Men are as touchy about hair as women
are about their backsides. It's a sensitive subject, one that raises
many concerns and results in paranoid treatments and extreme
measures. However, until the problem begins, there is little thought
put into nourishing hair other than the lather and rinse routine.
Before you start losing sleep over hair loss and book appointments
with trichologists, take a closer look at what you're eating.
Chances are that even slight modifications made to what you eat by
incorporating ingredients that aid hair growth and health will have
a drastic impact. While genes and lifestyle will always have the
upper hand, here's what you could eat to help curb that receding
hairline.
Carrots
It's not just the eyes, Vitamin A-rich carrots provide excellent
nourishment for the scalp. A healthy scalp ensures shiny,
well-conditioned hair that is strengthened and moisturised. An
overall balanced diet of lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables,
whole grains, legumes, fatty fish like the Indian salmon and low-fat
dairy are great boosters for healthy hair.
Prunes
If your hair suffers from dryness, thinning, stiffness,
discolouration or hair fall, depleting reserves of iron might be the
culprit. Prunes are known to be great sources of iron and greatly
help improve the quality of hair. Also ensure you get plenty of
green vegetables and beetroots in your diet in addition to prunes.
Green peas
Although green peas are not rich in antioxidants or any specific
vitamin or mineral, they contain a well-balanced amount of vitamins
and minerals such as iron, zinc and B group vitamins. These are
essential for maintaining healthy hair.
Oats
Not only are oats loaded with fiber that helps maintain a healthy
heart and bowels, they also contain a high concentration of other
essential nutrients such as zinc, iron and omega-6 fatty acids.
Together, these are also knows as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).
Omega-6 fatty acids in particular are essential to maintain normal
skin, hair growth and development. Since this essential ingredient
is only obtained through the diet, make sure your breakfast includes
a bowl of oatmeal every few days in the week.
Shrimp
While red meats are best avoided in excess, finding an appropriate
substitute for proteins might be a little difficult for those
looking to build muscle etc. Alternatively, of the wide variety of
sea food available, shrimps are a great substitute. They not only go
excellently well in a number of curries and pastas, their potent
concentration of Vitamin B12, iron, zinc contain all the necessary
nourishment to prevent hair loss.
Walnuts
Not to be outdone by the oats, walnuts are one of the most
hairfriendly nuts in the category. Not only do walnuts have more
omega-6 fatty acids than any other food, but they're also full of
zinc, iron, B vitamins (B1, B6 and B9), and plenty of protein.
However, a word of caution, walnuts also contain a small trace of
selenium, a mineral known to cause hair loss in people who are
selenium-deficient or have way too much in their system. So a
handful of nuts over the week should tide you over without much
trouble.
Eggs
For a head full of healthy hair, the egg is probably one of your
best friends. It's loaded with essential nutrients such as proteins,
Vitamin B12, iron, zinc and Omega 6 fatty acids in large amounts.
Being deficient in any of these vitamins and minerals is known to
result in poor quality of hair. In addition it's also a good source
for biotin (Vitamin B7) which is a great aid to fight hair loss.
Low fat dairy products
Low-fat dairy products like skim milk and yogurt are great sources
of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth. They also contain
whey and casein, two high-quality protein sources. Add a cup of
yogurt or cottage cheese to your snack list and to help prevent hair
loss, stir in a few tablespoons of flaxseed or walnuts for your
required dose of omega 3 fatty acids and zinc.
Hairy mistakes
Here are a few common mistakes that severely damage hair
- Excessive stress and some medication are conclusively known to
retard hair growth and promote hair loss.
- Cut down on the use of hair spray, hair gels, and styling creams
that contain harsh chemical ingredients, which can dry out the scalp
and cause the formation of flakes. Also harsh treatments such as
perms, colours, relaxers etc take a toll on the health of your hair.
- Avoid changing your shampoo and conditioner constantly. Stick to
one good mild cleansing shampoo for six months before changing.
- Excessive exposure to the sun, pollution, rain water and dust
without proper protection makes the hair dry, brittle and limp. Use
a live in conditioner during the rains to protect it from the
humidity and wash and oil it regularly to maintain a healthy scalp.
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