It would not be wrong to rename this 21st century as ‘antioxidant.’ This term has been thrown away too many times. Park your cycle down the lane, walk into some park and ask a child if he does know why do we eat nuts. It wouldn’t be a surprise to hear from him saying, “Because they are rich in antioxidants.” But what are these antioxidants? How do they help you in your journey to deal with hair loss? You might be doing all to regain your hair: buying that best shampoo for hair fall; eating fruits and vegetables; doing yoga and meditation; eating nuts and berries; telling yourself time by time that your hair are coming back. But why are you doing this all? Let’s look at the science.
The fight amid free radicals and antioxidants.
You might be hearing it from your mother, your mother from her mother, and her mother from further back that nuts are good for your head – “One who eats nuts doesn’t remain a nut.” Nuts are like that Holy Grail giving immortality. But what all does happen in the microcosmos?
If our body is a society then free radicals are some thieves trying to rob others of their happiness. Scientifically put, free radicals are molecules gone unstable due to having one or more unpaired electrons, thus trying to rob body cells for those missing electrons. It is like a terrible chain – One free radical damaging other cells, who further damage other cells for that single electron lost to the previous free radical. This process is called Oxidation. Antioxidants, having extra electrons onto them, work like a charity that does the work of providing electrons to the free radicals and thus neutralizing them.
But antioxidants hold extra electrons, not some extra hair! Then?
This terrible war called by free radicals leads to the fall of hair’s empire. If not stopped, oxidation leads to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress brings havoc to the body’s functioning. If we look at its brutal manifestations, hair loss would seem too trivial before its more severe form as Alzheimer’s or Dementia. Oxidative stress leads to the slow down of brain functioning and thus aging before age. Hair start to grey, their cycle leads to Telogen – the shedding phase. The good thing about the reversal of oxidation is that many damaged molecules get repaired again.
So, if you have bought that best shampoo for hair fall – very fine – but look at your diet. Including foods rich in antioxidants does not only help in hair gain, but also leads to better memory and delayed aging. Here is a list of foods helpful for your brain and hair:
- Berries
- Avocados
- Nuts (Walnuts, Pumpkin seeds, Chia seeds, Sunflower seeds, Almonds, Flax seeds, etc.)
- Beans.
- Fruits and Vegetables.
- Coffee in moderation.
- Avoiding artificial sugars.
Apart from a healthy diet, it is advised to meditate and do yoga or some other workout. Stress is the major contributor to hair loss. But the good thing is that it can be easily managed through some therapy and contemplation. Get some good shampoo, like Patricks Australia, and clean your hair (though don’t overdo it.) Apart from all this, always know that almost all the wise men out there suffer from baldness. Don’t stress yourself out and love your body.
