There was a time, not so long ago, when people used to treat their thinning hair only with home remedies. Now with so many chemical products and laser treatments available to treat hair loss, natural methods still remain the best ways to maintain thick hair on your head.
Whatever the cause, be it skin infections, medications, age, genetics or any other cause for thinning hair, these natural products will treat the hair loss. You need to have patience. Use them regularly as all of these methods take time to show results.
These are food items for consumption, they are not for topical application on the scalp to stop hair loss. (you can read about topical use natural remedies for hair loss here).
Proper nutrition is one of the most important aspects of being and staying healthy. A balanced diet is necessary to get the required nutrients required to keep every part of the body healthy. It doesn't matter whether you are a vegetarian or non-vegetarian, what matters is whether you are consuming a balanced diet or not on a regular basis. If you become aware of the importance of the balanced diet (most of us are aware, but do not follow it) then irrespective of your eating preferences you will find a set of food items that can make your diet balanced.
When some part of your body displays signs of deterioration prematurely then it is a time to look at the nutrition first. Since this article is dealing with premature hair thinning, you need to straight away begin to wonder what kinds of nutrition deficiency is causing this hair thinning. This aspect is particularly more relevant if you do not have any hereditary problems. Even if your hair thinning is genetic you can still delay it by proper nutrition.
Causes of Hair Thinning
If you are shedding 50-100 hairs a day, then there is no reason to worry about it. It is a normal process of hair life-cycle. Some hair are completing their lifestyle and others are starting a new life cycle. However, if the numbers are increased then you should find out the cause of such hair loss and begin to treat it.
It may be very difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of hair loss but a combination of factors do help us to resolve the hair thinning issues. Some causes of hair thinning in men and women are common, but there are many other causes that are relevant either to men or women. So depending on who you are you must use remedies to stop your hair loss.
Causes of Hair Thinning in Men - Following are main causes of hair loss in men of which hereditary tops the list.
- Genetics - hereditary is by far the most common cause
- Old Age
- Food
- Stress
- Medical Conditions - Alopecia, Skin diseases such as psoriasis or Seborrheic dermatitis
- Medicines - such as cancer medicines
Causes of Hair Thinning in Women - Women hair loss has many causes in addition to some of the common causes with men hair thinning.
- Hormone Changes - PCOS is a condition in which more male hormones are secreted than normal
- Anemia
- Menopause
- Bad Hair Care - Curling, straightening and too tight tieying etc
- Pregnancy
- Food - Protein Deficiency
- Crash Dieting
- Stress
- Medicines - Birth Control pills and cancer medications
Foods to Stop Hair Thinning
Correcting your nutrition deficiency will help you irrespective of your gender. Both men and women should consider foods to stop hair loss as their first option. This will also improve your overall health.
The important nutrients for strong and healthy hair are:
- Zinc for hair follicle growth
- Iron and folic acid for hair follicle growth
- Vitamin A for healthy sebum that coats hair follicle
- Vitamin C also for healthy sebum
- Vitamin D to activate hair growth - get sunlight
- Protein for cell repair and growth
- Omega 3- Fatty Acids to make strong hair
- Magnesium for stronger hair
The following food will give you the above nutrients and more to stop hair fall and grow healthy hair
1. Carrots
2. Spinach
Rich in Vitamin A and C spinach contains 5 times more Iron than Carrots. It is also a good source of Zinc, folate and niacin. Eat spinach in your daily diet.
3. Salmon
Salmon is a rich source of Omega 3 Fatty acids. In addition it also contains a high amount of protein and gives some dose of Iron. Eat salmon at least 3 times a week to get good hair growth.
4. Seeds
Many seeds such as flax, seeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds have high Omega -3 contents which are good for hair growth. In fact seeds are the best sources of Omega-3 fatty acids from vegetables. You can sprinkle any or all other freshly ground seeds on your salads and steamed vegetables to get the benefits including reduction in hair fall.
