Archive for the ‘Reasons for Hair Loss’ category

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Let Your Hair Down!

November 23rd, 2009

Hair loss may be due to negative stress, lack of stimulation or poor circulation of the scalp, a diet deprived of proper balances of amino acids like Lysine, minerals such as Zinc or Iron, or vitamins B1 or C. Here are some simple, yet calming, exercises for the promotion of hair care;

1.      Have someone (or yourself) rub your scalp with fingertips.  A little baby oil may make the experience more pleasurable and less chafing.

2.      Boil dry pieces of Amla (Indian Gooseberry) in coconut oil. Mix even parts fresh Amla juice and lime juice.  Apply as a shampoo.  The Romasanjana variety is traditionally known to specifically stimulate hair growth.

3.      Drink 30 drops of red clover tops liquid extract daily.

4.      Make a mixture of sage tea and apple cider vinegar and place in a plastic bottle.  Use this mixture after shampooing, as a rinse.

5.      Hot and cold cloth applications have been beneficial in stimulating the scalp.

6.      Take 30-60 mg supplemental zinc daily.

7.      Cut a garlic clove and rub it on the problem areas about an hour before bedtime. Just prior to turning in, massage your scalp with olive oil and put on a shower cap. Sleep.  When you wake up in the morning, make sure you shampoo.  Do this for a few weeks.  Hair should stop falling out and new hair may begin to grow. Warning – be careful of lingering odors.  Have spouse or friend let you know if you smell like a deli. Odor

8.      Rub Aloe Vera into the scalp.

9.      Take one and a half Tbsp of apple cider vinegar and mix in a half tsp of cayenne powder.  Dab the mixture onto your scalp 1 hour before shampooing.  Warning – It can sting your eyes so keep the solution and your fingers away from them! Very promising results!

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Posted in About Hair, Diet & Nutrition, Reasons for Hair Loss, Tonics

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Where There is “Negitive Stress” There Are Problems

November 15th, 2009

Sometimes when we are under constant negative stress our hair falls out, turns gray or changes drastically from what it was before the stress. Before I go any further, I want to define “negative stress” as I see it.

If I go to the gym to work out, I am applying “positive stress” to my muscles so that they will respond by growing, thus making me stronger.  Negative stress on the other hand is stress that we put on ourselves that negatively effects our mental or physical well being.  Tony Robbins says that “stress is another word for fear.” If you think about it it is really true.  Negative stress is a mindset and below I will go into more detail on how I address it in a positive way.

( Note: I will be referring to “negative stress” as “stress” in the following paragraphs for simplification.)

Trauma, grief or depression can have many adverse effects on your body and your hair can be an external reflection of what is going on inside your body.

If the stress is external and not controllable by you or your decisions, you may want to find a therapist, counselor, group or clergy-person who can help you not only cope with the stress, but also give you tools to overcome the stress.

If your stress is internal, an effect of your decisions, it is controllable or manageable.  If this is the case, you can and should do something about it.  If you are alone in the matter, talk to a friend or family member who generally has a positive outlook on life.  If you are stressing about your hair loss, as I stated earlier, you are only making it worse.  Most people are like you and don’t have time to worry about other people (let alone their hair).

Evaluate the situation.  Is it as bad as you think?  Probably not! If you are overworked at your job or in your entrepreneurial endeavor, why are you?  Break it down.  Do you have to work the way you have been and are right now?  In most cases you can answer, “No.”  If it is temporary, look at it as such.  Mark on your calendar when the pressure will end (seasonal demand, meeting sales goal, pay off a certain debt, etc.).

If it is financially-based stress, and you are overwhelmed with payments or credit card debt, and are having trouble making payments, get help now.  There are organizations that will help you through it.  Many in your community (non-profit, church, synagogue) will do it at little or no cost – these people know you already have financial pressure and the last thing they want to do is add to it. There are also credit management firms who help you to consolidate your debt to one easy payment, ease you through the debt unloading process and protect you from bankruptcy.

Is what you are facing going to make a difference five years from now?

1.      Write out the Problem that is stressing you out as succinctly as possible

2.      Make it “Worse than Reality.”

3.      Write your “Reality Check.”

4.      Write out 3 – 10 ways you could possibly move forward with solving

the problem.  Some of the solutions may be just for fun, but get the        juices flowing.

5.      Move forward on one of the possible solutions – “Take Action”

Here is an example:

Problem: My hair is thinning out.

Worse than Reality:  I will be bald and all my friends will leave me.  Beautiful women will laugh at me. I will lose my job because of my hair loss.

Reality Check: I notice that my hair is thinning and I want to do something about it before it becomes more noticeable.  I want to feel more comfortable with my appearance when I go out and when I am giving presentations. Basically it comes down to maintaining or improving  my self confidence or self esteem.

