Healthy Hair and Nails

Healthy Hair & Nails

Waiting for your hair and nails to grow out can be as frustrating as watching a pot boil. But if you're not eating the right nutrients, it can take even longer. Since both are composed of keratin, there are a few foods you can add to your diet to give them the boost that they need. The biggest thing with hair and nails is to eat a diet that is full of healthful nutrition. The healthier you eat, the better your body will function.

1. Milk

Studies have shown that certain deficiencies in iron, zinc, biotin, and protein can contribute to hair loss. Iron deficiencies can also lead to ridges and brittleness in nails. The ideal would be to find foods with the highest amounts of all of these. And milk is one those super foods. It's a great source of protein, calcium, vitamin D, and biotin, which also helps make hair soft and touchable.

2. Eggs

Your hair (which grows about half an inch per month) is about 97% protein, so you need to replenish your body with this nutrient to promote cell growth and repair, Eggs also are rich in biotin and iron.

3. Salmon

Omega-3 fatty acids can help strengthen hair and make your scalp less flaky. They can also keep fingernails, which grow about 3 millimetres per month, from getting brittle and frail. Bonus: It's also rich in biotin, an essential B vitamin for hair and scalp health.

4. Leafy greens

Kale, spinach, collards, and other dark green veggies are full of good-for-you vitamins C and A. It's really important in collagen production, which builds up and strengthens blood vessels. Vitamin C is important for the absorption of iron (that you're getting from eggs), and vitamin A supports hair growth. vitamin C also helps with a healthy scalp — and a healthy base is extra important for strong hair.

5. Orange & yellow-coloured vegetables

Vitamin A-packed veggies like carrots, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes can make your nails shinier and less dry. They're also full of the antioxidant beta-carotene, which helps the body convert vitamin A for healthier skin. Eat a lot of these and you may be able to do away with those pesky hangnails. Thank goodness!

6. Water

It's not a food, but staying hydrated is equally as important to hair and nail health. Adding more water to your diet and making sure you stay hydrated is key to general body functions. It also helps transport all those nutrients you need to your hair and nail follicles.

Care for your hair

Washing Hair Properly

1 - Wash hair sparingly and use a good-quality shampoo. Washing hair too often can leave hair dried out, leached of its natural oils, and may damage your hair. Aim to shampoo your hair at most every other day or only twice a week.

 2 -Try shampoos that do not contain sulphates or parabens. Sulphates are the chemicals that make shampoos lather up. Parabens are preservatives that cause irritation and eye problems after prolonged use. Both of these chemicals aren't healthy for you or the environment so try to use shampoos with natural cleansers.

3 -Choose a shampoo that suits your hair type. Don't just go for any old shampoo; go for the shampoo that works for your hair type. Typical types include (but are not limited to):

Curly or coarse hair probably wants frizz-minimizing and softening shampoo.

Straight or oily hair probably wants a gentle shampoo designed for daily washing.

Coloured or treated hair probably needs a shampoo that's fortified with extracts or amino acids, because treating your hair is essentially damaging it.

Dry hair probably needs shampoos with glycerine and collagen to help restore some moisture into the hair.

4 -Use conditioner that matches your hair type, length, and treatment damage. A good rule of thumb is to condition every time you shampoo your hair, although very processed or dyed hair probably needs a little more love than natural hair.

5- Deep condition once a week. Use a store-bought hair care product, or venture out on your own and try a homemade solution. Deep conditioning is very good for your hair. It keeps hair soft, healthy and moisturized.

6 -Condition your hair properly based on hair type:

For fine hair: If you have very limp hair, try a botanical oil treatment before you shampoo. Use lavender or tea-tree oil, for example, and work it under your cuticles before shampooing. Wash shampoo away and apply conditioner from the mid-shaft down to the end. Leave in for a minute before washing.

For medium to thick hair, use a moisturizer with natural hydrators. Keep your conditioner light. Apply conditioner all over your head and let stay for 2-3 minutes.

7 - Be careful about using hair care products with too much protein. Too much protein can leave your hair feeling desiccated and brittle. While protein is the building block of healthy hair, use conditioners that come with balanced ingredients.

8- Frizz-control serum can be used in small quantities to tame frizzes. Make sure you do not use too much, and wash once a week with a deep-cleanse shampoo to avoid build-up, which will leave hair looking dull and flaky.