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

In recent times, there has been a noticeable increase in heart-related risks among Indians in their 20s. In the past, heart disease was mainly a problem of old age, but the changing lifestyles, poor eating habits, and rising stress levels have changed this trend. This has increased the number of doctors recommending a calcium heart scan also called a coronary calcium scan, even for young adults.

What Is A Calcium Heart Scan?

A calcium heart scan is a quick painless imaging test that checks for calcium deposits in the coronary arteries. These deposits are one of the earliest signs of atherosclerosis, a condition in which plaque builds up inside the arteries and restricts the flow of blood.

The significance of this test is that it can uncover hidden risk even before symptoms such as chest pain and breathlessness appear.

Why Young Indians Are At Higher Risk

Young Indians face multiple risk factors today. Sedentary lifestyles long working hours also lack of physical activity, smoking and increased intake of processed foods are major contributors. Ailments like diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and hypertension are also being seen at a much younger age.

Family history also matters a lot especially in the Indian population who are genetically more prone to early heart disease.

The worry is that many young people seem healthy on routine tests but may still have silent plaque build-up. This is where a calcium score is useful. The higher the score, the more likely you are to have future heart problems, and doctors can take early steps to prevent them such as lifestyle changes or medication.

Why Early Screening Matters

Another important point is that heart attacks in young Indians are often more sudden and severe. This makes early screening all the more important. Calcium heart scans don’t replace your routine check-up, but they do provide an extra level of insight in helping to identify hidden cardiovascular risk.

This scan is not about instilling fear but about early awareness and prevention. Heart disease if found early can often be controlled or prevented. This small step can help to protect young adults with risk factors for long term heart health.

(By Dr. Surendra Nath Khanna, Chairperson, Adult Cardiac Surgery & Heart - Lung Transplant at Artemis Hospital, Gurugram).

Climate change caused a 10 per cent global increase in Salmonella antibiotic resistance genes between 1940 and 2023, according to the first-of-its-kind study published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal today.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is mainly driven by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, which allows resistant bacteria to survive and spread.

However, rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns can influence how bacteria survive, mutate, and spread, potentially increasing the exchange of antibiotic resistance genes.

“The accumulated evidence suggests that climate change is an accelerating force behind the global spread of antimicrobial resistance,” the study authors wrote in the paper.

What Are The Findings?

The study provides supporting evidence that AMR doesn’t just increase steadily as temperatures rise, but that the number of resistance genes changes over time in a more complicated way, depending on both temperature and rainfall. This suggests that environmental changes can speed up how bacteria adapt to antibiotics.

“These findings reinforce the idea that climate change alters microbial ecological stability and accelerates resistance evolution across human, animal, and environmental reservoirs," said the global researchers.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The current study analyzed the genomes of more than 480,000 Salmonella samples from 139 countries, collected between 1940 and 2023, and compared levels of antibiotic resistance genes with changes in average temperature and rainfall over time.

Of the total, 82 per cent of countries saw increases in antibiotic resistance genes in Salmonella, with the strongest climate-associated increases occurring in the Middle East and North Africa, followed by South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

While the study shows a link between climate change and antibiotic resistance genes in Salmonella, it does not prove that climate change directly causes the increase.

The study also used a model to predict the change in antibiotic resistance genes in Salmonella by 2100 under different climate emissions scenarios.

The model suggests that if countries meet low-emission climate targets and strengthen efforts to use antibiotics responsibly, levels of resistance genes could be 24% lower than under the highest-emission scenario. However, they caution that these projections, as with all models, involve uncertainty.

The researchers stressed the need to consider climate change when monitoring and addressing AMR. They add that stronger climate action, alongside responsible antibiotic use and improved disease surveillance across humans, animals, and the environment, will be important in limiting the future spread of AMR.

What Is Salmonella?

As per the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Salmonella is a group of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness and fever called salmonellosis. It can be spread by food handlers who do not wash their hands and/or the surfaces and tools they use between food preparation steps. It can also happen when people consume uncooked and raw food. Salmonella can also spread from animals to people.

Common symptoms of Salmonella include

• diarrhea,
• fever,
• stomach cramps 6 hours to 6 days after being exposed to the bacteria.

Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe illness.

