WHAT ARE THE FOODS FOR HEALTHY HAIR?

 

We all know about strong and healthy hair. The fact is that we can’t change our age and genetics but our diet is one thing that we have control over. That is why eating a proper diet with right nutrients in it can help promote hair growth.

 

Let us now look at those foods that can give us a regular supply of nutrients that will help us have a head of healthy hair.

 

• Salmon
• Yogurt
• Spinach
• Guava
• Cereal & Nuts
• Poultry
• Sweet Potatoes

 

 

Salmon

Fish is one food that can do wonders to your health and hair. Fishes like salmon, sardines and mackerel are packed with healthy omega 3 fatty acids.  They help to protect you from diseases and your body needs them to grow hair and keep it shiny and full.

 

Yogurt

Yogurt is packed with protein, which is the building block of your hair. Yogurt also has ingredients that help with blood flow to your scalp. It has vitamin B5 which also helps against hair thinning and lail. That is why you find vitamin B5 in most of your hair and skincare products.

 

Spinach

Like most of the dark green vegetables spinach is also full of nutrients., It has loads of vitamin A, iron, beta carotene, foliate and vitamin C. These nutrients work together for a healthy scalp and hair. The nutrients help keep the hair moist so it does not break.

 

Guava

Guava is a tropical fruit that is full of vitamin C, which protects the hair from breaking. One serving or one cup of guava has around 377  mg of vitamin C. That should be more than four times the minimum daily requirement.

 

Cereal & Nuts

You can eat iron fortified cereal as too little iron can lead to hair loss. You can easily find this nutrient in iron fortified cereals. You can also find it in foods like grains, pasta, soya beans and lentils. Meat especially liver has lots of iron. Shell fish and dark green vegetables are also good storehouse of iron.

 

Poultry

Lack of protein will stop proper hair growth. Since the old hair falls off and new ones don’t grow easily, your hair tends to thin out. Lean proteins like chicken and turkey will provide all the protein while remaining healthy for you,

 

Sweet Potatoes

Does your hair look dull and lifeless? Reach for sweet potatoes which are filled with an antioxidant called beta carotene  which your body turns into vitamin A. This protects your hair from turning dry and dull. Vitamin A also promotes sebum production that keeps the hair soft and moist. Beta carotene is also found in carrots, pumpkin and  mangoes.

 

The list of foods that benefit the hair is equally good for a healthy body. Take for example cinnamon for circulation, eggs for growth and oysters for fullness are some of the prominent choices that give proven results.

 

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HOW TO USE A FACE MASK

Who and when should you wear a face mask? The health department recommends that everyone over the age of 2 years should wear cloth face masks in public places, especially in areas where it is difficult to maintain the mandatory 6 feet distance.

It is best to wear a face mask if you are sick and if there are other people around, at home also. Caregivers are supposed to use the facemask when cleaning and disinfecting a sick person’s bedroom or bathroom.

When visiting a doctor or a hospital, you should wear a face mask.

Wearing a facemask is in addition to other COVID-19 safety measures. You still have to limit contact with other people, wash your hands often with soap and keep surfaces clean.

Who should not wear a face mask?

Children under two years of age, someone who is having trouble breathing, someone who is unconscious or people who can’t move or take-off a mask by themselves need not wear a mask.

The right way to wear a face mask

Before you put on a face mask, wash your hand for 20 seconds with soap and water. Then, secure the mask either with ties behind the head or loops behind the ears as provided. Adjust to fit the mask properly around your nose and mouth and under your chin.

Take care, there is no space between your face and the mask. Pinch the top edge of the mask to fit it around the bridge of your nose. The mask should fit comfortably and be able to breathe easily through it.

Once you wear it and step out, do not go on touching your mask every now and then.

Cleaning and maintaining the face mask

It is best to wash cloth masks with hot water and detergent after every use. If the mask has a filter, take it out before washing. After taking out the mask from the washing machine, hang it up for drying. Wash your hands when you’re done.

After drying your mask check for any hole or frayed edges that can cause gaps around your face.

Before you use the mask again, check for holes. Be sure it’s not frayed and doesn’t gap around your face.

It is recommended to wash your face mask rather than just putting it out in the sun since there is no evidence that sunlight can deactivate the COVID – 19 virus.

Myths and facts about face masks

Gaps in masks make them useless

A mask that does not fit perfectly may not be totally useless if it has a high filter level. Even cloth masks that fit perfectly can’t stop all particles. But a mask that has a gap won’t work nearly as well as a perfectly fitting mask.

Should wear a mask at home too

It is not required to wear a mask at home unless you yourself are sick or you are caring for someone who is sick.

We should wear a mask when exercising outdoors

Though it is best to wear a mask when you go outdoor, wearing a mask and exercising has its own problems. Some people will feel breathless when they wear a mask and exercise. So, it’s fine not to wear a mask when exercising outdoor if you maintain 6 feet distance with other people.

Masks trap carbon dioxide and viruses

Continuously wearing an N95 mask for several hours can make CO2 linger behind the mask. The presence of excess carbon dioxide will cause headache, dizziness and fatigue. At the same time, cloth and surgical masks generally do not cause so much of a problem.

