Quit Sugar and Help Your Hair!

Numerous nutritionists have noted how sugar can be a problem for anyone trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  The refined sugar that is quite commonly used is found in all types of food including the “pure” fruit drinks found on many store shelves.  Adding regular sugar into recipes increases the calorie count while the nutritional value is not improved.

Sugar and Hair

One surprising piece of information is that eating sugar can cause problems for hair.  Sugar has been known to be a problem for skin, causing dryness, flakes, rashes, and even accelerating the aging process.

Because eating sugar increases the blood sugar count, the insulin generated in response also increases the levels of androgen.  This male hormone can cause hair follicles to shrink in women as well as men.  As the follicles become smaller, hair becomes more brittle and thin, and are less likely to hold color.

Reduce Sugar, Increase Highlights

There are reasons to quit sugar for life, and the look of your hair is just one of them.  The following are some tips to reduce your sugar intake plus some extras on how to brighten highlights at home:

Sugar substitutes

Beware of artificial sweeteners as some may contain chemicals that could be more harmful than sugar. Look for sweeteners that are natural such as Stevia.

Naturally sweet

There are some sweeteners that are pure and healthy in moderation. These include natural honey and fresh fruits.  Both can work well to balance your need for sweet and your avoidance of sugar.  Also consider liquids such as almond milk as a sweet option.

Naturally bright

For highlights some natural foods can really help when applied to hair to help highlights stand out. Honey and vinegar blended together can help to brighten your highlights.  Also chamomile tea with water has been known to help lighten and brighten highlights.

Highlight care

Like any hair color it is important to properly care for your hair to maintain the look for as long as possible. Use shampoo, conditioner and other products that are specially formulated for color treated hair.  Also avoid swimming or a lot of sun exposure right after coloring your hair.  A few days out of the pool will prevent discoloration and damage from chlorine and other chemicals.  Sun can dry your hair making it brittle and reducing the color effectiveness, so reduce your time in the sun if possible.

Wet hair

Note that whenever your hair is wet it becomes weaker. When shampooing use warm water and then rinse with cool water.  Take care when shampooing or applying product with your hands so you do not pull too hard on your hair.  Also gently comb hair using a wide toothed comb while it is wet to reduce breakage.

Extra products

There are a number of products to help hair to shine, straighten, curl or boost volume. In all cases make sure these products are safe for color treated hair before using them.  Also be sure the products do not irritate your scalp, so if needed look for products that are for sensitive skin.

Sweet treats

When you must have that something sweet, try some new options. Whey low is another sugar substitute that can work very well in baking.  Eat only a couple of bites of your treat to keep your intake as low as possible and try to drink as much water as you can to help cleanse the body and help it to process the sugar as quickly as possible.

Keep your sugar in check and reduce your need.  This can help your overall health while also helping your hair to look even better.