BBC doctor says 40p item will 'sort out frazzled hair'
The doctor often appears on BBC's Morning Live
BBC's Dr Punam Krishan has urged people to try a "cheap" hair treatment that "anyone can do". Taking to Instagram to share a video of her getting the treatment, she listed all the benefits.
She said: "On arrival to India, my Nani ma took one look at my hair and literally sat me down to sort it out! I grew up having weekly coconut oil head massages.
"It's the done thing in Indian culture and coming from an Ayurvedic family, this was a norm for us. I used to be so militant about doing this (and still do it every week for the kids) but as I've recognised recently, my own sense of self-care has fallen behind as I've become so caught up in the hectic, working/mum life juggle of it all."
Noting that her aunt "doesn't hold back" when it comes to her massage technique, she said she could "feel the difference on my heat frazzled hair." Promising to do this more at home to herself, she says it's "easy to do" and all you need is "some warmed coconut oil."
Massage it into the scalp (just rub it in - no fancy techniques needed!)
Once all your hair is covered, leave it in overnight
Wash as usual next day
When it comes to the benefits of Coconut Based Hair Oils (CBHO), research says: "The pore surface area data clearly show the benefit of introducing coconut-based hair oils (CBHO) into the hair by preventing increase in hair porosity.
"A statistically significant decrease in break stress and toughness were observed and the same were reversed by the application of CBHO. A pronounced color protection effect was also recorded with the application of CBHO."
Their conclusion reads: "The study confirms the damage repair potential of CBHO and that it works by increasing the hydrophobicity of hair - both on the hair surface and in the cortex."
You can pick up coconut oil for £2.02 at Asda - or just over 40p per 50g serving. So why coconut oil and not hair specific products?
Dr Punam explains: "It helps to moisturise the hair and scalp, helps restore any damage from heat/chemicals which can strip the natural oils from our scalp and conditions the hair." So try this first and see how you get on.
And bonus points, you don't need to spend hours researching the best products. Simply grab a good quality coconut oil jar, and reveal silky, healthy hair.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
My name's Ulrika Jonsson & I'm an alcoholic – I was on knees swigging a bottle at 11am then one day I made cry for help
Read on as Ulrika bravely opens up about being trapped in a 'vicious cycle of hell' and how sobriety saved her life - and her sanity BOTTLE BATTLE My name's Ulrika Jonsson & I'm an alcoholic – I was on knees swigging a bottle at 11am then one day I made cry for help MY name is Ulrika and I am an alcoholic. Not a drop of alcohol has passed my lips in just over a year. 7 Ulrika Jonsson bravely marked one year of sobriety with before and after photos 7 The 57-year-old admits getting sober saved her life - and sanity Credit: Instagram For family and friends, it's been a cause for great celebration, it's viewed as a major feat. My eldest daughter even offered to take me out for a celebratory meal. For me, the run-up to this anniversary has been the cause of much trepidation and a sprinkling of fear. But, most of all, it's been a realisation. Because this is my life now. The day I surrendered and accepted I had a problem with alcohol, I knew I couldn't just give it up for a while. I knew I couldn't just cut back in the hope that I'd be cured, because alcoholism is a disease for which there is no cure. There is a solution, but there is no fix. I was trapped in a vicious cycle of hell. Even with my best friend calling me one Saturday morning to tell me to get help because I clearly had a problem, I refused despite the unbearable shame I felt. Alcoholics are selfish creatures. Yes, having a problem with alcohol meant I was an alcoholic. Even though I would NEVER have admitted it at the time. Then came June 5 last year. A hangover day much like any other, really. I sat on the sofa with my liver and brain pickled in equal measure, wrapped up in the blanket of shame, and something made me reach out for help. Ulrika Jonsson speaks out during Sober October about overcoming binge drinking I typed a message that read, quite simply: 'I can't do this any more' and sent it to a friend who was five years' sober. And that's how a life of sobriety saved my life and my sanity. There is every possibility I could have given up drinking by myself — my obstinance can be a virtue — but I wouldn't have been able to heal myself and reach the level of emotional sobriety I have today without the support of other ex-drunks and a programme to guide me. Saved my life It has saved my life in more ways than one. And, without sounding too evangelical about my journey, I've had a spiritual awakening and found an inner peace I never knew possible. I'm a different person to the Ulrika I was over a year ago. I've learnt more about myself in the past year than I did in my past 56 on this planet. I was trapped in a vicious cycle of hell. Even with my best friend calling me one Saturday morning to tell me to get help because I clearly had a problem Has it been easy? Nothing easily gained is ever worth having, I say. I've not had the temptation to pick up a drink, but alcohol is impossible to avoid — it's everywhere. What to do if you think are an alcoholic IF you're struggling with alcohol addiction, the most important thing is to