Yes, mask could trap particles of coronavirus and that is why it is recommended that face masks should not be touched often when wearing them and they should be properly washed once you use them outdoors.

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HOW TO TACKLE THINNING HAIR?

Hair loss is a common phenomenon, whether you are a man or a woman.  But in men, hair loss is more visible and prevalent than in women. There are several reasons for hair loss.

People lose their hair due to illness and medications like chemotherapy for treating cancer. Hair loss is also hereditary and you may inherit from your parents and grandparents. Hair thinning is basically because the hair gets brittle and becomes fine in texture, or you use too many harsh chemicals to wash or style your hair.

Here are a few hair care tips that can help in managing thinning hair and making it look more voluminous and healthy:

Try colouring the hair:

Overall your hair must be healthy, but you may have inherited hair loss, then you can try to add body and volume to hair by using a semipermanent colour. Ammonia or peroxide free hair colour will not damage your hair but make it look more appealing and mask the thinning. Coloured hair can get overprocessed and hence damage occurs, causing further hair loss. So care should be taken to seek professional help in colouring your hair.

Use voluminizing products

Most of the volume building products contain paraffin, which is not good for the hair. Paraffin can build up in your hair and start breaking its strands.

Seek professional help to chose a volumizing product that won’t weigh your hair dooown or damage it. Hair mousse should is applied to the root area for support. Then the root area is dried with a blow dryer and a brush is used to build up the   volume. In the end, a liiight finishing spray will help hold the hair in place.

Shampoo and condition regularly

Hair is one part of the body that needs constant care since it is overexposed to the elements. To protect your hair, it is best to use shampoo only when the hair is really dirty. Those with fine hair will have to do this more often. A good shampoo and an excellent conditioner can work wonders on fine hair.

Fix the style with care

Blow dryers are ok even for fine-hair, but be careful that high heat is not applied directly to the hair. Flat irons and curling irons can cause damage and extensive breakage. Curl relaxing products contain hefty dose of chemicals and are not recommended at all.

Waves and hair health

Permanent waves can give the hair volume to fine hair but not to dry or brittle hair. Even a wave should be a gentle body wave, which, unlike the tighter waves that damage hair, will only add to its looks. For permanent style, harsh chemicals are used and hence should be used occasionally or not at all for fine hair. It is again mandatory that you get it all done by a professional hairstylist.

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WHAT  ARE THE CAUSES FOR HAIR LOSS?

In humans, hair grows everywhere on the skin except on places like the palms of our hands and the soles of our feet, eyelids, belly buttons. In some places, the hair is so fine that it is not easily visible to the eyes.

Hair is made of a protein called keratin that is produced in hair follicles in the outer layer of the skin. As the follicles produce new hair, the old cells are pushed out through the surface of the skin at the rate of six inches per year. The hair you see only a string of dead keratin cells. The average human head has 100, 000 to 150,000 hairs and loses about 100 of them daily.

Each hair follicle has its own life cycle that is influenced by the age of the person, health condition, and many other factors.

What causes hair loss?

Scientists and researches are yet not certain what causes hair loss in humans. It is baffling why some hair follicles are programmed to have a shorter growth period than others. Though there are many identified factors that can influence hair loss:

Hormones: Hormones such as abnormal levels of androgens (male hormones produced both by men and women) can cause hair loss.

Genes: Genetic factors both in men and women may influence a person’s predisposition to male or female pattern baldness. It is usually inherited from their parents.

Stress, illness and childbirth: They are all causes that bring about temporary hair loss. Ringworm caused by a fungal infection also causes considerable hair loss.

Drugs or medications: Certain treatments using chemotherapy drugs, blood thinners, beta-adrenergic blockers used to control blood pressure and birth control pills can cause temporary hair loss.

Burns and injuries: Burn, injuries and even x-rays can cause temporary hair loss. In such cases, normal hair growth returns once the injury is healed. If the injury causes a scar, then the hair will never regrow in the area.

Autoimmune disease: Certain autoimmune disease will cause alopecia areata. It happens when the immune system revs up for no reason and affects the hair follicles. In most people with alopecia areata, the hair growth returns to normal. The hair though may be thinner and lighter in colour.

Cosmetics and beauty procedures: Some cosmetic products and their prolonged use can cause hair loss. Certain beauty procedures like shampooing too often, perms, bleaching, and dyeing hair can cause hair to become thin, weak and brittle. Tight braiding, using rollers, hot curlers, running hair picks through tight curls can also damage your hair. The procedures do not cause baldness and hair does return to its normal growth. But severe, repeated use can cause permanent damage which can lead to bald patches.

Medical conditions: Health issues like thyroid disease, lupus, diabetes, iron deficiency anemia, eating disorders and anemia can cause hair loss. Most time when the underlying condition is treated the patient recovers their hair growth.

Hair loss treatments

Mainly hair loss is treated with the following systems.

Minoxidil is a topically applied hair preparation provides modest hair growth to parts of the head where it has gone totally bald.

