Secrets to Long, Healthy, Lucious Hair!
I was born with a full head of hair and have always been lucky enough to have long, full, thick hair.
However, when I was suffering with adrenal fatigue my hair would fall out in clumps and I felt that I could make a wig out of the hair I found on the floor.
Once I was able to get my hormones balanced and start to heal from adrenal fatigue my hair would fall out less.
Within a few months my hair was back to its normal, full, (or Jersey big) hair! lol
If you are looking to get fuller, thicker, longer hair here are some of my suggestions. 
Balance Hormones. Balancing your hormones is important for optimal hair health. When they are off balance they can make hair dry, brittle and slow down or stop hair growth.
Thyroid- Hypothyroidism is a major cause of hair loss and inadequate hair growth. When your thyroid is not functioning properly, the cells aren’t producing enough energy and slows down your metabolism. When your thyroid isn’t functioning optimally your hair will not grow properly or you may experience hair loss.
Get your thyroid levels tested by your doctor and ask them to do a full thyroid panel to see if your thyroid is functioning at optimal levels. If your thyroid requires medication to help bring it back to optimal levels your doctor can prescribe that for you.
Adrenals. When we are stressed our adrenal glands secrete cortisol, our stress hormone. Chronically elevated cortisol levels due to stress impair our metabolism and affect hair loss and growth. Adrenal issues can also cause to fatigue, brain fog, inflammation in the joints, insomnia and so much more.
When our adrenals are stressed and not functioning properly it can cause many issues including improper hair growth and hair loss. You can check for adrenal issues through a saliva test that will track your cortisol levels over a 24 hour period of your day. You can help to heal your adrenals and support them to work optimally through dietary & lifestyle changes and supplementation.
Sex Hormones. When the sex hormones of estrogen and testosterone are off balance it can cause hair loss and slower hair growth. You can have your sex hormones tested by a doctor or a nutritionist to see if there is an imbalance.
Eat more high quality protein. Our hair is composed of keratin, which is a protein. It is important to eat more high quality protein so that our body can build keratin from the amino acids of proteins. Foods high in protein are turkey, chicken, fish, eggs and lean meats are important to increase in your diet to help hair growth.
Proper Digestion of Protein. In order to make healthy hair we need to eat proper amounts of protein. We also need to assimilate the protein that we eat so that it can be used to build hair. Protein digestion begins in our stomach and if we don’t have the proper amounts of enzymes to break down our food then we won’t be able to get the building blocks of protein we will need to build hair. When we properly digest our food we provide the building blocks for hair and support balanced hormones and a healthy metabolism.
Supplementing with a digestive enzyme can help increase digestion of proteins to help with hair growth.
Proper Intake of Collagen. Collagen is a type of protein that helps to keep our skin, hair and nails strong and subtle. If you are not getting enough of this type of protein you may be hindering your hair growth. Collagen in foods like bone broth, organic gelatin and you can also take a high quality collagen protein. I recommend Vital Protein Collagen, you can easily put it in your daily smoothie or just mix with water and drink.
Foods that also natural boost collagen production are foods that are high in Vitamin C. Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale and berries have antioxidants that protect free radicals that breakdown collagen. Garlic also is important to eat when trying to increase collagen production Garlic offers lipoic acid and taurine, both of which help rebuild damaged collagen. It’s also an excellent source of sulfur, an essential part of collagen production.
Increase blood flow to the scalp- Massaging the scalp can help to increase blood flow to the scalp and help to increase hair production.
Supplement. Some additional supplements to help with increase hair growth and length are Vitamin C, Biotin, Fish oil. You can high quality supplements from My Online Dispensary.
Increase Iron. Low iron or ferritin, the stored form of iron, can be a common cause of hair loss. Ferritin is not always tested on traditional blood tests so it is important to check your blood tests yourself and ask your doctor to test for it. Ferritin maximizes your hair’s growing phase and encourages your hair to grow it’s full length. If your body isn’t getting enough iron, your body will take ferritin from non-essential tissue, like your hair bulbs, and give it to essential tissue, such as your heart. This can cause your hair to have limited growth and not grow to its maximum length.
Nutrition Deficiencies. Iodine, zinc, vitamin D, B12 and magnesium are all important for optimal hair health. If you are deficient in any of these vitamins it could be causes your hair growth issues. Taking a good multi vitamin, I recommend Metagenics PhytoMulti, you can get it here, can help to make sure you are getting the right amounts of proper nutrients.
Blood Sugar Imbalances. Dr. Izabella Wentz states, “Blood sugar swings brought on by eating too many carbohydrates and not enough quality proteins and fats can wreak havoc on your health and hair. Blood sugar swings encourage the conversion of T4 to reverse T3. Reverse T3 is a inactive hormone that blocks the body’s utilization of T3, resulting in increased hair shedding.” Balance your blood sugar by eating small meals throughout the day that have lean proteins, vegetables, complex carbohydrates and dietary fat.
