10 Holistic Ways To Support hair growth.
Healthy hair grows from nourished roots, and just like the health of your skin, the health of your hair is largely linked to what is happening below the surface. Learn how to holistically maintain a strong healthy mane below.
1) Rethink your caffeinated drinks
Balanced functioning adrenals are critical for women’s hair health. Mystery hair thinning and hair loss can be caused by surges of stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol flooding your system. Emotional stress and excess adrenaline can result in dull straw-like texture, overall thinning, hair loss, and stagnant growth. Hair loss can occur weeks, and even months after a stressful experience which is why it can be hard to make the connections. Life is already stressful enough without adding false flight or flight responses from caffeine into the mix. Caffeine is also very dehydrating, interferes with collagen formation and produces excess adrenaline that can wreak havoc from within. If you are someone trying to heal your hair you might want to shift your relationship with caffeinated drinks like coffee, black tea, green tea, matcha, chocolate, and energy drinks. Discover more resources for caffeine truths here.
2) Silica to strengthen your locks
Silica is an essential beauty mineral that supports repair and recovery of bones and connective tissue. It supports the formation of collagen, and can be easily absorbed by the body unlike trendy collagen supplements (yes, I cringe every time I see someone pour collagen into their coffee over Instagram). Food sources of silica include: cucumbers, melons, asparagus, and leafy greens. Beneficial silica containing herbs include: horsetail, rose hips, and nettle.
The high silica content in cucumber promotes strong and healthy hair and glowing skin.
Cucumber juice is a highly rejuvenating, alkalizing, and hydrating beautifying tonic known for its ability to cleanse and detox the entire body. Cucumber juice is wonderful alternative, rotation, or additional supportive drink to celery juice.
3) Nourish With Nettle
Nettle is rich in silica, and supports your overworked endocrine and adrenal system. Nettle is amazing for detoxification helping to eliminate viral and bacterial infections while encouraging stronger nails, hair, and youthful skin. Nettle can be enjoyed as a herbal tea, or taken as a tincture.
4) Beneficial Zinc
Zinc helps your liver break down adrenaline and is so supportive for your immune and lymphatic system. A high-quality liquid zinc sulfate is beneficial for hair, skin, and nail health.
5) Adrenal Soothing Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is a powerful herb that can support adrenals, transform your hair, and help it to regrow. Ashwagandha helps strengthen the adrenal glands, keeping them from over- or underreacting due to adrenal stress.
6) Massage Your Scalp
Scalp massage stimulates hair growth by encouraging oxygen and nutrient rich blood flow to the follicles. It breaks up lymphatic stagnation, is relaxing, and can loosen flakes. Try using your Jade Gua Sha Comb on dry hair before washing and masking.
7) Revitalizing Rosemary
Rosemary stimulates circulation, clarifies and may even provide relief for a dry, itchy scalp. It is a favored herb for promoting fuller and longer hair. Look for rosemary in your hair care products and try making your own rosemary water by simply boiling distilled or purified water and adding handful of fresh rosemary leaves. Allow to steep covered until fully cooled. Use the rosemary water as a hair rinse after washes, or fill up a spray bottle to spritz and refresh your scalp. Rosemary water can be stored in a cool place for up to 1 week.
8) Oil Treatments
Oil treatments are a wonderful pre-wash cleanse to gently break down sebum, remove build up and restore balance to the scalp. Scalp Detox is a weekly pre-cleanse treatment you can apply to a dry scalp before showering, massage it in and let sit for 20 minutes before rinsing and washing thoroughly. My favourite way to apply Scalp Detox is after doing scalp gua sha with the Jade Comb on unoiled dry hair first for the full mermaid hair self care experience.
9) Avoid Relying On Dry Shampoo
You can’t “train your hair” not to be oily. If you have fine oily hair, wash your hair as often as you need to. Similarly if you have thick dry hair, wash your hair according to its needs. Just like skin, hair care is not one size fits all. The key is to look for a gentle shampoo and conditioner that won’t strip your hair but will still remove build up of product and oils that can weigh down your hair.
Relying on dry shampoo instead of washing your oily hair, is like constantly using a face powder instead of washing your face.
We can’t let any beauty trends convince us to dowse our scalp with chalky powders and toxic aerosol sprays because it is “easier” or “better” than washing our hair. These types of products can suffocate your hair follicles and should be the first topical hair product you consider removing from your routine if you are experiencing signs of hair distress.
10) Use The Right Brush
Hold your hair as you brush to avoid breakage and pulling at the roots and use the right brush for your hair type and task. The powers of a good hairbrush often get overlooked, but this simple tool can (literally) make or break your hair. The comb used to work conditioner into wet hair would be different than the brush you use on dry hair. Same goes for different styling needs. Length, texture and curl should also be taken into consideration.
