Our crowning glory
Some personalities create a lasting impression in our minds because of their undeniable X factor — it could be their intelligence, their spirituality, which exudes far more oomph than physical beauty, or their attractive external appearance that commands more than a second and third look.
Such was the effect of Dyan Cannon — popular movie star of the ‘70s and ‘80s, and ex wife of Cary Grant, the late silver screen heartthrob of our mothers’ era — on me when I saw her in a very popular gym in Beverly Hills, California way back in 1994. Aside from her well-shaped body, which she obviously worked hard on judging from the training program that she was doing, there was something about her that made me stare endlessly.
It did not need a scientific brain to figure out what she had that made her look outstanding. It was her voluminous mass of reddish-brown hair, long and wavy, which moved and swayed while she exercised with her trainer. I could almost hear her hair screaming out loud: “Look at me, every strand of me is healthy, strong, well conditioned and thick!”
Dyan Cannon’s hair was, literally speaking, her crowning glory!
These days, I am looking at my long hair and I am not content with the way it looks. I know exactly why. Mine is a case of hair abuse. Because of the heat, I tend to shampoo a lot, followed by a blow-dry each time, and I use peroxide to highlight some strands. I know so darn well that all of the above is bad for my hair but I still do it, rationalizing with myself that I use a lot of conditioners anyway.
Hair specialists say that conditioners and hair products are not enough to brighten one’s locks. You have to be conscious of your diet as well.
“When it comes to healthy hair, it’s not just what you put on your tresses that count — it’s what you put in your body, too,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, a Chicago-based dietitician.
If you were born with fine, thin hair, you’ll never have rope-thick tresses no matter what you eat but a well balanced diet that includes plenty of growth-promoting protein and iron can make a difference, say nutrition and hair experts.
These are the top 10 foods that should be the foundation of our healthy-hair diet and they are not hard to find. They are recommended by dietitians Andrea Giancoli, and Dawn J. Blatner, and dermatologist Paradi Mirmirani of
1. Salmon: It’s loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and filled with vitamin B-12 and iron, which are needed for a healthy scalp. A deficiency of these results in dull-looking hair and dry scalp. If you are a vegetarian, take flaxseed oil for some plant-based omega-3 fats.
2. Dark-green vegetables: Spinach, broccoli and kang kong, among others, are excellent sources of vitamins A and C, which are needed to produce sebum, the oily substance secreted by your hair follicles. This is the body’s natural hair conditioner. Dark-green veggies also provide iron and calcium.
3. Beans: Legumes like kidney beans, lentils, and garbanzos are sources of plentiful protein, which promotes hair growth. They also provide ample zinc, iron and biotin, which prevent hair from getting brittle.
4. Nuts: They can help make hair thick and shiny! Brazil nuts are particularly a great source of selenium, an important mineral for a healthy scalp. Walnuts contain alpha linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that helps condition the hair. Cashews, pecans and almonds are terrific sources of zinc, a deficiency of which can lead to hair shedding.
5. Poultry: Chicken, turkey and duck provide high-quality protein. A major protein deficiency can result in loss of hair color.
6. Eggs: They contain biotin and B-12, which are important beauty nutrients. It does not matter how your eggs are cooked — scrambled, sunny side up, boiled, poached — just go get some.
7. Whole grains: Sink your teeth into hearty whole grains, including whole-wheat bread and fortified whole-grain breakfast cereal for a dose of zinc, iron, and B vitamins.
8. Oysters: They may be better known as an aphrodisiac but they can also lead to healthy hair. The key to their love- and hair-boosting abilities is zinc, a powerful antioxidant. If you don’t like oysters, you can get zinc from beef and lamb.
9. Low-fat dairy products: Skim milk, low-fat cottage cheese, and low-fat yogurt are great sources of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth. They also contain whey and casein, two important high-quality protein sources.
10. Carrot: An excellent source of vitamin A to promote healthy scalp along with good vision. A healthy scalp is essential for a shiny, well-conditioned head of hair.
The big picture when it comes to foods for healthy hair and beauty is a balanced diet of lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fatty fish like salmon and low-fat dairy.
If you have these foods in your diet, there should not be any problem for a head of healthy hair. Another thing, don’t do as I do. Don’t abuse your hair with too many hair products like hair dye, straightener, gel, mouse, hair spray, curling irons and daily blow-dry. I have to change my hair regimen and be kinder to my hair if I wish to have beautiful hair like Dyan Cannon.
