Wow, I’ve been off Propecia for over two years now, I’m in great shape and I’m not losing my hair. I’ve really got this figured out! I wish I knew this information 14 years ago, I can’t imagine how much healthier I’d be. I bet this information could help a lot of people who can’t seem to get this part of there life handled. I don’t know if what works for me is going to work for you. We are all different and our bodies are going to have some different needs, but I hope that you can get something from this book that helps. I’m going to be sharing some very intimate details about my past and my lifestyle. Like I said, I don’t know if any of this will work for you, we are all different. You could get off Propecia and lose all your hair in a week, I don’t know. But I’m still going to share the lifestyle that works for me and I hope this knowledge will give you a better chance.
My Background
I have a lot of strikes against me as far as potential to lose hair goes. My grandfather on my mother’s side was experiencing baldness since his early twenties. My father has lost much of his hair. My grandfather on my father’s side is experiencing baldness. All of my uncles on both sides are experiencing baldness and many of my cousins on both sides are losing hair. My hair has thinned on the top since 17. It also didn’t help to have a cycle of Accutane when I was 20. The hair thinning caused by the Accutane did not come back.
I tried Rogaine, but it didn’t do anything for me and from the research I did online, even the people it worked for were just getting a few very tiny/thin hairs to appear. I wanted normal hair. I started taking the generic Propecia (Finasteride) around 21 years old and continued until around 29. I also tried Saw Palmetto after Propecia for a few months.
Drug Side Effects
The scariest part while taking these drugs was the side effects. With the Finasteride (generic Propecia) I didn’t have the same sexual vitality when I was on it. I was in my mid 20's at this time. The Saw Palmetto was even worse. I didn’t feel right on it and it even caused me to have a bout of irritable bowel syndrome. I started reading blogs and forums with guys experiencing similar problems from Finasteride or even worse (1.). There was even a news story on YouTube about a guy who claimed he couldn’t get an erection at all after taking Propecia (1.). At that point I decided I’d rather go bald then risk losing my sexual ability permanently. I was going to do everything in my power to increase my testosterone to normal healthy levels and stop suffering from these side effects. At the same time I had a feeling that there were still ways to prevent hair loss without taking hormone blocking drugs. With the right care, I felt that my body should be able to heal itself and regulate my hormones without causing my hair to fall out.
(update: Went off Finasteride two years before the writing of this article and never took it again. I still have most of my hair and we had our first child with me being 36.)
Conspiracy Against Hair
Alright, there really isn’t a conspiracy against your hair, but does modern lifestyles contribute to hair loss? Have you noticed in our western culture an epidemic of all sorts of health problems from diabetes, obesity, heart disease. etc. It appears that the normal everyday routines in western society just don’t promote long-lasting health. This may not be a conspiracy, but you need to be aware that many of the things we’ve been taught are healthy might not be so healthy. In this book, I am going to outline the unique lifestyle that I believe has helped with my hair loss.
In this book are tips on improving overall health so you cause less stress on your body and age gracefully. In theory, this helps slow down hair loss. I’ve divided this book into parts that may influence your hair loss which include, but are not limited to, Nutrition, Exercise, Personal Care, Environment and Psychology.
Nutrition
This may be the longest section in this book because diet and nutrition are so important in repairing and maintaining your body. This is a necessary component in optimizing your health.
My strategy is not to worry so much about what I can't eat but to focus or fill up on foods that I can eat which are healthy and less likely to accelerate aging or hair loss. When I go grocery shopping, I will load up on and only purchase those types of foods. In some ways the cost stays the same because the money you were spending before on packaged foods etc. is now being spent on raw vegetables and healthy meats.
This the most difficult part of the overall lifestyle to describe, because one diet does not fit all, but most of what I will be discussing should apply to everyone.
