When you see someone with beautiful and shiny hair it becomes instantly clear that it is not only because of expensive styling products and procedures in beauty salons. Our lifestyle has decisive importance for the state of the whole organism. The healthy growth of your hair depends on the nutrients you put into your body, and your overall health.
Changing your diet and consuming more raw fruits and vegetables will change the entire appearance of your body. It does take more time to see hair changes than it does to see changes in your skin, because you have to rebuild your hair follicle and hair grows only half a cm to one cm per month. But if you eat healthy and include some specific foods in your diet you will see the changes within a few months.
Here are some basic foods that interfere specifically with the appearance and strength of the hair.
- Your hair might not be growing as fast as you would like it to, because you have low levels of zinc. Mussels and oysters will change the look of your hair, as they are rich in zinc. If you are not a fan of sea food, pumpkin and sesame seeds are an excellent source of zinc. Cashews and quinoa are good sources as well.
- Vitamin C is another key element for healthy and shiny hair. For this purpose, you should include in your daily menu foods like papaya, red bell peppers and Brussels sprouts. Vitamin C stimulates the production of collagen, which is fundamental for the maintenance of healthy and strong hair. Radishes have plenty of vitamin C and they are in season now! So make sure you get some from your grocery store.
- Last but not least make sure that the levels of iron and folic acid in your body are high enough. Eat spinach and other green vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli and kale, as well as chickpeas. (Check out my hummus recipe here)These foods will supply you with enough folic acid, which helps create red blood cells, while iron helps transport oxygen in the blood. The blood and lymphatic system needs to be purified, cleaned and nourished in order for hair follicles to get the nutrients they need.
Don’t forget to stay hydrated, as dehydration can cause more shedding and breakage, and lead to issues like dandruff.
