SEPTEMBER 23, 2011 HAIR AND MORE HAIR

Different styles for different folks!

HAIR, HAIR, AND MORE HAIR

DO YOU HAVE BEAUTIFUL HAIR? Kate does.

I do!

Hair, Hair and then more hair. We are obsessed with hair and hair styles. I know I am! I find the individuals who have straight hair-want curly hair, and those with curly hair want straight hair. In the last 11 years I have had every hair style and cut imaginable. Today I do not want to cut my hair. Why? Because I now have hair to cut based on changes in my dietary and herb lifestyle. Do not fall into the trap that shampoos and conditioners will keep your hair healthy. In the early 1970's I had a curly perm in high school. In the 1980's I kept my hair short while in medical School. In 1990's I bleached my hair whitish blond and also shaved it. Since 2000, I have had short, shaved, military, long with bangs and now, just medium length. The point is that I love different hairstyles, but more importantly--I have my hair back.

I caution all to beware of what you hear about certain dietary supplements that will thicken your hair and make it grow much faster. Not all that you read is true!

There are however healthy foods to eat for maintaining healthy hair. Everyone and I mean everyone should take omega 3 fatty acids. I get mine from fish. This is needed to support the scalp health. If you are a vegetarian you can have flax seeds on your salads or cereals. Why do you need leafy greens for your hair? The leafy green s produce your own oil, sebum. This acts as a natural conditioner.

We all need protein for maintenance of healthy hair . If you are a vegetarian eat nuts and seeds. Beans are also a great source of protein for shiny, sleek hair . Protein contains trace minerals biotin, zinc, selenium, and copper that are essential for the hair. Oh yes, do not forget iron. The best source of selenium is Brazil nuts. Walnuts are also excellent as these contain alpha linolenic acid (an omega 3 oil). I do NOT encourage peanuts. They are not nuts, but legumes which are grown in the soil. There is fungus in the soil and on most peanuts. The foods that contain zinc include beef, lamb, whole grains and oysters. I prefer you get zinc from grains and occasional oysters. If you want to have beautiful hair and a sex drive, eat oysters which are abundant in zinc. Zinc is a very powerful antioxidant.

The easiest source of protein for me is eggs.

I have researched and continue to use Horsetail for my hair. In older herbal texts as Culpepper and Sauer, there is a mention of horsetail for stimulating hair growth. This is due to the abundance of silica in this herb. I apply some to my scalp as well as ingest the tincture.

So the list of nutrients for the hair are:

1. Selenium

2. Zinc

3. Biotin

4. B12

5. Omega 3 fatty acids

6. Vitamin A

7. Calcium

8. Flax seeds

9. MSM

10. Horsetail

I utilize Cosmedix from Longevity Nutritionals as a product that contains many of these supplements.

Until tomorrow...