Like any other part of the body, you need to remember that even your hair needs to get the type of nourishment that it deserves to grow long and strong. When hair is healthy and nourished, it will be able to grow, but when hair is undernourished, it will be prone to breakage and hair loss can become quite the problem, if not handled well within time. However, there are certain food categories that are like a potent serum for your hair and can stop hair loss, or at the least reduce the same, easily. Here are the 7 essential foods that can help prevent hair loss:
- PROTEIN – Your hair is basically made up of protein and when there is less protein in your diet, your hair is bound to take the brunt of it. Now, you might think that you have protein in your diet, but what you would not know is that the rest of the body takes up the protein, and only the last of it, reaches the hair. So, you need to have some extra protein in your diet to ensure that enough reaches your hair too. It’s easy to find foods that are high in protein levels and should you include them in your regular diet, you should notice a significant decline in hair fall. If you are a non-vegetarian, you can eat chicken, turkey and egg yolks; and the vegetarian options include kale, peanuts, Greek yoghurt, beans, lentils and tofu.
- IRON – If you want healthy hair, you need proper blood circulation and for proper blood circulation, you need to have enough iron in your diet, because iron helps with the proper delivery of blood as well as oxygen to various parts of the body, including your scalp. Studies have shown that when anaemia related iron deficiency occurs in the body, there is hair loss too and the treatment for the condition can improve hair health as well. The easiest way to increase iron in your diet is my adding all kinds of dark leafy green vegetables, beans and whole grains. You can also include red meat, egg yolks, clams, mussels and oysters too.
- SELENIUM -Selenium is a trace element that is found in the body and helps make seleno-proteins, which are needed for immunity, metabolism and also encourage the growth is new hair, through the stimulation of new hair follicles. If there is not enough selenium in your body, the existing selenium will be used and that will lead to abnormalities in the hair follicles, leading to breakage. Before you rush into your nearest hair restoration clinic in Delhi, you might want to try out foods that have high selenium content such as shrimp, sardines, fish like tuna and halibut, ham and brazil nuts.
- ZINC – While zinc can boost the growth and repair of tissues, it is also important for scalp and hair health, because it can maintain the production of the oil secreting glands that are present on the scalp. In order to get enough amounts of zinc in your regular diet, simply include wheatgerm, chickpeas and if you are a non-vegetarian, then oysters, beef and veal liver.
- OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS-This is a crucial factor for not just great skin, but also really good hair. Omega 3 fatty acids, once they reach the scalp, will penetrate the hair shaft and cell membranes and ensure proper hair growth. They also increase the elasticity of the hair, which also reduces the chances of breakage. However, the problem with Omega 3 fatty acids is that the body can’t produce it on its own, which is why you need to eat foods that are rich in them – salmon, tuna, walnuts, flaxseeds, kale and Brussel sprouts are all great sources.
- VITAMINS – Vitamins are essential for hair growth, particularly A and C, because these contribute to the production of sebum, which is the oily substance present in your hair follicles. Sebum is not only the natural conditioner of the body, it is also what helps prevent breakage. Vitamin C increases iron in the body and that leads to better oxygenation for the hair follicles. Just add some Swiss chard, spinach or broccoli to your salad or make some sweet potato fries or pumpkin soup to get enough vitamin A and C in your diet.
- MAGNESIUM -Although it is one of the most abundant minerals in the body, it is also needed for a huge number of reactions in the body, including hair growth. This is why, many a times, the amount of magnesium in the body is not enough and the deficiency could easily lead to hair loss. However, there are plenty of foods that are rich in magnesium and might be present in your kitchen right now – cashew nuts, almonds, brown rice, lentils and also halibut.
