If you’re like a lot of folks you may believe that hair loss—having it thin out, break off, or fall out—is just one of those unavoidable things that happen to us as we age.
But the truth is it’s not inevitable, and there are things you can do to hold on to more of your hair.
Last week I shared some common habits with you that could be contributing to your thinning hair. This week I want to tackle how what you eat could be playing a role in your hair loss too.
Because it turns out a diet that includes plenty of hair-friendly vitamins could be the key to restoring your own crowning glory.
Dine your way to thicker healthier hair
There’s an old saying, “you are what you eat.” And when it comes to your hair it’s absolutely true.
Adjusting what you put on your plate could be all it takes to halt your hair loss. And making sure you’re getting enough of the right nutrients could lead to a thicker, healthier head of hair.
1. Iron:
Low iron is a a common culprit when it comes to hair problems. In fact, in one revealing study iron deficiency was linked to hair loss in 72 percent of pre-menopausal women.
If you suspect a drooping iron level might be behind your own thinning hair have a chat with your doctor about having it tested. If you do turn out to be iron deficient he may decide you should take a supplement.
But the truth is you don’t have to be anemic for a dip in your iron level to affect your hair health. Which is why diet is so important.
To bump up your iron levels naturally add more of these iron-rich foods to your menu:
- Dark leafy greens
- Meat (red meat, pork and poultry)
- Seafood
- Beans
- Dried fruit
- Peas
Don’t let low iron leave you with thin, limp locks. Be sure to include plenty of iron-rich foods in your diet.
2. Iodine:
Your thyroid gland needs a sufficient supply of iodine to create the hormones that are behind healthy hair, tooth and bone growth. And while we get iodine from the foods we eat, the typical Western diet can leave you lacking in this vital trace mineral.
Plants don’t produce iodine on their own. They absorb it from the soil they’re grown in. But modern day farming practices can strip iodine from the soil leaving some conventionally grown foods low in iodine.
Plus chlorinated and fluoridated water, as well as tobacco smoking, may interfere with your ability to absorb the mineral.
To raise your iodine levels put some of these organic, iodine-rich foods on your shopping list:
- Seaweed (look for seaweed snacks at your local grocery store)
- Cod
- Cranberries
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Shrimp
- Navy beans
- Eggs
- Sea salt
Hair loss is a common sign of iodine deficiency. But eating enough iodine-rich foods could help you finally kiss your hair problems goodbye.
3. Zinc:
Thinning hair can often be traced back to low zinc levels. Experts say not having enough of this critical mineral in your body could cause damage to the hair shaft.
Zinc deficiency has been linked to alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss, as well as male and female pattern hair loss. In one study when researchers gave a group of volunteers with alopecia a 50 mg zinc supplement twice a day for 12 weeks, over 66 percent reported positive results.
Zinc-rich foods include:
- Meat (red meat and poultry)
- Liver
- Pumpkin seeds
- Shrimp
- Oysters
- Wheat germ
- Eggs
If drooping zinc levels are behind your hair loss these zinc-rich foods could be just what the doctor ordered.
4. B complex:
If you’re not getting enough of the B vitamins biotin, B5 and folic acid your hair health could be seriously suffering.
Experts say biotin strengthens hair, and may help reverse damage from over styling or exposure to the elements. And sufficient biotin levels could keep your hair from breaking.
Pantothenic acid, or vitamin B5, may help stimulate new hair growth by supporting your adrenal glands. And PABA, a chemical found in the B vitamin folic acid can help protect your hair, starting at the roots, to keep it from falling out.
You can get each of the hair-friendly B’s through your diet.
Biotin rich foods include…
- Almonds
- Sunflower seeds
- Sweet potatoes
- Eggs
- Peas
- Walnuts
Foods that provide you with B5 include…
- Shitake mushrooms
- Meat (beef, pork and poultry)
- Sweet potatoes
- Sunflower seeds
- Avocados
- Shellfish
And for folic acid try…
- Lentils
- Beans
- Peas
- Nuts
- Avocados
- Green veggies (such as spinach, broccoli, asparagus and Brussels sprouts)
Or take a vitamin B complex to meet all your B vitamin needs.
You can stop hair loss in its track, and restore your hair to its old glory, with these kitchen table secrets to lovely locks.
She is an advocate of self-education and is passionate about the power of group knowledge sharing, like the kind found right here on HealthierTalk.com. Alice loves to share her views on holistic and natural healing as well as her, sometimes contentious, thoughts on the profit-driven inner workings of traditional medicine.
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