Why the lack of attention to diet?

[ChloeDharma]

One thing i'm curious about......we have so many threads on things to do to our hair and apply to it to encourage good growth and good condition. And we do have alot of threads on supplements.....but it seems very little attention is given to looking into foods to eat for good hair growth.
I've seen a few threads start but very few seem to really get many replies and then just disappear.

I'm wondering if anybody else is interested in looking into the role of diet (i mean other than the general advice of "eat healthily" which is often suggested but mainly ends there) in hair growth.
I personally find it fascinating and do keep meaning to try to construct a bit more of a "hair diet"
Any thoughts?

[Periwinkle]

I concentrate in including protein, but I've always concentrated on that as I'm vegetarian and so it's easy for me to slip and go without as much as I need.

[pariate]

I'd certainly be interested to see/contribute to a thread like this! I would imagine that once people have posted the basics the thread would rely on reminders/troubleshooting to keep going though.

Lots of protein would be key. Eggs and nuts! I love eggs and am currently on the search for the perfect boiling method ;) I'm a relatively recent convert to nuts though. I only started to like them a couple of years ago. Now I love peanuts, cashews and pistachios.

I suppose B vitamins feature somewhere. Wholegrains and... um...

Okay, I'm stumped!

[chotee]

I join in! Like, my 2 month holiday just got over and it was hectic. I just realised that thoughtless eating can do havoc to hair even though my hair was tied up and safe. So, diet plays a major role and i would like to keep reminding myself about it. Its 2 days and i am slowly starting to eat more hair-growth diet like almonds, pumpkin seeds, oats/skim milk, fresh juices like carrot/beet, fruits, salads and most of all fish and yogurt. So i will keep bumping here for more motivation on diet!
chotee

[Haith]

I definately think about my diet, but I think that's only going to help me grow the best hair I can, not change the condition of the length. Once its out of my head, so to speak, its really up to hair-care regime and routine to maintain it.

I eat things with essential fatty acids to grow strong hair, and to help with my extremely dry skin. Things like fish, nuts and olives are staples in my diet. I also eat a lot of friuts and vegetables (organic when I can), and try to limit the amount of toxin-rich foods that I eat, like beef and pork, and certain types of fish (salmon). I grow a lot of my own veggies.

I take the same attitude towards what I put on my hair (and body) for that matter. I'm picky about what I consume, and I'm picky about what I slather on myself. I also think that exercise is important.

But, I'm not perfect, and I do indulge my cravings. Sometimes I cave and get a pizza or some fast-food, or eat too many sweets. Everything in moderation, though. You can eat a burger from time to time and still be a healthy person.

[VanillaTresses]

ChloeDharma, I think the answer is because everything else is more of a "quick fix." But I know that lots of us DO focus on trying to get proper nutrition! Although I also believe that a "healthy hair diet" is mainly linked to just plain ole' healthy nutrition in general. And another thing? I have noticed that my hair seems to grow slightly faster when I am exercising regularly. :)

[darl_in1]

You know what? That's so true....we don't have much focus on diet regarding hair growth etc. and I'm sure it is the one single, most fundamental aspect!

Great thread!

[lora410]

Besides my vitamins I drink mainly water and I make sure I eat moderately healthy. Usually in the morning I will have a banana or other piece fo fruit with some yougert etc. and I try to eat this good the rest of the day as well.

[MeMyselfandI]

I would love to see more about diet and hair. I am the first to admit I have a terrible diet.

I would love to know that when I do eat something it well help my hair. I am clueless where to even begin. I still need to remember to take a multivitamin.

Is there any food that deters hair growth?

I do drink lots of water. Sometimes though, I put in the iced tea packets.

[Eryka]

When I ate more carbohydrates my skin/scalp was a lot oilier. Now that I've gone carb free, oil is been something I seriously need. I've always been a heavy water drinker (3 liters a day generally plus tea and juice). Shine is something I've never had a problem with, but moisture is.

[Tap Dancer]

My diet doesn't seem to affect my hair. Thank goodness for that! :lol: I eat slightly better than I used to but not much. :rolleyes:

[ChloeDharma]

Ok, so this is cool....there IS interest :D

I'm thinking maybe i could start a thread specifically with recommendations and maybe just add to the first post to save people reading what could end up pages of thoughts and links?

Some additions that spring to mind as being quite specifically good for hair growth are seaweed (rich in minerals) and Jojo started a thread on Kelp as a supplement and seems to be having success with that.
The other one is a combination of chilli and soya, for the capsaicin and isoflavones...this study found the combination increased hair growth

http://news.hairlosshelp.com/hair-loss-studies/capsaicin-an-ingredient-in-cayenne-pepper-stimulates-hairgrowth/

I should clarify that i don't mean diet will fix hair that's already left the scalp, but i mean things to help ensure maximum growth, prevent (or help to) hairloss and make sure the hair that grows is the best it can be so that the other hair care techniques and products/treatments can then help maintain it. Although, in bartrams encyclopedia of herbal medicine it's said that essential fatty acids added to the diet (referring specifically to evening primrose oil) help to improve the quality of sebum produced which i'd think might have a beneficial effect on existing hair.

[WavyGirl]

I feel that if you have a balanced diet there probably is no one particular food that will have an affect on the condition of the hair. Certain foods have different nutrients that we need for healthy growth but as long as you're getting the right nutrients somewhere eating loads more of that food probably won't do much. That's why a lot of us take some form of supplement just in case and advise a balanced diet.

I think a thread that lists the properties for specific foods in one place would be very helpful for everyone who is worried about missing certain nutrients in their diet.

[sexyjacksparrow]

I would be certainly interested in people's thoughts. My diet is nutritionally apalling right now* so the fact that a good diet might help hair growth would be another thing to nudge me in the right direction (as well as weight loss and general health which I need to sort out!).

*unless anyone has evidence that jam doughnuts are good for hair growth?

[yogachic]

I eat too many carbs, but do not have oily hair. I guess it depends on the person. I drink water alot during the day, but i also have coffee and soda, and sugary drinks. I don't have the best diet, but not the worst either.

[jojo]

I try to eat lots of protein chicken and fish being my main source. I also go through a whole jar of marmite a week which I love, this is full of vit B.

[Eryka]

Someone mentioned spicy food, namely chilis/capsaican being helpful. I've always had a love affair with spicy food. Maybe that attributes to the shine.

[burns_erin]

i think part of the problem will also be that there is a lack of good research on what actually constitutes a "good" "healthy" diet. I mean, there is not even any consenesus on the best way to lose weight or even how many calories a day a person need, and the US "food pyramid" is a joke.

[Eryka]

Had to look up what Marmite is. Fascinating that it is illegal to manufacture or sell in the US. Why such the fuss?

[MsBubbles]

I also go through a whole jar of marmite a week which I love, this is full of vit B.

Hah! I knew there was a reason I crave that stuff. I just came back from the UK with a stash of it :). I just haven't yet figured out how to eat it minus the slatherings of butter on continuous rounds of toast :p

Interesting thread, though. Very complex subject and we're all different. Personally, I'd rather tweak nutrient intake through diet, mostly because the whole vitamin/supplement thing confuses the heck out of me. My hair thinned drastically in the past due to lack of B vits, grains and carbs, not lack of protein.

[MsBubbles]

Had to look up what Marmite is. Fascinating that it is illegal to manufacture or sell in the US. Why such the fuss?

Oh! That's interesting. I have seen it for sale here in the US at Publix and Ingles, stacked on the shelves with the sardines for some reason. It's ridiculously expensive. I never heard that it was illegal, I just thought it was an acquired taste and therefore never caught on :).

[Stagecoach]

This interests me incredibly. Especially considering the fact that even what it consisdered a 'healthy' diet, is really very unhealthy.

I've been studying a lot about Raw Milk recently since farmers in my area have been put in jail for selling it. And I"m now seriously wondering how it effects hair growth. I have a feeling cutting out all processed forms of dairy would greatly improve my hair-- inconjunction with a healthy diet in other areas.

[stinamoo]

**deleted**

[Brightstar7801]

Well I have been on a whole foods diet for the past few months, and I must say that my hair has been happy for it. I try to eat 90% of my food organic. I eat organic vegetables (5-6 servings) I might have a serving of fruit. I'm not the biggest fruit eater I like vegetables better.

I eat carbs, like brown rice, wheat bread (with no High Fructose Corn Syrup), beans, lentils.

And I eat protein. I like chicken, and lean cuts of beef such as filet, I eat salmon, talapia, tuna.

I also try to drink 10 glasses of water a day.

All this along with vitamins. I seem to have pretty good growing going on about a good inch a month.

Sometimes its hard because I do miss things like fast food and soda, but I feel a lot better because of my diet.

[Delila]

The only thing nutrition-wise that I do for my hair is to try to get sufficient protein. For me, that really means focusing on getting a balanced diet, since I only goof up my protein intake if I get too casual about food in general.

Lately I've been keeping a food diary ( www.myfitnesspal.com ) and have actually been able to lose weight without feeling as though I were starving. :cheese: For me, that means paying attention to what I eat and how much, so that I don't wind up eating whatever comes along instead of a balanced diet with reasonable amounts of protein, fiber, fat and carbohydrates.

[Chromis]

I eat what I consider a healthy diet, but it does not follow what we are taught to be healthy in the slightest! I di find my hair has been growing in stronger and thicker after cleaning up my eating habits, but I eat to be healthy, not so much just for the sake of my hair. My eating style is somewhere between what is suggested by Micheal Pollan and Weston A Price. I buy only foods that have ingredients that *someone's* great-great-great-great grandparent would recognize as food. This precludes Canola by the way and also soybean oil. It is not traditional to eat soy in most of the forms people commonly do these days. I drink whole fat dairy products and have about a dozen different forms of dairy in my fridge at a give time at least. I eat veggies in season and fatty cuts of meat (which also have an advantage of being cheap!) and have been looking for local nuts. I use no hydrogenated anything or transfat anything. I use butter, lard, olive oil, and peanut oil instead. I've been looking into sunflower oil and also have coconut oil though I tend to use that more on my hair than remembering to bring it into the kitchen to cook with.

