Is your bad hair day turning into a bad hair week or month?
Hair health can be indicative of an underlying problem in your body – a hormonal imbalance, stress, dehydration or nutritional deficiency.
The science of hair health and growth: Did you know that at any given time, a random number of hairs will be in one of three stages of growth and shedding: anagen, catagen, and telogen?
image via pinterest
Anagen is the active phase of the hair. During this phase the hair grows about 1 cm every 28 days. Scalp hair stays in this active phase of growth for two to six years. The categen phase is a transitional stage and about 3% of all hairs are in this phase at any time. This phase lasts for about two to three weeks. Growth stops and the outer root sheath shrinks and attaches to the root of the hair. Telogen is the resting phase and usually accounts for 6% to 8% of all hairs. This phase lasts for about 100 days for hairs on the scalp and longer for hairs on the eyebrow, eyelash, arm, and leg. About 25 to 100 telogen hairs are shed normally each day.
The hair follicle – The nutrients you eat today help fortify the hair follicle from which each strand is born. Healthier follicles create healthier hair. The sebaceous gland surrounds the follicle. It is vital because it produces sebum, which conditions the hair and skin.
Our hair health and condition, due to these growth phases and structure, can change and become healthier.
image via pinterest
Eat your way to shiny healthy and healthy hair….
Eat your fats
Well sourced and well processed saturated and unsaturated fats create healthy hair. Saturated fats include those made form cold pressed and extra virgin coconut oil, fish fats and grass fed animal fats such as eggs and butter. Unsaturated fats include those from avocado, cold pressed and extra virgin olive oil. Fats are lubricating and contain antioxidants and nutrients, which help create health hair.
Eat your vitamins and minerals
Iron deficiency can influence the texture and thickness of your hair, according to Columbia University Health Services. A common symptom of anaemia is brittle hair. Eat pastured red meat, eggs and organic liver for the richest source of iron.
Biotin plays a role in breaking down amino acids used in the synthesis of protein. Protein assists in forming strong, shiny hair. Biotin is found in eggs, other animal products, nuts and root vegetables.
Zinc is necessary for protein synthesis and collagen formation. Collagen is a structural tissue made of fibrous protein. In fact, collagen comprises 30 percent of the total body protein. Collagen strengthens the skin, hair, blood vessels, bones, and teeth. Zinc is rich in oysters and fish. Zinc status influences several aspects of vitamin A metabolism, including its absorption, transport, and utilization.
Vitamin A assists in the development and maintenance of healthy hair, as this antioxidant prevents free radicals from damaging the hair follicle. Deficiency of this vitamin can cause dull, dry hair. Vitamin A is rich in pastured eggs and organic liver.
Eat your collagen
Collagen is found rich in home made grass fed bone stocks. The cartilage, bones, marrow and other bits yield collagen. Drink 2 cups per day before a meal or as a snack. In Summer, make a simple gazpacho soup with tomato, cucumber, basil, lemon juice, parsley, bone stock and ice. Blend and drink chilled. Deliciously therapeutic, cooling and nourishing. Make your own bones stock.
Add Hydrolyzed Collagen powder by Great Lakes to a smoothie or food. It is unique in its amino acid structure because of its high amounts of glycine, lysine and proline, which are found in lower amounts in other protein food supplements. These particular amino acids are found to generate cell growth much quicker because the natural ability to produce supporting amounts of connective tissue diminishes after the age of 25. Hydrolyzed Collagen is more easily digested because of its low molecular weight and is absorbed within 30 minutes
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