Top 5 foods to prevent hair loss and have healthy hair

Who does not wish for long, strong, healthy, shiny and gorgeous hair? It is every woman’s dream to have thick and bouncy hair whereas men dream of luscious and healthy hair without the half moon on their head.

Thick lush hair symbolizes your body’s well being. But in the whole rigmarole of having good hair and using all sorts of treatments, shampoos, fancy oils, exotic serums, etc we forget the simplest ingredient for great hair – good food – and ultimately end up losing the remaining hair we have. Just as every cell of your body needs nutrients to perform well, every cell of your tresses also needs the same. What you eat actually decides the health of your hair.

So let us take a look at the top 5 foods to prevent hair loss and help hair growth.

1. Fish:

Apart from being rich in protein and vitamin D, fish contains omega-3 fatty acids needed by every cell of your hair which your body cannot produce and so you need to get from the diet. Fish is important for scalp health and as part of natural oils can prevent your hair from getting dull, lifeless and drying out. If you are a vegetarian or cannot get your hands on fish, try having some flax seeds everyday to get your dose of omega-3.

2. Eggs:

We often hear people telling us to consume enough protein, mainly to deal with cell wear and tear. Just like your muscles, your hair is also made up of protein. So it makes sense to eat enough protein through sources like chicken, fish, beans, etc for improving hair growth and quality. But eggs top the list as they also contain zinc and selenium which help strengthening the hair follicle, and iron which helps to provide oxygen to the hair cells. Most importantly, they contain biotin which is extremely important for hair growth.

3. Nuts and seeds:

Nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, etc are great sources of vitamin E and much-needed omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamin E is a great antioxidant and protects hair from harmful sun rays, acting as a natural sunscreen for your hair. Being rich in zinc they also act as hair loss preventers. Walnuts also contain copper, a mineral that helps keep your natural hair colour rich and lustrous.

4. Pulses and lentils:

These are rich in folic acid apart from being rich in protein which helps in RBC formation and supplying oxygen and nutrients to your scalp and tresses. They also contain iron and biotin which add to your hair health. If you wish to have great hair, do not miss out on your pulses and lentils.

5. Green leafy vegetables:

They are a great source of iron, vitamin C, which helps to absorb iron and vitamin A, which helps to produce sebum by your hair follicles, thus acting as a natural hair conditioner. They help to prevent breakage and brittleness of hair, taking you towards your goal of healthu hair.

Other tips:

- Drink plenty of water to retain hair moisture and keep your hair shiny. Water is the main ingredient of good hair.

- Avoid drastic weight loss measures which only make your hair weak and cause more hair fall.

- Exercise everyday for 45 minutes to improve blood circulation and release happy hormones which show the happiness in your hair.

- Avoid artificial chemicals and heat treatments on your hair to save it from trauma.