#Iron deficiency effects on hair

[healthmonastery]

Iron Deficiency - Causes, Symptoms, and How to Fight Back

In the grand theater of health, iron plays a leading role, but its importance often goes unnoticed until the curtains rise on an unexpected villain: iron deficiency. This common concern affects millions worldwide, sapping energy and dimming vitality. But fear not, for in this spotlight, we’ll uncover the causes, symptoms, and arm you with the knowledge to triumph over iron deficiency. The Iron…

[love-in-my-twenties]

Habits that changed my life for the better

I stopped joking about myself. It was mostly about suicide jokes (it was a decision that I made after the worst moment of my journey with depression, if I can call it that), but, really, it's about all self-deprecating stuff. It may be just jokes, but it stays in your brain.

Positive attitude. It's similar to manifestation, in a way, but in a... down to earth way, I guess. Thinking positively about stuff changes everything for me. Almost everything is simpler.

I deleted Twitter. It may be a different social media for everyone, of course - now probably TikTok for most - but, well, Twitter was where I spent long hours everyday. I started taking breaks from it about a year and a half ago and deleted it in August. It was hard - I loved the community there and I miss the daily updates from my fav fandoms, but it's for the best. I still can't explain how Twitter affected me but I do feel better since I stopped spending so much time there.

Taking vitamins. I didn't think it would really make a difference but it definitely did. The biggest surprise for me was vitamin C - my immune system has improved super quickly when I started supplementing it. I didn't even realise how bad it was before. Other than that, I take B complex, A+E (hair, skin), and iron (i tend to have a deficiency of it). (& D when it's winter).

Having a consistent skin care routine. It's calming and both doing the routine and seeing the effects make me feel better. (I do realise that many people have more demanding skin than me and searching for the right products can be frustrating and expensive. I'm just talking about my experience).

Other things that I think are worth mentioning:

Therapy - just a short explanation that I've been on therapy (with breaks) for about 6 years now. I've had social anxiety for most of my life, now still struggle with depression (and amnesia, actually) a bit, but what I wanted to mention here is that I learned a lot from it. It's obvious, but I just think it's important to pinpoint that I did not just learn how to think more positively and love myself by myself.

Exercising! - I still struggle to make it a habit, but when I actually do exercise regularly (I do pilates), I really feel better. It's worth it.

Hydration - same with drinking water. I really don't think I have to explain it in any way lol.

[chic-diet-inspired]

hiii! Do u eat any vitamins to prevent and help with side effects of ⭐ ving and do they actually work😭

Cuz i saw a post with a list of vitamins and now I can't find it

It said something like calcium for deteriorating teeth and bones

And some other stuff for hair loss, skin and nails

SUPPLEMENTS

Yes there are lots of supplements you should be taking incase you are fasting or restricting loads. Your body may start falling apart if you don't. I sometimes see people on here eat like a bag of cheerio's and a pack of biscuit and say they reached their cal limit, when they have not eaten anything that was actually nutritious (and also won't help them lose weight). I remember when I first started getting those deficiency markings on my nails. I hunted everything on the internet about it. It was either calcium or zinc deficiency. I had to look into my diet.

I know that Ed is supposed to be self-destructive and some people are okay with the deteriorating health(sometimes it is their goal) but I want to be a parent in the future and therefore I make sure to take care of myself. I do not judge anyone who does not want kids or are happy with the side effect of not having periods, struggling with an Ed is hard on itself and this community should be as tight knit as possible and support each other.

Back to the topic, I take zinc and iron supplements(Zinc for good hair and skin and iron for good periods and blood flow) because I noticed that I was having a lot of hairfall. Similarly I had tried being vegan and it didn't work out for me much, hence the white marks on my nails. I need the calcium. I also use vitamin E externally for hair and skin. Also everyone in my family takes a vitamin D3 tablet once every fortnight. I try to get all my macros in for the day, eat balanced diet with protein, carbs and veggies(roughage), and then when I have completed my daily quota of healthy eating only then can eat one thing that I like. I also practice intuitive eating. But again what works for me may not work for you.

So my suggestion, see what feels right for your body. Look at the signs and what you are lacking a consume those supplements. And again supplements in themselves can be expensive as well so if possible try to change your diet first to cater to your needs. And also consuming supplements over a long period of time can cause resistance to them. This happened to my grandma. She used (and still takes, god knows why) calcium supplements but when she fractured one of the bones in her spinal cords the doctor looked it up and found out that she has calcium deficiency and none of the supplements were working for her. They had to give her calcium shots. So be careful what you put in you body.

And again look for what time each supplements needs to be taken, how it is going to work and what foods to avoid in case you are taking them. Like lesser salt consumption in case you decide to take iodine.

Here I attached some pictures that might help.

[unicyclehippo]

ok so i submitted a story for a competition & didn't get far but i was pretty happy with it so imma post it here for y'all. pls enjoy!

YEAR OF THE WOLF

Blood and shampoo wash pink down the shower drain. My body aches, back hot with pain. I gotta stretch more, I think, before remembering what time of month it is.

I’m not stupid, I want that to be known up top.

Tired? Yes. A bit forgetful now and then? Certainly. Overly reliant on blind optimism? Of course. Who can afford for things to go wrong these days? But stupid? No. Not about this, anyway. I’ve known for almost a decade that I’m a werewolf. I just thought if I ignored it long enough it would stop, or at least stay low on the list of important things I had to deal with—somewhere between turning thirty and the world burning down around our ears.

Still, it manages to take me by surprise each month. I see the blood, feel the shift-pull-crack of bones and vitals, the wet throb of viscera and organs, as my body reshapes itself. The wolf and I share a space not big enough for two; something must give way.

I lose time daydreaming about it. Transforming. My only plan for the day is work, maybe video games later, cooking dinner. I could call in sick. I could clear away the bathmat and towels and fall to my hands and knees and change into something bloody and terrible and wonderful, I could lay myself down on the soft carpet in the sunrays, decadent, I could leap from my balcony, powerful, and lope away into the bush off the track to explore the silver-blue of the leaves and the cathedral termite mounds, I could—

The shower pipes groan, rattle, and spit freezing water down onto me.

I don’t transform.

I towel off. The mirror shows me a human with the same soft features as ever. Shampoo suds clinging to my shoulders. Hair cut short and plastered down on chalk-white skin paler than usual. The doctor warned me low iron was a side-effect of transformation but I look myself over for another cause. Lift my arms, twist to check my back. There’s a pimple or two where my binder digs in but no injuries. I promise the doctor in my head I’ll bring it up at our next appointment.

My doctor is a careful woman, dedicated and precise. She sits primly and dresses well—her blouse is fashionable, flowery, her trousers professional and practical. She keeps notes in a leatherbound book and her thoughts securely behind her eyes. She asked me to keep track of any changes Inoticed. I pull out a crumpled receipt where I’d scrawled some notes.

tired

hungry

headaches

more dreams than usual

tired—oh I already wrote that down. still true

irritated way more by stuff?

jaw hurts?

‘Alright,’ she says, writing it down on her page about me.

I sit hunched opposite her, then fix my posture, then let my shoulders droop again, conscious of being too broad, too big. In the time it takes for her to commit a few brief notes to paper, I’m struggling not to get distracted by the lights and their electric buzz—the popping stop and start as the filaments crackle in the bulbs. My eyes wander over neat stacks of paperwork, a penholder with all the pens pointed in the same direction.

‘We’re going to order a blood test. You’re right, the fatigue and headaches could be an indicator of iron deficiency.’

‘Okay.’

‘Do you know if there’s a history?’

‘Of…iron deficiency?’

She smiles. ‘Of lycanthropy.’

The question makes my head spin. There’s been some excitement about there being some genetic predisposition to lycanthropy (unconfirmed), which half my friends were leery of, seeing the research as another way for hunters to exterminate us, and half took to romantic spirals, daydreaming about their ancestors being just like them. But the doc is asking about, like, my parents and grandparents, and it makes me laugh.

‘No. No way.’ I think harder. Is it possible? My maternal grandparents, definitely not. But my dad’s parents…I don’t know that well. ‘I could ask, maybe.’

After the three haphazard sessions we’ve had stretching across eleven months, which chiefly feature my repeated and sustained reluctance to talk, she indicates her doubt with a quiet raised brow.

It’s fair. I don’t tend to do things I don’t want to do, even if they’re important. Sometimes, especially if they’re important.

At the end of our fifteen-minute session, she walks me to the door and beneath the stench of eucalyptus-scented cleaner that makes my nose itch and head ache, I catch a whiff of her cologne. Wood pine and wild.

I think about it all day.

