Shedding hair? Shed worries instead, prevent hair fall

One becomes aware of hair fall as a problem only when one combs one’s hair. If it’s only 50 to 100 strands of hair, it’s not seen as normal, but one realises the seriousness of hair fall only when there seems to be hardly any hair growing back in the area that has lost quite a lot of hair.

Hair fall differs from person to person. Generally, changing hormones are a cause. Women face the problem of hair fall during pregnancy and lactation, induced by hormonal changes.  For some, hair fall is hereditary; at certain points of time they may find their hair thinning out or their heads turning bald. For others, it could be the result of disease or nutritional deficiencies.

Medicine taken for diseases such as cancer, heart ailment, depression, skin diseases and so on may cause hair fall. Sometimes, hair fall may be symptomatic of some diseases such as thyroid issues and allergies. Alopecia comes under this category.

In otherwise healthy individuals, nutritional deficiency leads to hair loss.

Make sure you eat right
Human hair is made of a protein called keratin. Hence, eating protein-rich foods will help maintain healthy hair growth. Include sprouted peas, green beans, Bengal gram and sprouted cereals in your diet to improve protein intake.

Next comes iron content. Iron deficiency too causes hair fall. To set it right, let drumstick greens be a part of your dietary menu; they can be used in a soup or a side-dish that is sauteed well.

Vitamin-D can prevent weakening of bones as well as hair fall, say recent studies.  Particularly, biotin called vitamin D7 is essential for stopping hair loss. The whites and yolk of egg are rich in biotin and so they too can be added to your regular menu.

Also Read: Plant the seeds of good health in your diet

Apart from these major nutrients, trace elements also play an important role in hair health. Shortage of minerals such as zinc and silica, which the body needs in trace amounts, precipitates hair fall. Oysters, mutton, and beef can be consumed once a fortnight for they have a rich content of zinc. Similarly, cucumber too can be consumed now and then as it is rich in silica.

Nuts and seeds are rich in Vitamin E which helps maintain healthy hair. Likewise, Vitamin C-rich food such as citrus fruits, guava and amla help you assimilate iron, which keeps hair fall at bay.

What to do to avoid hair fall

• Eat a balanced and healthy diet, and include colourful natural foods. A wholesome diet with the right proportions of carbohydrates, minerals, proteins and vitamins will go a long way in maintaining general health as well as a full head of hair.

• Drink 8 to 10 glasses or 2 to 3 litres of water every day.

• Choose healthy tidbits like sprouted cereals, dry fruits and seeds and so on when you get the urge to snack, instead of packaged food like biscuits and savouries, to prevent hair fall.

• Soak in the sun for 10 to 15 minutes every day, as sunlight is not only free but is also the best source of Vitamin D.

• Make time for hair maintenance. Use shampoos with less chemicals in them, and stick to the same oil and shampoo, without changing them often.

• Sleep for eight hours every day; only then will hormones function consistently. Hormonal imbalances cause hairfall.

• Create a fitness routine and stick to it. Walking or jogging or yoga must be part of your everyday schedule. Then pressure on the body will ease and metabolism will become hassle-free, assimilating all nutritional elements easily. That will be an ideal situation to avoid hair fall.

• Above all, try to keep your mind stress-free. Stress causes not only hair fall but also greying of hair at a very young age. Breathing exercises help reduce stress.

• Make time to do things that you enjoy and make you feel happy. A happy mind leads to a happy body where everything is functioning well, ergo no hair loss.

To savour each and every moment of life is a part of ‘mindfulness’. It has now been recognised all over the world that to be mindful and to be involved in your work with passion is key to mental and physical health. Even eating food takes a great amount of involvement and a keen eye for details. Mindfulness can benefit everyone in various ways.

A healthy lifestyle that includes a good diet, physical fitness and mental exercises will boost immunity and help one lead a disease-free life. It is also, naturally, the antidote to hair fall.