Okay, we've all heard the saying "You are what you eat!". Could that actually be true? Essentially we are what we eat! How often do you pay attention to how your body responds to having a particular meal or snack? We should feel good after eating! Fulfilled, but not overstuffed and most definitely NOT in pain. Paying attention to how your food makes you feel is an essential first step in understanding the gut-brain axis and moving forward to better choices. The kind of choices that benefit your overall optimal bodily function. Since your hair is a significant indicator of what's going on internally with your body, it will surely tell you when the food you're eating isn't benefitting your health. This can show up in various ways such as, but not limited to, itchy scalp and other scalp conditions, hair shedding and thinning, and loss of luster to name a few. Let's talk about the gut-brain axis and why our diets are important to our hair health!
Understanding the gut-brain axis!
Many studies have shown that our stomachs are like our second brain, and some argue it's the first. The gut and the brain connect through millions of neurotransmitters and microbes. These affect our moods, feelings, emotional expression, and more. Why do you think they call them comfort foods?! The Be Authentic Community understands life is about growing on our holistic journeys. Through observation and honest conversations, we make better decisions in our holistic care, which will help along our healthy hair journeys.
If you've ever had to be hospitalized or experienced someone close to you in that position, you may have noticed that the hair gets weakened and more fragile. Remember, our bodies do not consider the hair and scalp vital organs, so when a more "important" organ of the body is in distress, the body moves nutrients from the hair and scalp to assist elsewhere. Because of this, many experience hair health challenges after hospitalization, from medications, and sometimes even significant life transitions. A weakened immune system can lead to fragile hair, so learning how gut health affects the overall functionality of our bodies can push us to alter our diets as needed contributing to us operating at our highest level of thinking and being. You can obtain optimal health in taking control of your eating habits, one step at a time.
BE in control of your eating patterns!
We're all living busy lives! However, being present and mindful allows your awareness to momentarily turn away from your schedule. In this case, to bring focus to what you're eating and how it makes you feel. Journaling your meals and how you feel after eating can be helpful and is an excellent step toward the healthiest eating patterns. A visual that says, "Today I ate ____, and it made me feel ____" may be just what you need, and incorporating mindfulness into your lifestyle is never wrong! Make it enjoyable by trying out different foods on purpose for a day. Many of us have food trauma, and our family could have inherited eating patterns from our family lines, so journaling can help break unhealthy habits.
Planning your meals may seem cliché, but it really is a game changer! Having a clear idea of what you're eating for a day or three means you don't have to rush to figure things out, and it may even help you not speed while eating. The most meaningful step is deciding that you want to be at your optimal health and committing to doing the necessary work!
At your own discretion, Read the articles below to learn more about the gut-brain axis's function and how diet can affect your hair health:
Very insightful. The correlation to the hair as an indication was eye opening for sure. Well written!
Great article! This is very important to know and understand. What you put in your mouth directly impacts the rest of your body.