DHAKA: Hair loss is a common, but a rather dreadful problem that we face.  Most of us immediately think of using medicated hair care products or medications, but it is crucial to look into our daily diet and fix that at the earliest. Essential nutrients that help strengthen our hair follicles, boost hair growth and promote thickening are needed in our daily diet.

Here are 10 foods that could help you work on your hair loss problem, reports thehealthsite.com

Salmon: Salmon is rich in vitamin D, proteins and is a good source of fatty acids needed for hair growth. Salmon provides for the essential portion of fatty acids our hair shaft requires. Salmon and other sea foods are also rich in zinc, which helps protect you from common hair problems like a dry scalp, dandruff, and hair loss and it also helps keep the hair hydrated.

Soya: Soya provides with the copper intake required to form hemoglobin, as a lack of it will only turn your hair brittle and lead to a lot of hair fall. You could have a glass of soy milk daily, some yoghurt or even soy protein bars.

Blueberries: Vitamin C is one of the key ingredients for healthy hair as it helps keep the hair tissues together. Lack of this vitamin would result in weak, brittle hair, causing split ends and hair breakage. Blueberries are not only filled with vitamin C, but they also provide the body with a rich supply of antioxidants. You could have it as part of your fruit salad or just a small fruit bowl during snack breaks.

Walnuts: Walnuts are packed with biotin, omega – 3 fatty acids, vitamin E and copper, all of which are essential for maintaining healthy hair. The nutrients present ensure that your hair retains its natural hair color, shields it from the damage caused by sun exposure, and keeps your hair lustrous. You could keep a small box of some walnuts and take it with you when you are on the go or keep munching on them throughout the day.

Eggs: Increasing egg intake in your daily diet solves hair problems considerably, as they are protein rich. Proteins are the building blocks for the tissue in the scalp, and are responsible for hair generation, replacing the lost hair, essential for healthy hair growth. Having proteins from animal sources is ideal, be it cheese, chicken fish, or meat.

Spinach: Your diet is incomplete without any iron intake. Iron is responsible for hemoglobin formation as well, providing oxygen and blood to your scalp. Kidney beans, dal, chickpeas should also be eaten to boost iron. Iron intake should be doubled in women as they lose blood and iron during their menstruation.

Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes possess beta carotene, which produces Vitamin A in our body. This vitamin is needed to produce essential oils for the scalp. These oils help protect and sustain the scalp. Lack of these oils can turn your scalp itchy and cause irritation. Sweet potatoes are best eaten when simply boiled; you could squeeze some lemon for the taste.

Like our skin, our hair too reflects on the quality our lifestyle and general health, and it is essential to keep providing key nutrients to the cells responsible for hair growth.

BDST: 2033 HRS, SEP 25, 2014