|
As much as America's fast food culture wishes life
were a box of chocolates, the fact is strong,
healthy hair requires more than most vending
machines and drive thru's can offer.
Unfortunately, excessive weight isn't the only
thing poor eating habits can cause: thin hair,
susceptible to the damaging effects of DHT is just as likely.
If you are experiencing hair loss your diet can play a profound role in
reversing this condition. By
using the medicinal, healing properties of the food your
body can defend itself against balding and hair
loss. With a diet rich in vitamins, proteins,
minerals, essential fatty
acids, and trace elements, your hair will be
more capable to withstand the bi-product of
testosterone: DHT (the main culprit in male and female pattern
baldness).
Studies have shown that diets
rich with animal
fats cause excessive amounts of
testosterone to be released into the blood
stream. Similarly, people who ate diets
low in fat had significantly less testosterone
released in their system. High levels of
testosterone directly affect the amount of hair
loss a person experiences. Research also
indicates that high-fat diets limit vital
protein binding globulins. These globulins
keep testosterone inactive in the body until it
is required. A bloodstream without such
globulins means that more testosterone is ready
to be transformed by the enzyme
5-alpha-reductase (present in hair glands) into
DHT. With larger amounts of testosterone
circulating in the blood, oil glands can
increase activity, thereby providing the
system with more harmful DHT.
Interestingly enough, areas that frequently have
problems with balding contain larger oil glands
than areas not associated with balding.
In a frequently noted study, researcher
Masui Inaba documented his findings in a report
illustrating this
phenomenon in action. The study observed
higher incidents of hair loss among Japanese men
who ate Westernized diets (i.e. far more red
meat than their peers). With more animal fat
in their diets, Inaba illustrated that the
dramatic increase led to an increased incidence of
hair loss. His research indicated that
higher levels of fat cause oil glands in the
hair follicle to grow, thereby producing more
DHT and more damage to hair follicles.
From a molecular point of view, baldness is seen
as a hormonal imbalance. It is widely
accepted that the hormone DHT
(Dihydrotestosterone), the bi-product in the
breakdown of testosterone, is the principal
factor in hair loss. As a result, compounds
capable of lowering DHT levels are viewed as
having a beneficial effect in the treatment of
baldness, including dietary restrictions that
aid in reducing the effects of DHT.
Although controlling dietary intake is more
challenging than using medication, it doesn't
have any negative side effects. Many
individuals have reported that changing their
diet has resulted in helping to control hair
loss, especially when it was done in combination
with compounds that limit the production of
testosterone DHT.
1) Steering clear of the Western diet
is one of the best ways to avoid and defend against
baldness. By introducing low-fat protein sources,
such as non-fatty fish, chicken, turkey,
and soy products as well as complex
carbohydrates
from fruits, vegetables, and beans, into a diet
rich in fatty acids can be effective in
helping control hair loss. By
utilizing a healthy diet in tandem with drug and herbal
therapies, individuals can greatly increase the
odds of their success.
2) Eat sizeable portions of fruits, vegetables, and
beans. Don't emphasize potatoes, pasta, and
bread. These foods quickly turn to glucose,
spinning insulin
levels out of control as blood sugar levels rise
rapidly and fall just as quickly. This
compromises the body's ability to regulate hormone
levels in the blood. Such foods should be
kept to a minimum.
3) Likewise, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and sugar,
affect the body with a similar effects on the
blood. These stimulants steal
nutrients from the body while passing through
the system, disturbing blood-sugar and hormone
levels. Adrenal glands are adversely
affected. Significant use of
stimulants disturb and deplete the glands, which
in turn affects the level of nutrients in the
blood stream and eventually levels of hair
damaging DHT.
4) By eating five to six smaller sized meals a day;
the body will be able to maintain proper hormone
levels, thereby providing hair with the nutrients
needed for hair growth and maintenance.
5) It is best to avoid processed or refined foods.
Natural and organic foods are digested and
utilized by the body in a more even fashion,
allowing for better regulated hormone and
blood-sugar levels. Refined grains lack
the best source of vitamin B, an important
building block in hair growth. This
deficit is further exacerbated by the lack of
green leafy vegetables in the American diet.
What Americans need to understand is that
people in Mexico, India, China, and Japan have
beautiful, strong hair well into old age.
A huge difference in diet is the amount of
protein they eat. Compared to the average
American, protein intake is extremely low.
The habits
of the people in such countries show a variety
of foods rich in nutritious vitamins and
minerals required for strong, healthy hair growth. The Chinese
diet
is complete with an emphasis on vegetables,
seafood, rice, and soybeans. Their diet is
rich in fatty
acids that are essential for healthy hair.
The
Japanese include large amounts of seaweed
rich with Iodine, a crucial nutrient in the
production of strong hair. The diets in
India and Mexico are replete with beans and
rice, as well as leafy green vegetables and a
wide variety of fruit. It should go
without saying, but in terms of hair care, you are what you
eat.
2 Month Starter Kit $44.90
This package includes a 2 month supply of our Topical
Treatment and Revitalizing Shampoo |
|
|
|