Possible solutions:

1.      Follow Dave’s 10-Minute Method

2.      Try Saw Palmetto supplements for four months and track results

3.      Look into hair transplants

4.      Get my friend Cindy’s honest and confidential assessment about what women may think about my hair

5.      Read up on and work on being a more outgoing person

6.      Make a million dollars to compensate for my thinning hair ; )

7.      Buy a Corvette to compensate for my thinning hair :0

8.      Join a religion where I must always wear a head covering : )

9.      Shave my head two days before I go on vacation to Hawaii for two weeks to see how I like it

10.  Take supplements

11.  Stand on my head to increase circulation and stimulate my scalp

12.  Glue my fallen hair back onto head : )

13.  Get back into running with Tom

Take Action: Wednesday – go to Walgreens and pick up items for Dave’s 10-MM and my personalized program.  Thursday – Start Dave’s 10-Minute Method and follow it for three months then reevaluate.  Take Men’s Multi with good amounts of Zinc, Vitamin B6, B12, C and take a Saw Palmetto supplement.  Eat more salmon, nuts, lean meat and salad.  Lie on my bed and bow my head to the floor for two minutes every day.  Count hair fall out and track my my personal progress.

Now your issue is written out and is not a generalized fear that circles around in your conscious and subconscious mind day in and day out.  Writing it down makes you take a good look at your fear and helps you to see it for what it actually is.

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Posted in 7 Days to End Hair Loss, Diet & Nutrition, Other Men's Issues, Reasons for Hair Loss

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What Does Exercise Have To Do With My Hair?

November 3rd, 2009

Think about it… Your hair follicle is fd by your blood stream. If you have poor circulation, your hair follicle will be slowly starved.  Exercise on the other hand improves circulation and increases blood flow to every part of your body.  Along with exercise comes stimulation.  Many parts of our body lack positive stimulation to increase blood flow.  Here are a few tips to help you stimulate your scalp, follicles and even hair growth.

1.      Do not do this exercise if you have high or low blood pressure! Do not do this exercise without your doctor’s approval if you are sig­nificantly beyond young adulthood!

Stand on your head. If you cannot, lay on your bed face down with your torso off the end of the bed and head and forearms laying flat on the floor with palms down.  Stay in that position for a minute each day and, after a week, gradually work your way up to five minutes each day. The theory behind this is that you will bring oxygen to the hair follicles, which will rejuvenate the scalp and encourage hair to grow.

2.      Clinch your fingers so that the nails of your right hand face the nails of your left hand.  Rub the fingernails of one hand against the fingernails of your other. Do this three times a day for 5 minutes each time.  Supposed to reduce gray hair and stimulate hair growth.

3.      Massage your scalp with baby oil or olive oil for five minutes every night and morning. Scalp massages increase circulation to the head and can help hair follicles receive important nutrients from the blood supply.

4.      Massage your scalp with a mixture of six drops of lavender and six drops of bay oil in four oz of sesame oil.

5.      Grab a hand­ful of hair and yank gently. Repeat it over your entire scalp concentrating on problem areas (if possible). This is to strengthen your roots.

6.      Make loose fists and lightly knock on your scalp.  This is done to stimulate your scalp and brain.

7.      Take a 30 to 60 minute walk every day. Take the dog or kids for a walk and then come home for a spa treatment with the tonics and scalp treatments.

8.      Sleep seven to eight hours a night. Your body has to have a good rest period and allow circulation of blood and oxygen to the necessary organs such as skin, heart and lungs just to name a few. Your scalp will also rejuvenate during this time and you will have to brush your hair in the morning.

9.      Tap your scalp with a wire brush.  This is said to increase electri­cal stimulation to the follicles.

10.  A dermal hammer is an acupuncture tool, which has a long handle supporting a head, which holds a cluster of small individual “blunt” needles intended to stimulate, but not puncture the skin. It is commonly used all over the body, but for hair loss, right over the thinning areas of the scalp.  The tool is used once then discarded (or possibly several times if the tool is properly sterilized).  This is a recognized method of fighting hair loss, but due to the nature of the practice, I suggest finding a licensed acupuncturist to perform the therapy correctly and safely.  I also believe that the tapping hairbrush method is a much safer way to accomplish the same thing.

