How to Do Scalp Massage for Hair Growth
Hair loss is not just a guy’s problem. If you’re starting to see your strands thinning, consider trying this simple at-home strategy: scalp massage, which may promote hair growth. (Watch out for these sneaky reasons that your hair is falling out.)
“A scalp massage can increase blood flow to the scalp and to the hair follicles,” explains Debra Jaliman, MD, a dermatologist in private practice on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and author of Skin Rules: Trade Secrets from a Top New York Dermatologist.
A study in the January 2016 issue of ePlasty shows that just four minutes of scalp massage a day increases activity among genes known to promote hair growth, and dials down the activity of genes linked to hair loss and inflammation. What’s more, study participants also noted an improvement in hair thickness. “Gentle massaging of the scalp can increase blood flow to the hair follicle, the root of the hair, which is the only living part of the hair,” says Abraham Armani, MD, medical director of Armani Medical Hair Restoration in Dallas. “Massaging works by dilating the very small arteries within the scalp, increasing blood flow to the hair follicle and therefore prolonging the growth cycle of hair.” (Here’s everything you need to know about dandruff.)
Scalp massage for hair loss also reduces stress, which can worsen hair loss. “Not only does the boost in blood circulation to the surface of the skin aid in delivering more nutrients, it’s also relaxing,” Dr. Jaliman says. A study in an October 2016 issue of the Journal of Physical Therapy Science backs this up. It found that twice-weekly scalp massage lowers levels of stress hormones, blood pressure and heart rate, all of which are known to be elevated during times of emotional or physical stress. (You probably don’t know you’re making these showering mistakes.)
When to do scalp massage?
Scalp massage for hair growth can be done while you’re shampooing in the shower or when your hair is dry pre-shampoo. “You should aim for at least three minutes if you are working with both hands because that encompasses a large surface area,” says Jessie Cheung, MD, director of the Jessie Cheung MD Dermatology & Laser Center in Willowbrook, Illinois. There’s no need to use any oil or serum, she says. But some people like to include aromatherapy. “Relaxing scents such as lavender, and invigorating scents such as eucalyptus or mint, will augment the circulatory boost,” Dr. Cheung says.
How to do scalp massage?
A gentle fingertip massage is a good jumping off point. “That’s enough to stimulate the blood flow,” Dr. Cheung says. “If you tend to hold a lot of tension in your neck and scalp, you can increase the pressure gradually.” Start from the edges of the hairline and work your way in toward the crown, she suggests. “You want to stimulate the lymphatic drainage as well, and that starts at the periphery.” Dr. Jaliman adds: “Kneading, in particular, aids with warming up the skin, which helps increase blood flow to the scalp.”
Keep in mind that significant or rapid hair loss may be a sign of an underlying medical condition and should be evaluated by a doctor.
Here are 13 home remedies for dry and damaged hair.
In Conversation with Harry Leslie Smith, author of Don’t Let My Past Be Your Future
Reader’s Digest Canada: After decades of selling imported carpets, you’ve found a second vocation in your 90s as a political commentator—mostly looking back on times of great wealth disparity to warn us of the consequences of austerity and inadequate social supports. What inspired you to start writing?
Harry Leslie Smith: In 2008, the world’s economies crashed. And the following year my middle son, Peter, died at the age of 50. By 2010, my grief was uncontrollable and I knew the only way I could expiate it was through writing about my early life—in a book and also on social media. I needed to let people know that the economic and political storms coming our way, I’d seen them before.
In your new book, Don’t Let My Past Be Your Future, you express concern that in Britain, national health care is in danger. But as someone who has been based mainly in Canada since 1953, what’s your perspective on our coverage?
I am convinced it will not exist in 20 years. Not because it’s too costly but because the entitled, and the politicians who serve them, are too greedy. In Canada, universal health care does not cover prescription drugs or dental care. Only 30 per cent of Canadians can either afford or have the luxury of working for a company that provides health insurance. When I go into stores here staffed by workers earning minimum wage, their teeth remind me of those of the poor in 1930s England.
You’re prolific on Twitter, yet you caution against taking what appears on social media at face value.
Democracy has always been threatened by people interested in preserving their wealth or political influence at the expense of others. Now, social media allows them to spread false information with the speed of the plague. Quite frankly, unless we are willing to invest time in learning about the history of the 20th century and the many trials its people had to undergo, our democracies will not survive. Most of my generation left school at 14, but because our lives had been hard, we knew when someone was selling us a pile of garbage. Now people are willing to suspend their disbelief—and that must stop.
You’re currently crowd-funding to be able to tour refugee camps across Europe. What’s spurring you on?
I am a veteran of the Second World War, and at its end, I encountered long streams of refugees in Belgium, Holland and Germany—thousands of them moving away from their homes. It really hit me that these people, through no fault of their own, had found themselves suddenly destitute. But one thing pleased me, which was that British people built proper accommodations for them. I want to write a book inspired by that period.
You’ve already visited a number of present-day refugee camps. What insights have you gathered?
When I was in Calais [in northern France], I met two Sudanese men in their 20s who told me about life in their war-ravaged country. They had seen horrors and lived in sub-human conditions. Yet they weren’t jaded—and they believed the West would one day rescue them from the hell of refugee life. It made me remember that as long as there is life, there must be hope.
Don’t Let My Past Be Your Future is available now.
For another provocative discussion about global politics, read 15 Minutes with Carol Off!
1. Never Pay Cover
Health clubs can always waive the “enrollment fee.” That fee is just a way for them to get more money out of you. If you don’t want to pay it, just tell the sales rep you’re going to join somewhere else. You’re pretty much guaranteed to have the fee waived. (Here’s the one exercise that will flatten your stomach in 10 minutes.)
2. Make Sure You Can Cancel
You may even need to write on your contract that “per [salesperson’s name], I can cancel this membership anytime with no fees.” Have the salesperson sign and date it. Even better, have the manager sign and date it in case there’s turnover and your salesperson no longer works there.
3. Monitor the Traffic
Find out when the gym is busiest, and make sure that works with your preferences. For instance, if you prefer to work out during a quiet time but the only time you can get to the gym is after work when the machines are mobbed, this might not be the best gym for you. (Discover how this 71-year-old marathon runner stays fit.)
4. Tag Team the Gym
Ask for a one-week trial and bring a friend. Your friend might be able to spot problems you didn’t see.
5. Get a Good Guide
Insist on a free personal training session if you join. If they already provide one, ask for two. (These exercises can cut your risk of heart disease in half.)
6. Prim and Proper Wins
Ask how often the equipment is serviced and cleaned. Cleaning should be done daily; servicing at least once a month.
7. Inspect the Premises
When you get a tour of the facility, check for torn benches and antiquated-looking cardio equipment, and inspect the cleanliness of the locker area. (Check out the one mistake you’re making that could sabotage your workout.)
8. Know Your Fees
If the sales rep is wooing you with visions of Pilates and yoga classes, ask about additional fees. Many make you pay more for such classes.
9. Monitor the Population
Fitness clubs oversell memberships in the hope that people won’t go. If just 20 per cent of the members showed up at one time, most clubs would not have enough space or equipment to support them. Ask when the busiest times are, and show up then to see if the place is too crowded for your taste. (If your squats don’t follow these steps, you’re doing them wrong.)
10. Go for Genuine
Personal trainers at gyms are on commission plus a small hourly rate. So beware of trainers who hound you to sign up for sessions—they’re most likely under pressure to make a sales goal. Instead, get a sense of the trainer’s genuine passion for fitness. If he or she doesn’t pressure you, that’s a good sign.
Plus: The Only Question You Need to Ask to Find the Best Running Shoes
Commuting to and from work is a major source of stress in Canada and throughout the world, and your commute can even make you sick. Yet one city has found a way to make its train journeys more bearable, while promoting literature at the same time.
On two train lines in Beijing, China, the subway cars have been turned into libraries. But they’re not your traditional libraries. Instead of hard copies of the books, the subway cars contain audiobooks, as part of a promotion for a Chinese audiobook app. The app has teamed up with the city of Beijing to promote literacy. (Here are the 10 best cities for book lovers.)