My diet is much different than the recommended low fat, low sodium (I have very low blood pressure and am actually encouraged to eat more salt!), low calorie diet yet I lost a lot of weight when I started eating this way and gained a lot of energy. The trick to me is portion control. Luckily, rich foods are more filling than air-puffed convenience foods!

[jel]

Why? Because it's much easier to pop a pill than keep to a healthy diet! ;)

I usually respond in diet threads, due to my own experience. Years ago, when I was a 'shorthair', I noticed that my hair grew very quickly and improved in thickness and shine while I was on the Atkins diet. I was doing it properly, with plenty of fresh vegetables and some fruit, plus a multivit/mineral supplement. But the greatest change for me was the plentiful supply of protein and healthy fats: chicken, fish, red meat, eggs, raw (unsalted) nuts and seeds, butter, EVOO and coconut oil.

I am again eating healthily, not exactly Atkins but still lower in carbs (I also eliminated wheat and minimised dairy), mostly to improve my general health. My hair is thriving!

However, please note that I'm not advocating low carb diets for everyone - the key is, in my opinion, getting enough protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. I personally have to keep my carbs low because I have problems with insulin (PCOS and insulin resistance) and type 2 diabetes runs in my family.

[Darkhorse1]

Chloe! I love you!! :)

I was just going to start a thread like this! A healthy diet is the first and foremost important part of healthy, shiney hair. :)

[Darkhorse1]

stagecoach--I'd be interested in see what other information you've gotten about a healthy diet. If we look back at women in the 1800s, where there is no processed foods, their hair is amazing! Of course, they had less harsh chemicals/treatment to their hair and their average life span was fifty. Still, foods grown by us, that aren't processed, are the best/ideal ones to eat.

I'm trying to cut down on my processed foods, but when you are always on the go, it's not easy. At lactose intolerance to that, and it makes life...well...challenging ;)

[Merkaba]

I do pay attention to it, but probably not to the extent that I should.

I eat loads of protein but also drink coffee and hardly any water. I do take a daily multivitamin, and am starting a Vitamin C and Silica regiment after the 15th.

[nicolezoie]

I noticed that when I was on my version of vegetarianism (which I was NOT doing properly) that my hair became thinner and more brittle and prone to breakage. I had just eliminated all meat, but did not do the research to find out where to get proper protiens or supplimenting amino acids. All I was doing was eating alot of beans and rice. NOT healthy. :p

When I started incorporating meat back into my diet, especially red meat, I noticed a major change in the quality of my hair. Thicker, shinier, stronger, etc. It makes sense too - hair = protein, therefore hair NEEDS protein. So, to keep things stupidsimple, I just make sure that I get enough protein in my diet, and my hair remains happy.

[Monsterkitti]

Great idea for a thread :)

I think I eat in a reasonably healthy way. I started mainly to try and clear up my skin so I drink lots of water and plenty of fruit and veg as well as nuts and seeds.

I dont really eat a huge amount of meat or fish, think I might try to up my protien intake a bit..

[sipnsun]

I read in a book that hair absolutely needs protein and omega 9 to get maximum hair growth. It also said to drink lots of water. Wish I could remember the title, I was browsing in Barnes and Noble and picked it up because it was written by a cosmetic scientist. I take a supplement for omega 9, but I try to eat lots of nuts and green leafy veggies too. Great thread, I've always tried to eat well, not because of my hair specifically, but because my mom has so many medical conditions (kidney stones, high blood pressure, reflux to name a few) do to being overweight and poor diet.

[happymommy]

having done some serious weightlifting in the past (very very distant past, lol) I discovered lack of essential fatty acids, not just Omega 3, but Omega 3,6, and 9 ratios can lead to severe hair loss. The grain-fed red meat rich typical american diet is severly lacking in the proper Omega ratios. Grass-fed beef, such as Laura's lean beef, has an almost perfect Omega ratio. Cold water fish are also an excellent source of proper ratio-ed Omegas.

It makes sense as a wacked-out Omega ratio/deficiency can effect thyroid function, fat metabolism, energy level, mental health, etc.

On a side note, while Flax seed can be and is used as a source of Omegas, some people absolutely should not take it. Pregnant women should avoid Flax seed as it is an estrogen suppressor and can have adverse hormonal effects. Personally, while taking Flax seed oil I suffered from severe hair loss due to the estrogen supression. I now avoid it in all forms like the plague.

[burns_erin]

having done some serious weightlifting in the past (very very distant past, lol) I discovered lack of essential fatty acids, not just Omega 3, but Omega 3,6, and 9 ratios can lead to severe hair loss. The grain-fed red meat rich typical american diet is severly lacking in the proper Omega ratios. Grass-fed beef, such as Laura's lean beef, has an almost perfect Omega ratio. Cold water fish are also an excellent source of proper ratio-ed Omegas.

It makes sense as a wacked-out Omega ratio/deficiency can effect thyroid function, fat metabolism, energy level, mental health, etc.

On a side note, while Flax seed can be and is used as a source of Omegas, some people absolutely should not take it. Pregnant women should avoid Flax seed as it is an estrogen suppressor and can have adverse hormonal effects. Personally, while taking Flax seed oil I suffered from severe hair loss due to the estrogen supression. I now avoid it in all forms like the plague.

Additionally-there are food products that try to optimize Omegas-they are called "Smart Balance". You can also get more/better omegas from certain eggs if you look at the grocery.

[spidermom]

It seems that all I do is pay attention to my diet.

[Manako]

My diet is pretty healthy, I try to keep it balanced because I can never remember to take my vitamins. They are expired now >.>; so I don't know if they are good to use anymore.

I avoid sugars and overly processed foods, but don't really put much focus on anything else. I eat lots of veggies and have lots of varied protein sources. I'm cheap so I typically refuse to buy meat that is more than $2 a lb, being a bit more lenient on fish. As a result I have been eating a lot more vegetable based proteins, (chick peas, beans, tofu, nuts etc.) Also for some reason ground beef is more expensive than other cuts of meat, so I don't really eat that anymore.

What is strange that after eating like this for so long I don't have any desire to eat lots of sweets and the other things I used to crave. My hair is shinier, but that might also be because I am taking better care of it.

[detritus]

Hmm. I recently subscribed to a CSA box --- local, organic, in-season produce every week. I notice that I have a lot more energy and have been losing a little weight since then. It also forces me to be a little more creative with my cooking and get out of the frozen pizza/side salad rut I was in. However, I also stopped eating meat (with the exception of fish) and my hair growth seems to have slowed down since then. I stopped measuring my growth, so I don't know for sure. But last year it was growing an inch a month over the summer and my growth this summer has almost certainly fallen short of that. I try to make sure I get enough protein from fish, tofu, beans, cheese, etc but I wonder if I should up my protein intake a little.

[Just_Isabel]

I feel that if you have a balanced diet there probably is no one particular food that will have an affect on the condition of the hair. Certain foods have different nutrients that we need for healthy growth but as long as you're getting the right nutrients somewhere eating loads more of that food probably won't do much. That's why a lot of us take some form of supplement just in case and advise a balanced diet.

I think a thread that lists the properties for specific foods in one place would be very helpful for everyone who is worried about missing certain nutrients in their diet.

ITA. I love reading about nutrition, I feel that it's an important topic so I try to inform myself - but it is hard, since everyone seems to have a different opinion about what a "healthy diet" is supposed to be.

Anyway, what WavyGirl said is also very true and vitamins: they can do wonders if you take bigger doses of them if you are deficient. If you do not have a deficiency, taking more of them will probably not make much difference, if any.


I try to make sure I get enough protein from fish, tofu, beans, cheese, etc but I wonder if I should up my protein intake a little.

You may be getting enough protein, but not enough iron.
I used to not eat meat, but I still ate fish. I do not want to say that I ate like you do now, because I wasn't as careful as I should have been, but after 4 years (or was it 5? or 6? :lol: doesn't really matter) I ended up with pitifully little ferritin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferritin). I started eating meat again and after a year my levels were better, but still very low. So I'd definitely pay close attention to iron intake if you're not eating meat (and especially red meats). :flower:

[chrissy-b]

Good thread! I'm horrible at taking my vitamins on a regular basis, so I try to eat very healthy. I think most people struggle with eating a balanced diet, and supplements are a great way to fill in the gaps of a less than perfect diet.

I eat foods depending on the time of the year (what's in season), depending on the different imbalances I find in my health, and depending on what my body craves (at a certain time of the month I get an aching for red meat - and I give it to myself, but for the most part I eat a mainly veggie diet). My dietary bible is Paul Pitchford's Healing with Whole Foods, I recommend it for anyone looking to better their diet. It's amazing.

Here are some links I've found, in no particular order, that have some info on hair health and diet. Mods: please delete if any of these links are inappropriate.

The first is an article on hairloss, but many of the things discussed are pertinent to growing healthy hair...
http://www.naturalnews.com/z012893.html

http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip1003.htm

http://www.webmd.com/skin-beauty/features/top-10-foods-for-healthy-hair?ecd=wnl_day_032108

http://organicpassion.info/chinese-herbal-soup-for-healthy-hair/

[nevercuttingit]

The dominoes look great. Recipe please?

[ruby_tuesday]

For me the diet is the most important way to take care of hair, skin and health in general. Since I decided to switch to vegan diet, I noticed fantastic change in my skin, health- and even hair seems to grow faster and definitely looks shinier. What I put in hair or on top of my skin can only do so much, but a healthy diet is a *crucial* factor. I learned all this from experience after trying tons of products and different diets. Nowadays I eat lots of different vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, veg fats etc... lots of veggie soups, salads, roasted vegs and potato, pies, wholegrain pasta, rice, bread, pizza... yum. I love experimenting in the kitchen and discovering new recipes. Always keeping my diet varied, colorful and enjoyable. So yes, I'm totally aware of the connection between my diet, hair and wellbeing! :yumm:

Edit: Here' s Vegan Food Pyramid for anyone interested: http://www.veganfoodpyramid.com/vegan-pyramid-1024x768.jpg

[Darkhorse1]

Also, being healthy (exercise--my hair was it's healthiest when I was my healthiest), which includes getting enough sleep, not smoking or drinking to an excess. Hydration is SOOO important. DRink your water and milk. :) (not together though ;) )

[feralnature]

I eat the hunter-gatherer way. During the paleolithic period, cavemen and women ate just things they could hunt and gather. So meat, eggs, fruit, veggies and nuts....no flour, grains, sugar.

http://www.earth360.com/diet_paleodiet_balzer.html

There are tons of sites.

