The ABCs of healthy hair growth

Now let me start by making a disclaimer...I don't claim to be an expert on natural hair. I haven't got a degree on it so don't take my word as the gospel. There are loads of detailed information and research out there which you can check out for yourself.
I am just sharing from my little experience what I've learnt from reading books, blogs and watching youtube videos. Without much ado, here's my ABC of growing healthy hair.....Happy reading :)

INTERNAL FACTORS:

1. GENETICS- Yes our genes determine our hair growth cycles, particularly the rate and duration of each phase. The average person grows 0.5-1 inch a month irrespective of ethnicity.

2. FOOD- You are what you eat. Our hair and nails are usually the last 'organs' in our body to absorb nutrients as our heart and brains take preference. Hence, it is important to maintain a healthy balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Some people take vitamins to complement what they may be lacking in their diet. Foods rich in biotin (vit B) and protein for example are good for the hair.

3. WATER-....the fountain of youth, is not only good for your skin but also your hair. Even though hair is dead once it emerges from the scalp, imagine the water you ingest, going into your blood vessels and 'liquidizing' the blood thus improving it's flow to the hair bulb (underneath the scalp), where 'mitosis' takes place. Drinking 2 litres of water a day is the general rule of thumb.

4. HORMONES- I think they play a much smaller role overall as not everybody gets pregnant or develops underactive thyroid problems which can cause abnormal hair shedding. Some drugs e.g. the pill, can offset the balance of some hormones in the body causing hair loss.

5. STRESS- Yes major stressful events (e.g. the death of a loved one or severe financial burdens) can cause hair loss. Two medical conditions associated with stress include:
 i) Alopecia areata- where the bodys white cells attack the hair follicles, stopping hair growth and casuing the hair to fall out.
 ii) Telogen effluvium- here, stress pushes large numbers of growing hair into a resting phase causing the affected hairs to fall off within a few months.

6. EXERCISE- Ah yes, the one I am guilty of not doing too often..lol. Exercise is very important as it increases blood flow which in turn increases the rate at which oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the cells which need them.

I didn't want to overload you with too many points and so will do a part 2 on this topic focussing on the external factors. Hope you found it useful anyway. Till next time....

Love,

Miss Jay

References:
* Mayo Clinic
* Kimmaytube