Has she helped me because she’s like me? The thought races ahead of me, tempting; I sprint after it. I wonder what she wears at home. Does she google boxers for bed because they seem so comfortable? Does she veer at the last moment to Boyfriend shorts! Now in satin – for HER! Or does she kick the world off at the front door next to her shoes and just…exist. Is she like me? Just a person who does things? Or is she a woman who does things? Or a person who does woman things or a woman who does womanly things or a woman who does things knowing they’re not womanly and caring or not caring? Does she splinter the cage that would contain her and let the hungry animal of her body carry her to meat and sleep and hunting and to the warmth of her partner at rest?

Is she like me?

As a kid, I wanted to take karate. My brother wanted to sing. Somehow, I ended up in the music class. It was in a demountable that creaked, off-key, with every step and stunk of the creek next door. The singing teacher had a red round face and told me not to sing too loud—I was practicing to be part of the choir, I should be part of the group. That group was made up entirely of nervous and near-silent girls who shivered with the desire above all else not to stand out. (I learned that part well.)

On the other side of school, my brother stood in karate class with a teacher who ignored him and older boys who picked on him—he was short back then, with baby fat still on his cheeks, and had a close relationship with boredom and distraction that came from being smarter than most.

Once we figured out the joke being played on us, our places switched, we made a pact to teach each other what we learned. It didn’t last. Within three lessons, I spent more time on the walk to the classroom than in class; I dawdled in the fields and by the creek, tracking beetles and digging for dinosaur bones in the mud. When I did arrive, it was twenty-five minutes late with dirt under my nails and finally the teacher told me not to show up. My brother took a faster approach and called the teacher a moron. Mum had to pick him up early from class and neither of us learned very much.

My gran lives hours away and I never got the impression she liked me much. I think about sitting in her drawing room, the sticky-sugar smell from bottles of fancy port on the shelf, and her sitting opposite, eyes hawklike, mouth pursed and tongue sharp. I don’t visit her. I think about asking my dad instead and, while he does like me, he doesn’t like werewolves and I’m not ready to risk exile.

I get my blood drawn. The doctor prescribes iron pills and congratulates me on my teeth coming in.

My mother doesn’t like my sharp teeth or short hair or the way I sit. I want to tell her I didn’t do anything to my teeth; that if anyone is to blame for the handsome jut of my canines, the neat, careful way they can tear flesh from bone, it’s her. She made me. But saying stuff like that only opens up the room for more questions.

‘Do you like it? Looking like that?’

It will hurt her if I say yes. When you are a daughter, wanting to change means you don’t want to become your mother, which means you don’t love her.

I can’t say no.

The wolf stirs. It wants me to say yes. It loves fiercely and loves me most of all. But it isn’t the one who has to live here—work, be a daughter, a sister. It won’t be the one who has to listen to my mother tell me to be sure before I tell anyone else because there’s no going back and people will hate me for it, just for being, and that she can’t support me doing that to myself, that it’s against the god she’s never thought twice about, and has someone talked me into it?

I’m not ready for that.

‘It’s just teeth,’ I say.

She shakes her head but doesn’t ask any more questions. I think she’s scared I’ll tell her the truth.

am i a coward?

My friend Luna takes a long while to answer.

While I wait, I wash the dishes I’ve been “soaking” for three days; the kitchen smells of dish soap when I’m done and the world is a little cleaner. Outside, my balcony is drenched in sunlight. I make my coffee and sit out there, turning my nose to the wind. Somewhere close by, someone is cooking chicken loaded up with paprika. It’s more accurate to say they’re burning chicken. Next door, my neighbour digs through the rich dirt of their garden and plants rosemary and lavender.

My phone lights up.

No, she says. Then, Why do you ask?

the whole werewolf thing. i won’t transform, wont tell my family.

This reply is much faster. Definitely not.

i feel like one

First of all, you transform when it’s right & as much or little as you want & that changes from person to person. Second, being safe is not cowardly.

yeah

Do you want to tell them?

The coffee is gorgeously strong. After a few gulps, I feel like someone has brushed the cobwebs out of my head.

it’s like. there’s this version of me in their heads that isn’t real yknow. like im not a person im a cloud in person shape & sometimes they get a glimpse of my hand or whatever. & its safe inside the cloud its harder to hit me but . they cant see me

Mm

sorry i know this is teenager shit

In the distance, a fire alarm starts to blare.

No it’s good. I get it, obviously. And you know my parents were awful when I told them but we go running every month now. The question isn’t “am I a coward”. The question is, are you prepared to confront that version of yourself in their heads? Are you ready for it to change?

i wish i knew. how it would change i mean. bc i feel like if i knew for Sure that they would take it badly then that’s one thing & i could deal w that. & if i knew theyd be fine w it i could deal with That but. i don’t know. & its freaking me out. but it’s also like…ok i don’t live w them, i’ve got a job, idont rely on them for anything. what real bad consequences could there be?

Dots pop up at the bottom of the screen. They disappear after a minute, then reappear, as Luna takes her time to answer. Finally, she says,

By announcing the real version of yourself, you open yourself up to vulnerability. Things that didn’t bother you before will feel uncomfortable or hurt because it touches you. And when you change the way that you exist in the eyes of people who are supposed to love you unconditionally, you invite the possibility that they will reveal the love was in fact conditional & not for you, that you somehow failed to live up to the person they imagined you to be

mate i’m already scraping the bottom lol

You’re wonderful, Luna says, because she can tell when a joke isn’t really a joke. Her worst trait. If they can’t see that, it doesn’t mean it’s not true.

yeah

You don’t have to tell everyone. You could pick whoever would take it best & get someone on your side. When I take too long to answer, Luna sends a string of photos—her dogs, her family in matching hiking shirts, the view of the nearly full moonon her side of the world. I’m on your side, she says. Always. Let me know how it goes.

The full moon burns, beckons. We are both gloriously awake this time. I have never been more awake. The sky is a black lake and when it rains we taste space and stars and smog. The stairs are slick with the rain. On all fours we are sure, quick, eager! The grass is waiting for us! Splendid! Everything is incandescent in silver, including me. The grass—dew-wet, green scent full in our nose—invites us to roll in it, sticks its seedlings to our fur, tagalongs on our adventure. We run! Smell everything! ticklegrass wetmoss possum pee BUG rough brick mud SPIKY plant big tree lavender dog smell road gutter old leaves bird feathers vinegar shARP on my tongue bag crinkles between our teeth

The days’ heat still smoulders on the surface of the road. We are standing in the centre of it, massive, when a car crests the hill. It stops, engine rumbling and blue-glare lights illuminating us. It waits for us to cross the road before driving on. The driver stares from their seat. In one easy jump, we clear the fence and disappear.

Three more streets and the road ends. The world is huge, bigger than I could have imagined. There’s dirt here! dirt mud rocks beetles scuffling under the leaves koala musk leads to claw marks at the base of trees.

The wolf likes it when I’m awake. It wants to show me the world. Look, its questing nose says, look what you miss out on when you sleep.

It takes us to a termite mound and we listen to them sing.

We stay out all night, trekking through the pocket of national park. I am the biggest thing in the forest. Nothing frightens me. We find a creek filled with every fascination the world has to offer. Ten thousand wet stones, bottle caps, an ill-tempered fish.

When the sun rises, I am sore and covered in blood. I call my brother to pick me up. I stand by the edge of the park to wait for him; at the bottom of the hill, the highway stretches out like a grey branch, cars buzzing along it like bugs. A firefly splits off from it, flying towards me.

The yellow of the headlights cuts through the trees. Inside the car, my brother jumps when he sees me and the light reflecting off my eyes. The wolf is still awake and we move fast and strong to the passenger side door.

He knows.

I can tell. Smell it on him, see it in his uneasy posture. He knows and still I can’t say it. It feels like I’ve swallowed a bird whole, alive. It trembles, stuck in my throat. When I think about talking it pecks at my tongue and if I open my mouth, if I try to explain, he will see my bloody tongue and the bird and he’ll see me all wrong, all the ugly brutish parts of me I’d like to keep hidden, if I can.

The wolf is still awake. It isn’t scared; it is massive and powerful, it can bite through anything, it can run forever without getting tired. We can. And if there is ever a time to talk to my brother, to let him know who I am, it is now.

I do not want him to think I am a bloody-mouthed girl.

I want him to know I am not a coward. I am myself, a werewolf, alive and finally happy for it.

The wolf yawns. I catch a glimpse of my teeth in the mirror, sharp.

‘Hey.’ Of all the ways to break a very tense silence, it’s not the worst. ‘Thank you. For picking me up.’

He risks a look at me, away from the road. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Yeah.’

A muscle tics in his cheek as he chews on silence. He’s upset that I won’t say more. So am I. I want to. The bird is in the way. I have always had to trick myself into talking; it is never easy, not in doctor’s office, not in my parents’ home, not in the forest, or my brother’s car.

