True or False: You’re losing hair because of salt.
Pizza, hashbrowns, tacos…you name it. All the delicious greasy food we like to get our hands on when time is tight. But how much salt are there in these food and how is it affecting our hair?
The average person eats around 33% more salt than the recommended standard. And although most people are conscious about how salty snacks affect our waistline, how much actually contributes to the loss of hair?
What are the effects of salt?
Let’s get straight to the point – too much salt in a diet damages the health of your hair.
Consuming too much salt will build-up sodium which will then develop around hair follicles. It affects blood circulation flowing to hair follicles and prevent it from getting enough nutrients. Eventually, this will cause hair to become dull, unhealthy and even bring about hair loss.
The scary part is, most people don’t realize that they’re facing this problem.
The recommended salt intake per day is 2,300 milligrams for an average adult, and 1,500 milligrams for those over the age of 50. Yet most adults eat an extra 3,000 milligrams of sodium a day. Sodium intake can be taken through soft drinks, salty foods and junk food. Foods that contains preservatives are also high in sodium.
Food that are listed below are high in sodium:
Nuts, specifically preserved nuts
Salted meat like salmon
Tuna and chicken salads
Frozen food such as chicken nuggets
Canned veggies
One way to cut down on your salt intake is to cook fresh food from scratch, avoid process food and food with preservatives.
In the list above, although nuts and salmon are good for the hair but eating it fresh is even better for your hair. With that, planning your meals ahead will be more sustainable in cutting down sodium intake towards having better hair health.
Bananas and Fries
Good news for you, if you eat bananas with fries you will have no more problem with exceeding your salt intake…just kidding!
But, it is true. One nutrient in banana does work well in keeping sodium intake at check – potassium. Potassium can be found in foods such as whole grains, leafy greens and bananas. As long as you keep the ratio of potassium and sodium on a ratio of 1:1, things will be kept in order.
Sodium is one of the key factors to high blood pressure. And as potassium is a counteract to sodium, it is recommended for people who suffer from high blood pressure to consume food that are high in potassium. The relationship with sodium and potassium is unique as it keeps each other in balance. So, if your regular diet contains a high level of salt, be sure to add in those extra potassium to work its magic!
What happens if there is too little sodium?
While many people are more prone to have too much salt, there are people who are on the opposite spectrum where they are not having enough.
Consuming too little table salt will cut down the iodine in our bodies, which is essential for thyroid functioning. So if the thyroid is out of whack, your hair suffers too, as it becomes less radiant.
If you realize that your hair is dull and have been noticing signs of thyroid imbalance, it is advised to get a check up on your thyroid and iodine levels. It is also important to be aware of the salt intake in your diet, as too much and too little will cause harm to your health. Be sure to consult for further guidelines from your doctor to see what works best for you.
Diet is one of the biggest factors to hair health. Keep track on the balance of sodium, potassium and iodine in our diet. Also, get Viviscal Professional hair growth supplements to compliment your diet. Persist long enough and you’ll get a thicker, fuller and healthier looking hair in no time!
