Rosemary often steals the headlines when it comes to strengthening hair health and stimulating hair growth. For decades, this aromatic herb has received praise for its ability to thicken hair and ward off thinning. And while rosemary certainly gets its due, there may be another herb that stands a better chance of improving hair health: ginseng. This age-old root is prized for its widespread benefits for health but has become part of the hair care regimen as a result of its strong influences on encouraging hair growth and scalp wellness.

For ages, ginseng is used as an effective adaptogen: this plant enhances general wellness, decreases stress, and boosts mental functioning. Newer research has shown another excellent advantage of ginseng: its promotion of hair growth. Most people have heard of ginseng in the Chinese traditional healing practices, but only over the last decade have researchers started to analyze it on a deeper level and look into its hair-related impacts. As it turns out, this humble root may hold the key to not just healthier hair, but more voluminous, thicker locks.

While genetics undeniably play a significant role in hair loss and thinning, factors such as stress, diet, scalp health, and circulation are all contributing elements that can exacerbate these conditions. This is where ginseng comes into play. It enhances the circulation of blood on its scalp, hence becomes fundamental in hair development and stimulating healthy growth in nourishing the scalp. That more blood flows into it thus enables the strong transport nutrients to the follicle site.

Recent studies have proven that ginseng is a potent herb that promotes hair growth. Red ginseng extract may significantly enhance hair growth, according to a study conducted in the Journal of Medicinal Food. It is crucial for those individuals who experience hair thinning or alopecia because such a discovery opens up a new window of possibilities through natural, herbal interventions.

Active ingredients of ginseng, especially ginsenosides, are considered to play a crucial role in this process. Ginsenosides enhance blood circulation towards the scalp, thereby stimulating hair follicles and increasing keratin production. The latter is a protein responsible for hair strength and structure. Moreover, the mentioned compounds inhibit the action of 5-alpha reductase, which causes male pattern baldness and female pattern hair loss. This helps ginseng in reducing the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that is responsible for hair loss.

Also Read: This Surprising Chilled Item Can Give You Shiny, Smooth Hair

Other Benefits of Ginseng for Hair Health

Aside from promoting hair growth, ginseng also offers a variety of other benefits that can help in creating a healthier scalp and stronger hair. Here are some reasons why ginseng should be part of your hair care routine:

1. Antioxidant Protection

Ginseng is full of antioxidants, which protect your hair from free radicals with harmful oxidative effects. In other words, these little molecules bring about oxidative damage, hair breakage and thinning, and unnatural aging of hair. All these problems are neutralized by powerful antioxidants in Ginseng from the inside hair cells outwards.

2. Keeps the Scalp Healthy

Ginseng has natural antimicrobial properties that keep the scalp clean and healthy. This is important in keeping conditions such as dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and folliculitis away from the scalp, thus impeding hair growth. A clean and balanced scalp ensures that hair follicles are not obstructed to create an optimal environment for hair to grow.

3. Hydration and Nourishment

Another property that is being provided by ginseng is to balance the scalp's natural oils. With fatty acids, it hydrates the scalp without getting greasy, making it ideal for people with both dry and oily scalps. This moisture balance will prevent hair breakage and split ends.

4. Stress Reduction

Stress is one of the most significant causes of hair loss, and ginseng is known to have an adaptogenic property. That is, it will make your body capable of resisting the effects of stress much more effectively. Ginseng would indirectly lead to a healthy scalp, as less stress would impact the body. This indirectly minimizes the chances of hair thinning due to the effect of stress factors.

How to Use Ginseng for Hair Health

If you want to add ginseng to your hair care process, then there are different ways through which you can do that. Many companies now create hair care products with added ginseng extract: shampoos, conditioners, hair masks- all of it. Thus, you'll be using ginseng without doing much.

Others prefer direct application of the ginseng-infused oils right on the scalp. However, pure ginseng oil can be quite strong, and blending it with a carrier oil like coconut or jojoba oil is suggested for the best results. Just apply this mixture to the scalp and massage it very gently to stimulate blood circulation and nourish the roots of the hair. The oil should be kept for an hour before it should be washed off the oily hair.

Another option is to create a nourishing ginseng hair mask. Combine ginseng powder with olive oil to create a mask that you can apply to your scalp. Leave it on for 20-30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. This mask not only nourishes the scalp but also helps to repair damaged strands and improve overall hair health.

As with any hair care regimen, consistency is key when using ginseng for hair growth. To see the best results, these ginseng-based products should be used two or three times a week. One must be patient while using ginseng; hair growth is slow and gradual. If one suffers from hair thinning and scalp problems even after consuming ginseng, a visit to a dermatologist or trichologist to determine the underlying conditions will be advisable.

