Home remedies for dry hair

We can do a lot to prevent hair from becoming dry and brittle during winter season. Read on
It is a fact that hair becomes dry during the winter season. While we cannot escape the seasonal vagaries, we can do a lot to prevent our hair from becoming dry and brittle during the season. Here are a few tips to keep you in good stead.


 -It is best to avoid hair colouring and ironing during the season. However, if that is next to impossible, at least avoid shampooing during the season.
-Massage the scalp using hot oil. You can either use coconut oil or olive oil for best results
-Do not wash your hair in hot water as it can increase the dryness of the scalp, resulting in flaking and scaling of the skin of the scalp. Use lukewarm water instead and shampoo hair only once or twice a week.
-Use a shampoo and a separate hair conditioner. And leave the conditioner on the tip of the hair avoiding the roots for at least 10 to 15 minutes to moisturise the hair and prevent hair fall.
-The stench apart, beer is a great hair conditioner and so is coconut milk. For a protein packed conditioner, mix eggs and yogurt and rub it into your scalp. Leave on for five or 10 minutes, then wash it off completely.
-A haircut doesn't always have to lead to a new style. Trim off dead ends if your hair is too dry to rejuvenate your hair.



Tips from grandmothers and hair stylists:

Vinegar: The combination of acetic acid and water is a natural conditioner for your hair, but make sure you’re using apple vinegar.

Doctor’s opinion: Due to the acidic value of vinegar it helps in restoring your hair's natural pH balance, and helps to remove excess oil from hair.

How to use: Mix vinegar with a ratio of two parts water.  Apply the mixture for 15 minutes and then rinse it out. Use it once in a week.

Hair: What are the Main Causes of Dry Hair?

      

Summer is the time when you face recurring hair problems. Dry hair is particularly a common issue. Styling dry hair can be frustrating. We got Dr. Nipun Jain, Senior Consultant in Dermatology from Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute to tell us the causes of dry hair.

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Causes of dry hair #1

“Harsh environmental conditions like extreme cold, heat, wind etc,” says Dr Nipun is one of the main reasons for dry hair. This is mainly so for dry, harsh summers when our hair bears the brunt of the heat. Dry sunny days make your hair feel like straw and make us chop it off in most cases.

Causes of dry hair #2

Personal care products rich in chemicals that we use judiciously is one of the main reasons for dry hair, according Dr. Nipun. She says, “Use of harsh chemical-based products” causes dry hair.

Causes of dry hair #3
“Excessive blow drying or frequent use of heat treatments leading to loss of hydration from hair,” is another contributing factor. Heat from straightening irons and blow driers absorb the moisture from your hair.

Causes of dry hair #4

“Swimming or bathing in pools and spas with chlorinated water,” can cause dry hair too, says Dr. Nipun.

Causes of dry hair #5

Anorexia is also a leading cause of dry hair, which is obvious since your body is not getting sufficient vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

These causes of dry hair can be prevented by eating right, using a balance of hair care products and drinking water to keep your hair and skin hydrated this summer.

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10 Tips for guaranteed weight loss

10 Tips for guaranteed weight loss

With fad diets and fitness routines round every corner, it is quite difficult to keep a tab on whichweight loss tips really do work and which don't. Should you join that bhangra aerobics class, adopt that no-carb diet, or eat dinner at 6pm? Never mind all that loophole-ridden weight loss jargon, step over to the healthy side. Here are 10 tips for guaranteed weight loss that will set your weight straight, and help you adopt some really healthy, weight-friendly habits for life. 

Weight loss tip 1: Decide how much weight you need to lose - Most people start their weight loss journey by claiming to be xyz kilos overweight. This isn't a healthy way to project or aim for weight loss. Calculate your desired weight against your height by using reliable methods like the BMI, and set a healthy weight loss target. This is often half the battle won.

Weight loss tip 2: Time management - This is quite often overlooked. Decide which part of your day will be dedicated to exercise, when in the week you will stock up on groceries, and when you will do the cooking - all within your current work and home life routine. If you don't do this now, your days will be rushed and unplanned, and you won't be able to sustain your weight loss efforts.

Weight loss tip 3: Stock your kitchen - Keep your house well-stocked with fruits, vegetables, healthy meats, grains, cereals, spices, and flavourers. Follow our tricks to healthy cooking, cooking vegetables for the week, and low-fat cooking posts to understand how best you can stock your kitchen with healthy and delicious ingredients. All of this will go into helping the next step - cooking healthy meals at home.

