My Hair is Thinning is this common amongst IC Patients?

Hello Friends,

I receive at least a half a dozen email per month from woman who ask if myself or if I know of other woman with IC are losing their hair. The answer is "Yes"!

Jane Doe, your not alone when it come to hair loss. Many patients are or have experienced hair loss for a number of reasons and although it is rampart in the IC community we are not the only one's experiencing hair loss. People with a variety of illness experience hair loss but it usually is for the same reason which nutrients and vitamin deficiency.

A lack of various vitamins such as A, C, E, and B12,6,5 and 3, folic acid which is B9 and helps with the absorption of b12.

Unlike most nutrients, absorption of vitamin B12 actually begins in the mouth, where small amounts of unbound crystalline B12 can be absorbed through the mucous membrane. Food protein-bound vitamin B12 is digested in the stomach by proteolytic gastric enzymes, which require an acid pH (meaning a neutral pH of 6.8 -7.0 and as we know most ICers do not have a constant pH which you can test your urine to see.

In addition, Antacid drugs may also inhibit the efficacy of gastric acids in this process and we all know that there are many ICers taking tums, prelief etc......which prevents the body from absorbing b12 and other nutrients. It also inhibits the absorption of medication.


I began experiencing hair loss in my early 40's and each year it got worse until I began eating a diet high in dark leafy greens and I added a b12 supplement which I no longer need to take.


Vitamin A - it needs to come from these types of foods -spinach, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, apricots and peaches.

Vitamin C is also need for hair health. Blueberries and Parsley are a great source of vitamin C.

Vitamin E which is good for circulation as well as scalp circulation which can be found in dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds.

B3 is also need which is found in nuts, broccoli, asparagus and seafood.

B5 and 6 which also prevent hair loss and you can find it in corn, cauliflower, broccoli, winter squash, strawberries and raw sunflower seeds, vegetables.


We also need A to absorb D, we need C to absorb Iron and so on and so on ........we need lots of greens and we should eat them daily and a variety and we will get essential most of the vitamins we need.

We were not designed to take vitamins separately nor were we design to get our vitamins integrated from greens, fruits and vegetables. All doctors will tell you that it is always best to get it from your food first.

It most cases people have too much acid in the stomach which eats up the supplements before we get a chance to digest them and then have the body dispense them to were they need to go.......we actually absorb supplements better when we are in better health.

Eat your greens daily to prevent hair loss and to improve the health of your hair.

Be sure to eat a variety of greens and to avoid oxalate build up rotate your greens and avoid spinach (baby spinach is fine, it has not matured enough to have oxalate)beet tops, and rhubarb. Greens that maybe to acidic are Bitter cabbage
Endive, and Escarole.

Dark, Leafy Greens

Foods classified as dark, leafy greens contain vitamins C and E. These vegetables are known for being nutritional powerhouses due to their high level of nutrients.
Both of these vitamins are antioxidants that increase the blood circulation to your scalp. Increased circulation stimulates your hair follicles, which allows you to grow more hair. Dark, leafy greens include baby spinach, and a variety of other greens, including mustard greens, dandelion greens, turnip greens, chard, kale, romaine lettuce, watercress and mesclun.Eating greens in either raw or cooked form will supply you with rich amounts of both vitamins.

Organic Produce vs. Commerical Produce

Eat (whole) Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants

~ Michael Pollan ~

High-tech tomatoes. Mysterious milk. Super squash. Are we supposed to eat this stuff? Or is it going to eat us? ~Annita Manning

Organic as many of us know has far more nutritional benefits and are not sprayed with (who knows exactly) how many different chemicals like our commercial produce.

Remember the old adage “You get what you pay for” well this is very true when it comes to the quality of food.

Food manufactures today focus less on quality and more on quantity. And, none of us have to read a book or study nutrition to know that the quality of our food has decline drastically over the past decade.

Americans are nearing 70 percent obesity and the majority of us don’t make it too 50 without being put on some type of medication. Heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune syndromes and cancer have been on the rise for some time now and we can contribute this to the Standard American Diet (SAD).

I often hear people say they can’t afford to buy organic but the fact is the healthier we eat the less we will spend on health care, dental care, medication (both prescription and over-the-counter). I agree that organic foods cost more and that is why it is important to prioritize.

• It is important that we eat a diet that is rich in nutrients and vitamins, free of chemicals which make our bodies toxic.

How can one afford to eat organic?

• Make healthy eating a priority
• Eat out less
• Avoid purchasing coffee outside of the house
• Decrease the amount of personal beauty products
• Decrease the amount of household cleaners
• Eat Less
• Decrease the amount of meat you eat (meat is highly acidi
• Decrease the amount of junk food you purchase and make homemade treats
• Grow your own produce (don’t have a yard, plant a pot garden)
• Shop your local farmers markets
• Plan your meals
• Buy produce that's in season
  

Our bodies need nutrients and vitamins, not pesticides, in order to function properly; to prevent disease and to repair itself from injury such as cystitis which injury’s the bladder and the very reason why I encourage everyone to eat a diet high in organic dark leafy greens, fruit and vegetables.

The inside of our bodies are far more important than the outside! When we put good food into our bodies it shows on the outside.

Ingredients

• 3 cups Erewhon Gluten Free Crispy Brown Rice cereal
  
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
  
• 1/4 cup corn flour
  
• 3/4 cup coconut powder or finely shredded
  
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped almonds
  
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped cashews
  
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans
  
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts
  
• 7 teaspoons sesame seeds
  
• 1/2 cup flax meal
  
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds or pepitas
  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
  
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
  
• 1/2 cup raw honey
  
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
  

add-ins for the post-baking mix:

• 1 cup chopped dried dates

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (make sure they have edges so the granola doesn't fall off).
  
• In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. Mix well being sure to mix up any clumps of flour.
  
• In a small bowl, blend together the three wet ingredients.
  
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. If it looks a little dry, add a tablespoon more oil and mix it all again.
  
• Spread the finished mix onto the prepped cookie sheets.
  
• Bake 15 minutes, remove from oven and mix the granola then rotate the pans so that the pan that was on the top rack is now on the bottom rack. Bake another 10 minutes, again remove and mix granola then rotate pans and cook another 5 minutes. Thus total baking time = 30 minutes. (It might be better the first time you make this to bake for 15 minutes then mix the granola and rotate every 5 minutes since ovens differ and you don't want to burn the granola.)

laura H. Soup

Veggie Soup:Sweet potato, bok choy, carrots, celery, parsnips,dill, cabbage, oregano and basil. Cover with purified water. Cook on medium to low heat for 45 minutes.Top off with Udon Noodles.Dinner: easy, warm and delish! Rice noodles.

A Steamy Winter Salad!

4 or 5 baby bok choy leaves, chopped
1 cup pea pods or frozen peas
3/4 cup button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
3 ounces baby carrots, slivered (about 6)
4 cups sliced kale or collard greens
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon low sodium, gluten free soy sauce

Wash the bok choy well. Slice the white stems into 1/4-inch slices and set aside. Slice the green leafy tops thinly and keep separate from the stems.

Preheat a non-stick wok or deep skillet. Add the carrots, garlic, and cook for another minute. Add the bok choy stems, cabbage, basil, oregano, and 1/4 cup water. Cover tightly and steam for about 3 minutes, stirring several times. Stir in the bok choy leaves, kale, and beans and add another splash of water if it’s too dry. Cover and steam until the kale is tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in salad dressing or vinegar just before serving.

Servings: 2