Guest guest Posted January 23, 2002 Report Share Posted January 23, 2002 FriendsForHealthNaturally, " JoAnn Guest " <joguest@m...> wrote: " JoAnn Guest " <joguest@m...> Tue May 1, 2001 3:52 pm Re: Hair question Hi Becky, I think there's been tons of articles written about how to keep one's skin and hair healthy.:-) This is what i found in Dr. Mindell's book, " What you should know about Beautiful Hair, Skin and Nails. " " Hair and nails are 98 percent protein. Although protein is the basic building block of hair and nails, TOO MUCH will do more harm than good. And since skin problems and hair loss is associated with a high-fat,high- sugar diet, you need to get the majority of your protein from low-fat sources such as fish, poultry and legumes. " For most of us in Western cultures, getting enough protein is not the issue--in fact most of us get TOO much protein! Too much protein can also cause unhealthy hair by making the body TOO ACIDIC. " The kidneys need to buffer acidic substances with calcium before they are excreted in the urine. Too much protein will cause a calcium deficiency due to the high phosphoric acid content in animal protein, which will deplete it from your hair and nails. " Vitamin A... is a key vitamin for healthy skin and hair and nails. You should be taking 10,000 to 15,000 IU of beta-carotene in your daily vitamins, which the body will convert to vitamin A as needed. Vitamin E..... is the other key vitamin for healthy skin, hair and nails. I recommend that everyone take 400 IU of vitamin E daily. Food sources of Vitamin E are unrefined,extra-virgin Olive Oil, whole grains, avocado, and nuts. A Healthy Thyroid Gland.... is essential for healthy hair, skin and nails. Dull, lifeless hair can be caused by a thyroid deficiency. Iodine is important for proper thyroid metabolism. It's found naturally in fish and is added to most table salt. The Chinese get their iodine by adding a variety of dried seaweed to their foods. Try adding some wakame, hijiki or arame seaweed to miso soup, and you'll be getting your iodine and many other minerals along with low-fat protein. Excessive Estrogen... especially relative to low progesterone, can block thyroid action. If your hait has turned lifeless try some natural progesterone cream. Cysteine.... is an amino acid(one of the building blocks of protein) found in large amounts in the hair and nails. Eggs and meat are good sources of cysteine, but since they're high in fat, you can also take cysteine capsules,up to 1,000 mg daily, on an empty stomach. (If you are diabetic or allergic to monosodium glutamate, don't take cysteine.) The B Vitamins..... are important to healthy hair and nails. Biotin is especially important. Although a biotin deficiency is rare, it can cause hair loss, dry skin and fragile nails. Biotin can be depleted by low calorie diets, oral Antibiotics and a steady diet of egg whites. Eating foods high in biotin such as nuts, whole grains, and vegetables can reverse hair loss caused by a biotin deficiency! Selenium..... acts as an enzyme for important bodily functions. Healthy hair is dependent on sufficient selenium in the diet. You should be getting 100-200 of selenium daily. Silica/Silicon.... After oxygen, silicon is the most abundant element in the earth's crust and plays an important role in maintaining the hair, skin and nails. Collagen, the " glue " that holds our tissues together, contains a large amount of silicon. In our blood, silicon is found in the same concentration as it is in sea water. Some researchers speculate that a decline in silicon levels contributes significantly to the aging process. In lab studies, deficiencies of silicon in rodents induced cartilage and bone disease and damage. A form of silicon, called silica, is used in dietary suplements. The horsetail plant is used as a source of vegetable silica and silica gel is derived from quartz crystals. Glucosamine.... is an amino sugar made in the body from glucose and amino acids. Glucosamine keeps cartiledge strong and flexible and is foundational building block in the tissues between cells in the skin and mucous membranes. Take it in the form of Glucosamine Sulfate.1000 mgs daily in divided doses. Possible Causes of skin problems and Hair Loss... Aging Genetic Predisposition Prescription Drugs (birth control pills, antiocoagulants, chemotherapy) Fungal infections Radiation Immune disorders Diabetes Iron Deficiency Vitamin C deficiency Vitamin B deficiency Zinc deficiency Progesterone Deficiency in women Hypothyroidism (low thyroid) Poor diet (especially lack of protein) Silica/Silicon deficiency Hair Loss and Illness..... Skin problems and Hair loss is caused by many types of illness, including allergies and particularly celiac disease (intolerance for wheat gluten), diabetes, and autoimmune diseases such as lupus. Hair loss can also be associated with a high-fat, high-sugar diet. In Chinese medicine, too much " sweet " consumption is associated with skin problems and hair loss. Vitamins and Herbs for preventing skin problems and hair loss... Since hair follicles are fed by blood vessels, good circulation is also a key to good hair. There are many herbs that help circulation. Coenzyme Q10 is an important substance for those whose circulation isn't as good. Many people who take coenzyme Q10 every day report that their hair is thicker and shinier. NIacin improves circulation to the scalp, and there is anecdotal evidence that it slows the process of hair loss in men and women. Bioflavonoids.... strengthen capillaries which feed the scalp. Vitamin E supplementation can also reduce testosterone levels in women, which may halt the process of hair loss. A zinc deficiency can compromise the immune system and contribute to hair loss. Be sure your taking at least 15 mg of zinc daily. I hope this helps to answer your question........ ((HUGS)), JoAnn P.S. It also said that hair loss is sometimes due to pregnancy, so if you just had a miscarriage...? Could be. JoAnn Guest joguest Friendsforhealthnaturally http://canceranswer.homestead.com/AIM.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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