You may have heard a lot about a vegan diet. By removing all animal products from your diet, you may be able to see significant improvement in your health. There are plenty of ways that a vegan diet can help you, and many people are considering this approach. Yet, you may also have heard that a vegan diet can cause hair loss. How does that happen? If you are considering a vegan diet, what can you do to avoid this? Before you make the switch, speak to your doctor about your decision and work out a plan to address your nutritional needs before you make the move. This can make all of the difference for you.
Why Vegan Leads to Hair Loss
Both a vegetarian diet and a vegan diet can make hair loss more likely in both men and women. There are plenty of reasons for this, but it generally comes down to the iron your body needs. Iron is a key component in the hair growth process. If your body does not have enough of it, it cannot function properly in various ways. One of those ways is in the production of hair. In this way, a lack of iron can be the cause of your hair loss.
It Is About the Meat
Though most people will not tell you that you have to consume meat to ensure you do not lose your hair, it is important to address the underlying problem here. This is the lack of iron in your diet. Since most meat products are high in iron, it tends to be the most common source of iron for the body. The bottom line is simple – if you do not want to lose hair, it is best to focus on ways to reduce the risk of an iron deficiency.
The Importance of Iron in Your Diet
Every person needs a good source of iron. While you can get it from a supplemental form, it is always best to get it in a natural way. But, why is iron so important to you and your hair? In short, iron is a type of building block for your body and for hair development. Without it, the hair follicles cannot produce hair at all. This is what the most common cause of hair loss is in people who make the switch. But, it can be easier to get it than you may realize.
How to Transform Your Diet to Reduce Iron Deficiency Risks
There are a few things you should be consuming and steps to take to avoid the risk of developing an iron deficiency. Every situation is different but consider these steps for the best results.
• Consume more spinach. Greens have a higher level of iron than most other vegetables. This creates a solid solution for improving your iron intake. Try to eat them in their most natural form, though cooking them is better than not eating them at all.
• Add more beans to your diet. Beans are another rich natural source of iron for your body and they can easily be used as a substitution for meat in a variety of ways. You can add them to a salad, but you can also use them to make a meat-like patty.
• Some dried fruit is also high in iron. It is important to choose organic products when necessary to avoid inflammation. But, for many people, the use of dried fruit works well.
It also helps to simply boost the overall quality of your diet. Eat far less processed foods and more variety of fruits and vegetables to get the results you need. You also want to be sure your diet is not just high in iron, but also has a rich source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, which are important in helping hair follicles to use iron.
Finally, work closely with your doctor to monitor the changes in your health from your diet switch. As you work to move into a vegan diet, be sure your doctor monitors your iron levels as well as your other nutrient levels to ensure you remain within a careful balance. These steps can help you to move to a vegan diet without the risks.
Contact the hair specialists at Unique Hair Concepts to learn more.
