Healthy Hair Tips

We all want to have hair like the models who appear in shampoo commercials, luscious, shiny and manageable. The reality is that most of us face hair thinning or hair loss as we grow older. That is just the way aging works. Stress, hormone changes and medication side effects are among the many causes for hair loss. I have noticed that first hand. I used to have healthy hair but that has changed over the last few years. My hair also grows more slowly now, only half an inch a month. Through science, there are now ways to fix this.

Healthy Diet

I have noticed that when I eat poorly, my skin gets dry and so does my hair. Since I sometimes get off track balancing my diet, I take some generic vitamin and mineral supplements. I have found that eating healthy can visibly affect your hair, nails and skin. The nutrients that we consume everyday help to fortify hair follicles and skin. The benefits that we get from using shampoos, conditioners, serums and other related products are nothing compared to eating healthy foods. Protein and an omega-3 rich diet gives your hair the nutrients that it needs and deserves. Salmon is widely known for its richness in omega-3 fatty acids but wild caught, fresh salmon is very expensive here in northern Minnesota. Consequently, I supplement my diet with Vitamin B12 and Fish Oil. Eggs and chicken are high in protein while nuts like almonds have a lot of zinc. Lentils contain folic acid which is necessary for good heart health and red blood cells that supply the skin and scalp with oxygen.

Hair Treatment

Since I am a stay at home wife, I seldom straighten, blow dry or apply heat to my hair. I never blow dry but I occasionally do straighten or curl it. I try not to use any heated hair styling tools on my hair as much as possible. Since I have thin hair, I try to let it dry naturally in our office where it’s usually warm and toasty. If you really have the need to straighten, blow dry or apply heated rollers on your hair, it is best to do it only once or twice a week. I don’t usually wash my hair more than a couple of times a week. That’s an advantage of working from home. By taking a shower only every other day, you give your scalp and skin a chance to produce natural oils that coat your hair and keep it healthy. It is best to wash your hair no more than three times a week. It is also much better to blot your hair dry with a soft towel rather than wringing it out. Do you have hair tips that you can share?