Eat Right For Healthy Hair

Nutrition to Solve Hair Problems

Your hair reflects your personality and individuality. Hair is important for your confidence, health and well-being as it may be one aspect that gets you noticed. Who doesn’t like healthy and lustrous hair, but to get and maintain that kind of hair you need to focus on keeping it clean, conditioned and most importantly on the nutritional aspect. Nutrition is the major factor as far as hair health goes. You can take a hair spa or treat your hair with different kinds of serums, but what you eat reflects the texture of your hair.

A nutritious diet plays a huge role in hair health. Deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals can cause hair loss, dryness, flakiness, and slow growth. Eating the right foods can strengthen hair, boost growth, and improve scalp health. Certain foods can help address different hair problems by providing essential nutrients that support hair health. Here’s a breakdown of various common hair issues and foods that can help it with:

1. Hair Loss

Alopecia is a general term for hair loss that can occur anywhere on the body but is most commonly associated with the scalp. Hair loss can be temporary or permanent and may have various causes, it may be an autoimmune disorder, fungal infection, nutritional deficiency or due to medical conditions or medications. Food such as eggs, spinach, nuts and seeds and fish like salmon (a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D) can be really helpful and support hair growth. Eggs are rich in biotin (a B vitamin and its deficiency can cause thinning of the hair) and protein, essential for hair growth and strength. Spinach is high in iron and folate, which are vital for healthy hair follicles. Nuts and Seeds like almonds, walnuts, and flaxseeds are superfoods for your hair, they provide omega-3 fatty acids and zinc, both of which help to prevent hair thinning.

2. Dandruff

Dandruff or Flaky hair is a problem most of us often face, generally caused by a dry or irritated scalp, leading to visible flakes all over the hair. It can be mild or sometimes very severe causing irritation as well as embarrassment to the affected person. It occurs when the scalp lacks moisture. Or there is excessive use of styling products, which can clog pores in the scalp and cause flaking. You can easily treat it at home with generous use of coconut oil, aloe vera gel, tea tree oil or apple cider vinegar rinse during hair wash. Coconut oil is best for hydrating and soothing the dryness of the scalp due to dandruff. Aloe vera gel reduces inflammation and itching, Apple cider vinegar rinse balances scalp pH and fights dandruff, and tea tree oil has antifungal properties.

Foods like yoghurt, avocados and garlic can help you keep your scalp dandruff-free. Yoghurt contains probiotics that can balance the scalp’s microbiome and help reduce dandruff. Avocados are rich in vitamins E and B, which promote healthy scalp circulation and moisture and garlic has antifungal properties and can help fight dandruff-causing fungi.

3. Dry Hair

Dry hair happens when your hair lacks moisture or natural oils, making it rough, brittle, and prone to breakage. It can be caused by over-washing, harsh shampoos, ageing, excessive use of hair dryers, straighteners, and curling irons. First of all it needs to be understood that washing hair too frequently or putting too much shampoo during hair-wash can strip the hair of its natural oils. Use a hydrating hair mask 1-2 times a week and pampering your hair with oil treatments with coconut, argan, or olive oil can be really good for extra moisture.

Avocados are best for dry hair as they are packed with healthy fats and vitamins E and C, which nourish and hydrate the hair. Your body needs a good dose of vitamin A for healthy moisturised hair so include sweet potatoes in your meals. Olive Oil is a proven antioxidant and vitamin E resource, and helps to hydrate and strengthen hair should also be part of your diet.

4. Oily Hair

Some of us usually face the problem of excess oil in our hair and we desperately look for something to control it. Oily hair often happens when the scalp produces too much sebum (natural oil), making hair look greasy. Overactive Sebaceous Glands, genetics and sometimes hormonal changes due to puberty, pregnancy or PCOS are common causes of excessive oil in your hair.  You can use a balancing shampoo to tackle it while it is also important to avoid heavy conditioners on the scalp.

