The Plan to Reverse Hair Loss|

By Dr. Elizabeth Boham, MD, MS, RD
Having a bad hair day? Our hair is incredibly important to how we feel about ourselves. But did you know that it’s also a reflection of our health? Common imbalances in our body can impact the health of our hair and the amount of hair we have on the top of our head. As a physician, women come to see me every day with the complaint of hair loss. I am glad they do, because there are many medical imbalances and nutritional deficiencies that can cause hair loss. There is a lot you can do through your diet and lifestyle choices that can impact quality and quantity of your hair. 

From This Episode:Regis Philbin’s Health Question Only Dr. Oz Could Answer 

 

The first three things I evaluate when a woman comes to see me with hair loss are their thyroid, iron levels and blood sugar balance. Having any of these areas significantly out of balance can have a tremendous impact on hair growth. 

One of the first signs of an underactive thyroid is hair loss. The thyroid is the centerpiece of your metabolism, which impacts the turnover of cells in your body. When someone has an underactive thyroid, their metabolism slows down and hair loss speeds up. There are many nutritional changes that a woman can make to support her thyroid and improve her hair. Additionally, your physician may find that if your thyroid is depressed significantly enough, you may also need thyroid medication to support metabolism and hair growth. 

The second area you may need to address is elevated blood glucose and inflammation in the body. Elevated blood glucose is a sign that a condition known as insulin resistance is present in the body. Insulin resistance is a prediabetic condition that throws all of your hormones in your body out of balance. As a result, people often feel more tired, gain weight around their belly, and the hair on the top of their head becomes thinner. In addition, this hormonal shift increases inflammation in the body, further accelerating their hair loss.

This condition can be reversed with a lifestyle change. One of the most powerful tools we have to help someone rebalance their hormones and support hair growth is a low-glycemic and low-inflammatory diet. 

First, tackle the inflammation in the body by removing inflammatory foods such as simple carbohydrates, added sugar, alcohol and dairy. Then address the glucose levels. The low-glycemic diet is high in fiber, healthy fats and protein to help slow the digestion and absorption of the food, resulting in a decrease in the rise of glucose and insulin after a meal. At each meal, choose protein-rich foods like fish or beans. Balance that with foods rich in fiber, such as vegetables, beans and whole grains such as brown rice. Finally, make sure there are some healthy fats in each meal. Some examples of healthy fats include fatty fish, olive oil, nuts and nut butters. Balancing your protein, fat and fiber within each meal will slow the rise in blood sugar, make you feel full longer and stop the inflammation. Consequently, your hormones will be in better balance and your hair will thrive. 

Next we need to support hair with hair-growing nutrients. Iron is critical for hair health, and iron deficiency is a very common cause of hair loss in women. Make sure to ask your doctor to do a full iron panel if hair loss is one of your concerns. 

Biotin is known as the hair vitamin. It helps with the strength of the hair so it is less likely to break or fall off. You can get enough biotin to strengthen your hair with just two eggs a day. In addition, eggs are a good source of protein to help balance hormones and blood glucose. 

Having a vitamin-D deficiency is linked to many health issues, including hair loss. It is difficult to get enough vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, over the winter months, so talk to your doctor about whether or not you should be getting it in supplement form.

Many women can also use minoxidil, which is an over-the-counter treatment that can be placed on the scalp in the thinning areas of the hair twice a day. It works directly at the hair follicle, and it’s proven to promote hair growth. This can start working immediately for people as they work to uncover the underlying imbalances in their body. It is generally recommended to give minoxidil four months to work. If you do not see any change within those four months, you can stop it and look for other therapies. 

Remember that the health of your hair is impacted by the health of your body. If your hair is thinning, talk with your doctor and get some simple blood tests that may reveal the underlying cause of your hair loss.  

This plan was originally created for Dr. Oz's Truth Tube. See how Shawn reversed her hair loss and get past expert Truth Tube plans here.

Brushing and Scalp Massage

Proper Brushing and Scalp Massage for Luxurious Hair

By Beth Maxwell

Brushing your hair the right way is one of the best ways to maintain and rejuvenate your hair.  The benefits can be even better when you include scalp massage in your routine. It is also important to maintain a proper diet and use all natural chemical free shampoos.

Daily Brushing

Daily brushing of the hair and scalp actually does far more cleansing than any commercial, artificial shampoo ever could.  It also eliminates waste materials from your hair.  The deposits of uric acid crystals, catarrh and other acids and impurities that build up and become encrusted on the scalp are removed by daily brushing. It stimulates the capillaries, increases blood circulation and the transport of oxygen and nutrients to the hair stem, root and bulb of the hair. Thorough daily brushing stimulates hormone and oil-producing glands, which keeps the pores of the hair and scalp open.  This allows the hair pores to breathe and retain their natural oils.

