Nutritional Tips for Healthy Hair

*Attributed to the following spokesperson:

Mike Ryan – Trichologist, Brand Expert CLEAR Arabia

A healthy diet is key to healthy hair and hair growth.  So – we thought we'd make the road to happy hair days easier for you with these useful weekly dietary tips!

1. Start the day with a good breakfast

It's here where a proper nutritional boost is most needed! Energy available to your hair follicles is lowest first thing in the morning so incorporate a mixture of proteins (at least 120g) with any form of complex carbohydrate

Top Breakfast Picks:
- Scrambled eggs on whole-wheat toast with sautéed spinach.
- Fresh berries with honey and a pot of low fat cottage cheese.
- Smoked salmon and sliced tomatoes on a seeded bagel.

Don't have time for these culinary delights? Prepare some hard-boiled eggs before going to bed to take to work with you. If you have a fridge at your office, keep a stash of breakfast foods to have along with your morning coffee.

2. Steaky Saturday

This is a prime opportunity to embrace Sunday roasts and summer barbeques. Red meats are your bodies' best source of iron – a mineral essential for healthy hair growth, and it's important that you incorporate it into your diet at least once a week to keep your levels sustained. Low iron, or ferritin (stored iron) levels can cause increased hair shedding – and can also make your hair fall out before it reaches its optimum length.

If you are a vegan or vegetarian, nutritional supplements are often needed to maintain healthy iron levels. While iron is present in certain vegetables and dark, leafy greens, it is not as easily absorbed or found in the same amounts.

3. Snack Healthy

Energy to form hair cells drops 4 hours after eating a meal. Snack on a complex carbohydrate, such as whole meal crackers, fresh fruits, dried apricots, or a fresh fruit/vegetable smoothie, to keep your follicles nourished.

4. Stay Hydrated

Drink approximately 1.5-2 litres of water a day depending on your activity level and climate. Your scalp, just like your skin, can become dehydrated.

5. Don't Skip Meals

As well as being bad for your general health, skipping meals can be especially bad news for your hair. As your hair is not a vital tissue, your body will never prioritise its nutritional needs. Think of it this way – If your essential organs aren't getting the energy they need to function properly, or are receiving the minimum amount of nutrients, your hair cells certainly won't be!