How many hair masks or products have you tried till date for better hair growth? If you have been focusing only on external treatments for your hair without taking care of your internal nutrition, then you’ve just been wasting your money and time. Yes, that’s the harsh truth.
Hair Growth
You need to reverse your process by providing the essential vitamins and minerals to your hair first, before seeking the best hair care products. “Ayurveda believes that the more your diet and lifestyle are balanced, the lesser efforts you need to put in externally, to promote healthy, longer and lustrous hair,’’ says Dr. Zeel Gandhi, Chief Ayurvedic Doctor at Vedix.
Keep scrolling to understand how to consume these nutrients as a wholesome balanced diet based on Ayurvedic principles
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Do Vitamins And Minerals Really Aid In Hair Growth?
Vitamins and minerals are the essential components that your hair follicles need for normal functioning of your hair growth cycle. In other words, if your body is deficient of them, you may experience hair loss.
This condition is called ‘Telogen effluvium’ (resting phase of hair growth cycle), which is a temporary hair loss condition. You can successfully resolve it through a balanced diet rich in the necessary nutrients for hair growth.
Ayurvedic View Of Vitamins And Minerals
In Ayurveda, it is believed that everything is the natural composition of three vital doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The energy that presents in dominant levels among all the three doshas, is what imparts the dominant physiological behavior and characteristics (Prakriti) of the component, be it food or a human being.
The main objective of Ayurvedic science revolves around maintaining a balance in the dosha constituency of an individual. Any imbalance may result in Vikriti (state of disease). Thus, Ayurvedic diets are framed fundamentally based on the dominant dosha/s in an individual, to keep all your dosha levels in synergy.
For example, Vata dosha’s natural attributes are coolness, dryness, roughness and lightness. An individual with aggravated Vata dosha needs to consume foods that are moist, warm and oily with a soft texture. Otherwise, the individual may end up with Vata-type hair problems like dry and dull hair, split ends, etc.
Unlike modern science, you may not find the concept of vitamins and minerals in traditional Ayurveda. However, the Prakriti based diets mentioned under Ayurveda are found to be rich in all the essential vitamins and minerals defined by modern science.
Now, let’s learn about few of the best hair growth-promoting vitamins and minerals for your dosha type.
A scientific research in 2019 revealed that multiple vitamins consumed through food are more effective and have a longer life than the vitamins taken in supplement or pills form.
What Are The Best Vitamins For Hair Growth?
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential to keep your scalp moisturized as it aids in the secretion of sebum. Without adequate sebum, your scalp turns dry, itchy and irritated, while your hair becomes brittle and breaks. Vitamin A also enhances the free circulation of oxygen from your blood to your follicles, thus, promoting your healthy hair growth.
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Ayurvedic Diet For Vitamin A
How Much Of Vitamin A Is Recommended?
In a day, it is recommended to consume about 600 micrograms of Vitamin A for an average adult.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is one of the best anti-oxidant agents. It relieves your scalp cells from oxidative stress. This vitamin also protects your hair from UV radiations, by sealing the natural moisture of your scalp and hair strands. It plays a vital role in strengthening your follicles by aiding in oxygen circulation. Thus, Vitamin E helps your hair grow faster and stronger.
Ayurvedic Diet For Vitamin E
How Much Of Vitamin E Is Recommended?
In a day, it is recommended to consume about 10 milligrams of Vitamin E for an average adult.
Vitamin B7
Vitamin B7 or Biotin is essential for metabolizing proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Vitamin B7 breaks down proteins into amino acids, which are crucial for your hair strengthening. Also, Biotin can reverse your hair damage caused by heat styling, UV radiations, chlorinated water, etc.
Ayurvedic Diet For Vitamin B7
How Much Of Vitamin B7 Is Recommended?
In a day, it is recommended to consume about 30 micrograms of Vitamin B7 for an average adult.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D, which aids in your scalp cell reproduction, also plays an important role in dealing with your stress-related hair fall. Vitamin D is essential to maintain your bone health, which in turn reflects in the health of your hair as per Ayurveda.
Ayurvedic Diet For Vitamin D
How Much Of Vitamin D Is Recommended?
In a day, it is recommended to consume about 15 micrograms of Vitamin D for an average adult.
Vitamin C
Collagen, which is an essential component of your hair structure, is synthesized by Vitamin E. Collagen is required for the production of antioxidants, which neutralizes the free radicals on your scalp. Thus, Vitamin C is very important for your healthy hair growth. Also, it prevents premature greying.
Ayurvedic Diet For Vitamin C
How Much Of Vitamin C Is Recommended?
In a day, it is recommended to consume about 75 milligrams of Vitamin C for an average adult.
Essential Mineral Nutrients For Hair Growth
Iron
Iron is the main component of hemoglobin in your blood. The hemoglobin carries the oxygen to your hair follicles. Thus, lack of iron in your body leads to an insufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients to your follicles, thus affecting your hair growth.
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Ayurvedic Diet For Iron
How Much Of Iron Is Recommended?
In a day, it is recommended to consume about 15 milligrams of iron for an average adult.
Zinc
The production of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) hormone in the body, which is one of the common hair loss factors, can be regulated when you have adequate zinc in your body. Low zinc levels in your body lead to the excessive production of DHT hormones, which block the nutritional supply to your hair follicles, leading to hair loss.
Ayurvedic Diet For Zinc
How Much Of Zinc Is Recommended?
In a day, it is recommended to consume about 10 milligrams of Zinc for an average adult.
Protein
Your hair is nothing but a fiber made up of protein. It is an essential building block of your hair strands. When there is no adequate amount of protein intake, your follicles become dormant without hair strands being grown. Hence, protein is very crucial in repairing and regrowing your hair tissues.
Ayurvedic Diet For Protein
How Much Of Protein Is Recommended?
In a day, it is recommended to consume about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For example, a person who weighs around 75 kgs may need around 60 grams of protein per day.
The Last Word
Consuming an appropriate diet based on your dosha levels, which has adequate amounts of all the necessary vitamins and minerals, is the most sustainable way to deal with your hair care.
If you are diagnosed with vitamin deficiency in spite of following a balanced diet, it may indicate some internal conditions related to the liver, pancreas, or intestines, which need immediate medical attention. In such cases, you may rely on vitamins and minerals in supplement form under the guidance of your doctor.
