Hair Loss in Men & Women

"Sometimes hair loss can be genetic or it can occur from a stress, sudden shock, physical injury, psoriasis, seborrhea, syphilis, a variety of drugs (such as; anesthesia, beta-blockers, cortisone, x-rays and radiation and ulcer medications), anemia, excessive dryness, fungus (ringworm), parasites, chemical and heavy metal exposure (copper is common), hormonal imbalances, systematic illness, diabetes, liver, kidney disease, thyroid deficiency, nutritional deficiencies including anorexia and excessive or sudden weight loss."-Beauty by Nature 2006) Bridgette Mars

Women go through a period of hair loss after around three months after giving birth and after coming off of birth control pills, which causes excessive estrogen, which in turn- contributes to hair loss. However, the affect usually reverse after a six months period.

For men, hair loss usually follows the maternal rather than the paternal side and hair often recedes at the front of the scalp, the temples and crown on either side or spreads out from the top. A major cause of balding in men has much to do with excess production of the hormones androgen and testosterone. Both of these hormones can cause your hair follicle to shrink. However, even though genes play a part you can slow or minimize the loss of hair.

*Sudden hair loss can be a sign of serious health changes and should be discussed with a competent health professional.

Some ways to help diminish hair loss:

• Jojoba oil helps to replenish the natural oils in the scalp. look for and use jojoba based products
• Wear your hair loose to avoid pulling of the scalp
• Including raw black sesame seeds, sea vegetables and cooked black beans and kidney beams.
• Include silicone-rich foods, such as kelp and onion to your diet
• eat the skin of organic cucumber and red peppers, which is high in silica
• Including oats, onions, nuts, buckwheat, barley, nutritional yeast, almonds and seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower.
• Drink fresh vegetable juices made with beet, carrot, nettle, spinach with a bit of onion
• Avoid fried foods and refined sugars
• Minimize your intake of alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and refined carbohydrates
• Supplements that may be deemed helpful hair loss are Omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene, the B-complex  vitamin and zinc  Beauty by Nature 2006) Bridgette Mars

Recipes!

Hair loss Tonic 

Apply to the scalp and leave on

1 cup water

1 cup aloe vera juice

15 drops clary sage essential oil

1 drops rosemary essential oil

*Essentials may be bought at health food stores

Combine all the ingredients and store in a tightly sealed jar

Nettle Hair Loss

Apply the mixture nightly to the scalp before bed to prevent hair loss. After massaging, brush the hair or use as a final rinse without rinsing it out.

1 quart vodka or apple cider vinegar

2cups fresh nettle, washed and chopped

1/2 cup rosemary

1/2 cup sage leaf

Combine all the ingredients in a large glass jar. Cover and allow to stand for 2 weeks, shaking the mixture daily. Store unused portion in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Herbs!

Mix a blend of the herbs of your choice and drink a quart of this tea daily. This will help to improve hair growth and diminish hair loss:

·         Aloe

·         Basil

·         Burdock

·         Eclipta

·         Honey

·         Nettle

·         Parsley

·         Rosemary,

·         sage and yarrow.

No more squeeky clean- Choosing a green shampoo

The scalp is the most absorbent part of our body. We eagerly wash, moisturize, condition, straighten, add volume and shine to our hair, which is why choosing genuinely green hair care should certainly be at the top of your priority list. However, beware of the word "organic" on the label of mainstream products, more often than not we see an  ingredient like, aloe-vera on the label that only (believe it or not) accounts for 1 percent of the product. Reading labels is so important and what we all can start learning is in-deed; the bulk of the shampoo is what truly matters for the health of our hair. The quality of detergents and amount of emollients (oils) both have to be derived without the use of toxic chemicals process.

While we love the idea of an  all-natural shampoo containing herbs, oils and botanical ingredients. Mainstream "herbal" shampoos just can't do that for us. Many mainstream shampoo products found in Wal-mart, Shoppers Drug Mart, Wal-greens and many others, exaggerate about the claims to be a natural product. They contain harsh detergents, preservatives and petroleum derived silicones. The very nature of detergent itself interferes with the scalps natural barrier function and makes it even easier for chemicals to penetrate the scalp... We all know what is underneath our scalp don't we?

If you’re looking at the ingredient list most often you'll find sodium laureth sulfate and its milder companion, laureth sulfate. Both have actually been questioned as cancer-causing ingredients although the cosmetic industry has declared them 'safe" for use. One of the greenest available cleansing agents is laurly glucoside which is a soapy blend of coconut oil, corn starch and sugar, but isn't frequently used because of its higher price.

