We all want shiny, silky hair, don’t we? What if I told you you could eat your way to your hair goals?

We’re talking hair health today. And I love hearing there’s a way to improve it from the inside. Buying the latest product isn’t always the answer. We all want beautiful hair, and today I’m going to tackle some common concerns we all have.

But first, let’s talk about what hair actually is:

• Hair is one of the fastest-growing tissues in the body. (Well technically hair is dead tissue, but the
  health of the hair follicle determines the rate of growth, which is fast!)
• Hair is made up mostly of keratin, the same protein hooves, claws, and beaks are made of
• Your hair grows faster in the summer because heat stimulates circulation and healthy circulation is
  critical to carry nutrients to the hair follicle.

Depending on concern here’s what you’re going to want to do/consume:

1. IRON 

If you don’t have enough iron in your diet (or if you’re not absorbing it effectively) your body can’t produce enough hemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen for the growth and repair of cells in your body including the nutrients that cells need to stimulate hair growth. This is why low iron is such a common cause of hair loss.

Foods to Eat:  

• Iron-rich foods
• Animal-based: Red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese
• Plant-based: Lentils, beans, peas, tempeh, broccoli, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, blackstrap molasses, spirulina, nuts and seeds

2. VITAMIN B 

B vitamins are important nutrients for hair health, especially biotin that is essential for the production of keratin. A lack of biotin may result in dry brittle hair or even hair loss. However, there is never one single cause of hair loss, dry, thinning, or lacklustre hair.

Foods to Eat:

• Animal-based: sardines, salmon, trout, beef, organ meats
• Plant-based: Leafy greens, avocados, bananas, sunflower seeds, nuts, quinoa, sprouts, spirulina

3. PROTEIN 

Eating adequate protein is important for hair growth because hair follicles are made of mostly protein. A lack of protein in the diet has been shown to promote hair loss.

Foods to Eat:

• Animal-based: Beef, fish, chicken, turkey, eggs (also a source of other hair nutrients – zinc + selenium)
• Plant-based: Quinoa, hemp, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, tempeh

4. HEALTHY FATS

Eating enough healthy fat daily is essential for healthy hormones (imbalance of hormones can impact hair growth; we see this in thyroid conditions as a prime example or during menopause) as well as shiny hair. Healthy fat ensures an adequate release of oil from the sebaceous glands in the scalp – not too much not too light.

Foods to Eat:

• Animal-based: fish (the best source of omega 3s), omega 3 eggs, grass-fed beef
• Plant-based: flaxseeds, walnuts, chia, avocado and olive oil