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.
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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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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For many young and middle- aged adults, headaches or brief dizzy spells often feel routine — attributed to long work hours, stress, or poor sleep. Occasional blackouts or “spacing out” episodes may be brushed aside as fatigue or skipped meals.
What makes these symptoms particularly dangerous is that they are often mistaken for burnout, stress, migraines, or exhaustion — especially among younger working professionals. While most headaches are harmless, persistent neurological symptoms that disrupt daily life should never be ignored.
But there are neurological symptoms you should never ignore: sudden seizures, memory loss after brief collapse, repeated headaches, unexplained weakness, or changes in personality. These can sometimes point to an underlying brain disorder — and, in rare cases, to Glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.
Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most aggressive and fast-growing forms of brain cancer in adults. It develops in the supportive tissue of the brain and can quickly affect memory, speech, movement, personality, and other neurological functions. Because the tumour tends to spread into nearby healthy brain tissue, complete surgical removal is often difficult, making timely diagnosis and treatment extremely important. While brain tumours are often associated with older adults, specialists are increasingly seeing younger individuals dismiss early warning signs as work-related fatigue, lack of sleep, stress, or lifestyle burnout. Delayed recognition can sometimes postpone critical medical intervention. In India, there are around 23,000 glioblastoma cases per day, considered higher incidence rates along with North America, Australia, Northern and Eastern Europe. Seizures and persistent headaches are often among the earliest symptoms that prompt medical investigation.
Recently, a 34-year-old woman presented to Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghatta with seizures and memory loss. Her first seizure occurred one morning at home — she collapsed briefly, with twisting of arms and legs, and woke with total memory loss of the episode. Like many young professionals struggling between work and personal commitments, she first considered the cause to be work-induced stress. The family did not suspect that these seemingly routine headaches and blackouts could indicate a serious neurological condition. Before that, she had minor headaches — the kind most people ignore. An MRI scan revealed brain swelling, and anti-seizure medication was prescribed. A second opinion at month’s end showed swelling reduction.
The turning point came in late, during a road trip, when she suffered three seizures in two hours. A burr hole biopsy of a right frontal lesion suggested a diffuse low-grade glioma. Subsequent evaluations at Apollo Hospitals upgraded the diagnosis to bifrontal Glioblastoma — a clinically challenging case due to its location. This is a clinically unusual case because most of the time, GBM is diagnosed with MRI with contrast, MR spectroscopy, and biopsy to confirm the type and grade of tumor. In this patient’s case, imaging revealed widespread bifrontal involvement — making conventional surgery high risk. Her care team opted for a non-surgical precision radiotherapy approach. She had 25 high precision image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) sessions using RapidArc technology. This was followed by two CyberKnife boost sessions to high-risk tumour areas - a plan to boost treatment precisely where it was most needed. All sessions went smoothly, with no major side effects. Since October 2024, she has been undergoing her cycle of monthly chemotherapy treatment alongside her regular scanning.Happily, she was also able to slowly get back to work, engage in recreational activities, and gain a semblance of normal life despite the ongoing cancer treatment.
Signs that point to headaches along with seizures, vomiting, blurred vision, confusion, personality changes, weakness, or an increasing frequency of symptoms should be evaluated medically without delay. Even one seizure is not an issue to ignore.
Some symptoms you must mention to your doctor will be:
It may help you diagnose your problems effectively if you see a neurologist, conduct MRI brain imaging and have consultations from an early stage. While some headaches or seizures do not necessarily mean having a tumor in the brain, regular occurrence of such symptoms with no reason is likely to be examined by an expert. However, although a proper healthy lifestyle may help your brain remain healthy, it will be ineffective for illnesses like GBM.
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Glomerular Diseases affect the glomeruli, which are very small filtering units in the human kidney, and when they get damaged due to disorders, the filters leak blood and vital proteins into the urine and fail to remove waste efficiently. Eventually, these problems can lead to chronic kidney disease or kidney failure. As per its treatment, medications are used to slow kidney damage, manage blood pressure, and reduce protein leakage.
Notably, a new study has revealed hope in this condition by finding that a well-known drug can be very effective in slowing damage if the patient has Glomerular Diseases, and that common drug is Finerenone, which is often prescribed for heart and kidney diseases associated with type 2 diabetes.
The trial was participated in by 903 participants with glomerular diseases. The drug finerenone was given to them. The results show that compared with placebo, it slowed kidney damage, reduced albuminuria, and lowered the risk of kidney failure or sustained loss of kidney function.