Whereas rosemary has long been the darling of herb enthusiasts claiming to help your hair grow, ginseng has emerged as one of the most powerful tools in the quest for healthy, thick hair. Through its properties of enhancing circulation, feeding the scalp with nutrients, and stimulating growth, ginseng proves to be an excellent remedy for people looking to get healthier-looking hair. Whether you use a commercially available product or make your own DIY treatments, you can enjoy great long-term benefits from ginseng when added to your hair care routine. The good news? It's completely natural and very effective as it supports the overall health of your scalp while fostering thicker, fuller hair.

Active ginseng components in cognitive impairment. Oncotarget. 2018

Antifatigue effects of Panax ginseng. PLoS One. 2013

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders and a leading cause of disability worldwide. Research has suggested that associated conditions, such as stigma, anxiety, and depression, can sometimes be more debilitating than the seizures themselves.

Stigma related to epilepsy can exist at both societal and individual levels, with many patients experiencing feelings of shame, fear, discrimination, and social isolation.

Now, research led by AIIMS New Delhi has suggested that yoga may help reduce epilepsy-related stigma while also improving seizure control. The 2023 study, published in Neurology, found that yoga-based interventions may offer benefits for both mental well-being and disease management.

“Yoga has been clinically proven to reduce the ‘felt stigma’ associated with epilepsy. By alleviating anxiety and improving both mindfulness and overall quality of life, mind-body interventions empower individuals to feel more in control and less socially isolated,” lead author Dr. Manjari Tripathi, Head of the Department of Neurology at AIIMS, told HealthandMe.

What Did the Study Find?

According to Dr. Manjari, the study identified three key benefits of yoga for people living with epilepsy:

• Stigma Reduction: Patients who participated in a six-month yoga and psychoeducation program reported a significant reduction in perceived stigma compared with the control group.

• Improved Seizure Control: The yoga intervention was associated with a higher rate of seizure reduction. "Participants were more than four times as likely to experience a greater than 50% reduction in seizures and were significantly more likely to achieve complete seizure remission," Dr. Manjari told HealthandMe.

• Better Mental Health: Yoga practice was linked to lower anxiety levels, improved emotional regulation, and reduced cognitive impairment.

Also read: Yoga's Increasing Role As Great Soft Power And Preventive Healthcare: Ayush Secretary

Dr. Rajesh Sagar, Professor of Psychiatry at AIIMS, told HealthandMe that yoga reduced the burden of epilepsy and improved the overall quality of life in epilepsy patients by reducing the perceived stigma. The overall quality of life was also improved in the yoga group.

How Was the Study Conducted?

Read More: Congo Ebola Cases Rise to 676; FIFA World Cup Team Arrives in US After Quarantine

Researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial involving 160 adults with epilepsy who were followed for six months. Participants were assigned either a structured yoga program or a sham yoga intervention, while both groups also received epilepsy-related psychoeducation.

The yoga program included loosening exercises , breathing techniques, meditation, and positive affirmations.

While the impact on seizure frequency was reduced compared with the control group, the researchers cautioned that larger studies are needed to conclusively determine the effect of yoga on seizure control.

Yoga For Mental Health

Further, mood disturbances have been common among people with epilepsy and often remain inadequately addressed, particularly in developing countries.

According to the researchers, yoga may offer a scalable and accessible option for helping patients manage these challenges alongside conventional treatment.

Dr. Rajesh further told HealthandMe that yoga has well-established benefits for mental health.

“Yoga is important in mental health care, and it has been found that the three important things, which are pranayama, that is, breathing techniques, asanas, that is, physical posture, and dhyana, that is, meditation, have a positive effect on anxiety and even depression, and also improve sleep".

He added that yoga can help reduce stress, improve mood, lower anxiety levels, and enhance sleep quality.

“There is substantial evidence from around the world showing that yoga can benefit people living with certain mental health disorders,” he said.

Every morning, millions begin their day with a quick breakfast and blood pressure (BP) medication swallowed mechanically. But what happens when BP remains uncontrolled despite medicines? Uncontrolled hypertension is one of the most underestimated health threats. Often called the silent killer, it quietly damages the heart, brain, kidneys, and blood vessels.

The BP reading on the cuff captures only a visible measurement. BP that remains above goal over time despite treatment is concerning. Hypertension affects approximately 1.4 billion adults worldwide. Studies suggest that almost 54% of Indian patients have uncontrolled hypertension even while taking ≥2 medications. Thus, treatment does not necessarily mean control.

