Magic Foods For Luscious Locks

Introduction

Since earliest primitive times people have connected the sheen of their animal’s coats with good dietary practices and health.  Changes in an animal’s hair or fur almost always signaled nutritional deficiencies or disease. 

Ditto with humans.  Our hair is the external manifestation of how and what we eat.  External hair beauty is a direct reflection of internal health. 

Popping daily hair vitamins and minerals is a wonderful way to strengthen and enhance growing hair follicles.  Unfortunately vitamin supplements may not be enough.  It’s essential to get proper nutrients directly from the foods that we eat.

Hair Is 98 Percent Protein

Nutritionists advise healthy hair seekers to eat well-balanced diets that incorporate healthy proteins along with foods high in vitamin B, C, E, A and K.    

Hair instantly responds to the addition of protein rich foods such as meats, eggs, cheese, seeds and nuts.  Fish packs a double punch of protein combined with health building essential fatty acids and natural oils.  Start each morning with a protein powder drink for instant protein gratification to jump start straggly stands.

Vitamin B

Scientific studies have shown B vitamin deficiencies in the diet can lead to hair problems ranging from mild to severe.  Add B vitamin supplements to your daily supplement plan in addition to incorporating B complex food choices. 

Jumpstart hair health by chowing down on green vegetables, beans, sunflower seeds, nuts and peas.  These foods are all high in the B complex family which includes thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, niacinamide, pyridoxine, and pantothenic acid, cobalmin, folic acid, biotin, choline, inositol and para-aminobenxoic acid.

Although less popular, raw wheat germ, brewers yeast, kelp and desiccated liver are fabulous hair foods that offer a great source of rich vitamin B.

Continued below ↓

advertisement

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a great antioxidant promoting tissue and cell repair and growth.  It also strengthens the overall immune system, and assists in metabolizing B vitamins and amino acids into the body. 

Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, melons and berries (including black currants) are power packed sources of C.  Brussel sprouts, red peppers, kale, cauliflower, tomatoes and cucumbers are additional choices for adding vitamin C foods to your diet.  

Vitamin A - Bugs Bunny Had It Right

Bugs Bunny was on the right track with his lust for carrots.  Load up on these orange beauty aides for super shiny tresses. 

There is nothing better than a sweet mix of freshly squeezed carrot juice mixed with a little lemon or grapefruit juice to cut the sweetness. Whether you eat them raw or juiced, carrots are low in calories and chock full of great cell building Vitamin A. 

If you’d rather leave all the orange goodies for that famous cartoon rabbit, you can substitute other Vitamin A rich foods such as sweet potatoes, squash, broccoli, cantaloupe or apricots. 

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is known as the "heart healthy" vitamin.  It also provides lots of benefits for growing vibrant hair. Add E to your diet by consuming foods like avocados, rice bran, nuts, dark green vegetables, legumes and whole grains.

Vitamin K

This lesser known vitamin helps to maintain healthy bones, teeth, gums, hair and muscles.  Food sources of Vitamin K include seafood, dairy foods, figs, brewer yeast, asparagus, broccoli, lettuce, brussel sprouts, cabbage, dark green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, oatmeal, rye, soybeans, liver, wheat and yogurt. 

Iron

Healthy hair requires a balanced source of iron in the body.  Acquire iron naturally by eating eggs, fish, liver, oysters, meat, poultry, whole grains, green leafy vegetables and blackstrap molasses.

Magnesium

Magnesium deficiencies have been linked to hair problems.  Incorporate a proper supply of this important mineral by eating foods that include dairy, meat, fish, fruits, nuts, brewer’s yeast, whole grains and green-leafy vegetables.

Potassium

Bananas are the best source for potassium which is important in nutrient transfer through cell membranes and is essential in hormone secretion.  Potassium is found in dairy, fish, meat, poultry, dulse, kelp, blackstrap molasses, oranges and Tortula yeast.

Water

Eight to ten glasses of water a day are absolutely necessary to nourish healthy hair.  Chemicals, pollutants and toxins all get trapped in the body.  Water helps all chemical wastes, pollutants, toxins and other impurities be whisked out of the body.  When you keep yourself well hydrated and clear of toxins, your live is free to help process all the proper nutrients that your body needs. 

Essential Fats (EFAs)

Along with proper diet healthy hair needs two essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6, that are not produced naturally by the human body. 

