Four nutritional tips for healthy hair
Great hair starts from the inside and good nutrition is crucial. A gentle shampoo will help keep your hair healthy but if you want real lasting change, start with what you eat and drink.
Hair growth is, of course, dependent on many factors, including genetics, hormones, and gender. Some autoimmune diseases, eating disorders and other medical conditions can also affect hair quality. But what changes can we make in our daily life and what should we be looking out for in our quest for better hair quality?
1. Make sure you get enough food!
To this day, most cloudberries are still foraged from the wild, as they are hard to cultivate and very particular about their growing conditions.
They can only be found in areas with a cooler climate, like in the north of Norway, Sweden and Finland, where they tend to prefer a high altitude, and then only across certain mountainous regions with the perfect acidic soil and no pollution.
Not eating enough food will show up in your hair. The body is amazing. Put simply, it knows that first of all it must keep us alive. That means our vital organs are first in line to get the nutrients necessary to perform their important tasks. Lungs, heart, liver etc will get served first. So if there are not enough nutrients to go around, the-not-so-vital parts of our bodies might miss out.
Anyone who’s been on a crash diet knows that temporary hair loss is often part of the parcel. Malnutrition affects hair growth, quality and structure. You might have the most wonderful, clean diet but if calorie intake is low, there won’t be much nutrition leftover to support the hair.
2. Hydration is key
Keep yourself moisturised from the inside. A diet low in oil and/or water might make your scalp dry and hair brittle. Water is obviously very important - it will hydrate your skin and therefore the scalp. I try to drink 3 litres of water every day.
Fats:
To protect your scalp and hair and to promote hair build, mix flax or linseed oil with your food. I swear by half an avocado a day, avocado contains beautiful oils and nutrients, and I can really see and feel a difference when they are part of my diet.
3. Selenium
Take two Brazil nuts every day for the important trace element Selenium. Research has found that rats with selenium deficiency had sparse hair growth. If you are nut allergic perhaps look at taking a liquid selenium supplement.
4. Ferment
Adding healthy bacteria to your diet can have a positive effect on skin inflammation and also on hair growth (according to research). It may also help in managing dandruff and restoring balance to the scalp. Scientists believe this is due to its positive impact on the skin barrier and skin immune system. Fermenting is one of my favourite hobbies - I could not recommend it enough. Growing your own healthy bacteria is so rewarding, both for health and for introducing tangy new tastes.
Don't stress
A healthy diet and lifestyle will lead to greater, fuller hair. To be honest, a lack of ANY nutrient can compromise the health of the hair - it’s worth keeping in mind. But don’t stress out about it; when stressed, our need for nutrients is estimated to double. Chill out, have a bath, walk in nature. Remember, small changes can provide great results.