Hair loss problems are usually caused by issues of the sebaceous glands – the natural oil-producing and lubricating system of your hair. If the glands are out of balance, they will either:

• overproduce sebum
  - Hair follicles drown in their own oil, which interferes with the nourishment of  the roots
  - Scalp is then weakened and the hair begins to fall out
• under-produce sebum
  - Roots and follicles become undernourished, causing the hair to become dry  and brittle and eventually fall out.

Beware of unnatural build up of synthetic mousses, gels, sprays, shampoos and conditioners which can clog the pores and follicles of the scalp. These dangerous chemicals block or reduce the nourishment to the roots and disrupt natural hair growth by messing up the sebaceous glands’ regulation of the normal fallout/reproductive cycles.

Proper brushing and massage, when used in combination with holistic shampoos, helps bring the sebaceous glands into balance. Non-toxically cleansing your scalp and stimulating all glands and capillaries will nourish your hair to its radiant best!

Brushing is actually a form of dry-shampooing. Stimulation from the bristles distributes sebum throughout hair and scalp, making both stronger and more resilient. It’s also an excellent natural conditioner because coating hair with sebum as you brush restores moisture, giving hair added sheen, smoothed texture and greater manageability.

How to Massage Your Hair

Massage your scalp 1 to 3 times a day using a Natural Scalp Massager. Never use plastic or artificial ones — they scratch the scalp and are not helpful for your hair health.

Begin at the nape of the neck where you have the most sebaceous glands, massage gently but vigorously in a circular motion for 3 to 5 minutes or until you feel the scalp tingling from the increased blood circulation.
Combine the external benefits of properly brushing your hair with the internal result of stimulating deeper scalp tissues. The extra efforts will reward you with well-functioning sebaceous glands that produce a balanced sebum secretion.

How to Brush Your Hair

Step 1
Stand erect, then bend over from the waist as far down as you can, allowing the blood to flow into the scalp. This increase in circulation stimulates and nourishes the entire scalp and follicles, activating new hair growth.

Step 2
Firmly grasp your brush handle, moving through the areas of the nape, sides and crown all the way to your front facial hairline. Brush in slow easy strokes for 3 – 5 minutes.

Step 3
Then stand erect again and reverse the process. This thoroughly coats your hair with sebum, allowing the “natural elixir” to condition and add body and luster to your hair.
Using the proper brush is as important as properly brushing your hair. A natural-bristle brush is the perfect one to use. Boar bristles are the best such as the Morrocco Method Boar Brush:

• They are very close to human hair in texture
• They are gentle and non-intrusive
• They distribute your natural oils evenly while absorbing excess oil and removing foreign matter
• Pneumatic rubber cushion should contour to your scalp without pulling or breaking your hair
• Maximum stimulation without irritating the scalp

 For best results you should have a regular schedule for hair brushing at least 3 times a day. Keep in mind that brushing at night before bed is very important. It coats your hair with extra sebum which conditions your new growth of hair through the night.
Recommended Reading:  Are we Dying to Look Good: Natural Hair Coloring Ideas
Great Resource for all Natural Hair Products and More great hair tips

Home Remedies for Grey or White Hair

Care, Diet and Home Remedies for Grey or White Hair in Early Age

 

White or Grey hair isn’t easy to hide. Some people use dies, henna, wear caps or even scarfs to cover up their fading hair. As it is something very visible, people get really disturbed about their grey or white hair. They tend to make an effort to care for the rest of the remaining hair that haven’t been affected yet. Now for some people, they greyness or white hair come with age, yet there are still a few individuals, who face this problem early in life, usually in their teenage. The number of these individuals is increasing day by day.

Causes of white or grey hair:
There are a lot causes to white hair than just the genetic one that mostly people discuss. There can be deficiencies and in most cases there are. Hair doesn’t turn grey overnight. It’s a slow natural process and takes time. So don’t worry, the sooner you realize it, easier it is for you to take control of it. Here are a few causes of white or grey hair:

• Genetics, a big role in early hair whitening.
• Vitamin B deficiency in the body and hair
• Chemical exposure, due to the environment or shampoos and conditioners
• Smoking can affect the hair and the skin
• Drug abuse may produce weakness or deficiency
• Thyroid disorder may also be a reason
• Shock from an incident or event

Care of Grey hair:

Today many celebrities and even normal average people have acquired the grey hair. They believe that the natural color is the best and are doing great with the silver waves that they have. Men always had the right mind set up and didn’t take on hair colors as much as women did, yet, there are many women today who have adopted the silver hair styles. Get good haircuts, something that suits your face, get work done on your hair, getting it styled! Take care of your hair and work with them. You hair are a part of your personality now. Many celebrities and retired athletes feel no shame in showing off their aging factor. But they do take care of their hair. Get hair treatments at good saloons. Give time to your hair, as much as you do to your dressing and makeup.