Weight loss tip 4: Eat healthy homecooked meals - Whether it's you who's cooking, a family member, or house help, ensure that every one practises healthy cooking methods, and ingredients. Ask any person who's lost weight the healthy way, and you will always hear about how healthy homecooked meals were a big reason behind it. Use less oil, low salt, fresh produce, and you'll start seeing results in no time.

Weight loss tip 5 : Start a cardio + weights workout - A healthy weight loss programme is incomplete without a good exercise routine, and weight training mixed with cardio is the best way to lose weight. Of course, variations and forms exist, but any workout that stresses on muscle tone and increased heart rate will always help you lose weight and keep it off. You can either start a home workout today, or rely on gyms for fitness training.

Weight loss tip 6: Alter your snacking habits - At Health Me Up, we have several healthy snacking ideas for you. Set those French fries aside, skip that aerated drink, and ban those unhealthy deep fried samosas. Explore the healthy snack world and you will find several appetisers, party snacks, movie snacks and meal accompaniments that'll satisfy every craving of yours.

Weight loss tip 7: Have at least one active hobby - It isn't sufficient to rely on just 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Moving from bed to office chair, and back to bed, isn't a healthy way to live. Buy a motion sensor gaming console that lets you enjoy social games with friends and family, plan weekend trips, clean your house once a week, dance, play sports, the list is endless. Get out of the coffee shop and dining table rut, and you'll have fun along with the healthy weight loss.

Weight loss tip 8: Find a solution to combat stress - As we pointed out in our post about stress and weight loss, stress is always detrimental to healthy weight loss in the long run. Find ways to combat stress and you'll soon realise that your diet and exercise aren't sabotaged anymore, and that you truly do see results. Look at yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, or simple hobbies like reading to fight stress.

Weight loss tip 9: Drink plenty of water - You've known that your body relies heavily on water for all important bodily functions, and yet you skimp on drinking adequate quantities of water every day. Well, it's time to stop that. Check out some exciting ways to make water interesting and you'll be packing it away in no time. Do not forget to carry a water bottle to your workout, and take a few sips after every 2-3 minutes of exercise.

Weight loss tip 10: Plan healthy vacations - Why go all the way with healthy weight loss, when one tiny vacation will just come along and topple it all? Healthy vacations aren't impossible. Take a look at how you can eat smart on a holiday, and then at bodyweight workouts that you can carry with you wherever you go, to understand how to holiday right. Above all, remember that these are lifelong habits that'll help you stay fit forever and not short term weight loss quickfixes.

Top 20 ways to lose weight in a healthy way & 10 Tips for guaranteed weight loss

When it comes to losing weight, the ultimate dream of every individual is to lose weight quickly. 

However, in our last post 'Risk of Fast Weight Loss' we noticed that crash diet and sudden outbursts of exercise can have a daunting effect on your health. To shed some excess pounds, your goal should be achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Though the healthy weight lossconcept is quite confusing and a big mystery, when you get started with a proper diet plan and exercise program you will see improvement in your weight without affecting your health. Try these simple yet powerful ways of losing weight in a healthy way laid down by Priya Kathpal - Nutritionist, Mumbai

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 1: Set a goal

Before getting started with your weight lose program, decide how much excess weight you need to shed. Another goal is to set realistic goals, which are achievable. Don't set goals like losing 30 pounds in 30 days, this is unreal and can have very bad effects on your health. The best way to find out how much weight you need to shed is by calculating your desired weight against your height, age and sex by using BMI.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 2: Plan to fulfill your goal

Once your desired target is achieved by using a BMI calculator, then the next step is to fulfill it by taking concrete steps. To achieve what you want, you need to plan well in advance. Make a proper schedule of all the physical activities you will be taking up. The schedule can be daily or weekly. Make a plan according to your convenience. Lastly, make exercise your daily goal, and start with moderate exercises.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 3: Balance what you eat

If you are on a weight loss program, you don't have to give up your delicious favorite food. Though your favorite food may be high in calories, you can still eat it. The key is moderation to balance the calorie consumption. You can balance the calorie consumption by eating small serving sizes or by choosing a low calorie meal after a heavy calorie meal. These two techniques will help you stay energized as well as it will help you maintain your daily calorie quota, without exceeding it.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 4: Breakfast is very important

In your weight loss diet plan, you should never miss breakfast for even a single day. Make your breakfast king-sized, a healthy king-size! and reduce the sizes of the following meals - says Priya. In order to lose weight in a healthy way, breakfast is very essential. A good healthy breakfast will help you stay alert, focused and energized throughout the day.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 5: Replace all products that contains white flour

White flour can be your biggest enemy in your weight loss program. If you replace all the white flour products with something healthy like fruits and vegetables, then this one step will help you achieve your goal in a healthy way.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 6: Slow and steady wins the race

You need to make small changes in your life daily to lose weight in a healthy way. Priya says, "Take up small changes like skipping an extra biscuit, swapping to skimmed milk or increasing the intensity of your exercise level daily. These small changes can make a big difference in your weight loss plan, as it will help you to achieve long term results."

