How to have beautiful hair

Hair.  Let’s be perfectly honest with ourselves.  We ALL want hot hair.  I love hair and I know if I can make mine work for me, I feel nice.  Often when I post pictures of my own hair, I get many, many comments.  I too am slightly hair obsessed.  When I cut my hair off a couple of years ago I LOVED it, but I admit it was so hard to do.  What’s more, post breastfeeding my hair had taken a flogging.  Now it’s grown back, it’s easy to manage and super healthy and I’m keen to share with you my how.

If you’re a post-partum mum, you’ll feel me.  The hair loss is real.  And whilst it feels like it is never going to end, I’m here to tell you – it will!  Equally for those of you suffering from hormone imbalance (it’s kinda the same thing really), hair loss can be part of the swag of symptoms that come along.  For many of us, whatever ‘holes’ we have in our own body, hair can certainly take a hit.  So I’ve got a few of my own tips today to share with you, since you asked of how I keep my hair healthy.  Here goes…

Inside out

We’ve adapted this idea that it’s about lathering and slathering glorious amounts of expensive products on the hair itself.  And whilst I’m not here to disagree that application of certain things topically (as you’ll learn) can help your hair to feel temporarily nicer, I’m all about getting to the root cause of any condition.  So naturally when I think healthy hair, I think healthy gut and plenty of nutrients on the inside to meet your body’s demands.  This means collagen and plenty of it.  Collagen isn’t only required as a protein to make your hair, it’s also one of the most important things you can add to support healthy digestion and reinforce gut tissue.

What does this mean?

If your gut wall is essentially weak chances are your gut flora is too (after all it helps protect your gut wall).  Think of your gut like a tube filled with essential bacteria (amongst other things).  When the bacteria is compromised, it is no longer there to shield your gut wall, which opens it up to damage by food and unhealthy bacteria growth. This can over time wear away its strength so not only adding in a collagen supplement (or even trusty old broth) will help but also pre and probiotics to really help it along are essential to healthy hair.  What’s more, your gut will be in a wonderful position to absorb nutrients better to go on and supply your organs, tissues, muscles and so on – hair included.  A couple of my favourite products include Pro-Plenish, a marine collagen supplement or check out The Beauty Chef’s Collagen Inner Beauty Boost that is not only packed with collagen boosting properties but pre and pro-biotics too.

Fuel UP

Whilst we are talking insides, it’s all about providing your body with the building blocks to make the goods.  Hair is no exception. There are a few key players you want to make sure you’re getting in frequently.

Omega 3’s and Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) are exactly as suggested – essential. Think foods like salmon, avocado, nuts and eggs.  Egg yolks also contain biotin – just another reason to eat your eggs whole since it’s another ingredient you can put on the list for healthy hair.  They are natures complete food!  Almonds are also another winner for biotin which is also useful to speed up hair growth.

Micronutrients like Vitamin A (think sweet potato & carrots), Vitamin E (spinach & sunflower seeds), Vitamin C (yellow peppers and citrus), Vitamin D (salmon and small bursts of sun exposure) are all important for healthy hair too!

I talk a lot about foods to nourish healthy hormones in my book, Well & Good.  Food is medicine – you better make that your mantra.

Outside support

Whilst the inside is the root towards healthy locks, there are certainly ingredients you can add to support your hair from the outside.  My absolute, hands down favourite hair treatment is Coco Hair.  I’m a proud supporter of this amazing hair product.  It’s full of nourishing ingredients including coconut, macadamia, Moroccan Argan and Jojoba Oil to really give back when we’ve expected too much from our hair.  It’s a wonderful natural treatment that isn’t going to do whacky things to your hormones either!

As a supporter of this Australian product, I asked if they would share the love.  They have given all of my readers 15% off all products when you shop their website and apply the code word nat15!  Yes, you’re so welcome.

