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Getting to the Root of Healthy Hair

Getting to the Root of Healthy Hair

In our valiant efforts to sport a coif fabulous enough to make Jennifer Aniston envious, many of us get a little carried away with tugging, teasing and assaulting our hair with heat and chemicals.  In attempts to repair the damage, we may have over-invested in countless hair repair products, most of which wind up collecting dust in cabinets, poured down the drain or thrown in the trash. Take heart – there are other  ways. Here are some hair care tips that won’t require another trip to Sephora.

Hair today, more tomorrow

WebMD’s Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair suggests eating a balanced, varied, protein-rich diet that focuses on salmon, walnuts, oysters, sweet potatoes, eggs, spinach, lentils, Greek yogurt, blueberries and poultry. Self Magazine’s The Gorgeous-Hair Diet says keeping hair “active” requires protein, which makes up 97 percent of hair; iron to help blood ferry oxygen to follicles; and zinc, which helps enzymes build and repair hair. And, for thickness and shine, remember the omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association recommends having a 3.5-oz serving of omega-3-rich fish at least twice per week.

Yoga to stay in the hair and now

If you’re noticing signs of hair loss, whether or not you are menopausal, visit your doctor to rule out a health-related underlying cause. Otherwise, there may be other contributing factors. Here are a few items you might find helpful.

Stress can cause hair loss (see Third Age’s How to Limit Hair Loss During Menopause). It doesn’t just do your body and mind good, Health Line’s “Menopause Hair Loss Prevention” advises a balanced diet and exercise play an important role in maintaining healthy locks.

Is your hair style contributing to hair loss? Don’t wear tight braids, extensions or hair bands that can cause breakage. Look for bands that are soft elastic with a fabric cover, and avoid styles that pull or put excessive tension on your hair.  

Any lightening of darker hair can cause damage over time. Totalbeauty.com offers pro-tips for helping hair recover from the effects of bleaching.

Adopt highly gorgeous hair habits

From Glamour Magazine’s “The 10 Habits of Highly Gorgeous Hair”:

Celebrity stylist Jenny Cho suggests trimming your own locks with what’s called “dusting.” You simply “twist small sections and snip above the split.” Stylist Thomas Osborn warns that hair can snap when wet, so apply a drop of oil to ends before working out the knots. And "start at the bottom." 

 

What’s your HQ (hair-intelligence quotient ;-)?

Take this Fitness Magazine How Healthy Is Your Hair quiz. Let us know how you do!