5. Chicken
Without sufficient protein your muscles and hair don't grow. Any protein deficiency will begin to reflect in hair loss. Chicken is a very good source of protein. Since chicken doesn't have high saturated fat content they are a better source of protein as compared to the red meat. Add chicken to your diet twice a week to stop hair fall.
6. Strawberries
Strawberries are Vitamin c rich fruit with good iron and magnesium content. All these nutrients are healthy for your hair growth. Eat strawberries and make smoothies to get double benefits for your hair.
7. Almonds
Almonds are rich in Vitamin D, iron and magnesium. Almonds have been used for centuries for hair and skin care. Eat a handful of almonds daily. The best time to eat them is in the morning with your breakfast after soaking overnight.
8. Beans
Beans are rich in Iron and if your hair thinning is caused by iron deficiency then white beans are a great source of this mineral. beans are high protein and high iron and magnesium food items. Add them to your daily diet.
9. Barley
Barley is rich in iron and magnesium. It also contains copper, zinc and selenium is small quantities. All these minerals are good for hair health. You can add this fiber rich carbohydrate in your diet as an additional four in the bread or drink barley water.
10. Geek Yogurt
Yogurt improves gut health by balancing bacteria. It also improves blood circulation to the scalp and hair follicles due to the presence of pantothenic acid. Eat 200grams of yogurt daily to stop hair loss and remain overall healthy.
11. Oysters
Oysters are a very rich source of zinc. Zinc helps women with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in which women lose their hair due to zinc deficiency. If you fall in the category then you must consider consuming oysters to build up zinc levels and stop hair loss.
12. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is both high in Iron and Magnesium. It adds to the taste, so add cinnamon to your food and stop hair fall.
13. Guava
Guava is an excellent source of vitamin C and also provides iron and magnesium to the body. The high vitamin C helps you remain energetic and reduce stress and fatigue. Eat guava during season to make your hair stronger.
14. Oatmeal
Oats are a rich source of iron and magnesium. Both these minerals are good for hair health. Oatmeal is also a very good overall breakfast item. It also helps to reduce weight and control cholesterol. So, prepare oatmeal with nuts like almonds and walnuts. You can also add strawberries. All these food items will not only make oatmeal more tasty but also keep your hair healthy. It will stop hair fall as all the food items have healthy hair nutrients.
15. Eggs
Eggs are a very good source of protein required to keep hair healthy. Hair is made of 68% protein (Keratin), therefore all protein rich diets will help to retain strong hair. Eat egg white daily for best results. You can also use egg topically to condition your hair.
16. Liver
Liver is a rich source of iron. iron deficiency is one of the biggest cause of hair loss. You can get iron from spinach and other green vegetables but liver though doesn't appear appetizing can be a good source to build up iron levels quickly and stop hair loss.
17. Lentils
Lentils are excellent proteins with multi nutrient source to stop hair loss. They are rich in iron, zinc and have plenty of folic acid. If you are a vegetarian then you should eat lentils daily to fulfill your protein requirements.
18. Nuts
All tree nuts and especially walnuts are good for hair health. Walnut is rich in Iron and magnesium, both these minerals are essential for better hair growth. They will nourish the hair follicles and stop hair thinning. You can add a handful of walnuts in your midday snacks or morning breakfast.
19. Avocado
Avocados are fiber rich food with a good amount of iron and magnesium. Both these minerals are comparatively not as high as in some other food items, but avocado by itself is a complete healthy food. Avocado also can be topically applied on your hair to improve hair luster.
20. Sweet Potato
Sweet potato is one of the best sources of vitamin A. It also is a good source of Iron and Magnesium. They are also an excellent source of antioxidants and beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes are also good for skin and reduce high blood pressure. They also reduce inflammation, cancer and heart diseases. The overall impact is good overall health. Add sweet potatoes in your regular diet.
21. Mushrooms
Recent studies have found that Copper may help to stop premature greying of hair and stop hair fall. Shiitake mushrooms have been found to be specifically useful as they are copper rich food items.