ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR BEAUTIFUL HAIRThe condition of your hair speaks volumes about your general state of health. Healthy, shiny and thick hair is a reflection of vibrant health; whereas dry, brittle and thinning hair can signal hidden health problems.
These health problems can include –
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Immune dysfunction
• Thyroid imbalances
• Progesterone deficiency
• Excess male hormones
• Stress and lack of sleep Having beautiful hair involves more than your daily beauty routine; it is more a reflection of your everyday lifestyle. No matter what type of hair your chromosomes have blessed you with, there are a number of solutions to get your hair in top condition. We have got to make the best of what we have got!
The quality of your hair is affected by the quality of your diet. Busy lifestyles, fad dieting and poor eating habits can leave many people deficient in a number of hair nutrients. Healthy hair requires a good supply of protein, the mineral sulphur and essential fatty acids. Protein improves the strength of the hair and makes it less breakable.
Essential fatty acids help to make your hair shiny and thick. Good sources of these fats are oily fish such as sardines, wild salmon, herrings and mackerel; raw nuts, seeds, flaxseed oil, avocados and coconut oil. Coconut oil contains short and medium chain triglycerides; these boost metabolism and enhance your immune system. Coconut oil makes a good massage oil for your scalp. Warm the oil and gently massage a teaspoon into your scalp with your fingertips. Leave it on for at least an hour or overnight and then shampoo it out of your hair. This is an excellent treatment for dry hair and a scalp massage is a great way to improve blood flow to your scalp.You can improve the health of your hair with the following nutrients:• MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane). This is an organic form of the mineral sulfur. Sulfur is essential for the formation of connective tissue, including collagen and elastin in hair fibers. Sulfur can improve the health and strength of your hair, nails and skin. The sulfur from MSM is derived from an all natural vegetable source and is well tolerated by those with sulfur drug allergies. • Vitamin C. This vitamin is especially important for the formation of collagen. Deficiency of vitamin C can lead to weak hair. Smokers have an increased requirement for vitamin C, as do people who don’t eat enough raw salad vegetables and fruit each day. • Omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids. The omega 6 essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA) promotes healthy hair, skin and nails. This fatty acid has anti inflammatory properties and is needed for a healthy immune system. A good source of GLA is evening primrose oil. The omega 3 fatty acid alpha linolenic acid (ALA) can counteract dry and lackluster hair; it is found in high quantities in flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil is also anti inflammatory and promotes clear, healthy skin. • Raw vegetable juices. Raw vegetables contain a plethora of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phyto nutrients. The pigments in vegetables act as powerful antioxidants; that’s why it is important to eat a wide variety of different coloured vegetables each day. Juicing vegetables makes their nutrients more concentrated and available, as they require very little digestive effort. If you are a busy person you can make all the juice you need for the whole week and freeze it in individual containers to provide a daily supply of raw juice. Freshly made juice if frozen immediately, will retain all its healthy vitality and activity. The Beautiful Hair Pack includes:
HAIR, SKIN AND NAIL FOOD CAPSULES
ORGANIC FLAXSEED OIL
MSM WITH VIT C POWDERThese products contain the essential nutrients to strengthen and promote the growth of healthy hair. Also helping to provide essential fatty acids to make hair less dry, giving lustre and shine.
Question and answers for beautiful hair
| Dear Dr Cabot, I am going to Petra for 6 weeks in the summer and I don’t know how to best protect my hair and look good. I thought about braiding it, as I will be physically working hard with 12 hour days on an archaeological site. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Thankyou
Christina Dear Christina, Do not braid your hair. By leaving it braided for 6 weeks, combined with heat and perspiration, you would be a candidate for traction alopecia, which is irreparable. I would recommend that you use a type of cold pressed organic oil to protect and condition your hair. Also wear a head scarf to counter any excessive exposure to the high levels of ultra violet radiation. Apply a small amount (1/4 teaspoon approximately) of oil each morning to the roots and shafts of the hair. Wash your hair - 2 to 3 times a week, using a mild shampoo. Be careful and have an interesting working holiday Dr Sandra Cabot | | Dear Dr Cabot, My younger sister is losing weight and never finishes her meals. She seems very withdrawn and secretive. I suspect my sister has an eating disorder; we are all very worried about her but she tends to hide her behavior. She has agreed to see a doctor but cannot get to see the specialist for another three weeks. The reason she has finally decided to seek help is because of her hair loss. Do you think the eating disorder is causing her hair loss?
