When you start losing your hair, you may automatically believe that it has something to do with the genes you inherited. Most of the time, you would be perfectly correct. However, sometimes there can be other circumstances involved that are causing the hair loss. Have you ever considered the fact that your hair is falling out due to the foods you are eating? There is the chance that a few changes to your diet could possibly slow down the thinning of your hair and even promote new hair growth on top of it.
Foods You Must Avoid If You Worry about Losing Your Hair
It may shock you to know that certain foods can make your hair fall out, especially if you are eating them in great quantities. If your hair is thinning and you are eating these foods frequently, it may be time to remove them from your diet.
Certain Fish: There are types of fish that have high levels of mercury in them. Almost all fish have at least a little mercury absorbed into their system, but larger fish like swordfish, sharks, and even tuna can contain higher levels of the chemical. This could result in hair loss.
Sugary Foods: You know those large sodas you drink with every meal? They contain obscene amounts of sugar. Sugar prevents the absorption of protein which is essential for hair growth. If you have a sweet tooth that just cannot be satisfied, you might want to try harder to abstain for the sake of your hair.
Alcohol: If you need a reason to give up drinking alcohol completely, or at least limit the amount you partake, just think of your hair. Alcohol decreases the amount of zinc in your body. Zinc repairs hair and promotes growth. If you lessen the zinc in your system, you are asking for hair loss problems. Plus, alcohol will dehydrate you and this will make your hair dry and brittle. Be careful about how much you drink if you are worried about your hair thinning.
Change Your Diet to Create New Hair Growth
Just like there are foods to avoid if you are concerned about hair loss, there are also foods that you should be adding to your diet to promote hair growth and limit the amount of hair you are losing.
Almond Butter: Almond butter is not just mighty tasty, it is packed with nutrients that are beneficial to hair growth. Hair consists of mostly protein, and almond butter will provide a good amount of it. Plus, it has vitamins and healthy fats that are ideal for achieving thick hair from the inside out. There was a study conducted by Tropical Life Sciences Research that showed that if you take 100 milligrams of vitamin E daily, you could expect an increase in hair growth of 34 percent. The study lasted for eight months and the results were very promising. Almond butter contains about four milligrams of vitamin E per tablespoon, so it could be time to start adding it to all of your meals!
Lemons: Now is the time to develop a taste for lemons if you want your hair to start growing back. You can make real lemonade with actual lemon juice or just put a splash of lemon on many of the foods you are currently eating. One lemon contains about 100 percent of your recommended daily vitamin C requirement. Vitamin C will increase your body’s ability to absorb iron. A lack of iron will promote hair loss. Plus, vitamin C is used to create a protein known as collagen. The amino acids found in collagen will build hair proteins and stop hair follicle damage. It may even keep you from going gray early. Maybe someone should have told this to Steve Martin and Richard Gere back in the day.
Spinach: There is a reason Popeye was always eating spinach. Spinach has many vitamins and minerals that help promote hair growth. Maybe they should have drawn him with luxurious, flowing locks of hair. Nutrients like iron, vitamin A, folate, and vitamin C will keep your scalp healthy and your follicles up to the task of growing more hair.
Carrots: It’s funny how carrots are associated with improved eyesight. If you eat enough of them, they may help with night vision, but that’s about it. You can’t expect to get 20/20 vision from eating a pile of carrots when your eyesight is poor to begin with. However, carrots could assist you in growing your hair back. Carrots will provide beta-carotene and this will keep you from having dry, limp hair. Beta-carotene will have your glands firing away in your scalp to produce an oily substance called sebum. Sebum will make certain your hair is never dry or brittle.
Turkey: A serving of turkey can provide you anywhere from 25 to 50 grams of protein. It is a high-protein meat with extremely low fat content. Not only is it great for building up muscles, but your hair will be thanking you as well. Protein will slow down your hair loss and help you regrow the hair on top of your head. If you are interested in seeing how protein can help your hair look better, switch to a high-protein diet that will have you taking in over 100 grams of protein a day.
Consider Daily Supplements to Maximize Results
Of course, if you don’t like any of these foods listed above, you can take daily supplements to provide the needed vitamins and minerals for hair growth. There are numerous vitamin E supplements in case you are not fond of eating scoops of almond butter. The same can be said for vitamin C, beta-carotene, iron, and protein. Your local pharmacy probably has a few shelves full of supplements that contain these nutrients. Plus, they won’t break the bank as they can be had for only a few dollars a month.
