Nutrition Tips for a Lifetime of Healthy Hair

Nutritional Guidelines for Improving the Health, Strength and Vitality of Hair

Nov 2010

There are many causes of hair damage and hair loss, but according to hair restoration surgeon, Dr. John Kahen, director of the Beverly Hills Hair Restoration medical clinic, nearly 95% of the time the underlying cause is genetic.

"But don't let a genetic predisposition to unhealthy hair and hair loss frighten you," Dr. Kahen states, "as is generally the case, prevention is the best medicine, and incorporating some simple nutritional guidelines into your daily routine will help."

Hair, it turns out, is 98 percent protein. Dr. Kahen suggests, as part of a well-balanced diet, incorporating healthy proteins along with foods high in vitamins B, C, E, A and K can actually improve hair growth, not just hair health.

Hair instantly responds to the addition of protein-rich foods such as meats, eggs, cheese, seeds and nuts. Fish packs a double-punch of protein, combined with essential fatty acids and natural oils.

Deficiencies in iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and zinc can also exacerbate unhealthy hair and hair loss, so choose foods high in these elements as part of your diet plan... fish, meat, poultry, raw nuts, seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, to name a few. And let's not forget about water.

Eight to ten glasses of water per day is a great way to nourish healthy hair while helping to rid the body of chemicals, pollutants and toxins.

Try to stay away from 'dead foods,' which can lead to lifeless hair, such as sugars, starches, soft drinks. Even caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and recreational drugs can rob the body of important hair growing nutrients. "So if you just can't stay away from certain 'dead foods,'" adds Dr. Kahen, "make sure you don't consume them for at least one hour before and after ingesting your hair healthy foods, giving the body ample time to absorb the much-needed nutrients."

"You don't have to live with unhealthy hair, damaged hair or hair loss. There are simple treatment options available to you, and the simplest way to start is with the foods that you eat every day," adds Dr. Kahen.

For more information, you can visit Dr. Kahen's website at BeverlyHillsHR.com

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