When we talk about hair health we are actually talking about the health of the whole body, mental and emotional system included. Hair is the direct reflection of our bone and reproductive health, which are deeper tissues of the body and are the last to receive nutrients from the food we eat.
It takes 30 days for nutrients to reach our reproductive tissue. We have 7 tissues in the body, each tissue is fed consecutively, one after the other. That means that our reproductive tissue is getting the leftovers of what everyone else has eaten… imagine what that means if you aren’t eating very fresh or nutritious food regularly…
While some supplements and topical hair treatments do support hair health, to get our best hair, we need to examine our diet, digestive fire, exercise routine and check in with our mental/emotional balance.
In Ayurveda, our ability to absorb nutrients from the food we eat depends on the health of our digestive fire. With each season our digestive capacity changes, just as it changes as we age. Our hair health also changes with the seasons and is dependent on our level of nutrient absorption. For example, summer is when Shukra Dhatu (reproductive tissue) is at its lowest strength, due to the qualities of heat and dryness in the season. Following the daily and seasonal suggestions of Ayurveda helps us balance what could be an overwhelming scenario of uncomfortable health symptoms. Basically, Ayurveda will help you keep more hair in the summer and all year round.
Some foods and habits oppose the replenishment of our reproductive tissue, consequentially, contributing to hair fall, greying, poor quality hair or no hair at all. To put it simply, neither the hair on our heads, nor our reproductive tissue, likes too much heat or too much dryness. What’s fun is that not only can the weather be hot and dry, but our thoughts, daily habits, and of course the foods we eat, can also be heating and drying. Ayurveda has a specific therapy designed to replenish and strengthen reproductive tissue, thereby enhancing all the tissues of the body, especially hair. However, many are unable to undergo the therapy, due to weak digestive fire. Previous to receiving said therapy, one must undergo cleansing methods to prepare the digestive fire for optimal absorption. If we don’t respect the need of cleansing before this therapy, we will overload the digestive system and create Aam (toxicity) in the body, which will aggravate everything it can.
While receiving an Ayurveda consultation is ideal during a hair health journey, a place to start is by strengthening your blood quality through adding blood enhancing foods to your diet and cooking in an iron pan. (Remember Iron is reactive and oxidises when acidic foods, like lemon, tomato, or bell pepper are added.) Our blood nourishes and revitalises all of our tissues, when we enhance our blood quality, all our tissues benefit.
Ultimately, if a person is struggling with hair loss, it can suggest a serious underlying health condition and one should speak with their medical physician immediately. What I’ve said here is strictly from an Ayurveda perspective, is for educational purposes only and not meant to treat or diagnose any condition.
