Everyone has had a few bad hair days. No matter how many styles or products used, your hair just doesn't want to cooperate. Believe it or not, unhealthy or thinning hair may be linked to poor eating habits. Studies show that people who intake lots of sugar, refined carbs and refined vegetable oils are more likely to lose their locks.
More: 3 Simple Ways to Cut Sugar Out of Your Diet
Put down your hair dryer, styling gel and color kit; read on to learn how to keep your hair healthy and strong.
Hair and Your Diet
While your hair may seem like it has a mind of its own, it doesn't. In fact, hair is non-living. Hair is made up of dead protein fibers.
While your hair is dead, the follicle that sprouts your hair is not. The foods you eat fuel the hair follicle, which is located under your scalp. Carbs, protein (which is the best source of fuel for your hair) and iron are the substances that will grow strong, healthy hair.
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Foods such as eggs, fish, bananas and spinach, provide your hair with rich nutrients that stimulate hair growth, strengthen hair cuticles, and gives it that overall luster that we all crave. A poor diet that lacks nutrients will result in dry, brittle, lifeless hair.
You may think that you can change your diet now and expect to see results within a couple weeks. However, it doesn't quite work that way. Hair sticks with you unless you cut it. Because hair grows at a rate of a 1/2 inch every 4 to 6 weeks, if you change your diet now, you can expect to see better results in about 3 to 6 months.
More: Nutrition Quick Tip: Eat Healthy on a Budget
Other Lifestyle Factors to Poor Hair
If you have a great diet and you hair still looks like the end of a broom, then it might be because of stress and hormones. Stress affects your hormones, which results in poor-looking hair.
Illnesses, like diabetes and thyroid disease, may also affect the look of your hair. Continuous hair loss or thinning may be a sign to one of these illnesses. Contact your doctor to investigate your health.
More: 7 Ways Exercise Relieves Stress
When Hormones Create Shiny Hair
The pregnancy glow that people rave about is definitely the result of increased hormones. Increased hormones causes hair to shine more brightly. An abundance of estrogen may help the growth and retention of hair, while too much testosterone can have the opposite effect.
Birth Control Pills May Cause Hair Thinning
Birth control pills can cause hair thinning. The American Hair Loss Association (ALHA) suggests if you have a family history of hair thinning, to take a low-androgen index pill. If you have a very strong predisposition for genetic hair loss in your family, then you might want to consider other forms of contraceptives. Speak to your doctor about the appropriate dosage or contraceptive.
More: 3 Secrets to Healthy Hair
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