No-Nonsense Nutrition for Your Hair

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You can deal with the fruit or go right to the root (pun intended)! While high quality, pure cosmetics and personal care products are extremely important for the health of our skin and hair, I believe good no-nonsense nutrition is foundational.  Health begins from the inside out and having beautiful hair is no exception.

As with overall health, a varied, fresh, whole, nutrient-rich diet will provide your hair and scalp with the critical vitamins and minerals they need to boost  health and beauty.  The most important nutrients are vitamins A, B6, C, E, biotin, niacin and zinc as well as protein, which provides the building blocks of all body tissue – amino acids.

The same foods that contribute to glowing, vibrant good health, also help keep hair shiny and lustrous.  So I suggest focusing your meals around a source of clean protein, fresh or frozen vegetables, healthy fats, and high quality complex carbohydrates and fruits in moderation. 

Here's a short list of some of my very favorite no-nonsense healthy hair foods:

Since hair is nearly all protein, protein-rich foods literally provide you with the building blocks for green-fed, green-finished beef; fish like salmon and sardines; poultry; eggs, which also provide sulfur, selenium and iron; lentils and Greek yogurt, which is also a good source of  vitamin B5. 

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healthy hair. Some of my favorite sources of clean protein are

Omega 3 fats are instrumental in keeping your hair shiny and hydrated. Great sources are walnuts, avocado and pumpkin, chia and flax seeds.  Speaking of walnuts, these are hair nutrition superstars! Besides the wonderful Omega-3 fatty acids, copper and vitamin E, they also contain biotin. A deficiency in this critical B vitamin can cause hair loss.  

Vegetables and fruits – they are literally treasure-troves of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals that feed a healthy scalp, which in turn supports vibrantly beautiful hair.  Besides a variety of those wonderful, vitamin-rich leafy greens, don't overlook sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes and cantaloupe – all these orange fruits and veggies are loaded with vitamin A, needed for healthy oil production.   Vitamin C is found in tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, bell peppers, kiwis and of course citrus fruits.  This vitamin helps feed the hair folicles that sustain healthy hair.

Why not make it a habit to include a source of clean protein at each meal and a big, beautiful raw salad loaded with leafy greens, seasonal produce and topped with some nuts or seeds and a dressing made with flax, chia or walnut oil?  Not only will you enjoy beautiful, healthy hair, but a vibrantly healthy body as well.  That's a win-win in my book.

To get more No-Nonsense Nutrition information, visit Ann's website at http://www.threedimensionalvitality.com and subscribe to the free weekly newsletter and visit my blogs for more articles like this one!