What your hair is telling you about your health

by | Jun 22, 2017 | ARTICLES, Nutrition and Wellness

Today’s guest blogger comes to us all the way from Belgium! Welcome to Lies Helsloot,  author of the book “The Complete Guide to Healthy Hair. A 3-step Programme to Heal Your Hair”, and founder and creator of a natural hairbrush collection designed to heal your hair, ‘Delphin & Emerence’.  Lies lives in the tiny country of Belgium with her daughter and cat.  She became passionate about hair and its relationship to health and well-being when she lost about 30% of her hair after her daughter’s birth.  She began a life-changing mission to discover the secrets to a healthy, beautiful mane and developed a 3-step plan to heal your hair.  Lies blogs about hair and health, her Take YOU Time stress management tips, and natural beauty to help women everywhere have strong, shiny hair and a healthy lifestyle.

For more from Lies, check out her interview with Dr. Veronica on our Wellness for the REAL World radio show.

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Lies Helsloot

Your hair is trying to tell you something … LISTEN!

Your hair is an important messenger for your body’s health.   When you notice changes in how your hair looks, watch for these red flags.  They may be a warning that more is going on in your body than you know.

  • More hair loss overall
  • Hair loss in patches or on the crown
  • Dry and brittle hair
  • Slower hair growth then you used to have

All too often, women ignore these signs, thinking they are a “normal” part of the aging process. But I encourage women to take these messages very seriously. They could signal a serious health problem going on in your body. Here are a few of the causes for changes in your hair or hair loss:

  • A challenged immune system
  • A lack of essential nutrients
  • Cancer
  • Hormones that are out of balance
  • High stress levels
  • Thyroid imbalances
  • Wrong hair products, a bad hair brush or harsh treatments

When you notice one or more of the signs above, schedule a visit with your doctor first to see what might be wrong.  Regular blood tests don’t always unveil the underlying health issues, therefore, it is important to ask for a more profound blood analysis, like a so-called ‘live blood analysis’ or an extended lab test. A good doctor will take the time to explain what is on the lab sheet. If you are told that “everything is normal”, but you feel that it is not, then don’t take no for an answer. What is normal for one person could be an imbalance causing health problems for another.

Now, I don’t want you to panic. First, talk to your healthcare practitioner. Next, there are many things you can do yourself to support your body in growing healthy hair.  There are 3 important building blocks for growing healthy hair:

Step 1:   Good nutrition and the right supplements.

Your hair needs the proper nutrition to be able to grow healthy and strong. If you are deficient in certain nutrients like iron, vitamin B, zinc or omega 3, you can start to suffer from slower hair growth or even hair loss. A balanced diet, rich in protein (like fish, poultry, legumes) and healthy fats, and based on whole grains, fresh vegetables, and fruit is the foundation of good health.  You can enhance your nutritional intake by taking food supplements that add extra support for growing strong, healthy hair.  Start with a daily multi-vitamin from a high-quality brand. Defining the added supplements or herbs you need is a specialist’s job, so talk to a medical doctor who specializes in nutrition to figure out which supplements are right for you.

Step 2. “Take YOU Time

Stress can seriously disturb the body and is an important driver of several health issues. Stress slows down the growth processes in your body and, as a result, also affects hair growth. Finding a good life balance between work, your chores, family and kids, social obligations, hobbies, is critical to managing the stress of this modern life.  My advice here is that you make more YOU time in your life.  When you take the time to take care of yourself, you will be more relaxed and stronger to face life’s challenges.  And your body and your hair will thank you.

Step 3.  Hair treatments

All too often, using special hair treatments is the first and only step we take to fix hair problems. However, combining a good hair routine with the above steps, will help you to grow shiny, healthy hair. Nourish your hair with natural products and brush every day with a good, quality hairbrush to heal your hair. I can’t stress the value of a quality hairbrush enough.  Regular brushing with a high-quality brush spreads sebum (hair’s natural conditioner), untangles without damaging, flattens the hair sheath (for smoothing and shine), massages the scalp (enhancing blood flow), and removes dust and dirt.  So while a great hairbrush will cost you more, it’s a small price to pay for a shining, healthy head of hair!

These 3 steps are essential for beautiful, healthy hair and for your overall good health. For more tips, please visit my blog “Take YOU Time” or read my book, “The Complete Guide to Healthy Hair. A 3-step Programme to Heal Your Hair”.

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Dr. Veronica Anderson is an MD, Functional Medicine Practitioner, Homeopath. and Medical Intuitive. As a national speaker and designer of the Functional Fix and Rejuvenation Journey programs, she helps people who feel like their doctors have failed them. She advocates science-based natural, holistic, and complementary treatments to address the root cause of disease. Dr. Veronica is a highly-sought guest on national television and syndicated radio and hosts her own radio show, Wellness for the REAL World, on FOX Sports 920 AM “the Jersey” on Mondays at 7:00 pm ET.

To get started transforming your health, schedule a consult HERE

 

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