Secrets to Hair Growth
Healthy hair is built through food and health, so it takes time and it never really stops. This guide is the detailed version of my hair post: what to fix first, what to eat, what to check in your blood work, and how to handle your hair.
Think of your hair like a tree
A tree needs watering, feeding and fertiliser, and someone to look after it. Your hair works the same way. Food is the water, your vitamin and hormone levels are the fertiliser, and gentle handling is the care.
If you keep watering, it grows. If you stop, over time it starts shrivelling up. That is why this is a lifelong habit and not a 30-day project. If you want great hair, you keep feeding it.
How to use this guide: start with the 3 foundations, add the 7 food rules, then use the lookup table to match your symptoms to the nutrients that may be behind them.
The 3 foundations: fix these first
Food alone will not outrun an untreated hormone problem or a deficiency. Start these three and begin the food rules at the same time. You do not have to wait.
- Control your hormonal issues. For me it was PCOS. Hormones decide how long your hair stays in its growth phase, so thyroid problems, PCOS and falling oestrogen (perimenopause, menopause, postpartum) all show up as thinning or shedding. If a hormone is the root cause, no shampoo or serum will fix it. Read more: Hormonal Imbalances & Hair Health, Hair Loss Is a Symptom, Not the Problem, PCOS Management and Find your PCOS type.
- Check all your vitamin levels and supplement the ones that are low. The lookup table further down lists every nutrient that matters for hair, what low levels can look like, and where to find it in food. Test first, then supplement what the report confirms.
- Keep your vitamin D and iron profile in range, always. These two are the most commonly missed. The ranges I use for hair are serum ferritin above 70 ng/mL and 25-OH vitamin D between 50 and 80 ng/mL. Standard lab “normal” ranges are set to prevent anaemia and bone disease, not to support hair. Details: Supplements for Hair & Skin: Helpful vs Harmful.
The 7 food rules
These seven habits do most of the work. Aim for consistency, not perfection. Missing a day or two is fine.
- Eat at least 1 g of protein per kg of body weight, every day, forever. Hair is about 95% keratin, a protein. When protein runs short, your body feeds vital organs first and pushes hair follicles into the resting phase, which shows up as shedding. Hit this goal at least 90% of the year. Easiest win: a bowl of homemade curd with lunch and dinner. If you have high uric acid or kidney issues, check your target with your doctor first. Read: Protein Insufficiency and Hair Health.
- Take an omega-3 daily with enough EPA and DHA. This matters most if you do not eat omega-3 rich fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel) at least 3 to 4 times a week. Omega-3 calms scalp inflammation and supports the growth phase. Vegetarians can choose algae-based omega-3, which gives EPA and DHA directly. Buy from the brand's official site and check with your doctor if you take blood thinners.
- Have at least 1 probiotic food every day. Curd, kimchi, kombucha or kanji all count, or take a supplement. Hair can only use what your gut absorbs, which is why my Hair Recovery Program starts with gut repair.
- Have an amla shot, or add vitamin C to every meal, to absorb your iron. It can be as simple as squeezing lime over your salad or dal. This is especially important if you are vegetarian, because plant iron is harder to absorb. Keep tea and coffee at least an hour away from iron-rich meals.
- Eat whole grains and pulses daily. Rotate chickpeas, rajma, channa and similar through the week, at least once a day. They supply trace minerals like zinc, selenium and biotin. Soaking pulses and using fermented batters (idli, dosa) improves how much zinc you absorb.
- Eat an egg daily if you are non-vegetarian, and dark leafy greens at least 3 times a week. Both bring biotin, and greens add iron, folate and vitamin A. Cook your eggs, since raw egg white blocks biotin. Squeeze lime over greens to help iron absorption.
- Get your trace minerals from a ground seed powder. My Hair Growth Super Seed Powder is built for exactly this. Recipe and how to use it are in the next section.
What to cut back on: deep-fried food, packaged food, alcohol and crash diets. Rapid weight loss is a classic trigger for shedding 2 to 3 months later. See Crash diets can cause you to gain more than you lost and the free 7-day Meal Plan for Hair & Skin.
Hair Growth Super Seed Powder
This is a daily whole-food blend of seeds, nuts and herbs that covers the trace minerals, omega-3s and antioxidants hair follicles depend on. It is vegetarian-friendly and built around Indian kitchens.
