| It wasn't until his mid-fifties that my father | | | | dosage suggested below or at a dosage |
| started losing his hair. I remember the boxes of | | | | recommended by your physician, can be a strong |
| lotions, creams, heating massage pads that kept | | | | deterrent to premature hair loss. Consider the |
| coming to his house (much to my stepmother's | | | | following:a) Evening Primrose Oil and Flaxseed Oil. |
| chagrin). But his hairline kept receding and a | | | | Both of these are rich in omega-3 fatty acids |
| decade later, only a well-greased tuft remained on | | | | which are essential for strong, healthy hair. |
| the crown of his head.Genetics had a lot to do | | | | Evening primrose oil contains a special fat called |
| with his situation. My older brother, almost 60 | | | | gamma-linolenic acid( GLA) which the body |
| now, is showing the same pattern of thinning hair. | | | | converts to hormonelike compounds called |
| But, unlike my father, he has a lot more | | | | prostaglandins. The GLA in evening primrose oil is |
| treatment options at his disposal.Causes for hair | | | | directly converted to anti-inflammatory |
| loss can run the gamut from genetics, medical | | | | prostaglandins which are effective against eczema |
| treatments like chemotherapy, skin eczema or | | | | and skin allergies. Taking evening primrose oil |
| allergies, excessive stress, poor nutrition, hormonal | | | | (1000mg 3 times a day) will prevent hair loss that |
| changes like menopause and "andropause", | | | | is caused by excess flaking and shedding of skin |
| under-active thyroid, immune disorders to | | | | on the scalp.b) Flaxseed Oil (14 g a day) provides |
| trichotillomania, a psychological disorder in which | | | | substances called lignans which may help fight |
| people are compelled to pull out their hair. A study | | | | cancer, bacteria, viruses and fungi. Flaxseed oil |
| in England has also shown a direct connection | | | | boosts the health of hair and nail and speeds the |
| between smoking and hair loss. It also showed | | | | healing of scalp lesions that may contribute to hair |
| that smokers were 4 times more likely to have | | | | loss. A recent study involving 10 men between |
| gray hair than non-smokers.Some conditions can | | | | the ages of 20 and 70 in varying stages of male |
| be treated medically through drugs like minoxidil | | | | pattern baldness ( AGA) showed that 8 of the |
| and corticosteroids. Others might require | | | | subjects reported modest improvement of their |
| something more drastic, like follicular hair | | | | hair loss condition, one reported much |
| transplant, a form of surgical hair restoration that | | | | improvement and one subject reported no effect. |
| does provide lasting benefits. The cost, however, | | | | Throughout the study, the daily numbers of hair |
| can be prohibitive.But for us normal folks in our | | | | loss decreased and 50 percent of the subjects |
| 30's, 40's, even 50's, who are just starting to | | | | noticed a decrease in oil secretion in their scalp.c) |
| notice our thinning hair, what preventative | | | | Zinc (30mg) can boost thyroid function and |
| measures or supplementation can we take to | | | | reduce hair loss that comes from an underactive |
| minimize hair loss?Because healthy hair is | | | | thyroid. Zinc must be taken with its companion |
| dependent on the health of the scalp (hair requires | | | | Copper (2 mg a day) in order to maintain proper |
| a plentiful supply of nutrient-rich blood to nourish | | | | mineral balance in the body. Copper also contains |
| the hair follicles in the scalp) it makes sense that | | | | melanin, the pigment that colors hair and skin and |
| eating nutritionally balanced meals will promote | | | | can help reverse or delay premature graying. Zinc |
| healthy follicles and healthy hair growth. In a | | | | can also affect the levels of androgens, the |
| recent interview, Dr. Shari Lieberman Ph.D CNS, a | | | | hormones involved in some form of genetic hair |
| nutrition scientist and exercise physiologist at the | | | | loss.d) Biotin (1000 mcg a day) and Vitamin B-50 |
| University of Bridgeport, CT, claims that crash | | | | Complex (1 tablet twice a day) can also reduce |
| diets have been responsible for many cases of | | | | the oiliness and flakiness of the scalp and |
| hair loss: "I'm seeing a lot of women not eating | | | | strengthen the condition of the hair.Other |
| enough protein. A lot of them are eating | | | | preventative procedures could include a weekly |
| vegetables; they're eating carbs. They've really | | | | scalp massage to stimulate blood flow and reduce |
| gone off a lot of protein and sometimes I'll see | | | | stress which can contribute to hair loss, wearing a |
| hair loss in women for that."There is no doubt | | | | hat to protect hair and scalp from sun damage |
| that a daily diet rich in protein, good carbs and | | | | and avoiding abrasive hair treatment like |
| essential fats is important for hair health. Hair is | | | | permanents or coloring.Copyright 2006 Mary |
| very sensitive to vitamin or mineral imbalances in | | | | DesaulniersA runner for 27 years, retired |
| the body. A flaky scalp can be caused by too little | | | | schoolteacher and writer, Mary is helping people |
| vitamin A; however, too much vitamin A can also | | | | reclaim their bodies. Nutrition, exercise, positive |
| bring about hair loss. Supplements, when taken on | | | | vision and purposeful engagement are the tools |
| a consistent basis, at the average or standard | | | | used to turn their bodies into creative selves. |