Live it up

A not-so-healthy lifestyle will have it’s way with life’s less essential processes, which means when we live in high stress, be it from not moving our body well, not nourishing our body, excess pressure, stress and an unhappy environment, our body’s ability to utilise nutrients becomes compromised.  This is where we need to insert lifestyle practices to help keep your body happy. Consider adding treatments like acupuncture, massage, exercise, meditation, regular social activities and alike to keep your stress at bay.  Of course, my team at The Pagoda Tree are always at the ready to help you get to the bottom of your true stressors if you need a hand – they will weave their golden thread of goodness with acupuncture too.  It’s so good as a supportive treatment to your busy life.

I know for some people their air gets oily super frequently.  I’ve got a couple of things to add.  Firstly, our instant reaction is to avoid anything that is too nourishing because logically this adds to the problem but NO!  Let go of that idea, just like your skin, your scalp loves to be nourished and when it is missing this, it goes about making more and more oil to counteract what it doesn’t have.  If you’re finding your hair gets greasier than the bottom of your fry pan, try and remember it’s about balance, not necessarily taking things away.  Also for many, not rinsing out hair properly can have a similar effect.  Make sure your shampoo is rinsed out fully for happier, less greasy hair.

I know you are also going to ask me what other products I use.  So here goes:

+ 1 x per week I’ll use my Coco Hair oil treatment

+ I wash my hair 2 x per week, 3 max depending on how much exercise I’ve done.

+ I also know that when I’m blonder my hair tends to get less oily.  My go-to hair peeps are Organika hair in Elwood.  I’ve also previously seen Marie Uva and the team and Uva hair.

+ I use either Coco Hair Shampoo and Conditioner or O&M.

+ I curl my hair with a MUK stick.  I don’t use hair product because I have enough hair for at least two people… it’s frizzy but that means it holds well.

There you have it!  My little secrets to healthy hair.

Now here’s the SUPER exciting part!!!

I know I promised this post some weeks a go.  Truth bomb time.  The comments I received got me thinking.  How can I help you achieve healthier hair (and other goodness for that matter)?  That brings me to a very exciting announcement today.

I can’t give too much away but let me tell you, I have a product in the stages of development for your HAIR!

I’m pretty excited.  Watch this space – we will begin to share with you it’s progress in the coming weeks. Remember, like all things life, it’s as much as an inside job as an outside one. I’m keen to help you have beautiful hair and happy hormones.  It’s all about the rewards, right?

Want to never miss another BIG announcement?  Be the first to know, chat with me and tap in on our Membership Community. Click the banner to learn more.

 

7 Comments

  • August 5, 2016 By Mel 9:48 pm

    Hi Nat. Thanks for the info, your hair is amazing! I’m eating all of these foods and taking probiotics but my hair just won’t grow ? I find I have a build up on my scalp and I’m wondering if this is impacting my hair growth/what’s the cause/and what I can do to improve my scalp health? TIA xx

    • September 3, 2016 By Nat Kringoudis 7:13 am

      What is the build up? Dead skin? Product? I’m keen to understand and help you more x

  • August 5, 2016 By Sally 11:02 pm

    Hi Nat,
    Just wondering what your thoughts are on hair dye, particularly when trying to conceive?
    With thanks,
    Sally.

    • September 3, 2016 By Nat Kringoudis 7:13 am

      I think we really do have to do our research on such products. I know the owner of Organika Hair did the research for us and it isn’t very kind! Could you possibly find a similar salon to visit?

  • October 14, 2016 By Kerri 8:37 pm

    Hi Nat,
    Thanks for the great post and recommendations. I ordered some coco hair products when I first read this post and am loving them! I was just wondering about your thoughts on the chemicals used for colouring/bleaching hair (blonde highlights)? I only have my hair coloured max 4 times a year and have looked into organic treatments but they are Soooooooooo much more expensive. I do worry about using the chemicals though?

    I’d love to know your thoughts?
    Thanks x

  • March 4, 2020 By Lorraine 10:22 pm

    Hi Nat! What would you recommend for thinning, oily hair since stopping BC 8 months ago? I have tried everything and nothing seems to help. I am in Scotland and so wish I could visit your clinic!!

    • April 13, 2020 By Nat Kringoudis 4:12 pm

      Lorraine – it’s difficult for me to say without seeing you but I do offer tele-medicine consults meaning we can Skype and I can help you. We do these everyday with great success.

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