Importance of diet

[DaddyLion]

Hiya. just thought I'd drop in and mention how great my hair is lookin these days and most importantly I have next to no splits. I have made a few lifestyle changes recently as I'm trying to get fitter. I have been doing a hell of a lot of running lately, pretty much everyday and to compensate I have been eating ALOT of protein rich foods like chicken and foods. I have just been reading that hairs are mostly made up of protein so more can only be good.As for splits I really have to search for them. I couldn't grab a clump of hair without noticing loafs before where as now I can't seem to find one without searching for about 2 mins. This ciukd be because I have upgraded to some proper hair sheers. Although my hair is so great recently I can hardly say I havpe been good to it the last fortnight as I have been working getting smoke, dust In it and not really caring too much. I never so much as rinsed it once as I didn't see the point. My logic was tie it back, slap a cap on then shampoo at the end of the week. All I really did was comb It because it is a nightmare to do after a week of neglect.So anyways I'm pretty satisfied with my locks lateley they kinda seem softer but tougher too. So maybe the key is more lifestyle than what you actually put on your head. It must make for a better quality sebum,

[AmyBeth]

I feel like I often need to hear this kind of info. It's so seductive to think that if only I buy this or that product, I'll have my dream hair. Of course, I know that's not true, but there are multimillion dollar ad campaigns trying to convince me otherwise. I recently had to deal with a cancer scare concerning my 12yr old chocolate Lab. She had a mass removed that was cancerous, but the oncologist believes we got it all and it hasn't spread. Because we were so scared, we took her off commercial dog food and are feeding her fresh organic food with no additives. It's amazing how fast her coat improved, and by how much it improved. There is room for improvement in my own diet and exercise routine, and this is inspiring.
BTW, I like your hair in the picture. I got DH to grow his hair out, and it's about the same length as yours.

[HazelBug]

Yep. Diet does affect the way we look! If I eat poorly I notice that my fingernails breaks off more and my skin looks very dull. I also lose some shine to my hair. Fortunately I usually prefer healthier foods and usually enjoy some exercise. I'm glad that you are seeing improvment! What we eat is the casic stuff our bodies have to build and repair from. It makes sence that the more high quality nutrients we consume is the better off our bodies tend to be.

[LauraLongLocks]

Healthy hair definitely starts from the inside. I like what I read once from Madora here on LHC. She said the best protein treatment she recommends is a big steak! Love it!

[Aderyn]

Of course, eating healthy and ensuring you're absorbing all of the nutrients you need is always a good choice, especially since the hair that sprouts out of your head is, in large part, a reflection of the inner health of the body.

Be careful about eating too many very protein-rich foods (especially if you eat a lot of meat or animal products), as having an overload of protein can cause reduced liver and brain function, high cholesterol, increased risk of cancer, kidney disease, etc. Protein is extremely prevalent in the foods we eat (even in a vegan diet), so deficiency is not a problem (unless you have an extraordinary medical condition or are literally starving), but protein overload most definitely is.

Sort of reminds me when people think that taking tons of biotin (even mega-dosing) will make a difference in the condition of their hair when their biotin levels prior to the change were just fine.

[meteor]

To grow hair all one needs is to be healthy. But it's impossible to be very healthy in the long run if your diet is terrible. If one is deficient or starving, the overall health suffers and hair (not being a priority) won't grow as luscious, it may get brittle and one may even experience hair thinning/loss. So yeah, the link between the diet and hair is solid.



Protein is extremely prevalent in the foods we eat (even in a vegan diet), so deficiency is not a problem (unless you have an extraordinary medical condition or are literally starving), but protein overload most definitely is.
I want to move where you live! :D In this part of N.America, simple carbs/sugars and salts are extremely prevalent, not protein, sadly. :( Unless you avoid all take-outs and restaurants and constantly shop in farmers' markets, it's really easy to become deficient in a bunch of micro-nutrients while also becoming overweight. S.A.D. diet indeed! :)

[MadeiraD]

Yeah I notice that when I don't include some protein in breakfast and lunch as well as dinner my growth rate slows way down. I also tend towards anemia (TMI: because I have absurdly heavy periods) so iron rich food is important to me

[Andeee]

I too have been severely anemic for the same reasons as MadeiraD. I'm on prescription strength iron (taken with Vit C for absorption), but that is the only supplements I take.

I have been either vegetarian or vegan for 25 years. I was not anemic until very recently (perimenopause caused the problem). All through my late 20s up until my early 40s I had long (past waist and approaching classic at one point) thick healthy hair, so steak is not necessary unless you're not veggie and don't mind it.

[Andeee]

Double post, sorry.

[tlover]

When I started to eat a ovo-vegetarian diet (and so for me healthier) My hair started to grow like weed... or was just healthier so it didn't get as many splits. But any way a healthy diet is great for your hair (and there's no need for more protein in my diet, I normally get between 1-2 grams of protein/kilo of bodyweight and the recommendation is 0,8 grams)

[DaddyLion]

Wooo busy week. first time I've checked since I made this post. Still eating well and doing lots of running, also getting the spade out and diggin up the garden which is great excercise I'll add. Anyone here go running?? Do you wear your hair up or down?? I like to let mine catch the wind, normally I have it up but if i'm running oh I'm letting the beast come out baby so it's wild hair all the way. I'm thinkin of starting lifting weights again but I'm concerned about the effect it will have on my hair. Apparently too much testosterone will diminish the hair line.

[LauraLongLocks]

I run, and though I like the feel of wind in my hair, I hate the tangles, so my hair is up when I run. I did a 10k race yesterday. Took video, too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzKM1SumKdg