Natural Hair Growth

UP YOUR NUTRITION

Eat a diet rich in nutrient dense, chemical free, locally grown foods. Protein is most important; it's a building block for hair growth and repair. If you need nutrient help, here are some helpful supplements:  B-complex vitamins like B6 (Pyridoxine) and B7 (Biotin) are important to synthesise protein.  Iron and Zinc help hair follicles grow and regulate hormones associated with hair growth.  Vitamin D boosts hair growth.  Essential Fatty Acids hydrate hair and keep it shiny.  Vitamins A and C are used to make sebum, the substance that coats the outside of hair follicles. 

BOOST DIGESTION

Good digestion seems a strange pre-requisite as a factor for hair growth but consider that hair is made up of keratin, which is protein, and we need proper protein intake and assimilation for healthy hair. Adequate stomach acid helps protein break down into amino acids. When food is properly digested, it provides supportive building blocks for hair to grow.  Although most people think heartburn and indigestion are caused by too much stomach acid, that's not the case. About ninety percent of people have too little stomach acid. Too much stress and too little nutrients can slow the production of gastric juice. This causes food to stay in the tummy too long and creates digestive stress. Healthy digestive enzymes are a good thing all round, they break down protein, fats and carbs too. Maximize digestion and assimilation of essential nutrients by taking appropriate digestive enzymes. Eating the right food combinations, sipping peppermint or ginger tea, and avoiding fruit after meals will also help.   

KEEP HORMONES IN CHECK

Healthy hair also depends on hormone balance. This means keeping stress at bay, avoiding toxins, regularly checking your thyroid and boosting your nutrition.  Cortisol is a stress hormone that spikes in response to chronic and acute stress. On-going stress that keeps cortisol levels high will affect metabolic function and in turn, impede hair growth.  Estrogen dominance is a common hormone imbalance in women and men of all ages. Toxins in our environment, like pesticides and BPA, act like estrogen in the body while foods like soy throw estrogen out of balance. Elevated levels of estrogen can significantly contribute to hair loss. See if you need to regulate your estrogen balance and look for ways to naturally reverse estrogen dominance.  The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate the body's metabolism. Low thyroid function can cause hair loss, which often manifests in patches, like the outer third of the eyebrow. If you're losing a lot of hair and it seems more coarse than usual, you may have low thyroid function. Good nutrition is a factor in improving hormone balance. It may be that a grain free diet is necessary.

WATCH YOUR ADRENAL FUNCTION

It's fairly easy to exhaust your adrenals, especially when living a city life.  Stimulants like sugar, too much caffeine, fast burning carbohydrates, alcohol, traffic and stress will over stimulate the nervous system and contribute to burn-out. Hair loss fromadrenal stress is seen as overall thinning of the hair, mostly along the top centerline. Take adrenal adaptogen supplements like Rhodiola Rosea, Ashwaganda, Astragalus.  Remove all food allergens and foods you are sensitive to and most importantly, slow down.  

DO CARDIO EXERCISE  

Exercise is crucial for healthy hair. Hair follicles get nutrients from the blood and when exercise causes the blood to pump it makes the nutrients more available. Cardiovascular exercise is known to improve hair health and accelerate hair growth. 

GET QUALITY SLEEP  

Make sure you sleep 7-8 hours a night in a dark room without electronic devices near your bed. Charge your phone in another room and avoid foods that spike your blood sugar in the hours before you sleep. 

BE CALMER  

Keep your nervous system balanced and functioning properly. That means getting out of the habit of worrying or thinking too much; learning to meditate; and speaking and thinking positively. 

TAKE A SAUNA  

Have a sauna once a week, not only will it detox you but it will increase blood flow to the surface of the skin, and this means stimulating hair follicles. When there's more blood flow more nutrients are able to get to the blood and this translates into better hair growth. 

MASSAGE YOUR SCALP  

Get someone in the family to do a scalp massage once a week. Use Macadamia, Morroccan or coconut oil and work it into both scalp and hair. It's best to keep it on overnight (watch your pillow though ' you may want to cover it with a towel). All these oils are deeply conditioning. 

BAN BAD CHEMICALS

Harsh chemicals in shampoos and hair products can be damaging to the natural oils your hair needs to stay healthy.  There are many natural products with ingredients that don't alter the pH of the hair or dry out the scalp. Choose body products free from ingredients that can cause hormone imbalance. This means free from sodium laryl or laureth sulfate, parbens, propylene glycol and silicone. 

LEAVE STEROIDS OUT

Male pattern baldness is caused by the conversion of testosterone into di-hydro testosterone that inhibits hair growth on the head. Avoid steroid use. Men genetically predisposed to baldness will go bald more quickly if they also use steroids. Besides, steroids are far more damaging to health than they are beneficial to athletic performance. 

SUPPLEMENT WITH COLLAGEN  

High-quality collagen has a unique profile of amino acids that provide building blocks for healthy hair, skin and nails. Although there aren't conclusive studies showing that supplementing will make your hair grow, there are studies proving that it improves skin elasticity and moisture. It's a popular folk remedy for weak fingernails because of its collagen and mineral content. We get collagen from gelatin, which comes from the connective tissue of animals. Most traditional diets include gelatin-rich cartilage from animals. It's primarily protein, water and mineral salts and has half of the 18 essential amino acids, needed for survival. Glycine, for instance, is needed by the liver to remove toxins. Lysine is another amino acid from gelatin that helps with calcium absorption and building muscle. Gelatin helps with digestion as it naturally binds to water and helps food move more easily through the digestive tract. It's been shown to alleviate asthma, fatigue, Crohn's disease and colitis. Studies show that eating gelatin rich food helps maintain a more youthful appearance. Gelatin helps the body absorb nutrients and will optimise the value of any meal.  Make sure you are taking gelatin that comes from a 100% grass fed source.