Food and Hair Concluded!

 

Here is the conclusion of our hair and food feature week. I myself am glad its Friday! I'm so tired and I just can't wait to relax over the weekend! Be sure to join our nest on Twitter and like us on Facebook for recipes and other fantastic hair tips!

Healthy Hair Food No. 7: Whole Grains

Sink your teeth into hearty whole grains, including whole-wheat bread and fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals, for a hair-healthy dose of zinc, iron, and B vitamins.

A whole-grain snack can also be a great go-to food when your energy is zapped halfway through the afternoon, and you've still got hours to go before dinner.

Healthy Hair Food No. 8: Oysters

Oysters may be better known for their reputation as an aphrodisiac, but they can also lead to healthy hair -- and who doesn't love that?

The key to their love and hair-boosting abilities is zinc -- a powerful antioxidant.

If oysters don't make a regular appearance on your dinner plate, don't despair. In addition to getting it from whole grains and nuts, you can also get zinc from beef and lamb.

Low-fat Shamrock shake

Healthy Hair Food No. 9: Low-Fat Dairy Products

Low-fat dairy products like skim milk and yogurt are great sources of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth. They also contain whey and casein, two high-quality protein sources.

For some healthy hair foods "to-go," try throwing a yogurt or cottage cheese cup in your bag when you head out in the morning to snack on later in the day. You can even boost their hair benefits by stirring in a couple of tablespoons of ground flaxseeds or walnuts for omega-3 fatty acids and zinc.

Healthy Hair Food No. 10: Carrots

Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, which promotes a healthy scalp along with good vision.

Since a healthy scalp is essential for a shiny, well-conditioned head of hair, you'd be wise to include carrots in your diet as snacks or toppings on your salad.

The Big Picture: A Balanced Diet for Healthy Hair

When it comes to foods for healthy hair and beauty, variety is the best way to go.

"An overall balanced diet of lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fatty fish like salmon and low-fat dairy will help keep hair healthy," Giancoli says.

If you're tempted to drop pounds fast with the latest fad diet, it could leave you with less-than-healthy hair -- along with a growling stomach. Low-calorie diets are often low in some of the most important nutrients for healthy hair, including omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamin A. In addition to stunting hair growth and leading to dullness, super-low calorie plans may even cause hair loss.

"Crash diets can affect the hair cycle," Mirmirani tells WebMD. "Losing a significant amount of weight in a short amount of time can affect that normal hair rhythm. Two to three months later, you might notice a significant increase in shedding. This is a temporary problem that you recover from with a well-rounded diet."

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Hair Foods Continued

Yesterday we went over three foods that you can eat that will make for really great looking hair. Today we will go over another three. Enjoy!

Mixed Nuts

Healthy Hair Food No. 4: Nuts

Do you go nuts for thick, shiny hair? You should.

Brazil nuts are one of nature's best sources of selenium, an important mineral for the health of your scalp.

Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may help condition your hair. They are also a terrific source of zinc, as are cashews, pecans, and almonds. A zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding, so make sure nuts are a regular on your healthy hair menu.

This roasted chicken is paired with another hair food, Asparagus

Healthy Hair Food No. 5: Poultry

Chickens and turkeys may have feathers, but the high-quality protein they provide will help give you the healthy hair you crave.

"Without adequate protein or with low-quality protein, one can experience weak brittle hair, while a profound protein deficiency can result in loss of hair color," Giancoli tells WebMD.

Poultry also provides iron with a high degree of bioavailability, meaning your body can easily reap its benefits.

Healthy Hair Food No. 6: Eggs

When it comes to healthy hair, it doesn't matter whether you like your eggs scrambled, fried, or over easy. However they're served up, eggs are one of the best protein sources you can find.

They also contain biotin and vitamin B-12, which are important beauty nutrients.

REMEMBER TO CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR THE CONCLUSION OF THIS SERIES

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Foods That Help Hair

In this little series of articles we will look at the top 10 foods to eat for healthy hair! Here are the first three. Enjoy!

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"Lather, rinse, repeat" may be standard advice, but shampoo and conditioner alone won't give you the healthy hair you crave. For the most luxurious locks possible, you'll need to step out of the shower, and into the kitchen.

