Maximize Your Hair Growth

If you are reading this, you are looking for ways to maximize your hair growth. Whether you are trying to grow out a TWA, bad haircut, or just simply trying to reach a hair growth goal; this e-book is just what you need.We live in such a show-me-now generation and want a magic pill to grow our hair overnight, basically immediate results with limited effort. That's a great wish if we ever can find that genie in a bottle but we all know its not a realistic approach in anything we are trying to accomplish. It's a give and take, no matter what the situation. If there is no struggle, there is no progress. I can't take credit for that, but it's a famous quote by Frederick Douglass that applies to pretty much any or everything in life which requires some work on our part.

The hair growth process is a tricky little thing. There are so many things to factor in when you look at the process as a whole. Your rate of hair growth varies and is genetic to start with. The average hair grows about 1⁄2 inch a month or six inches a year. Now, there is always an exception to this as some people have the luck to grow beyond that and some are on the unlucky end and grow below that number.To begin to prepare yourself and set expectations begins with knowing how the process goes naturally. Hair has a growth cycle and often times you don't notice the length right away but may notice it becoming a little thicker. There are three cycles of growth:Anagen: This is the growth phase and would last an average of 3-5 years.Catagen: This is the regression phase that begins at the end of the anagen phase and lasts approximately 10 days.Telogen: This is the rest phase and this is when your hair is released then falls out. The follicle remains inactive for 3 months then the process starts all over again. Every hair follicle goes through this cycle on it's own, otherwise all your hair would fall out at once. A normal healthy head of hair sheds about 80 hairs per day on average.

Keep in mind shedding happens during the growth phase and often is thought to be apart of the rest phase. There is a term for the shedding called exogen. In the picture you will see that the Anagon phase starts over (early phase) and that is where you see the old hair shed with the new hair beginning.Everything has a cycle and knowing how hair grows is important but keep in mind it grows unless you do something to permanently damage your hair follicle or have some sort of balding going on.Aside, from that, maintaining your length is what we would want to focus on. You don't want to lose your progress so don't beat your hair up like it's going to forgive you then fix itself. I know some of you know what I am talking about. Those individuals who dye, fry, and torture their hair, convince themselves that it will be okay as long as they deep condition. Then two months later, they are on camera saying how they damaged their hair and are on a hair journey.

What sucks about this is the fact that people see this and often times fall victim to doing as they do. Never a good thing. Have you heard the saying, "Idle hands are the devils workshop"? When you get bored and have nothing else to do, you do dumb stuff without understanding the consequences.The reality is, hair is just hair. But we all know it's apart of our identity too. It can make you confident and it can make you insecure. My goal is to help you understand how to maintain your hair and keep it healthy. If growth is your goal, all of this is your recipe.Whether you are having a set back on your journey or you are just not one of the lucky ones that get super growth through the year, it would not take you off your path. Keep in mind that you may not even always notice the difference in your length because you see it on a daily basis. Others may notice the change faster than you will so the best way to keep track is to take progress photos.Another great thing to try, get a length t-shirt that has measurements on the back. There are tons of sites selling but can be made easily yourself with a sharpie and a cheap white t-shirt.

With keeping the positivity and with ways to stay on track, keep in mind you also have to make sure you are not doing additional damage to set you backwards or stunt your progress. Heat and chemicals are the dream killers. I know when boredom strikes, your mind goes wander and your hand reaches for that wand curler for that fast fix. When in doubt, don't do it.

There are ways to help avoid damage when using heat although nothing is guaranteed as everyone's hair responds to heat differently. These are the basics to remember: 

1. Hot oil treatment prior to shampoo. This is optional but something to consider. You can use Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Castor Oil,etc. Try mixing a few of your favorites. 

2. Deep condition with a good conditioner (our Sweet Elixir and our Deep Repair Masque) There are a ton of conditioners that would work wonders but pay attention to ingredients. Make sure you see water, an oil, or butter, hydrolyzed protein, softening agents, etc. These are just a few things to look for at the top of the ingredient list. The conditioner doesn't have to have them all but the key ingredients should have a few of those items. 

3. Less is more when it comes to heat. Don't over do it or aim for super sleek hair, Sleek hair = Heat Damage. Keep the temperature low to medium. Remember hair burns at 450 degrees so it does not mean 449 degrees is safe. It is best to find a happy medium. 

4. When its time to wash after using heat, make sure you use a good strengthening treatment as well as cleansing with a good shampoo (our Rice Water Strengthening Rinse and Growth & Restore Shampoo), use a clarifying shampoo if you used any silicone based products while your hair was straight. Clarifying will help get rid of any silicone based products that you may have used while your hair was straight. 

