Many people have a love hate relationship with their hair. Beautiful, comfortable, and making you feel like you, hair can also take a great deal of time to get ready and keep in good shape. In addition, our hair is the first place where stress to our body will play out. Whether it is hair that is too dry, too oily, or beginning to turn grey, keeping our hair in good condition is a challenge.

Did you know that nearly 1 in every 3 people will have grey hair before they reach the age of 30? Amazing isn’t it? Grey hair is far more common then you might first imagine. In fact, the average woman will spend around $45,000 on hair care products over the course of their lifetime. With many of these products going into maintaining color, it is no small wonder that the hair care industry as a whole is booming. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how to prevent grey hair naturally. But first, let’s take a look at why hair turns grey to begin with to get a better sense of what we should do to keep our hair looking happy and healthy.

Why does our hair turn grey?

Simply put, we are designed to have grey hair later in life. The color in our hair comes from melanin. We naturally produce melanin over the course of our life. The melanin will gradually decrease as we age, causing white hairs to begin appearing. It should be noted that while melanin loss is natural, not all people lose their color. A small percentage of people keep their color over the course of their life. In addition, there are many aspects of our lifestyle that can prolong hair turnings grey or speed up the process. In the end, lifestyle choice changes from this point out can go a long way to extending the natural color of your hair. Beginning for some prior to hitting 30, knowing the ways to keep your color is crucial. Let’s take a moment to review how to prevent grey hair naturally with the following 5 suggestions.

1. Use coconut oil

I know, coconut oil is the big thing right now. It is often taken out of context and used as a ‘miracle cure’ for any number of ailments. However, when it comes to hair health and color, the science exists to back up its beneficial qualities. The lauric acid and antioxidants in the coconut oil help to enrich the scalp, leaving it happier and healthier.

There are many ways you can use coconut oil at any time for your hair and and skin and you will see many benefits.

2. Quit smoking

While this suggestion is easier said than done, it is none-the-less critically important if you want to keep the color of your hair. Smoking taxes your body whether you feel it or not. It puts added stress both on the exterior of your hair follicles as well as through your body. Smoking can increase the rate of hair loss, as well as decrease circulation to your hair. By kicking the habit, you do your hair a solid service as well as your long-term health.

3. Increase the amount of water you consume

The Center For Disease Control states through their research that the average American does not drink enough water. Water is crucial for the proper functioning of our body. It helps to expel waste and cleanses our digestive tract. More often than not, we consume way more alcohol or caffeine then we should. Consider reducing alcohol or caffeine for your body and drink a mixture of water and electrolytes. Both will help hydrate you and provide the nutrients you need feel healthier. At the same time, having increased moisture in your boy will stop greying that can occur when the skin and hair follicles are dried out.

4. Ensure you are consuming enough copper

Copper isn’t something we typically think about when it comes to meeting our daily vitamins and minerals. However, copper can be incredibly beneficial to our body as well as our hair. One of the best sources of copper is walnuts. With a handful of walnuts in the morning or added to a meal, you get your necessary amount of copper as well as other healthy fats and nutrients. You can also consider taking a multi-vitamin, eating lima beans, turnip greens, yams, blackberries, some seeds, and most meats. Check your diet to make sure you have enough copper and change it accordingly if you are not getting enough.

5. Reduce stress and anxiety

Towards the beginning of the article we talked about how everything that plays out through our body shows in our hair. With a great deal of research in psychology, there has been found a direct link between constant stress and anxiety and both a reduction in hair volume and a grey coloration in your hair. Simply put, being anxious or stressed exhausts our body, decreases the effectiveness of our immune system, and leads to overeating. It can cause enough secondary stress to show in our hair. The best way to address this is to take time for you. See a professional who can have a conversation with, consider a spa. Or simply sit at home and do only what you want for a period of time. By taking time for yourself, you can reduce your stress and anxiety and see noticeable effects with less greying of your hair.

Summing it up

Above are but a few of the ways you can work to naturally decrease grey hairs and prevent their formation over time. While grey hair may be an inevitability for most of us, it doesn’t have to happen right now. Before thinking about dying your hair, consider these tips for keeping your color.

If you are struggling with how to prevent grey hair naturally and have found a way to keep your natural color, then what is your secret? Become a part of the conversation today, post your experiences, and help other people out there make the best informed choice. You will be glad you did!