We slow. Ahead, the traffic lights paint the dashboard red. The car shivers around us, idling. I can feel it shake through my bare feet, dirty and scratched up from the rocks, pressed to the rubber floor mats.

The first word comes out like a pulled tooth.

‘I—need to say.’ He glances my way. I think, briefly, about jumping out the window but the light turns green so I can’t. I have to talk instead. ‘I’m a werewolf.’

He drives. I realise he must have been waiting to talk, really talk, because this is the first time I’ve been in his car without music playing.

‘I think the proper term is lycanthrope,’ he says, finally.

‘Dude.’

‘Sorry. Just, medically speaking...’ He shakes his head. Drums his fingers against the wheel. ‘How long?’

‘I dunno.’ I do. A decade of knowing and doing nothing about it. Almost a year of thinking very hard about it and doing slightly more.

He knows me better than my doctor; both his eyebrows shoot up to his hairline, entirely unconvinced.

‘I’m still me,’ I tell him, because that’s what everyone says in books and movies. I guess it’s what you’re supposed to say. What I want to say is that I’m more me than ever. What I want him to say is thank you, and I’m his favourite person, and that he understands how hard it was for me to share but he’s proud of me. But I would have to ask for that and the bird in my throat won’t budge.

‘Okay. Wow. So… Are you going to move? Change your name? Are you going to get claws? A tail?’

‘Okay, never ask me that again.’ He laughs. ‘And no. I don’t think so. I kind of like that it’s not super obvious. It’s no-ones business but mine.’

‘And mine now.’ I think he’s smiling, a little. ‘Why did you tell me? If you don’t want anyone to know?’

I wish I was still a wolf. If I were a wolf, I would howl and people would understand. The tenor, the tremble, the shivering cadence. There would be no need for picking the right words, no eye contact, no consequences for an ill-timed joke, no shame for feeling everything so big and weird, like there’s a forest in my chest and a songbird choir blocking up my throat. My hands itch as the claws retract under my skin and I fight to keep from scratching, fidgeting. I turn to stare out the window.

To his reflection in the glass, I say, ‘I want you to like me.’

‘Of course I like you—’

‘I’m louder like this,’ I whisper. He looks unconvinced, which is fair. I’m still hiding. ‘Messy. Bigger and stubborn and hairier and angrier. It’s not the wolf. I’m like that too. I wanna be like that. Real. I’m so—I’m so tired. All the time. I don’t want to pretend anymore. I want to be me and I want you to like me as me.’

My back aches as everything in me crunches back into place. The wolf is asleep and it has left me alone with my words and my brother.

‘I really love you,’ he tells me as he pulls up outside my house. He puts his hand warm on mine. He doesn’t flinch at the blood. He hugs me close. Plucks a leaf from my hair.

My brother offers to come with me to tell our parents. It probably would have been smart but I’m still wary. If it goes bad…I don’t want him to see that.

‘How did it happen?’ my mother asks when I’m done, like it’s something you can catch.

For a moment, I entertain the thought of lying.

Do you remember my uni friend? Verne? Well he’s part of a pack and if he brings in three new werewolves over three months, and they each bring in three new werewolves, he gets a bonus. Why? Are you interested in this exciting new life opportunity?

I can’t joke about it yet. Worst outcome, she thinks I’m serious about it being a some kind of cult. Less worse but still bad outcome, she thinks I’m being unserious about the whole thing. Nevermind that I have thought about it every day for ten years, this inevitable confrontation, this moment where I have to explain myself, defend my existence, back up my claims with proof and research like it’s my thesis. I tell her,

‘It just made sense.’

She likes that less than she would have if I’d joked about it, gets all stiff and pinched.

‘It doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t understand where this is coming from—you’re human. You’re not –‘ She shakes her head. ‘Maybe if you left the house more often. These things you’re imagining about yourself, if you were around more people…you’re not like that. You’re lovely,’ she insists. ‘You’re not that.’

It should hurt to hear. It probably does, in a way I’ll feel five years down the line, and I’ll wish that I had bit back, told her that just because she thinks there’s something wrong with me doesn’t make it true.

My dad hasn’t said anything.

When I look at him, he’s staring down at his plate. He eats everything on it, even the tomatoes he usually tries to hide under the broccoli stems. Then he stands, puts it in the dishwasher, and walks away.

‘It’ll pass,’ my mother tells me. ‘You’ll come to your senses. This won’t last—don’t do anything permanent. Don’t do anything you’ll regret.’

Don’t give in.

Don’t transform.

Don’t smile wide enough to show your teeth.

Don’t tell anyone else.

I realise I’ve been trying my hardest not to do anything, like being nothing would be preferable to being me. When did I get the idea that to starve would be better than anyone seeing me hungry?

‘I don’t want to hide anymore.’

‘But it’s no-one’s business,’ she insists. ‘I don’t understand why anyone needs to know, I mean, I don’t go around telling people I’m human.’

The words sound different coming from her mouth but they’re the same.

It’s no-ones business but mine. That’s what I told my brother and I thought I meant it but now I think I was still scared. Biting off bits of myself before anyone pulled out the silverware and cut it from me.

There’s a bird in my throat and the little bastard is choking me. It’s not fair. I don’t want to die without saying what I mean for once.

I bite down on it, blood between my teeth.

‘It’s not the same thing,’ I snap. There’s a gorgeous growl to my words I’ve never heard before. No one told me that would happen. I love it. I love the sound of my voice. ‘No one tries to kill you because you’re human.’

‘Exactly!’

When I stand up fast, chair scraping against the floor, she freezes. Caught between telling me to pick up the chair first and not knowing how to talk to a monster in her daughter’s skin.

It hadn’t occurred to me that telling the truth wouldn’t change just me.

Staring back at my mother, I find I don’t much like the woman I see. If that’s what awaited me, I’m glad to have changed. The world is huge and beautiful and painful and I am kinder, stronger, hardier for it.

I pick up my bag from the floor.

‘I’m the same person, it’s just now you know I’m a werewolf. When we went out for lunch last week? Werewolf. When I got you groceries when you were sick? Werewolf. Every birthday, holiday, every vacation we’ve had since I was nineteen? Werewolf.’

She looks sick. Puts a hand on the counter to steady herself.

When I get home, I’m going to curl up in my closet for a week. The bird is going to come back any second now with backup. Eagles, this time. ‘I’ve had a really long time to think about this and you haven’t so I’m - I’ll give you time. But you should know that I’m happy and healthy and safe. All the things you said you wanted for me.’

As I leave her house, maybe for the last time, I hope she’ll call. I don’t know if she will.

I have been sleeping better and dreaming more. In my dreams, I am always the same. I have a wolf head, with sharp teeth and keen eyes. I sing with a powerful voice that has unsettled for centuries. I cannot see my pack but I can hear them out there, howling. My body is the same; the only difference are the claw marks across my flat chest, red and raw and careful. I am not dead, only transformed.

[nightbunnysong]

Boost hair growth naturally

THE BIOCHEMICAL POWER OF TEAS AND NUTRIENT-RICH FOODS

Herbal teas and their role in hair growth

🌸Green Tea

Active Components

the powerhouse in green tea is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a potent antioxidant

Biochemical Mechanism

EGCG helps in blocking the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, which converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Elevated DHT levels are linked to hair loss, particularly androgenetic alopecia (male and female pattern baldness). By reducing DHT production, green tea helps in preventing hair follicle shrinkage and hair thinning. Additionally, the polyphenols in green tea enhance blood circulation to the scalp, ensuring that hair follicles receive the necessary nutrients and oxygen to thrive.

Usage

Drink 2-3 cups of green tea daily to reap its hair-boosting benefits. It can also be used as a rinse post-shampooing to stimulate the scalp directly.

🌸Nettle Tea

Active Components

Nettle is rich in iron, silica, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, D, and K.

Biochemical Mechanism

Nettle tea works as a natural DHT blocker, similar to green tea. Its high iron content supports hemoglobin production, enhancing oxygen delivery to the scalp and hair follicles. This is crucial because a well-oxygenated scalp provides an optimal environment for hair growth. The silica and sulfur in nettle also strengthen hair strands, improving hair’s structural integrity and reducing breakage.

Usage

Regular consumption of nettle tea (1-2 cups daily) can provide these essential nutrients. Additionally, a cooled nettle infusion can be used as a hair rinse to further strengthen hair shafts.

🌸Rosemary Tea

Active Components

Rosemary contains ursolic acid and caffeic acid.

Biochemical Mechanism

Ursolic acid found in rosemary improves scalp circulation, similar to EGCG in green tea. This ensures that hair follicles are well-nourished, promoting robust hair growth. Rosemary also has anti-inflammatory properties, which help in maintaining a healthy scalp environment by reducing potential scalp conditions like dandruff, which can hinder hair growth.

