Help I think I'm losing my hair!!!

[sweetheartyparty]

Hi everyone,

I hope someone can give me some answers. I'm currently on day 14 and not doing too badly. I'm getting by eating a lot of Curries and chillis and so far I feel good. However, I think I'm losing my hair again. It's getting really patchy at the front. I went on a low carbs diet about 3 months ago and it happened then too. This time I'm eating more carbs, around 1-2 sweet potatoes a day and fruit every other day.

I have also had my thyroid and iron levels tested and they were fine.

What should I do x

[Megan Claydon]

hair cycles usually take 3 months. So what is happening to your hair now is likely the result of what was going on in January. Extreme low carb diet 3 months ago could be what is causing the hair loss if it created a large stress on your body.

There is no quick fix to this. Take a look at lifestyle stressors. Where can you remove stress? I would stay on the whole 30 and when you finish the 30 days try to stay as close to a whole30 as possible. Post whole30 binges can also cause a lot of stress on the body.

Other than that I would try to limit the amount of time you spend blow drying, straightening, and so forth.

I know how hard this. But if the hair loss is the result of stress, you can turn things around with a little TLC.

[sweetheartyparty]

Thanks for your reply Megan. It does makes a lot of sense considering that I had a cancer scare about 6 months ago which would contributed to my hair loss 3 months ago and 3 months ago I went on the Atkins diet. I am trying to get pregnant so stress is an unfortunate part of my life at the moment.

However, I do feel I am on the right track with the Whole 30. I certainly eat more nourishing foods than I have ever done and I think I've lost weight so I'm hoping that my hormone balance will improve as a result. I hope completing the Whole 30 will mean I never want to binge and crash diet ever again x

[LadyM]

I think stress is definitely a factor, but looking to possible hormone imbalances and mineral deficiencies can also provide some answers. Whole30 will certainly help with all of those! Thyroid is worth checking for sure.

And I'd just like to sympathize a little and say I know how incredibly stressful and emotional the hair loss itself can be. Mine came out in fistfuls last fall and my MD was neither sympathetic nor helpful. I had to do a lot of my own research, demand tests, and ultimately turn toward a functional medicine practitioner. It's not superficial or vain to be upset about hair loss--it points to a root cause that needs tending.

[Carlaccini]

This is really good to know..... I seem to be losing a lot of hair lately too. I noticed a big patch missing in the front yesterday. It was super puzzling as my hair has been looking super healthy and shiny lately. But I also know my hormones have been going crazy the last month. I did go off the deep end a bit in Jan and Feb (hello sugar!) so the fact that it is affecting me now completely makes sense. I am still figuring out ways to best ride my bike so this is helpful news to hear.

[bon]

I've been having this problem too. It is so frustrating. I'm eating healthier than ever and have been pretty consistent for the past year. I have lost so much hair... and it's brittle too. I've had my thyroid, etc. checked and all was well. I've recently added fermented cod liver oil and have been devoted to bone broth for the past 3 months. I'm really hoping it changes soon.

I am taking to heart what Megan said above regarding binges and stress and possibly too low carb for my metabolism. I have been known to indulge in the occasional chocolate binge... it's hard to accept that eating beautifully most of the time isn't enough. I am working on lifestyle factors to control my stress as well as upping my starchy carbs this time around with my current whole30. I wonder if my low body weight comes into play with the hair loss...

[Kevin Green]

Hey, you can try Fo-Ti poweder as it has been proved best organic food for falling hair problems, you will see good results in few months.

[Javagal78]

I had my thyroid checked by my family doctor and he said all was good. However, I still had all the symptoms of something being way off with my hormones. I went to an ND and she felt that it was indeed my thyroid. In Canada ( not sure about US) the standard readings and newest research are not the same when it comes to levels and what's "normal". She also gave 2 thumbs up for pairing my treatment with the Whole30.

[Just Real Food]

Does anyone notice a seasonal pattern to their hair loss?

I seem to lose more in autumn/winter and it thickens up in spring.

Jamie Scott mentioned that he thought it might be following the seasonal pattern of skin thickening in the summer to protect against UV. Maybe hair is thickening up in spring/summer for the same reason and hence the loss in the cooler months.

It's a fascinating theory.

[osborne116]

I am hoping the Whole30 will fix some of my hair loss issues.  I don't see patches or handfuls falling out, just lots and lots of strands all the time.  Also, my scalp is oily and requires washing every day (which also adds to the hair loss).  If that's something that you've seen change with your Whole30, please share.

[Megan Claydon]

I can't say the whole30 specifically changed my excessive shedding around. But in general a less stressful lifestyle and completely changing out the products I put in my hair has made ALL the difference.

 

I have fine wavy hair and I used to have to wash my hair everyday. I would then add product on product to make my hair more shiny, more volume, blah blah. This would then weigh down my wave into a nappy mess so I would straighten it every day too. My just wasn't as healthy as the rest of my body. 

 

So I started experimenting with no-poo, natural shampoos, etc.. It took some time and a little trial and error but it was soooo worth it. I now only wash 2 maybe 3 times a week. My hair has a beautiful natural wave to it now with lots of bounce. Best of all the shedding is minimal now to what is was before. 

 

So I recommend reading the ingredients on your shampoo bottle!

[Karen]

Add me to the list.  
 
