ASKED QUESTIONS ON HOW TO STAY HEALTHY AND GOOD-LOOKING
Over the past two years, I seem to have developed ridges on my fingernails. Have you any idea what might have caused them, and are there any vitamins I can take to get rid of them?
Acute illness or fevers can cause ridges to form in the nails. This is usually because the stress of the disease depletes the body of needed nutrients - particularly vitamins À,  complex, folic acid, calcium, iron, and protein. I'd advise a supplement of vitamin  complex, 100 mg., 1-3 times daily; a high-potency multiple vitamins with chelated minerals with either breakfast or dinner; and vitamin A, 10,000 IU, daily, after any meal, 5 days a week.
Why is it supposed to be better for your hair to alternate shampoos every couple of weeks?
Probably because the cleansing and conditioning ingredients in most shampoos can - and do - build up, causing an overload that could deprive your hair of the bounce and sheen for which you bought the shampoo in the first place. Rinsing your hair with a solution of plain apple-cider vinegar and water can eliminate unwanted residue, and save you the expense (and bathroom shelf space) or numerous new shampoos. This is particularly important if you wash your hair consistently with hard water, which has more metal ions, and, when combined with soap, leaves a residue.
I've been told that seaweed is good for the skin. Looking at the yucky stuff that's washed ashore, I find it hard to believe. I'm always game for new natural beauty treatments, but this one seems strange. Do you know anything about it?
I do, indeed. Seaweed is essentially highly concentrated sea water, with a large mineral content of magnesium, potassium, calcium, iodine, sodium, and particularly sulphur, which attracts moisture to the skin. It's often used as a dry skin treatment, since its amino acids and vitamins rectify skin deficiencies and aid in tissue development. I do not, though, recommend that you go to your local beach and gather up, as you call it, "that yucky stuff," for a home facial. Consult a professional, or find a reliable manufacturer of a beauty product containing seaweed.
I hate using chemicals to bleach my hair, but I do like blonde streaks. I've tried lemon juice, but it just doesn't do enough. Are there any other natural hair lighteners?
Chamomile oil! (You can find it at health food stores.) This is stronger than lemon juice, so try it on a few strands before combing through your hair all at once. For a milder, allover lightening, use chamomile tea. Rinse your hair with it, then go outside and let the sun do the rest. (For reddish highlights, mix a bit of lemon juice with some brewed Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea.)
*55/137/5*
GENERAL HEALTH
