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Free Weights vs. Exercise Machines
Anyone who has ever been in a gym before is familiar with the gleaming banks of shiny exercise machines. Coming in all shapes and sizes, they are usually cause for the newcomer to the gym to pause and ask, “What IS all of that stuff?”
Well,...
Weight-bearing Exercise with a Weight Vest for Osteopenia
Starting with fire-fighters, then moving to athletes, weight
vest training has become very popular. It has been well
proven over the last twenty years that weight-training adds
strength to the muscles and density to the bones.
Miriam E. Nelson,...
Glyconutrients: A Well Developed Nutritional Supplement
Unlike other nutritional supplements, glyconutrients provide the monosaccharides recently identified as essential for good human health. Glyconutritionals address the fundamental structure of the body. Rather than trying to chelate out the toxins...
Nutritional Supplements: The Amazing Vitamin C
Body The real facts about Vitamin C may surprise you. First of all what is Vitamin C? Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin. Unlike the oil soluble vitamins such as A and E, Vitamin C cannot be stored by your body. Since Vitamin C is not stored by...
Startling New Evidence: You Can Slow the Aging Process, Scientists Say
What if you could actually slow your rate of aging, and live healthier longer, simply by eating certain foods? U.S. Government scientists now say it’s possible.
Floyd P. Horn, then Administrator of the scientific research arm of the USDA,...
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How Correct Nutrition can Improve the Health of your Hair
It is normal to lose 50 to 100 hairs a day. Beyond this, hair
loss can result from general nutrient deficiency. One of the
problems with nutrition and hair however is that we can't
programme nutrients to do what we want - and hair growth is not
a priority so nutrients may be used up in other areas first.
B vitamins (especially B6, biotin and inositol) have all been
found to be important in hair growth, so a heavy duty B complex
is recommended. Avoid alcohol and caffeine as they destroy B1
and other B vitamins. Other important nutrients are manganese,
magnesium, silica, kelp and vitamins C and E.
Stress worsens hair loss. It can reduce scalp blood flow, in
addition to interfering with digestion and absorption. If stress
is a consideration support the adrenals with vitamins B5 and C
or glandulars.
Healthy hair needs good circulation and blood supply. Standing
on your head - to raise body over head will boost circulation to
your scalp, but ONLY attempt this if you are very healthy and
fit! A more practical approach is an Indian head massage -- it
increases blood flow and circulation in the scalp, helps
transport minerals to the scalp and is wonderfully relaxing.
Organic cider vinegar massaged into the scalp opens up the
pores. If you are actually losing hair from the root (as opposed
to brittle hair) then the cider vinegar can help unclog sebum
glands that sometime block causing the follicle to die off as
hair cannot get through.
Essential Fatty Acids promote healthy hair, and water obviously
is vital to avoid dehydration. Filtered or bottled water is best
- glass bottles preferable to plastic to avoid taking in
plasticisers.
Thinning, dry hair can be a sign of protein deficiency.
Increasing protein (possibly as protein shakes) can restore
vitality and sometimes colour. But if protein intake is good,
another possibility is low hydrochloric acid (HCl), which is
needed to digest protein. If you're low in HCl, proteins are not
digested properly, so the minerals they contain are not
released. Mineral deficiencies could also be due to absorption
problems in the gut. A 'leaky gut' can result from food
intolerances, so if you suspect poor digestion,
consider a food
intolerance test when other symptoms suggest this.
Zinc has, in some cases of alopecia, been found to restore
bodily hair growth as well as on the scalp. Iron is often
suggested after a study attributed hair loss in non-menopausal
women to lack of iron. Keratin - the hair protein - is
predominately sulphur - which is probably why biotin is so
useful as this is also predominately sulphur. MSM may be helpful
for the same reason.
High copper has been associated with hair loss especially in
women on HRT or who have taken the Pill. Good liver health will
help keep copper down. Mercury, lead and cadmium toxicity have
also been associated with hair loss.
Hair loss can also be due to hormonal imbalance especially
post-menopausally, or with polycystic ovary syndrome. (PCOS can
lead to elevated testosterone and hair loss). Herbal medicine
can help here -- some PCOS clients have had good results from
taking saw palmetto and agnus castus. Horsetail (a good source
of silica) may also help, but a herbalist should be consulted if
you wish to take herbs.
Hormone imbalances promote copper retention. A thyroid self-test
may be useful as thyroid activity is reduced in the presence of
high copper. Calcium and copper often rise together. The balance
of copper and zinc together is a better guide to copper levels
than copper alone. Smoking and high consumption of chocolate,
white wine and coffee can tip it the wrong way. B3 and zinc are
good antagonists to copper. Essential fatty acids also help
hormonal balance.
So how do you assess you mineral status? Hair Mineral Analysis
can provide a detailed mineral analysis, plus personalised
supplement programme designed to address imbalances. Learn more
about Hair Mineral Analysis and discover how to how check your
levels of nutrient and toxic minerals on my website below.
About the author:
Joy Healey is a qualified nutritionist who studied for three
years at the prestigious London Institute For Optimum Nutrition,
founded by Patrick Holford a leading authority on health and
nutrition. For more information on Hair Mineral Analysis
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