Ways to Promote Hair Growth

Is your hair your crowning glory? Or is yours thinning, scanty or dry and damaged? Maybe it sits limp on your head or maybe part of your scalp is showing, causing you despair, concern, even embarrassment. While you can always blame it on your heredity, the root of hair problems can be attributed to other factors, such as nutritional lack, stress, unhealthy hair habits and lifestyle. The good news? All these factors can be addressed through proper nutrition, hair care and a healthy lifestyle.

Nutrition

• Hair reflects the overall health of your body. Nutritional lack will show up on your head. That said, there are many types of foods that help to promote hair growth:

  Protein: Hair is made up of protein. If logic serves, then protein is essential for hair growth. A low-protein diet can cause thinning hair or retard hair growth. Make sure you include protein in your diet, using the many choices to fit your preferences: brewer's yeast, fish, eggs, all kinds of beans, low-fat dairy products, tofu, and, if you prefer organ meat, liver.

  Iron: According to a report on Foxnews.com, a review of 40 years of research shows a high correlation between iron lack and hair loss. It goes on to say that iron may be the key to restoring hair growth. So indulge in some iron-rich foods such as whole grain cereals, eggs, dark green leafy vegetables (collards and spinach), mollusks (oysters, clams, scallops), red meats, beans, soy products, liver and dried fruits such as dates and raisins.

  B vitamins: B vitamins, particularly B5, B6, biotin, inositol and folic acid are found to be vital for hair growth. Men who are deficient in B6 often suffer hair loss. B vitamins are found in eggs, meat, poultry, beans, peas, soy beans, cauliflower, bran, nutritional yeast and soy beans.

  Vitamin E: Not only is vitamin E good for the skin, it stimulates hair growth by increasing oxygen uptake in the scalp. Good circulation in the scalp equals healthier hair. Include avocados, nuts, seeds and olive oil in your grocery list.

  Minerals: Laboratory tests show that when rats are fed a diet deficient in magnesium, hair comes out in bunches. Magnesium is important in maintaining healthy hair, as is sulfur, silica and zinc.

Hair Growth Supplements

• Should your busy lifestyle prevent you from eating from a wide variety of foods to garner all the essential nutrients to promote hair growth, you may want to consider taking hair growth supplements. Consider vitamins B complex, B6, C and E, beta-carotene, minerals mentioned above and flaxseed oil.

Healthy Lifestyles

• A diet rich in caffeine, sugar and fats will sabotage your hair growth efforts. So will stress, so take steps to de-stress yourself through mediation, exercise or relaxing activities. Give yourself at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep to promote hair growth.

Hair Care

• Harsh hair treatments and chemicals can weaken and damage hair. Nourish your scalp with hot oil treatments and massage the scalp to provide stimulation to hair follicles. Healthy follicles produce healthy hair.