How does your diet impact your hair?

[webby]

I'm sure that we have all heard, "You are what you eat."

And I'm sure we've all poo-pooed it, but I really started to think about the difference in my hair depending on what I consume. For instance, I have to drink a lot of water (although, I don't always like to), because I'm still nursing.

I've noticed that my hair naturally produced more oil, meaning my ends are not as dry as normal. My hair does not seem to retain a lot more of its own moisture.

Has anyone else noticed anything similar?

 

[Lorraine]

Webby, I am a huge advocate for eating healthy to have healthy hair. I have a sweet tooth so if I fall off my healthy diet it shows. When I used to drink a lot of coffee and have sweets everyday I never saw good results when I went to relax. The length was always about the same. However, when I removed sugar and caffeine from my diet and incorporated more protein and two liters of water per day I was witnessing the difference within weeks. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Queenie]

I've never noticed anything when I've made dietary changes. I guess because I've always been eating healthy. However, I'm on the egg challenge now (since 11/27/04) and I am hoping for faster growth.

 

[Huggette]

[ QUOTE ]
LorraineG said:
Webby, I am a huge advocate for eating healthy to have healthy hair. I have a sweet tooth so if I fall off my healthy diet it shows. When I used to drink a lot of coffee and have sweets everyday I never saw good results when I went to relax. The length was always about the same. However, when I removed sugar and caffeine from my diet and incorporated more protein and two liters of water per day I was witnessing the difference within weeks. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

ms. lorraine--how did you manage to cut out both sweets AND caffeine!? i'm not really a feign for sweets but i simply can't manage during the week w/o at least 2 cups of coffee!!!

was it gradual or cold turkey? i'm thinking coffee is having a negative effect on my hair.

it's funny b/c one of my co workers is a BIG smoker and caffeine killer and her hair is growing like weeds!! whereas mine is pretty stagnant. i'm in awe. makes no sense to me!! /images/graemlins/wallbash.gif

are any of you ladies eating "for your hair"!?

 

[Lorraine]

[ QUOTE ]
Huggette said:
[ QUOTE ]
LorraineG said:
Webby, I am a huge advocate for eating healthy to have healthy hair. I have a sweet tooth so if I fall off my healthy diet it shows. When I used to drink a lot of coffee and have sweets everyday I never saw good results when I went to relax. The length was always about the same. However, when I removed sugar and caffeine from my diet and incorporated more protein and two liters of water per day I was witnessing the difference within weeks. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

ms. lorraine--how did you manage to cut out both sweets AND caffeine!? i'm not really a feign for sweets but i simply can't manage during the week w/o at least 2 cups of coffee!!!

was it gradual or cold turkey? i'm thinking coffee is having a negative effect on my hair.

it's funny b/c one of my co workers is a BIG smoker and caffeine killer and her hair is growing like weeds!! whereas mine is pretty stagnant. i'm in awe. makes no sense to me!! /images/graemlins/wallbash.gif

are any of you ladies eating "for your hair"!?

[/ QUOTE ]

It is hard, trust me. Now I know what smokers go through. When it comes to caffeine it's so hard to quit. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif I began ordering decaf coffee. At first I could taste the difference /images/graemlins/barf.gif but now I can't. I then picked up flavored tea. It still has caffeine in it but it's low in comparison to coffee (29mg vs 90mg). Eventually, I wasn't craving it as much so now I don't drink it everyday. However, every other week I will stop by Starbucks for my mocha fix but so that I don't feel totally guilty I get a decaf. I'm still working on ridding sweets like cookies from my diet. When I figure that one out I will let you know. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[webby]

See, I am a starbuck's JUNKIE.
If I wasn't nursing, I would really like to do a 10-day Master Cleanse, to detox...but for now, I'm just going to continue to eat healthy.

 

[sengschick]

I can't say that it's necessarily true for me. But I think I eat better than most ppl too. I'm vegetarian almost vegan really (but I adore cheeses /images/graemlins/lick.gif, but it's my only dairy product and I'm not about to part w/bread /images/graemlins/nono.gif ) so maybe that's why. I don't intake much caffeine and don't drink sodas. The one thing that I think would positively effect my hair would be increasing my protein intake. But w/help most ppl here (I'm assuming the majority are meat eaters) are still gaining only an 1" per month w/supplements. I can do it too, so maybe my body is just used to minimal protein intake. My normal growth rate is a little over ~1/4 per month, I think it's a safe assumption that it would increase, but I'm sure a fair number of meat eaters only get 1/4 per month as well. It's all relative. I certainly eat first for physical well being, having great hair is just a nice side effect /images/graemlins/wink.gif.

 

[SouthernGirl]

For me, diet makes a difference. Prior to last year, I had not eaten red meat for several years. Because I was anemic and couldn't get enough iron from veggies, I started eating meat again. My hair really started to take off at that point. I also developed a low-carb hi protein lifestyle w/no caffeine (had to drink decaf on Atkins) so my hair started to sprout. It's funny, but the 5 years or so that I didn't eat meat, and ate lots of sugar/caffeine, my hair was in the most awful state. I wish I had pictures from back then to post!

