Camomile Luxurious Volumizing Shampoo - 325ml - Aubrey Organics

CHAMOMILE

Chamomile is a well-known herb amongst the general population. Its mild, pleasant taste makes it a favourite tea for soothing the digestion and nerves. Chamomile is a sedative, anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic agent that is used for arthritis, insomnia, anxiety, muscle spasms, digestive upsets, diarrhea, headaches and pain. One component of chamomile, azulene, has been shown to decrease the release of histamine and serotonin in tissues.
Serotonin and histamine promote inflammation by attracting immune cells to the area and by increasing the permeability of blood vessels so that more fluid goes into the area.

Chamomile tea or tincture can be gargled to help prevent infection and heal mouth or gum abrasions. It can also be applied topically to wounds, burns and acne for the same purpose. Chamomile has been traditionally used as a tonic for the uterus, specifically to relieve menstrual cramps.

Dried chamomile flowers are commonly made into a tea. Chamomile can also be purchased in capsules or as a tincture. Standardized preparations are available and give the consumer the assurance that the proper plant, and usually, some of an active ingredient is present. Chamomile may be found in formulas for soothing the digestive tract or relaxing the mind and body.

Chamomile is in the same plant family as ragweed therefore individuals with ragweed allergies should not use chamomile. Also, prolonged use of chamomile may lead to sensitization to ragweed. Do not use chamomile while you are pregnant or nursing. Theoretically chamomile may cause drowsiness and should not be taken when performing tasks that require alertness. Theoretically chamomile may increase the effect of sedative medications. Although both of these contraindications have never been proven clinically, caution should be observed.

HAIR HEALTH

The health of your hair reflects the health of your entire body.

Providing your body with the right nutrients and making the right lifestyle changes can slow and even halt hair loss...
The condition of our hair is often a great sign of the underlying health of our entire body, and you really are what you eat. Often our hair and nails are the first parts of us to show nutrient deficiencies and signs of illness. Although a number of products can be applied to the hair to improve its appearance, true hair health comes from the inside, out. Soft, shiny, and smooth hair is a sign of good health, and a loss of these characteristics can indicate underlying imbalances in the body.

Hair Growth
In the same way that all of the cells in our bodies are replaced over time, our hair goes through similar life cycles. For more information on these cycles, please see our Hair Loss article. Although hair is not alive itself, it is a substance produced by living hair follicle cells in our skin. Hair grows at a rate of about ½ to ¾ of an inch each month. In order for our body to produce this growth, it requires the nutritional building blocks to do so. The major building blocks of hair are: protein, fat, water, and trace minerals. The final component of hair is the pigment molecules, which give each person’s hair its distinctive colour.

Hair Protein Content
The precise amino acid content of hair and the genetic code used to manufacture it, both affect the shape, thickness, and texture of the completed hair strand. A protein called keratin makes up the vast majority of the structure of hair, between 65-95% by weight. When we don’t eat enough protein, it prevents the body from growing new hair as required. Even deficiencies in certain amino acids can cause problems, depending on your body’s particular requirements determined by your genes.

Hair Water Content
In addition to protein, hair also contains anywhere from 6-14% water by weight, depending on the humidity in the surrounding air. Hair dried with heat will have lower moisture content than hair dried at room temperature. The moisture content of hair affects its tensile strength and tendency towards friction and static. This is the reason why environmental humidity can so greatly affect the manageability of your hair. After drying with heat, the moisture content of the hair is low, and as moisture from the air transfers back into the hair over time, the style achieved by your hard work in the morning, begins to fall and frizz.

Hair Fat Content
Fat is the next major component of hair by weight, and can be found both inside the shaft of the hair, and deposited on its surface by the glands of the surrounding skin. Internal fat content accounts for 1-9% of the structure of hair, by weight. The most common fats found in hair are palmitoleic, palmitic, and oleic acids. In fact, 40-50% of the lipids found in the hair itself are unsaturated fatty acids (palmitoleic and oleic). In addition to this internal fat, there is also the protective layer of fat on the surface of the hair that affects the way the hair lays on the head. This fat layer is called sebum and is produced by glands in the skin surrounding the hair follicles. Over-washing can remove a large proportion of this protective layer and cause hair that is more prone to flyaways and static frizz. Because oil and water don’t mix, the protective layer of sebum on the surface of the hair can protect it against alteration by the humidity in the air. Thus, having some buildup of oil in your hair can help to prevent flyaways on humid days.

Hormonal Effects
Hormonal changes greatly affect the composition and texture of hair during our lifetime. This becomes most apparent at times of transition like puberty and menopause. The hair of premenopausal women was found to contain more sebum than that of postmenopausal women. As we age, our sebum production reduces and the hair’s permeability to sebum is also affected. This affects hair softness, smoothness and shine. Thus, the hormonal changes of menopause can directly affect the texture and quality of the hair. For more information on ways to combat these effects, please see our Menopause article. Interestingly, poor hormonal balance in our younger years can have similar effects on hair quality. For more information on hormonal balancing, please see our Estrogen Balance article.

Mineral Content
Hair also contains trace minerals, although usually this makes up less than 1% of its composition. Some of these minerals are incorporated during the growth process while some of them are deposited on the hair later by exposure from the environment. The hair of children in cities was found to contain much higher mineral content than those living in the country, farther from pollution.

Hair Mineral Analysis
It has been found by researchers that concentrations of metals such as cadmium, arsenic, mercury and lead in the hair tend to correlate with their concentrations of the same metals in the internal organs. Because of this fact, healthcare practitioners have become interested in performing hair mineral analysis to assess the body’s content of certain heavy metals. Testing for other minerals has proven to be less reliable than heavy metal testing in this manner.

Hair Concerns
There are a number of conditions that can affect hair growth and quality. For more information on these cases, please see our Hair Disorders article. When hair is dry and fragile, it is important to nourish it with oil to promote increased strength. This can be particularly beneficial in those with insufficient sebum production from their skin (those with dry skin). Trimming hair regularly to remove split ends early in their development can help to prevent them from traveling up the hair and further reducing its strength.