We all desire healthy hair. And while the beauty industry promises amazing results with special expensive products, in order to get the desired body, bounce and shine for your hair there are nutrients that can be more effective and will have far more positive results on your body as well.
Vitamins for healthy hair
The first vitamin important for hair health is biotin. Biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin that is widely used to create the building blocks of our body. Biotin is especially helpful in preventing hair loss and stimulating hair growth. It also helps our bodies to break down fats, protein and carbohydrates.
It can be found naturally in foods like Swiss chard, carrots, walnuts, almonds, berries and fruits, to name a few.
Symptoms of biotin deficiency include hair loss, dry scaly skin, cracking in the corners of the mouth (called cheilitis), swollen and painful tongue that is magenta in color (glossitis), and dry eyes.
Several other B vitamins help with hair loss and slow hair growth as well. Panthenol, or vitamin B5, is often used externally in shampoos and other hair products to help increase thickness. It has the ability to penetrate the cuticle and increase the diameter as a topical supplement.
Vitamin B12 is another water-soluble vitamin that is important in nerve and red blood cell formation. Deficiency in Vitamin B 12 can lead to anemia, which stunts hair growth. Increase your levels of this vitamin by eating foods such as nutritional yeast, fortified plant based milk, tofu, and/or taking supplements.
Antioxidant vitamins are also an important source of nutrition for healthy hair. Vitamin A, or retinol, helps in the production of healthy oils that prevent hair from damage and falling out. Vitamin A is found in sweet potatoes, carrots, dark leafy greens, winter squashes, lettuce, dried apricots, cantaloupe, bell peppers, and tropical fruits.
Vitamin E helps increase oxygenation in blood vessels and the scalp. Good dietary sources of vitamin E include nuts such as almonds, peanuts and hazelnuts, and vegetable oils such as sunflower, wheat germ, safflower, corn and soybean oils, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM).[1]
Vitamin C increases immunity and thereby "freeing up" the resources to feed your hair the nutrients it needs on a daily basis. Vitamin C is found in dark leafy greens, tomatoes, papaya, pineapples, and citrus fruits.
These vitamins help promote healthy connective tissues and cellular growth and help lower the risk of hair loss.
Herbs for healthy hair
Horsetail, Equisetum arvens, is named for its long brush-like appearance. This herb is packed with the mineral, silica. Silica is a substance that works to strengthen your bones, nails and hair volume by improving sheen and texture
Rosemary is also an excellent herb to use topically to promote hair growth and increase scalp health. Stinging nettle is rich in vitamin A,B,C, D, and K. When applied to the scalp rosemary and stinging nettle increase circulation and help to gently remove excess sebum and dandruff, which can inhibit healthy hair growth.
Using the food we eat to benefit our hair health, will also improve our overall health as well. Next time we go shopping for hair health, let’s try shopping more in the produce section!
[1] http://www.livescience.com/51543-vitamin-e.html