I need some advice about this -- hair loss. It's really bad. I have very curly hair, which I have grown to love. I hated it in high school, and used to straighten it every day. The problem is, starting about 7-8 years ago it began to fall out. At the time it was okay because it was really thick. However, it is getting thinner and thinner each year. People can't really tell because it is curly and probably a normal thickness at this point (because it used to be really, really thick) and I have it cut in layers. When it is dry, it actually looks like I have a lot of hair. However, I can really see the difference when I see old photos of myself.
Now, I am trying to figure out why this is happening. I used to straighten my hair a lot, but I haven't done it in years. I am worried that maybe I damaged the follicles by pulling on my hair too much in the straightening process. However, my dad's sister also has hair loss, so I am thinking it might be genetic. Also, my mother tells me that all of the women in my family have hypothyroidism.
Finally, I have been a vegetarian for 16 years. I was reading in a natural healing book that iron deficiency is the most common cause of hair loss in women. I am thinking this might be the cause as well.
I am getting more and more worried about it as my hair gets thinner and thinner. I could live with it if my hair stays as is because at this point it doesn't look bad to others (only me because I know the difference). However, if it continues at this rate, I think my thinning hair will start becoming more noticeable to others.
I am currently taking an herbal remedy, and started taking B-12 and Iron supplements in addition to a multi vitamin.

may hair stopped falling out soon after i started a vitamin d supplement.

Opinion / thoughts:

-They say that REAL value of what you are eating....is always what you are NOT eating! Ha! ha! That is, what it allows you to NOT eat. Raw food allows one to get the nutrition they need.....in a much more efficient package....and thus eat less....and thus live longer and healthier. My impression is that scientific evidence suppports that all organisms that eat less and lighter....live longer. My personal experience is that much of my balding hair area grew back...and became much healthier....after changing my diet. I certainly have much more hair now than either of my two younger brothers! LOL.

-Eventually you might want to simplify your diet (just a suggestion/option). Many of the things we consume now - may be to our detriment as we have a cleaner system. These are just my experiences.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

I could have written that post, Optimist4Life! My hair is getting thinner and thinner as the years go by (mine is also curly--less curly than when I was younger, though). I'm low in iron, so I found it interesting that you mentioned low iron. My B12 is no longer low (yay!), but I never had my D level checked. That is probably low, because there isn't any sun here in Pittsburgh (one of the reasons we are moving this year).

Anyway, I can't offer any suggestions--just a sympathetic hug. I do look forward to reading what others share, though.

David, I've been 100% raw for over a year and it hasn't improved my hair (in fact, I think it is even thinner, now). However, I am still pretty high in the raw fats, so maybe that has something to do with it. :-/

Lots of love and lusciously thick locks to everyone!

Wendi
XOXOXO

I hear you Wendi. Yes - that may be the case. There are certainly many vegetarians (I was one) eating cooked foods and processed items.......mixing their foods......eating hard to digest items......taking medications...wearing and using chemicals......living non-joyful/purposeful lives....and many other factors....that are perhaps negatively impacting their results.

-The important part, of course, is that WE set our very small goals and keep them. Consciousness of our diets is far more germane/important/salient (can't think of the right word) than the empirical objectivity of a 'right' diet or some kind of 'scientifically approved' nutritional profile. Just my opinions.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

You might try adding in all the B vits especially Inositol at 1000 mgs a day. I know that it promotes healthy hair. Also, Iodine is essential, so maybe if not supplements, try kelp, and other seaveggies high in Iodine.

Massaging or using a hand held (make sure hair won't get tangled in process) massager on scalp will get circulation going and promote hair growth. Roots need blood flow and good circulation.

Maybe even a slant board to get some better blood flow to head and scalp might help out. Only need 5-15 minutes doing that I would think.

Love,
Prism

Hi
I had a thyroidectomy a year ago due to thyroid cancer and in the last couple of months i noticed my hair falling out alot as well as other symptoms of fatigue, muscle aches, side effects of the hormone replacement I have to take which a couple of my friends who had thyroid cancer have also experienced. I have just returned from a 10 day course at Brenda Cobb's Living Foods Institute in Atlanta and I am now a raw Living foodist, I noticed on the last day of the course that when I ran my hands through my hair that there wasn't chunks of hair in my hands anymore. THe program was an intensive detox involving the consumption of alot of wheatgrass and blended and sprouted foods. THere were many other amazing transformations in people with serious health challenges including one girl with stage 3 non-Hodgkins lymphoma, who after the 10 days went back to her doctor who told her there was no trace of her cancer anymore.
I've also noticed since I returned that stress has alot to do with my sypmtoms returning. This is a complete lifestyle change for me. Now i just eat raw living foods, I don't take supplements anymore, i used to take multiple all the time. Time will tell if the results will last but I believe I'll have a full head of thick hair again. THere's information here [www.livingfoodsinstitute.com] of the exact protocol i followed. I hope this helps

Ann

Thanks for your feedback, everyone. djachi what are you referring to? raw fish/eggs?