5. Don't use heat everyday. That will most definitely give you heat damage. Wrap your hair, use rollers, or find other creative ways to style your hair while rocking your straight style.

Whether you are trying to start a challenge to maximize your hair growth or simply want to learn more about what to do and not do on your journey; the first thing you need to pay attention to is your diet.Your diet effects so many aspects of your life and is the foundation for everything. A good diet coupled with exercise not only aids in amazing hair growth but it gives you overall health and wellness to help ward off diseases to help extend your life.Exercise is a major key aside from the healthy diet because it not only reduces stress but helps to stimulate the blood flow to your scalp stimulating hair growth. High stress levels can take a toll on your hair growth process and even lead to hair loss. Some conditions that stress can lead to are Alopecia Areata, which is a sudden loss of hair that comes out in clumps. The other condition is Telogen Effluvium which is a condition where more hairs than normal prepare to fall out.Our society loves a quick fix and often we run for the fast options thinking they are healthy for us when in fact they are even worse than the alternative.

Sugar is the biggest enemy for all of us. It is extremely acidic and destroys essential vitamins and minerals that our body needs. Imagine consuming high levels of sugar daily and not knowing that you are killing all the good things that are not just essential for hair growth but for your overall health.

The old saying, "you are what you eat", has more truth to it than just trying to convince a kid to eat his or her vegetables.There are some pretty cool things that aid in hair growth that you may have never known about. 

Here are a few things you may want to consider adding into your regimen and your diet. Remember, you are what you eat and lots of the foods we consume are important to optimal hair growth.Carbs are good for you. Yes, I said it. You can actually quote me on that. We often hear everyone say low carb this, low carb that but no one actually stops to mention that not every carb is created equal. Carbs from simple sugars and junk food are the bad guys. 

The ones you want on your team are the complex carbs which are fruits, vegetables, brown rice, whole grains, etc. These are the powerhouse to energy, digest slowly without spiking insulin levels, and a good source of B complex vitamins which is essential for healthy hair.Another important dietary intake would be protein. Hair is protein and making sure you have at least 20% of your calories coming from protein sources not only aid in weight management but also helps provide strength to your hair shaft which helps reduce shedding and breakage. When you don't get enough protein for long periods of time, you will see change to your texture and have increase shedding.

Healthy hair is the direct result of a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle. You can't have good hair with a crappy diet and horrible lifestyle. I don't care how many bottles of hair growth pills you buy. You have to understand the balance of both and realize that it all works together like a team. There are essentials when it comes to vitamins you need to truly aid in hair growth. Too much of one thing is never good and you should always aim for a balance of all the essential vitamins needed. Most of the time we hear, Biotin, Biotin, Biotin. Well, it is a great vitamin to incorporate but we all know that it can cause Breakouts, Breakouts, and more Breakouts! The idea that this is the only vitamin that mainly works is wrong because there are so many more that play their role and you do see these in a good hair growth pill.

 Here are a few that you should be on the lookout for if you are considering taking a good multivitamin or hair growth supplement: Vitamin A, E, D, B, and C. 

Vitamin A aids in hair growth by helping keep a healthy scalp. It helps to keep hair moist, aids in the secretion of sebum into the scalp which keeps the hair from becoming dry and brittle. 

Vitamin E increases circulation which helps to improve oxygen intake thus resulting in hair growth. This is necessary for healthy hair follicles, to aid in regeneration, and keep the hair growing continually. A deficiency of vitamin E can cause the opposite to happen.

Vitamin D deficiency can cause hair loss and disturb the hair growth circle. Being deficient in Vitamin D shortens the anagen phase and speeds up the telogen and catagen phases. If you have a deficiency in Vitamin D, you need more exposure to sunlight, increase your intake of dairy products, or take a Vitamin D supplement.

Vitamin B has four types that are needed in order to have healthy hair. These are biotin, para amino benzoic acid, vitamin B6 and inositol. Foods high in these vitamins are milk (low or non-fat) and egg yolks. 

Vitamin C is known for the production of tyrosine in the body. This is needed to strengthen hair strands and help nourish the hair follicle cells. 

There are a few other things you should make sure you are getting in your diet in addition to these vitamins. Essential fatty acids are also important to get into your diet. The ones best for hair growth are Omega 3, 6, and 9. 

Omega 3 and 6 are not produced by our body so to get this powerhouses in, you would need to eat the right foods or take a supplement. 

Omega 3 helps to nourish your hair follicles, aids in starting hair growth, increases elasticity to help stop breakage, and reverses hair loss. In addition to that, it is know to help improve a dry/flaky scalp. 

Omega 6 is another fatty acid that helps with scalp conditions, stimulates hair growth, and can control the water loss from your hair. 

