Hair Loss

[swiddweas]

Since going raw 4 months ago, I have noticed my hair thinning at the crown. Does anyone know why this is? Am deficient in someting or what? When i was on cooked food, I didn't notice this at all, in fact I had alot more hair, I am wondering if I am deficient in a vitamin can raw food provide that also?


swid

[Autumn]

When I first went raw, my hair started to thin at the crown as well and I was a bit worried, because my hair is thin naturally. After that initial (and very quick) period, my hair has grown so long and thick that I am having trouble keeping it up with it. My hairdresser remarked 2 weeks ago that my hair had gotten "scary long". LOL! I hadn't seen her in 4 months and it probably grew 5 inches, I'm NOT kidding!

So, don't worry, chances are your hair will start coming in even more lovely than before as long as you stay raw. :D

[Rawkinlocs]

Hi Swiddeas,

Autumn's testimonial is great and I've heard of other women with the same type of experience as hers.

In fact, here is an old thread that I think you may find comforting and informative!
http://rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=199

[Secret Heart]

I have been losing my hair since going raw....it's still coming out...it really is worrying me and I"m wondering what i might be missing in my diet...I'll check that older thread..thanks for that.

heather
:(

[flutterfly]

I put a thread on here about MSM a few weeks ago. It really helps with the hair. Mine was getting thin and not growing. The MSM really does work well ;)

[Drawn]

I have been told by many nutritionists that hair loss is a sign of not enough fat in the diet. I was once on a medically supervised, low calorie, shake diet and I stopped eating the required oil prescribed and started to lose my hair rapidly. It's really important that you eat enough fat, even on raw. I'm not saying you have to fitday it or calculate it. I haven't had this problem because I make sure I eat EFAs fairly regularly. I make sure I get in some olive oil, coconut oil and hemp seeds throughout the week. Often I put the hemp seeds and olive oil in my salads. I really like the coconut caramel cookies and they have coconut oil in them. I also add coconut oil to smoothies and I've been known to eat a spoonful when I know I haven't had any in a few days. I know that I have to eat some fat everyday and I try to eat enough of those throughout the week. My hair is healthier than ever and growing fast.

[Arky]

I'm losing my hair, irrespective of having started to incorporate a very high percentage of raw foods in my diet.

However, there are issues to be aware of when eating a high-plant-food diet.

While removing large quantities of saturated animal fat from one's diet is a healthy thing for hair growth (blood circulation to the scalp is extremely important for folicle health), since it potentially reduces atherosceloris, and also reduces the quantity of sebum present in the scalp, which can 'strangle' the folicles within the pores, the loss of this high calorie food source means the shortfall is inevitably made up for with other foods (plants, fruits, nuts etc.). Please note that I am not implying that all saturated fat is bad for health!!

Inflammation of the tissue surrounding the hair folicle is common in male pattern baldness (as just one example). Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids promote anti-inflammatory prostaglandins which are obviously beneficial under such circumstances. Note that Omega 6 EFAs, while important for good overall health, are often more prevalent in the SAD (due to inclusion of corn oil etc in preparation of so many food stuffs) and excess Omega 6 EFAs promote inflammatory prostaglandins. Obviously, the body does need an inflammatory response at its disposal, for dealing with physical trauma, but an excess of Omega 6 is not a healthy state. Therefore, for a whole host of reasons, hair loss included, one should ensure a healthy balance of O3 to O6 in one's diet. The proportions of these fats vary from plant to plant, from one nut type to another, and from one seed type to another.

Fruits high in bioflavanoids (citrus and berry fruits, for example) are excellent for vascular health and will therefore assist blood flow to the scalp.

Also very important for healthy hair growth is the thyroid. Many raw-foodists hear about the brassica family in glowing terms (and, indeed, they are very healthy plants to consume - I myself am a big fan of broccoli, for example). However, one should not focus too heavily upon members of the brassica family in one's diet, since they contain goitrogens - substances which, in excess, can inhibit thyroid function.

Another inhibitor of thyroid function is soy (do a search on this board for a few posts on this topic, including here: http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=42236#post42236 ).

Hair growth is highly dependent on minerals. Organic is undoubtedly the way to go if you want good levels of minerals in your produce. However, a superb supplement for minerals is sea vegetables - they are incredibly high in minerals. I add a tablespoon of seaweed every other day to my daily green smoothies - you can barely taste it and its so easy to consume like this.

Iodine is very important for thyroid support (particularly if you are a heavy consumer of brassicas and/or soy). Seaweed, again, is a good supplement, being very high in iodine (don't be tempted to derive iodine from commercial salt with added iodine, it's not healthy salt to consume).