I'll try to add Vitamin D and Iodine as well. Keep the suggestions coming -- I can use all of the help that I can get.

optimist4life,

Going to all raw will help. Also increasing the practices that produce health: all the rest and sleep your body needs, reduction of stress, worry, getting exercise, sunshine, fresh air, etc.

Also, are you bathing and washing your hair with just filtered water? Get a shower filter for your shower, and don't use skin and hair products.

Wendi: One year all raw is still the beginning of the journey. Plus going to lower fats will increase the healing. The body works on the higher priority systems before addressing the less critical parts, like hair and skin blemishes. The more you can increase your health practices, the quicker this healing will come.

My experience: Due to menopause (and few years before it happened), my hair was falling out like crazy. Hormones, of course My personal choice was to skip HRT (horrible, horrible thing, in my opinion). I am not a big fan of supplements, either, but a friend of mine recommended something that WORKED: 1) Maxi Hair Supplements; 2) Drinking a cup of Nettle Leaf Tea every morning; 3) Massaging scalp w/Nettle Tea every morning. Also, I started coloring my hair with henna, and using Morrocco Method shampoos.

Even thou the above worked for me, I am still leaning towards 100% raw, living food lifestyle, hoping to find a completely natural way to maintain my health, and will explore Living Foods Institute in a very near future. Thanks aconno73 for the info!

Good luck optimist4life!

these will help:

a protein supplement- [www.manitobaharvest.com]

the right hair care- [www.morroccomethod.com]

hair regrowth help- [www.luftek.com]

shower filter- [www.aquasana.com]

[www.youtube.com]

luftek

are you kidding?

No, I kid you not kind sir.


also check out this book:
[www.amazon.com]

and her site:
[www.riquette.com]

[www.youtube.com]

"may hair stopped falling out soon after i started a vitamin d supplement."

Rosemary, what is the dosage you take?

I had that riquette book many years ago. Sorry to say, it was filled with alot of bad, outdated advice. Sorry, I'd have to disagree :O(

Hey, Flex for life,

im gonna be cheeky and ask if you could tell us what advice and information you have learnt from these books and the luftec home treatment.
I have been losing my hair recently and it looks quite thin now i could do with some good advice.


Paulie.

You also recomend protein suplements, could you tell me how much protein you consume each day, could you get enough just eating nuts and seeds and greens ?


Thanks, Paulie

I'm taking 400 IU of vitamin D.

I'd recommend Wheatgrass Juice and Carrot Juice for Hair Loss. Not only drinking it, but massaging your hair and scalp with it. It gives the hair a nice 'slicked back' look too. Try it for no more hair on the shower drain. Rinse it out before bed as it tends to stain the pillowcase.....WY

Thanks, Bryan. :-)

Everyone around me tells me that I'm a great weight and I'm healthy, etc., yet I know instinctively that I still have a lot of healing to do and even more weight to come off. I've finally added exercise to my life (after a year of doing next to nothing, since my energy was still low even with 100% raw). Bellydancing is a lot more exercise than I remembered. ;-)

I've been slowly decreasing the fat intake because when I do it too fast I start to crave cooked foods. :-( Slow is better than not at all, however, so I'll just do what I need to do as long as it's keeping me 100% raw.

Thanks, again, for your comment.

Lots of love to you,

Wendi
XOXOXO

luftek AND riquette!!!!!!

wow.

no offense but these seem uber cheezy to me.
total scams.

again no offense.

did they work for anyone you know and can verify?
i'd be blown away.
again no offense meant.

I was just reading something about 'beauty' and it talks about the scalp having the largest pores on our bodies and that when we go thru detox it can amply flow thru our scalp pores and we also can have the initial loss of hair which is probably unhealthy hair, and in the process as we cleanse our systems, healthier hair would be growing in.

I found that my hair was thinning before raw foods, which was over 5 years ago, and with raw foods it has grown in much thicker..and then I cut off all the faux blonde and let it go au natural and while it was very short it did grow pretty quickly and I have pics that show how dark it has gotten with hardly a grey hair (I'm 55) to be seen in it. People thought I had dyed it dark because it was so solidly dark..almost black! Much like my mother's hair when she was younger, like from 17 yrs. old to her 40's. My hair was never that dark and I've had it au natural and long before, and it wasn't this dark!

Well..I couldn't stand the dark hair, it was like a black hole sucking all the light, so I went back blonde..yes..I did do that, as of the other day..all blonde, fake blonde, faux blonde..blonde! I like it, it's just more me

Love,
Prism

Prism Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Well..I couldn't stand the dark hair, it was like
> a black hole sucking all the light, so I went back
> blonde..yes..I did do that, as of the other
> day..all blonde, fake blonde, faux blonde..blonde!
> I like it, it's just more me

What color are your eyes? I'd say if they're
Blue, then your hair should be Blond. If your eyes are
Dark, then your hair should be Dark too.......WY

BLUE eyes look great with dark hair too

I did a search earlier on this forum and some people on here recomend for hair loss, green smoothies from victoria boutencho's "green for life" book.

