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Posts tagged ‘Hair’

Mad as a Hatter: Does It Matter?

Alice in Wonderland iPhone wallpaper

If you think I’m talking about the character in Alice in Wonderland, think again. In today’s blog, I’m going to discuss how toxins, particularly heavy metals (like mercury) could affect everything, including our mental health. The phrase “mad as a hatter” was coined in the early 19th century when “hatters” or people who were making hats started experiencing uncontrollable trembling and appeared insane. Apparently, the hatters were using glue that contained mercury at the time. Mercury toxicity can manifest as loss of appetite, fatigue, depression, emotional instability, peripheral numbness, tremors, poor memory and cognitive function, decreased senses of touch, taste, hearing and vision, and neuromuscular disorders. High levels have also been implicated in acute myocardial infarction. All the symptoms just mentioned  are quite common. Therefore, it’s always a great idea to rule out the presence of (heavy metal) toxins in anyone experiencing the said symptoms or anyone who has a possible exposure to mercury (and that means all of us). Mercury is now found all over the place, including our air (esp. surrounding coal-powered plants), food and water supply. In fact, common sources include fish (all fish now, compared to just large fish during previous years), dental amalgams, skin lightening agents (very common in Asia), some hemorrhoidal creams, some vaccines, medical instruments such as thermometers and sphygmomanometers, batteries, electrodes, some fertilizers, the paper industry and finally, the gold industry. In fact, there were recent reports in the news of mercury/lead toxicity in parts of Nigeria where people are involved in gold mining.

To test if someone has elevated levels of metals, particularly mercury, one can have a blood, hair or (provocative) urine testing done with chelating agents like DMSA or DMPS ( although others may use EDTA or other natural chelating agents). A blood specimen is usually used to determine acute exposure while hair and urinary testing informs us more of chronic exposure. Labs that perform the latter tests include Doctor’s Data and Genova Diagnostics. In Asia, I would imagine that Vitech Pro, a company based in Bangkok, is the one that performs these tests. Regular blood tests for mercury could be performed at any reputable lab like Quest or LabCorp. What do you do if your levels are elevated? Besides avoidance of possible sources (kinda difficult nowadays), the accepted form of treatment is a process called chelation therapy.  This has to be done properly however. Otherwise, further damage can be done. Natural oral chelating agents include vitamin C, alpha lipoic acid, garlic, cilantro, onions, chlorella and some therapeutic-grade essential oils. EDTA is available in oral (least effective), suppository and injectable forms. Other chelating agents include penicillamine (for copper toxocity), deferoxamine (for iron poisoning), dimercaprol (for arsenic, mercury and lead), DMSA and DMPS. It is important to individualize treatment in any case. Factors such as kidney and liver function, nutritional deficiencies, allergies, and general patient constitution should all be taken into account when one embarks on a cleansing or detoxification program. For more information, please check out the American College for Advancement in Medicine web site, http://www.acam.org. and the American Academy of Environmental Medicine web site, http://www.aaemonline.org.

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New Year’s Resolutions

Here we go again making new year’s resolutions. Among the
most common resolutions include losing weight, stopping unhealthy
habits such as smoking or drinking, and starting an exercise
program. Whatever a person’s new year’s resolution is, it is
important to be patient and give ourselves a break when things
don’t go as planned. Anyway, I’d like to discuss the issue of
addictions, whether it’s smoking, drinking, gambling, you name it.
Oftentimes, these addictions are brought about by nutritional
imbalances. To put it simply, people oftentimes crave certain
things because they lack nutrients such as vitamins, minerals,
amino acids, essential fatty acids, and trace elements.
Fortunately, there are tests available that could tell us exactly
what we’re lacking. These tests could be done through the blood,
hair, and the urine. Of course, these tests are not mainstream yet,
so your conventionally-trained doctor may not be aware of these
tests. However, a simple CBC and serum chemistry can tell us what’s
going on with a person nutritionally, although indirectly. A CBC
for instance, can tell if there’s iron, B12 or folic acid
deficiency. High blood sugar could be due to lack of vitamin B1 or
thiamine. Low creatinine could be due to protein insufficiency or
impaired digestion. Low uric acid could be due to copper or
molybdenum deficiencies. Low CO2 can also be due to a lack of
vitamin B1 or thiamine deficiency. Low albumin could be due to a
need for more vitamin C. Low AST/SGOT and low ALT/SGPT could be due
to vitamin B6 deficiency. Low GGTP could be due to B6 or Magnesium
deficiency. High total/free T-3 could be due to iodine deficiency
while low total /free T-3 could be due to selenium deficiency. Low
total/free T-4 could be due to iodine deficiency. In summary,
“normal” tests don’t really mean anything because it’s mostly based
on statistics. Low normal or high normal mean something, especially
if a person is symptomatic. It goes back to individualizing
treatment or a more personalized medicine.