So what should you be using?
While humectants and emollients in shampoos are a nice touch, they make very little difference because they are simply washed off too quickly. Still, vegetable glycerin, aloe extract, jojoba oil, honey and lecithin make shampoo nourishing as they fill in the pores of the hair shaft and keep the hair surface smooth and soothe and moisturize the scalp. Many organic brands offer concentrated shampoos with little added water which makes it very economical; this eliminates the need for strong preservatives. Grapefruit seed oil, wheat germ oil vitamin A, C, E and benzoin extract act as natural preservatives in these shampoos.

How often should you wash?
 It depends on the state of your hair, if your hair is fine and dry, daily shampooing even with the mildest product can increase dryness. If you you spend a lot of time in the sun or wear a lot of styling products shampooing everyday-to-every other day is recommended. By taking a look at the condition of your hair you should act accordingly. However, be aware of frequent amount of washes, which, can make your hair brittle dry and prone to split ends; especially with hard water.

Woman of color should shampoo once a week since it is much harder to retain the little oils our scalp produces in our scalp due to the kinks and coils of our hair texture. If you work out often or simply just presepire a lot in in your scalp 2 times a week is recommended.


Next post: A list of green shampoos and non-green shampoos that may help in retaining moisture and your scalp natural oils

Nu'Khara: A Birthday story

My product is made from courage, from smiles, from laughter, from late nights, from fright, from mistakes, from survival, from struggles, from life, from heart. My products are made from me... Ever before realizing Nu’Khara, it remained an unlocked thought in my cranium unacknowledged. I was pregnant with child with a pantry full of products that all seemed too risky; to not only the health of the life inside me, but to mine as well. I thought, if prescribed medicine is now dangerous because of pregnancy, hasn’t it always had a negative effect somehow? And if so, how safe will Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate be on my skin? Assuming you all know that 60% products is absorbed into your skin and into your blood stream.

Keri Lotion, that’s where the key was slowly rotated. I still remember my mom giving me the lecture about the type of products I was using on my skin and hair and the effects it would have on my health. Of course, I threw her notion away, to me she was on a different planet (a much cleaner one) and I was still on the planet they call naive and without conscience. Oblivious to the world and what I thought a company’s word meant to me. I bought in. They all said the same thing; it was generic, it was “innocent” and it was being used by many. Eventually I grew tired of getting the same results-which was nothing, I was tired of paying for something that only lasted 1-2 weeks (that did not do anything special), I was tired of someone else deciding what was supposed to be good for my skin-without explain how it’ll benefit me. 

I read and read and read. My eyes and brain were in sync with the words and the warm saliva on the tip my fingers, told the pages, which told my heart I had fallen in love with how I will contribute to lives of my family and to the many people around the world. The obsession with Nu’Khara was born on June 3^rd 2011. I emptied out my pantry and decided to make a plan on how I was going to change my life. With a new set of rules, choices, responsibilities, opinions and attitude… I have. In the summer of June 2012 Nu’Khara was born into a lover of beauty, health and certainty. Nu’Khara has come to share the story that now shows truth in a bottle. Nu’Khara allows you to choose a much higher standard of care, that makes you astonishing inside and awe-founded at the person you see before you.

Nu’Khara~ One with God, one with peace, one with love 

 For a chance to order from Nu'Khara head over to the Facebook page, where I always update my readers on health tips, product buys.and fun times Take a look and let us know what catches your fancy. Happy & safe holidays!

*We most certainly do Christmas orders. 
http://www.facebook.com/Nukhara?ref=hl

Scrub Making with Cupboard Ingredients!

There are many ingredients that you can either grab from your kitchen cupboard or from your nearest grocery store which, can be used as a facial or body exfoliant.The question we ask today are what are these ingredients and how can they help you?

Barley Powder: A very fine textured powder that is great for soothing, softening and is suited for all skin types. This is ideal for mature/sensitive skin types. Try adding with yogurt & honey to make a very light and moisturizing scrub.

Oats: This helps to soothe, absorb oil, cleanse and soften the skin. It is great for those with acne, dry, mature and sensitive skin. Grind the oats in your coffee grinder or blender and add with butter milk to give your skin optimal nutrition!

Sea Salt: An amazing skin softener! As you know if you read my last blog post, sugar helps to sloughs off dead skin cells, invigorates and increases circulation. Salt stimulates the skin, muscles, nerves and improves the texture of tired, bumpy and dull skin. Though, salt can be drying if not used with an emollient ie. coconut/olive oil . Avoid using salt scrubs on the face or dry, damaged and delicate skin.

