Self Care Archives - Page 6 of 7

HOW TO GET SHINY HAIR

March 10, 2021
hair, Hair Care, hair stylist, Health, Moroccan Oil, Moroccan oil Treatment, Self Care, Useful Info, Your Style Goals

HOW TO GET SHINY HAIR
Trends come and go, but glossy, shiny hair is eternal. While there are a number of factors that influence your hair’s overall luster—genetic, dietary, environmental, and more—some of them are easier to control than others. With that in mind, we decided to cover a few tips and tricks you can take immediate action on—and that will hopefully bring you closer to your glossy goals. (Sorry, Marcia Brady, but none of them involve 100 daily strokes with a hairbrush.)

Try a Sulfate-Free Shampoo
While sulfates certainly help with that squeaky-clean feeling some people seek after shampooing, they sometimes do their job a little too well—stripping your hair of beneficial natural oils. While sulfate-free shampoos don’t foam as much as their sulfate-laden counterparts, they also provide a gentler clean that can help with your shiny hair quest. Pro Tip: If you want to get more lather when you’re washing your air, resist adding more shampoo—and add more water instead. It also can’t hurt to use Clarifying Shampoo once a week or so—it should help keep your hair buildup-free and shining bright. As luck would have it, all of our shampoos are sulfate-free!

Squeeze, Don’t Rub
When you step out of the shower, resist the urge to rough up your hair with a towel. Though it’s admittedly satisfying, doing so can cause breakage and frizz. Instead, wrap sections of hair in a towel and gently squeeze to remove moisture. Bonus points if you use a microfiber towel—the finer threads are gentler on your strands!

Choose Your Tools Wisely
As a general rule, it’s a good idea to avoid excess heat styling if shiny hair is your goal. That said, sometimes it’s unavoidable—or you’re just craving a good blowout! To maintain maximum shine when blow-drying, make sure you’re starting on mostly-dry hair, holding the blow-dryer a few inches away from your head, and using the lowest heat setting possible. You can also tools that have been thoughtfully designed with new technologies and high-quality materials to help promote healthier-looking hair. For instance, the our Power Performance Ionic Hair Dryer has a 99.9% Nano Silver grill to enhance shine. And the Ceramic Heated Brush—perfect for touching up already-dry hair—features advanced ionic technology for shiny, frizz-free results. (P.S. Non-heated ceramic brushes share these properties, too! Try them for a glossy blowout.)

Upgrade to Shine-Boosting Stylers
There are a whole lot of things we love about argan oil—obviously. Chief among them? Its shine-restoring powers! Because it’s included in all of our styling products, you get an extra boost of glossy alongside the hold, definition, or frizz-fighting benefits you’re after. When it comes to gold-star shine saviors, Moroccanoil Treatment is the obvious place to start. This multitasking treatment conditions, detangles, smooths frizz, and increases shine by up to 118%.* But you can even go for extra gleam with products like Luminous Hairspray, which includes just a touch of argan oil for a reflective finishing touch.

Sleep on a Silk Pillowcase
It doesn’t just feel luxurious—it can also have major shiny hair benefits! Sleeping on a silk pillowcase helps reduce friction (compared to cotton), which ups your odds of waking up tangle-free, frizz-free, and sans bedhead. Silk is also less absorbent than cotton, which means any nourishing hair products you apply before bed will stay on your hair, where they belong—instead of soaking into your pillowcase.

Step Up Your Scalp Care
Healthy hair starts at the root! That’s why correcting scalp imbalances can help give your hair a mega-dose of vitality in shine. If you’re experiencing a dry, flaky scalp, try Dry Scalp Treatment. It contains salicylic acid to gently exfoliate and prevent buildup, plus soothing essential oils. For an oily scalp, reach for Oily Scalp Treatment to detoxify and rebalance. Bonus it contains a biotin peptide complex known to provide anti-aging benefits and promote scalp micro-circulation.

Get Glossy
Next time you’re at the salon, ask your stylist about gloss treatments. Generally used to tone or refresh color between color treatments or as a finishing step after color application, these temporary treatments are created to help dial up your hair’s shine factor. They essentially work by coating the hair and sealing the cuticle, creating a smoother surface that will reflect more light. (Read: more shine.) Some are clear and just add shine, while others contain slight pigment to help tone or enhance your hair color. Note: Because they only deposit color on the surface of the hair—like our Color Depositing Masks, also excellent shine-boosters—they are non-damaging. Results are temporary and wash out over time! If you need help finding a salon near you, check out our Salon Locator.

