Hair Loss Treatments From The Pantry
3 Ways to Stop Shedding & Encourage Hair Growth
My dog and I always had a lot in common.
We both liked snuggling up while I read a book on the couch.
We both had an affinity for cheese.
And we both shed.
The American Academy of Dermatology states that everyone loses between 50-100 hairs a day naturally. I usually have a few strands down the back of my sweater, left behind on the furniture and—gak—I have even supplied the “secret ingredient” in food a time or two.
Is it that I lose more hair than I should, or just that long blonde hair in the drain is more obnoxious?
If you are really experiencing thinning hair or bald spots you should go to the doctor. There can be a lot of causes—anything from hormones to stress to chemical imbalances; even certain autoimmune diseases cause hair loss.
There are, however, some real food ways of curbing the natural hair loss. Your drains will thank you.
Make a Homemade Hair Rinse.
I have used apple cider vinegar before because it stimulates hair growth. Just please be sure to get the real thing—a lot of what is sold in the store is really white vinegar with apple flavoring, no joke. Or try one of these 15 nourishing hair masks.
The chemicals in the average bottle of shampoo or conditioner is downright scary. There are very natural and inexpensive things you already own, things like baking soda, olive oil, rosemary, apple cider vinegar, egg, green tea, and even sage that can cleanse, soften, strengthen, and brighten your beautiful locks. I enjoy making my own rinses because it gives me an opportunity to play with my essential oils.
Check Your Diet.
1. Examine your Vitamin A intake. Too much vitamin A can increase hair loss. If you just started taking additional supplements or eat liver pate like candy, you might want to cut back on that. We believe in seasonal eating around here, and sometimes things get out-of-whack. If carrots, sweet potatoes, or leafy greens are in season and you went from zero-to-ninety on intake—then you might want to dehydrate the harvest and slow the pace. Last summer, we had an overabundance of both apricots and carrots simultaneously and I think we started to turn orange. With all of that said, vitamin A is sorely lacking in the average American diet. I would not worry about this unless you are overindulging in certain foods, but certainly see a medical professional if you question your levels.
This dehydrated kale & apricot jam both contain high amounts of Vitamin A.
2. Protein and Iron. People deficient in either of these can experience hair loss. We are pro-meat at Pantry Paratus. Many foods that are high in protein, such as eggs and beans, are also high in something called Biotin, which assists in hair growth. I would see a doctor before beginning any type of supplement, though, since iron is a mineral and too much of it can have serious side effects.
3. Increase your Omega 3 Fatty Acid Intake. You’ve been told this before. It decreases inflammation. Your scalp can experience that too, and it is possible that it can result in hair loss. We grind our flax seed (which we buy at Pantry Paratus in bulk) and put it into our yummy homemade bread that we eat daily. I never worry about our protein, iron, or omega 3 intake with that bread!
4. Are you dieting? Super-fast weight loss can cause hair loss. Your body is in freak-out mode, conserving everything it can for the fear of future starvation; and so it is also shedding (literally) anything that uses valuable resources. This is a good time to add some healthy fats, extra water (and maybe a whole-food homemade truffle when no one is looking).
Apply Onion Juice Topically.
When my mother was visiting over Christmas, we started talking about how we are both experiencing increased hair loss. Her doctor told her to use a brand name chemical from the store; not only is it expensive, it had a long list of side effects! Also, my doctor said mine does not appear to have a medical cause (can we say “stress” anyone?). Does this mean we just hafta live with it?
I recently read how onion juice can halt hair loss and I showed her the articles. Onions are high in sulfur, which can bond to and carry away damaging chemicals (like hydrogen peroxide) and help produce healthy collagen strands. Although this will not alleviate every cause of hair loss, it is worth a shot, since I have read reports that up to 80% of people in studies experienced a stop in hair loss!
Since everything is more fun together, my mom and I tried this together too. We both saw results with the first use and saw a gradual improving for the first 2 weeks of trying onion juice. Once you shampoo, you no longer smell like onion, I promise.
How: You can use your juicer. OR (this is what I do)…Boil ½ an onion (quartered works well) in approximately 4 cups of water. Let it cool, then pour about 1 cup directly onto your scalp. Massage it in and “wear” that for as long as a half hour before shampooing normally. E-How.com has a way of making everything harder than it needs to be, but they have an article on it (so see, it’s actually a fairly common treatment). You should apply the onion juice before every shower. I saw awesome results with only nearly-everyday treatment.
I tried to make a lot of onion water ahead of time and I stored it in a rinsed-out empty conditioner bottle.
Don’t do that. It fermented.
The only thing stronger than rubbing onion juice on your head is rubbing fermented onion juice on your head. I smell NICE. And I have been craving those hydrogenated Sour Cream & Onion potato chips ever since. I find that making about 3 days’ worth is manageable. Just store it in a mason jar in your refrigerator. And forget morning coffee—pouring ice cold onion juice on your head 1st thing in the morning will perk you right up!
You will really only need to use this treatment for several weeks at a time; if the problem is a build-up of gunk or weak collagen strands, you will solve it within a few weeks. If the hair loss returns, it’s as easy as boiling an onion again.
You need to note that anything in the allium family (onions and garlic) can kill the red blood cells of your family pet, so please treat it as poisonous to animals and keep it out of reach.
Well duh. When you choose to write about very old methods to solve problems, it stands to reason that people have already written about it. Here is an awesome article about the role of Biotin, Omega 3s, and Sulfur in dermatology. So there you have it. Actually, you will get google-y eyes if you do a search on this one. The information is a’plenty, downright dizzying. I hope that you give this a try. Let me know in the comments what has worked for you!
Proviso:
Nothing in this blog constitutes medical or legal advice. You should consult your own physician before making any dietary changes. Statements in this blog may or may not be congruent with current USDA or FDA guidance.