Four Major Hair Killers by Karen M. Shelton

Eating An Unbalanced Diet - Hair That Won't Grow

I used to think that the basic food groups were all grouped around C. Cookies, candy and chips were my staples. My hair and skin were the victims. Unfortunately my skin has a strong tendency to break out if I indulge in the C foods too often.

Good hair, skin, teeth and overall health is directly tied to eating well balanced meals. So many people write to me that they have noticed a definite improvement in their hair after taking the H37 or Edwin Paul vitamins. When I quiz them they often tell me of a history of poor dietary habits. Which explains why the hair vitamins help them.

Karen M. Shelton
The Hair Boutique

Our bodies crave vitamins and minerals. When we don't provide these goodies to our bodies, many things suffer. Often our hair and skin are obvious victims. A poor diet will also prevent us from having the optimal energy to be successful in other areas of our life.

I have tried just about every food and dietary plan invented. I have found that my personal best eating plan is closely tied to the Zone way of eating. Yes, I still love C foods, but I work hard to limit those foods to every once in awhile. I have found that a healthy breakfast is one of the best things I can do for my day and my hair.

Self-knowledge is great power. Understanding what foods drive your body best is a key to great success in all areas. Many people do well on lots of small meals while others do well on 2 or 3. Some people are find their optimal physical success on a high carbohydrate plan while others do better with higher protein levels.

Try eating a couple of different dietary programs to find the one that works best for you. It is essential that your body and your hair receive a good balanced diet.

Yes, hair vitamins do work. This is because they actually supplement the vitamins and minerals that our bodies and hair require for optimal growth and condition. Hair vitamins alone are not the perfect solution. Eating well for your body type in combination with vitamins and minerals will be the real winning combination.

I am not a diehard anti-smoking fanatic. I tend to be a libertarian about most things. I believe in letting people do what they need to do as long as it doesn't hurt other people in the process. There is lots of controversy about second hand smoke and so I tend to follow the path that smokers should be free to smoke where it doesn't harm others.

When it comes to hair and skin, I am totally against smoking because of the known damages that it can do. Smoking has been conclusively proven to prematurely harden blood vessels, restricting blood flow and damaging cappilaries. This definitely will harm healthy hair patterns. Smoking has been proven to accelerate the incidence of hair loss and the accumulation of gray hair.

Caffeine is also not blameless. Excessive caffeine use can do all kinds of damage and has been proven to be a culprit in all sorts of hair and skin related problems.

I love caffeine but limit my Starbucks to 1 latte per day. Again, I notice a difference in my hair.

Whether you smoke or not or consume lots of caffeine is a personal choice. Everyone is entitled to do what works for them.

However, these substances are proven hair killers. What is the point of spending a fortune on having gorgeous hair to throw it away with habits that block you from your goal? This is something that everyone has to decide for themselves.

If you have been struggling to grow gorgeous, thicker, longer or healthier hair without noticeable results, maybe you are sabotaging your own potential for great hair by not addressing the four major hair killers that I have addressed above.

There are several causes for hair problems from overuse of chemicals (bleach, perms, straighteners), hot hair tools (dryers, curlers, irons) to poor product selection that may rob the natural oils from your hair. Some physical problems like major disease or prescription drug therapies can cause hair difficulties.

However, if the basic building blocks for great hair are not met through good physical exercise, enough sleep and relaxation, a good diet and good health habits your hair may never achieve the levels of beauty that you wish to attain.

If you are deficient in any of the four areas, try making some changes and see what happens. Your hair will love you for it.

Karen M. Shelton is the founder of HairBoutique.com which has been featured in numerous magazines including 101 Celebrity Hairstyles, Today's Dallas Woman Magazine, WE-Women's Enterprise, The National Enquirer, American Salon Magazine and Self magazine, as well as international publications.

Karen M. Shelton was featured in DFW Tech Biz as winner of the Emerging CEO - Tech Titan award. In 2001 Ms. Shelton joined 101 Celebrity Styles & Short Cuts magazine as consumer hair editor.