Hair Loss

I have noticed that I am loosing more hair than normal these days. I gather it is because of lack of sleep and stress but Maria Emmerich has an even better explanation of it. Once again.... it seams that the horror movie "Leaky Gut" pointing its fingers towards my head. Greatful that mother nature equipped me with an abundance of hair, so until it gets really serious I am not all that concerned. However, determined to do something about the issues as of April. Anyone else out there with hair loss?

 

HAIR LOSS
There are many reasons for hair loss; most of which links back to nutrition.

1. Alopecia (discussed in my book: Art of Eating Healthy: Desserts) is an auto-immune disease which are directly linked to food allergies.
2. Iron Deficiency: This can happen a few ways: not eating foods containing iron, heavy menstruation, heavy exercise, OR you aren't absorbing iron due to a food allergy/sensitivity/leaky gut.
3. DHT (Testosterone byproduct): This can happen with men AND women. This is when testosterone is converted to DHT (dihydro-testosterone). Nearly half of all men have an inherited gene that makes them at risk of losing their hair because too much of the testosterone in their body is getting converted to DHT and resulting in low actual testosterone. The key is to take steps before it becomes a problem.

How do we fix it?
1. Healthy Fats: Salmon, nuts, avocado, peanut butter, coconut oil. Eggs and butter are also very important because cholesterol is precursor to create important hormones like androgen, testosterone, estrogen and progesterone. Cholesterol is also important for reproduction; it brings out male and female sexual characteristics. These essential nutrients are especially beneficial for children and expectant mothers. As the use of butter in America has declined, sterility rates and problems with sexual development have increased. When animals consume butter substitutes, their growth is stunted and they are unable to sustain reproduction.
2. Zinc: A deficiency in zinc can cause a 75% drop in testosterone. Zinc supplements can cause testosterone levels to double if deficient and can increase sperm production in men. Zinc is found in pasture fed meats, chicken, yolks of eggs, oysters, crab, pine nuts and cheese.
3. Vitamin E: Vitamin E is a FAT-SOLUBLE vitamin, if you have been eating a low-fat or no-fat diet and are losing your hair, this is most likely the cause. I love almond flour because it has tons of vitamin E. Sunflower seeds, asparagus, avocado, olives, spinach and other green leafy vegetables are good sources to fill up on.
4. Allicin: RAW garlic contains the highest concentration of this testosterone-boosting compound. Cooking diminishes the effects. It also decreases cortisol, which competes with testosterone and interferes with its normal function. Add garlic and onions to your meals to stimulate testosterone’s production.
5. Cruciferous Veggies: Diindolylmethane, is a natural phytonutrient in cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower (my "healthified" rice ideas), cabbage (try "healthified" pasta), broccoli, Brussels sprouts limits the effects of male estrogen. These veggies contain nutrients called indoles. Indoles lowers estrogen which also competes with testosterone production.
6. Protein: Eating protein after intense exercise has been shown to increase the amount of testosterone that enters muscle cells which stimulates muscle growth. Choose quality protein, and try supplementing with one or two whey protein shakes per day (especially after exercise).
7. B Vitamins: Studies show that consumption of B Vitamins directly correlates with an increase in testosterone. Meat, poultry, and fish contain lots of b vitamins. Vegetarians should be sure to take a b-complex vitamin.
8. Caffeine: High amounts of caffeine added to exercise can increase testosterone production. Don’t go crazy with this fact. Stick to 200-400mg of caffeine a day and keep caffeine away from bed-time. Sleep is just as important to testosterone.
9. Niacin: Studies show that niacin increases HDL; which directly links to a higher testosterone production. Increase niacin by including meat, poultry, fish, nuts, eggs and quality dairy products.
10. High Intensity Exercise: After about 20 minutes into an exercise session, blood levels of testosterone increase and remain elevated for up to three hours after exercise. Maintain muscle with consistent strength training.