I do real well on it and feel sooo much better!

[Paniscus]

I skimmed through the responses, but didn't see this thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=7817&highlight=healthy+diet+hair) linked yet.

I recall on the old LHC a few threads that talked about certain foods that were supposed to boost hair growth or promote strength etc. For some odd reason, I can't get onto the archived forum though.

I agree, we are what we eat; both inside and out. Unfortunately, stress causes me to eat things that aren't good for me. I've had a lot of stress lately :( I feel MUCH better when I eat healthy.

[Euphony]

I love eggs and am currently on the search for the perfect boiling method ;)
MMMMMMMMMMMMM I love boiled eggs! I boil the water, put a tad bit of salt in the water, after the water is boiling to a good roll, I take a big spoon or ladle and take an egg and lightly rest it on the bottom of the pan. For hard boiling (my favorite) I set the timer for 10 minutes. Once the ten minutes is up I put the pan under a stream of cold water, or drop several ice cubes in the pan, leave the pan til the egg is cold. Or I get bored and put it in the fridge or if I'm hungry then I just eat it ;)

Boiling the egg in that way makes the shell come off in one or two pieces and doesn't biff up the egg, the egg really slides right out of the shell.

I have a tough time getting enough protein in my diet, I love my vegies so I eat a lot of those, but protein is a tough one. I love fish, chicken, turkey, buffalo but I guess I'm just not much of a meat eater so it's a bit tougher getting enough protein. Oh yes and I love my eggs. Recently I've been drinking a whey supplement and I'm trying out hemp hearts (40 grams of protein per serving!!).

[Nienor]

I do take a daily multivitamin, and am starting a Vitamin C and Silica regiment after the 15th.

*giggles* Can I join up?

[Cinnamon.locks]

Hi, not the best dieter here, but i am very interested to learn how to eat helahtier. done way too many diets in my life and ended up sick. but i do wonder if i have to eat certain foods that i am allergic to forcefully or can those foods be changed by others that do similar good things? the last time i tried eating healthy my doctor ordered me to eat foods i am allergic to and when i told her i was allergic she simply said eat those foods or stop coming. I stopped going. so can certain foods like Spinach, Liver, Okra, Squash and others be substituted by other foods that have similar good effects?

I eat alot fish, chicken, red meats, pastas and rice, few veggies and fruits, eggs, cheese, cold meats, sunflower seeds, nuts, but i do take vitamins for body and hair.

I am glad this thread was posted and hope to read and learn alot here.

[Buddaphlyy]

I think the reason why I haven't personally been involved or brought up topics about diet is because I guess I assumed that everyone knew and followed a good "hair growing" diet to begin with. I don't take supplements and only occasionally dabble in growth aides, most;y because I already have a good diet. I eat lots of salads, fruits and veggies, chicken (good source of protein) and just all around healthy things. My only vice would probably be soda. I love me some Dr. Pepper. I am starting to make a switch to tea though.

[Euphony]

Ahhhhhhhhh Dr. Pepper, I love Dr. Pepper! I have it for a treat now, one glass once a week and I'm good! I used to drink nearly a 2 litre bottle of it every day (no wonder I weighed so much then!).

[RavennaNight]

I take multivitamin & hair vitamin, ad I exercise 2-4 times a week. I try to have a healthy, varied diet that includes proteins, like nuts, red meat, and some egg. Im also quite busy so its hard to keep it up. I love fruits like peaches and berries and LoVE mangoes. But I also have some fruit allergies:(. I'm pretty bad at veggies, don't get me wrong I like them. Broccoli is especially yummy, but I'm not so swift at preparing veggies :p. I'd say I'm inconsitent, and am prone to the at-work takeout diet consisting of Chinese or Italian. (It probably doesn't count but I try to order Chinese that is veggies rich when I do) I'd love to improve my diet, and maybe this thread will give me some help so I'll be watching this thread. Its a great idea and makes sense. The quality you put in (your body) will effect they quality (hair) that is produced.

[Dianyla]

I've always felt pretty good when I follow something like a paleolithic diet. I understand others may have ethical reasons for not wanting to eat animals, but I personally believe that it is what the human species has evolved to eat.

I eat lots of good quality animal flesh (pastured/grass-fed domestic, wild fish, and wild game) and I eat many different parts of the animal such as liver, kidneys, tongue, and other offal dishes that are rich in vitamins and minerals. With sushi anything goes, I love all sorts of sea creatures and sea vegetables. Organically grown vegetables and fruits, obtained locally from my farmer's market or co-op store whenever possible. Good sources of fat like nuts, olives, and avocados.

I try to minimize my consumption of dairy, grains, legumes (including soy), refined sugars, and processed foods. Not to mention any food that contains weird chemicals or hormones. Food colorings give me hives, as do several other preservatives.

[ChloeDharma]

I'm so glad that so many of you are interested in this....

I agree it can be difficult when thinking about these things because there's so much information out there conflicting other information. Personally i've never been much of a fan of things like "diets" if it's super restricted to loose weight fast etc.....
I do try to get enough protein....luckily for me the amount i'm meant to have for my weight is something like 45 grams and i try not to go too far over that because i don't want to stress my already vulnerable kidneys.
I do see food as medicine, that's quite how i was brought up......so although a hair diet is something i think is important.....i'm always on the lookout for things to help with diabetic issues, chilli for circulation etc....which tend to seem to also benefit hair when i look into it which is very usefull ;)
Unfortunately since my move, maintaining a healthy diet has been much harder and i really don't put the effort into cooking that i was at one point.....i guess that's part of my motivation for starting this thread to regain the focus and motivation.
Thankyou everybody who has contributed :)

[Diamondbell]

Thanks ChloeDharma for starting this thread ! Fascinating! :)

[skay]

Good diet --> better nourishment for hair.

Along those lines, I sometimes keep an eye out on how diet may affect dandruff. I haven't yet got any answers. I don't have a lot but it sometimes comes and goes. Even that being the case, diet may affect dandruff, but then I'm sure there are times dandruff is probably caused by other factors.

My sister once said she got dandruff after drinking wine.

[ChloeDharma]

Good diet --> better nourishment for hair.

Along those lines, I sometimes keep an eye out on how diet may affect dandruff. I haven't yet got any answers. I don't have a lot but it sometimes comes and goes. Even that being the case, diet may affect dandruff, but then I'm sure there are times dandruff is probably caused by other factors.

My sister once said she got dandruff after drinking wine.

Do you know what you have is dandruff? Or are you using it to mean scalp flakes generally? Lots of different things can cause scalp flakes....dandruff being one of them. It's a kind of fungal infection. Some people recommend eating things like yogurt if you are prone to fungal infections. If it's flakes from dry skin then maybe increasing the EFA's in your diet could help?

Diamondbell....you are more than welcome hun xx

[Darkhorse1]

Dianlya---I'm so tired, I read your first sentence as 'pathological diet'. HAHAHAH. Really, I need to go to bed ;)

[Chromis]

Dianlya---I'm so tired, I read your first sentence as 'pathological diet'. HAHAHAH. Really, I need to go to bed ;)

Well the first three letters of the word diet are "d-i-e"!

[MoonCreature]

I think food is one of the most important things when it comes to overall health and the health of the hair. As a bad comparison: you can build a house with cheap materials and cut corners here and there then to just spackle a nice smooth finish on the outside and paint it, but it will never be the same quality as a house built from good materials and with care.

I've been brought up to eat food made from good fresh ingredients and things like microwave-meals, fatty takeout etc have never appealed to me. I can't enjoy a microwave-meal, it doesn't simply taste right (the ingredients aren't fresh and there's additives in it..).

What I eat:

At least once a week
-avocado, olives
-more exotic fruit like mango or fresh pinapple
-berries

2-3 times a week
-fish
-chicken
-nuts
-dark green veggies like broccoli, spinach, nettle and cabbage
-eggs

Daily
-2-3 fruits (orange, apple, grapes, banana)
-good quality protein (beef, chicken, eggs, fish, different beans)
-a variaty of veggies, preferably of many different colors too (tomato, cucumber, lettuce, carrots, sweet peppers)
-dairy, though thinking of cutting this out and eating more calcium-rich veggies

I've been eating way too much simple carbs, but I'm determined to change this and I really don't think I'll miss the carbs either. I use a non-purified sea salt when adding salt to cooking, that is salt that has got other minerals left and isn't only NaCl. When using sugar I avoid the pure white kind.

I should also drink less coffee and more water. I'm terrible at this. :rolleyes:

[LilyMunster]

proteins-soy smoothie every morning
fish
poultry
beef
pork
a serving of each of those meats once per week.
fruits and veges-
love all of them and eat them more than anything
carbs-
rice
beans
pasta
bread
baked goods
I do like dairy and eggs.
I drinks lots of water each day. So far so good.
I need to watch my fruits and veges intake with winter approaching. It's so easy in the summer season.

[jojo]

Hah! I knew there was a reason I crave that stuff. I just came back from the UK with a stash of it :). I just haven't yet figured out how to eat it minus the slatherings of butter on continuous rounds of toast :p

Interesting thread, though. Very complex subject and we're all different. Personally, I'd rather tweak nutrient intake through diet, mostly because the whole vitamin/supplement thing confuses the heck out of me. My hair thinned drastically in the past due to lack of B vits, grains and carbs, not lack of protein.

cheese and marmite is lovely or just on its own with loads of butter and toast.

Why is it banned from the US I wonder? I live off the stuff, nice in hot water as a drink too!!!

