Friday, August 30, 2013

Top Ten Food For Healthy Hair

When it comes to healthy hair, it’s not just what you put on your tresses that counts -- it’s what you put in your body, too.
Better-looking hair can start at your next meal.
"Just like every other part of your body, the cells and processes that support strong, vibrant hair depend on a balanced diet," says New York nutritionist Lisa Drayer, MA, RD, author of The Beauty Diet.
It can take longer to notice changes (both good or bad!) in your hair than in your skin. For example, "just one week with a poor diet can yield acne flare-ups or dry, sallow skin within days," says New York City dermatologist Cybele Fishman, MD, "but with hair, it can take a few months for a nutritional deficiency or the effects of a crash diet to show up."
The nutrients you eat today help fortify the hair follicle -- from which each strand is born -- and the scalp that surrounds it. "Healthier follicles? Healthier hair. Healthier scalp? Healthier hair!" Drayer says.


Of course, there's more to your hair than what you eat. Smoking, hormonal imbalances, and not enough sleep can also affect how your hair looks and feels. No magic nutrient can make up for those concerns.
Still, you have a lot more leverage than you might think. If you eat a balanced, varied, protein-rich diet that focuses on the following 10 foods,



SALMON
Rich protein and Vitamin D both are key to strong hair.Your body can't make those fatty acids, which your body needs to grow hair.
Other options: If salmon doesn't thrill you, you can also get essential fatty acids from fish like herring, sardines, trout, and mackerel, as well as avocado, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts.

 WALNUTS
Nut that have a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids. They're also rich in biotin and vitamin E, which helps protect your cells from DNA damage.Walnuts also have copper, a mineral that helps keep your natural hair color rich and lustrous, Fishman says.
Other options: Try using walnut oil in your salad dressing or stir-fry instead of canola or sunflower, Fishman says.

 OYSTERS
 Oysters are rich in zinc, a lack of which can lead to hair loss

SWEET POTATOES
 Sweet potatoes are a great source of the antioxidant beta carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A

 EGGs
A great source of protein, eggs are loaded with four key minerals: zinc, selenium, sulfur, and iron.Iron is especially important, because it helps cells carry oxygen to the hair follicles, and too little iron (anemia) is a major cause of hair loss, particularly in women.

SPINACH
 The iron, beta carotene, folate, and vitamin C in spinach help keep hair follicles healthy and scalp oils circulating.

LENTILS
Tiny but mighty,these legumes are teeming with protein,iron,zinc,and biotin.

GREEK YOGURT
 Cruise the dairy aisle for low-fat options such as Greek yogurt, which is high in hair-friendly protein, vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid -- an ingredient you'll often see on hair care product labels), and vitamin D. 


BLUEBERRIES
Exotic super fruits may come and go but when it comes to vitamin C, its hard to top, "It's hard to top this nutrient superhero," Drayer says. C is critical for circulation to the scalp and supports the tiny blood vessels that feed the follicles. Too little C in your diet can lead to hair breakage.
  
POULTRY
This everyday entree is extraordinary when it comes to protein, as well as hair-healthy zinc, iron, and B vitamins to keep strands strong and plentiful. Because hair is nearly all protein, "foods rich in protein are literally giving you the building blocks for hair.







BEST OF LUCK FOR YOUR HEALTHY HAIR

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