Eat your way to healthy locks

Among the worst feelings is to have a bad hair day and that no amount of hair care products can repair the damage. But what might be the reason behind those hair woes? Perhaps the answer lies in nutrition and dietary needs. A session discussing the same was held with nutritionist Gouri Priya Mylavarapu and former beauty queen and actress Kate Hallam at Advanced Hair Studio (AHS), Banjara Hills, on Monday.

“Hair follicles regenerate and constantly need raw materials in the form of a healthy diet for their regeneration. The necessary nutrients come from the blood stream, so it is very essential to eat healthy for the sake of your hair,” says Gouri. A balanced diet as opposed to crash diets is therefore the first thing to change if one wants to see some changes.

“Hair gives us all a certain amount of confidence. Being in the modelling industry myself, I was initially subject to blow dries that spoilt my hair follicles. And then I discovered that it was high time to take diet seriously,” says Kate Hallam, wife of singer Lucky Ali and brand ambassador of AHS.

A balanced diet according to Gouri consists of proteins, fruits, vegetables, grains and an appropriate amount of fat. With health complaints on the rise among young adults, Gouri claims that stress, long work hours, poor eating quality, micronutrient deficiencies and undiagnosed diseases could all be contributors.

“Undiagnosed health conditions such as thyroid, polycystic ovary disease, anemia, congenital heart disease and even smoking all affect hair growth adversely and is often the underlying problem,” Gouri states.

She advises to carry nuts like almonds, walnuts and seeds like sunflower seeds, flax seeds or chia seeds to the workplace as a snack. “Even a pizza can be made healthy at home,” she adds. Gowri Priya Mylavarapu is a 28-year-old nutritionist at her clinic, Nutrifit.

Dietary tips for healthy hair

• Eat proteins of biological value like eggs

• Iron-rich food like green leafy vegetables and cereals like ragi, bajra, jowar

• Food that contains B5 (pantothenic acid) like mushrooms, cauliflower, turnips, tomatoes and sweet potatoes give strength to hair and prevents hair loss and graying.

• Low-fat dairy products which are a good source of calcium

• Antioxidants like Vitamin E and C found in cucumbers relieves stress which can affect hair growth

• Adequate water consumption

By Elita Enoch