As the air begins to turn crisp with the changing season, I can’t help but notice the familiar struggles with my hair. My once smooth locks are now plagued with dryness, frizz and a general lack of shine. With every tug of a brush, my frustration grows. Like many, I’ve tried various products and routines, but a tried-and-true hair routine often feels elusive. After all, the same routine won’t work for everyone because there are so many factors—environment, hair type, and even diet.

But here’s what I’ve learned: starting with the basics and experimenting with home remedies can make all the difference. Here’s a deep dive into what can bring your hair back to life, from nourishing shampoos to the unexpected benefits of beer.

If you’re feeling the same seasonal struggle, the first step in creating a hair routine that works for you is choosing the right shampoo and conditioner. Every hair type—whether straight, wavy, curly, or coiled—has unique needs, and finding products that suit yours can set the foundation for healthy hair. Hydrating shampoos are ideal for dry or frizzy hair, while volumizing formulas can help thin hair appear thicker. It’s all about what your hair needs to thrive. Once you’ve got the basics down, consider layering in other remedies to get that extra bit of shine and manageability.

Beer Rinse: Unconventional Yet Popular Choice?

Beer as a hair treatment? It may sound unusual, but beer has been used as a rinse for years due to its potential conditioning effects. Though clinical evidence on its hair benefits is limited, beer contains several nutrients including calcium, protein, selenium, and vitamins D and E which are beneficial for overall health. According to Dr. Ryan Welter, founder and CEO of Regeneris Medspa & Cosmetic Surgery and the New England Center for Hair Restoration, based in Massachusetts, told Fox News Digital, "Beer doesn’t directly stimulate hair growth, but when applied as a rinse, it may provide a conditioning effect by binding to the protein structure of the hair strands, giving them a temporary boost in smoothness and shine."

How to Add Beer to Your Hair Routine

Frequency

If you want to give beer a try, you can incorporate it into your hair-washing routine. It’s best to do so in moderation, perhaps once a week as overuse could lead to dryness due to its alcohol content.

Application

After shampooing, pour a cup of flat, room-temperature beer through your hair. Let it sit for about five minutes to allow the beer’s proteins to bind with your hair.

Rinse

Finish with a quick rinse to remove excess beer without washing away the conditioning effect.

While the idea of beer as a hair rinse might seem quirky, many people swear by its ability to bring out natural shine and tame frizz- though it’s best suited for occasional use.

DIY Remedies for Healthy Hair

While store-bought products offer excellent support, at-home remedies have proven benefits that are worth exploring. Many people incorporate natural ingredients to nourish their hair- think coconut oil for moisture, avocado for shine and even aloe vera for scalp health. One remedy I recently encountered was surprising but intriguing: beer.

For those not quite sold on beer, several other natural ingredients can work wonders. Essential oils like rosemary, lavender, and peppermint are popular choices. According to Dr. Brooke Jeffy, a board-certified dermatologist from Scottsdale, Arizona, previously told Fox News Digital, these oils are believed to help promote hair growth by stimulating the scalp and improving circulation.

For an alcohol-free alternative to beer try an apple cider vinegar rinse. Mixing one part apple cider vinegar with three parts water and using it as a rinse can remove buildup on the scalp, leaving your hair shiny and fresh. This mixture’s acidity helps balance the scalp’s pH and prevents excessive oil production, perfect for those struggling with greasy roots.

How Often to Wash and Oil your Hair?

Finding the right balance in your wash routine is essential. Washing too frequently can strip the hair of natural oils, leading to dryness, while infrequent washing can result in oil buildup. According to Dr. Welter, it’s essential to monitor your scalp’s health—if it’s too oily, you might experience greasiness or even acne on the scalp, while an overly dry scalp can cause flakiness and dandruff. Adjust your washing schedule based on how your scalp feels, whether it’s once a week or every few days.

Are there Any Downsides of Using Beer for Haircare?

