Hair
Loss - Nutrition
By
Stephanie McIntyre
While the problems of male and female pattern
baldness are hormonal in nature, nutrition can
play a part in the maintenance of a healthy head
of hair. In some cases, poor nutrition can
directly contribute to hair loss.
Even when hair loss is not the result of poor
nutritional habits, such habits can still lead
to hair that's in relatively poor shape. Such
conditions as lack of luster, dryness,
stringiness and even excess shedding can be tied
to poor diet and less than the minimum
recommended amount and types of vitamins.
Examples of this can be seen in those people who
go on extreme diets in order to lose weight
quickly. The body's systems, including the hair
and scalp, are sensitive to and affected by what
is eaten.
The best nutritional friend to your healthy
head of hair is a well-balanced diet. While it
may help to include a little extra of foods and
nutrients that are thought to be hair specific,
the whole body is best served by a diet that
supplies all of its needs in total. So if you
want to eat what's best for your hair, good
eating habits and a balanced diet are the way to
go.
There are those whose eating habits can add
to or create hair loss problems. People who
suffer from anorexia can lose hair simply
because they aren't getting nearly enough of the
nutrients needed to sustain hair health, like
protein and iron. And since hair is protein
based, some vegetarians can have hair loss
problems if they aren't getting adequate amounts
of protein. There are supplements available to
help one avoid this problem.
Also, the B vitamin biotin, another nutrient
that may be associated with hair loss can be
deficient in those with protein deficiencies. It
is however not certain though that a biotin
deficiency can lead to hair loss.
Zinc is an important nutrient to consider if
your having hair issues or hair loss. If your
diet is lacking in zinc, then a zinc supplement,
or better yet a multi vitamin and mineral
supplement may be called for. Zinc is also
important for your immune system and for your
body's ability to repair itself. It can be found
in most meats, shellfish, lima beans, navy
beans, and most legumes, spinach, and in eggs,
milk and cheese.
People who go on extended low or no-fat diets
can suffer some hair loss. The essential fatty
acids in food products containing fat are
important to the maintenance of healthy hair.
The scalp tends to dry up when the diet is
lacking in fatty acids, which can affect
follicular health. And iron deficiencies are
contributing factors, too. So fad or restrictive
diets may reap benefits in terms of skinniness,
but they may exact a hair loss toll as well.
B vitamins are thought to be important to the
health of hair. Vitamin B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic
acid), and B6 (pyridoxide) can be taken in
supplement form or acquired from eating the
right foods. Soybeans, nuts, eggs, peas and
beans are all high in these vitamins.
Vitamin E, which is essential to the immune
system, is an important nutrient for your hair.
Improving immune system functioning may be the
answer to hair problems you may be having.
While there are supplements for all of these
vitamins, you still derive more benefit from
getting them through a healthy and well balanced
diet. So if you can, rather than loading up on
your nutrients with supplements, eat more fruits
and vegetables (especially the green leafy
variety) and any nutritionally induced hair loss
problems you have should disappear.
Stephanie McIntyre and Wendell Bryant are
Internet developers. Visit their site at
http://hairlosscentralhome.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_McIntyre
http://EzineArticles.com/?Hair-Loss---Nutrition&id=390622
|
It is
a known fact that your diet can result in hair
loss. A poor diet can result in a
deficiency of vital nutrients that promote hair
and skin health.