Herbal Wisdom - October 2015 - Santa Fe

About Hair Loss

By Tomas Enos and Erin Galiger

In a culture preoccupied with the worship of youth and unwrinkled flesh and seemingly so ashamed of the physical symbols of age and life experience, it seems necessary to discuss the occurrence of hair loss in men and suggest a re-evaluation of its meaning. Male pattern baldness is a condition emanating from the effects of testosterone production—a feature of our male hormone. It is an integral part of being a man, nothing to be avoided, hidden or dreaded, merely to re-evaluated and respected.

Hair Care

Certainly, heredity has a great deal to do with the condition of one’s hair.However, no one is rendered powerless by genetics. There are many things one can do to condition the scalp and nourish and strengthen the hair.· Iodine deficiency in the diet will cause dryness, thinness and poor growth of hair . Kelp, dried seaweed and seafood are the richest natural source of iodine.

The micro-nutrients particularly essential for hair care are: Vitamin B complex, vitamin E, vitamin F (also called the essential fatty acids), vitamins A and D (the universally acknowledged vitamins for hair and skin to treat dandruff, dry, itchy a flaky scalp).

All minerals, especially silica, magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, iodine and iron are needed.

Traditional Chinese Medicine explains the basis of hair loss by going back to the dynamic role of jing in body sustenance. The kidneys rule male sexual reproduction and also the hair. Nurturing the kidneys with foods such as asparagus, artichoke, celery, aduki beans and the herbs Lovage, Parsley, Couchgrass and Yarrow. The herb Ho shou wu strengthens jing and consequently helps prevent the hair from graying.

Ayurvedic medical science sees graying and baldness as symptoms of stress and excessive thought which clogs the mind, producing excess heat in the head leading to hair loss, graying and insufficient sleep. An oil fusion of Gotu Kola using sesame oil for the fixed oil (this is called Brahmi Oil) is quite helpful to cool the scalp and the brain, helping to stop graying and hair loss. This is a cooling oil which cools the brain promoting mental alertness, clarity, improved memory, and sound sleep.

To stimulate hair growth and increase blood circulation in your scalp:

1. Finger massage the entire scalp at least twice a day. Place all 10 fingers firmly on your scalp and push the whole scalp in circular motions for 10 seconds.

2. Get into a position that reverses the gravity of the body forcing the blood to your head. The blood will penetrate into the capillaries of the scalp and feed the hair roots. Combine the position with the finger massage for 5 to 15 minutes twice a day. It will do wonders for your hair, your brain, your veins, your legs and your overall circulation.

4. Regular hair and scalp brushing 2 to 3 minutes twice a day is a must. This cleans all sorts of debris from the surface of the scalp and at the same time deep massages the scalp. Brushing will stimulate the emptied follicles to grow new hairs. Place a very small amount of Rosemary essential oil in the palm of your hand and rub it into the bristles of your hair brush.

5. Rinse your hair and body with a quart container full of warm water, to which you have added 1 Tbsp. of apple cider vinegar. Leave this on for about a minute, then rinse. This vinegar rinse will re-establish your body, hair and scalp’s natural protective acid mantle.

6. To a quart of apple cider vinegar, add some Nettle, fresh Rosemary, Sage, Horsetail and/or Chamomile (Approximately 1 ounce of herb to a cup of vinegar). Put the herbs into the container of vinegar and keep it close to your shower or bath. Use this herbal vinegar mixed with warm water as a daily hair and scalp rinse, and use it for that 1 tablespoon full mentioned in #4 above.

7. One can also apply the expressed juice of the Stinging Nettle to the scalp to stimulate hair growth.

Tomas Enos studied with Michael Moore in 1990 and then created Milagro Herbs. Erin Galiger has worked with herbs for 10 years. Their philosophy of health and healing is holistic and rooted in the ancient tradition of “Solar Living,” synchronizing our bodies according to the biological time clock, circadian rhythms, and seasonal patterns found on Earth. www.milagroherbs.com 505-820-6321info@milagroherbs.com 419 Orchard Drive (off Paseo de Peralta next to Kakawa Chocolate House)