Up Your Omegas
Just like your skin, your hair loves a healthy diet! Particularly crucial to the formation of hair are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. (Fun fact: Argan oil is actually a great source of both.) Certain kinds of fish, like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies, are good sources of omega-3s, as are chia seeds and flax seeds. For omega-6 fats, you can try eating more nuts—think walnuts, almonds, and cashews. Of course, we should note that your doctor is always the best person to turn to for nutritional advice.

“HOW TO GET SHINY HAIR”

*According to an independent study.

HIKING IN NATURE CHANGES YOUR BRAIN

December 1, 2020
hiking, nature hike, Self Care, self care stress, What is best for me?

HIKING IN NATURE CHANGES YOUR BRAIN – Immersing yourself in the great outdoors can ease stress and heighten your mood, but a new study shows it can even help you stop ruminating— or overthinking and dwelling on situations and life events. Rumination is linked to mental illness, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as binge-drinking and binge-eating.

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found spending time in nature can lower negative, obsessive thoughts by a sizeable margin. The researchers aimed to find out the impact of nature on the mind. They compared the thoughts of urban dwellers who walked through an urban environment for 90 minutes with those who walked through a natural environment. Those who walked in nature reported fewer negative thoughts. They also had less neural activity in the part of the brain associated with mental illness, known as the subgenual prefrontal cortex.

Hiking Enhances Creativity and Problem-Solving

Disconnecting from technology and reconnecting with nature can increase creativity and problem-solving, according to a study conducted by psychologists Ruth Ann Atchley and David L. Strayer. Participants went on a four-day tech-free backpacking excursion and were asked to perform creative-thinking and complex problem-solving tasks. The researchers found their performance on these tasks improved by 50% after hiking through nature.

The researchers noted that technology and urban noise are constantly demanding our attention and inhibiting our focus, which strains our cognitive functions. Going on a peaceful nature hike, while cutting ties with technology, can be just what you need to recharge.

Hiking May Lessen ADHD Symptoms in Children

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHA) is becoming increasingly common among children. Those with ADHD exhibit hyperactivity, inattention, and difficulty focusing. It often arises in childhood, with symptoms continuing into adulthood. While medication is typically prescribed to ADHA patients, a study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, found exposure to green outdoor activities like hiking can drastically reduce their symptoms. This suggests anyone with difficulty concentrating or controlling their impulses can benefit from spending time in nature.

Hiking is a fun and healthy activity suitable for all ages and fitness levels. So, strap on your hiking boots and go exploring!

“HOW HIKING IN NATURE CHANGES YOUR BRAIN”

by: Nicole Romeo

From: http://blog.spaweek.com/2016/08/30/hiking-changes-your-brain/

Natural Ways to Relieve Stress

November 23, 2020
Health, Natural Ways to Relieve Stress, Self Care, What is best for me?

Constant worry over money, job security, family, and health keeps your stress system on high alert all the time

Stress comes at you all day, from every angle, now more than ever. Constant worry over money, job security, family, and health keeps your stress system on high alert all the time — and it feels like you can never calm down. That can lock you in a never-ending stress cycle and likely search for natural ways to relieve stress.

Chronic stress makes you feel awful — mentally, emotionally, and physically. It can even change the way your body manages stress, making it much harder to break the stress cycle.

Plus, long-term stress adds an extra strain on your body.

It takes an enormous toll on your immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to any infection that’s going around. And when you’re already feeling anxious and worried, the last thing you need is a stressed-out immune system.

Unfortunately, you can’t avoid stress completely. But you can take specific steps to help your mind and body calm down — even in the face of non-stop stressors.

Constant Stress Derails Good Health

Stress isn’t just a feeling — it’s a whole system of physical reactions that are supposed to keep you safe from imminent danger. Those reactions protect you when you’re facing immediate, temporary threats like avoiding a car crash. Their sole purpose is to help you survive by stimulating “fight or flight” action. When the danger passes, the system turns off and resets.

But when you face stressors all the time — work deadlines, traffic jams, bad news — the system can’t turn off. It stays on ready alert around the clock and never gets to stand down. That’s when “survival mode” transforms into a threat on its own. Constant stress knocks your whole body off-track, causing physical, mental, and emotional distress.

Physical Effects of Stress

Chronic stress takes a huge toll on your physical health. That’s why you probably feel sick when you’re stressed out. Maybe you get stress headaches, maybe stress hits you in the gut, or maybe it just makes you tired. Those symptoms you feel come from the physical effects of stress, which include:

Chronic low-level inflammation, which can be triggered by high levels of a harmful alarm protein called galectin-3
Muscle tightness and pain throughout the body
Gastrointestinal issues including diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and abdominal pain
Weight gain and obesity issues
Immune system malfunctions

The way stress affects your immune system can be especially troubling. When alarm protein galectin-3 gets activated in response to stress, it kicks off a series of inflammatory reactions.