Diet for Grey Hair:
Of course deficiencies cause hair to turn grey faster than usual. This goes for everyone who faces grey hair problem before or after an age. They all know that grey hair can be prohibited or at least the process can be slowed down with the right diet. So keeping that in mind; there are a few items in a very normal grocery store than can help in keeping your greys intact. These foods make sure that you don’t face much loss of hair and the ones that are already dark are taken care of. These foods include:

1. Fresh greens: yes, all leafy green vegetable do have the right amount of nutrition to provide your hair with the vitamins it needs. Steam your vegetables or boil them, don’t fry them or they will lose the nutrition. These vegetables not only help the hair but also keep the skin and heart fresh and healthy.
2. Chocolates: yes! Chocolates have copper in them which helps in the production process of melanin in your hair. This substance keeps the original color intact. So make sure that you have from a quarter to half a bar of chocolate regularly. But don’t overdo it. Chocolate has its benefits but also side effects.
3. Berries: go for fresh berries like strawberries that are a rich source of vitamin C. it promotes healthy hair and reduces natural signs of aging that are visible to the naked eye. So grab a basket and go berry picking. All berries are a source of nutrition.
4. Almonds: easy to purchase from anywhere, have bunch of these but remember to eat them properly. I mean, chew them, grind them, until they change into a paste, and then swallow. They can be taken in any form and at any time.

Remedies for white hair:
For every problem, there is a remedy. The following are ways to protect and prevent grey or white hair:

• Indian gooseberry or amla is being used in the South East Asia for generations, the trick is to soak the berries into water overnight and apply the paste next day on to your scalp. Massage well, so that the nutrition is absorbed in.
• Use onion on the scalp. Apply it for 30 minutes and then wash your hair well with a shampoo. Make sure you do it twice a week and wash your hair well after it.
• Drinking a glass of carrot juice daily can prevent white or grey hair. But this must be done regularly.

Take a cup of black tea without any sugar, but add a tea spoon of salt and apply it to your scalp. It also helps in retaining the original hair color.

Natural Hair Treatment

Natural Hair Treatment

Naturally get shiny, silky, strong, healthy looking hair

What you need:

• 1/2 cup of olive oil (moisturizes and shines hair)
• 1 big spoon of mayonnaise (when made with eggs, the protein softens hair)
• 1 tea spoon of honey (organic and raw is best- adds shine and moistens, antibacterial)
• 2 egg yolks (softens hair)
• 1 very ripe Avocado (hydrates hair...pantothenic acid have been shown to reduce gray hair and folic acid helps in normal growth and maintenance of all cells)
• 1 very ripe banana (deep conditions...make sure you mash it up Really good)
• 1-2 tbs or so of your favorite hair conditioner (I would recommend using an organic healthy hair conditioner)

How to use it

Add all ingredients together and stir until blended up into a smooth paste

Apply all over hair and leave in for several hours...1/2 hr Minimum, you can leave it in all day if you have the day to spare...the longer the better.  You should tie your hair in a bun out of your way. When I did mine I left it in for quite sometime, so the olive oil dripped down my neck and sides of face, which was totally fine with me, I just rubbed it into my neck and around my face...which both became super soft! Olive oil is great for your skin.

Rinse it out and your hair well and it will leave it silky smooth:)

 It didn't smell bad at all either...some people say mayo hair masks smell bad...mine smelled delicious!

 

Tips- Don't forget to blend it really well before applying, you don't want  banana or avocado chunks in your hair, it will be a nightmare to rinse out.  

A general tip, after conditioning your hair, rinse it out with cool water. This will seal the cuticles and prevent frizz and dryness.

Sunscreen & Hair dye

Sun Screen

I first want to mention that you Need Sun...but like all good things don't over-do it and let yourself Burn.  Recommended is 20 minutes of exposure to sunlight...best in the very early morning hours when the suns rays aren't so strong. Or early evening.  The sun is soo much stronger than it was thousands of years ago...so be smart about it. But the sun is a life source!  You get Vitamin D from it, and soo many people are Vitamin D deficient...you need it to absorb Calcium in your diet as well. 

