CAN DIET REVERSE HAIR LOSS? REALLY?

If you've landed on our page, there is a possibility that you've been through numerous websites, books, and treatments before to stop your hair loss. Isn’t it? If this has been the case, you can probably sleep soundly tonight knowing that you can possibly resolve your Hair loss problem by simply changing your diet. Surprised? Read on to know how. 

YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE

The first time I realized I was losing my hair was while driving my car. On the western express highway in Mumbai, while I was waiting for my turn to pay toll at the toll naka, I happened to take a peek in the rear-view mirror of my car. To my surprise I found that my forehead had expanded. I remember thinking to myself, "Who is that old woman staring at me in the mirror with that shocked expression?" It was me. Not only was my hairline receding, it had thinned. The boy at the toll naka had to literally scream, “Madam jaldi karo, line lagi hai peeche,” to bring me out of shock. Have you experienced similar thing? If so, do not worry. You are not the only one looking for hair fall control solutions. Picture this.

• 25% of men experience hair loss before they attain the age of 21
• 13% of women suffer from baldness before they reach menopause
• 41 per cent of men with full heads of hair were selected for job interviews as compared to only 27 per cent of balding men.

Yes, hair loss has become a lot more common today and younger too. Also, people are spending hair-raising amounts to fix their hair problems. But does that guarantee hair fall control? Before you go for such Hair fall treatments, try some simple solutions that might help you reverse hair loss.

NOT ALL HAIR FALL CONTROL SOLUTIONS ARE HEAVY ON POCKET

Do not worry if you don’t have money to spend on hair loss treatments.

Although I tried many methods to re-grow my hair, the only one that worked was completely free - A change in diet.

We may often blame external factors such as pollution, stress, dandruff, etc. for our hair loss problem. But did you know poor diet is one of the main causes of hair loss? When you deprive your body of essential nutrients, many of which are essential for healthy hair growth, you are likely to suffer from hair loss. So, for hair fall control, it is best to feed your locks a healthy diet, high on the nutrition scale.

Eating right can help you in controlling hair fall to a large extent as your diet makes your mane stronger from within. Instead of relying on just shampoos and serums, make sure you are getting an adequate dose of the nutrients from the food you eat.  

WHY DIET HELPED ME AND HOW IT WOULD HELP YOU?

Hair loss is not cosmetic but a medical problem. There are many potential causes of hair loss, including medical conditions, medications, and physical or emotional stress.

In my case, I was diagnosed with anemia, means iron deficiency hair loss. Therefore, simply by adding iron rich foods to my diet and following a nutrition chart given by my doctor, I was able to control my hair fall.     

Poor nutrition is one of the commonest reasons for hair loss, especially in India. Iron deficiency (anemia) tops the list and is followed by protein deficiency. Improper absorption of the nutrients can also lead to poor nutrition

Excessive dieting especially mono dieting, which involves completely avoiding a particular type of food group, causes a disturbance in the balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat, leading to hair loss. Also, smoking negatively influences the micro-circulation of the scalp leading to increased hair loss.

Therefore, quitting certain bad habits and adding essential nutrients to your diet can help you reverse hair loss. It helped me and it will certainly help you as well.

The first step to know what is right for your hair loss is getting it diagnosed. Once you know the problem or deficiency, you can fix it. However, here, I am giving you a list of certain foods which are in general good for your hair and might probably also help reverse hair loss.   

Essential diet & food for hair growth

• Vitamin A - Prevents dryness of scalp by ensuring that body produces and controls enough supply of sebum, a natural oil required to keep scalp moist and healthy

Sources: Orange and yellow coloured fruits and vegetables like orange, sweet lime, papaya, mango; green  leafy vegetables like spinach, fenugreek (methi) leaves, also drumstick

• Vitamin B - Promotes blood circulation in the scalp, hair growth; prevents premature greying, augment growth and repair of body tissues

Sources: Beans, peas, carrots, cauliflower, soybean, nutritional yeast, bran, nuts and eggs

• Folic acid - Promotes hair growth by renewing the cells that grow hair. Its deficiency can lead to premature greying and hair loss

Sources: Beans and legumes, citrus fruits, wheat bran, whole grains, poultry, liver, green leafy vegetables

• Biotin – Promotes healthy hair growth and protects against dryness. It also increases the elasticity of the hair’s cortex, thus preventing breakage

Sources: Brewer’s yeast, brown rice, green peas, lentils, oats, soybeans, sunflower seeds, walnuts, saltwater fish, egg yolk, milk, legumes and whole grains

• Vitamin C – Aids in improving scalp circulation. It is important to maintain capillaries that carry blood to the follicles

Sources: Indian gooseberry (amla), guava, citrus fruits, tomatoes and green peppers

• Vitamin E - Increases oxygen uptake; this improves blood circulation to the scalp and growth of hair. Stimulates hair growth by enhancing the immune system

Sources: Nuts and legumes, wheat germ oil, soybeans, sunflower oil, safflower oil

• Protein – Essential for hair growth. Amino acids created from proteins can have constructive effects on the look and feel of your hair

Sources: Lean meat; Pulses like whole moong dal, rajma, chickpeas (kabuli channa), soybeans; nuts, grains, soya, fish, eggs, dairy products

• Zinc – Stimulates hair growth by enhancing immune function

Sources: Legumes and nuts

• Iron – Important constituent of blood (haemoglobin); vital for adequate oxygenation of all tissues

Sources: Red meat, liver, fish, poultry, leafy vegetables, lentils, beans, dates

• Omega 3 – Promotes a healthy scalp, regulates sebum production

Sources: Flaxseed, walnuts, cabbage, beans, broccoli, squash, fish, oil, olive oil and salmon, sardines and tuna

• Omega 6 - Stimulates hair growth

Sources: Evening primrose oil, safflower oil, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, corn and pumpkin seeds