I have noticed something for a few weeks... thought it was just me, a normal aging thing... but my husband and I talked about it tonight and he's having the same problem, so I suspect it's related to the diet.

Our hair is falling out at a much higher rate that ever before. small clumps even... I can run my fingers through my hair and there will be a dozen strands of hair come out. Combing my hair results in 30+ stands of hair coming out. Every time I touch it, hair falls out!

I had this happen once before, years ago, before I was vegan. It just stopped, and I thought it was a age thing. But it's back with a vengence, and makes me worry. Especially since my husband has the same thing happening, and we're eating the same thing.

Some deficiency?? Anyone know?

Thanks,

KathyT
PS Oh yeah, my nails are really really brittle, and break off real short... I blame that on the fact that in October I had some nail tips put on... very harmful to your nails, I won't do that again. So I don't know if that is connected or not.

Hi Kathy T...well,i hear it told that raw foodist hair can fall out.i have not had this experience and my fingernails are really something right now.they ahve gotten harder and actually growing.i have always had paper thin nails and just chewed them cause they were so paper thin anyway,it did not seem to matter.oh-i tried the nail tips...it took me 6 yrs to get the ridge off where they connect them at.actually u can still see that ridge on some of my nails.never again on that one...i sure know what u mean.i ahve only been in this since jan of this yr.so i don't what to do about falling out hair.i have heard or read on a normal day we loose like 100 hairs.but i guess not in clumps.well-good luck.i am sure all these more knowledgable folks will know more.hugs taylor

Hi KathyT

Have you checked that you are getting all the nutrients you need by using Fitday.com or Nutridiary.com or Nutritiondata? It sounds like you are lacking something - maybe protein. Maybe you need to eat more greens like lettuce, spinach, kale etc.

gary

I noticed after being raw a few months my nails became soft and were chipping. I thought my calcium must be low. I started eating figs. I love them and can't quit eating them which tells me I may have needed them. My nails improved right away.

-The above posts are great!

-If your detox symptomology is too severe (for YOU)....and you are very concerned......then what are you going to do? All you CAN do is go back to a level of eating that YOU regard as healthy....and obtaining in a wide variety of nutrients. After THAT.....you just progress slowly.......and if you are SURE you are doing the right things......then you just have to take whatever consequences come, yes?

-What do you think?

-David Z. Mason

Wow, David... there is no way I am going backward! I regard eating as a raw vegan to be the absolute healthiest way of eating!

My energy has increased, my fibromyalgia symptoms are down, my insulin dosage is down, and I feel more happy and harmonious. I don't want to trade that in, even for a full head of hair! LOL.

I just figure I can have both!

After I made that post last night, I went and did a little research online. A few different places suggested it might be a vitamin B-12 deficiency. That makes sense to me: My naturopathic doctor had put me on B-12 shots, which I have not been taking since going raw. So I'm going to resume the B-12 shots.

Other internet sites suggested it could be protein or zinc. I actually have had an account at fitday.com set up a couple of years ago, it was easy to use. I didn't remember that it tracked all the individual nutrients. So I tried last night to set up an account at the NutraData place you mentioned, Gary. It seemed more complicated to you. But I got a good start on it, anyway. Which place do you think is easier to use, and even more important, which gives the best nutrition information?

Thanks for sharing your insights here, guys! Last night after I posted I bushed my hair before going to bed... and I counted 122 strands of hair falling on the sink and countertop. This is NOT just normal hair loss, because that had already happened 3 or 4 other times that day!

KathyT

Soundslike you are missing some sort of nutrient to me also.

Hi KathyT,

I've read your story, and I think your hair loss may be a temporary symptom due to the relatively recent radical change in your diet. Hair loss seems to be not too uncommon for people of any age when they first begin to transition.

I do think it's a good idea to go to nutritiondata.com and enter what you are eating (in the "pantry" to see if you are getting enough of what you need. Be sure to read all the directions for using the "pantry", because it can be a little tricky.

When going from cooked horribles to raw vegan, many people can safely overlook essential nutrients for a time, while focusing on detox. But those essential nutrients are possibly a little more crucial for us middle-aged folks (I'm 57).

If you decide to take a look at nutritiondata.com (or some other nutrition data site), three essential nutrients that are often overlooked by raw food vegans are IRON, CALCIUM, and VITAMIN E. When you enter the food, you will see charts showing how much of each essential nutrient is supplied by the serving size (which is adjustable at the top of the page). Check the %DV (percent daily value) column for the nutrient. For example, if it says 25% under that column, then the serving size supplies 25% of the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for that nutrient.

