Your HAIR is what you EAT

We all suffer from hair and scalp issues at one point or another even if we have seemingly perfect hair. Believe it or not, diet plays a huge role in not only the health of your body, but the health of your hair as well. Have you ever heard the expression 'You are what you eat'? Well, your hair is what you eat as well! I've suffered from breakage, dryness and although I have done a decent job thus far at combating those issues, I still suffer from SD. Many of us in the loc community tend to have this common misconception early on that leads us to thinking we don't need to do much to our hair because it's matted so it won't make a difference. I am guilty of this as well. It is true that natural hair/locs are not as high maintenance as relaxed hair but we still need to keep up with our moisture content above all things. MOISTURE imbalance is one of the top problems among women with kinkier textured hair and therefore leads to brittleness which then leads to breakage which keeps us from retaining any growth. One point that I want to bring up here is that while you should be nourishing your body from the inside to keep moisture balance up to par; at times it can be very necessary to apply a water-based moisturizer to the hair since diet will not cure your hair's moisture needs overnight. Remember that when using a WATER-BASED moisturizer (try to stay away from fillers like mineral oil and petroleum, etc), you should use a light oil after applying your moisturizer to keep the moisture locked in. Oil isn't a moisturizer because the oil molecules are too large to penetrate the pores of the hair which is why the hair usually feels "coated" or "greasy" afterward. Oil should ONLY be used sparingly for locking your moisturizer in the hair.

WATER is your friend. Water helps hair maintain its elasticity and moisture content. If you want to start retaining your growth so use and drink water.

EAT WHOLE FOODS. Things like beans, vegetables, fruits, grains. You need vitamins for the health of the hair as well as Iron, Zinc and biotin. Stay away from too much high sodium and sugar. You should have a balanced diet. Look at the food pyramid for starters. Supplements will work if you are not able to consume certain types of food for any reason but I prefer whole foods because they are natural sources of vitamins and minerals. You don't have to follow a perfect diet but just make sure you make healthy choices along with the not-so-healthy ones :-) An excellent website for the foods we need for our hair is here: http://www.growafrohairlong.com/foods.html.

 Please note that when I use the word "you" I really mean "we". I am learning along with everyone else but I like to share my findings with anyone who can benefit from it. There are plenty of websites online that will tell you exactly what to eat to get the vitamins and minerals needed to promote a healthy head of hair. This post was just to get you thinking and moving in the right direction in case you are suffering from hair loss, breakage, dandruff or brittleness.




More sources:

• http://naturalblackhaircare.com/index.html (Under the "black hair growth tab" will tell you more about water sources and how vitamins play an essential role in healthy hair.)
• http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip1003.htm (Another great website that breaks down major essential vitamins, what they affect in the body and gives a list of foods for each)
• http://www.growafrohairlong.com/foods.html

Hair Regimen

     After recently switching up my hair routine, I've decided to share my current hair regimen. I'm discovering that it is more effective to care for my locs by listening to my specific hair needs rather than going by general information and when my locs respond poorly to a product I've tried, I know to go a different route. When my hair is dry, rather than using a moisturizer in the form of oil or creams, I spritz it with water or a water/essential oil mixture.  I used to be so afraid to get my locs wet in the shower or to go out in the rain, but I've noticed that my hair really likes water!

My hair when wet  2/08/11

   Locs don't necessarily have to shine in order to prove that they are healthy, but they are supposed to feel flexible and supple to the touch. If your hair feels dry and brittle then you may need to switch up your  regimen. I am a firm believer that good hair starts with a healthy scalp. The health of the scalp is essential to healthy and strong hair so I make it a point to pay extra attention to the condition of my scalp and my roots. Here is what I am currently doing for my hair and it seems to be working well so far:

• AVC Rinses- I do them weekly. I dilute one part apple cider vinegar with 10 parts water and I like to use a spray bottle (It's less messy) containing the solution to spritz my hair after I shampoo. I leave on a shower cap for 30 mins and I rinse away. Apple cider vinegar removes build-up from the hair, kills bacteria and it also smooths the hair shaft. I've done this twice so far and it really works well for my SD.
• Nizoral (As my shampoo)
• Distilled water + Essential oil- Right now I use Rosemary oil because it's supposedly great for dandruff; However, I have not seen any change in my SD while using this, BUT it works great as a moisturizer believe it or not. I put 20 drops of the oil into about 5-6 cups of distilled water.
• Fish oil supplements + Drinking lots of water- Fish oil is excellent for your general health but it also benefits the nails and hair. I've seen a HUGE difference in the softness of my hair while taking these supplements. Also drinking lots of water as we all know, is the BEST thing for your hair. If you had to pick only one thing for the health of your hair, it should be drinking lots of water. I've heard this time and time again and it is so true!
  
  

Right now, these are all of the products I use on my hair consistently. I have not been using conditioner since my last salon retwist which was nearly 2 months ago and my hair feels fine. I am not recommending any of these products listed above because every one's hair is different but this is what works for my hair. I DO; However, recommend listening to your hair. It may sound crazy but it will tell you what it needs by showing you. :-)