Thus, the study clearly indicates that the drug called finerenone may play an important role in protecting kidney function in patients with glomerular diseases.
The research was conducted through subgroup analysis of a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted across 24 countries and regions, focusing on participants with an investigator-reported glomerular disease.
The study was conducted on a large scale, having conducted the research for months in 24 countries and regions. The trial also took care of other important details and implemented all required paperwork, thus securing approvals by regulatory authorities along with ethics committees in every center. Other than that, the participants were required to submit written informed consent. Moreover, an independent data monitoring committee performed safety monitoring throughout the tests.
Dietary habits can contribute to kidney strain, particularly when busy schedules encourage reliance on convenient foods that are often high in sodium and low in nutritional value.
Hydration habits are additional concerns among office workers. Many professionals rely heavily on coffee, energy drinks, or sugary beverages during long workdays, often replacing plain water as the main source of fluid intake.
Protecting kidney health often begins with small lifestyle changes. Reducing processed food consumption, limiting excessive salt intake, staying adequately hydrated, and maintaining regular sleep schedules can all support kidney function.
Taking short movement breaks during long work hours and managing stress through regular physical activity or relaxation techniques may also help reduce the long-term strain that modern work routines place on the body.
Credit: AI generated image
Convenience foods have become the defining feature of urbanization. From ready-to-eat breakfasts to microwavable dinners and takeaway lunches, packaged food fits into all our lives.
But behind this convenience, what lies underneath are the tiny plastic particles, also referred to as microplastics, which are accentuating health concerns across the globe. Unknowingly, these microplastics are seeping through the plastic cutlery, food packaging, etc., potentially into our bodies. Plastics have been widely used for ages due to their higher affordability, durability, and extensive applications in various industries.
As per a recent literature quoted by Zhang et al. 2025, only about 20% of the plastic waste produced is recycled, whereas the rest is either abandoned in landfills or dispersed into the environment. Microplastics are the new emerging pollutant category in the modern era, raising prominent concerns in both health & environmental contexts. As per scientific literature, microplastics are plastic fragments with a diameter of less than 5mm.
Plastic food packaging dominates the global food system, since it can be designed in any form (container, wrapper, pouch, etc) while keeping food fresh for longer periods.
Microplastics are released from food packaging(s), especially when they are exposed to prolonged heat, abrasive forces, and undue environmental stresses. Heating and/or reheating food in plastic containers or choosing to decant packaged food commodities in plastic containers and maintaining them under unfavorable circumstances can all increase the likelihood of microplastic release.
Bottled water has also proven to release thousands of microplastic particles into the water they contain when exposed to sunlight/ heat. We never give a thought to such bottles being sold by the roadside vendors, wherein these plastic bottles are hung for indefinite days on that kiosk.
Those bottles are in constant light exposure all day without even pondering about the ill effects it may cause to the consumers. Similarly, single-use tea bags have also been shown to release billions of microplastics when steeped in hot water. These findings highlight a troubling paradox that products marketed for convenience and safety may be introducing new risks that consumers never thought about.
The health implications of ingesting microplastics remain an active area of research, but early findings are enough to raise concerns. Studies have demonstrated microplastics in human blood, lungs, and even placental tissue. This suggests that upon ingestion, these particles may not simply pass through the body. Instead, they would accumulate in tissues or interact with biological systems in ways that are not yet fully explored.
One of the major health implications pertaining to microplastic ingestion is inflammation. These particles can trigger irritation in tissues, eventually impacting the immune responses.
Plastics often contain additives in the form of plasticizers, etc., which may disrupt hormone function and impair the normal cellular function.
Infants and children are more often vulnerable as their food is also packed in plastic packaging or containers (like plastic sippers, feeding bottles, baby food pouches, etc.), raising long-term exposure risk during critical stages of growth.
The issues relating to plastic usage also reflect a broader tension in the modern era, where convenience seems to intersect with health! For people or families juggling work and financial burdens, avoiding packaged foods mostly sounds unrealistic.
Still, some small and consistent actions can help us reduce the exposure to microplastics, like opting for glass or paper packaging wherever possible. Avoiding heating food in plastic containers or opting for biodegradable packaging options could prove to be beneficial in the future. Though microplastics are invisible to our naked eyes, what we do next to curb them would help us shape a healthy future.
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