Published August 22, 2013
No, it's not your imagination. Your hair is thinning.
According to board-certified hair-restoration physician Dr. Alan
Bauman, 20 percent of men start to lose their hair in their twenties. While
genetics play a big role, you still have some control over your hairline—and we
aren't talking plugs or hair-in-a-box remedies, here. We're talking food.
That's right, if your reflection shows an ever-growing forehead, put down the
hat and reach for the fridge instead.
"Like any other part of the body or component of health, hair
needs a variety of nutrients to grow and be healthy," said nutritionist
Rania Batayneh, author of The One One One Diet. "Because nutrients go to
essential tissues first, like muscles and organs, before they go to hair, it's
important to get both enough and a variety of nutrients to ensure a healthy
head of hair."
Here, the nutrients you need for a full head of hair—and the foods that
pack them:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Good for more than your brain, omega-3 fatty acids nourish your whole
noggin. The essential nutrient reaches both the hair shaft and the cell
membranes in your scalp, nourishing the follicles and promoting healthy hair growth,
according to Batayneh. Plus, they add elasticity to your hair, preventing it
from breaking off and ending up in your shower drain. But get this—the body
can't produce omega 3-fatty acids on its own; whatever you eat is what your
body gets. So dig in!
The foods to eat: Flaxseeds,
walnuts, salmon, tuna, kale, Brussels sprouts, rapeseed oil.
Zinc
Boosting tissue growth and repair, zinc helps keep your scalp and hair
stay healthy. It also regulates hormones (testosterone included) in the body
and helps maintain production of oil-secreting glands on the scalp that help
your hair grow. There's no need to go overboard, though. High levels of
testosterone are actually linked to hair loss, Bauman said. According to the
Office of Dietary Supplements, 11 mg a day is all you need. While it's not
proven your body will go on a T rampage if you consume too much zinc, there's
no need to tempt hair follicle fate.
The foods to eat: Chickpeas,
wheat germ, oysters, beef, veal liver, roast beef.
Protein
Quick chemistry lesson: Your hair is pretty much pure protein. So if
you don't eat enough for both your muscles and hair, you'll have bulging
biceps—but a bald head. And even if you do hang onto your hair, eating too
little protein can turn it gray, Bauman said. Eat a diet rich in high-quality,
naturally occurring protein. Wait, you're a veg or a vegan? No worries. As any
good meatless eater knows, protein abounds in more than just animal sources.
The foods to eat: Greek yogurt,
eggs yolks, kale, peanuts, beans, peas, lentils, tofu, chicken, turkey.
Iron
When it comes to healthy circulation, eating enough iron is clutch.
Iron helps deliver blood to the body's cells. Neglect the nutrient and your
blood can't carry enough oxygen to your scalp for good hair growth, said
Bauman. "Many doctors have seen a correlation between treatment for
iron-deficient anemia and an increase in hair growth," Batayneh added.
The foods to eat: Dark leafy
greens, whole grains, beans, red meat, turkey, egg yolks, clams, mussels,
oysters.
Vitamins A and C
Both vitamins contribute to the production of sebum, the oily substance
that your hair follicles spit out. Nature's hair conditioner, it keeps your
hair from breaking off. Plus, vitamin C increases the amount of blood-boosting
iron that your body can put to use, said Batayneh. While some vitamin A is good
for your scalp, more than 15,000 IU a day can actually spur hair loss, said
Bauman, who notes that the recommended daily allowance of the vitamin for men
is 5,000 IU a day.
The foods to eat: Swiss chard,
spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, pumpkin.
Magnesium
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is needed
for more than 300 biochemical reactions—hair growth included, according to the
National Institute of Health. But research from the Medical University of South
Carolina shows that 68 percent of U.S. adults don't get enough of the essential
nutrient, contributing to increased inflammation in the body. Another result?
Hair loss. Batayneh noted that magnesium deficiencies have been linked to hair
loss in both men and women.
The foods to eat: Almonds,
spinach, cashews, lentils, brown rice, halibut.
Selenium
A trace element that helps the body make selenoproteins, which regulate
reproduction, metabolism, DNA synthesis, and immunity, selenium also stimulates
hair follicles to encourage new growth. Scrimp on selenium and your body will
churn out way too much selenoproteins, leading to hair follicle abnormalities,
reduced growth, and hair loss, according to one 2010 study published in PLoS
ONE.
The foods to eat: Brazil nuts, tuna, halibut, shrimp sardines, ham.
Source: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/08/22/foods-that-prevent-hair-loss-how-to-get-7-essential-anti-balding-nutrients/?
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