While beer has its benefits, it’s crucial to remember the potential drawbacks. The alcohol content in beer can dry out hair, leading to increased frizz. Additionally, too much protein from beer or other protein-rich treatments can make hair feel gritty or stiff, so it’s essential to use these remedies sparingly. Dr. Welter advises monitoring your hair’s texture and moisture levels to avoid a counterproductive effect.

Every hair type is unique, and what works wonders for one person may not suit another. A little trial and error is often part of the process. Start with a solid foundation by choosing the right shampoo and conditioner, then gradually add in one or two at-home treatments, like beer or essential oils, to see how they work for you. Adjust your wash schedule according to your scalp’s needs, and give your hair the chance to find its natural balance.

The NHS has issued a warning for anyone using a common painkiller, highlighting possible harmful interactions with other medications. Across the UK, many people turn to over-the-counter medicines for daily aches, colds, and minor illnesses. Among these, paracetamol is one of the most widely used, often taken for headaches, back pain, and cold symptoms. But, like any medication, it carries certain risks.

Who Should Be Careful?

The NHS has provided guidance on using paracetamol safely, including which drug combinations should be avoided. “Paracetamol is not suitable for some people,” the health body explains. This includes individuals who take warfarin, a drug that prevents blood clots. If you are on warfarin, you should check with your GP before taking paracetamol, the NHS advises. “Paracetamol can raise the risk of bleeding in those who regularly take warfarin.”

Safe Dosing Guidelines

Small doses of paracetamol alongside warfarin are generally considered safe. The NHS adds: “It’s safe to take paracetamol if you’re on warfarin. Stick to the lowest dose that relieves your pain. Exceeding four 500mg tablets in 24 hours for more than a few days can slow your blood clotting, putting you at risk of bleeding.”

Avoid Double Dosing

Combining paracetamol with other medicines containing the same ingredient—like co-codamol or some cold and flu remedies—can be risky due to the danger of overdose. Other common painkillers, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or codeine, do not contain paracetamol and can safely be taken at the same time.

Check with Your Doctor

The NHS advises consulting a doctor before taking paracetamol if you’re on medications for epilepsy or tuberculosis (TB), as these combinations can also pose risks.

Herbal Remedies and Supplements

Generally, paracetamol is not affected by herbal supplements, though the NHS notes: “There isn’t enough information to say whether herbal remedies, complementary medicines, or supplements are safe with paracetamol. They are not tested the same way as prescription or pharmacy medications and may interact differently.” Patients should inform their doctor or pharmacist about any other medicines or supplements they are taking.

Side Effects of Paracetamol

When taken at the recommended dose, paracetamol “very rarely” causes side effects. For a full list, refer to the information leaflet inside the packaging.

Serious Allergic Reactions

In rare cases, a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) can occur. The NHS advises calling 999 immediately if you notice:

• Swelling of lips, mouth, throat, or tongue
• Rapid or labored breathing, wheezing, or a choking sensation
• A tight throat or difficulty swallowing
• Skin, lips, or tongue turning blue, grey, or pale (on darker skin, check palms or soles)
• Sudden confusion, extreme drowsiness, or dizziness
• Fainting and unresponsiveness
• A child appearing limp, floppy, or unresponsive, with difficulty lifting or focusing their head

That sudden, foggy feeling where you can't focus, especially when you're super tired? New research suggests that these moments of zoning out are actually your brain's last-ditch effort to do the important cleaning it normally saves for when you're fast asleep. Your brain is trying to take a quick, emergency break.

We have all had days when focusing seems too difficult and you keep ‘spacing out’. When this happens, you take a moment to regain your composure and get back to what you were doing. While you may think that it is a simple lapse in attention, there is a lot that happens in your brain during this time.

The research, published in the Nature Neuroscience, shows this is the time your brain does its ‘maintenance work’ to ensure maximum functionality.

Why Do We Zone Out?

Scientists at MIT used special scanners to look deep inside the brain while people were trying to concentrate. They discovered that the exact moment someone zoned out, a wave of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a clear fluid that surrounds the brain, whooshed out, and then flowed right back in. This movement of fluid looks exactly like the process that happens during deep sleep, when the fluid washes away built-up waste and toxins from the day. When you're awake and tired, your brain is trying to force this cleaning process to happen.