"Your hair grows about 1/4 to 1/2 inch every month, and the foundation of all of our new hair, skin, and nail growth is the nutrients we eat," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, a Chicago-based dietitian. "If you eat a healthy diet, you will grow stronger and healthier cells throughout your entire body -- inside and out."
If you were born with fine, thin hair, you'll never have rope-thick tresses -- no matter what you eat -- but a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of growth-promoting protein and iron can make a difference, say nutrition and hair experts.

And beware of dietary supplements often marketed to thicken hair or make it grow faster. Though there are natural oils that you can place into the hair to thicken it. supplements may backfire.

"Even though you can find beauty supplements on the shelves of most stores, try to get the nutrients you need from foods whenever possible," Paradi Mirmirani, MD, a dermatologist in Vallejo, Calif., tells WebMD. "In rare instances, excess supplementation of certain nutrients, such as vitamin A, has been linked to hair loss."

Beautiful egg and salmon rolls.

Healthy Hair Food No. 1: Salmon

When it comes to foods that pack a beauty punch, it's hard to beat salmon. Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, this high-quality protein source is also filled with vitamin B-12 and iron.

"Essential omega-3 fatty acids are needed to support scalp health," says Andrea Giancoli, MPH, RD, a dietitian in Los Angeles and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "A deficiency can result in a dry scalp and thus hair, giving it a dull look."

Vegetarian? Include one or two tablespoons of ground flaxseed in your daily diet for some plant-based omega-3 fats.

Amazing kale Greek salad

Healthy Hair Food No. 2: Dark Green Vegetables

Popeye the Sailor Man didn't eat all that spinach for healthy hair, but he could have. Spinach, like broccoli and Swiss chard, is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum. The oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles, is the body's natural hair conditioner.

Dark green vegetables also provide iron and calcium.


Healthy Hair Food No. 3: Beans
Beans, beans, they're good for your ... hair?

This couscous three bean salad looks redonk!

Yes, it's true. Legumes like kidney beans and lentils should be an important part of your hair-care diet. Not only do they provide plentiful protein to promote hair growth, but ample iron, zinc, and biotin. While rare, biotin deficiencies can result in brittle hair.

Blatner, who is also a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, recommends three or more cups of lentils or beans each week.

Check back the rest of this week to learn the other foods!

By Hilary Parker
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

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Tuesdye hair Tips

Though most dyes are not at all in the least bit natural, if one wishes to eccentuate their natural beauty with a splash of color it can be liberating and exciting! Here are a few dye tips forwarded to me by Cerise Fairfx
Enjoy!

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Hair Dyes

Whether your color is blonde, red, black or brown, you should know what you're getting into when you use hair dyes. The jury is still out on whether hair dyes cause long-term health problems, but it still pays to be cautious by following these tips:
 Try to postpone the decision to dye your hair permanently for as long as possible. Learn to make the most of your natural color.

 Dye your hair as little as possible, not just because you're sick of the last color. The more you use permanent dyes or go from one wild extreme to the next, the more likely you are to damage your hair.

 Read hair dye instructions carefully. Leave the product on only as long as the instructions indicate and use it only in the amounts indicated.

 Try highlights or streaking instead of coloring your entire head.

 Talk with a cosmetologist who specializes in hair coloring. He or she may be able to give you some tips related to problem products.

 Consider going to a professional hairdresser or "haircolorist" if you must dye your hair. They are the pros and will have a lot more experience than you or your friends.




Author Hair: Learn to Love your hair

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Monday hair Tips!

This small post was sent to me by Cerise Fairfax. It contains a few little tips and tricks, more to come tomorrow! Enjoy-Nol

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Hair Tips
Here are some tips to keep your hair in shape:
   Use conditioners. They won't necessarily give your hair a radiant glow, but they can coat the hair with a lubricant or synthetic that replaces the stripped out sebum. Some conditioners bond to the hair, helping to smooth the cuticle and restore sheen to the hair. Others cut down the static charges of flyaway hair.
    

Go easy on coloring, hot rollers and dryers -- especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors.

   Remember, "perm" is short for "permanent" and although it is not permanent it can take a long time to grow out. If you really want to have it done, have a hairdresser do it and make sure they tell you the different options for your hairtype.

   Wear a hat in the sun. The sun dries your hair out, as it bleaches it too. Hats can be cute, fun and change your look.

