Vitamins for Hair and Nails
Author: Lee Murray
Published: 2009/01/07 - Updated: 2015/03/31
Category Topic: Vitamins and Minerals - Academic Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: Examines vitamins that assist in healthy hair and nails improve overall circulation and provide an antioxidant for the body.
Introduction
Ironically enough, even though hair and nails are, in essence, dead cells, few things will show how vibrant and ALIVE you are than shiny, healthy hair and nails! And nothing will preserve and enhance the integrity of your hair and nails like vitamins and other nutritional components.
Main Content
When the right nutrition is present, you will sparkle.
The most important hair and nail vitamins to consider are those which contain collagen, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and natural, healthy oils.
For your hair, you want lots of A, B, C, and E vitamins.
- Vitamin A produces healthy sebum, an oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands in mammalian skin, giving us smooth, waterproof skin and shiny hair.
- B Vitamins, namely B6 and B12 help to prevent gray hair and hair loss.
- Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, destroying free radicals that would otherwise wreak havoc on your skin and hair, making way for perfect, natural growth and vibrant appearance.
- Vitamin E provides additional antioxidant support and improves overall scalp circulation.
- Other important hair nutrients are: Biotin, Niacin, and Inositol, among others.
Now let's discuss the "nail" portion of "hair and nail vitamins."
It would be fair to say that healthy nails are a direct reflection of healthy skin. Again, vitamin E and other antioxidants are your champions, as are essential fatty acids, calcium, healthy oils, and magnesium.
In all reality, the bulk of your best hair and nail vitamins and minerals can be obtained through food consumption.
Raw seeds and nuts provide calcium, oils, and high quality proteins. Antioxidants, including E and C vitamins are plentiful in citrus fruits and berries. Red grapes are antioxidant powerhouses! So are tomatoes. Fresh, cold-water fish, namely salmon will work wonders on your skin, hair, and nails.
Other foods that contain amazing quality hair and nail vitamins include avocados, cold-pressed oils (flax, olive, almond, pumpkin seed, etc.), bell peppers, green vegetables and grasses (wheatgrass, barley grass, etc.), and biotin-rich foods such as brewer's yeast, brown rice, and soybeans.
Perhaps the most amazing food discovery in decades is the acai berry from the Amazonian rain-forest. It is actually reported to have up to 33 times the antioxidant power of red grapes, ample amounts of beneficial fatty acids (omega 3, 6, and 9), and metabolism enhancers which help you burn fat and regain a youthful appearance.
In addition to hair and nail vitamins, ample hydration is absolutely critical.
If you can take down four to six liters of purified water on a daily basis, you will be blessed with radiant, glowing skin, hair, and nails. This will also flush dangerous toxins out of your body and dramatically improve your overall health.
While this dietary information is sound, the reality is that most of us will never eat the way that's been described here. If you do, you will be blessed. You WILL be amazing! But whether you do or do not regularly consume all of the foods high in hair and nail vitamins, one thing that can change your life in a major way is supplementation.
A great whole-food (never synthetic) multivitamin will work miracles! You should also look for a natural hair, skin, and nail formula. These types of supplements will contain concentrated forms of many of the foods we've discussed, as well as many, many others.
Hair And Nail Vitamins Summary:
- Eat plenty of greens, raw seeds & nuts, avocados, bell peppers, cold-water fish, brown rice, soybeans (tofu is great), red grapes, tomatoes, and cold-pressed oils.
- Drink four to six liters of purified water daily.
- Supplement with whole-food multivitamins, as well as a natural hair and nail formulation.
- Use only natural creams, lotions, and shampoos, rich in skin, hair, and nail vitamins.
- Try the acai berry for enhanced benefits, including weight control and heightened energy.
Reference: Lee Murray is a musician and nutrition consultant living in Spokane, WA with his wife, Dana, and brand new baby boy, Cadence Benjamin. Feel free to visit vitamiracle.blogspot.com, a premier online resource for amazing natural supplements, beauty products, and alternative medicines.