[ChloeDharma]

cheese and marmite is lovely or just on its own with loads of butter and toast.

Why is it banned from the US I wonder? I live off the stuff, nice in hot water as a drink too!!!

Ok, i adore marmite....but that's just a step too far! :p Actually it's really nice on wholemeal toast with crunchy peanut butter (lots of hair friendly b-vits ;)).
I do find it very odd that it's illegal in america given it's quite nutrient dense when there are chemical laden foods with no nutritional value that are available though.

[Diamondbell]

I love marmite too! :)

[Isilme]

Hi, not the best dieter here, but i am very interested to learn how to eat helahtier. done way too many diets in my life and ended up sick. but i do wonder if i have to eat certain foods that i am allergic to forcefully or can those foods be changed by others that do similar good things? the last time i tried eating healthy my doctor ordered me to eat foods i am allergic to and when i told her i was allergic she simply said eat those foods or stop coming. I stopped going. so can certain foods like Spinach, Liver, Okra, Squash and others be substituted by other foods that have similar good effects?

I eat alot fish, chicken, red meats, pastas and rice, few veggies and fruits, eggs, cheese, cold meats, sunflower seeds, nuts, but i do take vitamins for body and hair.

I am glad this thread was posted and hope to read and learn alot here.


I don't know what you can substitute those foods with, but I wonder what kind of doctor you went to...not a good one at least. Recommend a person to eat things she's allergic too????? I would call that dangerous. Like telling a friend of mine who's allergic to nuts to eat a handful of them...yeah, he'll be rushed to the hospital in ten seconds after that.

[sexyjacksparrow]

Yikes. I didn't realise Marmite was banned/restricted in the US. Mind you it is pretty evil stuff. Bleugh (I'd insert the puking smilie but it creeps me out).

[Chromis]

Vegemite is the one I'd heard ban rumours of: http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/Vegemite.asp because of restrictions on what products folic acid can be added to (breads and cereals). I've seen both Marmite and Vegemite for sale in the US and Canada though I've not been brave enough to try either.

[Alethia]

I've tried vitamin supplements but I find they do very little other than make my pee bright yellow (B-complex). I eat lots of different things during the week including fish and stuff.

One thing I've started doing is starting the day with a smoothie - this contains any combination of the followng - fruit, green leaves, sometimes vegetables like carrots or beetroot, mint, parsley, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sometimes a drizzle of hemp seed oil which has the perfect balance of omega oils. I don't feel any different, but I enjoy the smoothies (VitaMix rocks!!!) and they certainly can't be doing me any harm. It's also a great way of getting the ultimate goodness from the greens and veggies we grow in our garden as they go straight from being pulled and washed into the smoothie and then into me - they must be bursting with anti-oxidants!

[bgarrison]

As much as I hate to say it, I think animal based protein is the key to thick, fast growing hair. That's (sad to say) been my experience at least.

[heidi w.]

George Michaels Hair Secrets book has a whole chapter on Diet. This chapter is early in the book for a reason. He breaks down the food groups and even includes a few recipes. I will reprint them next week in this thread.

If you read Naturally Healthy Hair by Mary Beth Janssen, there's something about diet in there. If memory serves, I think she talks a bit about some of the food groups and their contribution to hair.

I have to put this in to explain just in case the critiques ensue....
Many who may be familiar with GM may know something about his personality and have their opinions which his book does reveal; however, I try to weed out these things and go for the main point of how to care for hair. Almost all the things we talk about here on LHC are mentioned in his book with some bit of explanation, usually. Not overly in all instances, but enough. (If I had to edit the book today, I would re-organize some sections.)

I will say that I only had an overwhelmingly positive experience at the 2 GM salons I've been to: Ohio's Enchantress, and New York salon, Madora (the original salon), meeting Maria herself. Lovely, lovely woman!! Very kind and gracious.

heidi w.

[Manako]

The problem I have is that there is no way I could eat enough fruits to add up to the recommended daily value in a day, without tripling what I eat.

A typical day for me:

Breakfast:
Coffee with milk instead of cream
flaxseed oil supplement
one of the following:
piece of Fruit, egg with toast, yogurt, or healthy cereal with milk

Lunch Either:
Sandwich (lean meat, whole wheat or rye bread, cheese, mustard)
OR
leftovers from the night before.

Snack(around 3pm)
either yogurt or fruit, whatever I didn't have for breakfast

Dinner:
variety of things, normally includes a healthy mixed veggie salad, some kind of carb(brown rice, bulgur, noodles), some protein, I would consider half a chicken breast a serving of meat and vegetables (greenbeans, onions, peppers, cauliflower, carrots etc)

Snack(around 8)
halva, homemade popcorn, trail mix.

During the day I drink jasmine green tea, or water. At home I drink Cranberry Juice, water, or assorted teas in the cooler months. I really don't see where I can add more fruit, and despite the number of veggies I don't think I get the right number of servings either.

[Chromis]

The problem I have is that there is no way I could eat enough fruits to add up to the recommended daily value in a day, without tripling what I eat.

A typical day for me:

Breakfast:
Coffee with milk instead of cream
flaxseed oil supplement
one of the following:
piece of Fruit, egg with toast, yogurt, or healthy cereal with milk

Lunch Either:
Sandwich (lean meat, whole wheat or rye bread, cheese, mustard)
OR
leftovers from the night before.

Snack(around 3pm)
either yogurt or fruit, whatever I didn't have for breakfast

Dinner:
variety of things, normally includes a healthy mixed veggie salad, some kind of carb(brown rice, bulgur, noodles), some protein, I would consider half a chicken breast a serving of meat and vegetables (greenbeans, onions, peppers, cauliflower, carrots etc)

Snack(around 8)
halva, homemade popcorn, trail mix.

During the day I drink jasmine green tea, or water. At home I drink Cranberry Juice, water, or assorted teas in the cooler months. I really don't see where I can add more fruit, and despite the number of veggies I don't think I get the right number of servings either.

Since it doesn't look like you eat much to start with, rather than going by number of servings, perhaps think of it in terms of ratios and proportions. Different people need different amounts of food, no sense in forcing yourself to eat more than your body needs! One thing that strikes me is that it's pretty easy to add small amounts of fruit to your yogurt snack if you were looking to up that a bit. Also you can always try adding a bit of extra fruit to your trail mix, the preblended ones rarely have enough for my tastes! (I love adding dried apricots to mine)

[heidi w.]

Here are some main points in designing any diet for any purpose regarding any health condition or health interest.

The body is an organic system designed to maintain itself -- all those inner organs, muscles, veins, linings, capillaries, arteries and so on all the way down to the cellular level. The veins, arteries and capillaries are the delivery system of nutrients to the body -- one of them anyway. (I'm trying to keep it simple here.) IF one doesn't eat a healthy diet, then the body "lets go" of certain things to maintain the system in an hierarchical order. Hair would be one of the first to go; fingernails, toes, and so on. The hierarchy is from the furthest points away from the heart, and works its way in. Thus hair would be an early target for 'release' (aka shedding) if there's a problem with nutrition!

Another main point, do not eliminate all fat from one's diet. Many nutrients can not be absorbed by the body's tissues and cells without the right type of fat. In the absence of fat of any kind (whether good or bad fat, as the saying goes), these nutrients just pass through without absorption. So you could be eating all these fruits and veggies and no fat, and a % of that nutrition goes to waste -- literally, because with no fat, there's no way to carry or deliver the nutrients. No uptake of nutrients. So don't crash diet! Many who crash diet will notice an increase in hair shedding after a bit (from a few days out to a few weeks out -- and even if one stops it may take a few weeks for the shedding to cease). This is one way you can be eating well but actually be nutritionally deficient (it may be a non-visible form of starvation, in its way -- or as a way to consider this point).

Iron matters. This is one reason why protein is so important. In the typical American diet, many assume the intake of meats -- poultry, red meat, pork..... The meats tend to be pretty high in iron, red meat most particularly. But it's actually not that hard to get iron in a vegetarian diet although you may have to pursue iron separately at times in this type of diet. No matter the source of iron, if one is low in this nutrient, the hair can shed a little more for the duration, or even a lot. It can even be that one is borderline anemic (anemia means blood is low in iron) which can result in a chronic increase of hair shedding. One's annual checkups with the doctor, especially an ob-gyn, should include a blood panel screen. Most protocols check for iron. It is possible to have good iron levels yet dips in it can occur around the menstrual period since the bleeding may produce a lowered level, and leach iron from the bones (marrow). This is why I recommend that if you know your cycle is about to hit, eat a meal 1-2 days in advance of the onset that is high in iron.

DO NOT [very emphatic here!] TAKE IRON PILLS ON A DAILY BASIS UNLESS SPECIFICALLY UNDER A DOCTOR'S ORDERS AND SUPERVISION. THIS IS TOXIC, AND TOO MUCH CAN BE A VERY BAD THING!!! (Too much can also cause constipation.) DO NOT LEAVE ANY IRON PILLS WITHIN REACH OF CHILDREN!!!! NEVER GIVE CHILDREN IRON PILLS WITHOUT SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FROM A QUALIFIED PHYSICIAN AND UNDER REGULAR SUPERVISION BY THAT PHYSICIAN. IT CAN BE VERY TOXIC, VERY FAST! Just improve the diet, is the easiest in most instances!!

HOWEVER, those who forego meat can get plenty of protein through beans and rice (combined this is a complete amino acid; except for a bean such as soybean, rice and beans each are missing an amino acid that the other has).

Speaking of protein: the reason protein matters so much, how ever you get it in, is all those enzymes! Protein eventually leads to talking about amino acids. Lots of foods provide various amino acids. On a daily basis, for our body to function, we need about 24 (I can't remember the count precisely) amino acids. Our body makes all but 8 (or is it 9). Those remaining ones (chart below) are needed nutritionally each day through the food we eat on a daily basis. Without them or a low supply of a few or all, our system becomes slowed down in energy, and other ailments can arise.

