Grey hair?

[Courtney]

Hi everyone.

Just curious. Have any of you here in the "over fifty" group noticed little grey or white hairs disappearing after staying raw and exercising consistently? Someone told me yesterday that the raw diet actually reversed her grey hair.

If this is true, it would also be interesting to speculate on the actual metabolic process. What is it that causes hair to go grey in the first place?

Thanks.

Courtney

[Bethanie]

I've started taking copper and eating more greens and i chew on wheat grass each day.
I read on another post that parsley helps so i purchase some last night and mixed it with avocado and tomatoes.
I'm also going to start juicing it with other greens and celery and kiwi fruit:D
my creation.
I've noticed that around my temple area i see tiny black hairs growing so i'm hoping everything i'm doing is helping.
I have also noticed that my hair is slowly growing a bit so i'm very happy about that.
B.

[Pilgrim]

The follicles at the root of the hair shaft stop producing melanin, which is what gives us our hair color. My theory is that the body runs out of enzymes and starts pulling them out of other places. In other words it takes enzymes to color our hair, but if we need those enzymes to digest our cooked food or to help us with something more important than hair color the body pulls those enzymes away to use them.

Enzymes are needed for everything the body does, from digesting food, to walking, everything. So maybe if we eat 100% raw, and our body is healing itself, there might be some extra enzymes to go back to the hair follicle and produce color again.

That's pretty garbled, sorry.

[Veganforlife]

Victoria Boutenko discusses this in her book. I don't have it here w/me, but in her "Green for Life" she does talk about it...

[Veganforlife]

The follicles at the root of the hair shaft stop producing melanin, which is what gives us our hair color. My theory is that the body runs out of enzymes and starts pulling them out of other places. In other words it takes enzymes to color our hair, but if we need those enzymes to digest our cooked food or to help us with something more important than hair color the body pulls those enzymes away to use them.

Enzymes are needed for everything the body does, from digesting food, to walking, everything. So maybe if we eat 100% raw, and our body is healing itself, there might be some extra enzymes to go back to the hair follicle and produce color again.

That's pretty garbled, sorry.

When one eats cooked/processed/altered foods, you are eating foods that have NO enzymes so your body has to use it's supply instead of being able to use them for healing purposes. I guess you could say we "run out" of enzymes. That's why eating raw is so healing...

[Pilgrim]

Exactly. We replenish the enzymes and if we have enough that aren't needed for deep healing, other things happen, like a return to natural hair color, something I'm hoping for. :)

[Courtney]

Thanks!

I tell you what. I will check in again in, say, one month, and you tell me where those grey hairs disappeared to.

Or, shall we set up a new folder on Before-After Shots for hair alone, maybe entitled "Hair Yesterday, Gone Today"? (Sorry, couldn't resist).

Courtney

[cherries]

I've started taking copper and eating more greens and i chew on wheat grass each day.
B.
I've been reading about copper recently and you have to be very careful with supplementing with copper as it can cause all kinds of problems. You can easily get your RDA of copper from nuts: 1 Tbsp of sesame seeds has 40% of the RDA of copper, 1Tbsp of flax has 12%, 1 oz of pumpkins seeds (142 seeds) has 115%, 1 almond has 1%, 1 oz of pinenuts (167 kernels) has 41%.

http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/copper_toxicity_syndrome.htm
Excess copper interferes with zinc, a mineral needed to make digestive enzymes. Too much copper also impairs thyroid activity and the functioning of the liver.

http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/adrenal_burnout.htm
When the adrenals are weak, copper builds up in the body. Elevated copper enhances emotions. Panic attacks, bipolar disorder, mood swings and schizophrenia are related to copper imbalance.

[Marin Mom]

Mine disappear into the trash can!

[GoingtoRAW]

When I first started on the raw path I went through major detox and most of my gray hair turned back to its natural color (black), and the new hair that grows in is coming in black. I love it. I had a lot gray, and it was ugly and dull so I was extremely happy and surprised when it went away. I have very little gray hair now - you have to look to find it.:)

[shashibala]

Wow Goingtoraw! You give me hope! That's awesome!

[GoingtoRAW]

Wow Goingtoraw! You give me hope! That's awesome!

I tell you it was the most bizzare and unexpected (and wonderful) thing. It all started about 2 yrs. ago. I had been going so gray for years and it just reversed itself. I am a happy camper!:D

[dewy11]

how long have you been raw when you started to notice your natural color retun

[michigan roman]

ive read in several herbals that the herb sage applied externally helps .

