Hair Loss - Diet and Nutrition (Part I)

A balanced diet is an excellent form of maintaining your hair. After all, your hair is a visible portion of your complete biological system. Even though we clearly understand that hair loss is linked to other contributors, it is important to do all that you can to maintain your health. Your whole system could crash if you have a dysfunction in just one part of the body. To prevent hair loss, ensure that you maintain a healthy diet and a regular exercise regimen.

Establishing precisely what defines a healthy diet in attempting to prevent hair loss can be difficult. Vitamin A, all B vitamins-particularly vitamins B-6 and B-12, folic acid, biotin, vitamin C, vitamin E, copper, iron, zinc, iodine, protein and silica are all necessary for consumption for healthy hair, along with essential fatty acids as well as an adequate water intake. Some foods will actually cause your hair to fall out.

By eating healthy foods, you will maintain a balanced diet thus gain the vitamins and minerals in which you need to assist in the prevention of hair loss.

ProFollica - All Natural System for Hair Regrowth

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is vital for the development of hair and other cells and tissues of the body. It also combines with zinc and silica to keep the sebaceous glands which make sebum that lubricate hair follicles, from being blocked. A person that experiences thickening of the scalp, dry hair, or dandruff likely has a vitamin A deficiency. Some known vitamin A inhibitors are extremely bright light, aspirin, air pollution, certain cholesterol-lowering drugs, laxatives and smoking.

Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, as well other foods such as liver, fish, oil, eggs, and red, yellow, and orange vegetables are rich in vitamin A. Vitamin A is soluble in fat and thus can accumulate to toxic levels in the body, so be cautious about taking vitamin A supplements. When the body accumulates too much Vitamin A, the result can be extremely dry skin and hair loss caused by irritation to the hair follicles. It is recommended that you talk with your family doctor before you begin taking vitamin A supplements. Keep in mind, however that the possibility of overdosing by achieving your vitamin A intake via food is surprisingly small, so it is best to try to achieve this at all costs since vitamin A is necessary in hair loss prevention.

B-vitamins

Since the functions of B vitamins depend on each other, the levels of all B vitamins must be adequate for hair loss to be prevented and proper health to be maintained. Vitamins B-6 and B-12, biotin, and folic acid all help maintain hemoglobin levels in the blood; hemoglobin is the molecule in red blood cells that contains iron. The main function of hemoglobin is to transport oxygen between the lungs and the body's tissues, so both hair and skin can suffer if these vitamins are lacking in our body. You may be glad to know that these vitamins are contained in some of the most scrumptious foods. Vitamin B-6 is usually present in protein sources, which is fortuitous since protein is also required to promote hair growth and prevent hair loss. Relatively low-fat sources of B-6 are kidney, pork, soybeans, fish, liver and chicken (mot fried). Whole grains, cereals, nuts, green leafy vegetables, orange juice, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, and liver are some of the examples in which Folic acid is found. Proper amounts of B-12 are in foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, as well as other dairy products like milk and cheese. If you have a poor intestinal function or severe malnutrition you could suffer a biotin deficiency, but other wise it would be rare because a healthy intestine makes its own biotin from the good bacteria in which it abides.

Vitamin C

The stimulation of hair growth and the prevention of hair loss can be helped along through the adequate intake of vitamin C. This is so due to the fact that Vitamin C encourages healthy collagen to be made, which is needed to hold together body tissues. You will find that a vitamin C deficiency will result in split ends and hair breakage; this is, however, easily reversible with the reversal or maintenance of healthy vitamin C levels. Foods like melons, berries, citrus fruits, fresh peppers, tomatoes, dark leafy vegetables, and potatoes all contain vitamin C.

Vitamin E

The uptake of oxygen as well as the amount of blood circulating through the body, to the scalp also plays a major role in hair loss prevention. Vitamin E is a great source for maintaining these conditions. You will be able to obtain Vitamin E from lettuces, spinach, kale, collards, nuts, grains, vegetable oils and the majority of packaged cereals, which are enriched with Vitamin E. Although vitamin E deficiencies are rare, and typically are caused by a genetic inability to absorb certain oils and fats, dietary supplements are still available to meet this need.

» Go to Hair Loss - Diet and Nutrition (Part II)

Provillus - A Preventive Cure for Hair Loss

The information on this site is designed for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your family doctor.