Indian summers are not just uncomfortable; they are becoming increasingly dangerous. With temperatures frequently crossing 45–48°C, heatwaves are putting excess stress on the human body, which hitherto had not experienced this level of heat strain. Now, add smoking to this already hostile environment and, like adding fuel to a fire, two harmful components combine to multiply the damage. Dr Shubham Garg, Director of Surgical Oncology, Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Delhi, spoke about the risks of stepping out to grab a smoke during extreme heatwaves.

Smoking during heatwaves doesn’t just worsen existing risks; it accelerates dehydration, strains the heart, damages the lungs, and pushes the body closer to heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Here’s why lighting up in extreme heat is far more dangerous than most people realise.

Heatwaves Already Stress the Body—Smoking Adds Fuel to the Fire

When temperatures soar, your body works overtime to cool itself. A host of processes happen to aid in this—your blood vessels dilate, there could be an increase in heart rate, and sweating intensifies in order to regulate body temperature. When you smoke, it interferes with these very natural defense mechanisms of your body.

Nicotine results in vasoconstriction—narrowing of blood vessels—which makes it very difficult for the body to release heat trapped inside. The carbon monoxide from cigarettes reduces oxygen delivery to tissues. The result? Less oxygen reaches your organs, which are, in fact, working harder in the extreme heat. This is a perilous combination that can affect the body in many ways.

Dehydration Happens Faster Than You Think

A heatwave leads to sweating and, consequently, loss of fluids and electrolytes. And when you go for smoking a cigarette, it leads to fluid loss and delayed hydration. Nicotine acts as a mild diuretic, which contributes to increased fluid loss. Smoking also suppresses thirst signals, thus delaying hydration.

Collectively these factors raise the risk of severe dehydration, which can trigger dizziness, muscle cramps, low blood pressure, and confusion—all of which are early signs of heat exhaustion. Many smokers ignore these signs or dismiss them altogether.

A Deadly Mix for the Heart

Cardiovascular strain can happen independently through either smoking or heat. That in itself is a threat one should keep an eye out for. However, when combined, they pose a compelling risk of:

1. Sudden spikes or drops in blood pressure
2. Irregular heart rhythms
3. Heat-induced cardiac events

During extremely hot weather conditions, especially during a heatwave, the heart has to exert more effort to maintain circulation and cooling in the body. Smoking elevates heart rate and blood pressure further while also thickening the blood and increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, especially in people with pre-existing diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease.

Lungs Struggle More in Hot, Polluted Air

Hot weather is bad for air pollution levels too, as it traps smoke, dust, and harmful gases close to the ground. When one smokes in these conditions, it severely compromises lung function:

1. Airways become inflamed and constricted
2. Oxygen exchange efficiency drops
3. Symptoms like breathlessness, coughing, and chest tightness worsen

For people with asthma, COPD, or other respiratory conditions, smoking during a heatwave is likely to trigger severe flare-ups and emergency hospital visits.

Heat + Smoking Accelerates Ageing and Skin Damage

Extreme heat is damaging not just for the heart but for the skin as well. The skin becomes dehydrated, and collagen breaks down. Smoking compounds this damage by reducing blood flow and oxygen supply to the skin.

The result:

1. Faster wrinkles and sagging skin
2. Increased pigmentation and dullness
3. Delayed healing of rashes, infections, and sun damage

In short, smoking during summer doesn’t just harm internal organs; it visibly accelerates the ageing process.

Higher Risk of Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke

Smoking reduces the body’s ability to regulate temperature effectively. This makes smokers more vulnerable to heat exhaustion (fatigue, nausea, headache, dizziness) and heatstroke (confusion, collapse, organ failure).

Heatstroke is a medical emergency and can be fatal if not treated promptly. Smokers often misread early warning signs as ‘normal summer weakness,' thus delaying care.

Why Cutting Down Isn’t Enough

Many smokers try to “reduce” smoking during summer. While any reduction helps, heatwaves are one of the worst times to smoke at all. Even a few cigarettes can significantly increase physiological stress when temperatures are extreme.

Smoking during heatwaves is not just bad—it’s dangerously synergistic. If there ever is a time to quit, or at least pause, this should be it. Because in peak summer, smoking doesn’t just harm you slowly. It fast-tracks damage, turning heat into a silent but serious health threat. In extreme heat, choosing not to smoke isn’t just a lifestyle choice—it’s a life-saving one.