Head to Toe: Did You Know?
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We are going to take a journey that I call
“Top of your head to the tip of your toes Did you know” Journey.
I will share some of the many things I found about our bodies that at one time or another really stuck with me, and have made me stop and appreciate what a miracle our body is. Every part of us was built for a specific reason, not one thing on us or in us goes to waste, and there isn’t a part of us that doesn’t have a very hard and taxing job.
Alright, let’s start this journey with hair.
First- is your HAIR
I think it is safe to say that most of us have a love hate relationship with our hair which is why we panic the minute we see large amounts of our hair in the shower and on our combs and brushes. BUT, before you sound the alarm, you should know that most of us naturally lose about 50- 100 hairs every day, and it’s absolutely normal.
Hair is everywhere we look, it’s on the floor, on us , on the couch, the counters, its everywhere. It sounds like a lot of hair loss until you realize you have around 100,000 hair follicles on your scalp, so losing a few dozen hairs daily is nothing at all. Your hair is constantly growing, resting and shedding as part of its natural cycle.
That your hair is actually at its weakest when its wet, and it is strongest when it is dry?
Water causes each strand of hair to swell- making it more elastic and easier to stretch farther than normal, which means it’s also easier to break.
Wet hair stretches and breaks a lot easier than dry, so be very gentle with your wet hair.
Honestly, whenever possible It’s best to let your hair air dry naturally before combing it- if you can’t wait for a natural air dry then please use a wide-tooth comb this works through the tangles instead of forcing a brush through your wet hair.
This is important.. hair is one of the first places our bodies gives us a clue that something is out of balance.
If you notice that you are losing/shedding hair more than usual your body may be trying to tell you that something has changed. Increased shedding can sometimes happen after a significant illness, major stress event, rapid weight loss, hormonal changes, certain medications, or maybe you are not getting enough protein or iron.
Aging Mask takeaway..
Healthy hair starts from the inside out.
Feed your body with enough protein, iron, zinc, healthy fats, daily movement, good sleep, and good stress management. Be gentle with wet hair.
And if you start losing more than 100 hairs a day-please don’t ignore it- maybe, your hair is telling you to take a hard look at what’s happening inside your body.
Eye Lashes
Eye lashes. The envy of many.
The are one of the first things we notice, long, full eye lashes are so desirable that there is an entire industry built around making eye lashes long and full. We have extensions, lifts, mascara, and serums.
The funny thing is.. eyelashes were not made to be admired.. they were designed to protect us.
They are the first line of defense against dust, dirt, pollen, teeny tiny insects, and other particles that can get in and irritate your eyes. Eyelashes trigger the blink reflex when something gets too close giving your eyes an extra layer of protection.
Just like the hair on your head, eyelashes have their own life cycle of growth, rest and shedding, and because they are on different schedules you don’t lose them all at once.
Each eye lash typically lives about 4-11 months before it naturally falls out and is replaced by a new one.
Aging Mask takeaway..
if you are spending a small fortune on eyelash products , castor oil may be worth trying. Its inexpensive, and it conditions your lashes and your brows making them look healthier and fuller.
Remember I am not an ophthalmologist, so if you have an eye condition, or your eyes are sensitive, check with your eye doctor before using anything in or around your eyes.
Nose-
Let’s travel down to the nose. We don’t really appreciate our noses.
Every breath you take passes through your nose, where the air is filtered, warmed and humidified before it ever reaches your lungs.
And while our human sense of smell is pretty amazing, it is still no match for a dog’s. It is estimated that humans have around 5-6 million scent receptors, while a lot of dogs have close to 300 million.
And depending on the breed, a dog's sense of smell is 10k-100k times more sensitive than ours.
Did you know that your nose doesn’t actually use both nostrils equally all day long. Instead, it follows something called the nasal cycle. Every few hours, one of your nostrils becomes slightly more open while the other becomes a little more congested- then they switch- turns every couple of hours.
And then theMucus.
Your nose and sinuses produce about
1 to 2 quarts of mucus every day. That’s equivalent to a standard 32-ounce carton of milk every single day, that to me is mind blowing- we don’t even notice it as Most of it drains down the back of your throat, and you swallow it without ever noticing it.
That mucus is not there by accident- It is constantly trapping dust, pollen, bacteria, viruses and other tiny particles before they can make their way deeper into your body. When you have a cold or allergies, your body simply makes more mucus to help flush out whatever its trying to get rid of…so next time you need to blow your nose- just know your body is protecting you.
Aging mask Takeaway
Whenever possible, try breathing through your nose instead of your mouth- Your nose was designed to filter, warm and humidify the air before it reaches your lungs and that’s important.
And don’t forget to stay hydrated!! Water helps keep your mucus thin so it can do its job of protecting your airways without becoming thick or uncomfortable.
Glutes- Butt cheeks
Most of us think about our glutes from a cosmetic/ Aesthetic standpoint.. We want them bigger, firmer, stronger, but glutes are about so much more than appearance.
The gluteus maximus (its true name) is the largest muscle in your entire body…that’s right.. the biggest muscle you have is the one you are probably sitting on right now, and it’s not just designed for sitting… your glutes are designed to power some of our most important movements. Every time you stand up from a chair, climb stairs, walk uphill, lift something off the floor, or simply maintain your balance.. your glutes are hard at work.
When your glutes are strong, they help- keep your body moving efficiently, but when they are weak, other muscles have to compensate, which puts extra stress on your hips, knees and especially your lower back.
So take note that weak glutes don’t just affect your butt cheeks, they affect the way your entire body moves.
The Aging mask takeaway..
As we age, one of the biggest gifts we can give ourselves is strong glute muscles.
If you spend a lot of time sitting, make it a habit to stand up and move throughout the day.
Walking, climbing stairs, squats, step ups, and resistance exercises all help keep your glutes strong.
Again, Strong glutes aren’t just about looking good- they help protect your knees, support your hips, stabilize your pelvis, and reduce strain on your lower back.. if you have pain in any of those areas, check your glutes before going in for tests.
Take care of them, keep them strong and give them love for everything they do to keep you standing, walking and living an active life.
We end the tour today with one of the hardest working parts of your body- your Achilles Tendon.
It’s the thick, strong tendon at the back of your ankle that connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. Every time you walk, climb stairs, stand on your tippy toes, or push off to take a step, your Achilles is hard at work.
And it is the strongest and largest tendon in your body. It is capable of handling incredible amounts of force, when you walk, run, or jump.
and yet despite its strength, it is also one of the tendons that gets injured most.
Aging Mask lifestyle tip-
Your Achilles tendon works every time you take a step so you want to make sure that you take care of it the best you can… and the best way is to keep your calve muscles flexible and strong is by doing calve stretches, heel raises, and of course walkingas much as possible, these will keep those Achilles healthy. However; if you suddenly feel pain, swelling or tightness in the back of your heel, don’t ignore it. Ease up on the activity causing it, give it a little rest. If you feel a “pop” don’t wait, go get it looked at.
Tendons usually appreciate a gradual load, not sudden overload.
Your Achilles is the strongest tendon in your body, but even the strongest can get hurt once in a while. So take care of them, you need them.
Stretch your calves regularly to keep your Achilles flexible.
That was the end of our head to toe journey. I know we only scratched the surface. There are hundreds of amazing things our body does everyday, and these were just a few that I find the most interesting, and honestly, they are ones I have had the most personal experience with.
Enjoy!
Joanne Demers
The Aging Mask- A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast
(949)236-1529
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