   Wear a bathing cap in pools or in salt water. Comb conditioner into your hair before you put the cap on and then wash your hair afterward. I know you think you will look like a dork, but chlorinated pool water can change your hair color. I know, I live in Florida and the water here is very chlorinated. So, it lightens and damages everyone's hair!

   Dry your hair gently, by blotting and squeezing, not wringing or rubbing. Never brush wet hair. Instead, use a wide-tooth comb.

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Weekend Post!

   
  Here is a beautiful poem I thought id share, titled Washing My Hair. I enjoy this poem; it’s sultry, playful and a little gothic. It invokes the transcending nature of water and reveals the existential thoughts one may have while completely vulnerable.

Washing My Hair

BY ANNE STEVENSON

Contending against a restless shower-head,

         I lather my own.

The hot tap, without a mind, decides

         to scald me;

The cold, without a will, would rather

         freeze me.

Turning them to suit me is an act of flesh

         I know as mine.

Here I am: scalp, neck, back, breasts,

         armpits, spine,

Parts I've long been part of, never

         treasured much,

Since I absorb them not by touch, more

         because of touch.

It's my mind, with its hoard of horribles,

         that's me.

Or is it really? I fantasise it bodiless,

         set free:

No bones, no skin, no hair, no nerves,

         just memory,

Untouchable, unwashable, and not, I guess,

         my own.

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The Benefits of Hemp Oil on Hair

In light of it being April twentieth, a day with a massive sub-cultural following, thought I would post an article on the benefits of hemp oil on the hair. Enjoy!

Photo Credit hemp image by Dmitri MIkitenko from Fotolia.com 

Hemp oil can be used to beautify your hair from within, as well as from without. The oil is rich in essential fatty acids, along with vitamins and protein. Hemp oil is good for people with all hair and skin types, though its nutty scent can take some getting used to, authors Lauren Cox and Janice Cox advise in their book "Ecobeauty." While some folks confuse it with marijuana, hemp oil is legal and does not contain the compound THC that gives people a "high." Though the plants are both classified Cannabis sativa L., they are scientifically different. Industrial hemp is cultivated for its oil, fiber and seed content, whereas marijuana is grown for its THC content. You can purchase hemp oil at health food stores and online.
Conditioning Agent

Use hemp oil to condition your hair and your scalp, recommend the Coxes. Hemp oil has vitamin E, along with a high essential fatty acid content, naturopathic author Linda Page notes in her book, "Linda Page's Healthy Healing." Fatty acids provide emollient action, meaning they prevent water loss and have a softening effect, says Paula Begoun, author of "The Original Beauty Bible." The oil is also a natural moisturizer that boosts scalp health, shoring up the intercellular matrix, which protects against moisture loss, according to Begoun. Keeping the scalp healthy can help prevent dry scalp and minimize irritation. Hemp oil is especially good to use in the winter, when the outdoor air is cold and indoor heating systems are cranked up, say the Coxes, because both of these factors dry out your hair and skin.

Rihanna sporting curly hair
at Coachella 

Nutritional Value
Hemp oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids and omega-9 fatty acids, Page writes in "Cooking for Healthy Healing." Consuming such polyunsaturated fatty acids stimulates hair and skin growth, according to University of Maryland Medical Center. Hemp oil also has gamma linolenic acid, which is good for combating hair dryness, Page notes. Hemp oil can be used as you would use olive oil or flaxseed oil in dips and salad dressings.

Protein Value
The quality protein in hemp oil improves the feel and appearance of your hair. Your hair is 97 percent protein, Page says. Hemp oil is 25 percent protein. Protein improves the condition of your hair, especially when it has been damaged. In addition to strengthening the hair, protein has emollient and water-binding properties that boost hair health, says Begoun

References
"Ecobeauty;" Lauren Cox and Janice Cox; 2009
"Cooking for Healthy Healing;" Linda Page; 2002
"Linda Page's Healthy Healing;" Linda Page; 2004
"Diets for Healthy Living;" Linda Page; 2005
"Hair Care;" Zoe Diana Draelos; 2005

Article reviewed by Amy Richards Last updated on: Mar 28, 2011

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/189783-the-benefits-of-hemp-oil-on-hair/#ixzz1sabbxPtf

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