When you go to the "pantry" and add up all your foods for that day together, you will get charts that show the total %DV and the total in grams for all the different essential nutrients you consumed for that day. Make sure that the list of foods at the bottom of the totals page is exactly what you had intended, because like I said before, the "pantry" can be a little tricky.

According to my vegan nutritionist (from many years ago), the RDA was doubled just to be on the safe side. So if you're getting 60% total of each of your essential nutrients, that should be OK.

I would ignore the RDA for sodium. I don't think you need anything close to even 1/4 of the RDA for sodium, but that's just my opinion. A little rinsed seaweed plus whatever sodium is found naturally in your foods seems to be plenty for me, and I'm very active.

Sesame seeds and sunflower seeds (especially sesame seeds, UNhulled) are very good for IRON and CALCIUM. Sunflower seeds and almonds are very good for VITAMIN E. (Check it out on nutritiondata.com) If you buy almonds, be very careful, because many that are labeled "raw", are actually parboiled (even organic ones). I'd make sure they are not parboiled by talking to or receiving information directly from the source. Even the health food store retailers often don't know if they're parboiled or not.

Also, I would never buy seeds or nuts that aren't organic, since the conventional ones may have a concentration of chemicals. I've gotten severe kidney symptoms from eating nuts or seeds that we're organic, and each time, the symptoms went away immediately after changing to organic.

I'm soaking all my nuts and seeds at least overnight, and that's giving me a much happier stomach. Keep in mind that if you enter seeds or nuts in the pantry, you will not get an accurate reading for SOAKED seeds and nuts. It seems that much of the fat content (though I don't know how much) will come out in the soak water,

Well, sorry this was so long, but I was really touched by your story, and I wanted to help if I possibly could.

PS: I just read your most recent post, so I'll add that I started taking a B12 supplement about 5 years ago (after 15 years 100% vegan), because I started getting B12 deficiency symptoms. I do believe raw food vegans can become deficient in certain nutrients if they are not somewhat diligent. One does not have to be fanatic, just aware.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/2007 08:44PM by suncloud.

KathyT,

Sorry, I'm not 57, I'm 56. Looks like I'm getting to the age where all the numbers seem the same. But I'd still rather not add a year if I can help it!

To summarize the above, I think your hair loss is probably due to a temporary shock to your system, but just to be sure, and to help you not worry, it would be good to know you're getting enough of the essential nutrients.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/2007 09:46PM by suncloud.

I agree on the missing nutrients thing; but on the other hand, I know that when some people begin getting proper nutrition their hair falls out more than usual. Without knowing how long you've been raw for, that's my theory. This would also explain why it happened for a short time when you went vegan (assuming your vegan diet was healthier than whatever you were eating prior to that).

im just surmising but is there any possibility
your old hair is being "pushed out" by new, healthier
hair?

ooh! fruitgirl-that is a good one.that would be wonderful.i'll bet this is it.taylor

Fruitgirl's post sounds very plausible to me too, but whatever is happening, it still wouldn't hurt to make sure enough of the essential nutrients are there.

Wow, I had no idea hair could be pushed out by new growth!

That should be easy to test... I can check for the new growth! If that is happening it should show up soon.

In the meantime, I went back on my B12 shots today, and also am going to log my diet so I can check and see if anything is missing.

I use a great variety of produce and nuts... my naturopath said eat as many types as you can... I'm aware that each one offers different nutrients, so I try to use the variety. But that doesn't guarantee that I've got all the bases covered. I'm such a beginner, I don't know enough about the nutrients part. But I'm learning! woohoo!

Thanks, your comments have been helpful!

KathyT

You have ATTITUDE KathyT! Right on!

Dearest Kathy-my hair is falling out too! agh.i will have to wear a do-rag if i loose my hair. i told my hubby and he said "does this tell u that the raw food thing may be extreme?".i said no-then i sang him the beatle song of "when i'm 64".i have been raw since jan.o7.i take a vitamin with b-12.i have been dieting on top of turning raw.so maybe this has something to do with it.just wanted to say i hear ya!! hugs taylor

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Silica is a trace mineral that is important to hair too

Foods that are rich in silica are rice, oats, lettuce, parsnips, asparagus, onion, strawberry, cabbage, cucumber, leek, sunflower seeds, celery, rhubarb, cauliflower, and swiss chard

My nutrition books say the best way is too eat these raw (with exception of the rice)

hope this helps

Jodi

THANK U SO MUCH JODI-U ARE SO HELPFUL.I WILL EAT A BUNCH OF THIS STUFF AND SEE IF IT HELPS.HUGS TAYLOR

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