Hair is a vital parameter of external beauty. Everybody is concerned about its appearance and its disorders. Ayurveda has specific treatments for maintaining healthy and beautiful hair free from problems. The health of hair depends on the proper functioning of the dhatus or the tissues. The nutrient plasma produced from the digestion of food nourishes the dhatus; so healthy nutrient plasma will produce healthy hair. Poor diet, illness, lack of proper hygiene, and nutritional deficiencies can affect the hair and cause various problems.

A number of factors such as age, diet, season, climate, pollution, stress and anxiety affect the health of your hair and scalp. Following an Ayurvedic diet is always the first step to healthy and attractive hair. Another important factor is how you wash your hair. Here are some pointers to keep your hair looking great and healthy.

Diet

• Eat lots of leafy green vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts and sprouts.
• Avoid all caffeinated drinks, very spicy, fried and greasy food.
• Ensure regular bowel movements.
• Drink plenty of water and eat plenty of raw fruits and vegetables - it is the best way to achieve healthy hair.

Care and Hygiene

• Regular cleansing and brushing is very important. Brushing stimulates the sebaceous glands that produce natural oil, which is responsible for hair luster.
• A touch of lemon is very good for making your hair shiny and lustrous. Add one tablespoon of lemon juice to half a tumbler of water. Rinse your hair with this solution after cleansing your scalp.
• Regular use of henna on normal hair provides good conditioning for hair.
• Amla and Shikakai powder mixed with curd is also a good conditioner.
• Mix curd, lemon and mustard oil, apply gently on hair and wash your head after about half an hour.
• Add few leaves of Hibiscus (China rose) to a glass of water. Heat it. Squeeze the juice of a lime in the sieved mixture and apply to the hair before shampooing.

Oil Massage

• Massaging the scalp and hair with warm oil, preferably infused with hair-friendly herbs (Amla, Brahmi), is the best way to nourish the scalp and hair topically. The process of massage helps to increase blood flow to the hair follicles and supports the growth of healthy hair. It is especially beneficial for dry hair as the increased circulation facilitates production of natural oil thus restoring lost lustre. Oil massage also relaxes the body and mind.

Winter care

• Avoid shampooing too often in winters as this removes the vital natural oils.
• Oil massage is highly recommended to protect hair from the winter dryness.
• Conditioners must also be used more frequently to maintain moisture levels.
  Summer care
• Hair needs to be washed more frequently in summer to cleanse it of the excessive dirt, pollution and sweat produced in summer.
• Scalp hygiene is all the more important in summers.
• Henna may be used to remove the extra oil from the hair and scalp. It also has a cooling effect on the scalp.

Remedial Tips

• Hair loss
  The oil from Amla (Indian gooseberry), prepared by boiling dry pieces of Amla in coconut oil, is a hair tonic for enriching hair growth and preventing hair loss.
• Dandruff
  Soak two tablespoons of Fenugreek (methi) seeds overnight in water. Grind the softened seeds into a fine paste in the morning and apply over the scalp. Leave for half an hour and then wash thoroughly. This is an effective remedy for dandruff.
• Hair nourishment
  Boil a handful of fresh Neem or Margosa leaves. Strain and cool this infusion, and wash your hair with it. Try this twice a week for healthy and nourished hair.
• Hair Lice
  Maintain scalp hygiene, cleansing it regularly. Massage the scalp twice or thrice a week with onion juice. Leave on for two hours before washing it off. If available, regularly massage scalp with neem oil.

Interested to learn more about Ayurvedic Hair Care methods? Take the Ayurvedic Beauty Care e-learning course!

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