Howdy folks! This article is a repost from last year. I was chatting with friends yesterday and the subject of hair growth came up. One lady said she had difficulty growing her hair...she said her hair was the same length for almost three years...and she as not been cutting it. My response was: moisturize, moisturize, moisturize...........and EAT FOOD That is GOOD for you.
So here is a reminder of the food we can eat for good, healthy, beautiful hair.
I have always been
blessed with hair that has grown quickly and did not break easily. I
thought my hair was healthy and strong. What I didn't realize was
how much what I ate (or did not eat) affected my hair and scalp. I
thought since it was thick and long, and grew fast that it was healthy.
I've made references to the dry scalp issues I've had for years in earlier
posts (Tress
Update and
The Hair
Journey).
I was using the wrong products and my diet was definitely NOT optimal for
truly healthy tresses. Now that I am starting from scratch, I am
very curious to see how my "new" hair will perform under a
reformed regime.
Again: my definition
of good hair is not texture, length, color...it's HEALTH (Your Hair
is So Nappy).
I believe diet plays a bigger role the health of our
hair than the products we use.
Our entire body is
fused into itself. Our body works as a symphony not a soloist. If
we are not eating optimally, then some part of the symphony will suffer..it may
be the horn section...or the string instruments or the percussion
section. Some areas make deficiencies more apparent such as kidney
failure or a heart attack as opposed to weak hair and nails or tired
eyes. But all are signs that help is needed in a particular area of our
orchestra.
So just as diet will
affect the chances of getting type 2 diabetes, it will affect the strength,
porosity, retention and growth of our hair. Here are some foods I found
that will help my hair journey.
6 Foods
to eat for Good Hair:
1. Beans - they
are rich in B vitamins and protein which are essential for strong
hair. Lack of B-vitamins can cause premature hair loss and dry
scalp which is what I was experiencing around my temple area. The vitamin B complex is important for protein metabolism, cell growth and repair. Other foods
containing the vitamin B complex are: whole grains, poultry, organ
meats and eggs. The B complex includes:
oVitamin B1 (thiamine)
oVitamin B2
(riboflavin)
oVitamin B3 (niacin)
oVitamin B5
(pantothenic acid)
oVitamin B6
(pyridoxine)
oVitamin B7 (biotin)
oVitamin B9 (folic
acid)
oVitamin B12
(cyanocobalamin)
2. Molasses -
this sweetener is rich is minerals and trace elements. Hair needs: zinc, iron,
calcium, silicone (to name a few) all which are found in molasses. Iron
deficiency leads to dull, brittle hair (1,2).
3. Coconut - this
fruit gives a balanced proportion of minerals needed for hair. The oil is
one of the best moisture sealants for natural black hair. It works
in two ways: it can decrease penetration of water from the environment
and can bind to the protein in our hair reinforcing the hair fiber which makes
it stronger (1, 2).
4. Cucumber -
provides sulfur and trace elements (1). Di -sulfide bonds join sulfur
atoms together creating amino acid linkages. The more di-sulfide
bonds you have the curlier or kinkier your hair will be. These bonds can only
be broken by chemical means such as relaxers. This is why relaxers
are irreversible and you have to grow your perm out in order to have your
natural texture back (2).
5. Spinach -
provides vitamin A which aides in hair growth. Vitamin A can keep the
dandruff forming process under control. Too little of this vitamin
can lead to dry hair and scalp. Dry hair leads to breakage.
Conversely, too much vitamin A can lead to thin, coarse brittle hair.
Other foods high in vitamin A content are carrots, chard,
apricots, mangoes, and watermelon (1,2).
6. Citrus
fruits - provides vitamin C which is a collagen builder and helps us absorb
iron. The lack of vitamin C can cause bleeding under the skin and
weak, brittle and dry hair and scalp. Vitamin C can also be found in broccoli,
tomatoes and cauliflower (2).
In order to have
truly healthy hair I have to beef up my diet in the areas of vitamins and
minerals, protein and water. Water is not a food but it is
essential to every part of our body. The goal is to stay away from supplements
and get what I need directly from the food source.
Are there any
other foods that can be added to this list? Share your thoughts!
Peace and love!
References
for this post:
1 -
Encyclopedia of Food and Their Healing Power - Dr. Pamplona-Roger
2 - The Science of
Black Hair - Audrey Davis - Sivasothy
