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I very often say to women, "Changes in your hair and nail quality is an indicator of changes in your health."

This goes for positive changes and for negative changes.

One of the best non scale victories you may have already experienced following the New Life Promise plan is increased hair growth and better hair texture, as well as stronger nails that grow quickly. This is a sign that your body is getting the nutrients it needs to nourish your hair and nails.

But when the opposite is true, and your body is not getting the nutrients it needs, the first place it will "steal" nutrients from is your hair and nails (awful, but true). It's a protective mechanism in the body, where your body sees other internal functions as more important than growing your hair and nails, so it shuttles any good nutrients to organs, bones, and muscles.

So how can you prevent this from happening? And prevent increased hair loss and weak brittle nails?

Here are the top 3 recommendations I give to people if they tell me they are experiencing increased hair loss or have seen a change in their hair texture and nail quality.

1. Ensure you are properly hydrated. Dehydration is one of the leading causes of dry hair. And if your hair is dry and weak, it has a greater likelihood of falling out. I know you are probably tired of hearing "you must drink your water each day," but it is just so critical to every single metabolic process your body performs. Aim to drink ½ your bodyweight in ounces of water each day. You can start slowly and work your way up until you are comfortable with that amount.

2. Eat a sufficient amount of protein and healthy fat every single day. This has to be, hands down, one of the most common reasons women experience increased hair growth and better hair and nail quality when first beginning on the New Life Promise meal plans. I'm sure you've noticed by now that every single meal on your plan includes some form of protein and healthy fat. Not only is that the reason you feel satisfied, satiated, and are experiencing fewer cravings overall... it's also the reason your hair looks so great 🙂 You are now giving your body the nutrients it needs in order to make and nourish your hair and nails. Makes sense, right? If your body doesn't have the "raw" materials to make something, it can't do its job. Now your body has what it needs each day.

3. Include forms of collagen into each day. You will see that one of the very few supplements I recommend in the Food Meets Faith manual is a collagen supplement. I am a huge believer in the power of collagen supplementation and have seen it make a dramatic difference in my own hair and nails over the past several years. The natural collagen levels in our body greatly decrease as we get older, and that is what contributes to the decrease in elasticity in our skin and the thinning of hair and nails. That's why supplementation with a high-quality collagen supplement can be extremely helpful as we age. The best part about collagen is how easy it is to use. You can add 1 scoop to your morning tea or coffee, to your oatmeal, to your smoothie, or to any soup and it dissolves easily and does not change the taste of what you're eating.

My favorite brand of collagen, and the one I use daily, is made by Essential Elements.

My favorite high-quality collagen supplement -> this is the one I use every day

Since collagen supplementation is all the rage right now (and rightfully so), there are many low-quality collagen supplements out on the market today. Be sure to carefully read the label and ensure your collagen is being sourced from a high-quality source, like grass-fed cows, and does not have anything else added.

Essential Elements Collagen Peptides -> You can get yours HERE