Many don't just focus on hair vitamins, advertised as such ,as they rely on very high doses of Vitamin A. This vitamin can store in the fat cells and build up and one can then itch from the inside out. I actually had this happen to me!! (I happen to be a person with a lot of Vitamin A.) Those prone to kidney stones may want to be very careful about taking in Vitamin A, including in food sources. Discuss with your doctor -- there are different types of stones! (I've had these too. Lady Godiva has discussed her issues a few times here on LHC and her knowledge on this topic of Vitamin A and kidney stones, I think it was.)

http://www.inhairit.com/diet-and-hair.html

Table of Amino Acids
http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/food/amino-acids-summary.htm

Nice breakdown of what each Amino Acid does in the body
http://www.naturalhealthtechniques.com/Diet_Nutrition/amino_acid_list1.htm
this site is about detoxing and eating for pH (if you're into that...nevertheless some of the info is useful for other types of diets) they advocate chakra/breathing and juicing and stuff like that
It's a good site to explore for information.....

Human Nutrition - nice table breaking things down
http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/N/Nutrition.html
You can click on an area, such as protein, and read more, such as why vegetarians need to be sure to get the 2 amino acids lysine and tryptophan.
IRON is addressed in this table, as well!!

http://www.hairparlor.com/haircare-articles/nutrients-for-hair-growth.htm
Notice the mention of ZINC, Magnesium and Sulphur!

Hope this is a good starter kit. Lots to know. LOTS to know!! It's not just about intake; it's about understanding how food is digested and broken down and delivered. Beware of fad diets. They usually result in problems, and when you go back to your regular eating, you gain the weight back -- yoyoing can cause problems with metabolism.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

Manako,
An occasional way to eat fruit is to make a smoothie by blending that yogurt or milk, perhaps some honey, and drink it. (Could be an evening's dessert, and if you don't do it daily it's alright. Could be 1-2 a week!)

A lot of people like juicing as a way to get veggies and fruits.

Warning: be careful of adding protein powders. (Milk has protein, by the way, and Vitamin D) Some people will gain a lot of weight pretty fast on these powders.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

When I ate more carbohydrates my skin/scalp was a lot oilier. Now that I've gone carb free, oil is been something I seriously need. I've always been a heavy water drinker (3 liters a day generally plus tea and juice). Shine is something I've never had a problem with, but moisture is.

Moisture on hair length can not be drunk or eaten. Diet affects hair GROWTH -- rate, shedding, replacement, volume to some degree (all people's volume decreases as they age). It doesn't specifically affect moisture. Moisture is applied to hair such as conditioners and oils.

Are you, though, saying you have a dry scalp and lack sebum from the sebacious glands?

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

i think part of the problem will also be that there is a lack of good research on what actually constitutes a "good" "healthy" diet. I mean, there is not even any consenesus on the best way to lose weight or even how many calories a day a person need, and the US "food pyramid" is a joke.

I'm not sure I would agree with the lack of research on the subject. Are you speaking of the old or new US food pyramid?

The general consensus is, for losing weight, I would definitely say is use it or gain it. Eat moderately and output a lot. It's pretty simple, exercise is a must (including from your average daily movements to actual flat out time spent exercisign). In general it is like this: every person, based on body mass and genetics and even whether male or female (I would argue) has a point at which too much gas in the tank makes one bulge. If you use the nutrients, which translates to energy, then you're fine, generally (this precludes things such as thyroid issues or hypothalmus problems, or problems like diabetes or a bazillion other things I could come up with).

So if an athlete, you need different input because of needs.
What Michael Phelps, US Swim Team eats:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/08132008/news/nationalnews/phelps_pig_secret__hes_boy_gorge_124248.htm

He eats 12,000 calories a day, 4,000 at each meal, typically. He's also using a TON OF ENERGY. This is an exagerrated example of eat for your needs. IF he continued to eat this and didn't swim as he does, he would become quite heavy, quite fast!

If pregnant or breastfeeding.....

Think of it like a car: put in what's needed based on how far you'll drive. IF you fill the tank up and keep going, it spills over! Food is energy. Nutrients convert to energy. To walk, to talk, to focus, think, to do your day, to exercise..... (You can learn a bunch of stuff from The Biggest Loser show about metabolism and eating.) I believe that in math the calories are expressed as energy. (something sticks in my craw about this).


THE CURRENT US FOOD PYRAMID -- I think it makes a lot of sense and leaves room for a variety of diet choices, such as vegetarian/vegan.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/Fpyr/pmap.htm

heidi w.

[danacc]

I noticed that when I was on my version of vegetarianism (which I was NOT doing properly) that my hair became thinner and more brittle and prone to breakage. I had just eliminated all meat, but did not do the research to find out where to get proper protiens or supplimenting amino acids. All I was doing was eating alot of beans and rice. NOT healthy. :p

When I started incorporating meat back into my diet, especially red meat, I noticed a major change in the quality of my hair. Thicker, shinier, stronger, etc. It makes sense too - hair = protein, therefore hair NEEDS protein. So, to keep things stupidsimple, I just make sure that I get enough protein in my diet, and my hair remains happy.

Beans and rice provide complementary amino acids (proteins). Some form of complex carb and bean is the mainstay protein of most vegan diets. If you were eating lots of both, there was likely a different deficiency contributing to the decreased quality of your hair during the time you were vegetarian.

While most vegetarians' immediate concern is protein, it is actually difficult to get enough calories without also getting enough protein. Vegetarians need to make sure they get the full range of amino acids needed. This is easily done by incorporating soy, or by incorporating complex carbs and beans during the day (they are commonly paired, but it is not necessary that they both be in the same meal). If you adopt a lacto-vegetarian or lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, then dairy products also contain the full range, as do eggs.

It is much easier to become deficient in iron as a vegetarian. Vegetarians, especially women during their menstruating years, need to understand their individual iron needs based on the way their body responds to a vegetarian diet. (On a vegan diet, the necessary amount of iron intake often drops, but you must be sure you are getting enough.) It can be difficult to obtain enough iron from food sources, particularly if you are still consuming animal protein in the form of dairy or egg products. If your iron level is low, your doctor can help you determine the right amount to supplement.

Since you noted the change in hair quality after incorporating "especially red meat", I highly suspect that low iron was the problem. Red meat is a particularly good source of iron, and it sounds like your protein needs were being met.

[The other nutrient that vegans need to pay close attention to is B12. Vegans typically supplement B12, either through nutritional yeast, or through vitamin tablets.]

[danacc]

The problem I have is that there is no way I could eat enough fruits to add up to the recommended daily value in a day, without tripling what I eat.

A typical day for me:

Breakfast:
Coffee with milk instead of cream
flaxseed oil supplement
one of the following:
piece of Fruit, egg with toast, yogurt, or healthy cereal with milk

Lunch Either:
Sandwich (lean meat, whole wheat or rye bread, cheese, mustard)
OR
leftovers from the night before.

Snack(around 3pm)
either yogurt or fruit, whatever I didn't have for breakfast

Dinner:
variety of things, normally includes a healthy mixed veggie salad, some kind of carb(brown rice, bulgur, noodles), some protein, I would consider half a chicken breast a serving of meat and vegetables (greenbeans, onions, peppers, cauliflower, carrots etc)

Snack(around 8)
halva, homemade popcorn, trail mix.

During the day I drink jasmine green tea, or water. At home I drink Cranberry Juice, water, or assorted teas in the cooler months. I really don't see where I can add more fruit, and despite the number of veggies I don't think I get the right number of servings either.

I'm not sure what reference you're using for "right number of servings", so I'm going to go with the US food pyramid solely because it is familiar to me. It indicates:

2-3 servings of the milk, yogurt, cheese group
2-3 servings of the meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, nuts group
3-5 servings of vegetables
2-4 servings of fruit
5-11 servings of the bread, cereal, rice, pasta groupAs Chromis stated, the important thing is that you get these foods in the recommended proportions. If your required calorie intake is low (and it looks like it is), then your "serving" size will just be small. (This works for figuring out school-aged children's diets, too.) Comparing your typical day, and guessing at portions, it looks like you have:

1 milk, yogurt, cheese (breakfast or afternoon snack)
2-3 meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, nuts (lunch, dinner, sometimes breakfast, sometimes nighttime snack)
2-3 veggies (dinner, assuming a nice large salad; do you put veggies like lettuce and tomato on that lunchtime sandwich?)
1 fruit (breakfast or afternoon snack)
3-4 bread, cereal, rice, pastaNow the trick is to see if multiplying everything by the same number gets you to the guidelines. Using fruit as a base, and doubling everything to get the fruit number to the minimum "2" for the group, you get:

2 milk, yogurt, cheese (within guidelines)
4-6 meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, nuts (a bit high; look for a no-meat, no-nuts meal option at either lunch or dinner, particularly if you had an egg at breakfast or want trail mix at night)
4-6 veggies (mostly within guidelines)
2 fruit (within guidelines--forced since this is what I used to find the multiplier)
6-8 bread, cereal, rice, pasta (nicely within guidelines)Bottom line: look for ways to reduce meat and/or nuts and add fruit instead. It looks like 2 dishes with meat, eggs, beans, or nuts is plenty for you each day based on your calorie intake. Pulling back to 2 a day for meat, eggs, beans, nuts will give you room to add half a fruit without changing overall calories. You could also add a bread, cereal, rice, pasta if you're still hungry.

[sexyjacksparrow]

Great posts, Heidi and Danacc!

[Just_Isabel]

:agree: Also, it is important to remember that our body can absorb heme (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haem) iron (from meat, for example) much better than iron from vegetable sources.
Vitamin C, taken with your iron source (whatever it is) will increase uptake. - So if you have an iron deficiency, red meat with a vit C source (citrus fruit, tomato...) is the best way to maximize how much will be absorbed.

There are also foods that will make you absorb less, either because they contain other minerals (like calcium or zink, IIRC) that "compete" for absorption, or because they contain compounds (like oxalates) that decrease iron's bioavailability, so if you're planning an iron-rich meal, avoiding foods like dairy (because of the calcium), spinach and carrots (oxalates) would be a good idea.

