Melanin, the chemical in our body that influences skin color, also determines hair color, according to KidsHealth.org. As we grow older, the amount of melanin in our hair starts to decreases, causing gray hair. To key to keeping hair from going gray involves maintaining or increasing that level of melanin. Make healthy choices in your diet and health care to increase your melanin level and maintain naturally colored hair.
Step 1
Stop smoking, if you do. Smoking decreases melanin production, according to Scienceline, a project of New York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program.
Step 2
Consult your physician to address underlying health concerns and vitamin deficiencies. Some conditions such as anemia, a vitamin B12 deficiency, and Werner's syndrome, a disease that causes progressive aging, can cause premature gray hair growth.
Step 3
Eat an avocado each day. Avocados, according to Dr. Mehmet Oz, contain copper and melanocytes, both components in melanin.
Step 4
Increase your intake of certain vitamins. The "Daily Mail," a U.K. newspaper, recommends taking 15 mg of zinc with 1 mg of copper each day to prevent gray hair. It also recommends taking a B-complex supplement as the vitamins contained in it are linked to hair color retention.
Things You'll Need
- Avocados
- Vitamins
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