A friend of mine, Natasha, came to me a few months ago, troubled by the sight of her first gray strands. She was only 27. The sight of silver streaks glistening in her dark hair was unsettling for her, especially at such a young age. She had always associated gray hair with the inevitable journey into middle age, yet here she was, spotting them in her twenties. It made me reflect on how common early graying has become for many, despite our best efforts to keep it at bay.

While most of us expect our hair to turn gray in our 40s or 50s, it can sometimes begin much earlier. You might spot those pesky silver strands in your 20s or even earlier. But why does this happen? And more importantly, how can we maintain the health of our hair while dealing with the natural aging process?

Why Does Hair Turn Gray?

The color of our hair is determined by melanin, the pigment responsible for giving us our distinct shades of black, brown, blonde, or red. As we age, the production of melanin decreases, which eventually leads to gray or white hair. But aging isn’t the only factor. Genetics, stress, vitamin deficiencies, and certain health conditions can also contribute to premature graying.

For Natasha, the situation wasn’t entirely surprising. Her mother had gone gray in her late 20s as well. Genetics, as it turns out, plays a significant role in determining when we start to see those first gray hairs. If one or both of your parents went gray early, you’re more likely to follow the same path.

Role of Stress in Premature Greying

We’ve all heard the saying that stress can turn your hair gray, but is it true? Science suggests that it might be. A 2021 study found a link between stress and gray hair. Researchers discovered that individuals who reported higher stress levels were more likely to have gray hair than those who experienced less stress.

Animal studies have also shown that stress can deplete the stem cells responsible for producing melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin. However, more research is needed to fully understand the link between stress and graying in humans.

That said, stress-relieving activities like meditation, yoga, or spending time with loved ones can help reduce the overall effects of stress on your body, which may, in turn, slow the graying process.

Health Conditions That Can Lead to Graying

Certain health conditions can also accelerate premature graying. Conditions like alopecia areata, which causes patches of hair loss, can make gray hairs more noticeable. Vitiligo, a condition that leads to the loss of skin pigment, can also cause the affected areas of hair to turn gray or white.

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are another possible culprit. Nutrients like calcium, copper, iron, vitamin B12, and zinc play a key role in maintaining hair color. A deficiency in any of these can contribute to premature graying. Additionally, research suggests that vegetarian or low-protein diets may increase the risk of gray hair, as protein is essential for hair health.

Genetics of Premature Graying

For many people, premature graying is purely a matter of genetics. Studies have shown that individuals whose parents went gray early are three to five times more likely to experience the same. It’s important to recognize that if genetics is the main cause of your graying, it may not be possible to fully prevent it. However, embracing your natural hair color or exploring dyeing options can help you manage the change.

Who Is More Likely to Experience Premature Graying?

Race and ethnicity also play a role in when we start to go gray. Studies suggest that premature graying occurs before the age of 20 in White individuals, before 25 in Asians, and before 30 in Black individuals. Interestingly, premature graying affects all genders equally, though the pattern in which hair turns gray may vary. People assigned female at birth often first notice gray hairs near their forehead, while people assigned male at birth tend to gray around the sides of their head.

How to Prevent Your Hair from Graying Too Early

While genetics may be beyond our control, there are several steps you can take to slow down the graying process:

1. Manage Stress

Reducing stress is one of the most effective ways to delay the appearance of gray hair. Incorporate relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga into your daily routine. Engaging in your favorite hobbies, spending time with loved ones, and exercising regularly can also alleviate stress.

2. Eat a Nutrient-Rich Diet

A diet rich in vitamins and minerals can support hair health. Include foods high in B vitamins, iron, copper, and zinc to help prevent nutrient deficiencies that may contribute to premature graying. Leafy greens, whole grains, lean proteins, and nuts are excellent sources of these essential nutrients.

3. Protect Your Hair from UV Rays

Exposure to the sun’s UV rays can cause oxidative stress, which damages the melanin in your hair follicles. Wearing a hat or using hair products with UV protection can minimize this damage.

4. Avoid Heat and Chemicals

Excessive use of heat tools like blow dryers and flat irons, as well as chemical treatments like hair dye, can damage hair follicles and speed up the graying process. If you color your hair, use gentle, ammonia-free dyes and try to minimize the use of heat-styling tools.

