find
our how to get your hair healthy, not just healthy looking
see
if your diet and exercise are contributing to your skin and hair
problems
what
changes do you need to make for better hair and skin?
Acquiring
beautiful hair is not as hard as it may seem. Everyone wants it
- but most people don't know how to go about getting it. They've
tried every shampoo, every hair dye, every leave in treatment -
and the results still don't seem to fare well.
The
first thing anyone should look at when wanting to have healthier
hair is how well they take care of their bodies. Diet, exercise,
sleep, water - these all play a large part in how healthy your hair
is. Some people don't like that fact - but it's true - so you may
have to change a few things before achieving your goal. There is
no magical shampoo that can keep your hair naturally healthy. It
may give it a better appearance, but as your hair grows you'll come
up with the same problems.
What are you putting into
your body?
If
your diet is mostly fast food, junk food, pop, coffee, alcohol,
cigarettes; if you only get 4 hours of sleep a night, no exercise,
no water - you most likely don't have healthy hair or skin. Nails
become brittle and weak, you get dark circles under your eyes, your
skin may be overly dry or excessively oily. Your complexion isn't
clear, your skin has a yellow/olive tint to it - you may even have
a lot of acne. Your hair is thin, ends are brittle, it's lifeless
and dull. All these plus many other common occurrences are a result
of a poor diet and lack of exercise, sleep and plenty of water.
We
have been fed, mostly through media, that a certain shampoo or conditioner
or some sort of spa treatment will take care of all our skin and
hair problems - and that we don't have any part to play in the matter.
That's purely a myth! If you don't take care of your body, the results
will be problems like the ones listed above.
Water!
Water! Water!
Our
bodies are 80% water, so it only makes sense that in order to keep
our bodies functioning properly - we would need to keep water going
in it. If you don't keep putting gas in your car, when it runs out,
your car will not run anymore.
(click here for more information on good diet and exercise).
To figure out how much water you should be drinking a day, take
your body weight and divide it in half. That number should be how
many ounces of water you drink to keep your body healthy. (Example:
Your weight=140 lbs. Divided in half = 70. You should drink 70 ounces
of water a day.) It may seem like a lot, but it really isn't. It
would also be good to start replacing some of your other beverages
during the day with water. If you drink 4-6 cans of pop a day, begin
substituting 1 bottle of water for a can of pop. Do this gradually
and increase the number of pops you substitute with water. You'll
feel better, you'll have more energy. You will notice a difference.
(Some people have even found that when they eliminate caffeine from
their diets, if they are consuming a large amounts daily, that they
lose weight.)
Fruits
and Veggies! Fuel for the body!
Eating
better foods will also help get your hair back on the healthy track.
It's good to get an intake of fresh fruits and vegetables daily.
These foods are known as 'live' foods and will keep your cells working
good (which affects your hair cells, skin cells, etc.) If you have
a hard time eating the fruits and vegetables, try drinking a juice
like V8™. Don't drink fruit juice concentrates - they are almost
pure sugar. Leafy vegetables are also good for you: cabbage, romaine
lettuce, red or green leaf lettuce, etc. It's also best to eat your
vegetables in their raw state. As you cook them they gradually lose
their nutrients and aren't as effective when you eat them.
Exercise
- a must!
Exercise
is another important choice you need to make. Getting exercise is
good for your body and cells, which will help with your skin and
hair. That doesn't mean you have to go to the gym four times a week
2 hours each time. Something as simple as 1/2 hour walk 3-5 times
a week is good and beneficial. Go on your lunch break - invite other
employees to go with you. Park farther away when you go to the store
or the mall - that will give you extra walking. Take the stairs
instead of the elevator or escalator. If you have dogs, take them
for a walk. It's good to get fresh air and sunlight - you'll feel
better. It's also a nice time to just be quiet and not have 100
things going on around you.
There are choices and changes you can make to help improve your
hair. It's more than just picking the right shampoo - but how
well you take care of your body that makes your hair. As you begin
making these changes, give it time. It will not become 100% better
overnight - but it will eventually. Have patience.
The
Right Shampoo!
When
finding the shampoo that's right for you, you may have to try
a few different ones until you find what works best for you. Look
for ones that work specifically on certain problems (for fine
and limp hair, for color treated hair, for normal to oily hair,
etc.) After much searching, I have found 2 brands that I use that
I just love. I have fine hair, but lots of it. It was fine, limp,
boring, flat, just plain blah! Over the years I have tried just
about every shampoo and conditioner on the shelf - from the cheapest
to the most expensive. So - just to let you know what works for
me - I use Infusium
23™
shampoo, conditioner and leave in treatment. I love the smell
and I could tell a big difference in the manageability of my hair
after using it. The other shampoo and conditioner I use are from
Lamas Beauty
International - there are a few different types they offer
- I use the Rice Protein Shampoo and the Soy Conditioner. That
stuff is amazing. I love it and I alternate between the Infusium
23 and Lamas
Beauty International products.
A
few tips to maintaining healthy hair:
Don't
use too much shampoo at one time. Put a quarter size amount in
your palm, rub with your hands and make a lather, then begin to
lather it in your hair.
When
you are shampooing, make sure you gently rub your scalp with your
fingertips (not your nails) to clean it. This will help in keeping
healthy hair.
You
should always brush your hair before shampooing to remove tangles.
Make
sure you get your hair thoroughly wet before applying shampoo.
Wash
your hair as much as it needs to keep it looking clean and nice
(this could be once a day or once every other day - this will
differ between each individual)
You
should never wrap your hair in a towel after shampooing. It
will draw too much moisture out of your hair and make it tangled
and frizzy. Instead, rinse hair thoroughly after shampooing,
squeeze the excess water from your hair. Using your hand, or
shaking your head, loosen your hair up a little, and by starting
at the bottom of your hair, brush with a WIDE TOOTH COMB. (Hint:
keep a comb in the shower and brush it before you get out.)
Never
brush wet hair with a brush - always use a wide tooth comb