This ebook (http://www.rebuild-from-depression.com/subscribe/subscribe/iron-ebook.html) has lots of good information.

[Just_Isabel]

Did I kill the thread? :(

[MonicaV2544]

This thread has great advice on good nutrition. I have also read a site that says a bit about what kinds of foods are healthy for your hair. Here is an passage from this site(www.*************):

Nutrition Food List

B-12 Liver, Sardines, Herring, Mackerel, Red Snapper, Flounder, Salmon, Lamb, Swiss Chesse, Eggs, Haddock, Muenster Chesser, Beef, Swordfish, Bleu Chese, Bass, Halibut.
Calcium Sesame Seeds, Kelp, Cheeses. Brewers Yeast, Carob, Sardines, Reg. Molasses, Caviar, Almonds, Soybeans, Torula Yeast, Parsley, Brazil Nuts, Chickpeas, Salmon, Watercress, Beans, Egg Yolk, Kale, Lentils, Pistachios, Cow's Milk, Sunflower Seeds, Buckwheat, Chard, Cream, Maple Syrup, Walnuts, Spinach, Endive, Pecans, Wheat Germ, Peas, Peanuts, Eggs and Oats.

Choline Soy Lecithin, Egg Yolk, Chickpeas, Lentils, Split Peas, Brown Rice, Liver, Caviar, Eggs, Wheat Germ, Green Beans, Soybeans, Green Peas, Cabbage, Torula Yeast, Brewer's Yeast, Peanuts, Spinach, Sunflower Seeds, Sprouts, Molasses, Alfalfa, Barley, Bran, Asparagus, Flaxseed, Lamb, Potatoes and Garlic.

Copper Liver, Wheat Germ, Thyme, Molasses, Honey, Hazelnut, Reg. molasses, Brazil Nuts, Walnuts, Kelp, Salmon, Cashews, Ginseng, Oats, Lentils, Barley, Almonds, Bananas, Tuna, Avocado, Coconut, Brown Rice, Bee Pollen, Eggplant and Kale.

Folic Acid Torula Yeast, Brewer's Yeast, Alfalfa, Soybeans, Endive, Chickpeas, Oats, Lentils, Beans, Wheat Germ, Liver, Split Peas, Wheat, Barley, Rice, Sprouts, Asparagus, Green Peas, Sunflower Seeds,Collard Greens, Spinach, Hazelnuts, Kale, Peanuts, Soy Lecithin, Walnuts, Corn, Almonds, Broccoli, Brazil Nuts, Brussel Sprouts, Beef and Bran.

Inositol Soy Lecithin, Chickpeas, Brown Rice, Wheat Germ, Lentils, Barley, Veal & Liver, Oats, Torula Yeast, Beef, Beans, Alfalfa, Oranges, Peanuts, Blackstrap Molasses, Whole Wheat, Peas, Grapefruit, Sunflower Seeds, Cataloupe, Strawberries, Cabbage, Cauliflower and Human Milk.

Iodine Kelp, Seaweed, Iodized Salt, Cod Liver oil, Haddock, Cod, Beans, Chard, Sea Salt, Perch, Sunflower Seeds, Herring, Turnip Greens, Halibut, Vegetable Oils, Cantaloupe, Peanuts, Liver, Soybeans, Pineapple, Potatoes, Cheeses and Lettuce.

Iron Kidney, Caviar, Soy Lecithin, Pumpkin Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Wheat Germ, Molasses, Liver, Egg Yolks, Pistachios, Sunflower Seeds, Chickpeas, Millet, Lentils, Molasses, Walnuts, Parsley, Almonds, Oats, Cashews, Rye and Wheat.

Manganese Tea Leaves, Cloves, Ginger, Buckwheat, Oats, Hazelnuts, Chestnuts, Whole Wheat, Pecans, Barley, Brazil Nuts, Sunflower Seeds, Beans, Ginseng, Peas, Watercress, Almonds, Turnip Greens, Walnuts, Brown Rice, Peanuts, Honey, Coconut, Pinmeapple, Parsley, Spinach, Grapefruit, Lettuce, Tea, Bananas, Carrots, Berries, Brewer's Yeast, Yams, Legumes, Crab Meat and Milk.

Niacin Torula Yeast, Brewer's Yeast, Bee Pollen, Peanuts, Liver, Salmon, Chicken, Tuna, Swordfish, Turkey, Halibut, Royal Jelly, Veal, Sunflower Seeds, Sardines, Sesame Seeds, Alfalfa, Beef, Potatoes, Brown Rice, Wheat Bran, Pinon Nuts, Buckwheat, Whole Wheat, Wheat Germ, Barley, Almonds, Peas, Beans, Millet, Corn, Soybeans, Molasses, Chickpeas, Lentils and Cashews.

Pantothnic Acid Royal Jelly, Brewer's Yeast, Torulas Yeast, Brown Rice, Sunflower Seeds, Soybeans, Corn, Lentils, Egg Yolk, Peas, Alfalfa, Whole Wheat, Peanuts, Rye, Eggs, Bee Pollen, Wheat Germ, Blue Cheese, Cashews, Chickpeas, Avocado, Chicken, Sardines, Turkey, Walnuts, Perch, Salmon and Lamb.

Zinc Oysters & Mussels, Herring, Wheat Germ, Sesame Seeds, Torula Yeast, Molasses,Maple Syrup, Liver, Soybeans, Sunfloweer Seeds, Egg Yolk, Lamb, Chicken, Reg. Molasses, Brewer's Yeast, Oats, Bone Meal, Rye, Whole What, Corn, Beef, coconut, Beets, turkey, Walnuts, Barley, Avocados, Beans, Peas, Blue Cheese, Eggs, Buckwheat, Mangoes, Almonds, Brown Rice, Millet, and Cocoa.

[violeteyes]

The only thing I have ever really heard about this is to include lots of protein in your food. I think that as long as you get a variety of nutrients, you really don't need to focus on eating "for your hair"

[MonicaV2544]

I may know all the information but eating healthy and reagularly isnt an easy task for me. I get up around 2pm-4pm grab some ramien and some butter bread. Then at about 7:45pm Ill have either lasagna, rice with beans, mash potatoes with animal meat and green beans, or pizza. Then at about 11pm-12am I get some milk or hot chocolate or maybe some grapes. Then Ill go to sleep. Ive weighted 90lbs since I was 11, Im 20 now. For some reason I dont get hungry. I use to take weight gain shakes but they are soo nastey.

[lilravendark]

I agree with the post saying you need a balance of everything. What I usually try and eat is a mix of protein calcium, complex carbs and healthy fats found in avocados and certain types of fish eg salmon I love salmon! which is what I think is the magic bullet for my hair lol. I love Vegemite on toast with sliced tomatoes, Vegemite the aussie version of Marmite absolutely love it agree on the vit B being good for hair also.
Basically when you eat right your skin and your hair show it, drink plenty of water and calcium is actually good for hair too and if you're looking to lose kilos it actually helps to get 600mg of it contrary to popular belief.
I wouldn't do any of these exclusion diets that say you have to stay away from different food groups you need a mix of all of them to stay healthy and keep your hair in check

[Medievalmaniac]

I love eggs and am currently on the search for the perfect boiling method ;) !

I have found that the best hard boiled eggs - just this side of firm, without being hard and rubbery - happen when I allow the eggs to arrive at a boil, let them boil hard for 30 seconds, and then turn off the burner and let them cool as the burner does...it only works if you are not in a hurry, though, as they can take about twenty minutes from that point to get done through. :)

[Medievalmaniac]

What if you pretty much loathe and detest fish? I have only eaten it a handful of times where I really loved it...mostly I gag it down and only when I'm forced to. I know I should like it more, but it tastes....well, so FISHY! lol Is this an acquired taste, where if I keep force-feeding myself I'll grow to like it more? I swear, I've only had fish about ten times in the last ten years because I hate it so much, even though I should really love it. :(

[Bonkers57]

A jar a week? Wow! :eek: I tried Marmite a while back - I saw it on the shelf at the grocery and was curious about it. It's not bad, but it's really salty and a little goes a long way! :D


I try to eat lots of protein chicken and fish being my main source. I also go through a whole jar of marmite a week which I love, this is full of vit B.

[Sweetness]

Here are my own "nodiet" "rules"... they never failed me and I'm a constant 110 lb 5'4'' quite healthy girl for many years now. I've had food issues in the past, learned about everything there is to know about food (almost) ... but now decided to live by these simple rules and not focus on diet issues (but I love fruits and veggies and I am not drawn to "fake-food" in general, which helps I guess ...)

My way of life :

I never diet
I never count anything (calories, portions, proteins, lipids, sugars, etc.)
I eat fresh (because it tastes GOOD), and as much variety as possible
I snack when I want to, but good things (fruits, nuts, carrots, etc.)
I stop eating when I'm not hungry anymore, because otherwise it feels bad
I don't think about eating when I'm not hungry, because I try to do fun stuff much more satisfying
I eat, when hungry
I don't eat too fast, and try to stay conscious and grateful all the time
I never "work out" ; I have fun taking dance classes
I rather cook or snack on raw things than buy something commercially made
I never eat meat ( & animal products only if they are organic. If I would eat meat, I would only eat organic and, of course, not in excess. A couple times a week would be enough).
My plastic water bottle is my friend, I refill when I can.
I never take any kind of supplements (don't trust them)
I never listen to women taking about diets or commercials, etc. (makes me obsessed)
I never not eat when I'm hungry (unless I am day-fasting for religious reasons, of course, but then I am so grateful I eat slowly and with much respect that I would never binge)
When possible, I eat organic
I respect the Earth that feeds me, and all living beings
I trust my body to tell me what it needs, and I respect it enough to listen
I refuse to eat always at the same time each day. I eat when hungry, and what I feel like eating
I almost never weight myself (maybe once a year ?) but I know that I still fit in my same pants :p


If I actually not respect one of the above, and it is very rare now (ex. eat too fast, too much, without being hungry etc.), I don't stress about it and just keep living my life and focus on other things that make life fun.