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 7: Add more fat releasing foods to your diet

Indulge in fat releasing food to avoid bingeing on high-calorie food. Include foods like honey, eggs, shrimps etc in your daily diet. All these food items are loaded with fat releasing protein, which will help you stay full for a longer duration.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 8: Your kitchen should be weight-loss diet friendly

Replace all the unhealthy food items with fruits, vegetables, healthy meat, grains and cereals. This step will help you to eat healthy and stay healthy.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 9: Walk more

Whether you rely on walking alone for weight loss or not depends entirely on how much weight you need to lose. Walking, by itself, might not be enough to lose weight and tone your body effectively. But resolve to walk more in daily activities and you'll find those kilos melt away. The reason behind this is that if you walk more and exercise through other, more rigorous, workouts everyday, then you stand to lose body fat and eventually build a leaner, stronger body.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 10: You need a cheering group

In order to seek out support and keep you going, share your weight lose program, the results obtained and changes achieved with your friends and family. Social support will help you through regular encouragement and help you stay focused.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 11: Good sleep is essential

Make sure when you sleep, you forget all your troubles, worries and problems. A good night's sleep will help you get up energized, stay focused during the day and boost your metabolism as the digestive system works at the same time. Hence, to shed those extra pounds a decent 7-8 hours of sleep is very important.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 12: Play smart while eating out

Reduce the frequency of visits to restaurants. If you have outside food at least 4 times a week, reduce it to once a week. These changes can help you avoid excessive calories and pounds. Even while ordering your food, order for salads, soups or any grilled dishes. Lastly, to avoid over consumption share your food with your friends or partners as this will reduce the number of calories you are taking in.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 13: Small meals help

Instead of eating and planning huge meals with no portion control, treat yourself to small meals every 3-4 hours. This technique will prevent you from over-eating, boost your metabolism and burn your calories at a faster rate.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 14: Whole grains work BEST

Priya says, "Include more whole grains in your diet and avoid processed food. Whether it is bread, rice or noodles, whole grain is the best for you and for your health. They are low in calories, rich in antioxidants and will make you full even with a handful of consumption."

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 15: Be watchful when you eat

Always select healthier options when you make food choices. The best technique to always eat healthy is to cut out foods that are high in calories and unhealthy. This includes foods with refined ingredients, heavy sugar, artificial preservatives, high sodium, and lots of oil. For instance, removing solidified fat from soups and stews and avoiding sugary items is a good start.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 16: Include at least 3-4 servings of vegetables and fruits daily

Fruits and vegetables are a must have during your weight loss program. They are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, fiber and water content. Due to the water content they keep you full for a longer duration. Start your day with a plate of fruits; this will boost your metabolism. Include a plate of fruits and vegetables as salad or starter before every meal. Include all types and colors of fruits and vegetables in your diet to get the best out of it.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 17: Say no to sugar

Avoid all the sugary items from your diet if you want to lose weight in a healthy way. Sugary products are a big weight loss enemy, as they are high in calories and can make you fat quickly. Hence avoid sugary candies and cookies. Priya suggests: Use the sweet spice cinnamon instead ofsugar to sweeten your beverage, it not only contains half the amount of calories compared to sugar but it also revs up the metabolism.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 18: Increase your exercise intensity

If you are physically active, exercise at a good intensity, and watch what you eat, then you will definitely lose weight. If you hate gym workouts, opt for cycling, swimming or running to improve your fitness level. For best results, include 45 mins of fun activity in your daily routine like dancing, swimming, running, cycling etc. so that you can sustain this for a longer time - says Priya.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 19: Drink lots of water

Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily. This will help you to stay hydrated throughout the day and you will not mistake your thirst pangs with hunger pangs.

Lose weight in a healthy way tip # 20: Start your meals with soups and salads

Start your meal with a serving of light salads or soups as this will encourage you to eat lesser for the main course and dessert.

Whetting your palette will refresh you while stirring appetite. It will make you want to eat, while controlling how much you eat - a win win situation!