Usage

Drinking 1-2 cups of rosemary tea daily or using it as a hair rinse can provide these benefits. Infusing rosemary oil into your tea can further amplify its effects due to the added antioxidants.

Nutrient-dense foods for hair growth

🌸Biotin-rich foods

Key Foods

Eggs, almonds, sweet potatoes, spinach, and seeds.

Biochemical Mechanism

Biotin (Vitamin B7) is crucial for the production of keratin, the structural protein that makes up your hair. It acts as a coenzyme in fatty acid synthesis, which is essential for the growth and repair of cells, including hair cells. A deficiency in biotin can lead to hair thinning and brittleness.

Incorporation

Incorporate biotin-rich foods into your diet regularly. For example, adding a boiled egg to your breakfast or including sweet potato as a side dish can help maintain adequate biotin levels.

🌸Iron-rich foods

Key Foods

Lentils, red meat, spinach, and fortified cereals.

Biochemical Mechanism

Iron is essential for producing hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to tissues, including the scalp. Oxygenated blood nourishes hair follicles, facilitating the growth of strong, healthy hair. Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of hair loss, particularly in women.

Incorporation

Combine iron-rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods like oranges or bell peppers to enhance absorption. For example, a spinach salad with orange slices can optimize iron intake and support hair growth.

🌸Omega-3 fatty acids

Key Foods

Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts.

Biochemical Mechanism

Omega-3 fatty acids are integral to maintaining the lipid barrier of the scalp, which helps retain moisture and protect hair from drying out and breaking. They also reduce inflammation, which can sometimes hinder hair growth by causing scalp conditions like psoriasis or dandruff. Omega-3s contribute to the overall health of cell membranes in the scalp, making them more resilient.

Incorporation

Aim to consume fatty fish at least twice a week or add flaxseeds to your smoothies or cereals. Walnuts can also be a great snack option to keep your omega-3 levels adequate.

🌸Zinc-rich foods

Key Foods

Oysters, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, and cashews.

Biochemical Mechanism

Zinc plays a key role in DNA and RNA production, which is essential for the division of hair follicle cells. It also helps regulate the production of androgens, a hormone linked to hair loss when imbalanced. Moreover, zinc helps in repairing hair tissue and maintaining oil glands around hair follicles, which are crucial for healthy hair growth.

Incorporation

Include zinc-rich foods in your diet, like a handful of pumpkin seeds as a snack or adding chickpeas to salads and stews.

🌸Vitamin E-rich foods

Key Foods

Sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, and avocados.

Biochemical Mechanism

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps repair damaged hair follicles, which can be a barrier to hair growth. It also improves blood circulation to the scalp, ensuring that hair follicles are nourished. Vitamin E helps balance oil production in the scalp, preventing dryness or excess oil, both of which can impede hair growth.

Incorporation

Sprinkle sunflower seeds on your yogurt or salads, or incorporate avocados into your meals for a healthy dose of vitamin E.

[photos from Pinterest]

[jasmine326]

Ninja headcanon time y'all!!

I'm under stimulated, bored, and obsessing over the ninja Bois!! So here are some headcanons I have about their powers.

I feel like you can't have such powerful abilities without there being drawbacks and mishaps:

Kai being always hot, even when it's snowing outside he's wearing sandals and a tank top. You could probably cook bacon on his skin on a hot day. When Lloyd was a kid and he was cold he would definitely sit and hug his big bro on the couch while he played video games.

Jay absolutely, under no circumstances, can NOT, go out in a thunderstorm. He will be struck with lightning. I mean it obviously won't kill him, it's his own element after all, but it will ruin his clothes, hurt like absolute hell, and gives him such a rush you'd think he was on crack. You thought he talked a lot normally, wait till he's been struck twice with lightning in the past ten minutes.

Cole has to have way more vitamins and minerals than the rest of the ninja on a daily basis. If he spends two days or more without a good healthy meal full of all the good stuff he'll start to feel the effects ex. The iron deficiency thing (you know what I'm talking abt).

Zane doesn't really have a lot to worry about, he can probably get too cold but he has some antifreeze to counteract that 💀. He's a machine and he's efficient, though that doesn't stop him from having to pick ice out of his gears sometimes. He'll wake up in the morning and he can't move his arm or his leg and he'll ask Nya for her hair dryer or Kai for his fire to thaw him out.

Nya drinks so much water, like gallons a day. She drank a lot of water when she was little but it definitely increased when she unlocked her elemental powers. She is so sensitive to dehydration that if she ate a Popeyes biscuit she'd die on the spot.

Lloyd is usually super chill, but sometimes when it's been real quiet on the crime front in ninjago he'll get so energetic. His element is energy (idk what they've been doing in dragons rising so his power is still energy to me don't @ me) so when he hasn't had to use his power it makes him super hyper and restless. Because of this, while his brothers are off being lazy he'll go train for a little bit and get some of that energy off. This leads to him having more training under his belt than the other ninja.

(prolly been done before but oh well there's nothing new under the sun as they say ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯)

[poedays]

Specific things about my Listeners (because why not)

This includes: Angel, Babe, Sweetheart (Redacted Audio), and Knight, Ranger, and Seer (CastleAudios).

—- —- —-

Angel:

Cassidy Shaw | She/They/He

- ‘I / Me / Myself’ by Will Wood is her song, she listened to it when it came out and obsessed over it. Cass is a certified Will Wood fan and it is a part of their personality.

- Makes jokes about having dropped out of high school, and to this day no one knows if they’ve been joking or not.

- > At times David has believed they aren’t joking simply because of some of the questionable things they get wrong.

- Has wing tattoos on her shoulder blades as an homage to their pet name.

- Got David to teach her how to box and is really passionate about it.

Babe:

Ellis Talbot-Ettore | He/Him

- Has Italian heritage and parallels Ash’s terrible skills in cooking.

- > The two have had little homemade pizza nights and Asher admits that homemade is better than Max’s, but he still orders out a lot for the wings mostly.

- Goes to the gym pretty regularly with the mantra ‘have to work out to be able to carry Asher’. Ellis used to just think this as a joke but after the Inversion he’s really focused on this in a trauma way.

- Wanted to be a firefighter when he was growing up. He had the friendly demeanour and passion, but somewhere along the way he was pushed towards a more scholarly career.

- Is really interested in Venus-Flytraps.

Sweatheart:

Calvin ‘Cal’ | They/He

- Makes Calvin Klein Jokes.

- Has an iron deficiency but forgets to take their pills so they end up crashing a lot of the time. Work at the department does not help with the sleep schedule nor remembering things before or after work.

- > Milo often goes with them to get iron infusions. The department covers most of their health insurance to make sure no one complains about any side effects of how things are run.

- When they were growing up, phasing through things made them throw up due to some sort of motion sickness.

- Has an older sister that begged them not to join the department and whenever the two see each other work is a bitter topic of conversation.

—- —- —-

Knight:

Wilson | He/Him

- Does not introduce himself as Wilson, or anything to do with his actual name. He just says ‘my friends call me knight’ and that’s that.

- > Claire and Beth call him Will.

- He has ‘if lost, return to Claire Greene’ sewn into the collar of his shifter clothes and when he shifts the little sash around his back paw (see castle’s post about the shifter clothes) says the same thing.

- Has been defenestrated by Beth once or twice.

- Have had half joking, half completely serious conversations with Evie about enjoying being called ‘puppy’.

- > He will never outright admit it because he knows somehow that Claire and Beth will find out and make fun of him for it.

Ranger:

Ava | She/Her

- Literally no one calls her Ava, it’s nickname after nickname after nickname. Except for Diane, Diane calls her Ava and no one else has that privilege.

- Was in Girl Scouts.

- Her parents forbid her to cut her hair short when she was growing up so when she moved to Glenwood, she cut it all off to a pixie-cut.

- > She runs her hand through her hair when she’s stressed.

Seer:

Mallory ‘Rory’ | They/She

- Rory and Beth confine in each other about having old people names: Bethany and Mallory sound like a lovely pair of grandmothers.

- Is Wasian and learnt how to cut up fruit in those really specific ways as a skill to ‘impress a future suitor’. When Beth found out she may or may not have laughed at them.

- Likes to braid Beth’s hair when they’re in a group setting -> if Beth’s just talking and Seer’s hasn’t got anything to say they just end up putting little braids in Beth’s hair.

- Sometimes their visions bleed into their dreams and when they wake up they can’t tell what was real and what their mind just made up.

- > They have really lucid nightmares.

