By Dr. Elenia Kolokotronis
We often hear that what we eat matters regarding our overall health, but we are usually left in the dark about what to eat for better skin and longer and stronger hair and nails. Today I will assist with specifically what we need to eat and why for optimal hair health.
Over fourteen years, I have seen improved nutrition contribute to outstanding results. Be it the reversal or healing of an illness, weight loss, emotional wellness, or improved fertility, all have been direct results of eating and ultimately living better. In all the meal plans I developed for the wonderful people that I was fortunate enough to work with, the positive knock-on effect, or “by-product,” of improved nutrition and wellness saw not only improvements internally, physically, and emotionally but also predominantly visibly through better skin texture and tone, and most importantly, we always noticed hair condition improve. Improvements include less hair loss, more shine, more baby hair growth, and even the regeneration of lost hair patches in some patients who suffered from Alopecia Areata (hair loss due to an autoimmune disease). These results were present in male and female patients.
In this article, I am going to list simply why this is as well as debunk the myths and lies about quick fixes or miracle products that do not or cannot deliver what they promise and the reasons why that is.
First and foremost, what we eat matters regarding our hair health. What we eat directly affects digestion, metabolism, hormones, and overall health. If what we are eating are foods that are highly processed and nowhere near nutritious enough for us, what will happen is that after eating this way for some time, our body will regress. The regression includes constipation, weight gain, imbalanced hormones due to lack of nutrients, and ultimately a poisoned bodily system that will ultimately affect our emotional health too. After some time, this prescription medication will become choric, and the patient will live a dangerously unhealthy lifestyle. Hair condition will be affected. Why?
When we eat foods far away from their natural state, we are training our bodies to go into preparation for becoming ill. When we eliminate or restrict natural foods in all their forms, such as protein in the form of eggs, fish, and chicken, and foods high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as whole grains, legumes, greens, veggies, and fruits, we set our entire body up for future health issues. However, when we eat foods that are natural, organic, and as varied as possible, we are giving our body an influx and wealth of varying healthy and vital elements to stand us in good stead for life. When we look at hair, we must be realistic about the fact that most of the kind of hair we have is carried principally through our genetics. Genetics plays a larger role than anything else when determining hair thickness, how much hair we lose as we age or not, and the texture—straight, wavy, curly, etcetera. However, this does not mean that we cannot contribute to the improvements ourselves with the correct mixture of nutrition, lifestyle, and overall health.
When we see healthy-looking hair, we immediately associate that with optimal nutrition, overall health, and good hair care practices. However, when we notice lackluster, demure, dirty, and frail hair, we often guess the opposite. When we look at a patient with an unhealthy nutritional lifestyle, we understand that hair follicles are the most metabolically present in the body, and so hair growth and health can be greatly affected by calorie, protein, and other nutrients and micronutrient deficiencies, making nutritional deficiency and lacking nutritious foods a massive predetermining factor in hair growth and hair structure.
Hair care products can never and will never stand everyone in good stead if the diet is lacking. Imagine being ill, lacking proper nutrition, and having an unhealthy lifestyle, yet one has spent hundreds or even thousands on hair care products, expecting a miracle. Sure, your hair will look clean and smell great; however, we also need to know that in most hair products, some harmful chemicals and ingredients can harm the goal we are trying to reach. Parabens, triclosan, alcohol, SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), synthetic colors, and scents, to name a few, may all cause product buildup and possible dandruff and may pave the way for follicle irritation, inflammation, follicle weakening, and ultimately hair loss.
When we look at our hair wellness at face value, we need to understand three vital aspects: what our realistic expectations must be, how well we have assisted ourselves by fortifying and investing in our bodily health using valid, healthy nutrition, and how our stress and lifestyle can be alleviated as far as possible. We are very lucky to have the support of readily available and world-class meats, fruits, and vegetables, that the tap water in South Africa is still free of poisons that can be harsh and harmful when we wash our hair; and that we have the support of supplements, vitamins, and other healthy natural aids to help us on our way to healthy hair.
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