5. Quit Smoking

Smoking has been linked to premature graying, as nicotine can build up in the hair follicles, affecting pigmentation. Quitting smoking may not only slow down the graying process but also improve your overall health.

Despite our best efforts, some of us will go gray sooner than others. But graying is a natural part of aging and nothing to be ashamed of. Natasha decided to embrace her gray streaks, highlighting them with silver tones that added character to her appearance.

Whether you choose to embrace your gray hair or opt for a color change, the most important thing is to maintain the health of your hair through good nutrition, stress management, and gentle care.

Hair health is a reflection of your overall well-being. Taking care of yourself physically and mentally can help you keep your hair healthy and vibrant for years to come.

Modifiable risk factors such as quitting smoking, exercising regularly, and eating a balanced diet can certainly help protect your heart. However, when it comes to heart disease, the role of family history also deserves serious attention. In other words, are cardiovascular heart diseases (CHD) hereditary? And if so, what can be done to lower your risk?

Genetics account for up to half of a person's risk for cardiovascular disease. While it is only one among many contributing factors, it can be a significant—and often early—clue to a person’s potential for heart-related issues. Having close relatives like a parent or sibling with heart disease can increase the chances of developing a heart condition. Shared environmental factors within families, such as dietary habits and levels of physical activity, also influence heart health.

Learning about family history can empower individuals to take charge of their healthcare. This knowledge allows potential health concerns to be identified before a serious event occurs and helps prevent disease progression. Identifying a genetic diagnosis within the family enables both patients and healthcare providers to stay current on recommended screenings and treatments.

Heart Diseases Are Often A Mix Of Genes And Environment

Heart disease is often a combination of genetic and environmental influences. In certain cases, a gene may be passed down from one or both parents. If a parent carries a specific heart disease gene, there is a 50 per cent chance it could be inherited. Thus, parents can offer insight into potential future risks from a genetic standpoint.

Knowing family history helps clinicians assess whether a patient is at higher-than-average risk. It’s not just about anticipating what might happen—screenings and treatments based on genetic risk can offer more proactive management.

Certain Heart Diseases Can Be Inherited

Several types of heart conditions can be inherited. These include coronary heart disease (blockages in arteries supplying the heart), congenital heart disease (a defect present at birth), cardiomyopathy (abnormal heart function without obvious cause), high cholesterol (which raises plaque risk), arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms), and dilated aorta (an enlarged major blood vessel).

Although family history cannot be changed, modifiable risk factors can still be addressed. High cholesterol or blood pressure often shows up in families around the same age, but making lifestyle changes early can help. A low-fat, low-cholesterol, and low-sugar diet, along with at least 30 minutes of exercise five days a week, can help mitigate risk. Working with a cardiologist can help determine whether lifestyle changes or early medication are needed.

Collecting family history includes asking relatives about medications, diagnoses of high cholesterol or blood pressure, cardiac conditions, sudden or unexplained deaths, use of pacemakers or defibrillators, and whether anyone sees a cardiologist or has had heart surgery.

After gathering this information, a physician can recommend genetic testing if necessary. Certain patterns, like multiple relatives with early heart attacks or high cholesterol, may point to inherited conditions such as familial hypercholesterolemia. Even in the absence of family history, conditions like aortopathy may qualify someone for genetic testing.

Genetic testing typically starts with a three-generation family history and involves either a saliva or blood sample. Results may be positive, negative, or uncertain. Even a negative result doesn’t rule out a hereditary component, so follow-ups and testing for other family members may still be recommended.

Moreover, positive results may lead to cascade testing—where relatives are tested for the same condition—and can influence treatment strategies. Precision medicine and gene therapy now offer the possibility of correcting genetic defects at a molecular level, offering new hope for those at risk.

A recent study found that we scroll a distance which is equivalent to four times the height of Mount Everest in a year. Intrestingly, it stated that an average person's newsfeed in terms of scroll length can be the same as the Statue of Liberty in a day, two Eiffel Towers in a week and three Burj Khalifas in a month. But where is all this doom-scrolling taking us?

If neurologists and brain scientists are to be believed, then all these hours we spend mindlessly with our phones have only resulted in brain rot. If you ever want to witness the last vestiges of human intellect swirling down the drain, you just open your phone and type the words "skibidi toilet". The video, which will emerge, features an animated human head protruding from a toilet bowl while singing the nonsensical lyrics "skibidi dop dop dop yes yes". The 11-second clip has been viewed more than 215 million times, directly highlighting the intensity of brain rot.

