The strategy to keep a beautiful hair

When I was a child, I thought that beautiful white hair was synonymous with wisdom...

Mine started turning white in my thirties. This felt very early to me, and I chalked it up to the collateral damage of a difficult divorce.

Has it brought me wisdom? I'm not really sure, but in any case another look at life.

At that time, I did not know that we could prevent hair loss.

It was later that I understood that to keep beautiful hair, you have to succeed in finding a good nutritional and hormonal balance.

This is what we are going to try, together, to decipher.

Eating well is better than a beautiful shampoo

Everyone has probably seen that eating improperly causes rapid changes in your complexion, nails, hair, and even character, but that is not the topic at hand.

First and foremost, it's critical to maintain a varied and balanced diet. Additionally, it's crucial to stay properly hydrated throughout the day, favoring good water above any other beverage.

However, there are some circumstances when the way our bodies absorb nutrients is significantly altered when we make an effort to eat correctly. Our hair's health can be severely harmed by these imbalances.

I am thinking first of all of taking certain medications excessively or for too long: antibiotics, antiepileptics, but also certain hormones, taking birth control pills, etc.

Pollution, whatever its origin, can also modify our intestinal permeability, our intestinal flora and our metabolism.

The trio of winning minerals and the others

There are a few mineral nutrients that play a central role: zinc, manganese or selenium.

Zinc is well known to decrease male androgenic alopecia which is usually located in the middle of the head. You see, it's this little circle that appears in some men as early as their thirties sometimes. It is often a small blow to morale!

Why can zinc fight this? In fact, it inhibits the expression of an enzyme, 5-alpha-reductase, which hinders the male sex hormones (DHEA, Testosterone) important for the growth of the capillary system. This is all the more true if they are secreted or provided in excess.

Do fish, seafood, yeasts, meats, whole grains bring you zinc? But have you had enough? It is easy and inexpensive to have your zinc level measured in whole blood. If your blood level is insufficient, do not hesitate to supplement yourself without exceeding 20 mg per day of "element" zinc.

Manganese is also necessary for proper hair growth. It is found in pineapple, blueberries, tea, nuts, ginger, whole grains, leafy green vegetables… Manganese deficiencies are rare.

Selenium, on the other hand, is deficient in a third of the subjects. But conversely, it is also in excess for at least another third. It must therefore be dosed and monitored before supplementing because chronic excess can be harmful.

The deficiency is found especially in the elderly, children born prematurely and in cases of severe malnutrition. Vegetarians, smokers, heavy alcohol consumers are also at risk.

Other minerals like iron, magnesium and copper are involved in the synthesis of keratin in our hair. From experience, we notice that people with anemia can see their hair deteriorate.

I would like to tell you about two other essential and little-known elements: silica and silicon.

It is not for nothing that decoctions of horsetail or nettle are beneficial. They provide us with these elements that promote the formation of collagen and elastin, provide beautiful skin and strengthen the structure of hair and nails. Hair with a high silicon content is less likely to fall out. It is shinier and shinier.

Where can these items be found?

In wholemeal flours (rye, millet, barley, etc.), onions, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, mushrooms, alfalfa, parsley, brown rice, banana, apple, mango, pumpkin and sunflower seeds .… In case of hair problem, supplementation is sometimes necessary.

Protein and sulfur protein intake

Whether of animal or vegetable origin, proteins are essential for good aging and the health of our hair.

With age, the needs increase, and alas, our absorption capacities can decrease.

Vegetarians find them by combining cereals and legumes on the plate. Lentils are very rich in sulfur amino acids, but the risks of deficiency are significant. Except of course if they eat eggs: they are the ones who provide these famous sulfur proteins.

Vegetarians find them by combining cereals and legumes on the plate. Lentils are very rich in sulfur amino acids, but the risks of deficiency are significant. Except of course if they eat eggs: they are the ones who provide these famous sulfur proteins including cysteine ​​and methionine...

These sulfur amino acids promote the synthesis of solid keratin; their deficiency modifies the hair which becomes dull and dry. It is then necessary to increase the consumption of egg yolk which also provides zinc, iron, copper and B vitamins.

Methionine can significantly strengthen hair and nail structure. Methionine can also help with alopecia.

