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CAN FOODs HELP PREVENT PREMATURE GREYING OF HAIR??

 

grey-hair

“Grey hair” – I am sure is one of the most distressing night mares for all of us!

Greying of the hair is an ultimate and irreversible reality of life and is often associated with growing old. Black turns into white when our hair lacks the pigment called “melanin”. Melanin is produced by pigment cells of hair follicles which surrounds the root of each hair strand. With the increasing age of the person, there is gradual reduction in melanin pigment of the hairs and this is what causes greying of hair.

A number of medical conditions as well as lifestyle choices have been related to premature greying of hair. Some of them include Thyroid, Vitamin B12 deficiency, Vitiligo, Smoking, Stress, Faulty diet, Excessive use of electric dryers and hair irons. Of all the factors responsible, lack of proper diet and genetic factors are the major contributors.

Diet plays a very important role and if a person’s diet is faulty then he is likely to face premature greying of hair. Though one cannot prevent the natural cycle of whitening of hair, but one can always prevent their hair from premature greying by choosing right kind of foods.

Few hair-friendly foods which help delay whitening of hair include:

  • Curry leaves: Curry leaves are beneficial in not only preventing premature greying of hair but also in providing strength to hair roots. Apart from adding curry leaves to the diet, these leaves can also be boiled in coconut oil. This is a popular home remedy, an excellent hair tonic to stimulate hair growth and increase hair pigmentation.

 

  • Amla: Also known as Gooseberries, they are the best remedy for premature greying. Gooseberries are known to be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of grey hair. This is a valuable hair tonic for enriching hair growth and hair pigmentation.

 

  • Fresh Veggies: Simply incorporate green vegetables into your diet for two or three of your daily meals. They are naturally rich in Vitamins B6 and B12, which keep hair healthy.

 

  • Chocolate: Chocolate is naturally rich in copper, a nutrient which is vital for melanin production. Choose dark chocolate, which contains fewer calories than milk chocolate, and enjoy it in moderation.

 

  • Berries: Berries like strawberries, raspberries and cranberries have abundant amount of Vitamin C. They promote healthy hair as well as prevent premature greying.

 

  • Salmon: Salmon is a great food for fighting grey hair. Salmon is a natural source of selenium, which regulates hormone production that keeps your hair colourful.

 

  • Almonds: Get rid of grey hair and have a healthy flowing hair with almonds
    Almonds are rich in both Vitamin E and copper. Try incorporating almonds into your meals and start loading up on hair-healthy nutrients.

 

  • Sunflower seeds: Sunflower seeds have high amount of mineral content which helps in producing and retaining the melanin content thus playing an important role in maintaining healthy hair.

Lastly, when you’re eating hair-friendly foods, ensure water intake is optimal because   nutrients need water to flow through your body. Thus, If you’re not well-hydrated, you won’t get the maximum benefits from all those special, grey hair colour-fighting foods!

So all these foods and information will help you prevent grey hair and will make you look much younger even when you grow old..

 

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How important are Micro-Nutrients to stay fit?

 

micro-nutrientsMacro-Nutrients have always been given importance for health and athletic performance but, somewhere the micro-nutrients are completely left out.

“Vitamins and Minerals”, as the name comes from a Latin word “Vita” meaning life and “amine” as the biochemist called Casimir Funk(1884-1967) who learnt about them thought that they contained amino acids, hence the word “amine”.

“Minerals” are substances that are found naturally within the earth’s crust. Vitamins and minerals are the micro-nutrients, as they are measured in milligrams or micrograms. Vitamins are called “essentials” as the body cannot produce them, they have to be consumed through our food or through the dietary supplements to get them adequately. Vitamin and minerals play a very important role in metabolism of carbohydrates and fats which are used as fuel by the muscles. They are also involved in repair and building of muscles after a training session.

For everyone who trains hard in the gym,the energy metabolism and protein synthesis is absolutely important, these functions are driven by the “metabolic enzymes”. Metabolic enzymes are substances that carry out loads of functions in the body for reproduction and replenishment of the cells. Pancreas  are the primary organs that produce and release these metabolic enzymes. These enzymes are also responsible for flushing out toxins from the body and also producing energy from the nutrients that we consume.

One of major causes of wrinkles, bone loss and illness in elderly people is the inability of the pancreas to produce these metabolic enzymes due to ageing.