[lafsalot]

I'm 54 and still no noticeable greys (beore or after raw), so really can't help you out. Think I took after my father's side of the family - none of them did either.

Cathy

[Emma-Liza]

I'm 52. My natural hair color is brown-blonde, streaky mix. Since going gray (started in early 40's), I've had it colored back to its "natural" shades--we let some of the gray show. Usually, the roots come in a bit lighter with a silvery cast, but since going raw, I've noticed the roots have a lot more solidly brown hairs in them, still some gray, but less silvery overall.

What I've read about improved diet is that it can positively affect prematurely gray hair (that might be caused by diet, stress, lack of sleep, etc.), but not natually graying hair. Everyone in my family grayed early, so I expected it, but it's nice to be able to go longer between expensive colorings.

(Please don't hate on me for coloring my hair, y'all! She uses the safest products available and the chemicals don't go up against my scalp. I'm not ready yet to be fat AND red-faced AND gray-haired.)

[carolg]

I'm patiently waiting as I hate coloring my hair, grateful I have hair, but am a total slob with the natural stuff too. Regardless I have it all over the place leaving evidence I dyed my hair. Praying for return to the natural: black when a kid, brown when school age for long time and now lots of grey/white mixed into my dyed nicely shaded medium brown.

carolg

[Bethanie]

Has anyone else heard of this happening?
I use mine almost everyday and drink it too.
B.

[Random]

Sorry to intrude...I'm not over 50...but I saw the title of this post and had to come visit. I'm 30, and I have a thick streak of 100% white at the top of my head, and the rest of my hair is at least 50% gray. It's genetic on my part; my grandfather had a full head of white hair by his mid-30s and my father was fully gray by 45. I've decided to grow my hair out and just be gray, because I'm so tired of having roots, I don't have the money for monthly hairdresser touch-ups and the home colouring kits are just so caustic...I hate the way they make my eyes and nose feel when I'm colouring.

Anyway, I'd love to have some of my gray reversed, but I'm not sure it's going to happen. I don't mind the thick white streak - it actually looks kind of interesting - but the rest of my hair is so dull and coarse-looking. I'd love any kind of hair-styling tips from gray-haired divas who don't colour.

Thanks!
R

[Eilene]

I'm 52 & I have been RAW for 2 years & 3 months & I'm much more grey than I used to be. I hate it & have to color my hair every 4 weeks. I keep hoping & praying it will turn back to brown. Some things are just not meant to be!

[Ilse W.]

I, on the other hand, have earned every one of my gray hairs. I'm proud of them and wouldn't dream of covering them up. Just as I am proud of every one of my 58 years, which I have also earned!

[Rrose]

I'm proudly "crowned with silver", and don't plan on changing that. I've been raw for two years, and I have been getting some light champagne hair growth since eating more green smoothies. So, guess I'm going back to the color I was as a child by eating raw. It's really weird as I'm not intentionally trying to get rid of my sliver, LOL!!!:eek:

[Raw Joy]

As a friend of mine pointed out, gray is for battleships. I am SILVER. :D

I stopped dyeing my long brown hair almost 10 months ago. Luckily, it really turned out to be the prettiest shade of silver and white, a little darker gray mixed in. It seems it goes much better with my skin tone now than when I was dyeing it my natural-born brunette color.

I have been upping my raw intake again. I'm almost afraid that that my hair will start turning dark again, because I think it looks quite interesting at the moment.

[islesgirl]

Raw Joy, you said your hair was long 10 months ago. Is it still long and how do you feel about long grey (silver) hair? I so miss having my hair long. I stopped coloring it in the spring as I am 62 and I also cut it short. My hair is very wavy and was at one time a rich dark reddish brown. Now it is a mix of white, grey and brown. Today, for the first time in a few months, I missed the color and the shine and the length. I don't like getting old - not today anyway.:p

[Conscious Midwife]

Under 40 here w/ scattered silver

When consistently high RAW - all RAW, the proportion of grey diminishes in my head.
-New thick darkbrown growns in
-Dull yellow-grey hair becomes strong vibrant and silver, my kids call it tinsle or glitter streaks, I call them antennae for higher vibration

So looks like I have less cause more thicker darker hair grown in faster.

I refuse to color. REFUSE!

I only conditioner wash and occassionally clarify w/ Dr. Bonners. Moisturizing as need with food grade coconut oil, olive oil or shea butter.

