Going Green With Your Skin and Haircare Regimen: Noni Can Help!

Hair care can become a bit expensive if you are becoming a product junkie, but one way to address that is to become your own mixologist. Of course, if you are going to do that you need nothing but the best ingredients.

One of the beauties about living in a tropical country is that there is a wide range of natural resources to choose from. For instance, the mimosa plant that we in the Caribbean call the “shame old lady” the much acclaimed aloe vera and natural castor oil* are all easily accessible. It helps to know you can reach out and pick something from a tree and get all that wonderful goodness.

As I thought about this I looked in my own back yard and noticed that I had several noni trees loaded with the “miracle fruit”. Though it is touted as a cure all natural remedy for most everything, many people still have no clue what noni is. Of course, Dr. Oz featured it in an episode but in case you missed that, peep the rest of this info.

What is Noni?

Noni – Morinda Citrifolia-  is an ever green  plant found in Southeast Asia, Australia and the Caribbean. It is said to be a relative of the beloved coffee a traditional Polynesian medicine that has been around for ages. There have been said to be numerous benefits of both the  juice and the fruit as well as the tree. This may be because of it’s  analgesic, anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants which according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, ward off the effects of the environment.

The dried leaves and bark of the plant can be used to brew tea, the berry or fruit can be subjected to a fermentation process to provide the juice or you can simply get the capsules that have become a bit more popular.

It is quite easy in a fast-paced world such as this, for our health to become compromised. When that happens it may manifest in premature hair loss, so your hair may tend to fall out more than is expected. Noni can help to put things back in balance.

As with many other things that we have limited scientific backing for, the claims of the benefits of noni have been scoffed on for the most part; but the wave of health consciousness that has blanketed the generation in recent times, have sparked enough interest for Dr. Neil Solomon to assess the claims and record his findings in The Noni Phenomenon.

This is not for the faint of heart though (ducking my head and wearing a sheepish grin). Organic noni juice is an acquired taste (I can’t say I am there yet myself ) It is not called the cheese fruit for nothing; it actually tastes like a cross between Limburger cheese and blue cheese and is rather pungent. It is for this reason that I’ve been ignoring the trees in my back yard but even I can attest to the fact that this thing works!

Unless your nose and taste buds are quite adventurous this is not necessarily the type of juice you would look forward to after a 9-5. Those of us who do incorporate it in our diet do so out of necessity because we are aware of the medicinal uses and health benefits.

If you are not an all organic enthusiast, this is not a problem though, since the more commercial forms of noni are combined with fruit flavors to make it more palatable.

Health Benefits of Noni

We are of the school of thought that what you put in is what you will get out, in other words, good nutrition is the most important part of any HHJ regimen. Our hair thrives when we put in the antioxidants, minerals and vitamins* that are crucial for growth and development; hence a look at the health benefits and nutritional value of noni is highly recommended.

The good news is that a daily intake of two to four ounces of noni can go a far way in enhancing your overall health so you can see the benefits in your beauty regimen.

►Stimulates the promotion of T-cells

►Aids in weight loss

►Helps control diabetes

►Arrests pre-cancer functions and combats tumors

►Prevents stroke

►Prevents cataracts

►Prevents ulcers

►Aids in digestion

►Combats hair loss

Noni in Hair Care

Shea Moisture* and Tahitian Noni International are two companies which have been exploring the benefits of noni to hair care. These companies have found that while noni is good on its own, it works great in synergy with other organic solutions to promote healthy skin and hair.

Having had success with their anti- aging cosmetics line using noni, Tahitian Noni International  have formulated products from noni to address issues such as dry, brittle hair and hair that is limp. The following components of noni are quite beneficial to hair care:

Vitamin C*– This is an anti oxidant which is good for hair since it aids in the regeneration of sells and mitigates against the effects of free radicals from the environment. Since our bodies do not produce this vitamin, a good source from which you can get your daily intake should be on your list of priorities.

If you want to experiment you can make your own spritzer with  the noni juice which can serve as a humectant, considering that the antioxidants attract moisture . The presence of this vitamin also helps in color retention to ensure your hair maintains it’s color for longer. It is for this reason that the BSY Noni Black Hair Miracle Shampoo is gaining some amount of popularity.

Polyphenols – This is a compound that actually functions like solar panels which capture UV light and also refracts it back into the skin in a focused way to minimize damage on the skin. In essence, these compounds provide natural protection against the damaging effects of the sun so it acts like a sunblock.

Niacin- This just happens to be a part of the B Vitamins* which are said to promote hair growth. Niacin in noni works in conjunction with other micronutrients to improve blood circulation, which should stimulate the hair follicles. The presence of niacin* also tends to lower cholesterol which can often turn into DHT- the harmone which causes hair loss.

Considerations

It is important to note that noni contains high levels of potassium* which may exacerbate kidney problems, and niacin* which can cause liver problems to worsen. For this reason, it is better to seek professional medical advice before adding noni to your regimen

So there you have it, the skinny on the superfood called noni. Food is your best medicine and health within translates to health on the outside so if you are desirous of making food your medicine to address your health and beauty needs, remember the noni can help.