You Can’t Stop Gray Hair, But You Can Slow It Down

As people age, their skin becomes older and their hair turns white. This is the natural process of aging and each human being has to go through it. We can not avoid this, but we can certainly prevent premature aging, as well as premature graying of our hair.

By following the tips listed below, you will greatly increase the probability of maintaining your natural color for a longer time, while taking all necessary precautions to prevent gray hair growth.

Just a few words about gray hair

Our hair turns gray when it starts losing its natural pigment-producing cells, known as melanocytes, which give hair its color.

Hair graying is mainly due to aging, but it can also be caused by several other factors such as genetics, stress, malnutrition, or health disorders, as well as certain bad lifestyle choices.

However, if you really apply all of the following tips to your everyday life, you will probably manage to keep those grays at bay. For a little while longer at least.

The more you smoke the grayer your hair gets

Talking about bad lifestyle choices smoking is definitely one of them. Smoking speeds up the aging process of the entire body, your hair included. So the first thing to do in order to stop gray hair from getting worse is to quit smoking.

Bye bye coffee, alcohol, and junk food

Too much alcohol and caffeine, as well a diet rich in harmful and low-on-vitamins food can be very bad for your skin and hair, and can cause premature aging.

Avoid processed and junk food, and limit the intake of white flour and refined sugar. These foods will only reduce your energy levels, and you will get nothing in return from them. Your body and your hair need nutrients to stay young.

Water is the name of the game

If you are not hydrated enough, nutrients will have a hard time reaching your hair follicles. Lack of hydration and nutrients will, therefore, cause the graying of your hair.

Sneak water in your diet. Here’s how you can trick your body into choosing a glass of water instead of soda every single time.

Are you under too much stress?

Grey hair can also be caused by stress and anxiety. Prolonged periods of tension, nervousness, anxiety, worry, or other similar psychological states can lead to a sudden or gradual appearance of white hair.

We constantly live in stressful circumstances

Control your stress by practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing, meditation, etc. Your hair will be grateful!

Change your bad mood and with these six tips you’ll expel stress from your life.

A better mattress won’t just help you sleep better, but will also slow down gray hair

Getting enough sleep is a good way to reduce stress and keep your body, skin, and hair healthy and young.

Exercising on a daily basis also helps

Good blood circulation and a proper blood flow are essential for preventing gray hair as they ensure that all necessary nutrients reach your scalp and hair. In fact, it is almost useless to consume proper foods, vitamins, and minerals if they cannot arrive at your hair follicles.

To ensure good blood supply to the scalp, you should regularly massage it with appropriate oils, as well as exercise on a daily basis in order to increase circulation and improve blood flow.

Eating more chicken can slow down gray hair? You bet.

Protein is required for the production of melanin, the pigment that provides color to your hair and skin. To stop gray hair, eat plenty of protein – rich foods such as turkey, chicken, sprouted whole grains, cereals, and soy.

Take B-group Vitamins – B2, B6, and B12

The deficiency of these vitamins may cause premature graying of hair. You should eat foods that are rich in vitamin B such as whole grain bread, cereals, bananas, eggs, dairy products, poultry, meat, and green leafy vegetables.

What you eat is what you get.

Copper deficiency can also significantly contribute to premature graying. One of the ways to stop gray hair naturally is to eat foods containing high amounts of copper such as turnip greens, spinach, beef liver, sunflower seeds, cashews, lentils, almonds, clams, crabs, oysters, egg yolk, and mushrooms.

Put iodine rich foods on your grocery list

Iodine is another mineral that is important for maintaining hair color. Foods rich in iodine include bananas, carrots, spinach, and fish.

And selenium!

Selenium can also help prevent gray hair. Selenium rich foods are shellfish, tuna, salmon, corn, wheat, soybeans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and sunflower seeds.

What about home hair treatments?

There are a few really good hair treatments that can considerably help prevent gray hair. But if you really wish to benefit from them, you must make sure you apply them regularly. Listed below are the most efficient ones.

1. Amla is an Indian gooseberry and it is one of the best hair treatments to prevent gray hair. Just regularly rub the amla paste into your scalp, and you will see amazing results.

2. Fo-ti is a Chinese herb, known also as the longevity tonic, which has been used for centuries to prevent gray hair and premature aging. Its name means “black-haired Mr. He”.

3. Massage your scalp with coconut oil and lemon. That is another good way to prevent gray hair.

There you have it. If you really follow all of the above-mentioned advice, you will manage to keep grays at bay and maintain your natural hair color for as long as your age allows it. If you have any other interesting tips to suggest, please share them with us or with a friend who might need these tips.

Women have to deal with hormones, work, household, children and yet find the time to look good and, as if this is not enough, feel even better.  The older we get the more effort we have to put in fighting gravity. But, we can feel good and look younger than we are without using plastic surgery.

Here is how.

Cover photo: http://www.pinterest.com