As with so many things that concern our health, when it comes to hair loss, proper prevention is often easier, more accessible, and more affordable than professional medical treatment. Simple lifestyle choices – exercise, diet, etc. – can make a significant difference in the struggles you will face with hair loss, how quickly your hair things, and how difficult recovery will be.
Of course, no amount of healthy living can completely reverse the course of genetics or other causes of common hair loss, but in fact there are simple diet changes you can make to stem the tide of hair loss and promote the growth of new, stronger, healthier hair. (It’s all good stuff, too!)
If your hair is thinning or falling out, or if you have a history of hair loss in your family, consult the experts at Parker Trichology Centre & Salon. We specialize in effective hair loss management and restoration for women and men of any age. Make an appointment today.
8 Foods That Promote Healthier Hair
1. Eggs and Lean Proteins
Protein is an essential component of growing new hair. If you’re not getting enough, your rate of hair growth will slow or even stop. Eggs and lean proteins like chicken, turkey and most fish are protein-packed, even consumed in small quantities, and are a great way to give your scalp the building blocks it needs to grow thick, healthy hair. As an added bonus, eggs contain natural Biotin, a B vitamin needed to produce the protein keratin.
Just be sure not to overdo it on fattier meats such as beef, which while they include a good amount of protein, come paired with an unhealthy dose of saturated fats.
2. Spinach, Kale and Other Greens
What worked for Popeye also works for your hair. Leafy greens, and especially spinach, are a natural non-meat source of iron, which the body uses to aid in repairs to skin, organs and hair follicles. These popular greens are often dirt cheap, available in abundance, and appropriate to virtually any diet.
3. Avocados
These trendy fruits tend to grab headlines for all the right, and wrong, reasons, but when it comes to hair health and hair loss, the evidence is clear: avocados are good for your hair. (Why do you think you see them in so many hair products these days?) The secret is the healthy dose of polyunsaturated fats and vitamin E, which has been shown to promote hair growth in controlled studies. The fat in avocados is also loaded with antioxidants which promote all around body health.
4. Nuts and Seeds
Loads of health fats and nutrients do come in small packages. Nuts and seeds are modern superfood, able to get several uncommon nutrients into your diet without blowing your daily calories. Almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds and chia seeds are common favorites that are mostly enjoyable on their own and easily incorporate into a daily snack or meal. They provide a wide array of hair protecting nutrients, including Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and vitamin B.
5. Oysters
Oysters won’t be the favorite of everyone who reads this list, but they do have something going for them: zinc. This relatively uncommon essential mineral improves health in many ways, but it’s actually the lack of zinc in your diet which can affect your hair. Zinc deficiency has been shown to lead to hair loss. If you just can’t stomach the oysters, other foods high in zinc include red meat, other shellfish, nuts, seeds and eggs.
6. Sweet Potatoes
Everyone’s favorite justification for eating fries, sweet potatoes contain heaps of beta carotene, an antioxidant that your body converts into vitamin A. In turn, vitamin A strengthens hair fibers and follicles, which helps to reduce hair loss. Beta carotene is also found in large quantities in carrots, pumpkins, dark leafy greens, red and yellow peppers, apricots and even some spices such as paprika and cayenne.
7. Fatty Fish
As with nuts and avocados, fattier fishes such as salmon, tuna, herring and anchovies are rich with hearty and hair-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. In studies, high Omega-3 diets have been shown to result in reduced hair loss and increased hair thickness. Fatty fish are also great for you in dozens of other ways and should have their place in any meat eaters diet.
8. Beans
Beans and other legumes offer a cluster-bomb of hair protecting, reinvigorating and regrowing nutrients, including most of what we’ve already talked about above: zinc, biotin, folate, protein, vitamins. They’re low fat, high fiber, high healthy super foods that can help to keep your hair strong, shiny and fabulous.
Adjusting your diet is a great first step in improving the health of your hair and doing what you can to prevent avoidable hair loss. Beyond that, there are experts who understand hair loss and are here to help. Make an appointment for a consultation at Parker Trichology Centre & Salon in Carrollton, TX. Expert hair loss treatment for women and men of all ages.