Get the full Hair Growth Super Seed Powder recipe
What goes into it and why:
| Ingredient | What it brings to hair |
|---|---|
| Flaxseeds | Omega-3 (ALA), scalp circulation |
| Pumpkin seeds | Zinc, iron, protein |
| Sesame seeds | Calcium, copper, B vitamins |
| Almonds | Biotin, vitamin E |
| Brazil nuts | Selenium |
| Moringa powder | Iron, vitamin C |
| Amla powder | Vitamin C, polyphenols |
| Cocoa, turmeric and black pepper | Flavonoids, copper, anti-inflammatory support |
| Nutritional yeast | B-complex vitamins |
A few notes before you start:
- Make a fresh batch every 2 weeks and store it airtight so the seed oils do not go off.
- Take it daily. Consistency matters more than the amount.
- Skip extra high-dose biotin tablets (above 5 mg). The blend already covers biotin from food, and high doses can distort thyroid blood tests.
- If you have a nut allergy, swap almonds for sunflower seeds. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your doctor first.
Prefer the simpler version? My original Super Seed Powder uses flax, hemp, mixed seeds, cacao nibs, turmeric and pepper, and is ground so your body can absorb it.
Vitamin and mineral lookup: match your symptoms
Find what you are noticing in the first table to see which nutrients to check. The second table covers every nutrient that matters for hair, how it works, and the foods that supply it. Symptoms overlap and many have non-nutrition causes, so a blood test is the only way to confirm a deficiency.
This filters both tables below as you type.
Step 1: Find your symptom
| What you notice | Nutrients and causes to check | Tests to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Shedding in clumps 2 to 3 months after illness, surgery, childbirth, a crash diet or heavy stress | Protein and total food intake, iron, vitamin D, thyroid (this pattern is called telogen effluvium) | Ferritin, 25-OH vitamin D, TSH, T3, T4 |
| Thinning at the crown or a widening parting | Vitamin D, iron, hormones (PCOS, menopause), family history | Ferritin, vitamin D, hormone panel from your doctor |
| Thinning at the hairline, temples or along the parting | Tight hairstyles and repeated partings (traction), hormones | Review your hairstyles first, then hormones |
| Dry, brittle hair that snaps | Protein, omega-3, iron, zinc, B vitamins, plus heat and chemical damage | Ferritin, zinc, B12 |
| Tired, pale, breathless, cold hands and feet | Iron, B12, folate | Ferritin, haemoglobin, B12, folate |
| Thinning hair with weight gain, feeling cold, dry skin or constipation | Thyroid problems, iron | TSH, T3, T4 |
| Hair loss with acne, irregular periods or facial hair | PCOS, androgens, insulin resistance | PCOS work-up with your doctor |
| Slow regrowth, frequent colds, slow-healing wounds, loss of taste or smell | Zinc (test before supplementing) | Serum zinc |
| Bone pain, muscle weakness, low mood, crown thinning | Vitamin D | 25-OH vitamin D |
| Tingling hands or feet, brain fog, mouth ulcers, especially if vegetarian | B12, folate | B12, folate |
| Cracked lips, sore mouth corners or mouth sores | B2, B3, B6, B12, iron, folate | B12, ferritin, folate |
| Ridged, brittle or spoon-shaped nails along with hair loss | Iron, protein, zinc | Ferritin, zinc |
| Dry, flaky or itchy scalp | Omega-3, zinc, B vitamins (see a doctor if it persists, it can also be a scalp condition) | Zinc, vitamin D |
| Early greying | Linked in some studies to low B12, iron, copper and vitamin D, but genetics and stress matter more | B12, ferritin, vitamin D |
Related reads from my site: Why your lips are constantly chapped, How your nails can save your health and Why your hands and feet are always cold. For a deeper walk-through, see The Ultimate Guide to Hair Fall & Nutrient Deficiencies and Vitamin & Mineral Deficiencies: The Hidden Cause of Hair Fall.
