We’ve all been there before. It’s the last of the month-bill
week. You open what should be a $40.00 bill only to find that once again they (whomever
‘they’ may be-most of the time Rogers in my case) have over charged you and
your bill is now $200.00. Then you feel it, that vein on the side of your head
throbbing as your once manageable mood soars to uncontrollable heights. Stress sets
in.
If you Google the word stress you will get a pretty good and
straight forward definition- stress is Pressure or tension exerted on a material object. Stress on the
body is pretty much the same thing. Pressure is placed on yourself by outside
forces creating tension in your life. When the body is stressed hair can recede
back into the Telogen phase. Telogen effluvium is a very common hair loss problem that
can occur up to three months after a stressful event. After the initial hair
loss, hair usually grows back in six to nine months.
Life-changing
events such as childbirth or surgery also can cause hair loss(sciencedaily.com).
Dr. Mayoral -an industry expert on skin and hair- explains that during these times, the body takes a “time-out” from growing
hair to concentrate on recovery and healing. As such, hair does not grow as
much and some could shed and not grow back right away.
“Stress
affects people differently – some may develop an ulcer, or have a heart attack,
or lose their hair,” said Dr. Mayoral. “Hair loss is a normal response to
stress, but patients should see a dermatologist for a proper evaluation to rule
out other medical causes. I also advise patients to avoid any strange diets
where only one or two foods are allowed, as improper nutrition and extreme or
rapid weight loss can result in hair loss.”
So what is one to do about their
hair when they are stressed? Well first thing is first-RELAX. Find three things
that you can do that will relieve stress. I personally like to make my own homemade
Chai tea –I'll include my recipe here- before I go to sleep along with reading
(which sometimes becomes a stressful race to get the book done!) and of course
watching heroes with my other half on Netflix.
Secondly be sure to meditate. Hold
on keep reading! I'm not talking about the traditional legs crossed yogi meditation
I mean taking a moment in the day to calm your mind and feed your soul. If you don’t
want to close your eyes and say ‘om’ you don’t have to. Just find a spot where
you can be alone to breath and not think for a while.
Thirdly and last for today but not
least- Protective styling. Placing your hair in twists trains your hair to grow
through stretching the hair. You also won’t be stressing over having to do your
hair constantly, which is an added bonus
As promised, here is my PERSONAL homemade chai tea recipe, enjoy!
What you will need:
1 Tbsp fennel or anise seed
6 green cardamom pods
12 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/4" ginger root, sliced thin
7 Cups water
6 Tbsp honey or brown sugar (optional)
1 Cup milk(optional)
Method:
Tie ingredients in a cheese cloth.
bring the 7 cups of water to a boil then drop cheese cloth sac in. bring down to a simmer.
Add milk, honey or brown sugar and let tea steep for about ten minutes more or less depending on how strong you like your tea.
This yields about 1 liter of tea, so I usually just put it in the fridge
serve and enjoy!
