Let’s face it, now, and more than maybe ever, we want our immune systems to be operating at their absolute best. Our bodies have evolved to combat all sorts of bacteria, pathogens, and environmental hazards that are thrown our way daily, but not without the proper support. With a global pandemic in full force, supporting our immune systems is beyond critical.
If we want our bodies to do what our bodies are capable of doing best, we need to supply our systems with sufficient fuel. A major perk of eating immunity-boosting foods is that most of them are highly beneficial to the health of your hair.
What vitamins does your immune system need?
Quick! What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word immune system? I’ll bet it’s vitamin C! And I’ll bet the first source of vitamin C that pops into your head is oranges!
Well, you’re right on both accounts. However, there are multiple other vitamins and a multitude of other delicious sources for both vitamin C and the other nutrients your immune system craves.
To boost and maintain a strong immune system, you’ll also need a steady flow of vitamin A, D, E, folate, iron, selenium, and zinc.
Vitamin A-abundant foods: carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cantaloupe, squash
Vitamin C-packed foods: citrus (oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons, limes), kale, spinach, bell peppers, papaya, strawberries, blueberries
Vitamin D-dense foods: mushrooms, fortified cereal, eggs, cheese (and sunshine)
Vitamin E-rich foods: sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, broccoli
Folate-full foods: beans, peas, leafy greens
Selenium-saturated foods: garlic, broccoli, barley, Brazil nuts
Foods that contain iron: beans, broccoli, kale
Foods that contain zinc: chickpeas, yogurt, baked beans, oysters
What to eat for healthy, happy, shiny, strong hair
To support brilliant locks, whether your hair is thick, thin, curly, straight, or anything and everything in between, you’ll need to make sure you're eating the right stuff—just like supporting your immune system with the right nutrients.
Vitamins A, C, D, E, zinc, B vitamins, and essential fatty acids are key to growing and maintaining your best hair. As you can see, your immune system also loves vitamins A, C, D, and E; how convenient! To eat for healthy hair all you have to do is eat for a strong immune system. Too easy, right?
An excellent rule of thumb to follow in your quest to eating for your best and healthiest self is to make sure that you are “eating the rainbow.” What this means is that you should be loading up your plate at every meal with a variety of colors (i.e., red beets, orange carrots, yellow bell peppers, green spinach, blue blueberries, purple cabbage).
There's no time like the present to kick the bad food habits and replaced them with nutrient-dense plant-based foods that will not only help you fight off whatever is thrown your way, but also help you keep your hair looking radiant while you're doing it!