Nourishing your Locks – Lifestyle and Nutrition for Healthy Hair
This is something close to our hearts – hair care. Everybody craves for it. To get healthy hair, one might have used countless remedies, products, and different routines. It’s not always about expensive hair care products, sometimes all you need is simple lifestyle changes and a good balanced diet. Let’s understand what basic things you can do to improve the health of your hair.
HYDRATE
Gulp plenty of water throughout the day. Staying hydrated can lead to significant improvement in the health of the hair. Staying hydrated from within keeps the scalp moisturized which prevents dryness and flakiness.
A GOOD BALANCED DIET
As some say, you are what you eat. So, what you eat must have all the essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and proteins. You also need to ensure not to have too much of it so keep your diet balanced. Introduce foods like leafy veggies, nuts, fish, and eggs to your diet. These foods are known to have nutrients that strengthen and improve the health of the hair. Foods that are rich in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties can promote the health of the hair. They reduce inflammation, reduce oxidative stress, and improve hair and scalp health. Some of these foods include – Leafy greens, nuts and seeds, tomatoes, garlic, onion, sweet potatoes, turmeric, etc.
VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS
It’s challenging to get all the nutrients you need from your diet alone. Life happens and it gets difficult to stick to your diet. Well, there’s nothing to worry about as you can always turn to supplements. The biotin and collagen supplements can work wonders for the hair. But, the first thing to do is to consult a professional to understand which supplement is okay for you and which isn’t. You can also explore Omega fatty acids, curcumin, and vitamin D supplements for the hair. These supplements help reduce scalp inflammation and irritation, maintain healthy hair and a healthy scalp, and create new hair follicles.
MANAGE YOUR STRESS
Stress is bad for your hair and can wreak havoc on it. Stress can lead to dull hair and increased hair fall. Reduce your stress by incorporating relaxation techniques into your daily routine. Meditation and yoga work well. You can also take some time out, do the things you love, or do anything that calms your mind.
HAIR CARE ROUTINE
Be gentle with your hair care routine. Avoid shampoo washing your hair daily as it can strip your hair of natural oils and make them dry. Use a conditioner to hydrate your hair, make sure you apply it to the ends of your hair and avoid the scalp area. Avoid heat styling your hair or use minimal heat styling tools on your hair. Excessive use can damage your hair due to the heat. Be careful when you choose hair products. Be cautious about the ingredients that are used in it and prefer products that are free from harsh chemicals. Opt for products with natural ingredients that suit your hair type. Don’t ignore your scalp! It plays a huge role in maintaining the health and overall appearance of the hair. So, be gentle with your scalp and take care of it. Cleanse and massage your scalp regularly, and avoid products with harsh chemicals that can damage your scalp.
REGULAR TRIMS
If you want longer hair, it sure looks great! Just make sure you trim them regularly to avoid split ends. Split ends occur when the ends of your hair get dry and brittle, which causes the hair to split into two. This gives a Y-shaped visual to the end of the hair. So, just get rid of those by trimming them regularly. Just a small sacrifice for the long-term health of your hair!
SLEEP WELL
A good night’s sleep is a must. When you sleep, your hair gets time to repair itself and regenerate. You wouldn’t want to interrupt that process! Have a good 7-8 hour quality sleep every day that will give time to your hair to repair and regenerate.
KEEP THEM PROTECTED
Shield them from the environment. External factors can easily damage your hair if you don’t protect them. These factors include the sun, pollution, and harsh weather conditions. Wear a hat while going out in the sun; you can also opt for a protective hair spray.
Healthy hair is not a one-stop shop process. Stay consistent in this routine and gradually with time you’ll notice improved health of your hair. An important thing to remember, each individual has a different hair type, so what works for one may not work for the other. Take some time to understand what works best for you. Cheers to healthy hair!