I would like to tell you about a study published in 2006 in the context of a congress of dermatology in Florence. Thirty patients with alopecia were divided into two groups. A preparation based on amino acids and B vitamins was administered to a first control group while a placebo was administered to the second group. The result: after one year, the group to which methionine had been administered had 10% more hair located in the growth phase than in the placebo group.

Arginine, an amino acid precursor of nitric oxide has a crucial influence on hair growth. The vasodilating effects of arginine open the potassium channels of the cells, which improves root irrigation and stimulates growth.

Glutamine is the most represented amino acid in the body. The body certainly produces glutamine itself, but with age it no longer produces enough of it. It is well known and recommended to reduce intestinal permeability, which is one more reason to consume it, especially since the need for glutamine is much higher in times of stress or in the event of physical fatigue or illnesses affecting the flora or the intestinal wall.

If you do not want to eat eggs, meat or cheese, then do not skimp on the intake of garlic, shallots, onions, leeks, chives, cabbage, oleaginous fruits (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, etc.).

B vitamins: a multifaceted treasure

For hair health, there are two other strong allies: vitamin B8 (biotin) or B5 (panthotenic acid). They are therefore found in many historically famous medicines and lotions such as Hahn Oil.

Choline and inositol are involved in the metabolism of fats and therefore act at the level of the follicles by allowing good hydration and good fat intake. A deficiency in inositol can result in the appearance of baldness.

Paba (para-amino-benzoic acid) is a cofactor of B vitamins which plays a role in the appearance of white hair… Ah, if only I had known about them earlier!

But all B vitamins are important. They are found in so-called "B complex" formulations and systematically in others more specifically devoted to beauty, such as Beauté plus from Vit'all Plus, the Solgar Skin and Nails complex and many other supplements.

These micro mushrooms will help you

For those who prefer to stick to food, we can recommend consuming inactive brewer's yeast every day. This product, presented in sachets, tablets or capsules, is in fact a concentrate of micromushrooms. It can be used to season vegetables, pasta, rice, replacing the cheese it tastes a bit like.

It is a real concentrate of B vitamins and minerals and a very good complement to vegetarian and vegan diets. It is not recommended to take it continuously all year round if you have bloating or a particular intolerance to the product, or IgG hypersensitivity that is detected with the imupro or imuweight tests, a risk of intestinal mycosis.

A major contribution: collagen

Used locally in cosmetics or taken as a supplement, collagen can change the appearance of your hair.

Collagen is the most present fibrous protein in your body (30% of our body weight, 75% of our skin is made of collagen). It is present in all multicellular organs: skin, tendons, ligaments, bones, cartilages and all other connective tissues. Collagen provides various organs and tissues with their strength and elastic properties.

Collagen supplementation strengthens endogenous collagen and stimulates its renewal, it also strengthens the elasticity of the skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles by promoting skin repair. Note that the supply of collagen, by improving the quality of your skin, can also help reduce your osteoarthritis pain.

Vitamin C, weakened in our diet by many factors such as the preservation of vegetables and fruits, the heating of dishes or the poor balance of food, is essential for the synthesis of collagen, to such an extent that if we deprived completely, one dies of haemorrhages. This is what happened to the old navigators, deprived of fruit and vegetables for too long, who died of scurvy.

The polyunsaturated fatty acid that coats the hair best is omega-6, which is found in particular in flaxseed and evening primrose oil. You just have to be careful not to create an imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3.

To avoid this, try hemp oil which contains all the fatty acids (omega-3, 6 and 9) in balanced proportions. It can be used locally on the skin or in shampoos to fight against hair dryness. Little known in Europe, it is more widely used in Canada where it is produced in organic quantities.

In any case, don't forget to regularly take probiotic cures. There are many: do not hesitate to vary the brands and to try among all the formulations proposed those which will have a beneficial effect on your bloating and your intestinal metabolism.

Eat your shampoo!

No, don't eat the shampoo you bought at the store. (More generally and I will come back to this in another letter, it seems to me that we should think about not smearing our bodies, anywhere, with synthetic products and inedible pollutants).

We have seen, above, the nourishing properties of the egg: use it locally by mixing it with organic olive oil. To activate microcirculation, add a drop of rosemary essential oil.

