Hair Health

By :Nyaki Tshabangu 0 comments

Are you the type of person who wants a great body but hates exercise, or wants great skin but doesn’t drink lots of water? Or maybe you want strong healthy long hair but can’t stand eating vegetables?

If you answered yes to any of these questions- you’re in luck, this post is just for you

]Nutrition and hair growth is very simple to understand, but there’s a catch-. It’s not as simple as eating foods and expecting hair to grow healthy and strong. Unfortunately, your body has a hierarchy that it follows to determine which cells in your body will receive nutrients first and unfortunately, your hair and nails are not high on that list.

Exercise or physical activity is also vital for your best head of hair, here’s why: exercising speeds up the delivery of the nutrients to your hair but eating the right things ensures that you are delivering the best and most beneficial nutrients to your hair because the main function of our blood stream is to deliver nutrients to our cells and organs and When you’re active your heart beats faster, causing it to pump blood in and our faster which speeds up blood circulation. When this happens, nutrients are being delivered faster and more frequently. The best type of foods to eat for optimal hair health and growth are the same old protein, fruits and vegetables that your mom has been begging you to eat. There is no need to become vegan, or even sign up for a gym membership, just do the thing you know you’re supposed to. You need to pay special attention to the following:

01. Proteins

Every single cell in your body contains protein and although our body makes its own basic protein, there are key proteins or essential amino acids that it doesn’t make. Our body gets these amino acids from the food we eat. These proteins are found in meat, fish, dairy, vegetables, beans and rice. Our bodies digest and break down these proteins and convert them into the kind of amino components each organ and cell need. Protein deficient diets produce weak protein-deficient hair shafts. Hair from these shafts are more brittle, they lack colour and texture when compared to normal hair. This is also thinner and sheds a lot sooner. Yikes

essential amino acid

Since we’re getting technical, Lysine is an essential amino acid that has been found to help reduce the rate of hair shedding in women when combined with iron. Don’t go running to the pharmacy to get this protein – just add more beans and lentils into your diet.

Vitamins and minerals

Fun fact: Vitamins are organic substances that are produced by plants and animals, but Minerals are products by (wait for it) the soil and water and are taken up by the plants we eat. There is a huge drive for taking in supplements like biotin vitamin e- but thats a whole separate topic.

02. Iron

The main function of iron is to carry oxygen from our lungs to help our muscle tissues manage and store oxygen.

Where we get it : dark leafy vegetables, kidney beans, raisins, meat, chicken and fish

Or iron pills you have been diagnosed by a dr as having low iron levels( which is quite common)

Prevents: dry brittle hair, and shedding due to a reduced hair growth cycle

03. VITAMIN A

Vitamin A:

Main function: supports cell division needed for optimal growth, also very good for scalp

Too little equals: dry hair and scalp and a condition called Follicular hyperkeratosis which is characterised by an overproduction of keratin that creates blockages in hair follicles stunting hair growth.

04. Vitamin b complex

There are a number of vitamin b’s that are great for all functions of hair health, but generally, they improve the look and feel of our hair as it emerges

Found primarily in: rice, eggs, milk, and organ meats, like liver

Good for: Hair loss, thinning and greying

The most famous ones: Biotin and folic acid