We Are What We Eat - Don't Forget It
When it comes down to it, healthy hair isn't the result of what you put on it but rather of what you feed it with.
We all know lathering & rinsing a couple of times is the regular procedure for washing your hair but shampoo and conditioner alone won't give you the healthy hair you desire.
We are what we eat! Luxurious locks, bright, shiny hair doesn't come out of bottles. You will need to do more FOR your hair rather than TO your hair even when using the very best shampoos & conditioners that money can buy.
Your hair grows between 5 to 12 centimeters every month, and the very basis of all of our new skin; hair & nail growth starts with the nutrients we eat. Remember, We are what we eat; if you eat healthily, stronger and healthier cells will grow throughout your entire body, both internally & externally.
Miracles wont happen just because you start to look after yourself & control what you eat, for instance: if you were born with fine, thin hair, you'll never have thick voluminous locks, no matter what you eat, but a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of growth-promoting protein and iron should make a difference to the health & well being of your hair.
Don't get carried away & start looking for dietary supplements for your hair, often marketed to increase the growth rate or to thicken it up. They may just backfire & are likely to leave you disappointed.
You can find beauty supplements in most stores but try to get the nutrients from the foods you eat whenever possible, spend a little more time finding out what you need & read food labels & information a little more. A care point here; excess's of certain nutrient supplementation, such as vitamin A, has been linked to hair loss.
Healthy Eating & Quality Control Program for your beautiful hair.
1. Salmon: this high-quality protein source is filled with essential omega-3 fatty acids & Vitamin B-12 and iron. Fatty acids are needed to support scalp health. A deficiency here can result in a dry scalp, leading to dry hair, giving it a dull look. When it comes to foods that pack a beauty punch, it's hard to beat salmon. If you are vegetarian, try one or two tablespoons of ground flaxseed, included in your daily diet, for some plant-based omega-3 fats.
2. Spinach, broccoli and Swiss chard are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum. This oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles, is the body's natural hair conditioner. Dark green vegetables also provide iron and calcium.
3. Beans & pulses are really good for your hair, as are legumes & with kidney beans and lentils, should be an important part of your hair-care diet. Not just providing plentiful protein to promote hair growth but ample iron, zinc, and biotin. While rare, biotin deficiencies can result in brittle hair. A recommended quantity of lentils etc is three or more cups of lentils or beans each week.
4. Nuts, in particular Brazil nuts are one of nature's best sources of selenium, an important mineral for the health of your scalp. Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may help condition your hair & are also a great source of zinc as are pecans, almonds & cashew nuts. A zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding; just ensure nuts are a regular feature on your healthy hair program.
5. Make sure poultry appears in your program, chickens and turkeys provide high-quality protein, which will help improve the health of your hair. Without adequate protein or with low-quality protein, weak or brittle hair may be experienced whilst major deficiencies in protein may lead to loss of hair color. Poultry also provides iron, which has a high degree of bioavailability, which means your body should easily gain benefits.
6. Eggs: When it comes to healthy hair, it doesn't matter how you like your eggs, fried, boiled, scrambled or over easy. Whichever way they're served up, eggs are one of the best sources of protein around. In addition, they also contain vitamin B-12 & biotin, important beauty nutrients.
7. Get your teeth into hearty whole grains, including whole-wheat bread and fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals. Containing zinc, iron, and B vitamins for a hair-healthy program. A whole-grain snack makes a great filler when your energy levels are waning mid-afternoon, with an absolute age to go before dinner.
8. Oysters: better known for their reputation as an aphrodisiac, but they can certainly assist in promoting healthy hair, providing zinc, a powerful antioxidant. An acquired taste & pretty expensive I think, so if you are not ready for this just yet, an ample substitute yielding zinc, is readily available in beef or lamb, in addition to the whole grains & nuts already being consumed.
9. An important mineral for hair growth is calcium, readily available in low-fat dairy products like skimmed milk and yogurt, also containing whey & casein 2 other high quality protein sources. A pot of Yogurt or cottage cheese make great mini snacks; take one to work & try stirring in a couple of teaspoons of ground flaxseed or walnuts to further boost your omega-3 fatty acids and zinc intake to your healthy hair program.
10. To help promote a healthy scalp, carrots, containing vitamin A will also help to improve your vision so that you will take even more pleasure when you see the end results of your healthy hair program. Take a couple of carrots to work, eat them as a fill in snack, and use them grated or shredded on a salad. Remember, from a healthy scalp you will see a well-conditioned, shiny head of hair.