Step 2: Every nutrient, how it affects your hair, and where to find it
| Nutrient | How it affects hair growth | Signs it may be low | Common foods | Watch-outs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | Builds keratin. Low intake pushes follicles into the resting phase and slows growth. | Shedding, thin weak strands, dull or brittle hair, slow growth | Eggs, curd, milk, paneer, dal, rajma, chana, soy, tofu, fish, chicken, whey | Aim for 1 g per kg of body weight daily |
| Iron (ferritin) | Carries oxygen to follicles. Low stores cause shedding even before anaemia shows up. | Diffuse shedding, fatigue, pale skin, breathlessness, cold hands and feet, heavy periods | Spinach, methi, rajma, chana, lentils, beetroot, dates, jaggery, sesame, pumpkin seeds, eggs, fish, meat | Pair with vitamin C. Tea, coffee and calcium block absorption. Do not supplement without a confirmed deficiency. |
| Vitamin D | Helps regulate the follicle growth cycle and immune response. Low levels are linked to several types of hair loss. | Crown thinning, bone pain, muscle weakness, tiredness, low mood | Midday sun, egg yolk, fatty fish, fortified milk | Food gives little, so test. Over 70% of urban Indians run low. Avoid high doses without a test. |
| Vitamin B12 | Needed to make DNA in rapidly dividing follicle cells. | Slow growth, thinning, fatigue, tingling hands and feet, brain fog, mouth ulcers | Eggs, milk, curd, paneer, fish, chicken, liver, fortified foods | Very common in vegetarians. Supplement based on your test. |
| Folate (B9) | Supports cell regeneration in the follicle. | Dull hair, hair loss, tiredness, irritability, mouth sores | Spinach, methi, other leafy greens, dals, chana, rajma, beetroot, oranges | Works alongside B12, so check both |
| Biotin (B7) | Part of keratin metabolism. True deficiency is rare, and extra biotin does not help hair if you are not deficient. | Brittle hair and nails, usually only with a risk factor (raw egg whites, some anticonvulsants, long antibiotic use, gut disease) | Cooked eggs, almonds, sesame, sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, whole grains, pulses, leafy greens | Doses above 5 mg a day can distort thyroid and heart blood tests. Stop 48 to 72 hours before any test. |
| Other B vitamins (B2, B3, B5, B6) | Fuel energy production in fast-growing follicle cells. Low B2 and B3 have been linked to hair loss. | Cracked lips, mouth corners, sore mouth, skin dermatitis, fatigue | Milk, curd, eggs, paneer, whole grains, peanuts, pulses, mushrooms, sesame | Rarely low alone. Usually points to a poor diet or gut absorption problem. |
| Vitamin C | Makes collagen and converts iron into a form you can absorb. Also an antioxidant. | Easy bruising, slow healing, dry rough hair, iron that stays low despite a good diet | Amla, guava, lime, oranges, capsicum, raw tomato, fresh coriander | Heat destroys it, so eat it fresh. Smokers need more. |
| Vitamin A | Helps the scalp make its natural oil and supports cell growth. | Dry scalp, dry brittle hair | Carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin, spinach, papaya, mango, eggs, ghee | Too much from supplements also causes hair loss. Get it from food. |
| Vitamin E | Antioxidant that protects scalp cells and the hair shaft. | Dry, dull hair. Low levels are uncommon. | Almonds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, ghee, wheat germ | Food first. High-dose supplements are not advised. |
| Zinc | Needed for follicle repair, cell division and healthy scalp oil. Also has anti-androgen effects. | Shedding, slow regrowth, frequent colds, slow-healing wounds, loss of taste or smell, skin rashes | Pumpkin seeds, sesame, cashews, whole moong, chana, mushrooms, eggs, meat | Test before supplementing. Too much zinc causes hair loss and depletes copper. |
| Selenium | Supports antioxidant enzymes in the follicle. The safe range is narrow. | Thinning and brittle hair (both too little and too much cause hair loss) | Brazil nuts (maximum 2 a day), eggs, fish, sunflower seeds, whole grains | Never supplement without a confirmed deficiency |
| Copper | Works with iron and is needed for hair structure and pigment. | Rare. Can follow long-term high-dose zinc. Early greying has been linked to low copper. | Sesame, cashews, sunflower seeds, cocoa, chickpeas, mushrooms | Keep zinc and copper balanced |
| Omega-3 (EPA and DHA) | Calms scalp inflammation, supports the growth phase and keeps cell membranes healthy. | Dry or flaky scalp, dry brittle hair, increased shedding | Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), algae oil, flaxseed, chia, walnuts | Plant sources give ALA, which converts to EPA and DHA poorly. I suggest 300 to 500 mg EPA plus DHA a day. |
Evidence is strongest for iron, vitamin D and protein, moderate for zinc, omega-3 and B12, and weakest for biotin and the antioxidants. This is exactly why testing beats guessing.
