MATRIMONY

Stress Can Lead To Premature Greying
Dr. Sonal and Apoorva ShahIndia's First Certified Trichologists. The official hair care experts for the Miss India contests.

Auto-Immune Can Cause Itching Of Scalp Anwer asks,I was suffering from eczema and in spite of intolerable itching on my fingers I used to touch the scalp and this affected my scalp and now I am suffering from grave hair loss. My question is that, can I used the same cream for my scalp, which is used to treat eczema, as this is fungal infection of the same disease? Dear Anwer,Eczema is not of a fungal origin. What you say seems to be a triggered auto-immune problem for which you need to see a Trichologist. Meanwhile start having balanced diet with good amount of water intake.Dandruff Is Not Curable Samina asks,I have severe dandruff problem and this is bothering me leading towards serious hair loss. The problem has increased and reached my face, eyebrows and ears. There is powdery white substance and I think this is none other than dandruff. I have tried home remedies but the outcome is zero. Dear Samina,Dandruff is never curable but always controllable. Frequent washing with natural remedies can keep dandruff at bay. Refrain from keeping your hair wet for longer time and combing your hair when it is wet.Smelly Scalp Ayantika Basu asks,I am 27 years old and have thin hair since childhood. For the last 2 years I am having a smelly scalp with thick sticky dandruff. How can I improve my condition? Dear Ayantika Basu,You need to be washing it more frequently, perhaps everyday if you have a tendency of sweating. Kindly see a Trichologist for smelly scalp problem.Causes Of Premature Greying Anjali asks,I have been reading your section from long and there have been several queries on premature greying. Can you tell me what is the reason of premature greying? Dear Anjali,The reason for Premature Greying is that the Pigment Melanin is not formed because of various reasons, which could include the "Genetic Predisposition, Iron deficiency and Stress".Dandruff Can Lead To Hair Loss Deepa asks,I have neck length hair, but they are scanty and I am suffering from severe dandruff problem too. This problem gets worsened during winter and my scalp develops thin white layer, which starts peeling. Kindly suggest remedy for this problem. Dear Deepa,Wash your hair more frequently. You can try using natural anti dandruff remedies without using harsh chemicals.

The title “Standing Alone in Mecca… A Pilgrimage into the Heart of Islam” by Asra Q. Nomani, is intriguing enough to impel book-lovers to go beyond the synopsis and terse reviews planted neatly on the back cover.
For the uninitiated (in the ways and beliefs of Islam) this work of non-fiction would prove to be a revelation of sorts, packed as it is with facts, figures and interesting information about Islam and Muslims. Since the pilgrimage is a “for Muslims only” undertaking, Nomani’s description of the journey and Mecca itself is sure to create a sense of wonder amongst people who may never get the opportunity to go there.
A Wall Street Journal correspondent for fifteen years and a woman of Indian origin, Nomani embarks on a perilous journey from Middle America to Middle East on the hajj.
Faced with the brutal murder of her journalist friend Daniel Pearl by Islamic fundamentalists, Nomani is overcome by sorrow and finds herself recoiling from the faith into which she has been born. How could something good ever spew out something so monstrously unIslamic, she agonizes. Around that time she discovers that she is pregnant with a child out of wedlock. Her child’s father will have nothing to do with her. ‘Alone’ in Pakistan (where the laws could mete out unimaginable punishments to unwed mothers) she returns to Morgantown and she gives birth to her son Shibli, bolstered by the strong support of her parents all the way through.
In the sacred mosque, Masjid al Haram in Mecca she finds men and women praying side by side without the barrier of a curtain, an experience that moves Nomani deeply but also acts as the impetus for her subsequent struggle for women’s rights in Islam, particularly for equality in mosques and religious leadership. Her new found faith and belief galvanizes a feminist movement which inevitably brings on intense and furious criticism, including death threats, from the bastion of Islamic fundamentalists. ‘Standing Alone…’ is as much a personal narrative of a woman unwilling to buy the rules of blind faith, who has to face the consequences of the choices she has made in a repressive society, as much as a stirring account of a daring spiritual journey.
Some of her observations about human weaknesses are put forth with commendable clarity. “So many people,” she observes, “stay silent because they believe as I did, that others know more than they do or that their thoughts are irrelevant. When I realized that my own thoughts were not only relevant but well informed, it occurred to me that many people have important things to say but remain silent because of their fears.” When confronted by the violence of intimidators seeking to silence her, Nomani boldly asserts, “ We’re changing history today. We’re not going to shut up.”