Does anyone know what green smoothies victoria recomends ?
What does she put in her smoothies

I also did a search on google for green smoothies and hair loss and was suprised how many people recomend green smoothies and have had lots of success not just with improvements with hair but skin and nails also.


Paulie.

Opt, I don't have the answer. All I can do is share my experience. The hairdresser told me that my hair was thinning after years of using hair clamps-- the butterfly clips that claw into your hair. I stopped using them on top of my head and I stopped getting permanents to make my hair curly over 10 years ago.

When I first became raw, I went 100% raw vegan mucusless. My hair and nails were so weak that even turning my head would cause the hair to break off. I was told it was detox. I didn't believe it when I found major ridges on my nails and then I backed off 100% raw vegan mucusless and started to take multi-vitamin/mineral supplements. My hair and nails got stronger, however my constitution didn't improve. I stayed on the path to raw veganism. I toughed it out as I knew it was the cure to my health ailments. After more than 3 years of this, my friend noticed that I should've gotten more energy rather than more exhaustion. Fortunately, he made a thymus/thyroid booster and he sent it to me. When I got it as a surprise in the mail, I immediately tried it and looked up the symptoms for low thyroid. I was shocked. I had all the symptoms even though I tested normal according to the doctors. I realized that I had this problem for the majority of my life and it was never caught. I always wondered how, outside of getting really skinny, to get my face to be angles and planes like it was supposed to be (my father's face was very structured like that). I found out the reason why my face was so puffy and why I was so exhausted all the time and why I woke up in the morning so stiff and with slight nausea. And why I could work my business b/c I didn't seem to have any energy or enthusiasm. I thought I was pre-ulceric and thought my mattress and back were bad and that it was too cold in the morning. And I thought I was listless b/c I hadn't had a vacation in years. I had all sorts of logical reasons why I had the problems I had. Lo and behold, I really did have a physical ailment. I'm really grateful that my friend was able to discern my problem even if I denied it b/c the doctors told me that I didn't have a problem. Even, my step-sister (not related by blood) who is a registered nurse gave me the third degree saying that I must not have it if the doctors didn't say I had it. Hello...I have all the symptoms of it. The doctors, in general, cannot even cure me of a cold. They can only prescribe pills to mask the side-effects. The pills in turn pollute my body, etc.

As a side note, I had stopped using any shampoos with Sodium laurel sulfate or any such derivatives b/c I read that they were damaging. I paid $18/bottle of shampoo and finally, I decided to use baking soda rather than real shampoo as I felt my scalp still hadn't improved as I wanted. I did notice that the scalp environment was better after I started using the baking soda but that the hair didn't have as much "lightness" to it. Guess the organic shampoo was still stripping my scalp and hair and that caused my hair to be so slippery.

After using the booster for going on the second week now, I do notice that I am not stiff in the morning. I no longer have to force myself to do Yoga as soon as I get out of bed to get my body limber. I don't have the indigestion in the morning where I have absolutely must drink German Chamomile Tea. I don't have the constipation that I had. I am no longer freakin' cold all the time. I can actually walk in 29 degree Farenheit weather w/o a coat for a short period w/o hypothermia. The dark circles under my eyes are about 2/3d's of the way gone. I am tired but not utterly exhausted. I no longer survive during the week so that I can sleep on the weekend. I have more energy after getting home from the day job. I can actually focus sometimes and I get more done at the day job. I will soon have enough energy to work my business.

I don't know how it's affected my hair yet as it's too soon to tell but I can say with certainty that the hypothyroidism does cause the hair loss. The raw food diet and supplements help but they won't eliminate the problem. Only fixing the thyroid problem is going to fix the the multiple ailments associated with source.

Hope this helps. Good luck. Therese

Therese, can you tell us the ingredients of your friends thymus/thyroid booster he sent you?

I'm glad you found what is helping you with your thyroid issues, keep us informed on how you do on the supplement.

Love,
Prism

My hair has gotten thicker with every year raw. I remember I had kind of a little bald spot in the back. That's long gone. And I had to cut it pretty often because the ends were always breaking off. Now, I can go a long time without cutting it.

It may be because I eat unhulled sesame seeds almost every day (soaked overnight) or because I take a B12 supplement. My guess is it's the sesame seeds. Lots of iron!

(I also eat lots of fruit)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/2008 08:27AM by suncloud.

Curing Hair Loss can't be done with one or two 'quick fixes'. It has to come from the overall picture. I'd look at Diet first, then look at Stress......WY

Lejla Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BLUE eyes look great with dark hair too

Yes, but there's nothing like a beautiful
Blond with Blue Eyes. However, make the most with what
you have. We can all be Beautiful......WY