Feed Your Hair Through Your Mouth
Shampoos and conditioners have their place but your hair really needs a good meal.
By Kevin R.R. Williams
I am pleased to have Kevin Williams from ClinicalPosters.com guest post on my blog. Kevin is no stranger to my blog and has guest posted before. A seasoned vegetarian, writer and graphic designer Kevin is the brain behind ClinicalPosters.com an online store that has informative health and human anatomy posters. It’s great place to glean some Health 411 often put together in a humorous way. Over to Kevin!
As we age, hair volume diminishes. Texture can seem dull, thin and brittle. Generally, people cope with this using one or more of six popular methods: 1) Spend a fortune at the hair dresser. 2) Buy more hair conditioners and oils. 3) Shave it off. 4) Obtain a prescription from a dermatologist. 5) Cover it up with a wig. 6) Ignore it and do nothing.
Reasons for hair loss are many. It would be foolish to treat them all with one remedy. [1] With this in mind, some of the aforementioned methods of coping with poor hair quality may be advisable. Yet, like our skin, fingernails and hair can signal correctable health issues. Too often these signals are masked under nail polish or wigs, respectively. We need to get to the root of the problem.
The Root of The Problem
Hair is comprised of two distinct structures: 1) the follicle beneath the skin surface in the dermis. It maintains stem cells which not only re-grow the hair after it falls out, but also after a wound heals; and 2) the shaft, which is the hard filamentous part that extends above the skin surface. [2]
The main component of hair and nails is protein keratin. The visible shaft exhibits no biochemical activity. The hair follicle includes the oil-producing sebaceous gland which lubricates hair. With this in mind, the quality of that hair shaft is dependent upon the amount of protein it contains and the amount of lubrication is naturally provided within its core from the scalp. Externally applied oils mask flaking and give the appearance of shine.
To improve hair volume and luster, consider treating from the inside out. Poor nutrition makes everyday a bad hair day. Avoid the foods that, at best, offer no nutritional benefit and at worst, inhibit hair growth. These are caffeine, sugar, fat and carbonated beverages. [3] Instead, include in your diet foods that naturally oil the scalp and strengthen the hair shaft.
| Foods That Grow Hair | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nutrition | Source | Benefit |
| Salmon, chicken, turkey, nuts, soy, eggs, beans | Protein, Vitamin B, Zinc | Strengthens hair shaft |
| Broccoli, spinach, swiss chard, carrots | Vitamins A and C, Beta-carotene | Increases sebum, a natural conditioner |
| Salmon, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines | Omega-3, Omega-6, fatty acids, iron, sulfur, protein | Prevents scalp from drying out |
| Olives, avocado, flax seeds, liver, pumpkin seeds | Fatty acids | Moisturizes scalp |
Topical hair solutions may be an advisable adjunct to good nutrition. Hair and scalp problems can also be caused by fungus, parasites or hereditary conditions. Healthy food extends the avenues for stimulating hair growth. So, while eating a turkey sandwich and munching on broccoli, it’s a bit comforting to realize that you could also be feeding your hair.
Before heading to the hairdresser or your local drugstore for hair tonics, you can glean some excellent tips from the article at WebMD entitled Gorgeous Hair at Any Age. It describes various hair conditions that are common as we age and suggests haircare products and regimens to cope with them.
Kevin Williams is a guest blogger from ClinicalPosters.com who has enjoyed expressing his artistic flair as a home chef for more than 30 years and has been a vegetarian for over eight years. He honed his skills with classes at The New School of Cooking. When not cooking, he appreciates fine dining at vegetarian restaurants.
References
- American Hair Loss Association. AmericanHairLoss.org
- Hair. Wikipedia
- Foods That Promote Hair Growth. Quickcare.org
- What Foods Aid in Hair Growth? eHow.com
- Gorgeous Hair at Any Age. WebMD.com
Hi there! I’m Sunithi, AKA Sue, a registered dietitian with a sweet tooth and a passion for eating healthy (quite a combo) currently working as an independent consultant in the DC Metro area. I’m also a blogger, health nut, nutrition geek who jogs to keep sane :)! I love to revamp recipes and add some ‘Nutrition Bytes’ to them. All my recipes are gluten free! I also blog on natural health and fitness! Visit often and drop me a note if you have any nutrition queries!
I’m partial to the images. Love the slideshow. Too bad half the food items are excluded from my vegetarian diet. At least I know why my hair is thinning. 🙂
Good post ! Thanks Kevin !! You know you can eat good quality veggie protein so no excuse really 🙂 !
Yeah. I’ve begun massaging flax seed oil into my scalp too. Gets that omega-3 right at the root of the problem for dry scalp (without a long list of ingredients).
I would eat( drink) the flax oil. Massage it ? Hmmm … don’t know. Used to an oil called Amla oil (Indian gooseberry) which all of us use. Must look into Flax oil !
I take a hair skin nails vitamin every morning. Guess the foods are better. Good informative post. I love the pics. Sunflower seeds are my favorite.
Love the redhead 🙂 Wish I had her hair ! I really need to up my protein intake. I stared eating more veggie this year in an attempt to eat healthy & am not doing so good on protein. I need to add some nuts , seeds and healthy fat I think. Like this post. Good info as always.
Years ago, when I first started as a vegetarian, I told my doctor that I was trying to include protein three times a month. She shrieked, “You should be eating protein three times a DAY.” I began eating many protein bars and even eating salmon occasionally (pescatarian). The protein bars caused weight gain and I really preferred vegetables over salmon. I no longer eat fish. Many wonderful recipes are cataloged on my Pinterest board entitled “Mouth-Watering Veggies.” http://bit.ly/TSfY99
Totally agree with you Kevin, i was also on wrong way to maintain my shape and it was effecting on my other body parts like hair loss, eye sight weakness , weak body but when i start taking a good meal i am recovering myself and it is really essential to eat well to prevent themselves from other diseases.
Funny – this has come at just the right time! I made an appt today with the dermatologist for scalp problems (not me but a friend of course, lol.) Love excuses to eat salmon and greens – so interesting about the flax – and olives? Who would have thought… thanks for that.
Thanks. Perhaps now you can switch that to a lunch appointment with your dermatologist.
True, he is cute but another Corsican? Hm. First I need to work on that hairdo.
The Brazilian diet I’ve taken to, since moving from the UK, contains a lot more fresh fruit and veg and I have to say I noticed a real improvement in condition and elasticity of my hair since moving here.
Thanks Sunithi. Great info as always.
Gripping share . Hair should be treated from the inside out and poor nutrition hampers hair quality . I too have personally seen the improvement in my hair texture when I concentrate on my diet .
Thanks for sharing this very informative post. I find it very useful!
By the way Great guest post here!
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Great guest post article !!!
Awesome post and very helpful topic
i will share it with my friends
so that they can use this post
thanks
If any suggestion for me
Thanks so much for all these tips. I have been trying to grow my hair out for quite sometime now. I need all the advice that I can get. Great post and I love your blog.
amazing tips for hair…thanks for sharing… i loved how you said “Feed your hair with your mouth” ! 😛
🙂