And my blood tests say I have no deficiencies (nor excesses), I feel better than ever, I have energy and stopped being obsessed by my weight (and learned to respect myself without being underweight...), solved all my "food-issues", stopped any kind of weight gain/loss dynamic and kept constant, etc. And my hair got way better too ... I'm sure it helped, overall. And life is much happier.

[newbiewink]

I agree with the post saying you need a balance of everything. What I usually try and eat is a mix of protein calcium, complex carbs and healthy fats found in avocados and certain types of fish eg salmon I love salmon! which is what I think is the magic bullet for my hair lol. I love Vegemite on toast with sliced tomatoes, Vegemite the aussie version of Marmite absolutely love it agree on the vit B being good for hair also.
Basically when you eat right your skin and your hair show it, drink plenty of water and calcium is actually good for hair too and if you're looking to lose kilos it actually helps to get 600mg of it contrary to popular belief.
I wouldn't do any of these exclusion diets that say you have to stay away from different food groups you need a mix of all of them to stay healthy and keep your hair in check
Oooh Vegemite! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Vegemite (and I'm American)!!!

[Bonkers57]

That's weird - I was able to get it at our Kroger here a while back. Did they recently make it illegal? Is it a controlled substance? lol!!


Yikes. I didn't realise Marmite was banned/restricted in the US. Mind you it is pretty evil stuff. Bleugh (I'd insert the puking smilie but it creeps me out).

[lilravendark]

Sweetness Thats the same philosophy pretty much I have to eating right wish people would stop with the fad diets eating healthy is not hard at all. Eating fresh food certainly does feel a lot better than chowing down on processed and refined "foods".
Newbiewink I agree lol here in aus they have a new vegemite product I think its just a blend of creamcheese and vegemite they named isnack 2.0 stupid name but tastes like a nice creamy version of vegemite, its great on crackers mmmm lol

[rhubarbarin]

I've developed an obession with nutrition in the last couple years, and have read so many books, studies and blogs...
I think nutrition affects most aspects of every organism, and that most people are not getting anywhere close to good or optimal nutrition.

It hasn't been very long since I revamped things, but my skin is behaving, my hair seems to be thickening a bit (I have a forest of 6"-long fly-aways), and my energy is through the roof now compared to the last 10 years.

My basic plan is no sugar, no grain, plenty of non-processed (which means animal or extra-vrigin olive) fats and protein, and all fresh food. So I mostly eat meat, eggs, dairy products (majority cream and butter), nuts, veg (and I do eat root veg), and some fruit.

[Heidi_234]

Sweetness, you've just posted my stance on eating - no diets, no counting, no eating when not hungry and so on. Except I still feel that I'm not eating enough - over the years my stomach capacity did not grew according to the needs of my body. I try to remind myself about eating, because otherwise I end up eating in total ~1.5 meals a day, which is no good. And I do take supplements, just to make sure I do get all the vitamins and minerals I need, due to the not-eating-enough possibility.

[Katze]

I pay a lot of attention to diet and I think many other people do here. If you read my posts on threads about scalp problems I will always at least mention 'how is your diet' since eating better has made a huge difference for my scalp.

A balanced diet with less refined foods is key. I eat pretty well, but I am currently going cold turkey on sugar since it affects my health, sleep, weight, and general well being negatively.

The basic wisdom I have gained from this site is if you are healthy, your hair will be healthy. Drink water (NOT soda or juice or black tea or coffee...) eat your veggies, make sure you are getting enough (good) fats, and get enough sleep!

Now that I am a mom this advice is even more important!

[Gemma]

I honestly don't think about my diet in relation to my hair care because the only time I ever noticed a correlation was when I was malnourished. So, for me, the two things are separate. I realise now that genetics are the main basis for my growth and a fair chunk of my hair's condition, and I try to eat healthily because I have an auto-immune disease that is best managed through diet. As long as I don't eat in a way to make myself actually sick, my hair doesn't suffer. :)

[Centelleo]

I have found that the best hard boiled eggs - just this side of firm, without being hard and rubbery - happen when I allow the eggs to arrive at a boil, let them boil hard for 30 seconds, and then turn off the burner and let them cool as the burner does...it only works if you are not in a hurry, though, as they can take about twenty minutes from that point to get done through.
It definitely doesn't take that long! Using the same method as detailed above, just pull the pot off the burner and cover with the lid. 9 to 10 minutes later, you've got perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs! This method yields a much richer-tasting (and prettier) yolk. If you want the yolk slightly softer, cool and peel after 7 to 8 minutes; the yolk will be cooked through but not chalky opaque.

[Centelleo]

Silica is a highly touted for hair growth and as with most supplements, I prefer to consume it in a "natural" state rather than a pill. Silica can be found in whole grain cereals, especially oats and brown rice. Others are cucumbers (with the skins on), asparagus, lettuce cabbage, onions, potatoes (again, with the skins on), bean sprouts, and sunflower seeds. Fruits include avocados and strawberries.

[teela1978]

The problem I have is that there is no way I could eat enough fruits to add up to the recommended daily value in a day, without tripling what I eat.

A typical day for me:

Breakfast:
Coffee with milk instead of cream
flaxseed oil supplement
one of the following:
piece of Fruit, egg with toast, yogurt, or healthy cereal with milk

Lunch Either:
Sandwich (lean meat, whole wheat or rye bread, cheese, mustard)
OR
leftovers from the night before.

Snack(around 3pm)
either yogurt or fruit, whatever I didn't have for breakfast

Dinner:
variety of things, normally includes a healthy mixed veggie salad, some kind of carb(brown rice, bulgur, noodles), some protein, I would consider half a chicken breast a serving of meat and vegetables (greenbeans, onions, peppers, cauliflower, carrots etc)

Snack(around 8)
halva, homemade popcorn, trail mix.

During the day I drink jasmine green tea, or water. At home I drink Cranberry Juice, water, or assorted teas in the cooler months. I really don't see where I can add more fruit, and despite the number of veggies I don't think I get the right number of servings either.
What are you counting as a serving of fruit or veggies? 1 cup of lettuce is a serving. 1/2 cup of most other veggies or fruits is a serving. Most bananas are 2 servings, many apples are 2 servings. Juice can be a serving of fruit. If you're drinking enough cranberry juice you're probably getting 5 servings a day.

[MonicaV2544]

I tend to aggree with the no counting, no diet, and eat when hungry. Our bodies use what they need from what we eat and gets rid of what it doesnt. As long as we have a good idea of what selections are healthy for the body I think its safe to say our complex bodies take care of the rest.

[newbiewink]

That's weird - I was able to get it at our Kroger here a while back. Did they recently make it illegal? Is it a controlled substance? lol!!
Lol Vegemite isn't banned... they just don't really sell it here because everyone (except for me) thinks its gross

[Igor]

Everything that is generally good for your body is also good for your hair

Good diet, enough sleep, living stress free, exercise, not smoking and not drinking excessively all promote a healthy body and a healthy head of hair

I don’t see it as that we don’t have enough threads or replies to this, but more that it belongs in the general health and body sub forum

[newbiewink]

Sweetness Thats the same philosophy pretty much I have to eating right wish people would stop with the fad diets eating healthy is not hard at all. Eating fresh food certainly does feel a lot better than chowing down on processed and refined "foods".
Newbiewink I agree lol here in aus they have a new vegemite product I think its just a blend of creamcheese and vegemite they named isnack 2.0 stupid name but tastes like a nice creamy version of vegemite, its great on crackers mmmm lol
I saw that iSnack 2.0 thing in the news, I heard they pulled it from the shelves rather quickly. People are selling it on ebay for a lot of $$ now. Did they pull it from the shelves to rename it or is it still alive and kicking?

[lilravendark]

Hey newbiewink I saw it last time I went shopping at the supermarket its still around tastes ok everybody just kicked up a fuss about the name funny because it was chosen out of a rename the new vegemite competition :rolleyes:

[Elenna]

Mostly, I've eaten foods like raw fruit and vegetables, whole dairy, eggs, whole grain products, nuts, and some protein. I tried going vegetarian last year, but went through a massive hair shed; so I started back on humanely-raised animal protein which now is mostly eggs. For fats, I eat olive oil. avocado oil, and flaxseed oil. I avoid soybean oil which is in most bottled salad dressings. This is similar to the type of traditional foods diet avocated by the Weston Price foundation. Also Michael Pollan's "Omnivore's Dilemma" along with Eric Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation" were interesting books to read.

I don't eat fish because of the pollution in the ocean and rivers.

If I had food allergies, then my diet would be different. There are people who cannot have milk products or wheat products, etc.

I take a multi-vitamins, B-complex, kelp, silica, etc.

One benefit of a lifetime of healthy eating is that the skin has less aging. I think that it is the same for hair, better hair over a lifetime!

[tanula]

I think diet makes a huge difference how your hair looks. When I was trying to stay on low calories diets I would be loosing so much hair. Also my hair suffered a lot because of my heavy periods that I have had for almost for 5 years, it left me with very low ferritin level. My hair got so thin and ugly looking that when people would see my old pictures they would make comments that my hair thinned out so much. The point is you have to eat healthy food and work out and do not overeat. Protein shakes and seaweed is the best thing for your hair! Also eggs and fish!

[ChloeDharma]

Everything that is generally good for your body is also good for your hair

Good diet, enough sleep, living stress free, exercise, not smoking and not drinking excessively all promote a healthy body and a healthy head of hair

I don’t see it as that we don’t have enough threads or replies to this, but more that it belongs in the general health and body sub forum

In that case the same could be said for supplements but there are plenty of threads on those specifically for hair growth. I don't think a look at what foods are particularly rich in nutrients usefull for hair growth is such a huge leap.

[anrems]

Wow, this is definitely interesting and something I never thought of before! I mean I assumed general healthy eating would help hair health over all... but other than that I didn't think much about it. I'll definitely be following this thread to see where it goes! I'll try adding protein to my diet (as others have suggested) to see if it helps at all!