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Hair Supply

I like big hair and I cannot lie.

Why is it that we’re seeing younger people getting hair loss at such an early age? Is it just a genetic issue or does it have to do with environmental factors as well? I believe that it’s due to both. Genetic causes of chronic degenerative disease is only about 3-4%, compared to greater than 90% due to environmental causes.

There’s a lot we can do to prevent or even reverse hair loss. We have to know the factors that lead to this condition. One, there’s the issue of poor circulation. Our hair needs to be nourished. Poor circulation means less nutrients going to the hair follicles. What causes poor circulation? Dietary factors such as intake of trans-fats or hydrogenated oils as well as calcium build-up along the arterial lining can do that. Poor nutrition also leads to hair loss. Where do you think our hair comes from? It comes from our food. Hair is primarily protein. Therefore, an adequate intake of amino acids should lead to a full head of hair. But, it’s not just that. An adequate amount of certain vitamins, minerals and glycosaminoglycans are also needed for healthy hair. Nutritious food should contain adequate nutrients. However, this is not always true because certain produce, esp. ones that are produced through commercial, chemical farming are nutritionally deficient. Produce farmed bio-dynamically and not just organically, should contain adequate amounts of nutrients to help our body renew itself (and that includes the hair).

What about personal products that damage the hair or hair follicles? There’s a substance in hair gels or products that could actually clog the hair follicles and cause them to ultimately die. The one implicated the most is a chemical called PVP coplymer, a petrochemical product. Avoid this at all costs. There are other chemicals that could cause damage to cells in general such as pthalates and sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate. Just notice how more companies are touting that they don’t contain these products.

Another cause of hair loss is hormonal imbalance. Undiagnosed thyroid issues could cause hair loss. A testosterone metabolite called DHT could cause hair loss, thus the popularity of synthetic DHT blockers such as Propecia or Avodart. A more natural way to influence testosterone metabolism is through the use of zinc supplements (which by the way is a very common nutritional deficiency). Other natural DHT blockers include saw palmetto, lycopene (from tomatoes), pygeum and stinging nettle. Low testosterone levels in men as well as low estrogen levels in women could also lead to hair loss. Isolated HGH deficiency could cause regeneration and repair to slow down as we age. That means, less production of new tissue, including our hair.

What do you do to improve HGH levels? Besides exercise, there are amino acids that stimulate HGH release from the pituitary. The most effective one for people over the age of 40 is L-glutamine. Goji berries has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to stimulate HGH release from the pituitary. Otherwise, a peptide called HGHRH (analogue) could also be used. I found this as effective as HGH, with less side effects.

What are other natural remedies that could stimulate hair growth? An Ayurvedic treatment includes the use of neem hair oil. Traditional Chinese medicine may recommend fo-ti pr he she wou. Essential oils that stimulate hair growth include therapeutic-grade peppermint, cedarwood, rosemary, lavender, thyme and sandalwood. Minoxidil works for some people but it does work better combined with substances such as retin-A, aldactone, progesterone, azelaic acid, copper peptides, SOD, and copper-zinc binding peptides.

Procedures one should consider before the last resort (hair transplant) include the use of low level laser therapy and the use of a micro-dermaroller. Consult with your holistic health care practitioner before incorporating any of the above suggestions.

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