[nonasbirthday]

I don’t think Nona’s strange eating habits are strictly due to her being an embodied planet - here’s why:

1. Throughout both GTN and HTN, Harrow is almost constantly losing blood. In addition to her near-death experiences and her brain hemorrhages, “blood sweat” is described as a relatively common effect of a necromancer exerting themself.

2. Frequent or heavy blood loss can lead to iron-deficiency anemia. Occasionally this or other nutritional deficiencies* can lead to pica, a condition that causes people to compulsively eat non-food items.

3. Things Nona, who is inhabiting Harrow’s body, has eaten in NTN or describes wanting to eat:

ice cubes

pencil

sand

plants

half a cigarette

eraser

wires

marker top

pebble

4. Common non-food items that people with pica may eat:

ice cubes

chalk

soap

clay, dirt, sand

plants, grass

buttons

the unused remainder of a cigarette

hair

paint

glue

rubber bands

rocks, pebbles

5. In conclusion: Nona is eating weird shit because Harrow’s body is dealing with a severe case of ~iron deficiency~. My bby is soooo low on red blood cells, feed that girl a steak and some spinach STAT!!! She needs her MINERALS!!!

[image ID in alt text]

*other conditions besides poor nutrition can cause pica too, you can do your own reading on that tho. i’m not a doctor

[niuniente]

I stumbled upon above image from this blog and went “Huh, that’s exactly how my fingernails grow. I know it can be a sign of a severe health problem but doctors haven’t found anything and my fingernails have looked like that for my whole life”. (I’d like to grow my nails long but I can’t because the pressure of the curving is too much and painful.)

(and here’s a pic of healthy nails, growing as they should)

I checked the origin of the photo and found the blog I just mentioned. It’s run by an English person who was diagnosed with BJHS - Benign Joint Hybermobility Syndrome. I read all the person’s experiences and symptoms and yikes! That’s me! (with overlapping IBS and iron deficiency which can’t be treated)

“Benign meaning “it will not kill me,” not that it’s all fluffy-kittens-and-sunshine. Joint Hypermobility meaning my joints move too much in the wrong ways (yes, “double jointed,” though of course I have only a single set of each joint). Syndrome meaning that this problem creates a cascade of other issues throughout my body. BJHS is a connective tissue-based disorder. Somewhere along the line, my genetics have made it so that I don’t either produce enough of, or don’t process completely, the protein collagen. Collagen is like the scaffolding for every connective tissue in  your body. Connective tissues include: skin, muscles, ligaments, tendons, hair, bones, eyes, blood vessels, spinal discs, cartilage, the intestines, the heart, the liver… basically, everywhere. In fact, I can’t actually name a part of the body that doesn’t contain it.”

Here are the blog person’s experiences VS my experiences

Insomnia: did I mention the hyper-wired, jazzed-up, over-talkative, never-shuts-down nature of my brain? That I get more hyper the more exhausted I become? That I used to sleep so lightly that my roommate in college could wake me up by writing in her journal? Did I mention that, without the right meds, I probably get one or two nights of truly deep, restful sleep… a year? Me: Yup! I sleep so slightly that when I had a flatmate, I woke up when she touched the handle of her door. Though my insomnia isn’t as bad as this persons, I do regularly need melatonin to sleep normally. Otherwise I can’t fall asleep until 8am, even if I was super tired during the day. Otherwise I sleep well.

Liver metabolism: I have serious problems processing medications, as I have a liver that is slow to metabolize chemicals. I cannot take a very long list of drugs, including most pain killers. This also includes naturopathic treatments… even my own hormones! I get side effects (or no effects) with everything I take. As my naturopath likes to say: “You just walk by a chemical, and it affects you.” Me: My shiatsu healer said that my liver is not working properly. I have hormonal problems. Even with the IUD I still get them monthly, though IUD has improved my health tremendously.

Complex PTSD and anxiety: like the stuff combat veterans get, only not quite. Caused by excessive exposure to stressful situations that one cannot escape, like, say… a bully at work (not saying that was my situation. Just as an example…). Though I received great treatment, people with BJHS are prone to stuff like this: fight or flight, remember? Me: I’m getting better but I’m 24/7 anxious more or less. I hope I can continue having anxiety medication for “bad things” like traveling. Do you know how annoying it is that you love traveling and have traveled the same journey for 10+ years and your anxiety still says “Okay but this time, something bad CAN happen!!” I was also pretty much mute for 12 years. My muscles are tense 24/7 due hyperactive nervous system and anxiety.

Heart palpitations: yucky, but harmless Me: Sometimes they happen, ugh...

Irritable bowel syndrome Me: TELL ME ABOUT IT QoQ The IUD has helped with this, too, as apparently I also have endometriosis which causes IBS to some.

Sinus problems and severe allergies (go immune system, go!) Me: YUP! Just got finally an allergy medication after sneezing daily, 20 times a day for 30 years. I new life has began! My nose isn’t running! I don’t need to have a truckload of tissues everywhere!

GERD (bad acid reflux) Me: And it gets worse with hormonal changes... I’ve got 4 different medications for this.

Poor balance and an inability to fully understand where my body is in relation to everything else. Me: Not really my issue but I do get clumsy with hormonal chances. It’s a common joke between me and my sister by now.

An inability to regulate body temperature, including both freezing extremities and excessive sweating, sometimes at the same time Me: This is genuinely THE WORST! It’s -30C outside, I go there half-naked, walk for 3 minutes and I’m sweating like a little big. All my clothes are trenched with sweat in 10 minutes. I’m inside and it’s 23C and I need wool socks and wake up with a sore throat because it’s too cold. I also “catch” the temperatures easily and shower (or sauna) is then the only option. If I catch “cold”, I will not warm up no matter how warmly I dress and sit in front of a heater. If I catch “hot”, I will not cool down even if I sat in front of a fan naked with ice-cubes on my body.

Hair that breaks easily and nails that are bent and curl off the tips of my fingers, as well as fingers that wrinkle like I’ve been in the tub for days Me: Yes. I need to use hair oil daily and baby oil for body and my eyes are like Sahara desert. Nails curve and my fingers are always wrinkly.

I have painful big toe joints, so no high heels for me. Walking long distances can be a disaster, so good shoes are very important. I suffer from plantar fasciitis, which means the bottoms of my feet hurt, especially in the morning. Me: Same. I went to doctor to complain how my toes hurt but they couldn’t find anything. My soles hurt extremely easily - like 5h walking and I’m already in pain. Doesn’t matter if I’m 45kg or 100kg in weight, it still hurts the same. Fingers hurt all the time.

My immune system is hyper-active as well, mounting elaborate, full-scale mucus or lymph node or other responses to mild colds and viruses. I’m sick a lot longer than normal people, and a lot more seriously, yet it’s not due to a poor immune system, but rather one that’s too strong. Me: Same. Last time I was sick was in 2017. It was just a normal cold but it took 4 weeks from me to recover. I was bedridden for a week. I’ve not gotten covid and despite my shitty bowl I don’t get sick easily. I don’t remember the last time I was sick prior 2017. Probably in 2007? With a bit runny nose though.

Loose connective tissues mean joints that move too easily, which means pinched nerves and pain. Think about how it feels when you throw your back out, or get carpal tunnel syndrome. Now imagine this feeling all over your body.  My nerves get pinched, causing several types of pain. I get back pain, obviously. I get numbness and mild paralysis in my thighs and hands. I get weakness in my legs and arms, and sciatica/restless leg sensations if I sit too long. Worst of all, I get parasthesia in my fingers and toes (that’s the tingling, painful sensation you get when you sit funny and your foot goes numb, then starts to wake up). I have this sensation, in varying degrees, all the time. Me: I’m literally in pain all around my body from neck below, for 24/7. Only the level of pain differs. I get easily numbness to arms and legs. I’ve started to suffer of restless legs and middle body with heavy jolting, especially if I’m tired. If I’m stressed and go to sleep, my nose and lips switch a lot.

[oneshotnewbie]

Is there a tiny little chance that you will update <Missing for a Decade> soon? I absolutely love this idea, and I would love to read more of it!! <33

Supergirl - Missing for a Decade Part 5

Trigger Warning: This one-shot includes the topic of abduction and mentions of abuse. These plots are presented. If this triggers you too easily or you just can´t handle those subjects, I urge you NOT to read this work. I am NOT embellishing this topic under any circumstance. Read at your own risk.

Authors Note: Here you have a new chapter ♥ I'm going to edit the older chapters again since I don't like them and they seem a bit inconsistent when I look at this current chapter

ᕚ---ᕘ

"You came to talk to me about your sister and niece before you take them home?" the older gentleman asked, clearing his throat and turning completely to the women who had entered his office. "Yes,"

"I have treated more than hundred kidnapping victims, but none like your sister. Despite her captivity, she is open to other people and hardly scared which fascinates me. She is very strong," The doctor folded the remaining files on his desk and clasped his hands on the table in front of his torso, fingers locked tightly together. "You know, every victim presents a new challenge and it is like reading a map of battered bodies that have been unjustly violated"

Both Alex and Kara interestingly pulled a chair from the corner and listened to the doctor go into more details about your health, the various tests and examinations that they did on you.

