Healthy Diet = Healthy Hair

With summer on its way a lot of us a working on getting our bodies beach ready. What we eat affects not only our body and our health, but our hair too. Diet can impact your hair’s ability to grow, how shiny it is, whether it has enough moisture, and breakage levels. Along with regular trims, conditioning or Olaplex treatments, and your favourite Aveda products, here are some foods you can introduce into your diet that will not only help you get healthy, but to keep your tresses looking awesome as well!

-          Omega 3s – your body doesn’t make this particular kind of fatty acid, so it is important for you to ingest them. Omega 3s will help keep your hair shiny and strong, and can be found in salmon, sardines, or mackerel. Not a fish person? Try a supplement from your local health food store.

-          Vitamin B5 and protein – these will help increase the blood flow to your scalp, which encourages hair growth. Greek or Icelandic yogurt is a great way to get lots of both!

-          Folate – this will help keep your hair moisturized and soft. The best places to find folate is in dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, or swiss chard.

-          Vitamin C – this will help to prevent breakage in your hair. Aside from the usual suspects like oranges and grapefruits, guava fruit is a great source of vitamin C – just one cup has 377mg!

-          Iron – iron deficiency can result in a number of health problems, including hair loss. Get iron through fortified cereals, grains, soybeans, or lentils. Beef, shellfish, and leafy greens like spinach or kale can also help.

-          Protein – without enough protein your hair growth levels can plateau. Choose lean options for your protein intake like chicken, turkey, or tofu.

-          Beta Carotene – your body converts beta carotene into vitamin A, which encourages your scalp to create healthy levels of sebum to keep hair from getting too dry and keeps your hair shiny. When it comes to beta carotene think orange: sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, and cantaloupe.

-          Circulation – increased blood flow means more oxygen and nutrients are being carried to your scalp and your hair follicles. Cinnamon is a great way to increase circulation. Sprinkle it on your toast, your oatmeal, or into your coffee.

-        Biotin – this B vitamin helps aid in hair growth and can be found in eggs, which also provide iron and protein!

-       Zinc – a diet low in zinc can lead to hair loss, not just on your head, but your eyebrows and eyelashes as well. The cells that build hair rely on zinc to work. Find zinc in oysters, beef, fortified cereals, crab, or lobster.

A healthy body means healthy, shiny and beautiful hair! As always, you should consult with your doctor if you have any questions about diet and nutrition. Consider this your starter guide!