However, the cars are still beautifully decorated to look like real bookshelves. The walls, and even doors, of the cars feature artistic renderings of the available books’ covers. Passengers can still browse the books just like in any other library, and once they’ve made their selection, they can scan the QR code on the “cover” of their chosen book. The QR code leads to the audiobook app, where the passengers can listen to the audiobooks for free. And they still have access to the books even after leaving the train! (Every book lover should visit these nine literary landmarks!)
The app is called 得到, which translates to “Get.” Thanks to the subway cars’ makeover, the app gets attention, and the commuters discover new stories every time they take a ride. And we think they’re all the better for it. Listening to audiobooks really can make your commute more enjoyable. But if libraries with physical copies of books are more your thing, you can find plenty of those in China, too.
[Sources: Mashable, Bookshelf, boingboing]
Check out What It’s Really Like to Restore the Great Wall of China!
In Conversation with Donald Sutherland
Reader’s Digest Canada: First off, congratulations on being a recipient of the 2017 Academy Honorary Award. How did it feel when you got the phone call notifying you of your win?
Donald Sutherland: Like a door opened and a wave of fresh air engulfed me. It means everything to me. Everything.
Your new film, The Leisure Seeker, is about an elderly couple who travel from Boston to Florida in their old RV. It’s an homage to the road movie genre, in its own way.
I’ve travelled everywhere over the course of my long existence, and I love these kinds of films. It was a beautiful script, but Helen Mirren was the key to everything.
You’ve not only worked with Helen Mirren before (1990’s Bethune: The Making of a Hero), but she’s once again playing your wife. What was it like working with her this time around?
She’s extraordinary. I’ve worked with two women who, more than anyone else, have impressed me with their genius: Helen Mirren and Jennifer Lawrence. The intelligence, wit and capability those two have is breathtaking. I love Helen in every respect, in how she conducts herself in a press conference or an interview. Everything about this business, Helen does to perfection.
The character you play suffers from Alzheimer’s. How did you approach that aspect of the role?
I did a lot of research with organizations that train caregivers for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. I approached the role from the other side, as opposed to befriending Alzheimer’s patients themselves. Because nobody knows how a person with dementia feels, really. So I approached it based on how you treat them, and I did a mirror image of that.
Playing a character like this probably makes you think about your own mortality. How are you feeling these days?
I am old, but I don’t feel old. I feel very, very young actually, but my sphincter may be a little old.
There’s a rather funny scene in the film where your character stumbles onto a Donald Trump rally in Key West. Can you tell us about that?
We shot all of that way before the 2016 presidential election. It didn’t make the final cut, but we also filmed some scenes by the Hillary Clinton rallies too. No one in their right mind thought Donald Trump would be elected, and no one in their right mind can believe that he’s been elected, but there’s that.
Although you identify as Canadian, you’re still invested in U.S. politics?
I can’t vote in Canada. I can’t vote in the United States either. The point of actors going “blah-blah-blah” about politics has seemed to me counterproductive, but in terms of my heart and soul, politics has been an integral part of that.
What’s the one issue you feel you can no longer ignore?
I’ll say it three times: climate, climate, climate. I realized it 20 years ago. I started to see jellyfish where jellyfish had never been before. And in the Caribbean, when the water temperature increases by just one degree, that’s massive, because hurricanes feed on hot water. And now they have a President in the United States who doesn’t believe in… oh, never mind.
What advice do you have for young actors and actresses trying to crack into the business?
Be passionate. That’s all there is to it.
The Leisure Seeker makes its wide-release Canadian debut on March 16, 2018.
In Conversation with Catherine Reitman, creator of CBC’s Workin’ Moms
Reader’s Digest Canada: We’ve been saying that women can have it all for a long time now, but your show Workin’ Moms isn’t always so optimistic. What’s your take?
Catherine Reitman: I think the most honest answer I can give is that you can have degrees of it all as long as you’re willing to compromise. You can have a foot in motherhood and career and relationship, but there are going to be days when your relationship is stronger and others when you feel like you’re killing it as a mom. In my experience, women don’t tend to get everything on the same day.
The show has resonated with a lot of actual working mothers. Is there one scene in particular they most often want to talk about?