[ASillyKitty]

I think overall health contributes to good hair growth and quality, so eating for health would benefit the hair. There are also probably specific nutrients that benefit the hair. I think biotin is a popular one. I used to take it as a supplement but it worked too well for me (hello unibrow and hairy arms)! I think foods rich in biotin such as eggs and liver ( See the chart on this site (http://www.oralchelation.com/ingred/biotin.htm)) would be beneficial to hair.

[aef231]

I hear a lot of talk about protein, but most Americans (and many Europeans, for that matter) get more than enough protein in their diet. The body can only process so much at a time, the rest is flushed from the system. Another thing to keep in mind is that too much protein can be hard on the liver and kidneys. So, while adequate protein is important, it really doesn't need to make up more than 25% or so of your daily caloric intake. Vegetarians are generally the only ones who need to be concerned about protein. I think the main focus should be on getting better quality protein, rather than more. Look for as may grass-fed, free-range, organic meats as possible, and eggs straight from the farm are great too. Wild Pacific salmon is better than Atlantic or farmed, and is generally fished quite responsibly. :)

[curlywurlygurly]

I saw that iSnack 2.0 thing in the news, I heard they pulled it from the shelves rather quickly. People are selling it on ebay for a lot of $$ now. Did they pull it from the shelves to rename it or is it still alive and kicking?

I think it has changed name...cheesymite perhaps. I bought some not long ago. I still love my normal vegemite more, I'm not a fan of krafts cream cheese full stop. Funny thing is I actually crave vegemite on toast haha :D

[-j-]

Hmm, a very interesting subject. I just realized I have never really thought about my hair when planning a healthy diet, but luckily the hair benefits also :)

I used to have many food allergies and severe problems with my intestines, and that´s why I probably pay more attention on healthy eating, than other people.

I don´t eat any refined foods and I make myself all my food (well, nowadays I can even eat at restaurants or at friends´ sometimes, because my allergies went away - thanks to homeopathy :)). I only buy organic products. Lots of different vegetables, some fruit, nuts, seeds, fish, olive oil, coconut oil, butter, eggs. I try to avoid all cereal and don´t eat much dairy products - natural yoghurt is an exception.

I also try to cook or heat the foods as little as possible. I also sprout different beans, peas, seeds, etc. I use some supplements but try to go as natural as I can: spirulina, chlorella, pollen, super foods (luckily I also have a freezer full of berries!), maca, lucuma, acerola cherries, etc...

Someone mentioned the food pyramid: A food pyramid is NOT just based on health; it is a combination of health and political choices. At least in Finland they just keep incouraging people to eat lots of cereal, dairy and turnip rape oil, although they are the foods that make many people suffer chronic illnesses and cause all kinds of problems... ("there&#180;s no scientifical evidenve on that" <- yeah, right...)


ETA. added a phrase

[curlywurlygurly]

I saw that iSnack 2.0 thing in the news, I heard they pulled it from the shelves rather quickly. People are selling it on ebay for a lot of $$ now. Did they pull it from the shelves to rename it or is it still alive and kicking?

I think it has changed name...cheesymite perhaps. I bought some not long ago. I still love my normal vegemite more, I'm not a fan of krafts cream cheese full stop. Funny thing is I actually crave vegemite on toast haha :D

[-j-]

I forgot one thing: I take a vitamin D supplement, 125 &#181;g (=5000 IU) daily. Food is not a good source of vitamin D and there just isn&#180;t enough sun in Finland to get enough D.

There has been a lot of discussion about raising the recommended daily doses in Finland (and globally), but nothing really seems to happen. If you are not aware of the importance of D, you should definitely get information about it!
The RDA is here based on preventing rickets, which can be done with pretty low doses (about 10 &#181;g daily), but it seems that enough D can prevent several other diseases (asthma, allergy, diabetes1, cancer, rheumatic diseases, irritable colon + other intestine conditions, etc.. you name it).

By the way, could some of you tell me, what is the recommended daily dose for vitamin D in USA nowadays? I&#180;m interested.


ETA. It&#180;s quite ridiculous that I have to order my vitamin D pills from a web shop in USA. The highest dose they sell in Finland is 25 &#181;g / pill. and it would cost a fortune to eat them enough.

[Athena's Owl]

Why the lack of attention to diet? Well, because I think the connection between diet and hair growth is ... Trivial? Beside the point? Superficial? None of these words quite fit.

I mean it's not like you can eat more acai berry and it makes your hair grow faster, and such claims are dubious. A good diet of nutritious food and awareness of what we eat and the politics surrounding food and nutrition - these issues are pretty vast. whether or not it makes your hair grow faster? kind of unprovable. ripe territory for snake oil claims. definitely beside the point.

So improving your diet *might* make your hair growth rate increase. But that's not high on my list of reasons why I pay attention to the things that I eat - it wasn't when my hair was down to my shoulders, and it wasn't now that my hair is down to my tailbone.

Of course, I'm one of those people who doesn't believe that anything can make my hair grow faster than it already does. I'm in the "protect your ends and wait ten years" camp, and I know that a lot of people who are looking for ways to make their hair grow faster hate hearing theat.

[Purdy Bear]

I am extremely interested in the nutrition link to healthy hair, due to my leaky gut syndrome I have a tendency to suffer with malabsorption and malnutrition. I thus need to put more then usual nutrients in to get the average out.

Iv managed to learn an awful lot about Biotin, Silica etc, but would love to learn more.

Since I began to eat spinach and swiss chard, I have had some regrowth of my alopecia univarlis - I have some little white hairs, and hopefully this will continue once I get more healthy nutrients into my body.


One thing to note which I found out a few years ago, is that if you crave something unhealthy it maybe due to a deficiency in your diet. I was a chocaholic and loved fried food (using sunflower cooking oil), I later found out I had zinc and selenium deficiencies.

Iv said the entire thread to the laptop to read at my leasure and take some notes into my ever expanding journal.

[-j-]

I am extremely interested in the nutrition link to healthy hair, due to my leaky gut syndrome I have a tendency to suffer with malabsorption and malnutrition.

That is a nasty condition, I´m very sorry for you :(

This brings my mother to my mind. She has had crohn´s disease for >10 years and her condition proved significantly when she started taking vitamin D 125 µg daily. I think you might benefit from vitamin D supplements as well (or maybe you already use it?). My mum also told that last time she visited her dentist, they were very surprised to see that she had no plaque at all, and hasn´t had ever since she started taking high doses of D.

[Igraine]

I concur that it is easy to meet daily protein requirements from almost any non-junk diet, and that, unfortunately, many people in the Western World exceed theirs.

Also, the dietary supplement industry is thriving based on many people's ignorance of a healthy diet. There are pregnant/breastfeeding women, people with allergies/intolerances/malabsorptions to some healthy foods, so of course in some instances it is necessary. But you can't convince me all flour needs to be fortified!

About vegetarians and iron, I'm afraid that's an overhyped issue as well. Plant sources of iron exist, yes, they do get absorbed more poorly, but can also be eaten in amounts enough as to make up for it. I'm not a vegetarian, but I still got my iron 40&#37; higher, either by fairy magic, or those lentils and parsley actually did get absorbed! :p (at the time there were no animal sources of iron to be accounted for, and red meat/offal hasn't really been part of my diet).

I'd think B12 is more of an issue in this case, so nutritional yeast is a blessing. By the way, rumour goes it is quite salty, is it necessarily so?

[09robiha]

Personally, both this site and my own desire to grow my hair inspired me to improve my diet. I used to be a coffe for breakfast and chocolate bar for lunch kinda gal. Now I eat farrr healthier and try to remeber to include lots of protein, biotin and vitamin b rich foods.

[Purdy Bear]

That is a nasty condition, I´m very sorry for you :(

This brings my mother to my mind. She has had crohn´s disease for >10 years and her condition proved significantly when she started taking vitamin D 125 µg daily. I think you might benefit from vitamin D supplements as well (or maybe you already use it?). My mum also told that last time she visited her dentist, they were very surprised to see that she had no plaque at all, and hasn´t had ever since she started taking high doses of D.


Thanks for the heads up on that. I will add it to my shopping list. I dont get out in the sun much, so Im probably lacking. Glad your mum showed an improvement too.

[ChloeDharma]

Why the lack of attention to diet? Well, because I think the connection between diet and hair growth is ... Trivial? Beside the point? Superficial? None of these words quite fit.

I mean it's not like you can eat more acai berry and it makes your hair grow faster, and such claims are dubious. A good diet of nutritious food and awareness of what we eat and the politics surrounding food and nutrition - these issues are pretty vast. whether or not it makes your hair grow faster? kind of unprovable. ripe territory for snake oil claims. definitely beside the point.

So improving your diet *might* make your hair growth rate increase. But that's not high on my list of reasons why I pay attention to the things that I eat - it wasn't when my hair was down to my shoulders, and it wasn't now that my hair is down to my tailbone.

Of course, I'm one of those people who doesn't believe that anything can make my hair grow faster than it already does. I'm in the "protect your ends and wait ten years" camp, and I know that a lot of people who are looking for ways to make their hair grow faster hate hearing theat.

I see your point and do kind of agree. I was not intending the thread to be looking for a way to increase your hair growth to an unatural level, merely to allow the body to grow hair to it's maximum potential.
I actually forgot i started this thread.....though it was nearly 2 years ago so i guess that's understandable. But the reason i did was i noticed alot of enthusiasm for supplements intended to help improve hair growth but not so much attention to the role of healthy eating and it seemed to me that a good diet would be a better base to build on and include supplements if need be, than just eating crap and thinking that popping a pill of biotin or MSM would compensate.
I do also think that just as certain foods are particularly beneficial to the skin ie nuts, seeds, fruit, oily fish etc some foods are particularly rich in nutrients that are needed for good hair growth.......eg oats, cucumbers etc for silica, brown rice, marmite etc for B vits, seaweed for minerals and so on.
Also i should clarify, alot of my attention was focused on combating hair loss and for that i feel diet is essential. The advice i find myself usually giving when people are being impatient and wanting to reach a goal quickly tends to be mainly "baby the ends, keep the hair up and protected and out of sight and before you know it you'll be at your goal".