These metabolic enzymes require coenzymes which will initiate and aid in the function of  enzymes. The B vitamins serve as the coenzymes that helps in conversion of food into fuel and energy production.

The various B complex vitamins like the Thaimin (B1) and Niacin(B3) not only help in conversion of nutrients into energy but, Niacin also helps in manufacturing hormones and regulate the cholesterol.

Riboflavin (B2) and Panthothenic acid (B5) helps in production of energy and producing red blood cells in the body. Pyroxidine (B6) is specially important for those, crazy for muscle building and body building as this vitamins helps in protein building and strengthens the immune system.

Biotin (B7), Folic acid (B9) and Cobalamin (B12) again help in conversion of nutrients into energy. Cobalamin helps in keeping the red blood cells healthy thus enhancing their ability to carry oxygen to the cells.

Important to note Biotin (B7) deficiency is generally found in people who consume raw eggs, the egg whites contain a protein called the avidin which binds with Biotin and stops its absorbtion, cooking the eggs deactivates the avidin .As well as, consuming raw eggs is risky as it results in serious health problems like diarrhea and vomiting due to presence of a bacteria called the Salmonella. So all those “Rocky Balboa” fans, need to watch out before gulping a pitcher full of raw eggs.

Vitamin A,C and E are of equal importance for a exercising indiviual. Exercise leads to development of Reactive Oxygen Species(ROS) or commonly known as the free radicals. ROS is a phrase used for free radicals produced by molecular oxygen. The production of oxygen based radicals (ROS) is harmful for all the aerobic species. These oxygen based radicals develop even during normal aerobic respiration. But, while exercising, the demand for oxygen is increased for the cells, specially during endurance training and during the EPOC(excess post exercise oxygen consumption) which is post weight training. These ROS cause cell damage, drop in immune system, bone loss and muscle loss resulting to a drop in  performance. Some amount of Vitamin C and E is already there in the tissues, which is transfered into the bloodstream to handle minor stress while aerobic respiration. Having said that while exercising the stress increases tremendously as the demand for oxygen is very high, hence there is depletion of Vitamin C and E. These should then be immediately supplied through dietary supplements in adequate quantity. Vitamin A plays a crucial role not only as a antioxidant but also to improve vision.

Any physical activity depletes these vitamins and minerals, and the need for these vital nutrients increases. They have to be supplied through dietary supplements to achieve optimal performance in the workouts and to stay fit.

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THE TRUTH ABOUT CHOLESTEROL

cholesterol
Cholesterol is something which most people regard as a “villain” of health. All thanks to the increasing rate of heart disease and other related complications. It’s true that a diet consistently high in cholesterol and saturated fats takes a person on the path of heart ailments, but it’s also true that if one were to totally shun cholesterol, one would age very fast as the cell replacement would be hampered, the skin would become loose and premature wrinkles would appear. Does that surprise you? Oh yes it will! So, cholesterol is bad…and cholesterol is good as well. While too much cholesterol can be harmful, just the right amount of it does a lot of important work in the body.

Majority of the total body cholesterol is synthesized in the liver and some of it is obtained from foods. Among the food sources, cholesterol comes only from animal foods. Foods that contain saturated fats (dairy products, hydrogenated vegetable oils, egg yolk, red meat, coconut, cashews, etc.) are the indirect sources of cholesterol as saturated fat is converted into cholesterol when it enters the body.

There are various functions of Cholesterol which are indispensible to the body:

  • Cholesterol plays a very important role in both the creation and maintenance of human cell membrane
  • It helps produce bile acids which aids in digestion and vitamin absorption.
  • It aids in the synthesis of Vitamin D
  • It plays a role in producing hormones such as oestrogen in women and testosterone in men.

Let’s understand that all cholesterol isn’t the same. There’s good cholesterol called HDL (high density lipoprotein) and bad cholesterol called LDL (Low density Lipoprotein).

HDL cholesterol sweeps away the extra cholesterol from cells and tissues and takes it to liver where it is broken down and passed from the body. A healthy range of HDL cholesterol is known to protect against heart diseases, while low levels have been shown to increase the risk of it.

Whereas LDL cholesterol, the “bad man”, contributes to plaque formation, a thick, hard deposit that can clog arteries making them less flexible which sets the process of heart disease in motion.

