Physiological approach to hair loss
Alopecia is a medical or technical name for the hair fall. The loss of hairs could occur from the scalp or on any parts of the body that normally contain hairs, such as eyebrows or eyelashes. A particular amount of hair loss on a daily basis is quite normal. An average person generally sheds 50-100 hairs a day. The hairs shedding daily are not necessarily to be a permanent hair fall. Most of the hairs we shed grow back. All hairs have a cycle of three to six years. At any given time, some of the hairs are growing, some are done growing and in the resting phase, and some are in the falling-out phase.
Everyone sheds hairs at about the same pace, but there are some persons, through genetics, who are having fewer new hairs those grow replacing those have shed. Pattern baldness or permanent hair losses are simply the result of some faulty genetic program. Increased hair shedding or temporary hair losses can be due to host of different factors. Some of those factors include poor nutritional supplements and dietary pattern, genes, hormonal imbalance, aging, medicines or therapies such as chemotherapies, radiation therapy, infections, distress, chemically prepared hairstyles, and rapid weight loss.
Diet does make the difference
Certain illnesses and health ailments can also cause hair fall or hair loss. Examples are anemia, low thyroid hormonal levels, lupus, and some cases of cancer. In most of those cases, hair loss is quite a permanent. A wholesome dietary patter that includes foods those are rich in silica, calcium and irons would help reducing or preventing hair loss. Dark green and leafy vegetables, particularly sea vegetables are good mineral source and hence are advisable in case of hair loss. Raw oats would provide silica and dried fruits and cherry’s juice is rich source of irons and is very beneficial wherein the hair loss is just because of iron deficiency.
For men and women
For the women, thinning of the hairs or hair fall could be a sign of problems in the gastrointestinal tract. It might be a sign of insufficient stomach acids and it can also point out for the deficiency of proteins, zinc and other essential elements. Taking a couple of acidophilus tablets after or between meals (hence, it comes around 4-6 tablets a day) for a couple of months might help according to the experts.
For men, balding process could be slower down by taking some low-fat diets. Some scientists postulate that the male pattern baldness is connected to increased testosterone levels that are generally found during puberties. Some high-fats, meat-based diets raise testosterone levels and this may adversely affect hair follicles resulting into drastic hair fall or shedding.
For instance, in Japan , male pattern baldness was considered to be very rare incidence prior to the World War second when the diet was quite lean and healthy. The Japanese, according to present survey, now consume more fatty diets, Westernized diets and hence, the baldness is now increasing potentially among Japanese men. Eating low-fat items might not stop hair loss; but it would help slowing down the hair shedding or hair falling process undoubtedly.
General hair loss diet
As said before, anemia is one of the most frequent factors causing hair loss. Eating plenty of iron-rich foods such as liver (avoid if one is pregnant) and other organ meats, whole grain cereals would be beneficial. One can also switch onto dark green leafy vegetable, egg, dates, and raisin.
The hair is made up of mostly of proteins. To encourage hair growth, one should stick to the diet that is rich in protein. A recommended diet for such purpose is calves liver, brewer's yeasts, wheat germs, and two tbsp of granulated lecithin. Along with proteins, such foods are also high in vitamin B complex, an important group of nutrients for the hair.
European researchers have revealed that soy proteins reinforce hairs and stimulate their growth. In one trial, the hair growth increased by 15%. Tofu and soy milk are also rich sources of soy proteins. Other great sources of proteins include low-fat cheese, egg, fishes, beans and yoghurt.
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