Here is part of a presentation I gave at NITC4
The question I get the most is “How can I get long hair?” Quite frankly, it is a question that rankles. Healthy hair should be the goal and long hair will be an added benefit.
To achieve healthy hair, one of the most important things to focus on is Nutrition.
At every NITC, Sherese Ijewere of Carib Health, who is co-organizer and in-house nutritionist, gives tips on eating healthy to benefit our hair, body and skin. I also dedicate Mondays to Healthy Eating on the Natural Nigerian Facebook Page, sharing recipes and inspiring pictures for healthy living.
The reason why there is such a focus on nutrition (apart from the obvious health implications) is that if one is in the market for healthy long hair or glowing skin then one must take nutrition seriously.
The body has a prioritization system – when it receives nutrients it apportions it to the most important parts of the body and then goes down its list. Vital Organs like the Liver and Kidney are at the top of the list. Nails and hair are at the bottom. Your body rightly determines that the body requires healthy organs to function. Nails and Hair are really just for aesthetics. Both are dead and are not vital for the body’s survival.
Let’s put this in perspective shall we? If you eat healthy, nutrient dense food, then your body will be awash in nutrients and will be generous when it is apportioning it to the various body parts.
However, if your diet is lacking in nutrients, then your body is going to be stingy with the allocation of nutrients. Your Liver and Kidney will still get the most nutrients and then hair and skin will get what is left. So let us say that your Vital Organs get about 40% of the nourishment you need, your hair and nails will only get about 5%. See how that works?
It is a known fact that the hair and nails are a tell-tale sign of malnutrition in people that have eating disorders.
So what happens when your hair does not get these nutrients?
Ultimately, there is a downward spiral towards possible hair loss.
We will continue this post at a later date by talking about how to eat healthy. Here’s a clue as to how that post will go: