Tag: self love

With Age Comes Balding

On By queeenvkIn Beauty, Health, Help, self helpLeave a comment

Almost all of us will experience balding in some way, whether we watch someone else struggle with losing their hair or we go through it ourselves. There are many types of hair loss but I want to discuss balding as we age, also known as male and female pattern balding or androgenic alopecia.

Why is it called male/female pattern balding?

Age-related balding happens in a specific pattern in men and women. The pattern of balding is how you diagnose balding and determine whether it’s age-related balding or if it is caused by something else such as fungal infection or medications. Females normally have balding or thinning from the centre part of the scalp and males lose hair from the temples or crown.

Diagram showing balding from the temples to give the classic widow’s peak. Image source.

What causes balding from age?

Androgens are a type of hormone in the body that are responsible for controlling the male characteristics in both males and females. The word androgen is made up of the latin words for man (andro-) and generator (-gen). Testosterone is an androgen that is made in the testes, ovaries and adrenal glands and it is found in high concentrations in males but in low concentrations in females.

The body converts testosterone into other forms, ie. metabolises the testosterone, with different enzymes depending on which part of the body it is in, the age of the body and also the gender of that body. There isn’t enough known about how the different types of testosterone products interact with the process of making hair follicles in men and women but we do know that no matter how much testosterone you have or don’t have, balding ultimately comes down to your genes.

It’s genetic!

As we age our hair follicles become weaker and produce weaker, thinner, more brittle hair. Then eventually the hair follicle dies and no longer produces hair. People with relatives who experience male pattern baldness are more likely to also experience male pattern baldness themselves.

There is no cure

There are topical treatments for balding to prevent and/or reduce hair loss. These treatments have limited success due to the lack of knowledge regarding the metabolism of testosterone between individuals.

The best way to deal with balding in your life is to assess your own self esteem and feelings of self worth.

Also consider how you feel when you look at a person who is showing signs of balding. Remember that the way you perceive yourself is very different to the way others perceive you. When you look in the mirror be gentle to the friend in the reflection. You are a beautiful person no matter how many working hair follicles you have.

Stay healthy and safe. Reply in the comments with your suggestions for a specific health topic you would like me to cover.

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You’re worth more than a number

On By queeenvkIn Beauty, Food, Health, Help, InspirationLeave a comment

[Listen to me read this post out for you on Spotify]

You’re worth far more than any number on a scale.

If you don’t have to, seriously, NEVER weigh yourself.

Is it actually useful to know your weight and how it fluctuates daily, weekly, monthly? Be honest.

Instead, it’s far more useful to note how your body is feeling. How are you feeling at the moment? Are you a bit bloaty? Are you in pain? Are your clothes tight or uncomfortable?

If stepping on the scales makes you feel so crappy that you lose motivation then remove that toxic bitch from your life!! No BODY has time for that negativity.

If you’re losing confidence and beating yourself up because of those scales, get yourself out of that depressing cycle.

You have the power to remove those negative influences in your life and become more productive in your journey through life.

And remember, our weight fluctuates so much that we weigh differently at different times of the day. The amount of water you drink or whether you’ve emptied your bowels will make a lot of difference. Even the amount of sleep you get will change your weight!

So weighing youself day to day doesn’t actually matter. You know what does matter?

How strong you are becoming as you train your muscles to lift weights.

Holding that yoga pose or nailing your pilates routine.

Reaching your goal of running a few km or completing a marathon.

Feeling confident when you look in the mirror.

Loving yourself because you’re worth it!

It’s rare that I check my weight anymore. When I do, I accept the number that appears on the dial. It’s only a number.

Working towards fitting into a pair of jeans or a slinky dress is a great goal, but you deserve to love yourself and feel worthy in the clothes you are already in. No matter the size.

Plant a tree without planting a tree

On By queeenvkIn Environment, InspirationLeave a comment

You can now plant a tree and help the planet without even getting your hands dirty.

I have often thought about planting a tree but I have no idea how or where to do it with permission. My small apartment balcony is hardly the place for a tree!

There are currently a bunch of companies that plant at least one tree per purchase of their products or services. Here are some of them:

Tree Lyfe

“Live every day with intention.
Wear our bracelets as a reminder that you have the ability to create your own reality. #plantyourfuture
Each bracelet plants a tree and is a daily reminder that you too can reach incredible heights.”

So far Tree Lyfe has planted around 12,000 trees. They are planted in Haiti, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Nepal, and Indonesia. Local workers from these poverty-stricken countries are hired and trained to plant the trees, providing jobs which help lift the families from poverty. The local families then benefit as the workers can provide food, education, and health care for their families.

In addition to the benefit to the environment Tree Lyfe also has a focus on mental health.
I’m all for breaking taboos around mental health and keeping the conversation open around mental health in order to reduce stigmatisation. It’s a cause close to my heart.
Each bracelet stands for more than one planted tree. It serves as a reminder of our own personal growth that can grow along with the tree that was planted with the purchase of the bracelet.
Scroll down for my Tree Lyfe review.

Ten Tree

At tentree, our goal is to become the most environmentally progressive brand on the planet. We don’t want to just reduce the negative impact of the apparel industry, we want to use it as a vehicle for change. Our purpose is to revitalize our environment and inspire a generation to believe that they can do the same.

Baron Fig

Buy a Book, Plant a Tree endeavour is our way of giving back in appreciation. It’s our way of showing thanks to you, our customers, as well as to the environment. So far your purchases have helped plant tens of thousands of trees since we launched, with more being added to that number daily. For every Confidant you buy, we’ll plant a tree.

WeWOOD

High-quality and eco-friendly timepieces that give back to the environment. For each watch sold WeWood plants one tree allowing our customers to not only look stylish in their new WeWood accessory but help the environment.

4EST Shades

At 4EST Shades we fell in love with the idea of crafting beautiful products from sustainable materials. Our dream resulted in the creation of this wonderful collection of sunglasses. We are also dedicated to giving back, so with every purchase made we donate to have two trees planted. Rest assured you won’t only look good, you can feel great knowing you’ve helped make for a greener Earth!

Review time

I gave Tree Lyfe a go and I am pleasantly surprised with the products I have received.

The quality of each woven bracelet exceeds expectations and the size of the bracelet is very easily adjustable to allow a perfectly comfortable fit.

Each sticker and bracelet provides a person with motivation and positivity, which is exactly what I feel I need in my life especially this week in particular. Every time I look down and see these trendy pieces on my wrists I feel a boost of inspiration and sometimes that’s all we need to keep us going.

In regards to keeping up the conversation around mental health awareness, check out the Tree Lyfe website for the Inspiring Stories from young people who have shared their own personal traumatic experiences. These personal stories can help inspire us to keep going through those challenging times in our life.

Tree Lyfe is offering a 10% discount on all purchases through this affiliate link or it’s as easy as using the code FULLCUP10 at the checkout.