5 Vegan Diet Secrets to Healthy Hair and Skin

Almost 75% of the population suffers from some issues related to skin and hair. A stressful lifestyle, bad diet, air and water pollution and lack of sufficient sleep takes its toll on our bodies. This can have a negative effect on our skin and hair causing problems like dryness, acne, hair fall, dandruff and wrinkles. However, if you are currently suffering from these issues, or want to generally improve the condition of your skin and hair a few adjustments to your diet will work wonders. Of course, along with diet a restful slumber and regular exercise also play their role in restoring health. 

More and more people nowadays are turning towards a plant-based or a vegan diet. Other than being better for the environment, there are many health benefits to a vegan diet. Regular followers of a vegan diet have lower chances of developing Type 2 Diabetes and Kidney disease. It greatly helps people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis by reducing the intensity of their symptoms. Promoting weight loss and providing protection against various cancers are a couple of other important benefits.

Even then, sometimes people who follow a vegan diet often worry if they are falling short of important nutrients to maintain overall good health. However, plant-based sources are capable of providing our bodies with complete nutrition. Let’s take a closer look at some vegan ingredients which can help us maintain overall good health along with beautiful skin and hair –

Fatty acids like Omega-3 and vitamins including Vitamin A, Vitamin E and Vitamin C are the major players in restoring hair and skin health. Fatty acids play the important role of moisturizing our skin and reducing any roughness or inflammation. Vitamins are great sources of antioxidants. Antioxidants in turn prevent damage to our skin cells by destroying free radicals in our body. You can find more information about the benefits of vitamins for hair and skin health here – https://www.oxfordbiolabs.com/blogs/oxford-research/top-5-vitamins-for-hair-growth

• Avocados – famous for being called a “Superfood”, avocados are loaded with healthy fats. We all enjoy a ripe avocado as a part of our breakfast, salads or even a snack. Regular intake of avocados restore moisture throughout our bodies. Well moisturized skin stays free from drying, roughness and irritation. The right amount of moisture in our scalps, makes hair strong and protects them from breakage.

• Walnuts – another easy superfood to include in your salads, sandwiches and even deserts are walnuts! Walnuts are popular for restoring not just hair and skin health but overall wellbeing of an individual. Consumption of walnuts increases our good cholesterol levels and hence improves our heart health. This is mainly due to the large amount of Omega-3 fatty acids they contain. Along with this they also contain a good amount of B vitamins. B vitamins help in cell growth and hence are very important for skin health.
• Almonds – another super healthy nut is an almond. Regular snacking on almonds provides you with a sufficient quantity of Vitamin E and also protein. Vitamin E plays a major part in the healing of cuts and wounds. It also prevents scarring. It protects hair from drying and breakage by restoring lost moisture and improving elasticity. The right amount of protein is essential for strength of hair and skin.
• Citrus fruits – Not that we need another reason to enjoy a cool glass of lemonade or add orange slices to our salads but, citrus fruits like oranges, kiwis, grapefruits, lemons etc. are rich in Vitamin C. Along with being a great antioxidant, Vitamin C increases the production of collagen in our skin. A good amount of collagen is needed for the skin to maintain its smooth texture and shape. It helps prevent sagging. Citrus fruits protect hair health by preventing dandruff and excess oil production on the scalp.
• Flax seeds – whoever is looking to fight the appearance of wrinkles should swear by flax seeds. A regular intake of flax seeds rejuvenates the skin and delays the appearance of wrinkles. This is mainly due to it being rich in Omega-3 fatty acids that hydrate the skin. The anti-inflammatory nature of flax seeds keeps the hair follicles healthy and promotes hair growth. The proper hydration of the scalp also prevents drying and breakage of hair. Flax seeds are another plant-based superfood that also promotes heart health.

Other than these main players, Vitamin A and good hydration is very important for hair and skin health. Drinking enough water throughout the day keeps our skin and scalp well hydrated. Our bodies obtain Vitamin A from a compound called Beta Carotene. Vegetables like carrots, lettuce and turnips are good sources of Beta Carotene. Among fruits, watermelon and apricots are rich in Beta Carotene.

Conclusion

It goes without saying that a good diet along with regular exercise and sufficient sleep is important for overall health. With a healthy body come flawless skin and hair. To conclude we can say that a plant-based diet provides us with the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables that are loaded with vitamins. The antioxidants in vitamins are very good for our skin and hair. Vegetables like spinach and citrus fruits like kiwis are rich in these essential vitamins. Along with fruits and vegetables, nuts like almonds and walnuts ensure that we obtain the Omega-3 fatty acids needed for restoring lost moisture to our skin and scalps. Avocados are considered a superfood as they have multiple benefits.