Dr.Sandhya Jaiswal

Hair is an integral part of our appearance and is a crown of confidence for us all. We tend to take a lot of effort into hair care and styling. But Alopecia Areata is a condition which can completely destroy your efforts and your appearance by causing drastic hair loss. It is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the hair follicles of the body as it is unable to differentiate between the body’s hair follicles and external bodies.

What is the ideal diet for Alopecia Areata?
As we learned that it is an auto-immune disease, there’s a high chance that if you take care of your immunity over the long term you can prevent this condition. However, if you do contract the condition, there are ways to manage the hair loss and promote regrowth.

Essential Vitamins for Alopecia diet
Hair is one such body part where the nutrition reaches the last. Therefore it is important to ensure that your diet consists of all the essential nutrients needed by the hair. The most vital nutrients and vitamins required to prevent Alopecia Areata are:

Biotin
– Biotin is responsible for hair growth and increasing the volume of hair.

Zinc
– Zinc plays an important role in hair tissue growth and repair. It also helps keep the oil glands around the follicles working properly.

Thiamine
– Thiamine prevents nerve damage, so the hair follicles can grow without a hurdle.

Vitamin C
– Vitamin C strengthens the capillaries that supply blood to the hair shaft.

Alopecia Areata diet must also contain
Healthy Fats
– Healthy fats lessen the inflammatory reaction in the body. So, it is advisable to use canola and olive oil for cooking purposes. In addition, increase your intake of omega-3 unsaturated fats found in greasy fish. Such as salmon, trout, fish, mackerel, sardines and herring. Some vegetarian options to incorporate in your autoimmune hair loss diet are walnuts, flax seeds and hemp seeds. However, all nuts and seeds contain helpful fats.

Antioxidants
– Antioxidants help to improve the hair growth in alopecia. It boosts the blood circulation and nutrient supply to the scalp cells which encourages the hair growth. These supplements come in numerous types including vitamins, minerals and bioflavonoids.

Biotin
– Biotin, one of the B vitamins, plays an imperative role in the strengthening of the hair and nails. Normally, you get the suggested sums in your eating regimen and for rich sources, you should incorporate nuts, romaine lettuce, carrots, tomatoes and chard.

Best Diet Plan To Treat Alopecia
Your hair growth depends upon your age, your hair texture and type and the health conditions. So, consuming the well-balanced healthy consumption of food can promote hair growth. Here are some tips that will help your hair problem to be cured.

Fruits and vegetables – Try adding fruits and vegetables that are bright coloured ones. These fruits contain the antioxidants that help in reducing the inflammation. Moreover, all the symptoms of alopecia can be improved. You can include the following fruits & vegetables to your diet –
Apples
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Pineapple
Cherries
Broccoli
Apricot
Cauliflower
Spinach
Green cabbage
Good oils – All the good oils are good for your health. So, include olive oil, avocado oil in your diet. These oils contain the oleic acid which is an omega 9 fatty acid to decrease the inflammation.
Nuts – Munching nuts between meals can be a great plan. So, add some walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts which are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids.
Onions – Onions contain a lot of antioxidants. Thus, this helps in reducing cholesterol level, inflammation and the risk of heart diseases. So, add raw onions or in any food item, you want to have. This is a great option for treating alopecia
Fish – Wild caught fishes are very nutritious and are rich in protein and contains the omega 3 fatty acids. These fishes do not contain any toxins which can worsen the effects of alopecia.
Protein – Your hair is made up of proteins. Hence, to help them grow well protein-rich diets are essential. Add protein-rich items in your meal such as egg, liver, beans, and chicken.
High Fibre Food – Fibre helps in reducing the levels of a C-reactive protein which is found in our blood. This protein is found in our blood when there is a high level of inflammation. So, add food items like brown rice, oatmeal, fruits, quinoa, & vegetables.
Soya – Soybeans promote the hair growth with the help of spermidine which promotes speeding up of the hair growth.

Foods to Avoid
Dairy products – dairy products have a protein known as casein and this protein can cause irritation to the immune system. Moreover, this can worsen the symptoms of alopecia. So, avoid foods like tofu, soy milk, etc.
Polyunsaturated fats – this includes corm oil, sunflower oil, etc. which is not good fat. So, it is advisable to take steamed food rather than the fried ones.
There are several other food items that you should avoid such as processed food and alcohol, etc.

Conclusion
As there is no specific diet for treating the symptoms of alopecia but simple healthy changes in your life can help you in improving your hair condition in many ways. Moreover, you can also take supplements to help you out in a positive way. Take proper rests to make your immune system in good shape. Being healthy is the best you can do for yourself. So, if you want someone to guide you with the best diet routines, consult Dr. Sandhya Gupta.