Maintain Your Mane

Daily life is fast-paced no matter how old you are, but as you age it's more important than ever to ensure you're addressing your body's changing needs both internally and externally. Take hair, for instance. It's primarily protein, and, over time, can take a beating from overdrying and chemical-based hair care products. Other internal factors that play a role in hair health include nutritional and hormonal imbalances, poor circulation and stress. As a result, you may find your hair becoming finer, limper and less able to hold its shape after styling as you grow older. Fortunately, there are ways you can help keep your hair strong and healthy throughout life.

The first step to proper hair care is to ensure that your hair and scalp are receiving adequate nutrients. Older people often suffer from digestive problems, which can lead to the accumulation of internal toxins that prevent nutrients from being absorbed. Replenishing the body with fresh vitamin- and enzyme-rich vegetable juices, such as carrot, spinach and beet, plenty of purified water and a good multivitamin-mineral supplement can help keep the digestive tract healthy and nourish the entire body.

Another factor that affects overall hair health is your choice of hair products. When purchasing products, choose a hair product that matches your hair type, and always look out for suspect ingredients. Sodium laurel/th sulphate, for example, is a chemical lathering agent that can clog pores, dry the scalp and strip the hair of its natural oils over time. Other synthetic ingredients to avoid include propylene glycol, DEA (diethanolamine) and TEA (triethanolamine), which are implicated in cell damage and are suspected carcinogens.

In contrast, many ingredients can help strengthen and protect hair from damage:

• panthenol - from vitamin B₅-assists in protecting and nourishing the hair
• vitamin E - provides moisture
• bay leaf, lavender, lemon, rosemary - help prevent dandruff
• horsetail, oat straw, silica - help strengthen hair roots
• essential oils of rosemary, lavender, chamomile-help to stimulate circulation, reduce scalp dryness and balance pH
• birch, elder, kelp - good conditioning agents
• Burdock, chaparral, thyme - good for conditioning dry scalp
• chamomile - helps mend split ends
• stinging nettle - helps strengthen roots; wash with stinging nettle juice to make hair thick

Keep On Moving

The modern tendency is to become less active as we age; however, poor blood circulation prevents nutrients from reaching the scalp and can be one of the main causes of premature hair loss. Staying active is important to keep your circulation moving effectively. Try to make a daily habit of walking, swimming or another of your favourite low-impact aerobic activities.

Body And Scalp Massage

Giving yourself a quick daily massage is another way increase circulation, assist detoxification and help nourish the hair follicles. Use a carrier oil, such as almond, apricot kernel or jojoba, with pure essential oils known to enhance blood flow, including grapefruit, geranium, lemon and thyme. Blend 10 to 15 drops of essential oil to one tablespoon (15 millilitres) of carrier oil. Begin the massage on the feet and continue upwards towards the heart in circular strokes.

Massaging the scalp two to three times a week is an additional aid for healthy hair and also provides you with an opportunity to relax and unwind. Products containing oils such as burdock, flax seed, olive, ylang ylang and rosemary are especially effective for boosting scalp circulation. When massaging the scalp, use fingertips (avoid using the nails) and apply gentle pressure. Begin moving the scalp back and forth. Massage the entire scalp starting from the temple to the crown, then from the back to the crown and from the sides to the crown. Afterward, cover the head in a warm towel and leave on for at least 30 minutes.

Healthy hair is a direct sign of good health. To ensure the hair and scalp stay well-nourished and strong over the years, we must take the time to replenish lost nutrients, reduce internal toxins and stimulate circulation. We may not be able to completely avoid hair loss or hair thinning, but we can ensure we are doing what we can to prevent premature hair degeneration by keeping ourselves healthy on the inside and out.

Good Foods for Healthy Hair

millet, rolled oats

silica

cold-pressed nut and seed oils

eggs