One of the most prevalent and common reasons for balding is due to wildly fluctuating hormones. This is one of the leading causes of male pattern baldness, for example. And while your doctor can prescribe medications that can help address your hormone levels, you can also influence your hormones through the diet that you eat.
The Carb-Fat Hormone Connection
Your brain needs fat to create hormones. This even includes so-called “unhealthy” fats like cholesterol.
Unfortunately, many people vilify fat and replace fatty foods in their diet with carbohydrate-rich foods. What this does is rob your body of the essential nutrients it needs for healthy, hair-friendly hormone levels, and it also increases whole-body inflammation (chronic inflammation can be a contributing factor in hair loss).
If you want to reign in crazy hormone levels and get to a balanced place that’s more conducive to promoting healthy hair growth, re-evaluate your diet and consider eating more fat and less carbs.
Healthy Fat Examples
1. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a rich source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs play a role in hormone production as well as energy production, and many people have found that elevating their intake of MCTs doesn’t just keep their hair looking its best, but also comes with other health benefits like improved weight loss.
Try adding a dollop of coconut oil to your morning coffee or breakfast shake to start your day (and your hormones) right.
2. Fish Oil
Fish oil doesn’t just provide lots of healthy fat for hormones, but it’s also one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s help to reduce inflammation, further boosting your scalp health and hair health.
What to Avoid
Most North Americans eat too many omega-6 fats, which are found in processed oils like corn oil and soybean oil. When you take in far more omega-6 fats than omega-3 fats, you encourage the inflammation that could be contributing to your hair loss.
