With the festive season fast approaching, we all know too well that it’s our waistlines’ most dreaded time of year, but all that food needn’t all be doom and gloom. Did you know that what you eat can have a profound healthy effect on the condition of your hair?
They say that you are what you eat and, despite none of us actually looking like a turkey or a Cadbury selection box, come January, this does hold some truths.
Hair doesn’t need the latest fad vitamin tablet to thrive – the answer could be right in front of your eyes this Christmas.
Healthy hair comes down to a multitude of things – the amount of colour you throw at it, whether you continually damage it with heat, the quality of the shampoo and conditioner you use, hormone imbalances and what you put in your mouth.
Just like every other part of the body, the cells that support strong, vibrant hair depend on a balanced diet. Vitamins, iron and protein are all major contributors to healthy locks.
Luckily for us this Christmas, turkey carries extraordinary levels of protein, as well zinc, iron, and B vitamins to keep strands strong and plentiful. Iron is especially important as it helps cells carry oxygen to the hair follicles – too little iron (anemia) is a major cause of hair loss, particularly in women. So, don’t leave those green leafy vegetables on your plate this season – kale, spinach, broccoli and sprouts all contain high levels of iron too.
We all love a spoonful of cranberry sauce next to the trusty turkey, but have you ever tried this winter fruit raw? Although slightly bitter, cranberries are not only low in calories, but also fight hair cell damage. Time to pay some attention to those little fruits that can do much more than garnish one too many Christmas cocktails!
Finally, walnuts are the only type of nut that has a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids. They’re also rich in biotin, which helps protect cells from DNA damage. Too little biotin can lead to hair loss. The traditional Christmas nut also contains copper, a mineral that helps keep a rich, natural hair colour.
So, despite Christmas being a diet nightmare for anyone with even the strongest of willpower, 1 January can at least bring healthier hair. That’s one resolution sorted already!