Like I mentioned before in my article about the structure of human hair that that the only living art of the hair are its roots and once out of the scalp, hair is but dead tissue made of keratin mainly.
I had also mentioned that our hair is most affected by the changes in our health, this is due to the fact that our hair are fed and sustained by our bloodstream, so if our body lacks any nutrients, minerals etc internally it shows out in the for of dry, dull, brittle and lifeless hair.
Most people also experience hairfall.
The Three Stages In The Growth Cycle Of Human Hair
Hair has three stages of hair growth, namely:
- The Anagen Phase
- The Catagen or Transitional Phase
- The Telogen or Resting Phase
The Anagen Phase: During this phase hair actively grows and this phase lasts up to 2-4 years.
The Catagen Phase: During this phase hair stops growing but cellular activity still remains in the dermal papilla (roots). This phase usually lasts for about 15-20 days.
The Telogen Phase: There is no activity in hair growth or the roots, eventually the old growth is pushed out and all activity begins again. This phase sully lasts for about 90-120 days.
At any given time, about, 93% of hair on scalp are in Anagen phase, 1% in catagen phase and about 6% in the telegen phase.
On an average, in person’s lifetime this cycle is repeated around 24-25 times.
The Role and Importance Of Diet In Promoting Healthy Hair
Other than that, exercise is also very important as it ensure proper blood circulation and transport of nutrients to the hair root via our bloodstream.
Even a very minor case of irresponsibility and our hair will lack lusture and look lifeless, dull and brittle.
Proteins: Eating enough food packed in proteins is essential for good hair. Foods like eggs, nuts, seeds, pulses, fish, seaweed, almonds, brazil nuts, yoghurt and cottage cheese will help you get that natural shine and strength in your hair.
Wholegrain’s and Natural Oils: Whole grain foods and those with natural oils are highly recommended for the formation of Keratin, the major component of hair.
Vitamins and Minerals: It is recommended that you eat atlas 3 pieces of fruit a day, this is very essential to get your daily needs met when it comes to vitamins and minerals. Seeds are rich sources of vitamins as well as proteins.
What to avoid?
➤ Red meat and all kinds of saturated fats.
☛ Replace with chicken, great source of protein and fish.
➤ Dairy products
☛ Replace with skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, soy milk, almond milk etc.
➤ Avoid animal fats
☛ Replace with vegetable oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil etc.
➤ Avoid coffee and tea
☛ Replace with herbal teas (green tea, chamomile tea etc), water, and unsweetened fruit juice.
Limit your intake of alcohol as it has adverse affects on your health and the health of your hair. For women, sometimes being on contraceptive pills deplete nutrients like b-complex, zinc and vitamins, so always check in with your doctor.
I hope you liked this article and it was of use to you, let me know what you think! Personally while researching on this I got to know so many interesting facts!
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