Why do we have hair on our scalp? The answer to the riddle is elusive even to the research scientists working in the area of human evolution. One sure function of hair was to stop heat from escaping through our scalps because we lose 30% of our body heat from our scalps.
Today, hair has lost any functional value of it might have had in the earlier stages of human evolution, except perhaps one very significant thing: in many animals their lush manes and colourful stripes of fur work as sexual attraction to their mates. Researchers say the same was one of the functions of hair on human heads; we can say it still is. Hair plays an immense role in our physical appearance and has been subjected to countless experiments. No other body part can claim to alter our appearance in a matter of minutes. Just wet it, oil it or comb it and you look different.
We have found countless ways to work on our hair. We braid it, bun it, part it and dreadlock it. We colour it black, brown, red, mahogany, purple and green. We bleach it, perm it, shave it and cut it. Straight hair is curled and curly hair is straightened. We decorate our hair with flowers, silver and gold ornaments or wooden sticks. We shampoo it, condition it, style it with lotions and lace it with scents. And in the process we can mishandle our hair so much that it starts to lose all life force and lustre. Environmental pollutants and unhealthy lifestyles are already playing havoc on our hair and in search of a perfect crowning glory we are exposing it further to harmful chemicals and stressful procedures.
The wonderfully complex and efficient systems of our bodies are capable of producing healthy hair and maintaining it well, but the body has many other important things to do on a regular basis, many are higher priorities than maintaining lush and healthy hair – like breathing, eliminating wastes, protecting itself from infections, fighting disease and escaping threatening situations. Energy reservoirs of our bodies are constantly on a tight budget and maintaining healthy hair is way down the list of priorities. If we want to maintain healthy and vibrant hair, it requires extra nourishment and care from us.
So get ready for a visit to a health store near you to shop for the herbs and oils you will require for the hair treatments we are suggesting.
Washing Hair
When we use synthetic shampoo, the hair should always be rinsed thoroughly afterwards to remove the residue of all detergent. Even when homemade shampoos with herbs and oils are used, a rinse is advisable to wash out any residue of soap or calcium from the hair. It stabilizes the acid equilibrium of hair and scalp. Your hair will be delightfully soft after the rinse.
GLOW RINSE
The rinse removes calcium and soap residue and it stimulates and activates the scalp. This rinse is very helpful for oily hair, dandruff and itching of the scalp.
- 100 ml of lemon juice
- 200 ml of boiled or spring water
- 25 drops of rosewood oil
Mix all the ingredients and massage well into the hair, washing it out quickly. This quantity of rinse is enough for many times for short hair.
HAIR TONIC
A hair tonic is massaged and left on the hair, it continues to affect the hair for many hours in beneficial ways. It is very effective for dandruff and hair loss.
- 250 ml boiled water
- 30 ml lemon juice
- 10 drops of lavender oil
- 250 ml aloe Vera gel
HAIR PACK FOR DRY HAIR
Hair packs are used before you wash your hair. This hair pack will give a silky smooth feel to your lack-lustre hair.
- 1 egg or avocado paste
- 6 teaspoons wine or cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons of honey
- 5 drops of lavender oil
- 5 ml olive oil
Whip it well to create a thick paste. Brush your hair out and put the thick paste onto your hair, stroking through to the ends. Put on a plastic shower cap and wrap it with a towel wrung out in hot water. Leave it on for as long as possible. Wash out with your favourite herbal shampoo. Enjoy the silky smooth feel of your hair.
Some words of wisdom for the hair
- A hair on the head is worth two in the brush.
- When a woman worries too much about gray hair she sometimes turns blond overnight.
- Never get up in the morning with along face, or you will have that much more to have.
- The man who worries about his hair getting thin, would worry much more if it started getting fat.
- I don’t consider myself bald. I am simply taller than my hair. – Thom Sharp
We hope you will laugh your hair out with our hair wisdom and will be able to keep it in pace with our recipes.