In order to prevent heart disease, it is very important to maintain the good and bad cholesterols in their healthy range. LDL Cholesterol should always be under 130 mg/dl and HDL should be above 60 mg/dl, and the total cholesterol ought to be within 200 mg/dl.

How do we maintain these healthy levels? In terms of diet, the high-fat diets that raise LDL also raise HDL, while low-fat diets lower both. However, there are certain foods which lower the LDL and up the HDL levels. These are the foods rich in omega 3. Omega 3 is a miraculous nutrient found in walnuts, flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, fish, fish oil, chia seeds, etc. which helps maintain the healthy ratio of HDL:LDL. Apart from diet, of course exercise, genetics other lifestyle factors also play a role in maintaining the levels. People who exercise, don’t smoke and maintain a healthy weight tend to have higher levels of HDL.

Thus, all that we need to make sure is to eat wisely, exercise regularly and thereby maintain the healthy lipid levels and secure your heart!

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Smart Girls use Dumbbells

weight-training
As a sports nutritionist, I have in the past only worked at various Gyms. My primary job was to plan diets. At times I even had to look at client’s workout schedule to be then able to accordingly plan a diet for them. It is during this stint that I realised that most women clients would either only do cardio and stretching or do weights with the same amount of weights for almost 3months continuously. They would lift minimal weight of 2.5lbs/5lbs and that too they did as their trainer told them. I then had to spend extra time with these women and explain to them that they should start their weight training initially with lower weights but gradually increase the weights to higher pounds to achieve the necessary results or the goals they have set for themselves.

Ladies..Wake up!! Today its women power and we women are walking shoulder to shoulder with men in varied fields. There is always this fear I have seen among women who go to gyms to lift weights. So don’t be afraid to lift weights and do as men would do. Or at least get closer.

Don’t worry!!You will not put on those extra muscles that will make you look manly because we women have been blessed with some lovely hormones that give us the beautiful body. So, irrespective of how much ever weights you pick up you will never look manly. It will only tone your body to make you look more beautiful, energetic and fit.

Women are the master of all trade and we often work towards keeping one and all happy. We are very good at multi-tasking and most of us do it with ease. And to be able to perform all of these duties to the fullest we have to have amazing energy levels, great stamina and a strong willpower too. And after doing all this if we want to look good and maintain ourselves there is nothing wrong with it at all.

Many women who are not fit or not into regular exercising often face lot of menstrual problems, pregnancy issues, Post pregnancy weight issues etc.. All of this can be sorted out with regular weight training.

Women can achieve the stamina, long lasting energy, good looks, a toned body and beautiful skin with a good workout. Maintain the same consistency of one day gym and one day cardio.

Listing the benefits of weight training for girls/ladies/mother/grandmother.

1. Strong Bones : Most of the women face bone density issues, especially in old age. Weight training helps you in increasing the bone density. In younger girls it makes it stronger.

2. Lesser Body fat: As you gain muscle with weight training your metabolism will increase, in turn making you burn more calories, thus leading to a toned body and lesser fat %.

3. More Energy: Exercise helps you in boosting your metabolism, thus more energy.

4. Stronger Body: Exercise helps in stronger muscles thus helping you maintaining your daily chores easier like picking up grocery bag and carrying children around, picking a   bucket etc.

5. Fights depression: Exercise releases certain hormones in the body which makes you feel good and enhances your mood too.

  1. Manages chronic conditions: Chronic conditions like Aches and pains in the joints, blood pressure, Heart disease etc., and their symptoms reduce with regular weight training
  2. Eases Menstrual Issues: MS and menstrual pain, one of the biggest concerns for females, is taken care of if Regular exercise is a part of daily routine.

8. Post Pregnancy weight: If you are weight training regularly, even after pregnancy getting back in shape becomes easier.

9. Skin & Hair : As blood circulation increases due to exercise, your skin and  hair become more healthy and better.

10. Thyroid & PCOD: Weight training helps insulin resistance and reduces body fat, thus helping cure both Thyroid and PCOD.

There are numerous such small but good benefits for women in including weight training as a part of the exercise regime.

So go Pump The Iron Girls!!

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

As we observe World Cancer Day under the powerful theme ‘United by Unique’ (2025-2027)**, we are reminded that every individual’s journey with cancer is distinct, yet united by shared resilience, hope, and the collective fight against this disease. This theme places people at the centre of care and their stories at the heart of the […]