Have you noticed a little more hair in your brush lately?
How about on your pillow or in the shower?
Has your hairstylist made mention of loose strands?
Any of these symptoms is enough to bring on a bit of anxiety, especially when it’s not expected. Female and male hair loss can happen at any age and no matter when it comes on, it is typically not welcomed.
Many people experience frustration with hair loss after their primary care doctor doesn’t see anything wrong or doesn’t know what is causing it. They may prescribe a topical ointment such as minoxidil or prescription medication, which leaves some of us feeling alone, worried, and questioning whether to take a synthetic drug for the issue.
However, if you are experiencing any of these unwanted effects, take a deep breath and know that we are here for you. At CNMA, we help many clients that suffer from hair loss. We find it’s all about digging deep to find the root cause of hair falling out and then trying to heal that primary issue through natural and holistic options.
Specifically, we find that hair loss is primarily due to:
– thyroid imbalance
– iron anemia
– diet inefficiencies
– stress/lifestyle
Let’s take a look at these causes and how we treat them naturally.
Thyroid Imbalance
Our thyroid hormone plays a major factor in the health of our hair and hair growth. When hair loss happens, particularly accompanied by other symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue, and/ or constipation, it’s crucial to check thyroid levels immediately.
Typically, a low thyroid (also known as hypothyroidism) can cause hair loss.
If testing shows a shortcoming in this hormone, proper supplements are prescribed to balance it out and hair can begin growing back within 1-2 months.
Iron Anemia & Nutrient Deficiency
A deficiency in iron can certainly cause hair loss and testing to analyze iron levels is needed. However, it’s important to note which type of iron tests should be conducted.
This test is particularly helpful for women who are still having regular periods and may not eat enough red meat for optimal iron levels.
A primary care physician will usually test for iron levels in the blood, but at CNMA, we also test ferritin levels in the body. This is for discovering what the iron store levels are – which should be above 50 when it comes to hair loss. This extra test performed through the recommendation of a naturopathic doctor is relatively inexpensive (around $30) and can be essential in examining how the body is utilizing iron.
If iron levels are low, iron supplements are recommended as well as cooking in a cast iron skillet, eating dark chicken meat, wild game, and/or red meat. Even though plant food has iron, our bodies better absorb animal iron.
In addition to iron, some nutrient deficiencies can also cause hair loss. If your diet is lacking in vital nutrients such as zinc, selenium, chromium, boron, and silica – which can easily happen due to the low amounts of these trace minerals in soil these days – an effect of hair loss can be seen.
We recommend Pure Encapsulations® Trace Minerals to enrich the body with these vital nutrients.
Stress & Lifestyle
It can sometimes feel as though stress can attribute to everything and hair loss is no exception. Our jobs, kids, and overall daily life can already be stressful and when we add a traumatic experience on top of that or experience chronic stress that is not well-managed, it can be the tipping point for the body to begin showing unusual symptoms such as the loss of hair.
If we are too stressed to be eating properly and getting enough sleep, it can be time to take a look at the effect it may be having on any hair loss.
Through calming the mind and body through acupuncture, herbal supplements, and self-care, we can learn to manage stress and encourage regrowth of hair.
In addition, Chinese herbs in such pill form as Silken Treasures, can invigorate the growth energy in the body, particularly for hair.
Hair loss can be scary and traumatic in itself. However, once a root cause is found and treated properly, hair growth typically resumes within 6-8 weeks. New growth can be seen with tiny hairs sprouting up and within a year new hair growth can be back to normal.
If you live in the areas of Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Centennial, Parker, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, or the Greater Denver Metro area and are dealing with hair loss, it may be time to turn to a naturopathic doctor, Dr. Graves, to help. Please call us at (303) 688-6698 or click here to schedule a complimentary 15 minute phone consultation with Dr. Graves to explain what you are experiencing and learn how we can help.
Are you ready to stop worrying about your hair loss? If so, let us help you – one follicle at a time!
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