Healthy hair is a reflection of a healthy body. Just as your body needs a balanced, nutritious diet to stay healthy, so does your hair. Here are some key ingredients for an easy-to-follow hair care recipe.
Water for Healthy Hair
No doubt, water is essential in keeping your body properly hydrated and is the key ingredient for keeping your hair silky and shiny. Amazingly, water makes up one-fourth of the weight of a stand of hair, so it is critical for mane maintenance. In general, you should drink between eight and ten glasses of water a day.
Protein for Healthy Hair
High-protein diets may be a fad for the waistline, but protein is also the building block of hair. Protein gives the shaft of your hair more strength and reduces the likelihood of hair splitting and breaking. Fill up on protein by keeping fish, meat, milk, cheese, nuts, and cereals around for convenient, healthy eating.
Vitamins for Healthy Hair
Don't forget to take your vitamins. It is a popular phrase for keeping your body healthy, but it applies to your hair condition too. Vitamin A is beneficial to the skin and scalp and can be found in many vegetables, especially carrots. Vitamins B and C help promote good circulation, hair growth, and hair color. Consuming plenty of vitamin B and C will give you strong strands that are less likely to split. These vitamins can be found in foods such as fruit, vegetables, cereals, eggs, milk, and bread.
Minerals for Healthy Hair
A diet with iron is essential because it helps carry oxygen to the hair. If deprived of iron, hair and its follicles become starved for oxygen and your hair becomes weaker. Increase iron in your diet with red meat, dark green vegetables, or iron supplements. Zinc builds hair protein, which prevents hair loss. Meat and seafood are high in zinc. Lastly, copper contributes to the pigmentation of your hair. By consuming plenty of copper, you can optimize your natural hair color. Foods high in copper include shellfish, liver, fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds, and meat.
