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Although hair loss can be tricky to combat, there are a few key ways that you can strengthen and thicken your existing hair–and even promote new hair growth. According to Dr. Anna Cabeca, you can help strengthen your hair with a combination of a balanced diet and beneficial supplements.
To prevent hair loss, Dr. Cabeca recommends adding an omega-3 fatty acid supplement to your morning diet.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Dr. Cabeca explains how omega-3s work to strengthen your hair, "A lack of the omega-3 fatty acids, needed for healthy cell membranes, can contribute to hair loss."
With that in mind, if you are not getting enough omega-3 fatty acids in your regular diet, that might be the reason you are experience hair shedding and thinning.
Fish Oil & Flaxseed Oil
To get more omega-3s in your diet, it can be as simple as adding some supplements to your morning ritual.
"Fish oils are the most common dietary sources of omega-3s, but vegetarians can supplement with flaxseed oil to prevent hair from becoming dry and brittle," Dr. Cabeca explains.
What Causes Hair Loss
Dr. Cabeca explains some factors that can lead to hair loss: "Hair loss can also be linked to lack of nutrients in the diet, including protein, zinc, and iron."
In addition to taking fish oil, making sure to add in these other nutrients can also be helpful. She continues, "Eat foods like red meat for iron and protein, shellfish like oysters for zinc, and lots of green veggies for iron."
Green Tea
If you are looking for another change to your routine to prevent hair loss, Dr. Cabeca also recommends adding green tea to your daily diet. She explains, "A cup or two daily may put hair loss on the slow track. Green tea contains “catechins,” which inhibit an enzyme involved in converting testosterone to its follicle-killing form, dihydrotesterone (DHT)."
In other words, green tea can help keep your hair follicles strong and healthy.
