Practical Hair-Loss Dietary Tips
The following are some practical dietary tips that can help you control your hair-loss problem.
1. Reduce your intake of meat and dairy products
A high-fat, high-animal protein, dairy and high-salt diet damages the kidneys and creates acidic blood, thereby leading to hair loss, according to Paul Pitchford’s Healing with Whole Foods and Janet Zand’s, Allan N. Spreen’s and James B. LaValle’s Smart Medicine for Healthier Living.
Scientists postulate that the male pattern baldness is tied to increased testosterone levels during puberty. A high-fat, meat-based diet raises testosterone levels, and that may adversely affect hair follicles. For example, in Japan, male pattern baldness was very rare prior to World War II when the diet was lean and healthy. The Japanese now consume a more fatty, Westernized diet. Baldness is now increasing substantially among Japanese men. Eating low-fat foods may not stop hair loss; but it might help slow down the hair loss.
2. Eat essential fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are needed for a good circulation that will feed the hair roots. It also supplies the body with enough motivation to get on with the production of the hormones. Its best sources are the fish oils, tuna, salmon, and flaxseed oil.
Omega 3, an essential fatty acid, is vital to healthy hair. Starved of essential nutrients such as this, the body reacts, and as well as other health issues hair health can be compromised.
The Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids, EPA, and DHA, are specific elements that are required for vigorous and natural hair growth. Omega 3s are especially helpful because they promote a better absorption of nutrients in cells. Cells with the proper nutrition are able to function better and perform their primary tasks more efficiently.
It is well-known that Omega 3 has hair-growing properties. Its three main nutrients, all found in various foods in differing quantities, are ALA (alpha linolic acid), EPA (ecoisapentaionc acid) and DHA (docosahexaenioc acid). You can find a high amount of Omega 3 fatty acids in salmon, halibut, sardines, albacore, trout, herring, walnut, flaxseed oil and canola oil. Omega 3 fatty acids are also present in shrimp, clams, light chunk tuna, catfish, cod, and spinach.
3. Avoid mercury
Excessive levels of mercury deposited from too much fish can lead to mercury poisoning which can result in unexplained hair loss.
While fish remain a good source of protein and other important nutrients, we should be aware of the kinds of fish and the amount of fish we include in our diet.
4. Eat healthy proteins
Since hair is protein, a diet that is too low in protein may cause some thinning in hair or a retardation in the growth cycle. The converse is true, If you eat a protein-rich diet it will often result in improved hair growth.
A recommended diet for this purpose includes calves liver, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, and two tablespoons of granulated lecithin. Along with protein, these foods are also high in B vitamins, an important nutrient for hair.
Vegetarians should not forget that they should integrate foods rich in protein in their diets such as the beans, wheat, brown rice, corn, nuts, or seeds. The cysteine is another amino acid which makes up the protein. It can be found in foods rich in Sulfur like the meat, fish, egg yolks, onion, nuts, garlic, kale, raspberries, and cabbage. This amino acid is also a renowned detoxifier.
The numerous nutrients which you need to take in are protein, B-complex, Vitamins A and C, omega-3 fatty acids, and cysteine, which is another amino acid. Any deficiency with these nutrients is likely to cause hair loss.
5. Eat natural whole soy protein products
European studies have found that soy protein reinforces hair and stimulates its growth. In one study, The hair growth increased by 15 percent. Tofu and soy milk are good sources of soy protein. Other good sources of protein are: low-fat cheese, eggs, fish, beans, brewer’s yeast and yogurt.
New research published in the journal Biology of Reproduction reveals that consuming soy milk and other soy products could reduce hair loss and male pattern baldness. How? When the body breaks down isoflavones from soy products, one of the resulting compounds is equol, which blocks a form of testosterone called DHT that has been linked with hair loss and baldness. The hair loss prescription drug, Propecia, works in much the same way by blocking the conversion of testosterone into DHT.
The BBC is reporting on the molecule equol. Equol is produced in the intestine when soy is digested. No, that’s not the interesting bit. The interesting bit is that equol seems to prevent DHT (Dihydrotestosterone), a form or by-product of testosterone, from working. And as we all know (or are about to learn) DHT is thought to be one cause of male pattern baldness.
6. Avoid processed soy protein products
Avoid isolated isoflavone supplements and products that contain and soy protein, Studies have shown that consuming isolated soy protein products can trigger hyper- thryoidism where hair loss is a side effect.
It’s far too easy to exceed a healthy dietary intake with supplements. The typical Japanese diet contains only about 40 mg of isoflavones per day, while the average supplement contains about 85 mg. When you concentrate on one nutrient, you lose others and whole soybeans contain many other nutrients that contribute to a healthy diet, such as protein, fiber, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. There are also hundreds of different phytochemicals in soybeans and it’s the combined action of all of the components in soy that provide the full health benefits.
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Practical Hair Loss Prevention Tips
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Supplementing With Essential Fatty Acids can Be Beneficial for Reversing Hair Loss
