IS THERE MORE TO BAD HAIR DAYS?

We all have bad hair days, right?

Those days when nothing you try with your tresses seems to work and a paper bag starts looking like an attractive option?

But if you are suddenly having more bad days than usual, doctors suggest taking a closer look at your hair as it can offer insight on what’s going on inside your body and can help prevent bigger health problems.

Falling hair: We usually lose 80 to 100 strands of hair a day but if it looks if you are losing more than usual, this can indicate a period of higher stress. Reversible hair thinning can be brought on by pregnancy, illness and depression and may not be noticeable until three months after the event. If a big stressor is behind your hair loss, don’t panic and instead concentrate on your overall wellness. Seek help for depression, get at least eight hours of sleep a night and do stress-busting activities.

Poor diet: Healthy hair is shiny so if yours is starting to look a bit dull, perhaps it is time to take a look at your diet. Eating too much processed food over a long period of time will make your hair brittle and dry. Stick with a diet heavy on whole foods with plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Not enough fats: We are talking here about the right kinds of fats –monounsaturated and omega 3 fatty acids. People trying to lose weight often eliminate fats from their diet but in doing so you hamper the body’s ability to absorb fat-soluble nutrients like vitamin D, which is important for a healthy head of hair. Include foods like avocados, olive oil, oily fish and dark chocolate in your diet. Not getting enough water: If you are not getting at least 2.5 litres of water a day, chances are you don’t have enough for the body to do everything it needs to efficiently. This can easily lead to dry and dull hair.