Sugar: If you've tried my brown sugar scrub & brown sugar soap scrub http://www.facebook.com/Nukhara you know that this moisturizers, stimulates, lightens and wakes up dry sagging skin. Sugar also, contains glycolic acid which is one the most effective substances to use in the treatments of many skin conditions such as:

Acne White-heads Blackheads Pustules Bumps

Psoriasis Eczema Dry skin Age spots Seborrheic keratosis Pre-cancerous growths Hyperkeratosis Actinic keratosi               *Have fun whipping up these ingredients in the kitchen! Talks soon! ~Nu'Khara

HoneyMint Lip Butter

Made from 100% Natural Shea & Organic Cocoa butter, real dark chocolate, hemp seed oil, honey, peppermint, and Vitamin E and no added preservatives or parabens. This Lip Butter just kicks it up a notch in the moisturizing game.

I had so much fun with these lip butters. Can you imagine how warmed dark chocolate smells... Mmm.When I use this, my lips are soft for a very long time without me having to re-apply every 15mins.

For now, I've named it Honey & Mint Lip Butter. Do you think you can come up with a cool funky name? Let me know in the comment section or on my Facebook page!
http://www.facebook.com/Nukhara



Main Ingredients

Shea Butter:  Provides all the essential vitamins needed to make skin look and feel smoother, softer and more importantly healthier.

Organic Cocoa Butter: An ideal skin care product which contains a large amount of antioxidants and acts as a offensive agent against free radicals that destroy our skin and lead to premature aging.

Honey: Has the amazing ability to absorb and retain moisture by helping the skin keep hydrated and fresh. Preventing dryness and leaving it feeling silky soft and supple.

Vitamin E: Because of its antioxidant activity, vitamin E is vital on protecting skin cells and fights with elements which produce cell damaging free radicals. Vitamin E also, helps keep the products shelf life longer without adding any preservatives.



Can't wait to hear your funky ideas on names to give this lip butter!
~Nu'Khara

Vlog: Product Making

Yesterday I've must have been up about most of the night.
Whipping up concoctions, going through trail & errors, and getting my hands quite... clean! I had a lot of fun doing this and it was sort of therapeutic. However, speaking of concoctions, I've always loved science in a way, but I just hated dealing with the 'boring' stuff and I've always thought there had to be a more enjoyable way to love science, bring out my creative side and still look... Cute? Well I can tell you, I've definitely found it and it's here to stay. Keep posted for more photos of my creations which I'll be handing out as samples to all the beautiful people who want to do it naturally.

Have a good weekend!
Leave a comment
~Nu'khara

Using Herbs & Teas as a Hair Rinse

Hair rinses are conditioning treatments that soften the hair, encourage shine and body as well as make it more manageable. Rinses can also help to bring out the natural highlights in hair.

Hair rinses are done by pouring a cup of black, green or white tea over the hair to reduce shedding or to stimulate hair growth. This works by the caffeine penetrating the hair follicles.

Black, green, and white teas are all known to prevent shedding and help hair growth.

  
Directions:

1.      Brew a weak cup of tea before getting into the shower. Do not make it strong. Try brewing for 1 tea bag for 1-2 minutes.

2.      Cool the tea down to luke warm

3.      Use a color applicator/spray bottle to apply to the scalp.

4.      Leave on for 5-30 minutes

5.      Shampoo and condition as usual (you can leave in after wash or do before shampooing)

6.      Repeat the tea 2 or 3 times a week. If you don’t see result in 1-2 months it’s best you opt. For some natural herbs.

Leave In-Conditioners

Moisturizers are a must-have in every healthy hair-care regimen. Select one water based moisturizer and one protein based moisturizer. Any of the two moisturizers should not contain petrolatum, and minerals that will coat your hair. Rather look for water, humectants, natural oils and/or butters. 

Having a leave-in for moisture nd one for protein can allow you to identify your hair needs at the time. Rule of thumb: use a moisture leave-in 3 days a week and the protein leave-in twice a week. Once, you begin to learn what you hair likes you can add or subtract days of usage. You'll feel the difference :).

 

Leave- in sprays/ mist: Are great for touching up your natural curls throughout the day. They work well with natural, relaxed braided, twisted, or sew-in styles. *Best suited for finer hair types.

Creamy leave-ins: Are best suited for those with thicker, course hair types.