recognise the problem and seek support - You don't have to face it alone. Seek Professional Help GP or Doctor – A medical professional can assess your situation and provide advice on treatment options. – A medical professional can assess your situation and provide advice on treatment options. Therapists or Counsellors – Talking to an addiction specialist can help address underlying causes and develop coping strategies. – Talking to an addiction specialist can help address underlying causes and develop coping strategies. Rehab or Detox Programmes – If physical dependence is severe, medically supervised detox may be necessary. Consider Support Groups Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) – A well-known 12-step programme that provides peer support. – A well-known 12-step programme that provides peer support. SMART Recovery – A science-based alternative to AA, focusing on self-empowerment. – A science-based alternative to AA, focusing on self-empowerment. Local Support Groups – Many communities have groups tailored to different needs. At the beginning, I would look lovingly at a glass of red wine when I went out for a Sunday roast. But knowing that a drink would not make things better, and it would never just be the ONE, stopped me from picking it up. I found Christmas difficult initially and, disconcertingly, Easter was even harder, with family around me drunk and laughing at things that just weren't funny. I had a couple of dates earlier this year, when I knew the social lubricant of alcohol would have calmed my nerves and allowed me to hide beneath a veil of intoxication. But at least I was able to be my authentic self — to be more discerning and accept that these men were just not for me. Sobriety comes with a hefty dose of honesty, which can be as welcome as it can be unwelcome. So, this journey goes on. It's not a destination. It will only end with my dying breath. I've yet to learn the exact damage my drinking might have inflicted on those around me. 7 I was trapped in a vicious cycle of hell and my best friend told tell me to get help because I clearly had a problem, says Ulrika 7 Ulrika admits she was binge-drinker who drank to black out I think of my children and how worried about me they were. How I must have scared them. How torn they must have been between wanting to say something and just hoping I would come to my senses. I have amends to make. I have character defects to accept and improve. I have to remember to live in the moment and that whether I'm one year or ten years' sober, for me it will continue to be one day at a time. I still have alcohol in the house. Removing it would make no difference to me. I believe if I really wanted a drink, I would go to buy it. I have no objections at all to others drinking around me but, by Christ, people can be annoying when drunk! At least it's not me doing the crazy stuff, dancing on the tables or doing things I will quickly forget or regret. Nor do I wake up with punishing hangovers and terrifying anxiety or even a new haircut because the rum thought it was a great idea to give myself a new look the night before. Beautiful things happen in sobriety. Good things come your way. Beautiful people come into your life, too. People without judgment who fundamentally care for you and understand you. That has been my greatest reward. Don't get me wrong, life has continued to throw me curveballs. I'm just better equipped to deal with them as a sober person. Sobriety comes with a hefty dose of honesty, which can be as welcome as it can be unwelcome I have a history of alcoholics in my family on my mother's side, but I don't have decades of alcohol abuse behind me. I didn't become addicted after the first sip of Pimm's at the age of 14 when I first got drunk. My drinking history is quite unremarkable. It didn't result in me losing my job, my marriage, my children or even my driving licence. I didn't get arrested or end up in jail. I wasn't a vomiting mess that couldn't get her kids ready for school in the morning. I wasn't a violent drunk. Which is why it might be helpful for anyone else out there to note that alcoholics come in all shapes and sizes and many live among us in plain sight. But the few years running up to my decision to quit, I was clearly drinking for the wrong reasons and I had no control over my cravings. I was a binge-drinker who drank to black out. Heavy shame A perfect storm of life led me to self-medicate, to soothe away life's ills and sharp edges; to quell my crippling anxiety by drinking neat rum from the neck of the bottle while kneeling into the cupboard underneath the stairs. There is nothing quite as 'sobering' as admitting to dropping to your knees at 11am and sticking your lips around a bottle of 40 per cent alcohol; feeling it swiftly burn your throat and immediately extinguish your anxiety, fears and self-loathing. Drinking was 'my thing'. It was a personal and private activity I had all to myself. I foolishly believed it was harmless because it didn't affect anyone else, so it was nothing anyone could take away from me. And I loved it. It made me feel instantly better and helped me cope with life. It killed my feelings of being overwhelmed; it relaxed me and made me a much nicer person. I thought . . . See, the one thing I had established by the time my drinking got completely out of hand was that I simply wasn't cut out for life. 7 Beautiful things happen in sobriety. Good things come your way. Beautiful people come into your life, too, says Ulrika Credit: Getty 7 Ulrika says she's now better