The last month or so, my hair has been falling out much more than is considered normal.  I'm about 3 months into my 5th (but modified) Whole30 to heal leaky gut/multiple food sensitives.  For the last year or so, I've been washing it 2x a week with really natural products, so it's not a change in that that's causing it.  It's starting to concern me!  I'm finding I'm really sensitive to carb intake - I have to keep it up to keep my endocrine system working properly - so I'm wondering if that has something to do with it.  I'm just shocked at how much is coming out now!  

 

I have an omega 3 oil on order, hoping that helps!  

[Bet]

I wonder if the tests for thyroid also tested for thyroid antibodies? Many cases of hypothyroidism are caused by Hashimoto's which is an auto immune disease. I have hashi's and even on meds, I do lose a lot of hair. I've lost all the hair on my arms and legs (not really that bad). I do lose a lot of hair on my head, but I have a lot, so I don't really  miss it. It is gross in the shower though. The worst though was when I had  a thyroid flare and I lost  almost all of my eyebrows and eyelashes. So I had to have my meds adjusted.

 

If you have any kind of gastro issues (leaky gut) that is also linked to hashimotos thyroiditis.

[Karen]

Yes, hair loss is unfortunately common with Hashimotos, sadly.  Fortunately (or unfortunately), I don't have Hashimotos to blame for it - I have secondary hypothyroidism due to an underactive pituitary gland.  I've been on thyroid meds for a while now and am at a dose where I feel great, so the recent hair loss has to be somehow tied to diet.  That's the only thing that's different for such an extended period of time. Since I haven't been making as much of an effort to eat some safe carbs, I think that's where I'll try to refocus my efforts.  There's some stuff out there by Chris Kesser about too-low-carb and hair loss.  

[praxisproject]

Don't ignore hair loss, keep investigating it.

 

There are a bunch of deficiencies which can manifest as hair loss

http://progressivehealth.hubpages.com/hub/16-Vitamin-Deficiencies-that-Lead-to-Hair-Loss

[Vian]

Unfortunately, modern medicine only recognizes "sick" and "not sick" and totally ignores "healthy". Your thyroid levels may be within "normal" ranges, but still be low enough for you to cause the symptoms you are seeing. I would eat thyroid boosting foods with selenium (brazil nuts are the best source of selenium out there, just ONE provides what you typically need in a day, but I would eat a few of them) and iodine such as fish and sea vegetables if you like them. Use a real mineral salt like celtic sea salt or himalayan pink salt when you cook, and you can even find iodine suppliments. I take one that is a drop I add to water. The average person needs about 150mcg of iodine a day, and the drops I use provide that in 4 drops. The one I use is derived from seaweed.

[R.andy]

Hi everyone,

I hope someone can give me some answers. I'm currently on day 14 and not doing too badly. I'm getting by eating a lot of Curries and chillis and so far I feel good. However, I think I'm losing my hair again. It's getting really patchy at the front. I went on a low carbs diet about 3 months ago and it happened then too. This time I'm eating more carbs, around 1-2 sweet potatoes a day and fruit every other day.

I have also had my thyroid and iron levels tested and they were fine.

What should I do x

There's no good reason to avoid carbs. Not all carbs are created equal. What you need to do is differentiate between the good carbs and the bad ones. Diets that direct you to avoid carbs are misguided, failing to differentiate between the good and bad. Bad carbs are simple or highly-processed ones like sugar and white "enriched" flour

Some people feel great on low carbs, some people do better on high carb diets. As you're one of the ones that doesn't feel good on low carb.`You should enjoy a longer, healthier and more active life, stop eating processed foods!

[MeadowLily]

If we're following the Whole 30 protocol,  processed foods and refined carbs aren't part of the template.   I agree that vegetables with higher carb content are needed and fruits, too.

 

I personally  don't know anyone who feels better on a high carb diet.   I know someone who's been a vegetarian for over 20 years.  She started at the age of 13.  I have always, always respected/supported this life/food decision.   It worked for 10 years.   Over the last ten years, she has been losing 70 lbs every other year.  She dials it down for a year and then regains all of it back the next year.

 

She eats mainly carbs.  Legumes, wraps, tortillas, vegetables, nuts and fruit.   No dairy, fish or eggs.   Her cravings are uncontrollable at this stage of her life, so she eats more carbs to fill the void.  Hence, the 70 lb weight gain every other year.   It takes her a year to remove 70 lbs.   She's not full regardless of how many carbs she's eating because satiety is the  missing ingredient.

 

Extreme low carb or extreme high carb can affect us in ways that go beyond our personal preferences.  Carbs...even the good kind, are no longer keeping her blood sugar in check.  She's on a wild rollercoaster ride of 70 lbs up and 70 lbs down.   I don't know what the end result will be.  Suggesting a complete change would go over like a lead balloon.  As the Hartwigs have said, sometimes it's just better to keep our mouths shut.   

[Hutlifr]

To add my 5 cents worth.... I notice that during my whole60, my hair got really thick. It was like when I was pregnant, and lost much less hair on a daily basis. Now, I am shedding more hair, like I used to after delivery. So maybe it is hormonal, despite of me being post menopausal.,...

[namaste]

Crab diet is also main reason of Hair loss. Our Body needs proper quantity of Vitamins and Proteins everyday so you have to take it. Take vitaminC, vitamin D rich foods. You can take Biotin or Minoxidil medicine so solve this problem. So consult a good dermatologist who tell you exact time to take this medicine.