Silicon is important for the structure of hair and bones - cucumbers are a good source (the whole fruit, but particularly the outer, dark green, skin, which simultaneously supplies good levels of carotenoids and trace minerals. Note that non-organic cucumbers are waxed so the skin should, unfortunately, be discarded - in short, buy only organic). I also choose to supplement with 'BioSil', by Jarrow Formulas - it's an extremely bio-available silicon supplement. Not a substitute for good diet, but a good supplement if silicon is an issue for you.

Obviously, I've only scratched the surface, but I hope the above has given you something to consider on the topic of hair and diet.


Some other, related, threads:

Pigmentation:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5522


Alopecia remedies:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5243


J.

[Autumn]

Hmmmmmmm, maybe I'm just a freak. :eek: :D

[Carlene]

I actually came on line today to start a thread on this. Last night my daughter mentioned my thinning hair. In the past three weeks I noticed handfuls coming out when I washed or even combed my hair. I chopped most of it off the other day thinking it was the length that was pulling at it, but I'm still concerned.

How many of you who are losing your hair are doing low fat? I am. I have hemp seed a few days a week, but never eat avacodos or oil.

For those of you noticing hair loss, how much greens do you eat? I get some in my morning smoothie, but probably not enough.

For those of you noticing hair loss, how long were you raw. Me, it started about mid 3rd month.

For those of you who had hair loss and then regrew it, how long were you raw before you noticed that?

My fingernails break much shorter now, also, how about you?

[ELLE]

About 2 1/2 months ago I noticed that my chunks of my hair was falling out. Especially, when I comb it in the shower.
I was always known to have a lot of hair and shed like a dog so hair loss was not in my concern, but recently I am starting to worry.

I have not told anyone yet because I thought that it was not a big deal, but it has been awhile and I am still losing locks of hair.

Maybe, I might go see a nutritionist about this and see what vitamins I am missing.

Time for Rogain? -ahaha

[Secret Heart]

Sorry for my ignorance, but what is MSM?

Heather

[Bretta]

My hair has been falling out too. I am wondering if there are MEN on our boards who experience this, as I've only read about women so far.

My hair fell out after giving birth to my third child. It was definitely a hormonal thing at the time. My theory now is that my hormones are still balancing out and that is what is causing this loss. My PMS is non-existent now and cramping is nil (whereas not long after going raw I had unbelievable cramping one day way worse than pre-raw, but not any since).

Just a theory...and why I'm wondering about MEN having the hair loss issue, because it would prove my theory if they don't :D

Bretta

[flutterfly]

MSM is a supplement that is used for joint pain but it has also been found to be good for hair growth. I asked at a Health food store in Wisc. a few years ago for something that would make my hair grow faster and that is what they gave me. It does really work.

[Bretta]

I realized in my post that I wasn't clear on that my third child's birth was TEN years ago and so my hormones aren't still balancing from THAT event. I meant that my hormones are balancing now because of eating raw.

Bretta

[twinyoga]

My holistic doctor said that a sign of not enough protein is hair falling out. I know there's a whole other thread on getting enough protein. And personally, I get about 20grams of protein a day and I have thick, thick hair.

[angelandarose]

Here is what David Wolfe says about Hair in his Eating for Beauty Book:

"Our hair is an agricultural crop that has its roots in the blood-enriched lymphatic soil beneath the skin. The most important aspect of rehabilitating hair is to cleanse, purify and nourish the body, blood, and lymphatic system. To maintain healthy hair, adequate nutrition and blood flow to the hair roots is necessary. The Primary cause of hair loss and premature graying is a lack of nourishment for renewing the living hair follicle. A deficiency of one trace mineral, tin, can contribute to male pattern baldness. Just like our bones, organs, and muscles, our hair follicles must also receive adequate nutrition.
Malnourishment of the hair follicle is primarily cause by the clogging of the fine capillaries with mucus from mucus-forming foods (pasteurized dairy products, cooked grains [especially wheat], cooked animal fat and cooked polyunsaturated oils). If we want a good hairline, the important than for us to have is excellent circulation to allow nutrients to flow to the hair follicle.

Eating a raw-food diet may not be enough to restore damaged hair follicles -- our diet must be raw, mineral-rich, and nutrient-dense to achieve the extraordinary results we are seeking.

Healthy hair requires specific protein-building amino acids and sulfur in the diet because hair is almost entirely made up of protein (97%). These can be found in hemp seeds, super food blends, and eating a wide variety of organic vegetables and their juices. Animal protein is abrasive, inflammatory, and clogging, therefore it is a poor choice as a hair nutrient.

MSM forms the sulfur bonds between proteins. It also increases the assimilation of protein. One of the first things you will discover after taking MSM is that your hair growth will be stronger and more vigorous.

*****************

Give eating raw a lot more time. ;-)
Love,
Angie