The holidays are upon us. Cakes, pies, candy canes etc. Let's look at the affects sugar has on our hair.
Hair and Sugar!!
A high sugar intake spikes your blood sugar levels which damages hair follicles and potentially accelerate hair loss. It also causes inflammation of the scalp leading to loss of quality and quantity of hair. This would further cause to dry scalp, dandruff, and damaged hair follicle.
The blood sugar spikes are detrimental to the physiologic hair cycle in two major ways. First is the direct damage that rapid blood sugar changes are causing to the hair. I call this ‘direct nutritional shock.’ Second and most important, is the indirect damage caused by the fluctua-tion of hormones like insulin, cortisone, adrenaline, testosterone and DHT. I call this ‘indirect endocrine shock.’ Both of these shocks can result in significant generalized hair thinning.”
While the effects aren’t necessarily immediate (no, that batch of brownies your co-worker brought in today won’t leave your locks limp by tomorrow), they are long term. Feasting on constant sugar will cause serious damage to your hair’s precious follicles over time.
Wait, there's more!
Too much sugar leads to inflammation; not the visible swelling we think of, but on a cellular level. My clients often complain of thinning hair without even realizing that their diet is often a major part of the problem.
“Since scalp is skin, it too would be subject to the deleterious effects of inflammation, or glycation. Glycation is the damage and inflammation that can result from too much processed sugary foods.
”Growing gorgeous hair starts with proper scalp health, and eating the right foods will go a long way in providing scalp nourishment from the inside out.
Using good dietary habits to enhance the thickness, moisture, and overall health of hair and scalp is a long term plan. The answer is not necessarily cutting back desserts and other sugary foods to extreme levels, but replacing seemingly empty calories with meaningful and nutrient-rich foods loaded with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.get plenty of sleep, and make sure to include a fair amount of exercise.
Exercise, as it turns out, has a positive effect on the way our bodies metabolize sugar. Doctors suggest making easy cuts like opting for water instead of sweetened drinks of any kind (including many of the juices marketed as health foods), and by adding more healthy nuts, fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed, natural foods to our every day lives. Your hair (and body) will thank you.
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