At the end of the pilot, my character, Kate, is struggling after returning to her job as a PR exec following her mat leave. Her co-workers don’t see her as the kick-ass professional she used to be, and her husband is telling her that she can always just stay home. She misses her child’s first word because she’s stuck at the office and, the next day, she’s jogging in a park with her son when she stumbles upon a bear, which roars at her. Even though your first instinct would most likely be to turn and run, she steps in front of her child and screams back. For me the scene is a battle cry for working mothers and, really, for any human being who’s in the middle of an identity crisis.
At the end of Season 1, a major character decides to terminate her pregnancy. Why was telling that story important to you?
I wanted to show that this is a completely acceptable and legal thing for a woman to do if she has an unwanted pregnancy. I read somewhere that the majority of women who receive abortions already have children, and I thought, Wow. Who better to realize the strain of having a child—whether it’s emotional, financial or professional—than a person with a family already? I wanted to show a woman who was content with her choice and is looking forward to her future with her husband and her children.
Your mother, Geneviève Robert, has worked as an actress. Did her relationship with her own career inform yours?
My mom, who is amazingly talented, could have continued to work but she sacrificed her career when she had me and my siblings. On the one hand, I’m so grateful to have had this incredibly present, generous mother. But a part of me has always wondered, What if she kept going? A lot of women my age feel guilt and wonder if our mothers regret quitting. And now, of course, there’s a new expectation, and financial reality, for most homes to be dual income, which is just a different kind of pressure.
In Season 2 the focus will not just be on moms, but working dads, too. How come?
I wanted to explore the idea that a working father is just as connected to his child and loves his child just as much. My husband is one, and he experiences the same pain I do. The difference is that less is expected of him. It’s okay to be a father who is sometimes missing in action, whereas women are expected to be present—and put together handmade Halloween costumes.
A special episode of Workin’ Moms airs on December 19, 2018, ahead of the Season 2 premiere on January 9, 2018.
Want to hear from another Canadian small screen star? Check out 15 Minutes with Burden of Truth‘s Kristin Kreuk!
The Best Way to Explain a Resume Gap
When Jen Lucas’ husband was offered a job he couldn’t refuse in New York City, she left her position as a controller for a bath-and-beauty company in Chicago and the couple headed east. The then-pregnant Lucas hadn’t expected to leave her job and had even strategically planned her due date and maternity leave to coincide with a slow time at work. Fast forward seven years. “Time flew by. I had a second son. We moved to London with my husband’s job, and then moved back to New York,” she recalls. Try explaining this on a job interview with 10 other candidates waiting patiently in the reception area!
Lucas is not alone. Resume gaps can happen for a number of reasons, including a faltering economy, getting fired for cause, illness, family matters, life changes such as pregnancy, parenthood, moving, or any combination thereof, and they’re common.
But resume gaps need not ruin your career. (Nine female CEOs share the best career advice they’ve ever received.)
“Having a gap in your resume isn’t necessarily a negative,” says David Klein, a partner at KDS Staffing in New York City. “It can be an opportunity for candidates to show how they’ve used the time productively to further their career, whether through continuing education, enhancing their skill sets, or brushing up on industry knowledge and networking.” Even if a resume gap comes from an unfortunate circumstance—company-specific issues or the economic environment—there are still ways to present the gap in a positive light, according to Klein. “Whether you’ve got a short gap, an extended gap, or multiple gaps, your best bet is to be prepared to answer the question honestly, and to be confident in your answer.” (Get the most out of your job interview by asking these questions to your future employer.)
One strategy is to own the gap before it defines your credentials. “Make it sound like it was your choice,” suggests Kim Brody Shyer, a recruiter in New York City. “Say ‘I got a great severance package and I really wanted to spend the summer with my family, but now I am recharged, and ready, willing, and able to dive back in.'”
If you left the work force to raise a child, make sure any prospective employers know that you have a solid childcare plan in place and are excited to come back to work. “Pivot questions about the past by focusing on the future,” she suggests.
Keep in mind that potential employers can’t legally ask about personal health conditions during the interview process as per the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Short gaps can easily be glossed over, but longer periods of unemployment should be addressed on paper and in person, adds Robin Levitt, president of 4D Executive Search in Encino, California. “Instead of leaving a massive blank space on your resume, include what you did with your time off, such as ‘1992–1997: Family leave to care for aging parents.’ Spelling it out reduces skepticism.”