[Raw Joy]

Raw Joy, you said your hair was long 10 months ago. Is it still long and how do you feel about long grey (silver) hair? I so miss having my hair long. I stopped coloring it in the spring as I am 62 and I also cut it short. My hair is very wavy and was at one time a rich dark reddish brown. Now it is a mix of white, grey and brown. Today, for the first time in a few months, I missed the color and the shine and the length. I don't like getting old - not today anyway.:p

I, too, have always been a long-hair girl at heart. And I think long, silver hair is beautiful, if it's healthy and shiney. And yes, I'm planning on growing it long eventually if I think it looks okay.

I cut it very, very short during my transition period. Lots of layers, like a shag. I didn't want the big stripe down the middle and obvious two-tone hair. Every month, I'd go back and have them cut another inch or so off. Once all the fry-dyed stuff was off in the spring, I started letting it grow out some.

Right now I have a pretty short bob, but at least all the layers and that little boy haircut is gone. :D I'm planning to grow it to about chin length or so with a few layers, keep it there for a while, and see how it looks. And then maybe start growing it longer again.

My hair is healthier and happier than it's been in years. Thicker, glossier, holds its shape more. Even my husband has commented on it. Besides getting rid of the dye, I also stopped using shamppo and started doing the baking soda wash/vinegar rinse and I think that has a lot to do with it.

A few months ago, I saw this lady in the check out line with a long, beautiful, silver braid all the way down to her waist. I thought that was the coolest thing and thought I'm going to do that too. Then she turned around, and it was this really old man with a big mustache. :D :D

[Raw Joy]

I use white vinegar as a rinse as opposed to Apple Cider Vinegar. Some white hair has a tendancy to yellow, and I was concerned that it would pick up the dark vinegar color.

[islesgirl]

Raw Joy - thanks for your response. It sounds as if you have lovely hair. I think I will try chin length too for a while and I will continue straightening it with the hot iron. I let it curl yesterday and it looked awful as it is the wrong cut for such a style. And it looks better close to my head. I keep looking for a photo of someone with a hairdo I think might suit me - especially someone whose hair isn't dyed. It must be great to have a family member or a close friend who cuts and styles hair eh?! :D

[anneh]

Actually being silvery gray can be beautiful. I now admire every gray head that I meet. As someone who originally colored my hair I can tell you that I believe going silver is God's way of softening our aging face. I would not have it any other way and without boasting can say that I get compliments all the time. I do make sure that my hair is well cut and stylish. Having been raw for years I have not noticed any return of original color and neither would I want it. One person who to me looked really bad was Ann Wigmore, her hair was either dyed or a wig and made her look harsh. I am sick of hearing the silly stories about how her hair returned to its "natural" color:D anneh

[islesgirl]

You see, I just colored my grey again for the first time in months. I'd really wanted to see what I look like grey. I liked it - it was in all the right places and I agree about softening our face. But I am sure it made me look older as my face really doesn't look like that of many 63 year olds. The cut is so important. Right now it is perfect. But what I will do next time I'm at the hairdresser - well, you never know! Besides I got lots of compliments this time around, so I figure it must be the color and the cut. Not too many compliments with the grey. Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. Many loved my hair dark brown with red tones and long and then when I cut it off a couple of years ago - a few said it made me look so much younger however, I am only now getting compliments again. Who knows why? Not me.:D

[snoops]

You are so so right!! I knew a lady who colored her hair black. She was in her late 60's. Then she got breast cancer, lost all her hair and decided to tell us the it all grew in again gray!! Oh yeah. BUT she looked so much better gray. You're right it totally softened her face. And she did look harsh before.

I color my hair not to cover gray which I don't have much of yet (thanks mom) but because I have mousy brown hair and blond streaks just make my face look brighter. I am currently growing it out to see how I feel now. I'm just sick of paying to get it done. And never being totally happy with the job.

[cara4art]

I must be in the minority here, as I still color my hair(62 here), and I started turning grey in my 30s. Unlike many here, it did NOT become me at all, no matter how much I tried to like it. Before my hair started turning grey I was one of those who swore they'd never touch a bottle of haircolor - LOL! You see, I have warm-toned skin, and grey just washes it out. Sure, grey is said to "soften" one's look, but it seems to work best on people who have cooler skintones or very dark. Also, not everybody who colors their hair colors it black. That's a misconception that many anti-haircolor people have, at least in my opinion anyway. These days, there is a whole spectrum of colors and different formulas - no need to look harsh. In general, a lighter color is better as one ages though. I know there are issues with toxicity with haircolor etc. but I'm sticking with the bottle until I'm good and ready, like maybe when I'm completely white(not for a good while yet) I've done my haircolor myself for years, with good results because first of all I don't do highlights(those you really do have to pay for)and second I've had good input from hair people along the way. Plus I've gotten a ton of compliments on my haircolor, which is a coppery red-brown which suits me now. Had near-black hair naturally, which got to look too dark, even when grey started coming in. To be honest, the new color looks a whole lot better and very natural. I have a young-looking face so that has something to do with it too. Maybe when my face catches up I'll change my mind - will just have to see - LOL!

