If one of your missions in life is to cover your grays, dyes and henna are mere cover-ups. A prized healer in ayurvedic medicine, Indian gooseberry or emblic myrobalan (a.k.a. alma) is used to treat premature grays among other syndromes. The alma tree is sacred in India where it is worshipped as mother nature and believed to nurture humankind (the leaves, fruit, and flowers are used in healing and worship).

To use the Indian gooseberry for follicle enhancement - alma is believed to not only prevent graying, but also to increase hair growth - it is best to dry pieces of the fruit in the shade and then boil them in coconut oil until they become charred. The oil is then rubbed on the scalp and hair to prevent graying. Soak the dried fruit in water and you have a nourishing final rinse when shampooing the hair.

Indian gooseberries are much more than beauty aids. They can also be used to increase production of red blood cells, regulate blood sugar, treat cataracts, and protect against heart disorders. Consult an ayurvedic doctor for more on alma.

[via Holistic Online]

Image: maharishi.co.uk