Not so surprisingly, Brain Rot is the Oxford word of the year 2024. The dictionary defines it as "the supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging".

Technology Is Causing Brain Rot And We Know It

Beyond the obvious, there are still several people who are aware of how literally technology is rotting our brains, and how decisively compulsive internet use is destroying our grey matter. For the uninitiated, grey matter is the region with high concentration of neurons in the brain and spinal cord.

The concept was portended almost 20 years ago when scientists studied the effects of the then-new invention called "email". They wanted to fathom the impact of a barrage of information on the brain. After conducting multiple studies, they concluded that constant cognitive overload had a more negative effect than taking cannabis, with IQS of participants in a study dropping an average of 10 points. And imagine this was before the internet brought the world to our fingertips.

How To Stop Doomscrolling?

• Lead by example: The most effective way to change behaviour is to model it. Parents who set their own boundaries around screen time and engage in offline activities will set a positive example for their children.
• Set digital boundaries: Start by setting limits on screen time, whether it's through built-in screen-time trackers or apps that help monitor usage. Encourage regular breaks and give time for the mind to relax and recharge.
• Tech-free hours: One of the best ways to reset is by establishing tech-free zones, like at mealtimes or right before bed. These are opportunities to engage in meaningful, face-to-face conversations. As tempting as it may be to scroll late at night, it’s important to keep phones out of reach during sleeping hours—screens can disrupt sleep patterns and negatively impact health.
• The 80/20 rule: Aim for 80% of screen time to be dedicated to educational, enriching or creative content. The other 20% can be reserved for lighter, more entertaining content.
• Rediscover hobbies and offline activities: Encourage kids to get involved in hobbies and activities that don’t involve screens. Whether it’s taking a walk in nature, playing a sport, crafting, reading a book or learning a musical instrument, these offline experiences help foster curiosity and creativity—qualities that doomscrolling tends to suppress.

Biohacking may be the future, but not a lot of people know about it. For the advocates of this trend, it is anything that could boost your weight loss effort or help you hack your brain. American billionaire Bryan Johnson is currently the most popular biohacker, who, from time to time, comes up with ways to boost longevity. Notably, while the biological alterations he does are something that requires clinical assistance, some undertakings are relatively safe to perform at home.

What Is Biohacking?

Biohacking is a do-it-yourself (DIY) form of personal improvement in which people attempt to change aspects of their biology to improve their health, performance or well-being. It is not a specific term or undertaking. Rather, a currently popular anecdotal umbrella term for broad, nonspecific activities. There are many ways to biohack:

Fasting

Nootropics

Another popular form of biohacking is using a group of substances called nootropics or "smart drugs". Non-prescription nootropics include tablets, supplements, drinks, and foods. They contain substances that manufacturers claim to help boost brain performance.

Prescription Drugs And Risks

Prescription nootropics (drugs) are medications that have stimulant effects, which doctors prescribe for medical conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A person should only ever take prescription medications as directed by their doctor. Prescription stimulants have several potential side effects and may be dangerous if people misuse them.

Research shows people who take prescription stimulants for medical reasons are at high risk of many diseases such as anxiety, other drug use, post-traumatic stress disorder and impaired academic performance.

Wearable Technology

Wearable tech, such as smartwatches, head-mounted displays, and fitness-tracking bands, is a common form of modern technology. People may use them to:

1. track aspects of their health and use the data to make improvements
2. reach fitness and health goals
3. track reproductive health cycles

3 Primary Types Of Biohacking

DIY biohacking, which some people also call garage biology, involves experts in scientific fields sharing biohacking techniques and information with people who are not experts. This allows more people to conduct experiments on themselves outside of a constrained environment. Examples of these include some people who consider DIY biology to be an open revolution against the academic institutionalization of science and aim to spread an attitude of citizen science and action research without rigid gatekeeping.

Nutrigenomics

It is another type of biohacking that explores how food interacts with people's genes and how a person's genes affect their body's response to food. Researchers are using nutrigenomics to learn more about diet and genes, how they may affect a person’s health risks, and to help find new ways to prevent and treat disease. In this case, a person can send samples to labs where they are tested

Grinders

Grinders are biohackers who consider themselves pioneers of human augmentation. Example: Bryan Johnson. This type of biohacking typically involves devices implanted under the skin and the use of technology to perform body modifications.