Diet plays an important role in keeping the skin and hair healthy. The foods people eat have an impact on the growth, strength, and volume of their hair.
We lose a certain amount of hair every day, which is normal — but when you're losing a chunk of hair, that's not normal. Many factors influence your hair and skin, like genetics, age, hormones and nutrition deficiency. Hair does need nutrition to look healthy and grow well. While we can't control the other factors, a balanced diet can definitely improve your hair growth.
The most common reasons you may experience hair loss:
Not having enough calories
There are men and women who go on extreme calorie-deficit diets, which can end up leading to hair loss. Remember that your skin, hair and nails can be treated as accessory compared to vital organs like the heart or brain. If you're not consuming enough calories to carry out important functions, there's little room for extra energy to nourish your hair and skin.
Not including enough protein in your diet
Your hair is composed primarily of protein, so including an adequate amount in your diet is vital for hair growth. I suggest including foods like quinoa, tofu, cottage cheese, legumes and nuts daily in your diet for better hair growth.
Inadequate iron intake
Iron isn't just for helping our red blood cells carry oxygen to cells — it plays a vital role in hair growth. Try incorporating dates, pomegranate, spinach and similar foods into your diet, or include an iron supplement.
B-vitamin deficiency
All the B-vitamins play an essential role in hair health, especially biotin. B-vitamins play an important role in carrying oxygen to cells, including the cells of the scalp. Vegans and vegetarians are mostly deficient in vitamin B-12 and should include a B12 supplement to meet nutritional needs.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential for hair growth as it helps with effective iron absorption. It also helps promote collagen production, which strengthens hair strands. Include oranges, bell peppers, sweet limes, lemon and berries in your diet — vitamin C is a strong antioxidant that protects hair strands from oxidative stress.
Zinc
Zinc plays an important role in hair tissue growth and repair. It also helps keep the oil glands around the follicles working properly.
Vitamin E
Like vitamin C, vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps combat oxidative stress by neutralising free radicals. It protects areas of the skin, like the scalp, from oxidative stress and damage. Damaged skin on the scalp can result in poor hair quality and fewer hair follicles. Avocados, sunflower seeds, spinach and almonds are amazing sources of vitamin E to include in your diet.
Bottom line: what you eat can have a huge effect on the health of your hair. Fortunately, correcting a deficiency in any of these nutrients may help treat hair loss and promote the rate of hair growth.
Let us know if you're experiencing hair loss or a hair growth problem and we'll help you correct it :)