Test first, then supplement
Supplementing without a test can make hair loss worse. Too much zinc, selenium or vitamin A all cause shedding, and iron in excess is toxic. Book these tests, then supplement only what the report confirms.
| Test | Why it matters for hair | Target I use |
|---|---|---|
| Serum ferritin (not just haemoglobin) | Haemoglobin can look normal while iron stores are empty | Above 70 ng/mL |
| 25-OH vitamin D | Follicle cycling and immune regulation | 50 to 80 ng/mL |
| Vitamin B12 | DNA synthesis in follicle cells | Discuss with your doctor, especially if vegetarian |
| TSH, T3, T4 | Under- and overactive thyroid both cause diffuse shedding | Within range, reviewed with your doctor |
| Serum zinc | Both deficiency and excess cause hair loss | Within range, reviewed with your doctor |
| Folate | Cell regeneration | Within range, reviewed with your doctor |
How to supplement safely:
- Start one thing at a time, 4 to 6 weeks apart, so you know what is helping.
- Check interactions. Iron reduces absorption of thyroid medication (levothyroxine), so separate them by 2 to 4 hours. Zinc and some antibiotics also need spacing.
- Food comes first. Supplements fill confirmed gaps. They do not replace a good diet.
- Be patient. Hair responds slowly. Expect at least 90 to 120 days after your ferritin reaches a good level before you see the difference.
- Personalise your doses. The right dose depends on your test results, body, medicines and diet, so get it from a qualified practitioner.
Go deeper: Supplements for Hair & Skin: Helpful vs Harmful, Guide to Supplements & Functional Foods, Supplements: Do You Really Need Them? and the free Hair Supplement Assessment Quiz.
Hair care: handle it gently
Nutrition builds the hair. Handling decides how much of it you keep. This is my own routine, and the rule behind all of it is simple: the more you do to your hair, the more you harm it.
- No tight hairstyles that pull the hair. Constant tension on the follicle thins the hairline and parting over time. Try switching your parting every 3 days. Read: The Simple Hair Habit That Might Be Causing Hair Loss.
- Brush less. There is no point tugging at your hair all day. I never use a comb because it pulls a lot. I only use a detangle brush. After a wash, pat your hair dry with a soft cotton t-shirt instead of rubbing it with a towel.
- Put a little serum on your ends every day to prevent split ends. I use a rebonding serum.
- Skip the salon blow-dry. I only get one after a haircut, which is twice a year at most. I dislike the pulling and the heat damage. At home I use a heat protectant and style my own hair.
- Go easy on colour and treatments. I coloured my hair once and I will not be doing it again. I have never straightened my hair or had keratin, and I do not do hair spas or other hair treatments.
See my full routine in My Personal Hair Care Routine, and learn which pattern of loss you have in Types of Hair Loss.
What to expect and how to track it
Expect months, not weeks. About 90% of your hair is in its growth phase at any time, and that phase lasts 2 to 8 years. The resting and shedding phase lasts 2 to 3 months, so a stress or nutrition shock today shows up as shedding about 2 to 3 months later, and recovery follows the same slow clock. Losing up to 100 hairs a day is normal.
Track your progress with the Hair Pull Test instead of counting strands on your brush:
- Hold 40 to 60 dry strands between your thumb and fingers, close to the roots.
- Pull gently along the full length and count the hairs that come out.
- Repeat in 3 different areas of the scalp.
- Save your number as your Day 1 baseline, then repeat at Day 14 and Day 30, and monthly after that.
| Hairs that come out | What it means |
|---|---|
| 5 or fewer | Normal. Keep your habits going. |
| 6 to 10 | Borderline. Tighten up the food rules and get your tests done. |
| More than 10 | Excessive. Start the plan today and speak to a professional. |
If you see no change after a month of consistent effort, a hormonal or medical cause is more likely, and that is when a root-cause plan helps most.
Plans to follow: How to reduce hairfall in 1 month (free guide with the full Hair Pull Test), the 30 Day Hair Plan, the Complete Free Tool Kit to reduce hairfall, and the free 1-Month Hair Challenge on WhatsApp.
