They say your hair is your crowning glory, and that’s certainly the case as you age. Healthy hair can help to take years off you, but how do gain that youthful lustre and keep your hair thick and strong? Whether your hair is straight, silky and shiny or curly, wavy and bouncy, the basics of hair health remain the same. According to anti-ageing wellness expert Kajal Thosani, who runs her own consultancy HEALTH&YOU, the four ‘things that are required are: nutritious food, adequate rest, plenty of water and managing your emotions [read stress] well. Hair loss can occur due to a lack of one or more of the above.’ Let’s take a look at how one of these factors – nutrition – can have an impact on your hair.
1. Weight Loss Diets: Thosani notes, ‘If you’re going on a weight loss diet, it will most likely involve the exclusion of carbohydrates. Such harsh restrictions create a lot of stress to your system, and also damage the hair follicles, hampering hair growth. Include five to six servings of fruits and vegetables per day to maintain a healthy intake of carbs. To ensure that this does not interfere with your weight loss goals, go for fruits and vegetables that are low in fructose and starch and high in fibre. Whole grains and cereal are a complex form of carbohydrate providing nutrition for the hair. Say no to refined products and table sugar.’
2. The Shiny Hair Smoothie: For this green elixir for shining tresses, you will need:
- 7-10 Spinach Leaves
- 5-6 Lettuce Leaves
- Cucumber (Peeled and Diced)
- Coriander Leaves
- Lemon
- Rock Salt
Thosani instructs, ‘Juice the spinach, lettuce, coriander and cucumber in a juicer. You could also grind it to a pulp in a grinder and pass it through a sieve. Add some water and dilute it to the consistency of juice. Squeeze some lemon juice to this and add a pinch of rock salt for flavour. Have this magic potion everyday and you will notice the difference in your hair heath within a month.’
3. Protein: Thosani details, ‘Proteins are the building blocks of your hair [and all the cells in your body]. It not only enhances hair growth but also maintains good lustre. If you’re an egg lover, gorge on the scrambled eggs, omelettes or boiled eggs. Weight watchers should avoid eating egg yolks everyday, consume it only twice a week. You can include it as a breakfast option or for dinners in the form of bhurji with roti or boiled egg white salad and soup. Eggs provide essential amino acid required for healthy hair. If you are a vegetarian then paneer paratha or paneer wraps make for good hair healthy breakfast option. In sea food, salmon is best source of protein for hair.’
4. Fats: ‘Don’t restrict yourself from consuming the recommended allowances of good unsaturated fat,’ Thosani cautions. ‘Fats help in the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K which are necessary for hair growth. Walnuts and almonds are good for hair health. Have four to six nuts as a pre-lunch or pre-dinner snack. Note that eggs also provide unsaturated fats and essential fatty acids required for your hair.’
5. Hydration: ‘Will drinking lots of water help?,’ asks Thosani. ‘Only water will not help. But it is required to absorb biotin, a hair-friendly vitamin. So a diet rich in biotin and lots of water will surely help. Drink 10 to 12 glasses of water per day and also include fresh fruit juices, vegetable juices or soups in your diet. Carrots, cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, cauliflower, eggs, strawberries and goji berries are all rich in biotin. So have lots of these.’