While age and hereditary factors are the most common causes of hair loss, some lifestyle habits also contribute to the condition. Your nutrition and diet affect how hair follicles grow. Dr. Joseph Williams’s comprehensive treatment plan includes helpful tips on the best eating habits to prevent hair loss.
Which Foods Can Contribute To Hair Loss?
Some dietary habits involve nutrients that can harm the hair growth process. Avoid the following foods and supplements to avoid these risks:
- Sugar
Studies show a link between increased sugar intake and hair loss. If your body develops resistance to naturally produced insulin, you might experience complications such as diabetes. Sugar tends to hinder the absorption of protein, which is a crucial nutrient for hair growth. More sugar also means your body works harder to produce insulin. One of the side effects is the increased production of androgens. These male sex hormones can trigger early baldness by shrinking your hair follicles.
- Refined Grains And Processed Food
The body converts over-processed starches such as white bread and pastries into sugar. That’s why nutritionists urge you to stick to whole grains such as oatmeal, barley, millet, and whole wheat bread. It’s also advisable to avoid fast food because it contains Trans and saturated fats, which aren’t good for your hair and overall health. These processed foods contain excess sodium, sugar, and fats while lacking healthy nutrients.
- Alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption makes it harder to follow a healthy diet plan. Beer and similar drinks also contain empty calories without nutritional benefits. It’s, therefore, possible to suffer malnutrition because it won’t be a balanced diet. Your hair, scalp, and body need the right mix of healthy nutrients for proper development.
Alcohol hastens hair loss by interfering with your body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients and vitamins. Additionally, it can destroy your stomach lining, which will trigger increased acidity in the digestive system and further limit nutrient absorption. Other side effects that harm your hair include dehydration, blood sugar spikes, sleep disruption, and estrogen imbalance.
- Foods Containing Mercury
Mercury is an element that causes various health problems, including hair loss, when consumed in high quantities. Other effects include anxiety, depression, memory problems, muscle weakness, mood swings, and compromised motor skills. Fish is one of the most common sources of this toxic metal. Specific foods include swordfish, marlin, bigeye tuna, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish.
You don’t have to keep off all seafood and fish because they’re sources of vital nutrients such as Vitamin D, Omega-3, and Vitamin B12. Examples of safe alternatives with low mercury are shrimps, oysters, salmon, and scallops. Your consumption shouldn’t be higher than two meals of seafood per week. That amount of mercury roughly translates to about 1 part per million (ppm).
- Vitamin A
Although this vital nutrient helps with organ functions and vision, excessive consumption can have unpleasant results. Other than accelerated hair loss, Vitamin A toxicity can cause abdominal pain, rashes, and vomiting. The chronic form of this condition is the one most associated with hair problems. It also causes dry skin and a higher likelihood of bone fractures.
A healthy, balanced diet is key to growing thick and long hair. We don’t recommend crash dieting because it restricts vital nutrients such as protein and zinc. If done over a long period, these deficiencies can cause telogen effluvium.
Professional Hair Restoration Services in Las Vegas
The Advanced Medical Hair Institute prides itself on providing customized solutions to a variety of hair loss problems. Dr. Joseph Williams, our lead surgeon, has top-notch skills and extensive experience in this field. In addition to being equipped with the latest technology, our highly competent staff also undergoes continuous training. Please schedule a consultation today for more details on how our hair restoration procedures provide natural-looking results.