Why Does BP Control Matter?

Global organizations recommend stricter BP targets, aiming for readings below 130/80 mmHg or even 120 mmHg if tolerated. Studies show that each 10 mmHg reduction in systolic BP can decrease the risk of major cardiovascular events by 20%, stroke by 27%, heart failure by 28%, and death by 13%.

On the other hand, uncontrolled hypertension increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, end-stage kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, and death.

But What If The Numbers Don’t Change Despite Medication?

In persistently uncontrolled hypertension that other causes cannot explain, a hidden culprit called aldosterone is an under-recognized driver. Normally, aldosterone balances sodium and water to regulate BP.

However, in patients with uncontrolled hypertension, aldosterone production may remain abnormally high, causing sodium and fluid buildup, increasing BP.

Approximately 30% of patients with hypertension may have aldosterone dysregulation, and patients with resistant hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and hypokalemia are at greater risk. Nearly 10–20% of patients with hypertension are treatment resistant, increasing their risk. In these patients, aldosterone dysregulation could be an important cause.

It is time to look beyond the cuff, as uncontrolled hypertension is a chronic, progressive, and often silent condition with serious consequences. Improving patient outcomes requires greater urgency, earlier intervention, better treatment optimization, and stronger awareness of underlying drivers such as aldosterone.

It is time to identify and treat the root causes of uncontrolled hypertension, so that patients can regain lasting BP control.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, affects millions of people worldwide. The lifelong condition commonly begins in adolescence or early adulthood and can require repeated hospital treatment, long-term immunosuppressive medication, and, in some cases, surgery.

Despite advances in treatment, many patients cycle through multiple therapies without achieving lasting disease control, impacting their lives and costing healthcare systems millions.

Now, a team of UK researchers from the Universities of Oxford, Newcastle, and Cambridge has identified an important driver of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggest that inflammatory bowel disease is not a single condition but a group of biologically distinct diseases driven by different underlying mechanisms.

"Understanding what drives the inflammation provides a clear explanation for disease in this group of people and opens the door to new treatments that target the autoantibodies themselves or cells that produce those autoantibodies," said Professor Holm Uhlig, a pediatric gastroenterologist and director of the Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford.

What Did the Study Find?

Also read: Alcohol Study Shelved By Trump Administration Published In Scientific Journal: What Did It Find?

The researchers analyzed more than 4,900 patients with IBD and discovered that:

• A substantial subset of patients shows autoimmune responses to one of the guardians of the immune system, interleukin-10 (IL-10), which leads to uncontrolled inflammation.
• This damaging immune response is the mechanism for one of the strongest known genetic risk factors for IBD.

Antibodies that block interleukin-10 (IL-10), a cell-to-cell messenger that normally acts as one of the body's key controls on inflammation, effectively remove the immune system's natural "brake" on inflammation, allowing inflammatory responses to continue unchecked.

The researchers found high levels of anti-IL-10 neutralizing autoantibodies in the blood of about 3.5% of IBD patients, including those with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, but not in healthy individuals. This could equate to 15,000–20,000 people with IBD in the UK carrying these autoantibodies.

The Genetic Link

Read More: US FDA Approves First New Sunscreen Ingredient Since the 1990s

The researchers also found that the presence of these antibodies was strongly linked to carriage of a particular genetic variant known as HLA-DRB1*01:03.

The link between HLA-DRB1*01:03 and a severe form of inflammatory bowel disease was first identified by Oxford researchers 30 years ago.

The new findings show that people carrying this variant are far more likely to develop antibodies that block IL-10, helping explain how the gene contributes to disease.

What Could This Mean for Patients?

The researchers say the findings support the development of a blood test to identify this subgroup of patients, helping clinicians move quickly toward more appropriate treatment.

What Is IBD?

As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), IBD refers to a group of lifelong diseases that affect your intestines. The main types of IBD are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Ulcerative colitis affects the large intestine, while Crohn’s disease can inflame any part of the digestive tract. Both are lifelong conditions of unknown cause that trigger abdominal pain, diarrhea and other complications, with no known cure.

What Are The Symptoms Of IBD That People Usually Ignore?

• Diarrhea or changes in bowel movements
• Stomach pain
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Weight loss

• Dehydration
• Increased risk of colon and rectal cancers
• Low red blood cell count (anemia)
• Reduced bone density
• Joint pain
• Skin changes
• Eye irritation
• Delayed or impaired growth in some children.