Lifestyle Choices

The type, the length of growth, thickness, thinness, straightness, and curl of your hair depend on your inheritance, but the condition of your hair depends on the internal state of your body, which feeds the papillae that produce it. For hair to be beautiful, the cuticle and the cortex have to be strong. It has always amused me when I hear hairdressers arguing about whether or not diet has anything to do with the beauty of hair, because it does, as any farmer knows well. Not only can you change the look of an animal’s hair by altering its diet (and that goes for the human animal too), you can also tell a great deal about its internal condition by examining its hair. If you have a sheep that is poorly, its coat shows it. Horses, dogs, and cats are given special vitamin and mineral supplements to improve their coats for shows. But only recently has this aspect of hair care even begun to be looked at for human beings. (more…)

A. Supplements — Who needs them?

You have now read about some of the benefits and characteristics of the nutrients considered essential to maintaining optimum health. So the question arises: do you need to supplement? Do you need to take vitamin and mineral pills, or a separate antioxidant supplement? There are some who say you get all you need from a healthy diet, and supplements are just expensive urine. Others see supplements as essential. So what should you do?

Ideally, a healthy and varied diet would provide your body with all the nutrients it needs. In some cases, however, food is grown in depleted soils or artificially under lights in hothouses. For example, selenium content in soils is varied and regional. New Zealand soils are quite low in selenium, as are parts of Australia, South Africa and North America, but it is important as an antioxidant and in supporting Vitamin E in your body.

Different circumstances and lifestyles can all take a toll on your health. In times of high emotional or physical stress, your body may need some extra support. While supplementation is not a substitute for a quality diet, it can certainly offer those with nutritional concerns some peace of mind. (more…)