A Healthy Hair Menu
A gentle shampoo and healthy conditioner is the most common advice you will get while discussing hair fall or wondering about hair quality along with your hairdresser, friends or aunts. However, it does not require a multitude of hair products or handfuls of expensive vitamins to get luxurious locks. All you need to do is - get out of the shower, and step into the kitchen.
Hair is your ultimate accessory; it can make (or mar) your looks instantaneously. Keeping it healthy is the only thing you can do to ensure they look fab. Remember that diet and lifestyle are two leading factors that affect the health of your hair.
Delhi-based nutritionist Dr Sonia says, "The foundation of our hair, skin and nails is the nutrients we eat. The old-age saying 'you are what you eat' is completely true. As it is, we keep experimenting with our hair by going in for treatments like re-bonding, highlighting, curls etc. The chemicals along with poor diet, pollution and air-conditioning wreck our hair. Proper nutrition and ample hydration is the only thing that can save our mane and do wonders for our appearance."
Let's get healthier hair by eating a well-balanced diet. Here's what to eat...
Green Leafy Vegetables: If you think Popeye, the sailor man, ate spinach only to double his muscles, you might just be wrong. It is an exceptional source of vitamins A and C, which our body needs to produce sebum. Sebum is a natural hair conditioner, secreted by our hair follicles. Green vegetables also provide iron and calcium. So the next time you ponder about salad dressing, soup ingredients and sandwich fillings think of seasonal leafy vegetables.
Poultry Products: These products carry high-quality protein, which ensures healthy hair. "Insufficient proteins or bad-quality protein intake can result in fragile hair and greying. Poultry products also carry iron that has great digestive value, which means our body is not required to make extra efforts to reap benefits from the mineral. They also contain B-complex and vitamin B-12, which are important beauty nutrients," says Dr Ram Mohan, an Ayurveda practitioner.
Working with Spices: Most of think that spices aren't good for health but a few of them like turmeric, cumin and black pepper are essential for healthy hair growth. Highlighting the wonders of various spices, Anant Dixit, a dermatologist, says, "Oregano is a strong antiseptic so it helps you get rid of dandruff and itchy scalp. Salt contains iodine which controls thyroid hormones and prevents hair loss." However, Dr Sonia warns, "Be watchful while using spices. They are healthy only if you use them adequately. Some masalas include chemicals and pepper - they are harmful for your health and hair. Do read the ingredients written on the pack before purchasing any spice."
Stay Hydrated: Do you know that one-fourth of the weight of a strand of hair is made of water? Water nourishes hair to make them look silky and shiny. To keep your body well hydrated, doctors recommend drinking at least six to eight ounce glasses of water every day. "Fruits and vegetables are basically composed of water, and should be used to reach the suggested hydration level. Not being properly hydrated will cause hair supplements not to work properly," says Dixit.
Meat and Minerals: Meat and seafood have a high content of zinc and iron, which are proven to prevent hair loss. "To improve the natural color of your hair, include copper in your diet. Apart from vegetables and nuts, meat and liver are good sources of copper," says Mohan. He further suggests, "If your hair is dry and breaks easily, the reason might be deficiency of vital fatty acids. For strength and luster eat oily fish such as tuna and salmon."
Go for Fruits:Haven't we heard this from our grannies and moms - fruits are essential nutrient providers so make them part of your daily diet. Apples, Berries, Musk Melons, Oranges, Grapes and Raisins help make our hair healthy by providing important minerals and vitamins, and keeping our body hydrated. Dr Sonia suggests, "An easy way of ensuring a balanced diet is by eating at least one fruit daily from each of these color groups - red, green, orange and purple. Red fruits may include apples, strawberries and pomegranates. Green fruit choices are grapes, guava and custard apple. Orange fruits are peach, orange and mango. And purple coloured fruits include blackberries, plums and raisins."
Beautiful, shiny hair is a valuable asset and eating right will ensure healthy hair at any age. So what are you waiting for? Grab that pen and start working on your diet chart!
A gentle shampoo and healthy conditioner is the most common advice you will get while discussing hair fall or wondering about hair quality along with your hairdresser, friends or aunts. However, it does not require a multitude of hair products or handfuls of expensive vitamins to get luxurious locks. All you need to do is - get out of the shower, and step into the kitchen.
Hair is your ultimate accessory; it can make (or mar) your looks instantaneously. Keeping it healthy is the only thing you can do to ensure they look fab. Remember that diet and lifestyle are two leading factors that affect the health of your hair.
Delhi-based nutritionist Dr Sonia says, "The foundation of our hair, skin and nails is the nutrients we eat. The old-age saying 'you are what you eat' is completely true. As it is, we keep experimenting with our hair by going in for treatments like re-bonding, highlighting, curls etc. The chemicals along with poor diet, pollution and air-conditioning wreck our hair. Proper nutrition and ample hydration is the only thing that can save our mane and do wonders for our appearance."
Let's get healthier hair by eating a well-balanced diet. Here's what to eat...
Green Leafy Vegetables: If you think Popeye, the sailor man, ate spinach only to double his muscles, you might just be wrong. It is an exceptional source of vitamins A and C, which our body needs to produce sebum. Sebum is a natural hair conditioner, secreted by our hair follicles. Green vegetables also provide iron and calcium. So the next time you ponder about salad dressing, soup ingredients and sandwich fillings think of seasonal leafy vegetables.
Poultry Products: These products carry high-quality protein, which ensures healthy hair. "Insufficient proteins or bad-quality protein intake can result in fragile hair and greying. Poultry products also carry iron that has great digestive value, which means our body is not required to make extra efforts to reap benefits from the mineral. They also contain B-complex and vitamin B-12, which are important beauty nutrients," says Dr Ram Mohan, an Ayurveda practitioner.
Working with Spices: Most of think that spices aren't good for health but a few of them like turmeric, cumin and black pepper are essential for healthy hair growth. Highlighting the wonders of various spices, Anant Dixit, a dermatologist, says, "Oregano is a strong antiseptic so it helps you get rid of dandruff and itchy scalp. Salt contains iodine which controls thyroid hormones and prevents hair loss." However, Dr Sonia warns, "Be watchful while using spices. They are healthy only if you use them adequately. Some masalas include chemicals and pepper - they are harmful for your health and hair. Do read the ingredients written on the pack before purchasing any spice."
Stay Hydrated: Do you know that one-fourth of the weight of a strand of hair is made of water? Water nourishes hair to make them look silky and shiny. To keep your body well hydrated, doctors recommend drinking at least six to eight ounce glasses of water every day. "Fruits and vegetables are basically composed of water, and should be used to reach the suggested hydration level. Not being properly hydrated will cause hair supplements not to work properly," says Dixit.
Meat and Minerals: Meat and seafood have a high content of zinc and iron, which are proven to prevent hair loss. "To improve the natural color of your hair, include copper in your diet. Apart from vegetables and nuts, meat and liver are good sources of copper," says Mohan. He further suggests, "If your hair is dry and breaks easily, the reason might be deficiency of vital fatty acids. For strength and luster eat oily fish such as tuna and salmon."
Go for Fruits:Haven't we heard this from our grannies and moms - fruits are essential nutrient providers so make them part of your daily diet. Apples, Berries, Musk Melons, Oranges, Grapes and Raisins help make our hair healthy by providing important minerals and vitamins, and keeping our body hydrated. Dr Sonia suggests, "An easy way of ensuring a balanced diet is by eating at least one fruit daily from each of these color groups - red, green, orange and purple. Red fruits may include apples, strawberries and pomegranates. Green fruit choices are grapes, guava and custard apple. Orange fruits are peach, orange and mango. And purple coloured fruits include blackberries, plums and raisins."
Beautiful, shiny hair is a valuable asset and eating right will ensure healthy hair at any age. So what are you waiting for? Grab that pen and start working on your diet chart!
