Grey hair is considered to be part of the natural aging process. However there are several theories that suggest that it’s occurrence coincides with a decrease in minerals, digestive function (therefore decreasing vitamin and mineral absorption) and an increase in stress. Prevention of grey hair is ultimately better than reversal however there have been several reports of reversals when utilising supplemental minerals, nutrients and foods, treating underlying thyroid disorders and B12 deficiencies.
If you are approaching this problem with a food based incentive I would suggest the following:
Kelp: Sea-based foods like kelp are high in naturally occurring minerals including iodine essential for the proper function of the thyroid gland. Unfortunately kelp has fallen out of favour in Western diets due to its salty taste. Whilst in Asia recently I remarked how uncommon it was to see people under 70 with grey hair, this is due partly to their wholefood diets and consumption of sea-based vegetables.
Fermented Foods: long implicated as being essential for a healthy digestive system. Most cultures have a version of fermented foods which provide local beneficial bacteria for the digestive system. Examples include miso, Kimchee, Sauerkraut, yoghurt, Kefir, sourdough breads. Many of these you can make yourself using easily obtained base products. In Australia the multicultural society ensures that all these products are available. When making my own I will often utilise a product by Grainfields which is a drink that can also be used to introduce a base culture to kick-start the fermentation process.
B12: most easily obtained from animal based products. This nutrient is essential for nervous system health, blood cell formation and energy production. Inclusion of this nutrient in your diet can help your nervous system to cope with the daily stress of life.
Eating when relaxed: the human body requires that we are relaxed when we eat. This is fundamental as the part of the nervous system that sends blood to our digestive organs allowing us to chill out and digest differs from the part of the nervous system that requires us to think quick, run, flee, react and ultimately exist in a state of stress. Society today seems to dictate that we eat at our desks, eat in front of the tv, eat on the run and generally not be in a relaxed state when we approach a meal. Eating when not relaxed leads to digestive disorders, decreased nutrient absorption and can predispose to other diseases. Traditional Chinese Medicine views eating while angry or upset as being a direct precursor to disease, affecting our body's ability to produce Qi - essential for keeping us young and vital.
Generally the recommendations are to eat a nutrient rich whole foods diet and maintain a healthy and stress free way of life.