Hair

Hair is a reflection of our diet and our emotional state. In case of stress or an unbalanced diet, hair can become fine, dull, dry or dandruff can appear. Their growth can even be slowed down and their loss accelerated!

Dry hair:Causes and Solutions?

Hair is said to be dry when it becomes rough and difficult to untangle. It's brittle along the length and split at the ends.

There are several causes of dry hair:

• An unbalanced diet.
• Aggressive treatments: coloring, permanents, brushing, etc.
• The sun (infrared), the sea (salt), and the pool (chlorine).

It is possible to prevent or treat dry hair by modifying its diet. Drink plenty of water and eat more fruits and vegetables.

Table specifying the nutrients and foods to consume in case of dry hair.

Nutrients	Actions	Source foods
Vitamin A	Tissue regeneration	dairy products, liver, butter
Vitamin B5	Water storage	Liver, meat, egg yolk, mushrooms, legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables
Protein	Improvement of hair structure	Meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes

Fatty hair

Oily hair is due to an imbalance of the sebaceous glands which produce too much sebum.

The hair then has a shiny, sticky appearance. It tends to fix dust and pollution more easily, which in the long run leads to irritation of the scalp.

An unbalanced diet can be the cause of oily hair, but more often it is the consequence of illness, stress, medication, or hormonal upheaval.

To prevent or treat oily hair, it is important to limit spicy and greasy foods.

In addition, vitamin B6, found in the liver, salmon, potatoes, and bananas, is used to regulate the secretion of sebum from the scalp.

Brittle hair

Brittle hair is fragile hair that is not necessarily dry.

They are generally finer than normal hair and sensitive to damage.

To avoid having brittle hair, it is advisable to limit the saturated fats contained in butter, bacon, pastries, and cheese.

Moreover, alcohol is not recommended because it dehydrates the body and thus accelerates the degradation of hair.

On the other hand, it is preferable to prefer the following foods:

Nutrients	Actions	Source foods
VitaminA	Hair growth and protection Tissue regeneration	dairy products, liver, butter
VitaminB5	Water storage	Liver, meat, egg yolk, mushrooms, legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables
Protein	Improvement of hair structure	Meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes
Essential fatty acids	Hair growth	Vegetable oils, fish

            

Hair loss

In women, hair loss can have several origins:

• A change of season.
• A stress.
• Childbirth.
• Taking medication.
• A psychological shock.
• An iron deficiency.

In men, hair loss may be :

- Hereditary

- Environmental: stress, chemical aggression, medication, etc.

When the body is deficient in nutrients, hair loss increases, and hair renewal is not done properly.

To fight hair loss, a varied and balanced diet is necessary.

In addition, the combination of two nutrients is an effective treatment against hair loss: vitamin B5 and vitamin B8.

These two vitamins are mainly found in the liver, mushrooms, lentils, and milk.

Hair growth

Hair does not grow continuously but in a cyclical and seasonal rhythm.

The phases of growth, rest, and death of the hair follow one another. When the hair is dying, the cycle continues and a new hair grows out of the old one.

The speed of hair growth is genetically determined and it is not possible to accelerate it significantly.

However, a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition help hair growth.

Many nutrients are essential for hair growth:

Nutrients	Actions	Source foods
Sulphur amino acids (methionine and cystine)	Stimulation of hair growth because they are precursors of keratin.	Garlic, onions, beans
Zinc	Stimulation of hair  growth	Seafood, liver, red meat, fish, eggs
Copper	Stimulation of hair  growth	Seafood, wheat, oats, soy, pepper
Vitamin B5	Stimulation of hair  growth	Liver, meat, egg yolk, mushrooms, legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables
Vitamin B6	Keratin synthesis	Liver, salmon, potatoes, banana, mushroom, whole grains
Vitamin B8	Slower hair loss	Fruits and vegetables and chicken
Essential fatty acids	Stimulation of hair  growth	Vegetable oils and oily fish

 Hair, sun and sea

   The scalp is sensitive to the sun's rays, which dry out the epidermis and can lead to the appearance of dandruff.

    Under the effect of the sun's rays and seawater, the scalp becomes dehydrated and the hair becomes thin, brittle, split ends, and falls out more quickly.

   However, at low doses, the sun has positive effects because it gives highlights to the hair and activates the circulation of the vessels that irritate the scalp, which increases the speed of hair growth.

    Summer is therefore the ideal season to let your hair grow!

   Here are the nutrients and foods that help limit the harmful effects of the sun on the hair:

Nutrients	Actions	Source foods
Vitamin A	Hair  regeneration	Eggs, dairy products, liver, butter
Vitamin B3	Vitality and resistance of the hair	Bell pepper, meat, fish, mushrooms, wholemeal bread, potato
Vitamin B5	Water storage	Liver, meat, egg yolk, mushrooms, legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables
Vitamin E	Anti-ageing of the hair	Hazelnut, almond, rapeseed and soybean oils, whole grains, fatty fish, butter
Protein	Improvement of hair structure	Meat, fish, eggs, dairy products,  legumes

     Thank's you for reading this article .