Oils

• Massaging the scalp with oils each day for a few minutes can prevent your hair from being damaged, dulled or grayed. Hailing from India's Ayurvedic traditions, adding about 6 drops of bay and lavender essential oils to 4 oz. of sesame oil, almond oil or soybean oil and massaging into your scalp is beneficial to the health of your hair. Scientifically, the purpose for this practice is increasing the flow of blood to the roots of your hair. After using these oils, wait about half an hour before washing your hair.
  
  

Herbs

• Indian tradition abounds in the use of beneficial herbs to treat a wide array of conditions. To help prevent hair loss and hair whitening, herbs like sage, rosemary, amla, peach, curry, nettle, burdock and henna, and Indian gooseberry are claimed to work wonders.
  
  Indian gooseberry or amla fruit can prove the most effective way to combat graying and thinning hair. Slice gooseberries into strips and air them out in a shady place. Then boil the dried strips in coconut oil until the fruit is well cooked. Massage this into your scalp daily. Use the remaining water in which the fruit was soaked when you wash your hair. Also, mixing the juice of amla fruit with almond oil and lime juice and massaging it into your scalp is an effective way to combat whitening hair.
  
  Another herb for fighting hair decay is found in curry leaves. The nutrients and vitamins found inside curry strengthen and rejuvenate the hair. Regularly eating dishes seasoned with curry leaves or boiling them in coconut oil as in the gooseberry method are both helpful methods to reduce white hair.
  
  Henna is another herb heavily used since ancient times in India. This can be employed as an effective conditioner. Henna fans claim that it strengthens hair and prevents thinning, graying and split ends.
  
  

Aloe Vera

• Aloe vera is another useful method of combating hair decay. Mixing aloe vera with wheat germ and coconut milk and then massaging into your scalp increases the growth of hair and decreases dandruff by evening the pH level of your scalp and cleaning out your pores. After massaging, rinse your hair and wash with shampoo.