Healthy hair means a healthy body. And you are what you eat. Without proper nutrition hair cannot thrive. Lack of certain nutrients can lead to slowed hair growth, dry and brittle hair, flaky scalp and hair loss.
The answer to these hair and scalp problems is hidden in having a balanced diet and leading a healthy lifestyle. Eating healthy food enables you to grow stronger and healthier cells throughout your entire body which in turn strengthen your hair. Says Dr Apoorva Shah, a trichologist, while speaking to City Express, “Hair is made of protein; hence make sure you have adequate amount of proteins in your diet. For a healthy lifestyle and healthy hair production certain foods play a very important role.”
Here’s a list of some yummy food that can dramatically improve your hair:
Cottage Cheese
Try low-fat cottage cheese for a protein-packed breakfast or lunch on the go when you don’t have time to make eggs. Top it with some fresh berries for an added serving of fruit. Plus, cottage cheese is also a good source of calcium.
Soya Beans
Soy is a great source of protein for vegans. It also contains a substantial amount of iron and Vitamin E. Iron is an important part of haemoglobin production. Haemoglobin is responsible for getting oxygen to the tissues of the body. Without it, your hair won’t grow. Vitamin E helps with the absorption of oxygen in the blood. Soya isoflavonoids are good in Androgenic Alopecia.
Almonds
Almonds are good sources of vegetarian protein, iron and Vitamin E. They also help to lower cholesterol helping you avoid having to take cholesterol - lowering drugs which actually cause hair loss.
Milk
Milk has absorbable iodine. It’s impossible to overdose on iodine from food sources. Only food sources like iodized salt may cause so.
Spinach
Eat all that spinach for healthy hair. Spinach, like broccoli and Swiss chard, is an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum. The oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles, is the body’s natural hair conditioner. Apart from the above, one should include dark green vegetables that provide iron and calcium to hair and body.
Apart from eating the above mentioned food, you have to maintain a healthy lifestyle which would in turn result in beautiful lustrous hair.
Smoking and lack of sleep can also affect how your hair looks and feels. Hormonal imbalances due to undisciplined lifestyle have irreversible damaging impact on hair. Love your body and eat healthy and let your body love you back.