[JudiP]

Hey everyone
I'm 63 1/5 and only have a few grey hairs. My sister on the other hand has lots, guess it is just the luck of the draw. My hair is also very baby fine and a straight as a string! Now only if eating raw gave me hair with body and curl I would very happy. That's ok, I settle for being healthy.

JudiP

[somelikeitraw]

I'm 48 and started getting silver in my 20's. For years now I have referred to my silvers as my racing stripes. They mostly frame my face but when I put my long hair (it's just above me bum) in an updo the silver covers the top and sides of my head and then I look like I had my hair two-toned, LOL. I've only been raw for 6 months and haven't noticed any reversal. One day my DD said she thought that my hair wasn't as silver as before, but my hair gal says it's the same. I used to get compliments on my silver hair but haven't had any in quite a while. I have been afraid of coloring it because I'm told that once you start you have to keep doing it, or look odd as it grows out, and the expense is prohibitive to me. Now being raw and wanting to stay as healthy as possible, I probably won't color due to harsh chemicals. My hair started life as platinum blond and has gotten darker every year. Now it is a lovely chestnut brown with lots of silver in it, and I do mean sparking shiny silver. It lightens up a little bit in the summer if I spend much time out in the sun, which I don't much anymore. If only there was a healthy way to turn the silvers back to gold...

Loved the story of the silver braid lady that turned out to be an old man! LOL!

[kyri]

well, my grey has not gone anywhere, that is for sure lol.

[margoss]

I thought mine was...I was able to go a LONG time between colors. Not this time!:(

[Raindeer]

For those whose natural color has returned: I, too, would like to know how long it took for your grey to go away. :) I recently died my very grey hair for the first time ever, and hate, already, having to do the roots every four weeks! I'm hoping that my hair will start to grow in in my natural color so I can stop spending money on the hair salon!

[mamabird1953]

I love my grey hair! It goes really well with my wrinkles! I use to keep it dyed for my manbears sake even tho I loved it. Finnaly I said to heck with him and now he stopped dying his hair and beard. Also....I just found out that I'm going to be a grandma and so I figure it goes with the part. I'm proud of my greys!

[gabriele]

I'm starting to get gray now, so i'm back to highlighting..........i know this is not natural and is full of chemicals..... but the highlighting looks really good and i can do it myself (decades of practice), i feel better with it highlighted. The gray is totally hidden......... for now..

[mamabird1953]

My hair has lots of white and gray and sometimes I do think about tipping my hair in black just for something different. And of course to look kinda hip, slick, and cool!

[Invisible]

I was champagne blonde when I was a lttle girl, so my hair darkened in my teens and now, it's back to being Champagne blonde with some grey nordic blonde looking streaks. I won't be coloring my hair because I like it this way...it's funny, though, because when I was little and very light blonde ( almost white) nobody said, "OH, she has grey hair now, she is old". Now, even though I am still young, I get things like, " "You're no longer young anymore, ect." and..."that is the young group, you belong in the retired class instead" and I really am still young.. lol. maybe raw food make it go back to regular young mode.

[rawmiss]

This site tells you how to mix things like henna and indigo and make your own haircolor.
http://www.hennaforhair.com/
A tip: I you go looking for henna or indigo on eBay you can find the pure powders by using the botanical names: Lawsonia and Indigofera tinctoria

The cool thing about henna is that it's like doing a facial on your hair, no pain caused by chemicals. I left mine on for 4 hours the first time (I put bulk food bags over my hair and held everything in place with a stocking cap so I could do things. I even went and picked up my kids from school while I was hennaing!). The bad thing is that the color choice is limited if you just use henna (like I did, I didn't mix it with anything and I got bright red) I really want to get some indigo so I can play with the color range and get a darker red like these people did:
http://www.hennaforhair.com/mixes/kristenlu/

[babeak]

I was cajoled by friends and even hairdressers to color my hair and I refused based upon the whole root thing. Then at 39 I got pg. and some older woman at a baby store demonstrating a carseat asked if I was this other stranger's mother....that we looked alike...of course we didn't at all. I knew then that I was going to have to contend with questions of whether I was the mother or grandmother and I did not want to. So I started doing low lights. I used an organic hair salon and woowee that is priceee, but less chemical smell.

