The first gray hair is always surprising. It appears out of nowhere and reminds us of the passing time. What are the causes of gray hair? Is it possible that food we consume daily influences this process? What should you eat to enjoy natural hair color for longer? You will find answers to these questions below.
Back then gray hair was recognized as a sign of maturity that goes hand in hand with wisdom. Nowadays, it just reminds us of the passing time. Some people find it difficult to come to terms with getting older therefore they do their best to cover up the gray strands by applying hair dyes.
However, before reaching for a hair dye, learn a few fun facts about the process of the hair turning gray. Why does our hair lose its color with time? What are the causes of gray hair and how to counteract this? Check what you know about this issue.
The causes of gray hair
Let’s begin with stating that hair going gray is a completely natural process! This is a sign of your body getting older, which we can’t stop, obviously. Luckily, there are some methods though that help us delay this process, yet sooner or later gray hair will appear.
What is gray hair in particular? This is the result of melanin levels reduction, which is the pigment responsible for giving your body a particular color, including the hair, obviously. With age the melanin production drops down, thus there is less of it in the follicles and this is how the hair loses its natural, intensive color.
The most common reason of hair color fading is the genetic susceptibility to graying of hair. If your grandparents saw their hair turning gray faster than in their peers, then the possibility that your hair will turn gray faster is really high.
Other possible causes of premature graying of hair include:
- excessive and chronic stress;
- abuse of alcohol and drugs;
- diseases such as depression and neurosis;
- unbalanced and unhealthy diet.
Premature graying of hair. What should you do?
There are a few things that can be done to delay all ageing processes, including hair going gray. The most important, obviously, is developing the right hair care habits and avoiding the causes of gray hair – less stress, less drugs, more physical activity and more healthy food.
It’s also worth realizing that the food you consume daily has a significant impact on the starting point of the gray hair process. If you don’t supply the body with the adequate quantities of nutrients, then the hair bulbs may lack them. Consequence? Faster ageing and first gray hairs that appear surprisingly quickly.
Food products that delay the appearance gray hair
In order to prevent premature graying of hair, you must supply the follicles with the adequate amount of nourishing substances. And this principle applies mainly to the substances responsible for reducing oxidative stress. If you manage to protect the body against the adverse effects of free radicals, you will successfully delay the appearance of gray hair. For that reason, an antioxidant-rich diet is so crucial. Below you will find a short list of antioxidants that can help you postpone gray hair:
- flavonoides (broccoli, apple, forest fruits),
- lycopene (tomato, pepper),
- vitamin A (carrot, spinach, giblets),
- vitamin C (wild rose, blackcurrant, citrus fruits),
- vitamin E (wholegrain products, various species of buckwheat),
- omega-3 acids (avocado, nuts, fish, oils).
Apart from vitamins, of huge importance are also some chemical elements such as: iron, calcium, magnesium, silicon and copper. Obviously, you don’t have to make sure that a particular dish contains the sufficient amount of all the nutrients. What’s crucial though is to make the diet you follow healthy and balanced.
The less highly processed food you consume, the better it is for our hair. You will enjoy having the natural color for longer if you choose healthier alternatives over the processed food. And this means that you should pick wholegrain bun instead of wheat bun. Instead of reaching for chips or a bar of milk chocolate, eat nuts, crispy carrot or kale chips.
Leave a Reply