Here is what you need to change about your lifestyle for beautiful, lustrous locks

Shifts in a few simple habits can make a world of difference
Here is what you need to change about your lifestyle for beautiful, lustrous locks

We all (particularly girls) have a dream of perfect hair that is strong, healthy, smooth and lustrous. But do we really take care of our hair to expect all these things? Healthy hair has a life cycle of about three to six years. Hair loss becomes a problem when hair does not grow back or sheds at an abnormally rapid rate (several hundred hairs per day). Hair loss (or alopecia) afflicts millions of people worldwide and this includes men as well as women. But we have to take care of our hair and find the root cause of hair fall so that we can fix it gradually. 

Hair loss or excessive hair fall is mainly observed due to following possible reasons:

Stress: Too much stress not only affects the gut but also our skin, hair and external appearance. When our gut is not able to digest nutrients, that’s when we see the quality of hair and skin getting affected. We have a special gut and brain connection, so stress definitely impacts our hair. Plus, the stress hormone or cortisol also leads to constriction of the tiny blood vessels that supply blood to our hair follicles, affecting  hair growth. So, what should we do to overcome or reduce stress? We can always have foods rich in anti-oxidants like whole fruits, vegetables, nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc) and dry fruits. Nuts are great because they have oils which contribute to the elasticity in your hair and also enhance its growth. Slow down and focus on deep breathing as well as meditation to overcome the stress.

Iron deficiency: Iron is important for various functions, out of which one is production of haemoglobin in our blood. Haemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying capacity of our blood and it is required for the growth and repair of each and every cell in your body, including hair follicles which helps in stimulating the growth in hair. You can eat iron-rich foods like spinach, beetroot, dates, raisins, black currants, carrots, garden cress seeds (ahliva or halim). Vitamin C is an antioxidant and is required for the synthesis of collagen which in turn supports hair follicles and keeps blood vessels on the scalp healthy. Vitamin C also increases iron absorption from foods and you can incorporate foods like citrus fruits including amla (gooseberries), guava, lemon, grapefruit, orange, kiwi, red and green pepper (capsicum)  to improve Vitamin C levels in body.

Hormonal imbalance: If you are eating healthy and staying active, but still experiencing hair fall, it could be due to hormonal imbalances. We have to fix the hormones to control hair fall.

Protein intake: Hair fibres are made up of protein, so a protein-rich meal too will be help in the reduction of hair loss. Protein is found abundantly in foods like lean chicken, egg, A2 milk or curd, pulse and grain combos. 
 

Photo courtesy: Marcelo Rangel on Unsplash

Related Stories

No stories found.
Indulgexpress
www.indulgexpress.com