More hair guides on nourishwithsim.com
Every guide below is free and lives on my site. Pick the topic you want to go deeper on.
| Topic | Guide | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Start here | How to reduce hairfall in 1 month | The 5-step plan, a 4-week road map and the Hair Pull Test |
| Start here | 30 Day Hair Plan | A month-long hair plan to follow |
| Start here | Complete Free Tool Kit to reduce hairfall | Free tools to get started |
| Start here | Hair Health Quiz | Find out where to begin |
| Food | Hair Growth Super Seed Powder | The full seed powder recipe and how to take it |
| Food | Super Seed Powder (original recipe) | The simpler everyday seed mix |
| Food | 7-day Meal Plan for Hair & Skin | A week of meals for hair and skin |
| Food | Protein Insufficiency and Hair Health | How low protein causes shedding and how to fix it |
| Food | Citrus Infused Water | A simple hydration recipe |
| Deficiencies | The Ultimate Guide to Hair Fall & Nutrient Deficiencies | Nutrient-by-nutrient guide to hair fall |
| Deficiencies | Vitamin & Mineral Deficiencies: The Hidden Cause of Hair Fall | Symptoms of low vitamin D, zinc, folate and more |
| Supplements | Supplements for Hair & Skin: Helpful vs Harmful | 8 supplements rated by evidence, with interactions |
| Supplements | Free Hair Supplement Assessment Quiz | Work out which supplements suit you |
| Hormones | Hormonal Imbalances & Hair Health | How PCOS, thyroid, oestrogen and stress affect hair |
| Hormones | Hair Loss Is a Symptom, Not the Problem | Why root causes matter more than products |
| Hormones | PCOS Management | Everything on PCOS in one place |
| Hormones | Find your PCOS type | Identify your PCOS type |
| Hormones | Post Partum Preliminary Guide | For new mothers |
| Hair types and care | Types of Hair Loss | Know which kind of hair loss you have |
| Hair types and care | My Personal Hair Care Routine | The products and habits I use |
| Hair types and care | The Simple Hair Habit That Might Be Causing Hair Loss | Why switching your parting helps |
| Hair and skin | Fix your hair & skin, once and for all | A combined hair and skin guide |
Browse everything at Inner Circle Articles, Sim's Blog and the Recipe Library.
Get a custom plan that targets your root cause
Hair fall is almost never one thing. If you have tried the basics and nothing has shifted, or you already know your trigger is PCOS, thyroid, low ferritin or stress, a plan built around your own reports will move faster than a general one.
The Hair Recovery Program
The Hair Recovery Program is a 12-week, nutritionist-led protocol that works on your gut, hormones, nutrition and stress together. It includes:
- Weekly 1:1 check-ins with your assigned nutritionist
- Daily WhatsApp support
- Phase-based diets tailored to your body
- A personalised supplement guide based on your health status
- A blood work review and a list of tests to get
- Home workouts from the app, if needed
It runs in four phases:
- Reset and rebuild (weeks 1 to 2): calm inflammation and improve digestion so you absorb what feeds your hair.
- Correct and balance (weeks 3 to 6): find and fix deficiencies, PCOS, thyroid or hormonal causes using your lab results.
- Grow and strengthen (weeks 7 to 10): support the growth phase with targeted foods, minerals and stress reduction.
- Sustain and thrive (weeks 11 to 12): lock in a foundational hair protocol you keep for life.
See the Hair Recovery Program Start on WhatsApp
A last word
I hope this helps as a starting point. Keep watering the tree: protein every day, omega-3, a probiotic, vitamin C with iron, pulses and greens, your seed powder, and kind handling. Keep your vitamin D and iron in range and your hormones under control, and your hair will respond over time.
Is there anything you want me to deep dive into? Tell me in the comments on the post and I will cover it next.
Disclaimer: this guide is for education and is not medical advice. Hair loss has many causes, so see a qualified doctor for diagnosis, especially for patchy loss, sudden heavy shedding, scalp pain or redness. Do not start supplements, especially iron, zinc, selenium or vitamin D, without testing and professional guidance. Results vary with your age, diet, hormones, lifestyle and starting nutrient levels. Check with your doctor before adding new supplements or the seed powder if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication or have a medical condition.
Leave a comment