It confuses your immune system so much that it triggers immune overreactions and under-reactions. The overreactions can leave you struggling with autoimmune disease symptoms. At the same time, immune system under-reactions could leave you catching every cold, flu, or other bugs that’s going around. All of this makes it all the more important to explore natural ways to relieve stress. Read on for proven tactics…

Mental Effects of Stress

When you’re constantly stressed out, it feels much harder to think clearly. That’s because chronic stress keeps the brain flooded with high levels of cortisol — the stress hormone — and that can interfere with optimal brain function.

Chronic stress has been linked to:

Brain fog
Inability to focus
Difficulty learning and retaining new information
Trouble adapting to change
Memory lapses

Scientific research also shows a strong connection between chronic stress and Alzheimer’s disease. So learning how to manage your stress today may help protect you against that devastating loss of self in the future. Research shows that a number of healthy stress relief strategies, including those listed below, also offer protection against Alzheimer’s and other forms of cognitive decline.

Emotional effects of stress

Stress can have a whirlwind effect on your emotions. You may feel more worried, snap more easily, or have bigger emotional reactions than would normally match the situation you’re in.

And since stress triggers galectin-3, the alarm protein, it also sets off inflammation … even in your brain. That inflammation reaction is a key way that chronic stress leads to serious mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. In fact, eye-opening research shows a direct link between galectin-3 and depression, making this alarm protein a strong potential target in treating stress-related mental illness.

There are so many ways that chronic stress harms your body, mind, and mood. And while stress is unavoidable — now more than ever — you can take steps to help your body respond in a healthier way. The more effectively you cope with stress today, the healthier you’ll be for the rest of your life.

7 Natural Ways to Relieve Stress & Calm Down Your Anxiety

Coping with stress is a full-time job, and your body needs all the support it can get. That support comes from immediate actions that help you calm down at the moment, as well as longer-term solutions that increase your body’s resilience and coping abilities. Use a combination of these stress-reducing methods to calm down your mind and body no matter what life throws at you.

Meditation: If you’ve never tried meditation before, you might feel like you’re doing it wrong — but there is no wrong here. There are many different methods and techniques, so keep trying until you find a practice you feel good about. As you practice meditation over time, you’ll notice how much clearer and calmer your mind and emotions become. That helps your body better adapt to rapidly changing situations and shut down stress responses more easily. It’s one of the top stress relievers out there. And it’s free!

Nature: Spending time outdoors in nature helps your body and mind relax. Go for a walk in the woods, dip your feet in the ocean, or relax on a hammock in your backyard. Taking even 10 minutes in nature can lift your mood and reduce your stress level.

Yoga: Practicing yoga promotes relaxation for your mind and body. Yoga involves more than stretching your muscles. It involves focusing on mindful breathing and spiritual engagement. Regular yoga practice helps regulate your nervous system and reduces the harmful effects of stress.

Healthy eating: When you’re feeling stressed, your instinct may be to grab for sweet, salty, fatty foods — but those can add to your body’s stress load. Healthy foods, especially fruits and vegetables, packed with nutrients and antioxidant compounds help your body cope with the damaging effects of stress.

Exercise: Physical activity helps your body blow off steam, but its benefits don’t stop there. Exercising leads to the release of endorphins, natural “feel-good” chemicals that combat the effects of stress. Exercise also helps regulate your body’s stress responses so you become less reactive when faced with stressors. So go for a walk, take a bike ride, or dance around the room and let those endorphins kick in.

Read More: 11 Surprising Life Extenders

Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP): When it comes to supplements that reduce the effects of stress, clinically researched modified citrus pectin (MCP) doesn’t usually make the list — but it should. Along with increasing your overall resilience, MCP blocks galectin-3, the alarm protein that triggers inflammation and causes many of the harmful effects associated with chronic stress. MCP also helps clear out toxins that can stress your immune system. Those gentle detox abilities make it easier for your body to cope with other challenges, including chronic stress.

Honokiol: When stress and anxiety overwhelm your mind and your life, honokiol — a compound extracted from magnolia bark — offers quick, calming relief. Honokiol is a powerful antioxidant known to specifically improve brain health and function. It also helps reduce brain inflammation, which has been closely linked with depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. Honokiol acts like a natural antidepressant has also been shown to relieve anxiety, and demonstrates important benefits against Alzheimer’s. And when you pair honokiol with MCP, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of both increase significantly, offering more stress relief for you.

Let’s face it: Today’s stressors aren’t going away any time soon. But with proactive, natural stress management strategies, you can increase your resilience — and receive lasting benefits for every area of health.

“Ways to Relieve Stress”

Natural Ways to Relieve Stress, According to a Leading Integrative MD

By Isaac Eliaz, MD, MS, LAc

November 16, 2020