EWG (Environmental Working Group) “recommended” list has added 23 of these new products. Among them some examples are:

·         Loving Naturals Clear Body Sunscreen, SPF 30+ (I currently own this)

·         Mexitan 100% all natural Sunscreen, SPF 50 (I currently own this...it's very thick white but protects very well)

·         Aubrey Organics Natural Sun Unscented sensitive skin Sunscreen, SPF 30+

·         Lavanila Laboratories The Healthy Baby Block, SPF 40

·         Non-Toxic Naturals Untinted Sunscreen, SPF 30

·         Suntegrity Skincare - All Natural Moisturizing Face Protection, SPF 30 (expensive)

The products they recommend offer broad-spectrum protection from both UVA and UVB radiation and don’t contain harmful ingredients that can penetrate the skin, such as oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate, a derivative of vitamin A.

After nearly 33 years of deliberation, the federal Food and Drug Administration has issued new sunscreen labeling rules. Unfortunately, they establish weak standards for UVA protection and do not address the use of hazardous ingredients.

Because the FDA has failed to offer good guidance to consumers on sunscreen safety, EWG has stepped in once again. Search our guide of more than 1,700 products and see how your favorite fares. 

Hair Dye

Saba Botanical of USA - $7.49 for 100g

This Lustrous Henna Botanical hair care is one from India that caught my attention called Vegetal Bio Color- http://www.vegetalindia.com/page.php?page=Vegetal%20USA   It nourishes and keeps hair healthy and has no chemicals included.  The only dilemma is that it is recommended to be used every 2 weeks to maintain the color, which is pretty often.  I would love to try this product sometime and give a review.  In the USA it’s sold at http://www.sababotanical.com/ as Lustrous Henna.

Vegetal bio color is a 100% natural hair dye, developed in collaboration with saba botanical of USA. This is a unique formulation not available anywhere in the world.

Presently it’s available in red, burgundy, brown, dark brown, mahogany and black

Benefits of Lustrous Henna

• Both for men and women
• PPD free, No Ammonia, No Peroxide.
• Blocks UV so your hair doesn't become sun damaged
• Strengthens your hair so it won't get split ends
• Makes your hair glossy and shiny
• Will give you most natural look.
• Adheres to the hair beautifully
• Looks more like your natural color
• Since color fade gradually, do not create ugly white/gray lines with growth 
• Conditions and protects your hair, instead of stripping your hair from the natural protein it needs to stay healthy and grow.
• Does not penetrate in the hair shaft to cause them to dry, and become lifeless and brittle.
• Covers any other color as it coats the hair.
•  Lustrous Henna colors contain herbs that have therapeutic values, will heal not hurt, as opposed to chemical-based dyes that  have known to cause cancer and severe damage to vital organs as they penetrate into the skin.
• Lustrous Henna contains herbs that are known to prevent hair loss, herbs that are known for anti-dandruff properties and to improve overall health of your hair
• Beautifying qualities of henna have been established and admired for thousands of years. Famous beauties as Cleopatra and Nefertiti have beautified their skin and hair with henna.
• Allergic reaction to pure henna is extremely rare.    

IF you do choose to use an at home hair dye that is not a natural alternative like henna I suggest that:

·         If it’s an option for you, go for non or semi-permanent hair dyes (unless they are made with all natural ingredients).  Most permanent hair dyes may damage and dry out hair not to mention the high levels of toxic chemicals.  Be sure to look for no-ammonia hair dyes. 

·         Dye your hair in a well ventilated room.  If you are in the bathroom open the window as wide as it will go and leave the door open.

·         READ the warning signs printed on the label (your first clue that it is toxic and should be handled with extreme care). 

·         ALWAYS wear gloves (as instructed) and to be extra safe you can wear a face mask (much like the ones you see manicurists wear).

·         TIP- Coat the skin at the edges of your hairline and ears with un-Petroleum (a non petroleum jelly) that can cause a barrier so no dye penetrates your skin.

·         Do Not dye your eyebrows or eyelashes!  There are reasons why the label will warn you against this…just don’t do it.

·         When complete put a plastic shower cap over your head to keep the fumes from roaming while you wait for the time to be up...read your label and go according to the directions.

·          When rinsing, always rinse your hair so the water does NOT run down your body.  If you are dying your hair alone, bend over forward and rinse hair with a removable spout if available. Or if you are getting in the shower just lean your head over the front or to the side away from your body until the water runs clear.