Many in the Western world are lead to believe that hair style is merely a personal preference. For most, it is simply a matter of fashion or convenience, but for others, it is much more than just cosmetic. We recently read a rather interesting article on the reasons why many Native American people would leave their hair grow long. It basically discussed the uncovering of secret government files that documented several cases of Native American scouts that were recruited for the Vietnam war. Essentially, the documents explained that when the Natives enlisted, they suddenly lost their keen ability to track. As we read on, the article described that several studies were performed in an effort to solve what had happened; it was finally determined that the Natives were losing their ability to scout because they were obligated to cut their hair. As an enlistment measure, each new recruit to the army was obligated to get their "required military haircuts." In essence, by removing their hair, the scouts could no longer access "a "sixth sense" their 'intuition' no longer was reliable, they couldn't 'read' subtle signs or access subtle extrasensory information." After several studies proving this phenomena time and time again, the Native American scouts that were being enlisted, were later exempt from the obligatory military haircut and as a result, it was required that trackers keep their hair long.

"Hair is an extension of the nervous system, it can be correctly seen as exteriorized nerves, a type of highly evolved 'feelers' or 'antennae' that transmit vast amounts of important information to the brain stem, the limbic system, and the neocortex." As we can see, hair is fundamentally essential to our very structure. If we are born with it, then there is no doubt it has a purpose to serve in our life. 

Other Interesting Facts about Your Hair

In keeping with our discussion on hair, we thought it would be fun to list a few fun facts about this amazing component of our body:

• Life of every strand of hair is approximately 7 years
• During summers and while we sleep hair growth is faster
• Women's hair grows slower than men's hair
• Hair is made from keratin; the same substance that is responsible for the making of fingernails
• If the hair were allowed to grow for a lifetime it would grow to a length of 107cm/42in before its time for it to fall out
• Cutting hair does not influence its growth
• Researchers have proved that hair becomes drier with age
• An inch of hair is much stronger and an inch of copper
• The amount of hair on the average human head is capable of supporting a weight equivalent of that of 99 people
• Darker hair contains higher levels of carbon than blonde hair
• The average life span of a strand of hair is between 4 and 7 years
•  Normally, dry hair can be stretched one-fifth of its length before breaking. Wet hair can stretch between 40-50% of its length.
• The fine, downy hair that covers the cheeks and other parts of the face is called lanugo hair.
• Canities is the technical term for gray hair. Trichoptilosis is the technical term for split ends. So next time you go to the salon, ask your stylist to color your canities and trim off your trichoptilosis.

Hair is an essential part of our existence like any other organ or bodily part that we have been told is not important (i.e. appendix, gall bladder, tonsils, etc). In considering are basic understanding of the human body, we must use our instinct to determine whether or not something has value. Never put your full belief into something that is constructed outside your own perceptions; much of the truth (you will see) resides within - always seek within.