The healing properties of horsetail
Horsetail, or Equisetum arvense, is a herb that contains the mineral silica or silicon. The plant looks like a big, green ponytail. As a child I loved to pluck the different segments of the plant…a fun way to relax.
This mineral is known to strengthen your bones, as well as your nails and hair. Horsetail is also rich in selenium, a mineral that is essential to fight the anti-ageing process by protecting us from major causes of death like cardio-vascular disease and cancer. It also plays a role in the processes that go on in the thyroid, processing iodine, and as a result it affects hair growth. (see my other post on the thyroid and hair loss) If you are deficient in selenium you can suffer from slower hair growth or even hair loss. Consuming horsetail is one way to make sure you get a sufficient amount of this essential mineral.
If is important to take the correct amount of these minerals as consuming too much of them can have an adverse affect on your health. A doctor who is proficient in the administration of vitamins and minerals can help you to define how much you need.[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=”h3″ text_size=”h3″]How to use horsetail[/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text]You can use horsetail in many ways. I for example mix it into my special mama-mix herbal tea blend which I created to heal my own hair. For the recipe to make this delicious and healing tea you can check my book “The complete guide to healthy hair. A 3-step program to heal your hair.” (English version out soon, subscribe to my newsletter to be informed). The Dutch version is already available in all bookshops and online under the title “Het complete boek over haar. In 3 stappen naar gezond haar.”
If you want to use horsetail to treat your hair on the outside to make your hair shiny and strong then simply steep about 2 tablespoons of the herb in 4 cups of hot water. Let it steep for about 10 minutes. You can then either use it as a rinse after shampooing and conditioning or you can mix it into a gentle, natural shampoo. Doing this weekly will give you shiny and strong hair.
You can find horsetail at your local health food shop or you can simply harvest it in your neighbourhood. Always make sure that if you pick your own herbs, that you make sure they have not been in contact with pesticides or any other pollutants.
There are also supplements that use this wonderful plant to help you grow healthy hair.
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