Omega-3 fats are found mostly in algae, cold-water fish, dark-green vegetables, hemp oil and pumpkin seed oil.  Flax oil is consider the most concentrated source of omega-3 found in nature. 

Omega-6 fats include borage, evening primrose oil, safflower oil, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, corn and pumpkin seeds.   Other foods rich in essential fatty acids include English walnuts, kidney beans, navy beans, soybeans, and evening primrose oil. 

Cold-pressed vegetable oils are also essential to a hair healthy diet.  Lack of these oils causes dull, lifeless hair along with parched, rough skin.   Add a teaspoon to your fresh daily salad and your hair will instantly benefit.

Fun Food Groups To Avoid

Not all foods are created equal in their ability to help grow scrumptious strands. Some foods actually harm your body’s ability to develop lush locks.  Eating dead foods can lead to lifeless hair.  Sugars and starches, soft drinks, and bad-for-you snacks compose the dead food categories proven to trigger body chemistry imbalances.  

Caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and recreational drugs will also rob the body of important hair growing nutrients.  Smoking has been conclusively proven to damage many important nutrients while nicotine of any type will destroy Vitamin C. 

If you can’t completely eliminate foods that are not good for your hair consider cranking up your hair vitamins and at least cutting back on the unhealthy habits.

Knowing What To Eat

Combing a well balanced protein based diet with fresh seasonal fruits and veggies is a great insurance policy for growing fabulous hair you can flaunt.  Most seasonal fruits and vegetables cover the full range of vitamins, minerals and trace elements needed for good health and great hair.

Consuming foods rich in copper, zinc and other natural food elements is also helpful. Raw nuts, seed and grains are the safest foods to select for maintaining and growing healthy hair.  They furnish hormones, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, many of which are not contained in cooked and processed foods.

Sample Healthy Hair Food Plan

Use the example of a healthy hair food plan listed below as a general starting point for building an individualized plan that you can live with to help grow gorgeous strands.  If you have a sweet tooth try substituting honey and molasses for sugar.  Vegetable oils are great substitutes for butter and other fats.

Note:  Please consult with your physician before undertaking any long term nutritional plan.

Breakfast

Select from one or more of the following:

10 ounces of fresh squeezed juice (carrot, apple, lemon, orange)
half of grapefruit, melon or cup of fresh fruit
eggs cooked any style with turkey sausage or bacon
whole grain bread or toast
protein drink
1 Tbs of raw wheat germ
green tea as desired
2-3 glasses of spring water

Morning Snack

Select from one or more of the following:

Sunflower seeds
fresh carrot
apple or other fresh fruit
walnuts, cashews, raisons
green tea as desired
2-3 glasses of spring water

Lunch

Select from one or more of the following:

Garden fresh salad
Turkey, chicken, meat or fresh fish
grains
1 serving of beans or asparagus or broccoli or brussel sprouts or cabbage
green tea as desired
2-3 glasses of spring water

Afternoon Snack

Select from one or more of the following:

1 cup of yogurt
pumpkin seeds
fresh avocado
cup of watermelon chunks
1 banana
green tea as desired
2-3 glasses of spring water

Dinner

Select from one or more of the following:

Bedtime Snack

Select from one or more of the following:

1 cup of yogurt
pumpkin seeds
fresh avocado
cup of watermelon chunks
1 banana drizzled with a little honey or molasses
green tea as desired
2-3 glasses of spring water

Before you reach for the Cheetos consider reaching for a hair healthy snack.  Grapes, cherries and apples are full of fabulous enzymes with proven health building value and they are sweet, filling treats.  Raw nuts, seed and grains contain iron, silicon and sulfur that are additional aids for growing and keeping healthy hair. 

Conclusion

While popping daily hair vitamins and minerals is a great way to help strengthen and enhance hair follicles, it is also important to eat hair healthy foods.  Protein rich foods succulent fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other live foods like wheat germ, honey, molasses and yogurt instantly crank up the health and shine on your mane.  

If you want to talk more about this or other hair care articles on HairBoutique.com or anywhere else, please post a message on  HairBoutique.com's Hair Talk Forums.

For additional hair care articles, tips and product information check out the following links:

• Hair Boutique Tips & Articles section.  Check out the over 10,000+ different hair care and styling tips at HairBoutique.com