"She is chronically underweight, physically atrophied. She has anemia, vitamin D and iron deficiencies, and some skin lesions and inflammation from the lack of natural light." he unbuttons the cuffs of his shirt sleeves and rolled them up. "Y/n Danvers shows signs of severe violence over the last few years. Broken bones that healed incorrectly and scars all over her body"

The grey-haired hesitates with another answer and bows his head down, wanting to give Kara and Alex a moment to digest the information. The office is suddenly quieter than it was at the beginning of the conversation. "What about Gracie?"

The man in front of them started to smile and looked at the two older Danvers with glittering eyes. "Despite the circumstances, your sister did a good job. Grace Danvers is a bright little girl with particularly good language skills despite her young age"

"Any signs of injury? Does she have bruises or healed broken bones?

He shook his head violently and took away all their fears with immediate effect. "No, she is a perfectly healthy girl. No vitamin deficiencies or signs of violence. No evidence of past fractures or other medical conditions. If I did not know better, I would say that her mother endured all of the abuse to protect her daughter"

The Danvers sisters nodded in unison and thanked your doctor for treating you so lavishly. Kara put one foot in front of the other as she left the office and waited for Alex to join in step. Together they walked back to your hospital room while going over the details of the injuries you had sustained in their minds.

ᕚ---ᕘ

A week had passed in which you slowly regained your strength in the hospital, slowly got used to your sisters around you and were able to get closer with them. While you were still adjusting to your new, free life, your little daughter explored everything she could get her hands on; running around the hospital with either Kara or Alex always by her side, having her aunts wrapped around her little finger since day one.

You stood nervously with your back to one of your older siblings, staring longingly out the window while your bony hand rested on the pane of glass. A sinister life stretched out behind it; a life you no longer knew. "I do not know if I am ready yet.." you replied to Kara, who sat on your bed and waited for you to take the first step outside. The first step to freedom and into a new life.

"There will never be a perfect moment, sweetheart. Nobody wants to imagine what you went through, but Alex and I will be by your side and support you. No matter how long it takes"

You nodded, saw her soft smile in the reflection and turned to her. The blonde extended her hand. You walked the last few inches that separated you, grabbed her hand so she could pull you into her arms. "Grace is already at the car with Alex and Maggie, trying out the new Nemo seat we bought for her"

You laughed briefly at the thought of how long and in how many stores the redhead must had been, desperate to find a car seat with your daughters favorite fish on it. She had wished for this one and, at the tender age of four, had already threatened not to sit in anything else but this one.

"We can go as soon as you are ready," softly, she kissed your dry and straggly hair, wrapped her arms tightly around you and savored the closeness she had missed so badly. You too snuggled up to her chest like a cat, took a deep breath of her perfume, which she still wore after all these years and let the moment sink in.

Kara´s heartbeat accelerated in your ears and her grip on you became tighter. A slight tremor emanated her body and her swallowing became stronger and heavier.

The sadness that overcame her was like an old friend who had accompanied her on the journey over the past few years. Not intrusive, but always in the foreground; always aiming to get her attention and cause deep pain where your love and closeness once found its place.

It stroked her hair every time she walked into your old room, whispered softly in her ear as in silent moments, she slid down the wall and broke down crying. Never leaving her side and always staying with her. The crushing feeling of never seeing you again, never hearing your footsteps creaking on the floor and never catching the sound of your voice ever again.

Your disappearance painted her world gray, pouring concrete over the once colorful rainbows of your being. You were the biggest concern between all the others. Your sisters were worn down by this eternal struggle - the circle of cause and effect, crime and punishment, guilt and innocence, victim and perpetrator. She had not stopped fighting this fight, but she wished she could.

And now she could finally feel the sun and see the colors again, the warmth she longed for and the soft melody of your voice that returned. "I have missed you so much," she said carefully, rocking you gently in her arms. Kara did not want to let go of you, she had been longingly waiting for this moment for too long.

"After all these years, have you stopped looking for me?"

"Yes, we did," she whispered into your hair, the pain in her voice clearly audible as salty tears strayed onto them. The blonde rested her trembling chin on the top of your head, gently stroking your shoulder while her other hand nervously played with your fingers. It was not until she composed herself that she pulled away from you just inches to look into your eyes. "We all spread out across National City and knocked on every door. We questioned alleged witnesses. But nobody had seen you or knew where you were."

Tears rolled quietly down your face, which Kara caught with the soft pads of her thumbs. Although you had asked the question yourself, your stomach still cramped completely when receiving the given information. Your family had fought through the struggle of your disappearance and given themselves up in the process. They had long since lost hope.

"I am sorry I caused you such pain," you looked at your hands and waved them around as if seeing them for the first time before closing your eyes for a brief moment. Shortly after, you opened them up again and stared at your sister with blank eyes. Kara´s on the other hand were blood red and swam behind thick glasses.

She quickly fell to the ground and knelt in front of you. Her warm hands were placed on your cheeks, her thumbs inevitably caressing them. "You are not to blame for what happened to you and you are not guilty for surviving it. Sure, we suffered pain because we thought we lost you forever, but you know what outweighs that pain?"

You shook your head and cocked it to the side, her hand now clasped between your shoulder and ear. She smiled at you briefly and pulled you to the front so your face was buried in her shoulder. "You are back and our hearts are whole again. You are so strong, a fighter and fought your way through everything that came your way. You do not have to be sorry. It. is. not. your. fault."

[fortunatelyenchantingtaco]

Its actually really weird to hear sometimes how people just dont think pregnancy leaves lasting effects lmao. Its so weird how not many talk about it

Like it was always such an obvious thing for me. Idk if there’re any actual medical names or reasons for those things but at least in my family and those I know it was incredibly common that after pregnancy your hair/teeth/nails are weaker cause of how much you gave to the child. It might be also influenced by Chernobyl actually, I know our metric for blood samples is a bit different due to the radiation, but ive heard so much about those stories like damn

Some people lose a ton of weight while pregnant, some gain. A lot of people struggle with iron deficiency. Its a very fucked up process ngl

Some people randomly get allergies after pregnancy even through they never had any before. Fun

[bulundu]

Doctor told me I had an iron deficiency some years ago and told me to take a supplement. Didn't really notice it impacting my life in any way, other than the constipation and bloating. I quit taking it after about a year.

I am so tired all the time lately. It's been bad the last few months. Even if i get a lot of sleep, I take a nap in my car on lunchbreaks and another nap at home after work. And I'm still tired.

So my dumbass remembers that kind of fatigue can be because of low iron (note: when my blood was tested it was because of hair loss, not exhaustion, so I never thought about this being a treated symptom).

I took an iron pill today around 3 and now it's 1am and I am still WIRED. We'll see throughout the week if that's really the iron, a mental "placebo" effect, or if I just drank too much pop today. 🤷‍♀️

[nightbunnysong]

Unlocking the secrets to hair growth

Introduction

Whether you're dealing with thinning hair, or simply looking to enhance your look, understanding the science of hair growth can be a game-changer. In recent years, people have turned to simple, natural remedies with compelling anecdotal and scientific support. This article explores three key practices—cold showers, rosemary water, and a diet rich in specific nutrients—that could transform your hair care routine.

1. Cold showers

Cold showers might seem daunting, but they offer more than just a wake-up jolt. One of the most intriguing benefits of cold water is its ability to improve blood circulation. When you expose your scalp to cold water, your blood vessels constrict, and then rapidly dilate, flooding the scalp with nutrient-rich blood. This process enhances the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to hair follicles, potentially boosting hair growth.

Moreover, cold showers help to reduce scalp inflammation and irritation—two common culprits behind hair loss. A calmer, healthier scalp creates a better environment for hair to thrive. So, while that cold rinse might make you shiver, it could also be giving your hair the vitality it needs.

2. Rosemary water

For centuries, rosemary has been revered not just for its culinary uses, but for its medicinal properties. When it comes to hair care, rosemary water is gaining recognition as a natural tonic that could help stimulate hair growth. The magic lies in compounds like rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid, which have powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.

These compounds do more than just cleanse your scalp—they actively enhance blood circulation and protect hair follicles from damage. In fact, research has shown that rosemary oil can be as effective as some prescription treatments for hair loss, making it a natural alternative worth trying. Regular use of rosemary water might just be the key to revitalizing your hair and maintaining a healthy scalp.