Hair transplantation is the relocation of plugs of skin from parts of the scalp containing active hair follicles to bald areas.

Corticosteroids are used to treat alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair to fall out in clumps, resolve spontaneously.

Lasers are sometimes incorporated in combing devices. These devices can be used at home or office and help stimulation new hair growth.

How to prevent hair loss?

Although hereditary balding cannot be prevented, you can protect your hair from damage and stop it from getting thinner.

The emphasis is on preventing tremendous stress on your hair at all times. Hairdryers, hot curlers, hair dyes, tight braids and hair straightening products and chemicals laden with cosmetics can cause hair to become dry, brittle and thinner.

If you remain careful of easing the stress on your hair, you are on your way to recovering your crowning glory.

 

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IMPORTANCE OF FACE MASK IN PREVENTING COVID 19

WHO and ICMR recommend that everyone, whether sick or healthy, should wear a face mask, especially where it is difficult to maintain social distancing. Wearing a face mask is all-important because

Coronavirus can spread from even asymptomatic people (those without symptoms) or those who had symptoms previously. A person is most contagious just before symptoms begin.

Here are a few pointers for buying a face-mask and using it.

How does a face-mask work?

If a person who is infected with COVID – 19 coughs, sneezes or talks, they send tiny droplets containing coronavirus into the air.

The face-mask helps cover your mouth and nose acting as a shield to block out the virus-filled droplets present in the air. This helps slow down the spread of COVID – 19.

Does the face-mask protect me?

A cloth face-mask will not block-out the coronavirus. The face-mask is, of course, an added layer of protection for you and the people around you when used along with regular hand washing and social distancing measures.

What are the types of face-masks available?

There are mainly two types of face-masks, one is for frontline health care workers and another one for non-healthcare workers or the common people.

Masks for healthcare workers

The N95 respirators and surgical masks are best suited and should be reserved exclusively for frontline health care workers and first responders. Since these masks are in short supply around the world, they should only go to doctors, nurses and other medical staff who need them most.

N95 respirator masks are those that fit tightly around the face. They can filter out 95% or more of the smallest particles in the air. Care should be taken to see that they fit just right for them to work properly.

Surgical masks are the usual blue and green coloured ones that fit loosely across your nose and mouth. These help shield against larger drops that come directly from the sick person’s cough or sneeze. They don’t filter out all germs and can’t block the tiniest of particles that carry coronavirus.

Masks for non-healthcare workers

Cloth masks are the best option for the general public and non-healthcare workers. Here are a few things to remember when buying handmade cloth masks.

You can always sew a piece of fabric into a face-masks or tie it around your face. It is best suggested to use at least two-layered cloth masks. You can even add a pocket in the front for putting in a filter. Copper wire or ribbon helps to fit the masks on the nose bridge.

You can also use dust masks available in hardware stores. Neoprene masks help stop the droplets and prevent infection. The other option is using a piece of cloth as a scarf wrapped around the face.

A comparison of face-masks

Earloops vs ties

Since you can adjust it, a mask that can be tied behind your head will usually fit well than the one that loops around your ears. But the ties can get tangled up in the wash or when you handle it whereas the loops remain free and easy to use. The looped ones are better in places like hair salons.

Filter vs Non-Filter

When there are a series of layers or folds, it prevents particles from escaping into the air and from entering the nose and mouthparts of a person. The negative aspect is that too many layers can make it difficult to breathe. Select and use a mask that is more comfortable and suited to you so that you keep using it. Check whether the filter material is safe.

Make a No-Sew Face=mask

First, choose a piece of cloth that is square in shape and measures 20 inches on each side. Fold it into half.

Fold the top third down and the bottom third up, so you have a long rectangle.

Slide the rectangle through two rubber bands or elastic hair ties until they’re about 6 inches apart. Tuck the ends together.

Hook elastic over your ears and adjust the fabric, so it fits snugly but it not too tight.

Face-mask materials & rankings

The extensive research has resulted in a proper ranking for the fabrics used:

1. Tea towel in two layers
2. Cotton mix fabric
3. Cotton T-shirt material
4. Antimicrobial pillowcase
5. Scarfs
6. Linen

A tea towel is thicker and so maybe too hard to breathe through in spite of its higher rank.

The best filter materials

Access is most important in times like this, so some household materials that can be used for the filter.

Paper products like coffee filters, paper towels and toilet papers. HEPA filters with multiple layers block small particles almost like N95 masks but have tiny fibres that can get into your nose and mouth. You can also cut up a polypropylene shopping bag, the one that has a fabric-like feel and use it between layers of the mask.

How to buy a face-mask?

When buying an ordinary cloth face mask, enquire whether it has been designed as per the sewing instructions of the health authorities of your region. Look whether the mask has more than one layer of fabric. Make sure you can freely breathe through the material.

Next look for the fit, whether it is comfortable and fits the face well, there should not be gaps around your nose, mouth and chin.

The mask should either have a tie or loops for wearing. It should be easily washable and consistent in its shape even after repeated washing.

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