Lifestyle

Photo Credit (@stylish_prick) Get ready to call your mom and dad. Since prehistoric times, beards have been a sign of masculinity, virility, and wisdom. In ancient times, beards were so culturally significant that cutting them off was considered a punishment and disgrace. Fast forward hundreds of years later and beards are back with a vengeance. From professional athlete to the respected banker, beards adorn the face of confident, stylish, and respected men. And then there are our baby face brothers. You know, the men who are well into their thirties and are still getting carded due to their bare-boyish face? While we may not agree with a bare face, here at Fresh Heritage we respect it and realize that there are some scary truths behind why some men can’t grow a full, healthy beard to save their lives. Beards are produced by a chemical known as dihydrotestosterone, which is synthesized from testosterone. You know, the hormone that stimulates male development and sexual characteristics. You would think that men who aren’t able to grow a full, healthy beard must have less testosterone than other males. However, the truth is, for the most part, all males have the same level of testosterone. So why is it that some men can go from a bare-face to a long, thick beard in a matter of days, while other men struggle to grow stubble? There are a few reasons: They don’t maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. You’ve heard the saying, “You are what you eat” Well, that applies to your ability to grow a healthy beard too. Poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and even a poor sleep pattern can slow hair growth. They don’t maintain a consistent maintenance routine. A structured maintenance routine can do wonders for a beard. Cleansing, moisturizing, and trimming your beard on a regular basis stimulates hair growth and largely attributes to a beard worthy of envy. And the scariest truth behind why some men just can’t grow a full, healthy beard is Genetics. That’s right, you can actually blame your mom and dad for why you can’t grow a full, healthy beard. Men who are able to grow beards are more sensitive to testosterone than their baby-faced peers. So if you aren’t able to grow a beard, it’s not because you lack testosterone as rumors have it, it’s simply because your body responds to testosterone differently. But you’re in luck! You may not be able to grow a beard naturally, but there are two things you can consider if you’re desperate to join the #BeardGang.   You could glue on a beard or consider a more invasive option, a beard transplant.  We wish you the best of luck, beardless brother. Keep hope alive! How long did it take you to grow a beard? Did you have to change your lifestyle or add any products to make it happen? We want to know!

Growing a beard isn’t a fashion statement, it’s a lifestyle! Men who rock beards don’t just wake up one day with a full healthy beard and the swag to date any woman that they want. The Beard Gang lifestyle takes work, and it’s not always easy. If you think women have a long grooming process, you should know that men with beards have a grooming process that lasts a lifetime if they're doing it right. To optimize the full potential of your beard, there are three key things you have to maintain for life. Those three things are: A healthy diet. In order to grow a beard that isn’t dull and patchy, you need healthy testosterone levels. You can gain healthy testosterone levels by consuming saturated fats. Examples of foods with saturated fats are eggs, fatty beef, lamb, butter, cheese, and other dairy products. The American Heart Association recommends consuming about 5% to 6% of your daily calories from saturated fats. A diet rich in protein and at least eight glasses of water a day will also help you grow a fuller, healthier beard. Plenty of sleep. We’ve said it once, and we’ll repeat it: Sleep is “so necessary” (Jay-Z's voice). According to the National Sleep Foundation, an adult male should get around 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Sleep allows our bodies to reboot, rebuild, and grow everything, including beards. Daily Exercise. The nutrients you digest regularly travel through your blood. Therefore it is vital for you to maintain good circulation throughout your body so that the proper nutrients are distributed. The best way to do that is to exercise daily. The Mayo Clinic recommends that every adult gets at least 30 minutes a day of physical activity. This can include walking, running, lifting, whatever it is, but you need to stay in motion. There are plenty of products you can buy to help you maintain a healthy beard throughout your life. However, these three natural lifestyle tips are key to the success of a healthy beard for life. So eat good, rest up, and workout! What do you do to maintain a full, healthy beard? We want to know!

