1. The best way to feed your hair is from the inside-out. To optimize your hair health, you must follow the core nutritional principles which involves obtaining adequate levels of protein, eating low glycemic carbohydrates/stabilizing insulin, and consuming essential fats. Recognizing the importance of balanced nutrition is realizing the most effective way to feed a tree is through the sap. Protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats work synergistically to increase blood flow and to provide your hair follicles with steady flow of nutrients.
Balanced nutrition control hormones (called eicosanoids) that dilate the blood vessels at the surface of your skin. For example, when a mosquito sticks their needle into your skin, they inject you with a chemical that opens your capillaries and facilitates blood to rise to the surface of your skin. Balanced nutrition effects these same chemicals.Vitamins such as vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folic acid, B12 and iron are also essential for good blood circulation.
Hair health can be also be attributed to unregulated testosterone or estrogen levels. Testosterone and estrogen need to be regulated because too much free (or active) testosterone or estrogen at once is not healthy. Estrogen and testosterone are fat soluble and thus require a binding protein to be carried throughout the bloodstream. This acts as control-release mechanism that prevents these hormones from overloading your system. You must eat protein at every meal and consume low glycemic carbohydrates to help regulate testosterone/insulin levels.
2. Avoid stimulants in excessive amounts such as caffeine. Stimulants decrease blood flow to the outermost surface of your skin and shunt flow to muscles. Caffeine also depletes minerals from the body that are important for hair health.
3. Do not smoke. The healing and quality of skin is compromised when you smoke. For example, people who have surgery are told not smoke because it prevents skin from healing properly.
4. Get upside down. To increase blood flow to the scalp, use an inversion machine (hang upside down), perform a headstand up against the wall, or do an upside-down yoga pose. Gravity will force open the fine capillaries that feed the scalp.
5. Perform daily cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise. Aerobic exercise opens sweat glands, stimulates natural stem cell production, and sends blood to the outermost surfaces of your body. Exercise will also reduce stress/cortisol levels.
6. Take an omega-3 fish oil supplement each day. The recommended intake is 4 capsules per day of a high quality pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplement. Fish oil increase blood flow, regulate your immune system, and prevent inflammation.
7. Engage in a quick towel rub or scalp massage once or twice a day. Rubbing your head with your towel as you dry your hair will increase blood flow to the surface of your skin. Hair grows on the body where there is movement, such as under the arms and between the legs so it would make sense towel rubbing would work in a 'use it or lose it' type of way. Scalp massage on the sides of your head in particular can be beneficial in calming the muscles of your scalp to increase blood and nutrient flow.