Many a love story has given importance to beautiful hair. No matter what, good-looking tresses can be a reason for envy.

Nothing can cause so much dismay as the problem of hair loss. There are a variety of reasons for hair loss from stress and disease to improper diet. Good nutrition is essential for healthy hair. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of medicine, emphasizes on a healthy and wholesome diet that contains adequate proteins, iron, zinc, sulfur, Vitamin C, Vitamin B-Complex, and essential fatty acids to prevent hair loss.

A good diet can benefit you in more ways than you know. Meena, a programmer with a prominent IT firm in Bangalore, found that her late hours at work followed by improper food habits took its toll on her stomach and her hair. She often complained of gastric problems and hair fall. She changed her hair oil and had regular doses of vitamins. But finally it was her nutritionist who helped alleviate her problem. She was put on a diet rich in silica, calcium and iron. Silica is often said to promote hair growth and silica therapy has been proven to slow hair loss. Silica is found in the outer coverings of potatoes, green and red peppers, bean sprouts, and cucumbers. Even raw oats is a good source of silica. Meena's diet included green, leafy vegetables, especially sea vegetables that are all a huge storehouse of minerals. Dried fruits and cherry juice are rich sources of iron while sesame seeds contain about calcium and magnesium. A handful of these seeds every morning can give you the required amount of the minerals. These can even be munched on during those late nights at work instead of ordering out.

Gastro

Women with a persistent problem of hair fall are sometimes asked to check for problems related to the gastrointestinal tract. Thinning hair or hair loss can be a sign of a problem in the gastrointestinal tract. It could be a sign of insufficient stomach acids or a deficiency of protein, zinc, and other nutrients.

Testosterone

For men, a low fat diet can slow the thinning of hair and delay balding. A diet high in fat tends to raise testosterone levels, which in turn affects hair follicles. Studies have found a relationship between balding and increased testosterone levels during puberty. However, this does not mean the reverse is true. While eating low fat foods may not totally stop hair loss, it might help slow down the rate of hair loss.

Anemia

Another common reason for hair fall is anemia. A diet that includes plenty of iron-rich foods, like liver and other organ meat, eggs, whole grain cereals, dark green leafy vegetables, and dry fruits like dates and raisins can help prevent anemia. The hair is made up of protein and including foods rich in protein encourages hair growth. Some sources of protein are fish, soy, and diary products.