“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..
