5 Things to Avoid if You Want Healthy Hair

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1. Hard Water

Do you have coarse, dry, straw-like hair?  If so, you may have hard water and should consider getting a shower filter.  About 85 percent of U.S. households bathes in hard water, which is unfiltered tap water.  The chemicals in tap water, such as chlorine, lead, and other things too gross to mention, can do a number on hair.

Shower filters eliminate almost all chemicals and heavy metals and can help the hair retain its natural moisture and vitality.  A good shower filter will cost around $50 and can easily replace your existing showerhead.

2. Synthetic Bristles Brushes/Combs

Instead of using plastic combs and hairbrushes, use wooden ones instead.

Why?

Simply combing or brushing the hair with plastic styling products cause static that contributes to dryness split ends and breakage.

Wooden combs and wooden bristle hairbrushes help hair keep its moisture by evenly distributing natural hair oil along the hair shaft. Plus, using wooden combs and wooden bristle brush massage the scalp and stimulates blood flow that helps to get rid of toxins and impurities.

3. Never Ending Stress

If you’re a fan of eighties music the song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFarren, may ring a bell.  It’s too bad this song isn’t played more often.  We’d all be more Zen if it were.   Stress affects all areas of the body, including hair follicles.  It may sound a bit silly, but when too much cortisol, a stress hormone, could force hair to enter into a sort of resting phase.

Everyone experiences this resting phase when hair follicles take a 3-4 month growing hiatus.  Then the hair sheds, which is normal, and new hair grows in its place.  Most people don’t even notice.  In fact, the average person loses about 100 hairs every day.

Unfortunately,  a significant amount of stress can force a larger number of hair follicles to go into this 3-month resting phase sooner than usual, resulting in noticeable hair loss.

Can this be avoided?  It’s critical to find ways to de-stress even if it’s only 20 minutes a day.  Meditation is a fantastic natural stress buster.  The bonus is, the more you meditate, the longer the effects will last.

4. Being a Couch Potato

One of the keys to having vibrant hair is to engage in regular physical activity.   Whether you do Zumba twice a week, go on a daily walk around the neighborhood or take a power yoga class at the local YMCA.

It doesn’t matter as long as you do some calorie burning activity that makes you sweat.  Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day.

5.  Not Getting Enough Nutrients

Nourish hair from the inside out by getting enough protein and eating foods rich in hair replenishing vitamins and minerals.  Hair is mostly protein and because of this, it’s super important to get at least 46 grams of  high-quality protein each day.   Stick with lean plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, nuts and seeds.

Why?

The body absorbs plant based protein absorbs better.  Lean cuts of meat, especially chicken, are ok so long as the animal was grass-fed and is antibiotic free.  But that’s not all. Plant-based proteins also contain iron,  which is necessary for healthy hair growth.   Biotin, Vitamin E, MSM & Zinc are also must-haves, so get put these on your shopping list.

Resources

[http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/15186/1/Hard-Water-Hair-Damage.html: Hard Water Hair Damage] Health Guidance for Better Health. Nov. 7, 2012 Retrieved Sept. 27, 2015.

[ http://www.kylarosemaher.com/post/58630308533/7-reasons-why-you-should-use-a-wooden-comb-or: 7 Reasons Why You Should Use A Wooden Comb or Brush] Kayla Rose. August 18, 2013 Retrieved Sept. 27, 2015.

[http://visihow.com/Regrow_Hair_Safely_and_Naturally:How to Regrow Hair Safely and Naturally] VisiHow. September 27, 2013 Retrieved Sept. 28, 2015.

[http://www.webmd.com/beauty/hair-health-11/hair-stress-effect?page=2: The Effects of Stress on Your Hair] WebMD. Nov. 7, 2012 Retrieved Sept. 27, 2015.

[http://abcnews.go.com/Health/nutrients-healthy-hair/story?id=20590860#: 6 Nutrients for Healthy Hair] ABC News. October 17, 2013 Retrieved Sept. 27, 2015.

Theona Layne
Theona is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about health and wellness topics. Get more information at www.theonalayne.com or e-mail: [email protected]
blog: https://theonalaynesblog.wordpress.com/