil you well styled braid out. During this time of year you may want to limit your use of products containing glycerin. Products that contain glycerin high on the ingredient list are designed to attract moisture from the air towards your hair. When the air is dry and cool glycerin doesn’t draw moisture from the air. The worst case scenario is that if there is more moisture in your hair than the air, you may suffer from moisture loss. In cool weather, say 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, light moisturizers and light oils to seal in the moisture have worked well for my kinky-coily hair. If you became used to humid, muggy summer that required less weekly application of moisture, you will have to moisturize your hair more regularly, paying special attention to your ends.

Cold Weather Hair Care

I live in New England and right around late October the weather begins to get downright cold, dropping into the 30s and below. During this time of year I find it helpful to have a rich and creamy moisturizer on hand. I am an aloe vera juice fan and will lightly apply the product to my hair before sealing my hair with an oil or butter. For me, products that contain castor oil are wonderful sealants in extreme cold. Castor oil is rather heavy so you might create a mixture with castor oil and a lighter oil like jojoba or olive oil. Be sure to moisturizer you hair before applying oils because, while oils and butters may make you hair feel soft and supple, they don’t actually impart moisture. Remember: If water is not in the product then your hair won’t be moisturized.

During the cold weather I find it necessary to protect the ends of my hair. This includes protective styling but more importantly being mindful of the fabrics in which our hair comes in contact. I have had the hair along my nape break off because of a wool scarf. I was in high school at the time and thanks to my mother’s wisdom I stopped wearing the scarf. Left to my own devices I would have happily continued wearing the scarf as it rubbed against my hair, all the while wondering why the hair along my nape was 7-8 inches shorter than the rest of my hair. Also be mindful of wool coats. Wool pea coats are lovely winter staples but if you wear “out” styles that cause your hair to be in constant contact with you coat consider using a satin or silk dress scarf and folding it over the collar of the coat. The same goes for hats. I’ve seen a few winter hats lined with satin or silk that may be a great option to reduce unnecessary friction between your hair and your clothing.

I hope these tips are helpful as you approach cooler weather. Although, I’m not a fan of the cold I do appreciate the lack of sudden summer down pours and the sweltering humidity that transforms my well styled braid out into, well, something else. As long as you keep your hair moisturized winter hair can be flawless and fabulous just like you.

How do you transition your regimen as the weather cools?

More cold weather tips

Mature Natural Weblog- Preparing Kinky-Curly Hair for Cold Weather
Naturally Fierce- Surviving the Cold: Winter Hair Care
College Curlies- My Winter Regimen, Several Ways to Mositurise Rough Brittle Dry Crispy Ends
GOOGLE

Check out my previous post on protective styling here.

Youtube Guru's

NikkiMae2003- Mae's Winter Natural Hair Regimen 2011

Naptural85- Winter Hair Protection: Prevent Dry Hair and Maintain Moisture

Winter Hair Protection: Conditioning on the go

iknowlee- Natural Hair Winter Protective Style Two Stand Twist Updo

~Addicted Fembot

It's Fine, Really

Came across a positive spin on having fine hair. And though it didn't really help or improve my feelings on having such fine hair I thought I'd share it. There's nothing I'd like more than to have fuller hair and thicker strands but c'est la vie. Hope this helps someone out there.

Happy Monday

7 Advantages of Fine Natural Hair.
(via Black Girl with Long Hair)

06 August 2012 ~ 59 Comments

7 Advantages of Fine Natural Hair

Natural Hair Care

Fine hair almost always gets a bad rap. We’re all familiar with its downsides — scalpy twists, fros that flop and susceptibility to breakage — but we don’t always discuss the benefits of having fine natural hair. Here are 7 unique advantages of fine natural hair. For the purposes of this article, fine hair refers to thin strand and low density hair.

1. Less Products

With fine hair, a dime-sized amount of product goes a very, very long way! Thicker haired naturals require more product to coat and seal their strands, plus they often require heavier products — like shea-based butters and creams — that tend to be more expensive. Many fine haired naturals can skip heavy butters and seal with lighter, cheaper products like coconut oil or aloe gel.

2. Easier and Faster Hair Straightening

While coarse strands and thick hair take more coaxing to loosen their curl pattern, fine hair tends to take to heat more easily and requires less of it to straighten out. On the flip side, you have to be careful not to burn fine strands. Keep your blowdryer at medium to low temperatures, and don’t keep the flat iron on for long!

3. Easier Bunning

Thick hair can look a bit bulky when pulled into a bun or a single braid and can put a strain on hair ties and bobby pins. Fine hair is easier to pull into one, and can look a bit more effortless

4. Hot Weather Friendly

There’s nothing hotter in the summer time than a mass of thick, heavy strands. The “scalpiness” of fine haired styles is actually a plus in the summer time, providing a way for heat to escape the body.

5. Shorter wash day

While thicker haired naturals have to divide their strands into several sections and cleanse and condition each one individually, fine haired naturals can get away with fewer section and, in some cases, not sectioning at all. Plus, fine haired section take less time to work through and air dry much faster.

6. Easier Detangling

When you have less strands to detangle, the process is much quicker. Plus, fine haired naturals can get away with finger detangling only, while many thicker haired naturals must also incorporate hair tools like Denman brushes and wide toothed combs.

7. Faster Styling

When there’s less hair to get through, styling tends to go faster. On fine hair a set of twists or box braids can take less than 2 hours, while thick hair styling often take 4 hours of more. Plus, thick hair can be a downside at the salon, with many stylists charging extra cash for clients with a lot of hair to get through.

Fine haired ladies, tell us, what are the benefits of your hair type?