 

[nesha24]

what is the egg challenge?

 

[Isis]

I eat a vegetarian diet for health and because I love the way it makes me feel. I know the impact on my hair is positive, I just wish I knew how to care for my hair in the past. I'm not a vegan though and enjoy eggs and cheese. I've learned that flaxseed oil taken daily will significantly affect the hair in positive ways, just as it does with animals' fur when they are fed flaxseeds.

Eliminating sugar really made a big difference with my hair. I didn't have much of a sweet tooth anyway. I never was into sodas (liquid sugar) and diet sodas (that aspartame will mess you up!). I have stevia if I want the taste of sweetness.

I drink good green tea and I've learned the small amounts of caffeine it contains boosts the healing properites of the polyphenols in the tea, and it's supposed to be good for our hair. I also enjoy the taste of coffee and so I drink decaf. I've seen the difference with drinking a lot of caffeine and drinking just a little or none at all. It's really does make a difference in a very short period of time! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

I take spirulina daily (a blue/green algae) which also helps a lot with our hair.

Drinking 1/2 of my body weight in ounces of water daily has made an incredible difference in moisturizing my hair and skin from the inside out. /images/graemlins/fat.gif

 

[Isis]

[ QUOTE ]
nesha24 said:
what is the egg challenge?

[/ QUOTE ]
Eggs contain everything needed for life. The combo of protein, iron, sulfur, L-cysteine and more seem to have a great affect on hair health and growth.

Here is the egg thread that started it called,
If U Don't Already Know, Eggs Make Ur Hair Grow!

 

[Queenie]

It's good to see more vegetarians. /images/graemlins/clap.gif I am one too. I'm not big on sweets and I hate coffee and soda. I need to get back on my flaxseed too. I was on it for the Omega 3 oils and legins(SP?).

 

[webby]

I wish I knew about this board when I was a vegetarian; I would probably still be one now. Actually, I'm almost one now...I rarely eat meat, can't even remember the last time I cooked meat.

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

I know for me personally, I've just increased my intake of water in the past few months from next to zilch, to about 4-8 glasses a day, and I have noticed TREMENDOUS results in my health just from drinking more water alone!

Some benefits:

*my skin doesn't break out as often
*I've lost about 5 pounds
*I think my hair has grown some due to this
*The whites of my eyes have cleared up
*I feel less sluggish

So, just by increasing my water intake, I've noticed a HUGE difference in my health. Before, I was a soda-junkie!! haha...I was a sprite feign! After Sprite, I became a Pepsi addict. Now I rarely if EVER drink any sodas. I'm interested to know just how much this has helped my hair. I hear that drinking water keeps your hair from getting as dry as often.

 

[ChasingBliss]

WOW, I really needed to read this thread. Isis, Lorraine, both of you are truly inspiring me right now. It is really time for me to stop fooling myself and make these changes in my diet.

 

[anahnamuslyyours]

I have not eaten beef or pork in almost 9 years now. I cain't say for sure if it's benefited my health or not because I am a junk food junkie. I don't drink sodas that often, but I am a candy, cookie, ice cream...etc nut. I'm trying to cut back on the sweet stuff, and drinking more water, but it's not working for me right now. See, I love ICE COLD water. I can barely bring myself to drink water that doesn't have ice in it. Well, when I'm at work, I'm really busy and don't have time to be letting my water freeze and then getting up to drink it. So the water stays on my desk, but then I forget to reach over and drink it. Plus, I hate having to get up and go to the bathroom evry ten minutes. I know it's supposed to calm down after a few weeks, but in the few weeks, I will drive myself crazy and decide not to drink so much while at work. But if I drink the water at night when I get home, then I am up half the night going to the bathroom. It's a no-win situation.

 

[oglorious1]

[ QUOTE ]
Isis said:
I eat a vegetarian diet for health and because I love the way it makes me feel. I know the impact on my hair is positive, I just wish I knew how to care for my hair in the past. I'm not a vegan though and enjoy eggs and cheese. I've learned that flaxseed oil taken daily will significantly affect the hair in positive ways, just as it does with animals' fur when they are fed flaxseeds.

Eliminating sugar really made a big difference with my hair. I didn't have much of a sweet tooth anyway. I never was into sodas (liquid sugar) and diet sodas (that aspartame will mess you up!). I have stevia if I want the taste of sweetness.

I drink good green tea and I've learned the small amounts of caffeine it contains boosts the healing properites of the polyphenols in the tea, and it's supposed to be good for our hair. I also enjoy the taste of coffee and so I drink decaf. I've seen the difference with drinking a lot of caffeine and drinking just a little or none at all. It's really does make a difference in a very short period of time! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

I take spirulina daily (a blue/green algae) which also helps a lot with our hair.

Drinking 1/2 of my body weight in ounces of water daily has made an incredible difference in moisturizing my hair and skin from the inside out. /images/graemlins/fat.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Ditto to what she said...I pretty much do the same thing now