equipped to deal with life's curve-balls 7 I've not had the temptation to pick up a drink, but alcohol is impossible to avoid — it's everywhere, says Ulrika Credit: Instagram I just couldn't cope. Everyone else seemed on top of everything while I was constantly swimming against the tide. I was forever traipsing through fields of molasses; perpetually found myself on the battlefield of life utterly unarmed. I was just no good at it. While I made no specific plan to end my life, my hope was eventually that alcohol would destroy me. I was a solitary drinker. But what might have started out as fun very quickly, and without fail, ended in blackout. I couldn't just have the one drink. What weirdo does that? I wasn't seeking light inebriation. I wanted the full anaesthetic effect. My self-esteem and self-worth were so bad, I believed the drink would make me become someone else. Or better still, nothing at all. I had such crippling anxiety about the present and future, which was coupled with past ordeals, that I was desperate for my feelings just to STOP. Because I didn't initially drink every day, and because my life looked impeccable from the outside, I convinced myself there wasn't a problem. I was still in control. However, I know now that those close to me saw a different picture. They heard my slurred voice on the phone; saw my drunk eyes betray me; worried about my volatile and highly strung demeanour and mood swings. They grew tired of repeating things to me that my blackouts had erased. It took months to rid myself of the heavy shame that drinking brought. Now, I realise I was really ill — both physically and spiritually — and that makes me go a bit easier on myself. In short, I'm grateful to my alcoholism for bringing me to where I am today: a life of honesty and integrity; of clarity and calm and being the person I never believed I could be. My name is Ulrika and I'm an alcoholic. And I have chosen life.
The Courier
4 hours ago
- The Courier
MARTEL MAXWELL: Dundee 'weight-loss wave' has me tempted by shortcuts
As summer approaches and holidays are planned, it is not unusual to notice a friend – or maybe two – looking fabulous. You do a double take when you see them – they look younger, fresher and thinner. The kind of dramatic weight loss that is transformative. Middle-age spread, pot belly, and puffy face gone. But here's the thing. And it's quite a thing. I'm double taking all the time. Give me any gathering of people in Dundee – school pick-up, kids' football match or a night out – and it's like a Slimming World magazine. Many will have found that oft elusive motivation to shed pounds (we all know how it works), to eat less and move more. Others – and not just the ones who admit to it – will have taken the short cut of injecting the new, increasingly-prominent, weight-loss drugs which suppress appetite and work to shift excess fat. More power to both camps – no judgement. But it's getting a bit Twilighty. It's like body snatchers are sneaking down to Dundee as night falls, replacing the lumpy and bumpy with Instagram-edited version of themselves – all flat stomachs and cheekbones. Regular readers of my column will know I've touched on this before, including last year when I discussed the Ozempic boom. I told you about a friend who admitted she was on the weight-loss jabs. She all but tapped her nose as we looked around the ladies' charity lunch we were at and said: 'Mark my words, women here are on it.' She told me she'd developed a sixth sense in telling who was on the medication. My friend was brilliantly honest, explaining how she paid for the jabs and how she couldn't shift the middle-aged spread which had taken her from a size 10 to 14. No clothes fitted and it was getting her down. She quickly lost a stone with the jabs but also admitted they affected her mood and made her a bit sick for the first few weeks. Another friend who's gone from a size 16 to 10 says she has had no side effects. She has more energy and claims the jabs took away her desire to drink as much alcohol, which was becoming a daily few glasses of wine after work. Fast forward eight months and sudden transformations are everywhere. I have also noticed an increase in people committing to sport, which is great. One friend is wild swimming twice a week while another is running ultra marathons. And one has even started her own CrossFit business – PeaceFit in Wormit. Many mutual friends attend her classes and look awesome – stronger, fitter and toned. I've noticed couples losing weight together. Going back to the jabs, I suppose it's too easy for the muffin tops like me to point a finger and say everyone's on them. But who wouldn't want a quick fix? A stone down for summer? The reintroduction of a bikini following a decade of covering up after kids and – if I'm entirely honest – dieting and sporadic exercise interspersed with occasional gluttony… I'm tempted myself. However, if something seems too good to be true, maybe, just maybe, it is. The jury is still out, with research pointing to the possibility of health complications involved with the jabs. This can be counter-argued with the fact obesity can cause diabetes, heart problems and cancer. Shifting weight if you're over 40 has the magical plus of shifting a few years in appearance too – puffy faces and pot bellies begone. Some of the people I'm seeing seem to have had a magical elixir of youth. If I sound envious, I probably am. Let me know if you've seen a younger, slimmer Dundee – and maybe even if you've taken a shortcut yourself. Bon appétit!