Omega 9 is considered to be a non-essential fatty acid since our bodies can generate it from unsaturated fats. This fatty acid helps to soften the hair and also controls water loss.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the hair growth process and some of the essential vitamins needed, let's dive a little deeper.If you are looking to kick start your diet to optimize your hair growth, change your skin, and maybe lose a few pounds, this is perfect for you. This will not work unless you do your part.There is no magic pill out there, despite what you see all over the internet for sale; advertising this little capsule that can give you Rapunzel hair, but they fail to mention that most will give you horrible skin. Ever wonder why? Well, one thing you should ask yourself, what is really in that little pill? 

I want to give you information to help you make the best decision for your health and to get you the nutrients that will feed your hair growth. You can’t have healthy hair without maintaining a good vitamin/mineral balance within your body.If you fill a gas tank with sugar, what happens? The car will run and will drive until you turn it off but the damage to the car is already done. The sugar will crystalized and damage parts in your car. Think of your body in a similar way. If you do not eat right and continue fueling your body with the wrong things, your body will break down and not perform at it’s best.One thing we often forget is that healthy hair growth does depend on a few things: your haircare routine, your overall diet, and most importantly your genetics.

Our genetics can’t be changed but we can certainly control our lifestyle and how we treat our hair. These magic pills tend to forget to tell you that.Now, it may seem like I am throwing shade toward hair supplements, on the contrary. 

What I am pointing out is this: spending $25.00 per bottle monthly to intake a capsule with nutrients promising hair growth- is just that- a promise.In most cases you are left with empty bottles, a little bit of growth in the beginning and possibly bad skin. One main reason why I am writing this is to help you understand that taking those pills does not mean you are getting the amount of nutrients indicated on the label or even worse you getting additional stuff that could be harmful to you. 

The idea is to change your mindset that easy isn't always best. I want to paint a picture about overall health. Your health is the foundation for living your best life.Dietary supplements are treated like special foods and are regulated differently than a prescription or non-prescription drug. These companies are prohibited from altering any product they sell but this doesn’t mean they don't do it or don't get away with it. Of course, if a company cuts corners and the companies products are reported as altered or misbranded; the FDA is responsible to take action.

By the time this is all figured out, you could have been taking a product for months and God knows what you could have been exposing yourself to. Keep in mind this is definitely the worst case but it’s an eye opener when you think of big business finding ways to cut corners and save a penny or two. With all the products on the market, how many do you think go unnoticed?

 Now, I don't want to scare you and have you afraid to take a vitamin if you have a deficiency due to your diet. But I do want to shine a light on what it means to try to get your body the nutrients it needs, the right way. If you have to take supplements, look for the most natural ones with little to no fillers or artificial coloring/flavor.With liquid or powder vitamins your body absorbs them better than vitamins in a pill form. 

Your body will absorb approximately 98 percent of the vitamins and minerals in liquid or powder (can be capsules) form whereas the body will only absorb about 3 to 20 percent of the vitamins that are in a pill form. Another plus with liquid orpowder vitamins, they do not need to go through the digestive processing as they go directly into the bloodstream within minutes. The choice to choose a liquid or powder vitamin over a pill form is a no- brainer if you want your body to absorb more nutrients. 

So ask yourself, are you willing to waste your money on bottles and bottles of pills or change your diet (or also incorporate a liquid or powderform hair vitamin)?Let's start some of the groundwork. Think about your diet daily. Are you getting in lots of fruits, vegetable, and a good amount of protein? There are certain foods you need to keep in your diet daily. It doesn't have to be an extra burden and it definitely doesn't have to be expensive. It's always about balance and learning to pay attention to what you are putting in your mouth. 

We live in such a fast paced society that we are use to having what we want at our fingertips often not realizing these quick fixes are damaging us from the inside out. Small changes can not only help you reach your hair growth goals but it can change your overall health.One thing to always consider before starting any diet or lifestyle change is to consult with your primary care provider.

 If you have certain health conditions such as diabetes, you want to be careful of your sugar levels.Something else to be aware of, some vegetables are more potent when cooked. Cooking certain vegetables helps to boost the ability for your body to absorb all of their nutrients. A good example would be Kale, Spinach, Carrots, and Tomatoes. 

These veggies are powerhouses but the nutritional value of them are increased when cooked. Take Spinach for example, the amount of calcium actually triples when you cook it.So whether you want to be a juicing diva, a smoothie queen, or simply incorporate these items into your meal, it's up to you and your lifestyle. You can most certainly be a mixture of them all. One great tip is you choose to use some of these veggies in your daily diet slowly to get use to having them daily. Smoothies would be a great way to start since you can get a lot in all at once.