Diet
You are going to need to figure out a lot of what works for you in this area. I will tell you some of the foods that will accelerate hair loss and are not healthy. I will also tell you about some of the foods I include in my diet as well as some general guidelines on eating healthy for your hair. However, this subject is so large that I can’t cover everything in this book. Luckily, as I’m writing this, there is a free nutritional typing test you can take online to help you figure this part out. After taking the test online you can download a list of healthy food recommendations and even some recipes. The good thing about these food recommendations is that they are all good for your health and will not accelerate your hair loss. The test is called “Nutritional Typing” and it is available at:
http://products.mercola.com/nutritional-typing/
This test used to cost $29, but as I’m writing this you can take the test for free. You’ll notice on that previous link that Dr. Mercola is bald. This isn’t because he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. It’s because by the time he figured out what effects his low-fat/high sugar and high grain diet were having on his hair, it was already too late. I hope it’s not too late for you.
Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup
When it comes eating healthy, the best thing you can do for your hair is to NOT spike your insulin levels. The best way to spike your insulin levels is by consuming foods high in sugar and high fructose corn syrup. You need to cut the sugar out of your diet as much as possible. High fructose corn syrup that they use in juices and soda is worse then sugar. You need to avoid this also. There are also many other reasons not to eat sugar because of its ill affects on your health which I will not go into in this book (2.).
However, sugar is not the only food that can spike your insulin levels. Any high carbohydrate food that can quickly be broken down in your body into glucose has the potential to spike your insulin level. Here are some ingredients, foods and food groups that I significantly limit in my diet:
1. Anything with added sugar or high fructose corn syrup
2. Any packaged low fat food
3. Any bottled juices or sodas
4. Breads and grains
5. Any fruits that are high in sugar
6. Any high starchy vegetables such as potatoes
7. Any high carbohydrate meal that may spike your insulin level that I didn’t cover
These are some of the guidelines I follow, but as in the disclaimer earlier, please consult with a doctor before making drastic changes in your diet. The above is what works for me.
Some of this will depend on your lifestyle. I find that 15 minutes before a work out, eating a peace of a banana helps give me a bit of extra energy that I need when I’m working out. The trick is that you don’t want to shock your system with a lot of sugar at once. This is why some people may do okay on fruits because they take longer to break-down then candy. Myself, I have a really fast metabolism and I do better on a high protein and high vegetable diet, so I don’t eat a lot of fruit. My diet is usually consisting of about 40% Vegetables (mostly green ones), 40% High Protein (meat, nuts and eggs), 20% a mix of everything else (beans, rice, fruit, bread and a little dairy in the form of cheese or yogurt). This works for me, but may not work for you, which is why I recommend the “Nutritional Typing” test from earlier. However, no matter what your nutritional type, refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup are not good for you.
Dairy
I stopped drinking milk about 4 years ago. I don’t believe the processed milk available in stores is good for you. Whenever I drink it, my nose gets stuffed up and takes about a day to get clear again. Reading on this subject, it sounds like raw milk from healthy grass raised cows might be good for you, but it’s not available in my area (5.). Although dairy may not be as big of a concern for hair loss factors, it is part of the theme of having the best overall health possible for your body.
Ice cream and frozen yogurt are loaded with sugar and should be avoided.
(update: raw milk is now available in my area, but I try not to over do it)
Remedy for Heartburn or Diarrhea
Although I don’t drink milk, I’ve found high quality plain yogurt or kefir have worked well when I needed to cure some digestive problems.
(update: I used to get stomach pain from eating spring mix lettuce and diarrhea. I have since built up a stronger digestion using "Standard Process" supplementation and do not have this problem.)
Vegetables
This may take a little trial and error on your part, but you’re going to want to start increasing your intake of low starch level raw vegetables. As I found earlier, not every vegetable sits well with me. Some of the vegetables I seem to digest easily raw include romaine lettuce, ice burg lettuce, spinach, celery, onions, cucumbers and green peppers. Next time you sit down to watch television, instead of getting a bowl of chips or ice cream (both of which are disastrous for your health), try a plate with a 5-10 mixed nuts and a large pile of a romaine lettuce mix (no dressing). If you’re anything like me, I’m used to eating in front of the TV. This gives my hands only healthy foods as options.
