No magic product will give you rapid, instant hair growth. You can, however, improve the growth rate and overall health of your hair through proper nutrition. Dry, brittle or thinning hair often indicates nutrient deficiencies, as hair reflects your body's overall health. Improving nutrition will help maximize your hair growth potential.
Step 1
Consume enough protein. Your hair growth cycle may go into a resting phase without it. Eat eggs, which are the richest food source of L-cysteine. L-cysteine is a sulfur-bearing amino acid in protein that is particularly important for hair health. Eggs also have essential minerals such as manganese and the B vitamin biotin, which helps maintain hair health.
Step 2
Swap high-sugar carbohydrates for nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. High-sugar foods stress the body and can lead to dry hair when eaten in lieu of nutritious foods. Get your vitamin A, found in orange and yellow vegetables, to promote healthy sebaceous glands in the scalp. Take in vitamin C to protect hair from breaking. Vitamin C is found in tomatoes, strawberries, citrus fruits and dark green veggies. Add vitamin E, found in green leafy vegetables, to improve hair quality, and silica, found in alfalfa, beets and green leafy vegetables, to improve hair strength.
Step 3
Make your grains whole. Whole grains contain biotin, which is involved in keratin production. Keratin is a protein that hair is made of. Also favor whole grains for their inositol, which protects hair follicles; vitamin B5, which aids in regulating hormones related to hair growth; and vitamin B6, which also interacts with hormones important to hair growth.
Step 4
Ensure you get enough essential fatty acids, which are vital for hair health. In fact, they often are added to haircare products. Especially consume those in the omega-3 group found in fish and flaxseed oils.
Step 5
Add zinc to your diet to ensure hair health. Eat beef and pork, as well as chicken, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, oysters, clams, herring, liver, bran, wheat germ, whole oatmeal and blackstrap molasses.
Step 6
Cut back on or quit unhealthy habits, including smoking, drinking caffeine and carbonated beverages, eating trans fats and saturated fats and consuming alcohol. These weaken the body, hampering your potential for maximum hair growth.
Step 7
Get tested for iron deficiency. An iron deficiency can hamper the ability to grow hair. Iron can be found in meat, leafy greens, eggs, beets, dried beans, kelp, enriched cereals, sesame seeds, pumpkin and blackstrap molasses.
Tips and Warnings
- Maintain the hair you already have. Quit using hot water to wash hair, and cut back on heated styling tools such as curling irons and hair dryers that stress hair. Trim your hair regularly to get rid of split ends. Make sure you don't have too much copper in the body, which can bring on hair loss. You can do this with your doctor via a blood test.
Things You'll Need
- Protein
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains
- Essential fatty acids
References
- "Super Nutrition for Women," Ann Louise Gittleman, 2004
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Zinc
- Hairboutique.com: Hair Growing Tips
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