Anyway, it did not matter. I had my hair done right before I delivered and a few weeks later this woman asked if I was the grandmother or the mother. :(I just about died....do you not see the color on my hair???:confused: well maybe all the more reason she asked. I was so disappointed because it was as natural as could be as there was still some grey

Anyway, I just recently had the stylist "wean" me off of coloring and I am hopeful of less grey. It seems like there is less than I remember, but I think that the worst is seeing photos of the top of my head. Then I really notice it.

So, my DD will be 2 in a month and I am not dying it anymore. I am going to just be a smarta$$ if someone asks me that again :p

[Raw Joy]

i stopped dyeing mine a couple of years ago, thinking it would come in dark with a lot of gray streaks like my brother's. Imagine my surprise when it came in completely silver!

After getting over the shock, I absolutely love it. Strangers stop me on the street and comment on my hair.

The cool thing is, after I get a complement on my hair, I almost invariably get "and your skin looks so young". :D

I decide to take the position that people will assume I just grayed really early and am not really 54. Works for me!

[Invisible]

OOOPS!!!! I didn't see that this is the over 50's group, LOL!! Oh, well, greyish hair is greyish hair, no matter what the age, I guess! :)

[ricitosdeplata]

My hair has never been curlier since I started using baking soda to wash my hair. Have been doing this for 3 weeks and since I don't have oily hair, this was not a problem. I did notice that my grey hair was turning slightly yellow. I used blue sugar, the type used for decorating cakes and cookies, to scrub my hair after using BS. Now my hair is back to its silver. Didn't use apple cider vinegar this time. Since the ACV i use is unfiltered, I'm going to see if using the clearer vinegar that rises to the top will help avoid the yellowing,since I have 2 full bottles of the ACV. Has anyone out there used anything else to diminish the yellowing? If this doesn't work will try white vinegar like someone else mentioned on the blogh. Would mashed up blueberries be too way out there?

[57guy]

Been eating 100% Raw for two months. Lost 34 lbs so far.
My BP is down from 190/140 to 135/82 and I have twice the energy I had before.
So far its been great, but I have a few problems.

1. My prostate has enlarged and its hard to completely empty my blatter.

2. My weight loss has stopped at 183 for the last two weeks. This may be because I've got hooked on soy Chia tea at Starbucks (3-4 a day). I've given up alcohol, coffee and diet coke 3 months ago and now all cooked foods .

Since I've given up everything I like except sex, my body needs something to enjoy.
Any suggestions
Glenn

[BDraw]

Hey Glenn, I think you may have posted this in the wrong area -- this particular thread is all about the ups and downs of having gray hair.

With that in mind, today I heard the "green smoothie girl" mention that she has been making sure she gets some spinach in every day (via green smoothie) and her gray has disappeared. Something about the lutin in the spinach. Check out her you tube 2nd take on making a green smoothie.

I have no idea if there is any valid reason to this, but it would be easy to try on oneself. Think I'm buying some spinach tomorrow, as I'd love to have all of my well earned gray hairs revert back to their orginal color.

[veeg]

when i first went raw a number of years back my hair changed:

the color seemed 'richer' and the grey went away. at the time my father-in-law asked me if I was coloring my hair and didn't believe me went i said i wasn't.

the texture of my hair got fuller and thicker. i have very fine hair and it's thinning on top. it appeared to be filling in a bit and was most certainly thicker.

i don't know the science behind it....but I sure liked the results!

I'm back to raw vegan after a prolonged abscence and i hope to see those results again!

[Mnbordergirl]

I started to turn grey when I was 13. I am now 33. It is in my eyebrows, hair, everywhere. I dont mind. It is who I am

[freespirit]

If you are interested in dying your hair minus the nasty chemicals- the store LUSH has henna that is easy to use and you can order it online. I use it becasue I am 28 and sarted getting silver hair a year ago- and in my job it isnt really ok!

that being said- i have read numerous times that upping your consumption of seaweed can assist in filling mineral deficiencies that may be one of the reasons for grey hair. I just started eating more of it recently so i will see what happens

[living peacefully]

I've been calico for years, quite naturally. Dark brown to blonde to silver. I don't really want a color change, but I wouldn't mind if it got a thicker. :)
I am transitioning into a raw diet - about 60% now. Lots of raw greens and other vegs. I still like brown rice and like my lentils lightly cooked.

Metta!