Try These 7 Foods to Help You Monsoon (and COVID) Proof Your Hair

Every year we talk about it and anticipate its arrival. Yes, it is monsoon time again!

Time to enjoy the rain, but rue our frizzy, dull, damp, humidity beaten, unmanageable and lifeless hair.

To make things worse, this year post-COVID hair loss has added to the problem, making the problem literally hair raising.

Besides the usual monsoon issues, COVID and its side effects have actually left many of us weaker on the inside, with nutritional deficiencies, myriad health problems, hormonal changes, sudden weight loss (and then gain after recovery), unstable blood sugar and more.

All this has affected our hair health drastically.

It has stopped growing, there are weakened hair shafts, frizzy, brittle ends, lots of clearly apparent thinning and limp, dull locks.

So what can one do to prevent all this? The remedy if you ask me is in your kitchen.

Yes, for long lustrous locks, you need to focus on eating right.

Focus on These 7 Foods to Regain Your Hair Health

• Beetroot

B6 deficiency can cause reduced blood and oxygen supply to the hair, leading to hair loss, damaged hair and slow re-growth.

Besides, B6 also helps create melanin, the pigment that gives hair its colour. Score B6 via beetroots.

• Garlic

Very often hormonal mess-up shows up in the hair, particularly when the thyroid gland is involved.

An under active thyroid can result in frizzy or brittle hair while an overactive thyroid turn hair greasy and limp.

Garlic helps to regulate the thyroid hormones because it supports blood-sugar metabolism (which is a big post-COVID problem in many people) and helps fight inflammation.

• Pumpkin

Yes this humble food is very good for our hair that’s because it is loaded with vitamin A and the body needs vitamin A to promote the growth of the cells and tissues of the hair and scalp.

Vitamin A also helps to produce healthy sebum (oil) in the scalp.

• Eggs

Protein is essential for every cell in the body, including those required for normal hair growth, particularly to replace the hair that has been shed.

In fact, hair responds instantly when you begin eating protein rich foods. Eggs fit the bill (for scoring quality protein) perfectly.

When it comes to healthy hair, it doesn't matter whether you like your eggs scrambled, fried, or over greasy!

Eggs are one of the best protein sources you can find. They also contain biotin and vitamin B-12, which are important beauty nutrients.

• Nuts

Zinc is a mineral that helps in the maintenance of the oil-secreting glands that are attached to the hair follicles. It’s deficiency can lead to hair shedding.

Nuts, particularly cashews and almonds are a terrific source of zinc, so make sure these nuts are a regular on your healthy-hair menu.

• Amla

A severe vitamin C deficiency can lead to hair splitting and hair breakage as this antioxidant promotes hair cell growth and repair.

Half an amla a day can help you meet your daily C requirements.

• Water

Water helps to flush out the chemical wastes, toxins and other impurities from the body.

It helps to transport the vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients in the body.

So, drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily.

(Kavita Devgan is a nutritionist, weight management consultant and health writer based in Delhi. She is the author of Don’t Diet! 50 Habits of Thin People (Jaico), Ultimate Grandmother Hacks: 50 Kickass Traditional Habits for a Fitter You (Rupa) and Fix it with foods.)