3. Eggs

Eggs are often celebrated as a superfood, and when it comes to hair health, they certainly live up to the hype. Rich in high-quality protein, eggs also contain biotin (vitamin B7), which is essential for the production of keratin—the protein that forms the structure of your hair.

But there's a catch: to unlock the full benefits of biotin in eggs, they need to be cooked. Raw eggs contain avidin, a protein that binds to biotin and prevents its absorption. Cooking denatures avidin, freeing up biotin so your body can absorb it more effectively. So, the next time you whip up an omelet or scramble some eggs, know that you're not just satisfying your hunger—you're also nourishing your hair.

4. Additional tips

Beyond cold showers, rosemary water, and eggs, there are several other science-backed strategies you can incorporate into your routine for optimal hair health:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish like salmon, flaxseeds, and walnuts, omega-3s are vital for scalp health. They help reduce inflammation and provide the essential fats needed for strong, healthy hair.

Zinc: Zinc is crucial for tissue growth and repair, including your hair. A lack of zinc can lead to hair loss, so make sure to include zinc-rich foods like pumpkin seeds, nuts, and shellfish in your diet.

Vitamin D: Often dubbed the "sunshine vitamin," vitamin D plays a role in creating new hair follicles. Regular sun exposure and foods like fatty fish or fortified milk can help keep your levels in check.

Iron: Iron deficiency is a common cause of hair loss, particularly in women. Incorporating iron-rich foods like spinach, red meat, and lentils into your diet can help keep your hair strong and vibrant.

[photos from Pinterest]

[panthera-tigris-venenata]

Ginny Gothel prompt: “I have such soft hair and nobody is playing with it!”

Obviously involving disaster threesome.

@humaforever I’m tagging you here since you asked for similar prompt, hopefuly you don’t mind.

Anyway. Ginny Gothel. If you were wondering what’s wrong with her, she’s massively iron deficient, through definitely absolutely NO fault of her mother’s. (She’s probably also high, but psst.) (She’s not okay.)

I didn’t mange to write Harriet into the actual plot, she’s only mentioned, but this is very much disaster threesome story. Just saying.

I hope you enjoy!

„My hair is so soft,“ Ginny sighs, pulling at one of her curls and then letting it spring loose. And again, and again. It’s pretty.

„Mmhm,“ mutters Mad Maddy in obvious disinterest. If she didn’t run her „Apothecary“ as she did, Ginny might have considered poisoning her. …Then again, it might not have been effective anyway. (Don’t ask, you’re better off not knowing.)

„My hair is so soft,“ Ginny repeats, lifting her head to look at Maddy, who is still sitting opposite her, which is neat.

„And?“ Maddy finally answers.

„And?!“ Ginny squeals in exasperation and sits up fully, which has the unfortunate effect of making the world spin in front of her eyes. „My hair is so amazingly soft, Maddy, and no one is playing with it!“

„Well, that just sounds like a you problem,“ Maddy says. To make the matters worse, she is playing with one of her broken dolls, running her nails through its tangled hair. Which is very mean of her, and Ginny tells her so. But Maddy only preens in response.

Yeah, Ginny was going for that, totally. After all, Maddy is her dealer.

So Ginny bites her lip and continues playing with her hair herself, which is extremely unfair and heartbreaking, really. She sighs audibly every few moments, hoping to get a more sympathetic reaction out of the other girl.

„For fucks sake, Gin!“ Maddy finally snaps, „Go annoy someone else! Harriet or Anthony! You’re being a horny bitch in my Apothecary, and you know the rules!“

„The rules are “No kissing in the Apothecary”!“ Protests Ginny.

„The rules are “No kissing or fucking in the Apothecary, and also no traitorous purple headed fae”, and they’re being updated!“ snarks Maddy back, „Besides, Junior and Trois said they’d be coming in the evening, and I don’t need you scaring off customers!“

It is dim already, but it is dim always. Anyone’s guess when „evening“ is. Or when the Gaston twins think it is.

Ginny makes a face: „And what are the rules being updated to?“

„No being a whiny horny bitch,“ concludes Maddy triumphantly, and raises her doll to the face level. Ginny makes a face at the doll too–

„Out!“ commands Maddy, pointing at the door with her free hand.

Ginny stands up abruptly, and fuck, the world whites out for a moment. She hisses through her teeth, and knows that Maddy doesn’t even look at her; her hand shots out against the wall, to steady her, and her nails leave incisions in it.

Neat.

„Fine,“ she says as she rakes her nails along the wall for greater effect, „I didn’t wanna stay here anyway.“

As she leaves, she almost runs into the Gaston twins by the door – they only just step away from her way, which is good, because otherwise she’d fall and she might not want to get up again.

She steps into frigid Isle air and behind her, Maddy yells at the twins: „Well what are you waiting for? One of you go with her! If something happens to her, Harriet will throw a temper tantrum and it’ll be my problem!“

Needless to say, Maddy does not wish to deal with angry Harriet Hook. Unfortunately, Ginny – if she says so herself – doesn’t need a bloody bodyguard.

She whirls around as fast as she dares and tells Trois so, with her dagger pointed vaguely in the direction of his neck. As if that would do any good – she aims the dagger to a significantly lower place. Trois pales a bit.

He doesn’t tell her to relax or calm down, which earns him a small insignificant plus.

Ginny narrows her eyes at him anyway.

A broken doll flies through the still open door and whacks Trois in the back of the head: he drops her voice to barely more than whisper: „I’ll go behind you. Respectful distance. You won’t even know I’m here.“

Silence. Her knife doesn’t move.

„Come on, Gin, we both know the next thing she’s throwing at me is gonna explode–“

Yes, and it would likely ruin both her clothes and her hair, which would be absolutely unforgivable – And she simply isn’t talking with Maddy anymore, thank you for asking. So without another word, Ginny turns back around and marches straight ahead; her head protests the sudden movement, but hey. That’s fine. She’s not smelling ozone yet, not really, and as long as she’s not fainting, she’s good to go.

She takes a moment of her precious time to curse her mother and her dubious rituals – Auradon and it’s fucking Barrier.

Trois stays in respectful distance, as he promised, but Ginny can hear him behind her all the same. She ignores him. She doesn’t bother hiding her dagger.

It doesn’t take her long to cross the Isle to Anthony’s saloon, not with that look in her eyes and Gaston’s son at her back. Just the last corner – she exhales loudly and waves Trois away. He can only now leave without Maddy yelling at him (His fault for being a horrible liar, really.)

However, Ginny finds she’s hard pressed to care.

Instead, she checks her reflection in the dark window: A cape of the colour of fine dark wine, and the lipstick to match, smudged just enough to drive Anthony crazy. A dagger in her hand – she should probably hide it now. (So the knife disappears, though not before she checks her reflection in it too.) (Her eyes are open wide.) She pulls at her hair and watches as her reflection’s curls spring back into place.

She is jealous of her reflection.

With a resolute shake of her head, (her hair bouncing all around), she stops looking at herself and walks into the saloon. „Anthony!“ she exclaims over the awful wind-chimes that Dizzy loves and that give her an instant headache.

To her eternal annoyance, no one comes.

„Anthony–“ the doors click shut behind her and she allows the slightest hint of whine to slip into her voice.

Finally, footsteps – though far too light and perky to be his. Ginny grimaces and pulls at her hair.

She doesn’t bother hiding the grimace as Dizzy Tremaine rounds the corner, only narrowing her eyes at the younger girl. Which effectively freezes her mid-greeting, which is good, since she’s always so annoyingly cheerful and the world is so rude and unjust.

Dizzy’s accessories are sparkling in the lacklustre light of the saloon and it’s giving Ginny headache, too. She closes her eyes for just a second, just to stop looking at little Dizzy’s honestly offensive jewellery.

„Holly evil–“ When Ginny opens her eyes again, little Dizzy is standing right next to her, her hand hovering over her elbow. „Come sit down,“ Dizzy says as she guides her to the worn out sofa.

„I wish to speak with Anthony–“ protests Ginny quite fruitlessly, as the little Tremaine has disappeared already. Finding little usefulness in going to look for her, Ginny sinks into the once–decadent pillows – It’s Tremaine’s saloon, isn’t it? Anthony will come to check sooner or later. She is tired.

Dizzy reappears, holding out a glass of clear liquid for her to take: Water. Probably. Possibly. Poison. Bleach. Ginny reaches for the glass and brings it to her lips, almost, almost – She tips the whole glass down, lets the liquid pour down and the glass clutter uselessly on the floor. It doesn’t break. She stares at Dizzy; Dizzy stares back, for barely a heartbeat. Then she sighs, bends down to pick up the glass, and says: „Alright. I’ll go get Anthony for you.“

As she bounces away, Ginny pulls at her curls. „You’d be such a dear for that,“ she manages to say as the little Tremaine bounces away, just the right level of saccharin in her voice.

