8 Unhealthy Eating Habits That Cause Hair Loss

Hair loss can occur if you have unhealthy eating habits. There are many reasons for hair loss and thinning, among which unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits are quite common. If you are experiencing hair loss, breakage, or dryness, start making healthier food choices and adding more nutrients to your diet.

Diet plays an important role in maintaining healthy, beautiful hair, but in addition to adding nutritious foods, it is also important to limit certain foods that can negatively affect hair health.

Here are 8 unhealthy eating habits that lead to hair loss:

1. Excess vitamin A contributes to hair loss

Vitamin A helps promote hair growth, immune function, and cell growth. But when the body has too much vitamin A, a condition called hypervitaminosis A can develop. Too much vitamin A is toxic to the body and can cause negative side effects such as hair loss and breakage.

2. Hair loss due to calcium deficiency

Calcium also plays an important role in maintaining healthy and shiny hair.Calcium deficiency leads to hair loss and thinning hair. Calcium regulates hormones, and hormonal abnormalities can contribute to hair loss due to calcium deficiency. Calcium is essential for mhair growth because it supports the release of hormones, especially androgen hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, DHT (the main hormone that causes hair loss).

3. Sweets, foods rich in refined sugar

Foods high in sugar such as candy, soft drinks, canned fruit juices or foods made from refined flour such as white bread... cause blood sugar levels to spike, which in turn causes an increase in insulin, causing the body to secrete more androgen hormones. This is a hormone that can cause hair follicles to shrink. This can affect the supply of nutrients to the hair, making it brittle and prone to breakage.

4. Eating too much animal protein

Although protein is essential for healthy hair, overdoing it on animal protein will deprive you of other nutrients. Instead, opt for plant-based proteins, which are higher in fiber and provide more nutrients, which is good for your overall health as well as your hair health.

5. Foods low in iron and zinc

A deficiency of these important minerals can also cause hair to look lifeless. If you want your hair to grow stronger, you should supplement iron from animal foods, especially beef, chicken and fish (if you are a vegetarian, you can eat beans and green leafy vegetables, which are also good sources of iron). Eat seafood such as oysters and whole grains to supplement zinc.

6. Fish high in mercury

Eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids helps reduce inflammation and promotes hair growth. However, some types of fish such as fresh tuna, carp, king mackerel, tilefish, etc. are high in mercury. Mercury is a heavy metal that can be toxic to the body, including the hair. Consuming too much fish with high mercury content can lead to brittle, weak, and lifeless hair.

Healthier options for your hair include salmon, canned tuna, and halibut, which are rich in magnesium.

7. Drink a lot of beer and wine

Beer, wineWine and spirits both interfere with the body's metabolism of zinc, a mineral that is important for hair health. Drinking too much beer and wine dehydrates the body, affecting the hair, making it drier, more brittle, and losing its shine.

8. Greasy foods

Foods high in saturated fats and hydrogenated oils can clog pores, even on the scalp (hair follicles) causing hair to fall out. Anything made with trans fats, such as hard margarine, baked goods, fried foods, pizza or crackers, sausages, bacon, ice cream, coconut milk and coconut cream, milkshakes, chocolate... are bad for your hair.

However, limiting or avoiding foods that are bad for your hair does not mean completely cutting them out of your diet. It is okay to enjoy these foods occasionally in moderation.

In addition to limiting foods that are bad for hair, you should also focus on adding nutrient-rich foods to nourish healthy hair from the inside, such as eggs, yogurt, nuts, seeds, walnuts, green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, whole grains, beans, peanuts, and lentils.

In addition, you should combine it with proper hair care by using products suitable for your hair type, avoiding excessive heat on your hair and protecting your hair from environmental damage. By adopting a reasonable diet and proper hair care, you can have the beautiful, healthy and shiny hair you desire.