We all know that taking care of your hair with regular trims and quality hair care products free of harmful sulfates and parabens is good for your hair health. But what other things can we all be doing to make hair healthier from the inside out? Today we're looking at the food you can incorporate into your diet to help hair grow longer and stronger one bite at a time. Added bonus that good food helps with your overall health, improves your skin and can boost your mood.
Follow these tips we've learned over the years working in the beauty industry and you'll be on track to reach your #hairgoals in no time:
For Hair Growth:
Protein is a great place to start when it comes to trying to make your hair grow longer. Your hair follicles are mostly made of protein and that's why it's so important as part of your hair growth story! Incorporating food like eggs and (for our vegans out there) multiple types of beans are great sources of protein. An added bonus is that eggs are also a source of biotin which is essential for the production of keratin, the key structural material of hair.
Vitamin A, C, and E are just as important for hair growth because they keep your locks strong and healthy, minimizing breakage. Berries are a great source of vitamin C which has antioxidants that protect the hair follicles against damage. Spinach and sweet potatoes can provide your body with vitamin A which helps produce sebum, an oily substance that moisturizes and keeps the scalp healthy. Meanwhile, avocados can help with vitamin E that, like vitamin C, keeps the hair healthy. Not that we needed any more excuses but in the name of good hair we'll be ordering avocado toast at brunch this weekend!
Also a quick shoutout for our hair friends over at Nutrafol! Many members of the Verb Team use Nutrafol and it's changed our hair game when combining with great products (Verb social & content girl Kayce even says she swears her skin has gotten better since starting it 4 months ago).
For Thicker Hair:
If you're looking for thicker hair, the trick is to eat foods that are rich in iron, protein, and silica. While the iron-rich foods work to boost red blood cells, protein and silica promote hair growth and strength. We've already covered the protein bit above but for your daily dose of silica, try bananas, mangos, green beans, and spinach. For adding iron to your diet you can find it in tofu, lentils, quinoa, and spinach too!
For Preventing Hair Loss:
Hair loss can be a really upsetting thing in someone's life that can stem from stress, allergic reactions, health issues, genetics... the list goes on. What you can do to work against hair loss is to eat as healthy as you can and try to minimize exposure to the possible causes. Much like the idea behind getting longer or thicker hair, the concept here is to keep your body healthy and full of important nutrients that can have an effect on your overall health including your hair. Oats have a high concentration of zinc, iron and omega-6 fatty acids which are essential for skin and hair growth and development. You can add oatmeal as part of your breakfast a few days a week to also help promote a healthy head of hair! If your hair loss also includes dryness or thinning, depleting reserves of iron might be the problem. Some more ways to include iron to help..prunes, green vegetables, and beetroots!
For Handling Dandruff:
An interesting and little known fact is that you can help manage signs of dandruff by cutting back on sugar in your diet that will help to reduce flaking. When you limit the amount of sugar (and processed food) you limit the stimulation of hormones that can trigger insulin spikes that output oil and contribute to this problem. While you're cutting back on these, start loading up on fruits and veggies which contain natural sugars and promote healthy skin and hair (not to mention the vitamin count). Stick to fruits, vegetables, whole grains, salmon, and low-fat dairy products (can you say Greek yogurt?) and your body and hair will thank you!
Beyond all the delicious ways to make your overall and hair health better, it's so important to use quality hair care. Hair health is really important to us here at Verb and that's why we know beyond quality hair products free from harmful sulfates, parabens, and gluten that it takes a well-rounded approach to get your best head of hair!
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