Premature greying in today's world is unfortunately as common as cough and cold. I have come across people in their early twenties greying at an alarming rate. You cannot just blame it on your genes, after all what you get from your ancestors isn't the only cause for it. There are a number of factors that lead to premature grey hair. The first and foremost is an unbalanced diet. If your diet consists of fast food, dishes made with white flour, aerated drinks and sugars, there is no way that you can have healthy skin or hair. A diet rice in B12, iron and omega 3 is essential. You need to include plenty of fresh salads, lean meats like fish and chicken, fruits and green vegetables in your daily diet for the sake of your skin and hair. Coming to drinks, restrict the intake of alcohol and encourage yourself to pick coconut water, lemon water, chaach or fresh fruit juices. Our lives today are also filled with stress. It's almost like there's no escaping it. But you need to find ways to relax and rejuvenate your mind. You can listen to soothing music, take up a hobby, meditate, exercise, do yoga or anything else that will make you switch off for some time and ease the stress and pain in your shoulders and back.And then there's the constant need to build our immunity to stay shielded from various infections. If you have been suffering from viral fever, cold, cough etc. you might just be prone to early greying of hair. So keep a check on these and take adequate vitamin supplements to remain healthy.
How to Prevent Premature Grey Hair
If you do not have a regular hair care program, adopt one right away. It's time you started paying more attention to your beauty rather than reserving it for special occasions. You will only see results when your take care of your hair and skin regularly and diligently. Here are some of my tried and tested recipes from my beauty repertoire to bring back life to your hair -
1. Amla Powder
Heat 1 cup amla powder in an iron vessel until it turns into ash. Add 500ml coconut oil and simmer on a slow flame for 20 minutes. Let it cool and stand for 24 hours, and then strain the next day into an airtight bottle. Use this twice a week as a hair oil massage.
Amla is loaded with health benefiting properties. Image credits: iStock
2. Curry Leaves
Take a bunch of curry leaves and grind them with 2 tsp amla powder and 2 tsp brahmi powder. Apply this as a hair mask on the hair, making sure to cover the roots. Leave on for an hour and rinse with a mild herbal shampoo.
Photo Credit: iStock
3. Indigo And Henna
Indigo, or neel, as it is more commonly known, is a natural colourant used since ancient time to colour hair. It creates a bluish black colour and can be mixed with henna to cover grey areas, making the hair acquire a darker colour.
4. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil and lemon juice mixed together can help darken the hair. The combination of these two causes a chemical reaction which darkens the hair naturally over a period of time. So make the most of it and get going.
5. Black Tea
Black tea is another effective ingredient which can help prevent grey hair. I have used it as an after shampoo rinse, created a shampoo out of it and used it as a mask as well. Take tea brew, approximately 200ml, and use it as a leave in conditioner on your hair after shampooing. You can also soak black tea leaves for 2 hours in warm water and grind it to a smooth paste. Mix with some lemon juice and apply it as a hair mask for 40minutes before rinsing the hair.
6. The Herbal Mix
This herbal brew is excellent to slow down the greying process and you can easily make it at home. Take 1 tsp amla powder, 2 tsp black tea, 1 tsp strong coffee, 1/2 an inch piece of kaththa, 1 piece of walnut bark, 1 tsp indigo, 1 tsp brahmi powder, and 1 tsp triphala.Add all the ingredients to 2 litres of water and simmer on a slow flame for 30minutes. Let it cool, then strain into an air tight bottle. Apply on the roots for 30minutes before shampooing and you will see a marked difference in the colour of your hair.
Now that you have these wonderful natural recipes, take them seriously and enjoy using them.
About the Author:Suparna Trikha is a beauty expert based in New Delhi. She also teaches meditation through aromatherapy and organises corporate workshops for distressing. She has her own range of 40 beauty products and proposes to launch them very soon in the Indian market as well as abroad. With this crusade of moving back to nature, Suparna believes in making people healthier and more beautiful the natural way.
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