Apply this homemade egg shampoo with a comb, and let it act for a while before rinsing well with clean water. I advise you, if you have dry hair, to use only yellow. If your hair is oily, you can mix white and yellow.

Hormonal balance more important than your hairdresser

Without wanting to compete with my friend Thierry Hertoghe whose letters give very valuable advice on this subject, I affirm that hormonal balance is fundamental. Over the years, it is good to adapt it by measured supplements, and better… to measure.

Let's start with cortisol: an itch is never innocent

If you feel like scratching your head, do not hesitate: this can be the beginning of a little massage.

There is nothing better for relaxation and hair. In a hairdressing salon, it is also the most pleasant moment: when the hairdresser gently massages our hair while shampooing.

This is important because stress can cause you to lose hair. One of the hormonal manifestations of stress is the increase in cortisol. This adrenal hormone is easily measured in the blood, it is cortisolemia (this can also be done by urine or saliva test).

High cortisol levels may be accompanied by a drop in your DHEA levels. Remember to have it dosed and if necessary to supplement to rebalance the cortisol / DHEA ratio. Attention ! If you exceed the right dose, this male hormone (androgen) DHEA can give you oily or even acne-prone skin and contribute to hair loss.

If your level is too high, you're probably stressed.

Scalp massage (by the gentle hands of the shampooer or yourself) is a great way to reduce this stress. Do not hesitate to massage the top of the head, the ears, the top of the nose, the eye contour and the neck. Do the same every day in front of the mirror. Lightly pat the back of the neck, between the eyes and the top of the head. These are energy points that Eastern physicians regard with respect.

If you have chronically high cortisol, do not hesitate to relax, relax. All the techniques are effective, from sophrology to listening to your breath alone, which can lead you to meditation.

The thyroid and your hair

A large number of people have moderate or severe hypothyroidism. This thyroid dysfunction is generally not or little detected because the thyroid is not really sick, but just “lazy”.

Thierry Hertogue and his father, a great thyroid specialist, have described the symptoms and dangers of this dysthyroidism well.

If you tend to be constantly chilly, slowed down, tired in the morning but better during the day, that you have pale skin and an unfortunate tendency to gain weight: consult a doctor trained in anti-aging medicine, who will know how to advise and analyze thyroid hormone assays that will confirm the diagnosis.

This hypothyroidism will promote the occurrence of dry, fragile, rough and thick hair. It can also promote diffuse loss.

There is a sign that does not deceive: the loss of density of the outer third of the eyebrows, known as "Dr. Eugène Hertogue's sign".

Menopause, andropause and hair!

A deficiency in the sex hormone (oestradiol), which can generally but not exclusively be observed in women, can promote diffuse hair loss. If this is accompanied by rashes or spots on the skin or increased hair growth on the body (hirsutism), be vigilant.

Lack of testosterone exists in both women and men.

For her, it is often the cause of a lack of desire and sexual pleasure. After the menopause, when the testosterone level drops, we can find ourselves in relative excess, which therefore can lead to alopecia such as that observed in men and even more so when they follow a supplementation of both testosterone and in DHEA.

Growth hormone: it also makes hair grow

Growth hormone deficiency is manifested, among other things, by dry, thin and brittle hair. Growth hormone supplementation (synthetic) is not authorized in France except in very specific medical cases.

Failing to recommend supplementation, which is also very expensive in countries where it is authorized, we can suggest taking certain amino acids such as arginine, ornithine, lysine, glycine, glutamine and tryptophan. .

They are “secretagogues”: they promote the secretion of growth hormone and their action is boosted by taking B vitamins, in particular vitamin B3.

How I whitened in just one night!

Good hair is a matter of nutritional and hormonal balance knowing that healthy nutrition also promotes hormonal balance and hair growth and appearance.

But don't be too obsessive: like Queen Marie Antoinette who learned of her sentence overnight, I bleached my hair overnight, following a peak of stress... And today I'm not complaining not.

What could be sadder than this obsession with white hair which can lead (in men) to the testing of more or less toxic dyes, which will make you look like a clown or an American presidential candidate at best. In any case, it will never create the illusion that you are young and healthy!