Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Effectively Manage Hair Loss With These Tips

By S. Newman


Defining exactly what a healthy diet is when it comes to preventing hair loss can be a little more complex. Principally, the main vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that one must ingest in some form to maintain healthy hair are vitamin A, all B vitamins-particularly vitamins B-6 and B-12, folic acid, biotin, vitamin C, vitamin E, copper, iron, zinc, iodine, protein of course, silica, essential fatty acids (EFA's, formerly known as vitamin F) and last but not least one must consume water. There are also certain foods that may cause dysfunction that will contribute to hair loss.

In order to stay optimally healthy, it is important to incorporate good diet and exercise practices as a normal part of life. This is simple enough in principle, however, when looking at preventing hair loss, defining exactly what needs to be done from a diet perspective to minimise hair loss can be a little tricky. The main vitamins and minerals which are known to be ideal for the maintenance of a healthy head of hair include vitamin A, all of the B vitamins (especially vitamin B6 and B12), folate, also known as folic acid, vitamins C and E, biotin, essential fatty acids omega 3 and omega 6 (once known as vitamin F), silica, protein, iron, copper, zinc and iodine. Finally, it is essential to stay well hydrated with water. It is thought that there may be some foods which actually contribute to hair loss by causing certain metabolic disturbances.

The most sensible way to maintain the vitamin and mineral levels required to keep a healthy head of hair is to sustain a well balanced diet. Taking excessive over the counter vitamin supplements in order to substitute for a good diet is not advised. There are a number of pharmacy bought vitamin supplements which are chemically processed in such a way that it makes it difficult for the body to process the vitamins adequately. It is also too easy to overdose with pharmacy bought vitamin supplements, leading to bad reactions and potential toxicity; especially the fat soluble vitamins. It is near impossible to overdose on vitamins obtained from good foods rich in vitamins, therefore it is advisable to get the majority of your vitamin requirements from your diet.

Vitamin A is a key component to developing healthy cells and tissues in the body, including hair. Additionally it works with silica and zinc to prevent drying and clogging of the sebaceous glands, the glands vital to producing sebum, which is an important lubricant for the hair follicle. Vitamin A deficiencies commonly cause thickening of the scalp, dry hair, and dandruff.

Known vitamin A inhibitors include aspirin, laxatives, cholesterol lowering drugs, pollution, cigarette smoking and very bright light. Foods which are rich in vitamin A include eggs, oil, fish, milk which has been fortified, yellow, orange or red vegetables and green leafy vegetables such as spinach. Care is advised when taking vitamin A supplements as it is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning that it is easily stored in the fat cells of the body and therefore easy to overdose on. Symptoms of vitamin A toxicity include inflammation of the hair follicles, very dry skin and in some cases, can even make the hair fall out. If you are considering taking vitamin A as a supplement, it is advisable to consult with a specialist in nutrition or a health care professional first.




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