Most people have a several moisturizers, creams, conditioners, and shampoos. Some are supposed to make your skin look younger, firmer, or free from acne or blackheads. Others help your hair look healthy and luxurious. These can get quite costly, and you can save money by eating healthier to get the nutrients necessary for healthy hair and skin. Healthy foods that are good for your skin and hair contain nutrients that are also beneficial for your health, weight, and overall well-being.
Important vitamins for healthy hair include B vitamins, and vitamins D and C.
If you have a vitamin or mineral deficiency, it can cause unhealthy hair and even lead to hair loss. Biotin—B7—is a nutrient that can help both hair and skin. Biotin won’t help improve your hair if you don’t have a deficiency. A deficiency of folate—B9, riboflavin—B2, and B12 can also cause hair loss. For thicker locks, add food high in vitamin B, such as salmon, leafy greens, and beef liver. Vitamin C can improve the overall healthy appearance, as does vitamin D. Adding citrus fruit, sweet red peppers, and cantaloupe to your diet, plus doing safe sunning for vitamin D can improve the appearance of your hair.
Healthy fat and adequate protein can make your skin more youthful.
If you don’t have enough healthy dietary fat, it causes your skin to look dry and wrinkled. How do you include it? Consume food high in healthy fat like fatty fish, nuts, seeds, and avocados. Your body needs omega-3 fatty acids to create new cells. Protein is necessary to build cells, too. Amino acids form protein. They create the keratin and collagen that’s necessary for healthy skin and protects the cells. Beans, bone broth, and animal products, including meat, dairy, and eggs boost protein intake.
Some minerals are good for both hair and skin.
Zinc and iron are two minerals that help build healthy skin and hair. Zinc is necessary for hair growth, plus boosting immune functioning, wound healing, and DNA synthesis. Zinc is necessary for the skin to stabilize cell walls. It protects the skin from UV damage. A zinc deficiency causes a rash that doesn’t respond to steroid creams but goes away with supplementation.
- Your skin needs vitamin A to process collagen. Vitamin A is also beneficial for the oil glands around the hair. Not only does that help heal the skin, but it also helps keep hair beautiful.
- Green leafy vegetables not only provide vitamins A, C, and E, they contain protein, omega-3 fatty acids. Many contain phytonutrients and trace minerals that can also improve hair and skin, such as antioxidants like flavonoids that can help hair growth.
- Vitamin E is important for protecting the skin from UV rays. It works in synergy with vitamin C to help build stronger cell walls. Wheat germ, nuts, and seeds are high in vitamin E.
- Eating a healthy diet filled with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables is the best way to improve hair and skin. Milk, soft cheeses, and other dairy are linked to acne. Discuss removing it from your diet with your healthcare professional.
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