If she’d care to listen, she might have heard the Tremaine cousins talking and giggling upstairs, Anthony disciplining them. His steps as he walks downstairs. No annoying chimes this time.

„Ginny?“ She looks up at him, and abruptly stands up. Her world goes white again, and she tastes metal for just a heartbeat, „Sunflower, what’s wrong?“ In another heartbeat, he’s hugging her tight, which is probably a good thing. For closely unspecified reasons. She clings to his shoulders, tightly enough for her nails to hurt him even through all the layers he is wearing, and breathes in through clenched teeth. Then again. And again. If she’d have to guess, she’d say that the world has returned to its miserable true colours by now, but, you see, checking would require her to lift her head from his shoulder. Which would be a shame.

She breathes in again and loosens her grip on him. „What’s wrong?“ he asks again, as if the answer wasn’t „Every-fucking-thing,“ or, alternatively, „Existence.“

Instead, she leans away a bit, his hands moving to her hips, and slowly answers: „I have such soft hair, Anthony–“

He smiles: „I know. I did your hair just this morning, remember?“ As if that was relevant just now.

She swats at his shoulder lightly – don’t interrupt me! He presses his lips together in an exasperated expression, holding it only long enough for her to notice. Which is, of course, why she pretends she didn’t see.

„As I was saying,“ she starts again, „I have such soft hair,“ („Thanks to me.“), „And no one is playing with it!“

„Oh?“ he flashes a half-smirk at her and runs his fingers along her scalp, „That better, then?“

„Much.“

Ginny would be content to stay like this for quite a long time, so she’s understandably quite annoyed when she realises Anthony doesn’t agree. Selfish traitor.

„Ginny, what did you do the whole day?“ he asks, as if it was any of his concern.

„Visited mother. Then Maddy,“ she answers anyway, because he is playing with her hair and because it is nice. She hides her face in his neck again.

He mutters something like „I’m gonna kill both of them,“ but his fingers are still in her hair, so it takes her a moment to react. „You leave Maddy alone–“

„Perfect,“ he says with a teasing smirk, „I’m gonna tell Harriet we’re free to take a go at your lovely mother.“

„No!“

„Why not, though?“

Well, for starters… Ginny presses closer to him and says: „If you’d both go track my mother down, I’d have no one to play with my hair. Again.“ She keeps the absolutely genuine betrayal and hurt and accusation clear in her voice.

He tugs at her hair: „And we can’t have that.“

„Exactly.“

Now he’s getting it.

Though, one must say, Harriet sure looks hot when on the warpath.

It’s quiet for a while, save for some giggling girls that are quickly glared away.

„You feeling better now, Sunflower?“ he asks finally, „I’ve got work to do, you know?“

Ginny leans away and summons tears to her eyes: „Ditch,“ she breathes out.

„I can’t–“

„Fuck your grandmother. Ditch,“ she looks up at him, leaning closer, and his grip in her hair tightens, „I want to see Harriet.“

He swallows heavily, eyes at her lips and the smudged lipstick, which is probably printed into his shirt too, now, and moves his hand to her cheek. „Okay,“ he says, „Let’s go find Harriet.“

[lunamagicablu]

Acerola Malpighia punicifolia o Malpighia glabra L. FAMIGLIA: Malpighiaceae NOMI POPOLARI: Ciliegia delle Barbados, Ciliegia delle Indie Occidentali, Manzanita, Semeruto. Arbusto o piccolo albero che può raggiungere fino i 5 metri di altezza. Foglie: dalla forma ovale-lanceolata, opposte, con un picciolo molto corto e con dei piccoli peli che possono irritare. Fiori: con 5 petali dal colore che varia dal rosa pallido al rosso vivo. Frutto: sono delle drupe rosse, somiglianti alle nostre ciliegie. Molto succose e dal gusto acidulo, divise internamente in spicchi. Il frutto della pianta di Acerola è conosciuto anche con il nome di "ciliegia delle Indie Occidentali" o "ciliegia di Barbados". PARTE UTILIZZATA: frutto PRINCIPALI COMPONENTI Vitamina C Vitamine del gruppo B Provitamina A Sali minerali Flavonoidi Tannini Carotenoidi PROPRIETA’ SALUTISTICHE PRINCIPALI Antiossidante Vitaminizzante Favorisce le naturali difese del corpo Ricostituente Favorisce l’assorbimento del ferro. Utile come rimedio naturale da erboristeria in caso di: Astenia Convalescenza Carenza di vitamine e ferro Prevenzione dei disturbi da raffreddamento. CONTROINDICAZIONI: il frutto dell’Acerola non presenta particolari effetti collaterali, se non in casi di ipersensibilità individuale. Per la sua elevata acidità è controindicata in caso di acidità gastrica e gastrite, mentre un uso eccessivo può provocare la formazione di calcoli renali. Non utilizzare insieme ad Uva ursina, Corbezzolo ed altre piante ad idrochinoni in quanto può ridurne l’effetto purificante sulle vie urinarie. https://www.erbecedario.it ******************************** Acerola Malpighia Punicifolia or Malpighia glabra L. FAMILY: Malpighiaceae POPULAR NAMES: Barbados Cherry, West Indian Cherry, Manzanita, Semeruto. Shrub or small tree that can reach up to 5 meters in height. Leaves: oval-lanceolate in shape, opposite, with a very short petiole and small hairs that can irritate. Flowers: with 5 petals whose color varies from pale pink to bright red. Fruit: they are red drupes, similar to our cherries. Very juicy and with a sour taste, divided internally into segments. The fruit of the Acerola plant is also known as the "West Indian cherry" or "Barbados cherry". PART USED: fruit MAIN COMPONENTS C vitamin B vitamins Provitamin A Mineral salts Flavonoids Tannins Carotenoids MAIN HEALTHY PROPERTIES Antioxidant Vitaminising Promotes the body's natural defenses Restorative Promotes the absorption of iron. Useful as a natural herbal remedy in case of: Asthenia Convalescence Vitamin and iron deficiency Prevention of cooling disorders. CONTRAINDICATIONS: the Acerola fruit does not present particular side effects, except in cases of individual hypersensitivity. Due to its high acidity it is contraindicated in cases of gastric acidity and gastritis, while excessive use can cause the formation of kidney stones. Do not use together with bearberry, strawberry tree and other hydroquinone plants as it may reduce their purifying effect on the urinary tract. https://www.erbecedario.it 

[ms-hells-bells]

My national newspaper recently released a bunch of articles about how supplementing is basically a scam, no matter if you're omni or vegetarian. There is a brief mention of B12 for vegans but other than that, they say it's a waste of money if you eat healthy.

I think this is stupid! I'm vegetarian and eat relatively healthy but will immediately notice symptoms if I don't supplement for at least B12, iron, vitamin D and magnesium/calcium. What do you think?

it's a half truth. most people are taking far too many supplements, or are taking multis where if they got a blood test, they'd see that they may only need to take one of two individual vitamins. i always recommend that people get a nutrient blood test to find out what they need to have more of, whether through dietary changes, or supplements. and that's not even getting into all the snake oil supplement pills for things like hair and nails, collagen capsules, SO MUCH FISH OIL, creatine, 'brain boosters' and SO MUCH MORE. supplements aren't covered under the food heath and safety acts of many countries, so there is no legal requirement to do any studies, or really regulate their contents at all. so, it's about digging out the fake shit from what's nutritionally necessary.

as for what you said, i think it's more of a reverse placebo effect for you. all of the nutrients you listed have stores in your body, you will not immediately become deficient if you stop taking supplements. in most cases, if you're healthy, it can take months or even years for your stores to completely deplete. but that doesn't mean not to take your supplements, keep taking them! i'm more just saying to not worry a bunch if you miss a couple days worth every now and again.

and yes, if people did eat healthy and varied, many people would NOT need supplements (apart from some women, because people always forget about women. many women of childbearing age should take calcium, especially if they are going to be childfree, and for women with heavy cycles, iron supplements are important, often you just simply cannot consume enough food to get enough iron needed to replace the blood you lose). but most people do NOT eat healthy because capitalism. they cannot afford healthy foods, they do not have time to cook healthy foods, they were raised on unhealthy foods and replicate their parents, they binge eat, they live in a food desert. many reasons. it's estimated that as many as 90% of people in the west have at least one deficiency. many people are overfed and malnourished. while the core solution is to make healthy foods easy and accessible to all, along with nutritional education, cooking classes, etc. in the meantime until we dismantle society as we know it, people need to stay healthy.

so, they're technically telling the truth, but in a half assed, deceptive manner.