Intake of foods like oats, lemon and berries will really help you to manage oily hair. Oats regulate oil production and improve overall scalp health. Lemon helps to balance oil production due to its acidity and helps in the absorption of nutrients. Berries like strawberry, blueberry and raspberries are rich in antioxidants, vitamins C and E, which can help maintain a healthy scalp and reduce excess oil.

5. Frizz

Frizzy hair happens when your hair cuticle (outer layer) is rough or raised which allows moisture to enter and make hair look dry, puffy, or unruly. This along with lack of moisture and high humidity makes hair swell and look frizzy. It can be due to excessive and irresponsible use of hair dryers, straighteners, or curling irons which affects the hair texture. The best measure to overcome it is to reduce heat styling and a good conditioner that will help smooth hair. Gentle massage of coconut or argon oil adds shine and prevents dryness of your hair.

Flaxseeds which are high in omega-3s, help moisturize and nourish hair, preventing dryness and frizz. Eating coconut, which is high in healthy fats can also help in hydrate hair and tame frizz.

6. Split Ends

Split ends in hair are a common issue that happens when the protective outer layer of your hair (cuticle) gets damaged, causing the hair strand to split into two or more parts at the tip. This damage is often caused by heat styling which includes excessive use of straighteners, curling irons, and blow dryers, chemical treatment by using hair dye, bleach, perms, and relaxers, over-washing that strips natural oils, making hair dry and brittle, rough handling of hair by brushing wet hair, using harsh towels, or tight hairstyles or by environmental issues including damage due to sun exposure, pollution, and harsh weather conditions.

Common food items like carrots, avocados, beans and lentils provide beta-carotene, protein and iron, which help strengthen hair and prevent breakage. The natural oils in avocados help to nourish the hair and prevent damage, which contributes to split ends.

7. Hair Thinning

Hair thinning affects both men and women and can be a gradual process where hair becomes finer, weaker, and less voluminous over time. It is often caused by multiple factors like hormonal imbalance, hereditary hair thinning, stress and anxiety and nutritional deficiency. Scalp issues like dandruff and fungal infections, overuse of hair products, ageing and medications and treatments can also cause hair thinning.

A healthy diet consisting of eggs, nuts, fish, spinach, pumpkin seeds and berries is vital for your hair strength as it provides protein, iron, zinc, vitamin C and biotin to your hair which overcomes nutritional deficiency. Taking care of the scalp with a massage of essential oils like castor, rosemary and coconut will definitely improve circulation. Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water is good for keeping hair follicles healthy. Avoid tight hair style, and reduce heat and chemical exposure to avoid hair loss and better hair health. Be calm and stress-free by practising yoga and meditation, this will prevent stress-induced hair problems.
 

8. Breakage of hair

Hair breakage happens when hair becomes weak, brittle, and snaps off instead of falling from the root. Unlike hair fall, which occurs at the scalp, breakage affects the hair shaft, leading to frizzy, uneven strands and shorter hair. It is often the result of bad choices that you make for your hair like rough handling, harsh hair products, poor diet, scalp issues, tight hairstyles and excessive heat styling.

Citrus fruits which are high in vitamin C, help produce collagen, a protein that strengthens hair.  Almonds and walnuts are packed with vitamin E, which improves hair strength and reduces breakage. Similarly, red bell peppers which are high in vitamin C and beta-carotene, help prevent hair breakage and encourage healthy hair growth.

9, Hair fall

Hair fall is a common issue that can be caused by various factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and health conditions. Understanding the root cause can help in managing and preventing excessive hair loss. This can be poor hair care, nutritional deficiency like lack of iron, biotin, protein and vitamin B12, stress and anxiety that can trigger hair shedding, medical conditions like thyroid, PCOS and anaemia, hormonal changes and scalp issues.

This issue can be tackled by having a balanced diet, eating protein-rich foods, leafy greens, nuts, and omega-3s. massage of castor or onion oil can nourish hair and improve circulation. Using a silk pillowcase reduces friction and breakage while sleeping.

Hydration and a balanced diet are solutions to every health problem, try them to overcome your hair issues too.