How to Grow Healthy Hair
Livefit4ever,
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Geetha Nagasree,
July 21, 2021
How To Keep Your Hair healthy and Strong
Are you aware of the diet and hair washing routine that can keep your hair healthy and strong?
Your hair, like your body, needs proper nourishment and care both internally and externally. As you routinely bath and take proper diet to keep your body healthy, likewise you should take proper diet and wash your hair with proper technique to keep them healthy and strong as well.
Why hair needs proper nourishment?
Hair cells present in your hair follicle grow very fast. They need essential nutrients like minerals, vitamins and some specific amino acids in large quantities to multiply and grow fast. When your diet contains these nutrients, the hair growth becomes very lusty and hair becomes shiny, strong and lustrous.
What conditions result in hair loss? Is an inadequate or deficient diet the reason for hair loss?
An inadequate or a diet deficient in minerals like zinc, selenium, copper, chromium, manganese, magnesium and iron; vitamins like vitamin E, C and B-complex vitamins; and amino acids like cysteine, cystine, methionine, lysine and leucine results in hair loss. Similarly, fungal infections, bacterial infections, prolonged illness, medicines, hormonal changes, use of chemicals, excessive use of hair dyes, and shampoo also contributes to hair loss.
Many more factors including but not restricted to the above ones, contribute to hair loss. The hair loss process is a gradual one; first the hair becomes dry, loose shine and gradually becomes very dull, thin and brittle and eventually loss.
Why a proper hair washing routine is must?
Sebum, secreted from the skin cells, conditions and moisturizes both skin and hair. Its concentration is more on face skin and scalp. It is the natural moisturizing and conditioning substance of your hair. When you routinely wash your hair and scalp with shampoo or soap, your sebum also washes off along with the dirt. In this way your hair and skin lose the natural moisturizer and conditioner, and then become dry, dull and lifeless. Then, after that you start compensating the lost conditioners by artificial moisturizers and conditioners. You often follow this as a routine in anticipation of getting good results, but the results are contrary to your expectation. However, you can still avert this situation by making some routine changes to your hair washing regime.
Many dermatologists, trichologists and hair experts advise us to follow a set routine. According to them make shampooing a weekly routine rather than a daily routine because excessive shampooing weakens the hair and makes them brittle and dry by damaging hair follicles and drying up the scalp.
The next thing is to focus on your diet…
Food sources rich in proteins and essential nutrients for proper hair growth
Soy protein, milk and milk-based products, legumes, nuts and green leafy vegetables and dark-colored fruits are rich sources of proteins and vitamins. These food sources have vitamin E, C and B-complex vitamins; minerals: copper chromium, manganese and iron and some very good amino acids necessary for proper hair growth.
Hair and Scalp Care Tips
Regular scalp massage activates sebum secretion and keeps scalp and skin moist and relieves pressure and stress. Take proper diet rich in dark-colored fruits and vegetables, especially rich in biotin and use hair dyes that are made from organic, vegetable sources, instead of using ammonia containing hair dyes and make hair washing routine weekly rather than daily activity.
