DIY Hair Health
26 Aug 2014

DIY hair health

2 mins to read
Are you finding more hair on your brush than ever before? Or is your scalp dry and your once shiny mane now dull and lifeless, breaking at the ends? Fear not! Naturopath Kate Ferguson looks at some handy tools to bring back those luscious locks.


Problem: You’re sure there is more hair on your brush than on your head

It’s normal to lose a bit of your hair each day, and about 50 to 100 hairs is the average amount.

Two common reasons for excess hair loss are poor diet and stress.

Hair loss can also be hereditary, or influenced by some medications or underlying illnesses. 

Fix it: Eat well & stress less

A healthy, nutrient rich diet is essential for healthy hair. An insufficient dietary intake of certain nutrients may also leave you at increased risk of hair loss.

Eating sufficient protein- from lean red meat, fish, chicken, tofu and legumes, will provide your body with its major building material for the hair.

 

3 top nutrients that support healthy hair

Biotin - an essential vitamin for the hair.
Silica - is concentrated in all connective tissue including hair, where it contributes to collagen formation.
Zinc - helps maintain the structural integrity of the hair.

Taking rel="noopener noreferrer" time out and practising relaxation will help to prevent stress-related hair loss.

Enjoy a massage, try yoga or tai chi, get outdoors or simply relax with a cup of herbal tea and make time for yourself and time away from stress.

Problem: Your scalp is dry and your hair is dull

The sebaceous glands play an important role in the health of our hair. These glands open into hair follicles and produce an oily secretion called sebum that helps to prevent the hair from drying out. As we age these glands become less active.

If you’re not getting enough essential fatty acids in your diet, you’re scalp is more likely to become dry and flaky, and your hair can appear dry and lifeless.

Fix it: Go for good oils

For the outside, jojoba oil (simmondsia chinensis) is a great topical treatment for the scalp, as it acts to regulate sebum production, works as a natural moisturiser and may relieve a dry scalp.

For the inside, include a variety of foods in your diet that provide you with the essential fatty acids omegas-3, 6 & 9. Easy ways rel="noopener noreferrer" to get the good oils in your diet include adding flaxseed oil to your morning muesli and on salads, snacking on pepitas, sunflower seeds, almonds and cashew nuts, and eating oily fish such as salmon, sardines and anchovies. 

Problem: Your hair is breaking and splitting

Hair is mainly made up of a fibrous protein called keratin. If this connective tissue is weakened your hair may break more easily or be split at the ends.

Fix it: Strengthen with silica

Silica is a trace mineral that is mainly found in the connective tissue and is found in particularly high concentrations in the hair. Silica plays an important role in connective tissue production and appears to fortify keratin.

Eating foods such as oats, barley, whole wheat, brown rice, beetroot and sweet potato are great ways to ensure that you are getting a good intake of silica for strong healthy hair.

 



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