As consumers we rely heavily on brands to provide us with safe, quality products. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. Some of the most common hair care ingredients are actually harmful to our hair and our entire bodies. At Fresh Heritage, we pride ourselves on providing an all-natural beard oil to our customers. We desperately urge you to start paying more attention to the products that you’re using. While we can’t name all of the harmful toxins products contain in this one blog post, we can recommend six that need to be avoided like the plague. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Or SLS is an additive that makes products foam. According to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database, this common ingredient is linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, organ toxicity, and skin irritation. Diethanolamine. You know the creamy feeling you feel when applying a moisturizing cream or lotion? That feeling comes from the chemical diethanolamine. This chemical alone can cause skin irritation, coupled with the other chemicals found in most hair care products it becomes carcinogenic.   Diazolidinyl Urea. You would think that when companies know that products are harmful to humans they won't sell them. Unfortunately, they still do and we unknowingly buy them on a consistent basis. Diazolidinyl Urea is a popular human toxicant or allergen, and there is also evidence that this chemical causes immune system toxicity. Parabens. This is the chemical that allows products to survive for months or years, however, the chemicals can enter your skin and mimic hormones disrupting normal body functions. The use of parabens has been linked to breast cancer, early puberty, and decreased sperm cells. Synthetic Colors. Derived from petroleum or coal tar sources, synthetic colors have been proven to be extremely carcinogenic and have even been linked to ADHD in children. The European Classification and Labeling consider it a human carcinogen and the European Union has banned it. Meanwhile, some top brands in the United States continue to use synthetic colors in their products. Formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a known cancer-causing substance. Excess exposure can cause breathing difficulties, rashes, bloody noses, and even blindness. We’re not sharing this information to scare you. We simply want you to become more aware of what you are using on your body. Do your research and know the risks you take by using some common, big-name brands. View Fresh Heritage Classic Beard Oil Ingredients here.

Most people set New Year resolutions to improve themselves in some way. They want to lose weight, start reading more, apply for a new job. Whatever their resolution is, the New Year is a great time to level up and become the better person that you want to be. The sad part about resolutions is that according to Forbes, only about 8% of people actually achieve their New Year resolutions. But we don’t think it has to be that way! Especially if your resolution is to grow a fuller, healthier beard. Rather you’re ready to fill in your patchy beard, or grow a beard for the first time, boosting your beard growth is the perfect New Year resolution and one you can actually obtain! Here’s how: Use beard oil daily. Beard oil moisturizes your beard and the skin underneath it. Add just a few drops right after you wash your face to keep your beard moisturized. Dry, brittle beards are more likely to break off leaving you with a short patchy beard. Moisturizing helps prevent that. Consistently take hair growth vitamins. Not everyone is blessed with genetics that helps them grow a full, healthy beard naturally! And that is ok. The right vitamins help provide the missing nutrients some need to boost hair growth. Consistently consuming hair growth vitamins will support healthy hair growth and provide fast results. Eat a healthy, balanced diet. We are what we eat. Therefore a healthy, balanced diet is key to living your best life. The foods you consume affects your hair growth. Get more sleep. Most of the growing and healing of our body happens while we are sleep. Sleep is imperative for us to perform at our best. It’s also imperative to help our bodies perform at their best. There’s a phrase trolling the internet streets that you may want to be careful of giving too much weight. That phrase is, #teamnosleep. Don’t fall victim to the hype in the new year. Sleep is essential for growth. Try getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night and watch your productivity improve, and your beard grows fuller. Drink more water. Sixty-four to eighty ounces of water is the recommended daily amount of water for the average man. Dehydration slows hair growth and will make your hair dry and brittle. Hydrate your body and boost your hair growth by allowing the proper nutrients to distribute throughout your body and your hair cells to regenerate faster. We don’t want you to be one of those people who say they’re going to grow a beard in the new year and then doesn’t. Use these five tips to boost your beard growth and be #beardgoals in the New Year. Planning to grow a beard this year? Comment below!

‘Tis the season for great food and company. While you enjoy this time with loved ones, friends, and days off work (if you’re lucky), we’ve got good news about all the food you’ll be indulging in. Believe it or not, certain holiday foods actually help boost beard growth the natural way. So, this season, dive in and load up your plate with these five foods for a healthier, fuller beard. If your beard is dull and dry load your plate up with sweet potatoes this holiday season. Dull, dry beards indicate a beta-carotene deficiency. Our bodies transform beta-carotene into vitamin A which keeps hair moisturized. Stuff your face with baby cabbage aka Brussel sprouts. These green vegetables are high in vitamin C, the vitamin that strengthens and protects your beard from breakage. Does it seem like no matter how hard you try, your beard just isn’t coming in the way you want it to? You may have a zinc deficiency. Hair loss and lack of hair growth are often caused by a deficiency in zinc. Help yourself to a few beef short ribs for the cause, they’re loaded with zinc. You shouldn’t be surprised that spinach has made the list. This superfood is packed with vitamin A, iron, beta-carotene, folate, and vitamin C. These vitamins work together to keep hair follicles moisturized. Last but not least indulge in cinnamon. Cinnamon’s antifungal and antioxidant properties improve blood circulation to hair follicles which promote hair growth. Skip the vitamins and supplements that allegedly stimulate hair growth and get right to the source - great holiday food!