What causes hair loss and are there ways to fix it?
Hair Loss happens & sometimes there is no hiding it!
“Studies show that by age 50, approximately half of men and women will experience hair loss.” (Supplements for Hair Growth, NutritionFacts.org)
Why is it that you can have hair loss, while your best friend has a full set of hair? You can thank increased stress, smoking, having more children, or having a history of high blood pressure or cancer…among other things.
Last year, I attended a webinar hosted by Dr. Greger of NutritionFacts.org covering the topic of Hair Loss Prevention. My biggest takeaway from this webinar was that the drugs on the market for so-called “hair regrowth”, actually do more harm than good. You’ve probably seen (or heard) the ads for hair loss. I hear them often, but it’s probably because I’m sensitive to them.
Have you ever dealt with hair loss (or thinning hair)?
Most of you don’t know this… Last year I lost 75-80% of my hair. Before I continue, yes, I am aware of the average amount of hair loss that is natural on a daily basis.
My hair loss wasn’t “natural”. The best way I’ve can describe it is, think of the movies where the woman is washing her hair and it begins to fall out in clumps. She ends up being sick or it’s a type of scary movie where she was poisoned. That was my experience every time I washed my hair for about 4 months.
Warning: Below I share a few photos of what my hair loss looked like in the shower over a 10 day period. If you are sensitive to hair loss photos, scroll on to the next paragraph.
The amount of hair that I lost was enough to make a wig. I did what I think most people would do. I visited an {alternative} health care physician to conduct blood tests. Before having the blood tests I was worried. Was I facing a serious illness? I had zero other symptoms.
My blood work came back great, nothing low/high to even err on the side of caution.
Now I will disclose that I never received a definite answer as to why my hair fell out.
Many of you know, I went through a lot of stress during our transition moving across the country.
– I had pneumonia for over a week, coupled with a high fever for most of that time.
– I took medication to combat this illness, the first time in over 5 years.
– I stopped nursing a baby, helllooooo postpartum reality and although I never tested positive for Covid, I did lose my sense of taste and smell.
Have you heard that hair loss is one of the “long haul” symptoms?
Looking back, I didn’t think I was that stressed, so the drugs, illness and postpartum response do make sense…along with EMFs, pollution, chemically treated water etc but I’ll save that for another day.
Are there Solutions for Hair Loss/Thinning?
I know a few people who also experienced hair loss recently, likely as a long haul symptom. Fortunately, my hair loss subsided and is finally evening out. In fact, when I go in for a hair cut the hair care professional is amazed at how thick and fast my hair regrowth is.
There is no magic cure for hair loss. It is a result of changes your body undergoes or is experiencing. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle via nutrition and holistic wellness habits is key.
The following are some of the measures I took to promote healthy hair regrowth. I share this in hopes that you will find a method that supports your personal hair loss and regrowth journey. Of course, this isn’t meant to cure, treat or mitigate disease and you’ll want to check with your go-to wellness person to see what is right for you.
Start From the Inside Out
To be honest I didn’t do much different. Yet, my hair is growing back healthier and seemingly thicker.
Nutrition
I follow a whole food, plant-based diet 95%+ of the time. Fruits and vegetables are nutrient dense providing you with phytonutrients, minerals and antioxidant protection.
The only food found to have a positive effect on hair growth is pumpkin seeds. I like to sprinkle them on my salads or throw them in my smoothies for an added boost.
Cellular Protection
Cellular activation has been a priority in my life for over 8 years. By activating Nrf2, NRF1 and NAD I support my body at the cellular level. The Nrf2 pathway reduces oxidative stress, while increasing my body’s ability to produce its own protective enzymes such as glutathione.
Glutathione is a master oxidant, known to support healthy growth and repair cells, and crucial for detoxification purposes. My body endured toxicity from the medication, change in environment and overall stress. I believe this helped heal my body where it needed it most, from the inside out. Nrf2 activation supports healing at the cellular level. Mitochondrial repair (NRF1) and cellular cleansing (NAD) were beneficial and supported getting my body on track. You can find out more about cellular activation here.
Supplements
I’ve never been a big supplement person, but over the years of working in nutrition and wellness I see that they do have their place. To support healthy hair regrowth I incorporated a B Vitamin Complex + Biotin and enzymes. This was to increase efficiency among metabolic functions and increase absorption of nutrients.
Collagen
Since June 2022, I have been taking a marine peptide liquid collagen. Collagen plays an important role in the health of the scalp and hair follicles. It contains amino acids used to build keratin. Keratin is the protein that hair is primarily made of. The dermis, the connective tissue later the contains hair follicles is also mainly collagen. If that wasn’t enough, studies are showing that collagen may impact age-related hair growth.
What to Use On Your Scalp & Hair Following Hair Loss
My curly hair has a mind of its own, even more following hair loss. It does take trial and error to figure out what works on curly hair, especially when you live in a humid climate. When my hair loss began I knew I needed to support my body’s natural release in order to nurture it going forward.
Hair will have a hard time growing in an unhealthy environment. When it comes to your personal care products choose those with clean ingredients, and less chemicals. I do my best to eliminate or keep toxins to a minimum. Hair care products should promote a healthy, balanced environment for growth. The TrueScience Nrf2 activated hair care system was the best option for me. It promoted a healthy scalp for hair regrowth and is listed as a product containing clean ingredients – win win!
In addition to activating the Nrf2 pathway from within, I used the TrueScience Nrf2 activated hair care system. Below is a photo of my husband when he first started using the system.
This activation contributed to a healthy environment for my hair regrowth to take place.
Hair Regrowth
Fast forward a year. What do I do to strengthen and maintain my body’s health?
First, I focus on decreasing stress. Both mentally and physically. Typically when we think stress, we don’t consider how it’s affecting our bodies physically. Stress is damaging our bodies at a cellular level, again something we rarely think about. Cellular level, what’s that? Your body is made of cells, when they aren’t functioning properly you feel it – restless sleep, fatigue, brain fog, inefficient digestion, disease and HAIR LOSS.
Building a healthy foundation for long-lasting wellness is key. This will support hair regrowth and potential illnesses or toxic exposure you may face. If you have any questions regarding my journey, please feel free to message or email me at the address listed below.
Are You Looking for Nutrition Support on Your Wellness Journey?
If you’re looking for an experienced and trustworthy Wellness Specialist to help you reach your wellness goals, I’d love to link arms with you. I am a Holistic Health Practitioner, specializing in plant-based nutrition and longevity wellness. My passion is supporting you in your weight loss/management goals, while building a long lasting foundation for optimal wellness.
Interested in learning more? Please feel free to contact Lacy with Reimagine Nutrition for a free wellness consultation. I look forward to hearing from you!
You can reach us by email at [email protected]
