7 Surprising Ways Your Diet Impacts Your Hair Health

A full head of thick, luxurious hair is a sign of good health. No one wants to have bald spots or thinning hair on their head. Your diet has plenty to do with how the hair on your head looks and grows. To have a healthy head of hair, you should follow a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy products.

A diet that does not contain nutrients to support hair growth and a healthy scalp will have a negative impact on your tresses. Your hair needs a variety of nutrients to grow, according to this article those nutrients include bioavailable keratin peptides, melanin, herbs like rosemary and turmeric, vitamins such as niacin to powerful B’s, biotin, pantothenic acid, and minerals like zinc and copper. Eating foods full of vitamins in minerals creates a thick, lavish head of hair.

Hair Loss is Caused by a Poor Diet

The human head has 80,000 to 150,000 of hairs, and each strand has a follicle. The follicle is the living part of the hair, and the area where blood flows and nutrients are absorbed. Healthy hair grows between ¼ and ½ inches per month for three years if vitamins are supplied to the follicles. Hair also goes through a resting stage and falls out, so new hair can grow.

If you are not eating a balanced diet, your hair cannot complete the growth cycle. It will weaken, and hair follicles enter an early resting stage. This causes hair to fall out and bald spots to form on your scalp. Hair loss is directly attributed to a diet that lacks the vitamins and minerals necessary for hair growth. A crash diet or eating disorder will make your hair fall out.

Vitamins

As Asea points out, taking a multivitamin is an important part of many people’s daily dietary routine, but you should also make sure that you are getting enough of the right vitamins to encourage healthy hair. Vitamins keep cells healthy, prevent hair loss and maintain scalp health. The following vitamins are required for healthy hair:

Vitamin A: This vitamin helps skin produce sebum an oily substance that moisturizes your hair and scalp.

Vitamin B: The B vitamin known as biotin transports oxygen and red blood cells throughout the body and supports hair growth.

Vitamin C: An important vitamin that aids your hair in the creation of collagen a protein responsible for producing strong hair.

Vitamin: D: This vitamin is linked to building new follicles, and the hair growth process.

Vitamin E: A vitamin that reduces hair loss and keeps your scalp and hair hydrated.

Minerals

Minerals also play a crucial role in the production of new hair follicles and preserving healthy hair. A diet rich in zinc, iron, iodine, and magnesium ensures your hair remains plush and full.

Zinc: This mineral keeps hormones levels balanced and strengthens protein structure. It gets rid of dandruff and reinforces hair follicle structure.

Iron: A mineral that produces hemoglobin and carries oxygen to your hair follicles. Iron keeps hair thick and promotes hair growth.

Iodine: This micronutrient aids in the function of your thyroid gland. The thyroid has an impact on hair growth and when it performs well your locks flourish.

Magnesium: When you consume magnesium, you are preventing calcium build up on your scalp and eliminating the occurrence of clogged hair follicles. This encourages blood circulation and allows vitamins to reach hair follicles.

Foods to keep hair healthy

Since diet is a major contributing factor to keep hair thick and lush, you should always eat well. Eating a diet with vitamins and minerals that support hair health is vital if you want an attractive head of hair. Here is a list of foods that encourage hair growth:

Eggs: The protein, vitamin B and zinc in eggs aid in obtaining thick hair and strengthening tresses.

Berries: Since berries are high in vitamin C, they assist the body in iron absorption and transporting blood the hair follicles.

Spinach: This vegetable contains vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron, and they all contribute to hair growth and a moisturized scalp.

Oily fish: Salmon contains vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and proteins that keep your scalp nourished and makes hair shine.

Sweet Potato: The beta-carotene in sweet potatoes maintains a healthy scalp and encourages hair growth.

Nuts and seeds: Snacking on nuts and sunflower seeds will do wonders for your hair. The vitamin E and biotin in them increase blood flow to follicles and speeds up hair growth.

Avocados: This fruit is loaded with vitamins B and E. Both are essential for hair growth and conditioning a dry scalp.

Hormones

When you maintain a healthy diet, your hormones remain balanced and promote hair growth too. If you refrain from eating properly, your hormones do not function properly, and hair is affected. This article explains the maintenance of equal estrogen and progesterone levels are imperative for hair to flourish.

So consuming berries such as raspberries, blackberries and blueberries are essential. These berries contain flavonoids and vitamins that aid in maintaining your body’s homeostasis. You can also eat nuts and seeds rich in phytoestrogen to preserve strong hair.

Dandruff

Dandruff is a condition that makes the scalp dry and produces flakes of skin to appear. It affects millions of people and can be caused by stress and a poor diet. This report details how a diet that lacks vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, Zinc, B vitamins, and protein will deplete hair of natural oils. Be sure to avoid alcohol, as heavy use of it can cause deficiencies in Vitamin B1, B6, and folic acid. And in addition to lackluster hair, you might get some health issues potentially concerning anemia.

If you like seafood, add oysters, crabs, and lobster into your diet to get the benefits of zinc. Drinking milk, consuming dark chocolate is another way to get your daily serving of vitamins and minerals.

Not Enough Protein

If you do not eat enough protein, your hair will suffer the consequences. When it comes to your body’s ability to synthesize enzymes, hormones and chemicals protein is essential. It is also responsible for building and repairing tissues, and the lack of it can cause hair loss. Consuming eggs, eating lean meats and broccoli provides your body with this necessary nutrient and aids in hair growth.

Your diet not only influences your physical health but the overall condition of your hair. When you eat a balanced meal, your hair also gets healthier. So, make sure you consume foods rich in vitamins and minerals to keep hair healthy and shining.