Guest post by Shannon Dunn.

I noticed my first grays when I was about 26. Spindly little critters that had a mind of their own, sticking upwards and outwards as a silvery sign of early aging. I’d been coloring my hair for goodness knows how many years, so only realized I’d joined the gray ranks when I decided it was time to stop — cold turkey.

I had a big urge to let my true color shine, whatever that was, I couldn’t quite recall — what I didn’t expect when I laid off the L’Oreal was a crop of anemic newcomers. But rather than rejoice my natural locks with their smattering of wiry strands, I retreated in defeat back to bottle and covered my head, once again, in a cocktail of chemicals all in the name of the big V (vanity, that is).

My last attempt at covering my tresses’ true identity involved stripping any evidence of grays — or color — joining the much-revered blond brigade. Not only did it fail miserably — I ruined my hair — the upkeep was horrendous.

Now, as an eco beauty editor, my addiction to hair color definitely had to stop, especially when I realized how detrimental it was to not only my health, but the environment in general. I started to crave healthy hair, no matter its hue. So it was back to brunette, which turned a sickly shade of khaki at the hands of my former hairdresser, despite her best intentions. Grays were starting to look good, sexy even.

My current hairdresser and I hatched a plan. Chop it off. Start again. After a little bit of soul searching and contemplating, I did it. It was a move to herald in new energy and a new outlook on beauty. I’d been through hair hell and wasn’t willing to succumb to the bottle again — unless it was pure and natural.

Fast forward a couple of months and I still hadn’t found a color I was willing to dump onto my hair, scalp and into the waterways. No matter what the labels promised, the ingredients told a different story.

All of this hair hoo-ha got me to thinking about why we go gray. Is it hereditary? Is it to do with nutritional deficiencies? My gut instinct and some research told me it was more likely the latter. Sure, I believe we can inherit certain things, but I’m not yet convinced going gray like your mother is a certainty.

What I do know is that so many of us live on dead food, devoid of nutrients and energy. How could we possibly retain any hint of youth when what we put into our bodies doesn’t promote good health and longevity? Not so many years ago (as much as I don’t like to admit it) I smoked, I drank in excess, I ate takeaway chicken that was no doubt pumped up on hormones and antibiotics, I worked in stressful jobs that sent my heart rate into a tail spin every day. It’s little wonder my skin didn’t glow and my hair started its early descent into old age.

I now understand that gray hair is caused by a B vitamin deficiency and lack of raw fatty acids and trace minerals including copper, silicon and sulfur. I was, only just a few years ago, no doubt deficient in all of these and more. The best thing to do was to clean out (cleanse) and top up (start eating food rich in these vitamins, fatty acids and minerals). And so I did.

Since eating a plant-based, organic diet that’s plentiful in all sorts of nutrients, I’ve noticed a curious occurrence. My grays are becoming less and my hair is shinier than ever. It has got me wondering if its a combination of giving my hair a chemical reprieve and treating my body with respect by only fueling it with good-for-me foods has something to do with it.

Connect with Shannon…
Web: www.ecobeautyeditor.com or www.consciouslifemedia.com
Twitter: @ecobeautyeditor or @myconsciouslife