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Boxer, 25, begged doctors for help but was 'shrugged off' before tragic death
Boxer Georgia O'Connor shared a scathing rant aimed at doctors as she claimed she was "shrugged off" and "gaslit" by medical professionals - just before her tragic death aged 25 Georgia O'Connor, who died from cancer in May, said she spent months begging for help - only for her pain to be dismissed by doctors as "all in her head". The Durham-raised athlete was a Team GB representative and winner of the 2017 Commonwealth Youth gold. She died aged 25 after struggling with a "rare and aggressive" form of cancer labelled " incurable" by doctors. Georgia was told she had ulcerative colitis (UC) - a chronic inflammatory bowel disease - in October 2024, and - after going public with her diagnosis in January 2025 - Georgia proceeded to marry husband, Adriano Cardinali, four months later. Tragically, her death occurred after only a fortnight of being married. Unfortunately, Georgia's death followed a history of NHS dismissals, where the boxer was left "crying on the floor in agony" for help. In an Instagram post shared before her death, she listed the mistakes she claims were made by medical professionals, and accused them of knowing her strong likelihood of developing the disease. On January 31, Georgia dropped the " cancer bomb" to her 44.5k Instagram followers before swiftly calling out the alleged injustice of her diagnosis. She opened up about being in "constant pain" since early October and having to travel between Durham and Newcastle RVI A&E. Georgia knew, "deep down, something was seriously wrong," saying she "felt it was cancer" from the beginning. "I KNEW the risks. I have colitis and PSC, two diseases that dramatically increase the chances of getting it. I KNOW how high my risk is and they do too. They always did". Heartbreakingly, the late boxer continued: "But not one doctor f*****g listened to me. Not one doctor took me seriously. Not one doctor did the scans or blood tests I begged for whilst crying on the floor in agony". After asking medics to consider her medical history and symptoms, the boxer claims she was "gaslit" and shrugged off. "They gaslit me, told me it was nothing, made me feel like I was overreacting. They refused to scan me. They refused to investigate. They REFUSED to listen. One even told me that it's "all in my head"". She wrote: "They could have done something before it got to this stage. But they didn't. Because this is the state of the NHS - a broken system that fails young people like me over and over again". Outraged and betrayed, Georgia described the failings as part of "a system that makes people suffer, that sends them home in agony, that lets cancer spread whilst the thick, stupid, mindless 'doctors' shrug their shoulders". Georgia's post received over 20,000 likes and was flooded with comments from fans and industry professionals alike. The Mirror reached out to Durham and Newcastle RVI A&E for comment. Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust shared a statement, saying: "We are very sorry to hear the news about Georgia's death and offer our sincere condolences to the family. We appreciate this a very difficult time, but when and if the family want to raise any concerns with us, we'd urge them to get in touch". A County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Georgia, and our condolences go out to her family and friends at this difficult time. While we are unable to comment on individual patient cases, our Patient Experience Team is always available to listen to any concerns or feedback regarding the care we provide. All concerns raised are treated seriously and are fully investigated where appropriate".