How Does Our Brain Keep Functioning Fluidly?

A leading neuroscientist from the study explained that if you skip sleep, these cleaning waves start happening while you're awake, even though they shouldn't. The problem is that while the fluid is flowing and cleaning, you lose your ability to pay attention. It's a trade-off: your brain tries to clean up, but the price is that you can't focus on what you're doing. It’s almost like your brain is desperately trying to squeeze in a tiny bit of "microsleep" maintenance, which steals your focus.

The researchers had people do tests in the lab twice: once after they were well-rested, and once after they stayed up all night. Unsurprisingly, people performed much worse when they hadn't slept. Critically, the zoning out happened far more often after the all-nighter. When they looked at the brain data, they saw a clear pattern: when people's reaction times slowed down (meaning they were zoning out), the big fluid cleaning waves were always present. This strongly suggests your tired brain is trying to use these quick cycles to restore function, even if it makes you temporarily lose focus.

How Do We Know When We Zone Out?

The research revealed that when people zoned out, not only did the brain fluid move, but other things changed, too. Their breathing and heart rate slowed down, and their pupils got smaller. This makes the scientists suspect that a single, powerful "master switch" in the body controls both your high-level functions (like attention and perception) and these automatic, basic physical processes (like fluid movement and heart rate). The finding suggests that a lack of sleep affects your whole body through one central system.

Recently, we are seeing a rise in ‘grind culture’. People are encouraged to pack their days with work and be as productive as possible to secure future success. However, did you know that chasing this success could come at the cost of your heart's health? Dr. Dmitry Yaranov, MD, a cardiologist, who often shared important health advice and knowledge on Instagram videos, explained posted about how as a practicing healthcare professional, there are many heart facts that he wished his patients knew about.

Things we often perceive as important for our careers can come at the cost of our mental and physical health. By not realizing the value of their health and ignoring their limits, people often stretch themselves too far, which can result in reaching a breaking point.

In a recent video posted with the text, “After treating thousands of patients with heart failure this are the things I wish more people knew before it was too late” in the caption he listed 6 hard facts that most people ignore.

6 Habits That Are Leading You To Heart Failure

In the caption Dr. Yaranov explained that cardiovascular health involves much more than just hitting the gym and eating salads. Your heart health is fundamentally tied to sleep, stress management, environmental factors, access to resources, and even the state of your gut. Fix the foundation, not just the numbers.

Sleep Deprivation is Dangerous

Sleeping only six hours nightly and pushing yourself is a serious threat, not a badge of honor. This chronic sleep loss significantly raises your long-term risk of developing severe conditions like heart failure, having a stroke, or experiencing sudden cardiac death. Your body needs rest to recover.

Air Quality Hardens Arteries

Commuting daily in heavy traffic means breathing exhaust and particulate matter. This consistent exposure to air pollution does more than irritate your lungs; scientific studies confirm it literally hardens your arteries, increasing your risk for major cardiac events over time.

Stress Causes Overload

If you are always stressed and simply "pushing through" without managing the pressure, your body is producing too much cortisol. This hormonal overload leads to persistent high blood pressure and widespread inflammation, key factors that severely damage the cardiovascular system.

Gum Health Impacts Heart Health

Ignoring routine dental care and having gum disease creates chronic infection in your mouth. This persistent gum disease results in more body-wide inflammation, which is directly linked to a significantly higher risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

Food Access Matters

Even if you have the best intentions to eat well, living where healthy food is hard to find (a food desert) makes it difficult. This lack of access to nutritious options leads to worse cardiac outcomes, proving that environment, not just personal willpower, shapes your health.

Gut Health Affects Vital Signs

The state of your digestive system should not be ignored. The millions of bacteria in your gut microbiome play a critical, unrecognized role in helping your body regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels. You must consciously feed your gut bacteria the right way.