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Posted in 7 Days to End Hair Loss, Exercise and Stimulation, Reasons for Hair Loss, Tonics

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Herbs that Stop Hair Loss

August 28th, 2009

Here are the celebrities of the supplement world when it comes to promoting hair growth and preventing hair loss.  *Always check with your health care provider before taking supplements. Some supplements have not been included in the list below because of a possibility of a stronger negative effect on the health of the man taking them:

  1. Black currant oil: High in Gamma-Linolenic Acid, which supports hair growth.  May take 60 to 90 days for visible results. 1 gram a day.
  2. Capsicum: Increases blood flow to the scalp thus stimulating and accelerating hair growth up to 40-50 percent.
  3. Danshen (Red Sage): Danshen has been known since ancient times to preserve the hair that is currently on your head. Some hair-preserving shampoos include a mixture of sage in them.  Try adding a little sage (liquid alcoholic extract of the leaf) to your shampoo.
  4. Dong Quai: (Chinese Angelica) helps block the process of DHT production. It is a Chinese herb traditionally used for high blood pressure and hair re-growth among other things.  Known as a rare non-animal source of B-12 and aphrodisiac.  Thorough, conclusive testing has not yet been completed.
  5. Evening primrose oil: High in Gamma-Linolenic Acid, which supports hair growth from the inside.  May take as long as 60 to 90 days for visible results. 200 mg – 500 mg a day
  6. Flaxseed oil: One tbsp daily or one tablet – roughly 4,000mg
  7. Fo Ti (Polygonum multiflorum or He shou-wu): A Chinese herb used in Ori­ental medicine that has been linked to slowing or stopping hair loss.  Try 400-500 mg three times daily.
  8. Full-spectrum Enzyme com­plex: 1 capsule with each meal
  9. Ginger: It is rich in fatty acids. It boasts properties that increase circulation and stimulate the hair follicle.
  10. Grape Seed Extract: Contains Flavonoids that helps grow epithelial cells.  Take 100-160mg a per day
  11. GREEN TEA EXTRACT: Effective for fighting against the transformation of male testosterone to DHT.
  12. HOPS: Thicken and condition hair with nourishing oils.
  13. Horsetail: Contains Selenium and Silicon.  These minerals promote scalp circulation.  Check with holistic health care provider before use.
  14. Jojoba Oil: Used traditionally for centuries to promote hair growth and for dandruff control. This oil imitates healthy scalp-produced sebum.
  15. L-ARGININE: A natural amino acid necessary to grow new hair.  Hair follicles need nitric oxide.
  16. Lemongrass: Stabilizes natural oil production on the scalp. Amplifies hair and gives the appearance of fullness.
  17. Licorice: This plant legume contains a compound that prevents conversion of testosterone to DHT. Add licorice to your favorite shampoo when you shower.  Too much Licorice may lower potassium in bloodstream
  18. L- LYSINE: Another amino acid that treats hair loss. Take about 1g per day.
  19. NETTLE: Clinically shown to inhibit 5-Alpha Reductase.  Also provides stimulation increasing vitamins A and C, amino acids and minerals to circulate more efficiently throughout the scalp.
  20. Omega-3 fatty acids: Possibly stop hair loss. Some people believe it makes it possible to grow new hair. Fish such as Herring, Salmon and Mackerel contain high amounts.  Also may be taken in supplement form.
  21. Safflower: Aids in the stimulation of blood vessels on the scalp – opening them up for more nutrients to get to the follicle. Used topically in oil form massaged onto scalp or add a small amount into your shampoo.
  22. Rosemary: Shown to increase circulation, remove dandruff and sebum accumulations.  Great when used topically in olive oil and massaged into hair and scalp.  Stimulate the scalp by pouring a quarter-size amount in your hand then gently rubbing onto scalp.  This should improve scalp circulation.  Or instead mix 3 to 5 drops to each ounce of shampoo.

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Posted in About Hair, Other Men's Issues, Reasons for Hair Loss

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Study Shows Herb Outperforms Propecia

August 28th, 2009

I mentioned that a Natural substance would outperform a pharmaceutical for pennies a day?  Here it is…8 % (eight percent) of men treated with the pharmaceutical drug Propecia experienced some re-growth. The following piece of information is about the effectiveness of Saw Palmetto and Beta-Sitosterol.

The Jour­nal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine reports that a product con­taining Saw Palmetto (Serenoa Repens) and the plant compound Beta-Sitosterol, may increase hair growth in men. This study included 19 men between the ages of 23 and 64 years who had mild to mod­erate hair loss. They were given either a placebo or a supple­ment containing 400 mg of a standardized extract of saw pal­metto and 100 mg of beta-sitosterol per day. Saw Palmetto has historically been linked to curing men’s genital problems such as enlarged prostate.

After about five months, hair growth in 60 percent of the men taking the herbal combination had improved, compared with their initial eval­uation. Only 11 per­cent of those receiving the placebo had any improvement. Of course, check with your physician before taking any herbal medications because they may interfere with the regular medications which you are prescribed.

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Posted in About Hair, Other Men's Issues, Reasons for Hair Loss

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