Ever felt a mini shock coursing through your spine with a sudden discovery of gray here while brushing your hair? It happens to more of us than we'd like to admit. You're not alone if you've Googled, "Why is my hair turning gray so early?" We get it. The struggle is real; graying earlier than expected can be a total downer. 

But what if an ancient secret answers why our hair grays early? You will be surprised that Ayurveda has a unique take on this. It's not just about growing older but about understanding how our body's balance plays a role and what triggers cause some of us to get those premature grays.

Let's embark on a mission to untangle the mystery of why our hair turns gray sooner than we thought, using the lens of Ayurveda.

What do we know about premature graying so far?

Early graying occurs when hair loses its natural pigment, melanin, earlier than expected. While the exact reasons remain a subject of ongoing research, several factors have been identified.

• Genetics! If your parents experienced premature graying, there's a higher likelihood you might, too. 
• Deficiencies of essential vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins, iron, copper, and zinc, have also been linked to early graying. 
• Let's not forget about the ever-present culprits: Stress, Smoking, and Environmental Factors that accelerate the depletion of melanin.

What does Ayurveda suggest?

In Ayurveda, the Graying of Hair is called Palitya, and it of two types – the Natural kind that tags along with aging (Kala Palitya), and then there's the Unnatural one that shows up earlier than expected (Akala Palitya), i.e. during the golden years of your youth!

Let's take a closer look at Akala Palitya. 

Ayurveda points its fingers at a mischievous character called Pitta Dosha, one of the three bioenergies in our body. Pitta is responsible for how our body transforms stuff, metabolism, and the heat inside us. When Pitta energy gets overheated and bothered, it starts messing with the color of your hair, bringing in those untimely grays. 

And it is not just Pitta alone; there are two other factors, Rasa Dhatu and Asthi Dhatu, of your body. 

• Rasa provides nourishment and 
• Asthi is what makes up and shapes your hair. 

Deficiency of either of these can hasten the process of premature graying. 

Culprits behind the whole ordeal

Now you know that it is the aggravated Pitta and depleted Rasa and Asthi behind the whole thing about the early graying of hair. But what really causes these things to go out of whack? We have compiled a list of typical triggers and mistakes to help you better understand them.

Food Mistakes

source: The Guardian

• Overindulging in salty foods. 
• Consuming too many citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits.
• Excessive consumption of red wine, hard liquor, and caffeinated energy drinks.
• Consuming excessively spicy, hot, and pungent foods like chili peppers, hot sauces, and spicy curries.
• Reliance on processed and refined foods like sugary cereals, white bread, fast food, and packaged snacks.
• Relying heavily on red meat, beef, lamb, and pork, and excessive consumption of protein supplements.
• Consuming excessive sour and fermented foods like pickles, vinegar, and fermented soy products like soy sauce.
• Regularly consuming fried and greasy foods like french fries, spring rolls, samosas, deep-fried snacks, and heavily battered fried foods.
• Eating food cooked with excessive heat, especially for prolonged periods, like grilled or fried foods, at high temperatures for extended periods.

Lifestyle Mistakes

• Insufficient water intake.
• Skipping meals or eating irregularly.
• Irregular sleep patterns and insufficient rest.
• Overly strenuous or intense exercise routines.
• Exposure to environmental pollutants and toxins.
• Living or working in scorching and humid environments.
• High-stress levels, emotional turmoil, and chronic anxiety.
• Spending too much time in direct sunlight without proper protection.
• Excessive use of heating tools on hair, such as hairdryers and straighteners, without proper protection.

source: servicelly.com

These things are so deeply ingrained in your lifestyle that you must think now how seemingly harmless food and lifestyle choices could play a role in turning your hair prematurely gray.

Truth be told, these unhealthy eating habits and lifestyle triggers can lead to an aggravation of Pitta. And when these triggers start affecting Rasa and Asthi Dhatu, it causes two things –

• Imbalance in the other two Doshas: Vata and Kapha.
• Leading to the weakening of hair follicles and making them vulnerable to damage.

Vata helps dispel excess heat caused by Pitta to the head and scalp, where hair follicles reside. Kapha, responsible for cohesiveness, joins the party along with these two. All three get settled in the hair follicle and begin disrupting hair pigmentation, leading to premature graying.

So, what's the key takeaway?

It's the empowering realization that you can identify your triggers and the specific culprits in your daily life that might be causing your hair to gray prematurely. Armed with this understanding, the path forward is clear: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND START WORKING ON ELIMINATING THESE TRIGGERS!

In the comments, let us know what dietary and lifestyle mistakes became your real culprits and what steps you will take to eliminate them.