Scalp & Hair Health Diet Deficiencies
At any given time, you have roughly 120,000 hairs growing on your scalp. And, all of them need to be supported. But, sustaining scalp and hair health can be challenging. Why? Because hair is not a tissue or vital organ.
So, this means your body will never give your hair’s nutritional needs priority. This will often lead to a nutritional imbalance which will show up as a form of hair loss.
A deficiency or excess of nutrients in your diet can cause scalp and hair problems. Also, in some cases, nutrition alone can be the cause of excessive hair loss.
At our Uptown New York Style hair salon, we often see hair loss as the main result of stored iron or iron deficiency. Of course, hair loss can be caused by other things such as chemical hair treatments and bad products. But, for the purpose of this article, we’re talking about how your diet affects your scalp and hair health.
The Negative Impact Of Diet Plans On Your Scalp & Hair
There are so many diet plans on the market today. Each claiming you can lose a specific amount of weight in a specific amount of time. While some people do lose weight on these plans, they can cause enormous problems for your hair and your body. Oftentimes, you are completely unaware when the damage is occurring because you’re so happy to see the pounds drop off.
Fruits and Vegetable Diets
These so-called ‘healthy diets’ often do not include all of the elements need for optimum scalp and hair health. Additionally, the appearance of your hair; luster and texture can be affected.
These include diets that mainly consist of fruits, vegetables and salads, with only minimal amounts of protein and calories. Remember, your hair is an important biomaterial primarily composed of protein.
When you deprive your hair of protein, it will cause significant changes in your hair root. These can include bulb diameter reduction, atrophy, dyspigmentation, and sheath loss.
High Fat and Protein Diets
At the opposite end of the spectrum, there are other diets that are high in fat and protein, with little no carbohydrates (i.e. Atkins type diets).
Your hair cells, as well as the cells throughout your body, need a balance of proteins, complex carbohydrates, iron, vitamins and minerals to function at their best.
So, ladies consider including some primary protein in your nutrition. These can include lean meat, eggs, chicken and fish. And, don’t forget the complex carbohydrates such as rice, oats and pasta.
You may also enjoy reading: Winter Hair Care Tips For Healthy Scalp & Hair
