raw foods, hair color and cancer

[cactus]

I started food combining first and then when I found out about raw foods started that as well because I wanted to see if it would help the symptoms of different medical conditions I have, the main offender being lupus, and it has had a huge effect, but the main reason I do it is the desire I have to see my little 4 year old grow to be a man, and because I have a wonderful husband whom Id like to spend as much time with for as long as my life continues, I used to be resigned to a the idea that I would probably have a shorter life span because of the constant infections I used to have becoming so serious and things were degenerating, but these days I feel better than I ever have in my life and the future is looking pretty rosy,

then last night was reading the paper and I came across an article about how research has shown that people who dye their hair constantly over a long period of time (they were talking 20 years) have double the risk of developing cancer and AlzheimerÂ’s, my hair went white/grey at a very young age (because of medical stuff) and so I have died it since I was 16, after reading that article I felt pretty despondent, because everyday you read of something new that is shown to cause cancer, and sometimes its impossible to avoid it all, so you do the best you can, now my question is, if you are living a healthy lifestyle to the absolute best of your ability, would it make your body strong enough to fight off the other few things you come in contact with that are bad for you or could cause cancer and other long term problems?

obviously I could stop dying my hair but with out it Id look like an old granny and at 40, I donÂ’t want to do that just yet, I guess its vain, but I already feel quite conscious of having a toddler at my age and I donÂ’t want people to think when I take him to school I am his granny:)

so what do you guys think? would your body be strong enough to fight it off or not, off course the paper could be just hyping things up, but on the other hand I guess I can't expect to put chemicals on my head for nigh on 20 years and expect no effect.

[sport]

This is a problem that has worried me for a number of years and for the past 5 years or so I am coloring my hair with stuff that I buy in the health food store. It is far from ideal but it is better than the usual store bought stuff. I would prefer not to do it and would advise anyone who has their natural color to avoid coloring untill they have to.
You will find that when you have been raw for a few years (or even vegan or vegetarian) that you will look years younger anyway.
On the matter of your diet helping you to fight off cancer. There is no doubt that you have a far greater chance of fighting any disease if you eat this way but this is not just a way of eating, it is a way of life. That way of life includes trying to eliminate or at least reduce anything that may cause you to get sick. It means reducing all the chimicals in your house and in your life. It means throwing out the fabric conditioners and the air freshners and anything you can do without and trying to use natural products for things that you can't do without. I have taken those steps but I will continue to color my hair but using the least damaging product that I can. You will have to decide what is best for you. You have most likely been taking lots of meds (my neice has lupus so I know what is involved) and have a lot of toxicity to get rid of. Discuss it with your husband. Your son is not going to notice the change anyway. Maybe we should both try the grey for a while and we may find that it is not a bad for us as we think. If it seriously takes from our lives then we can become dumb blonds again. That is just a suggestion. I am not sure that I am ready for it.

[Autumn]

I have read of long-term raw foodists who's hair color actually returned to their natural color.

Also, there is a lot of info on this board about coloring your hair without chemicals. You might have to weed through some of the posts on shampoo and other hair care products.

Here are some links:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5685&highlight=dying
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4966&highlight=shampoo
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4966&highlight=shampoo
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5094&highlight=dying

[cactus]

Sport, you say your using health store products to dye your hair and its less than ideal, I was wondering what the difference is, I had thought of that to, but to be honest I wasn't sure it would very well , your right though, we should just have ago at grey, after all its nothing to be ashamed of,but I don't think Ive got the guts, not to mention the whole growing out thing, with half white hair and half brown, I would look like a skunk(not that ive ever seen one up close:) and Autumn, thanks for those links I,ll check them out right now, and yeah I did read about some one having their hair return to its natural color after being raw for sometime, and that would be fantastic, but I just can't see it happening to me, I feel so lucky to be well for the first time in ages, anything else would be a bonus.

[sport]

Regarding the products. I understand that the ingredents to avoid are amonia and Hydrogen Peroxide. The one that I get has no amonia. I think that the way to avoid the skunk look would be to use a wash out non permenant color during the transition.

[flutterfly]

It is the black hair dye that is the most dangerous. At one time while I was in my early 20's my hair went all white I also lost most of it. I was eating all wrong, and had other health related things going on. Now that I eat mostly raw my hair is the natural color and a lot thincker. It was about about 38 years ago this happened. I do not dye my hair at all any more.
The cancer research was done many years ago. My Mother was a beautician and told me about this many, many years ago. Just think about the chemicals in the perm also.

[flutterfly]

It is the black hair dye that is the most dangerous. At one time while I was in my early 20's my hair went all white I also lost most of it. I was eating all wrong, and had other health related things going on. Now that I eat mostly raw my hair is the natural color and a lot thincker. It was about about 38 years ago this happened. I do not dye my hair at all any more.
The cancer research was done many years ago. My Mother was a beautician and told me about this many, many years ago. Just think about the chemicals in the perm also.

[CJB]

Another item in hair products that is very toxic are the "parabens". I think its methylparaben that is supposed to be harsh on the liver. I can't find my link to where I read this...does anyone else have information on this? I'm really disturbed to find that many of the hair care products from "health" companies still have these in their products.

[VeggieMel]

Have you ever tried henna. I really like it. I color my hair an auburn/red color. I was relieved to find a substitute for red dye because it is also supposed to be very toxic.

[theresaann]

I too have heard about this-the darker the color the worse it is, supposedly. So does that mean blonde highlights aren't as bad? LOL. I also use the brown shades of product available at health food stores. That stuff is probably only marginally better than clairol, etc. But I DO believe that the healthier and more alkaline we are the better we can metabolize and excrete the toxins from haircoloring and everything else.

[flutterfly]

any chemical that you use on any part of your body is bad. True that dark is worse but if you get shot once and it kills you is it any better for someone that is shot twice before they die? ;0