Eileen Dear Eileen, I am very pleased that your sister is seeking help. With any eating disorder the body is facing a threat to its existence by way of malnutrition. Indeed eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa have a significant risk of severe disease and death. As a consequence of the associated malnutrition, the hair follicle is stressed and stunted by lack of nutrients. The symptom of this is major hair loss becoming apparent between 6 to 12 weeks. The hair loss occurs all over the scalp. There may be the appearance of fine soft downy hair on the face. When healthy eating patterns are established again, consider the benefits of raw juicing; there is a great recipe for hair health in my raw juicing book called RAW JUICES CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE. Your sister will also get an extra boost for her hair and energy by adding some MSM Plus Vitamin C to her raw juices. Good luck with her recovery Dr Sandra Cabot | | Dear Sandra I think I have a hormone problem that is causing my hair to thin on the top and sides of my scalp. I have put on weight in my tummy and around my chest and my periods are missing, at times for several months. I also have greasy skin and acne and feel irritable. I crave sugar and pasta but I don’t think these foods suit me. I am very frightened as I don’t want to go bald like my mother did. My doctor wants to put me on the pill, but I don’t need contraception, as I am not sexually active. I am only 21 years old and feel that I am too young to be losing my hair. Please help?
Julia Dear Julia, You definitely have a hormonal imbalance and it sounds like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. This causes a lack of progesterone in the body as well as an overproduction of male hormones. These hormonal changes cause the thinning of the hair in the male pattern – namely the top and the sides of the scalp. The excess male hormones are produced by the excess fat you are carrying as well as your glands. Thus it is vital to lose weight. You should follow the low carbohydrate eating plan in chapter 23 of my book "Can’t Lose Weight ? - Unlock the Secrets that Keep You Fat" To stop the hair loss you must lose weight to reduce the male hormones. Ask your doctor for a blood test to check your male hormone and progesterone levels. The use of a cream containing natural progesterone would greatly improve your hair and thicken it up gradually. See my natural progesterone cream formula called Fem Pro with MSM cream. With hair loss nothing happens quickly and it takes up to 6 months to restore the hair back to its healthy state.
Also include “Hair, Skin & Nails Food” capsules to encourage new hair growth. Stay in touch and let me know how you get on. Dr Sandra Cabot | | Dear Sandra, I have just read Dr Cabot’s excellent book on hormones – wow what a revelation. From reading this book I discovered that I had a thyroid problem and this was confirmed by blood tests from my local doctor. I have an underactive thyroid gland and have been started on thyroid hormone tablets, which I have been on for 5 months. The tablets have helped my weight and energy levels, but my hair is still falling out and is very dry and brittle. I try to curl it with hot rollers, but it won’t hold the curl. I am disappointed because the doctor told me that the thyroid tablets would fix all my problems. What do you suggest?
Paula Dear Paula, Thyroid gland problems often cause severe hair problems, and indeed an underactive thyroid gland can cause premature aging of the hair. But please don’t panic, as this is reversible. In those with a thyroid problem the use of a selenium supplement can improve the hair and I advise you to take an organic selenium supplement every day. Selenium is a vital mineral for the thyroid gland and for the hair. It is an antioxidant which balances the immune system. I would also advise you to take Organic Flax Seed Oil to provide essential fatty acids to make the hair less dry and to give it lustre and shine. Dr Sandra Cabot | | Dear Dr Cabot, I met you the other day when you were doing an appearance in a health food store. It was so much fun to meet you and I really learnt a lot about taking care of my hair. I would also like to thank you for telling me which Body Type I am – I have not been able to work this out for years! Now I know that I am a lymphatic body type, I can understand the best things to do for my weight problem. The interactive questionnaire on Dr Cabot’s website is also a lot of fun – you were right, the questionnaire gave me the same answer as you did – it told me I am a Lymphatic Body Type! I would like to thank you for the free brochure on the four Body Types that you gave me – it explains everything in such a concise way. I would like to meet up with you again; so please tell me when you will be doing an in-store appearance near me in the future.
June
Dear June I remember our little chat and yes it was most enjoyable. People like you are easy to help because they are so willing to follow my advice regarding their hair and their diet.
Dr Sandra Cabot | | | |
