Changes to the hair and nails are inevitable after fifty, but poor dietary choices can hinder the thickness and shine of locks even more.
Incorporating protein-rich foods into the diet is excellent for women over 50 because they are the building blocks of a hair health.
Our hair strands comprise several elements including keratin and protein, which draw out nutrients from the food we eat.
In a recent clip, Sophie Uliano, a New York Times best-selling author, recommended flaxseeds, walnuts and sweet potatoes because they contain vitamin A and essential fats, which promote thicker and shinier hair. Her YouTube page contains a wealth of additional information about navigating bodily changes during menopause.
A balanced diet is key to healthier hair after 50
GETTY“All you need to do is add one tablespoon of ground flaxseed to your diet every single day,” Sophie explained. “A really [easy] way to do that is to pop it in your morning smoothie. That’s what I do every single morning.”
Those who don't drink smoothies can sprinkle the seeds onto their granola and oatmeal, the health enthusiast explained.
“It contains your omega-3 fatty acids and lignans, which are really important for disease prevention but also beautiful hair and skin.”
Food number two is nuts, but specifically walnuts, according to Sophie. She added: “I’m a huge fan of all sorts of different nuts, [but] remember, variety is the key.”
“Don’t just stick with one nut. But [...] If I had to pick one for hair health, it’s going to be walnuts. Walnuts are packed with omega-3 fatty acids.
“Always buy them raw and keep them in the fridge of the freezer, because nuts can go rancid quite quickly.”
The third dietary addition to consider is seeds. “You’ve got to make friends with seeds for beautiful hair,” said Sophie, describing the superfood as “little power-packs of nutrition”.
“We need our healthy fats for our hair. Healthy fats are going to be from wholefood plant-based sources, and one of the best is seeds.”
“You can sprinkle them on salads or you can just have them as a snack. That is a fast track to beautiful, beautiful hair.”
Sweet potatoes are also included on the list of hair-healthy foods because they contain vitamin A, a pivotal component for hair health.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Protein and fats are the building blocks of thick and shiny hair
GETTY IMAGESThe orange root vegetable is an excellent source of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A during digestion.
The health body Healthline explains: “A medium sweet potato contains enough beta carotene to provide up to 160 per cent of your daily vitamin A needs.
“Research has shown that vitamin A can affect the production of sebum, which helps keep hair healthy.”
It comes soon after another beauty fan shared the best oils to apply to the scalp for long, healthy hair after 50.
