How Does Diet Affect Hair Loss?

Your diet has a variety of effects on hair loss. For instance, eating a diet high in processed foods and sugar can cause the body to become inflamed, which can result in hair loss. Furthermore, if you don’t get enough protein in your diet, your hair may weaken and break easily, which can result in hair loss.

Your nutrition plays a significant role in how healthy you are. The skin and hair shine when the body is sufficiently nourished. There are four ways that a poor diet could be harming the health of your hair.

• Crash dieting
• Yo-yo dieting
• Improper eating schedules
• Lack of balance in diet

Junk food’s negative impacts are challenging to undo because of its high sugar and carbohydrate content. The same is true with yo-yo dieting and crash diets, which reduce the body’s intake of vital vitamins and nutrients and cause hair loss. Lean meats, proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and dairy products should all be a part of your diet. Remember that proteins, zinc, iron, and magnesium are all components of hair; as a result, ensure that they are present in your diet in the proper ratios.

Foods to Include in Your Diet to Prevent Hair Loss

• The following foods must be a part of your diet if you want to stop hair loss:
• Chicken, fish, and eggs are examples of foods strong in protein that can help to strengthen your hair and stop breaking.
• Red meat, spinach, lentils, and other foods high in iron assist in increasing blood flow to the scalp and encourage hair development.
• Vitamin B12: Foods high in vitamin B12, like salmon, dairy products, and eggs, help to maintain the health of your hair and stop hair loss.
• Vitamin D: Foods high in vitamin D, such as fatty fish and mushrooms, help to strengthen hair follicles and stop hair loss.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: These fats, which are present in foods like salmon, walnuts, and chia seeds, assist in reducing body inflammation and promoting hair growth.

Foods to Avoid to Prevent Hair Loss

Other things that could contribute to hair fall

While diet is a major factor that triggers hair fall, other factors like the following can aggravate the condition and need fixing:

1. Give up on smoking

Cancer is bad news. But did you know that smoking constricts your blood vessels and that includes those under hair follicles which means that they don’t get a fresh supply of blood? Smoking is one of the accelerators of hair loss and hair thinning. This makes hair regrowth harder and slowly the scalp stops replacing new hair. Another downside of tobacco is that it causes ageing which appears as lines and wrinkles on the skin and grey hair. Give your hair a helping hand by quitting smoking.

2. Manage stress better

There is good stress and then there is bad stress. We all respond differently to stress. Prolonged stress or chronic stress causes the production of hormones such as cortisol and noradrenaline, which in turn pushes the hair follicles into their resting phase i.e., no new hair growth. Eventually, the hair thins and falls out. The effects of stress take a few months to appear but they are reversible, all you need to do is to relax, exercise and take control of your stress.

3. Protect your hair from pollution and exposure

Pollution takes a toll on keratin formation. This protein is essential for hair structure. Keratin deficiency weakens hair integrity and causes weaker and more damaged hair. Studies have also shown that pollution triggers male pattern baldness. Exposure to dust, fumes and smoke causes mites etc. to stick to the scalp causing infection. A simple solution is to wear a hat or a scarf when you are out of the house and use a good hair conditioner.

4. Keep your weight under control

Obesity is the big culprit to many health issues and hair fall is also one of them. Obesity messes with hormones and other systems which are never good for the hair. Obesity also puts a strain on the heart leading to high blood pressure which necessitates the need for medications. One of the known side effects of these medications is hair loss. Hence exercise regularly to keep the weight under check.

5. Protect your hair from sun exposure and salt and chemical water

Yes, there is sunscreen for hair too! The harmful sun rays affect the hair and can cause it to become brittle and have split ends. Swimming in open water or a swimming pool also damages the hair. The good idea is to get the hair wet for at least 30 minutes before you go swimming.

6. Be mindful of the hair wash routine

Hot water is death for hair. Use tepid water and always lather the shampoo on your hands before applying it to the scalp. There is no need to massage excessively or with force. Don’t overdo rubbing the hair or shampooing too often. Wash your hair tenderly and let it air dry as much as possible.

7. Say no to drugs and steroids

Muscle-building juice strips your scalp. Excessive testosterone causes the hair follicles to become narrow. The hair will age faster, and before you know it, baldness will take over. Just say no to drugs and steroids in any form.

Talk to your trichologist or dermatologist about your hair concerns and use a suitable shampoo and conditioner to keep them in good health. Hair health just like the rest of your body is a consistent effort.