1. NUTRITION
Eating the right kinds of foods that are rich in Vitamins & Minerals that support hair growth and health is the first step to beautifully healthy and more manageable kinky hair. Balanced diet is very essential to maintain good health which in turn ensures healthy hair. However, there are certain nutrients you need to eat regularly to help fortify the hair follicle from which each strand of hair is born and nourish the scalp that surrounds it. Healthier follicles and scalp yields Healthier Hair. The nutrients that support this is what I shall list below.
The truth is that there is more to beautifully healthy and more manageable kinky hair than what you eat, but we will get to some more of that later. I have to mention here that certain habits like not getting enough sleep and smoking can affect how your hair looks and feels. Also, bad emotional health (like feeling bad, sad, fear, depressed, discontent) and hormonal imbalances can cause your hair to fall and degrade. But eating healthy consistently and changing those detrimental habits and emotions by surrendering to God in whom you can commit all your pain, depend on and trust Him, His Word and Ways wholeheartedly can help your hair heal.
Let's now get to know those nutrients that support growing beautifully healthy and more manageable kinky hair. You should notice reduction in dryness and shedding of your kinky and very coarse hair by about 50%. Although genetics play a role in all humans but feeding your body with more living foods only increases the health of your hair whether you have naturally thick hair or light hair and will bring life to your lifeless strands.
Below is a very informative article by Guide to Living Naturally which explains the nutrients you should be consuming and the effects they will have in changing the condition of your hair.
Protein
Protein is the building block of hair. Hair is 88 percent protein. Protein will give the shaft of your hair more strength, and will reduce the probability of damage. Excellent sources of protein include tuna, shrimp, and cod, snapper, venison, halibut, salmon, scallops, turkey, chicken, lamb, beef, calf’s liver, spinach, tofu, mustard greens, crimini mushrooms, soybeans, and mozzarella cheese, eggs, milk, collard greens, cauliflower and many legumes including lentils, split peas, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans and garbanzo beans.
B Vitamins
The B vitamins are necessary for healthy hair. Lack of B vitamins can lead to oily hair conditions. Good sources include: animal products (meat, poultry), yeast extracts (brewers’ yeast, Marmite), asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, bell peppers, turnip greens, bananas, potatoes, dried apricots, dates and figs, milk, eggs, cheese, yoghurt, nuts and pulses, fish, brown rice, wheat germ, garlic, tuna, wholegrain cereals, avocado, herring, salmon, celery, mushrooms, sunflower seeds and walnuts.
Vitamin C
It strengthens the immune system, and assists in metabolizing B vitamins and amino acids into the body. Lack of vitamin C can cause dry hair. Excellent food sources of vitamin C include: broccoli, bell peppers, kale, cauliflower, strawberries, lemons, mustard and turnip greens, brussels sprouts, papaya, chard, cabbage, spinach, kiwifruit, snow peas, cantaloupe, oranges, grapefruit, limes, tomatoes, zucchini, raspberries, asparagus, celery, pineapples, lettuce, watermelon, fennel, peppermint and parsley.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is important for the health of your scalp. A lack of it can lead to dry hair. Good sources include: Calf liver, Cow’s milk , eggs, carrots, apricots, mangoes, squash, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, collard greens, tomatoes, guava, and pink grapefruit, salmon, shellfish, Cayenne pepper and chili pepper.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E provides lots of benefits for growing vibrant hair. Good sources of vitamin E include: mustard greens, turnip greens, chard, sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, collard greens, parsley, kale, papaya, olives, bell pepper, brussel sprouts, kiwifruit, tomato, blueberries, and broccoli.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K helps to maintain healthy hair. Good sources of vitamin K include: spinach, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, green beans, asparagus, broccoli, kale, mustard greens, green peas and carrots, fig, brewer yeast, asparagus, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, egg yolk, oatmeal, rye, soybean, liver, wheat, yogurt, tomato paste, cheese.
Iron
Healthy hair needs iron in the body. Iron is needed to help carry oxygen to the hair. Without enough iron, hair gets starved for oxygen. Good sources of iron include: chard, spinach, thyme, and turmeric, romaine lettuce, blackstrap molasses, tofu, mustard greens, turnip greens, string beans, and shiitake mushrooms, beef tenderloin, lentils, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, venison, garbanzo beans, broccoli, leeks, and kelp.
Magnesium
Magnesium deficiencies lead to hair problems. Good sources of magnesium include Swiss chard and spinach, mustard greens, summer squash, broccoli, blackstrap molasses, halibut, turnip greens, pumpkin seeds and peppermint, cucumber, green beans, celery, kale and a variety of seeds, including sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and flax seeds.
Copper
Copper is needed for hair structure and is involved in the pigmentation of hair.
Good sources of copper include: calf’s liver, mushrooms, turnip greens and molasses, chard, spinach, sesame seeds, mustard greens, kale, summer squash, asparagus, eggplant, and cashews, peppermint, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, ginger, green beans, potato.
Zinc
A lack of zinc can lead to hair loss. Zinc is necessary for building hair protein.
Good sources include: Calf’s liver, crimini mushrooms, sea vegetables, basil, thyme, spinach, pumpkin leaves (Ugu in Nigerian Igbo languages), yeast, beef, and lamb, summer squash, asparagus, venison, chard, collard greens, shrimp, maple syrup, broccoli, peas, yogurt, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and mustard greens.
Water
Water is important for hair. Water makes up one-fourth of the weight of a strand of hair. Moisture makes the hair supple and helps keep your hair silky and shiny. Eight to ten glasses of water a day are absolutely necessary to nourish healthy hair.
Potassium
Potassium is found in abundance in many foods, and is especially easy to obtain in fruits and vegetables. Good sources of potassium include : chard, mushrooms, and spinach, potassium include fennel, kale, mustard greens, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, winter squash, blackstrap molasses, eggplant, cantaloupe, and tomatoes, parsley, cucumber, bell pepper, turmeric, apricots, ginger root, strawberries, avocado, banana, tuna, halibut, cauliflower and cabbage
Essential Fats (EFAs)
Healthy hair also needs two essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6, that are not produced naturally by the human body.Omega-3 fats sources: flax oil, algae, cold-water fish, dark-green vegetables, hemp oil and pumpkin seed oil. Omega-6 fats sources: borage, evening primrose oil, safflower oil, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, corn and pumpkin seeds.
There you have it! You try them and share with us here your results. Also, watch someones real results in the video below. Hope you enjoy it! Stay tuned for Answer No.2 on "How To Grow, Soften & Maintain Beautiful Natural Kinky Hair." You can follow me on twitter to get the notice of new posts on this and other topics.
Exclusive Make Me A Naturalista Interview: Eating Healthy with the Hilar...: youtu.be/Azm9JCPtJgs via @youtube
— Amina Ekpo (@Eyolight) April 9, 2013