Whatever your explanation, practice it in advance so it will sound polished. “We always instruct candidates to practice answering the question prior to the interview and provide examples of how they made their time off useful,” Klein says. “Be prepared to discuss industry publications you’ve read, events you’ve attended, new contacts you’ve made, training you completed, and any paid or unpaid consulting or freelance work.” (Here are five healthier work habits North Americans need to steal from Europeans.)
Jen Lucas, now 43, eventually did land a job that then led to the position she has now as director of finance of You Gotta Believe, a nonprofit organization that aims to connect older youth in foster care with permanent families before they age out of the system. Still, the process was far more challenging that she had expected due to her seven-year hiatus.
Here are 11 words to always say in an interview!
You already know that making a good first impression can go a long way. But forget all the advice you’ve received about dressing to impress or putting on a cheesy smile. Turns out, the true secret to building a lasting connection reaches much deeper than what you wear. (Saying this one word instantly makes you more trustworthy.)
According to Amy Cuddy, a Harvard Business School professor who has researched first impressions for more than 15 years, everyone (consciously or subconsciously) asks two questions when they meeting someone new: Can I trust this person? And can I respect this person? (These magic phrases can save an awkward conversation.)
Both questions help you measure a person’s warmth and competence, respectively. But, Cuddy says, you should put gaining your peers’ trust over winning their respect—even in a workplace setting. “If someone you’re trying to influence doesn’t trust you, you’re not going to get very far; in fact, you might even elicit suspicion because you come across as manipulative,” Cuddy wrote in her book Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges. “A warm, trustworthy person who is also strong elicits admiration, but only after you’ve established trust does your strength become a gift rather than a threat.”
But that’s not the only way you can start off on the right foot with a stranger. Your physical appearance matters, too. A 2017 study by psychologist Leslie Zebrowitz of Brandeis University found that people use four cues to judge your face: babyfacedness, familiarity, fitness, and emotional resemblance. While you can’t control all of these factors, you can improve your “emotional resemblance” by using body language that builds trust naturally.
The bottom line: The next time you meet someone new, focus on gaining their trust—not winning them over with a firm handshake.
[Source: Curiosity]
The smarter you are, the more you judge people—here’s why.
Why Handwriting Makes You Smarter
Handwriting is quickly becoming a dying art. Few businesses can run nowadays without computers, giving keyboard shortcuts an unprecedented importance. Elementary and high schools across the country now view typing courses as essential to their curricula. But what are we losing as handwriting loses its significance in society?
Brain power, according to science. Researchers from Princeton University and the University of California, Los Angeles conducted a series of studies to demonstrate the differences between students who wrote out their notes and those who typed notes. Participants took notes on a lecture using one of the two methods and were tested on the material 30 minutes after the lecture and again a week later. The results showed that both types of notetakers did well on the first test, though longhand notetakers had a stronger grasp of the overall concept, but students with handwritten notes were able to remember and still understand the concepts of the lecture after a week had passed. These participants were also more open to understanding new ideas. (Discover 13 telling things your handwriting reveals about your personality.)
At the University of Nebraska, educational psychologist Kenneth Kiewra held a similar study, where some students were tested immediately following a PowerPoint lecture and others had a chance to review their notes before being tested. Those who took notes on a laptop had a slight advantage on the test right after the lecture, but students with written notes performed significantly better when given the chance to review. Kiewra told the Wall Street Journal that the reason is likely because longhand notes were briefer, more organized, and better captured information from graphs and charts than typed notes.
Another problem with typing notes is the tendency to transcribe lectures verbatim. While this can help in recalling facts short-term, it takes the focus away from the main points of the lessons. Students who take handwritten notes need to quickly process the lesson and rewrite it in a way they can understand, giving them an advantage in remembering new concepts long-term.
Computers aren’t going away anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean paper notebooks need to become obsolete. In fact, it’s best to start using them at an early age. University of Indiana researchers compared brain scans of five year olds, some of whom practiced printing letters and some who just looked at the letters. Those who wrote out the letters had more enhanced and “adult-like” neural activity.
Take this as a parenting hack for the digital era: Don’t let your kids go completely digital.