When you’re eating lots of healthy, mostly green vegetables, you’re not going to have room for all of those high sugar foods that are going to cause problems with your insulin levels. Eat lots of raw vegetables!
(update: You can make a healthy dressing using healthy oils such as extra virgin olive oil, udos oil or avacado oil, himalayan sea salt and balsamic vinegar.)
Balance your Omegas
For optimum health try to keep a good balance of omega 6’s to omega 3’s. I find the best way to do this is to include some high quality salmon meat in your diet 2-3 times a week. You may also want to consider krill oil. I’ve tried krill oil myself, but it seems like it may have been a bit strong for me, tilting in the omega 3 side and causing some allergies. The big concern with fish is the amount of mercury in the meat. Mercury is extremely toxic and you want none of it in your body. I’ve been buying some canned salmon from:
http://www.vitalchoice.com/
that is supposed to be safe with regards to contaminants such as mercury.
(update: "Standard Process" has supplements such as "Tuna Omega 3" and "Linum B6" which can help you get your needed oils balance those fats.)
Raw Eggs
I suggest you strongly consider including these in your diet. There isn’t hardly an important amino acid, nutrient or mineral that your body needs that cannot be found in egg yolk. It is extremely nutritious. It also has omega 3’s. If you’re going to try eating an egg raw, be sure to buy the best quality eggs you can find. The healthier the bird, the healthier the egg. My favorite eggs are from Vital Farms:
http://vitalfarms.com/
I always wash my eggs before opening them. Watch out for bad eggs. You will want to have a healthy immune before starting raw eggs. I digest them with ease after I mix them with a little protein power and cinnamon. You should read this article before consuming raw eggs or do some research.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/11/13/eggs-part-two.aspx
Vitamin D
Ever wonder why so many people get sick in the winter? There is good reason to believe that they are low on the essential nutrient Vitamin D because of the lack of exposure to the sun in the winter months. Find out more about Vitamin D here:
http://www.mercola.com/Downloads/bonus/benefits-of-sun-exposure/report.aspx
(update: Take Cod Liver Oil, especially in the winter, to help with your Vitamin D levels.)
Broccoli
I was very surprised to find out that this is a natural DHT inhibiting food. I don’t know if the particular actions of this food will help with hair loss but it could be a good vegetable to include in your diet for possible prevention of prostate cancer (4.) I like to eat broccoli once in a while. I will usually have a serving of 2-3 pieces if it’s raw or 5-8 if cooked with a meal. I also haven’t heard of anyone having any side effects from broccoli like they have with Propecia (Finasteride).
I also found site talking about using Broccoli to treat Prostatitus. They claim that Broccoli treatment can even re-establish fertility and libido.
http://www.prostatitis.org/broccaction.html
I don’t know if all that’s true, but I’m confident it’s a safe and healthy vegetable to consider including in your diet in small portions.
Alcohol
If you are going to drink, consider sipping on a vodka (Grey Goose is my favorite), club soda and lemon. You’ll have a refreshing drink without the hang over. Eliminate or significantly limit the beer and mixed drinks that are full of sugar and carbohydrates that are going to spike your insulin level. Please drink responsibly!
Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate, a popular supplement used by body builders also increases spikes in your insulin levels. I would be careful about taking this. I don’t know of evidence that this supplement causes hair loss, but it did cause some acne when I used in the past.
Microwaves
Try not to microwave your food. It zaps the nutrients right out of it (3.).
Vitamins and Supplements
I take a lot of high quality vitamins and supplements. Much of what I take includes high quality antioxidants. I’m very particular about the supplements I take and that they come from a trusted source. It would take too many pages here to cover why I take each one. I’m going to list each supplement I take, how many I take each day and a link to find out more about each supplement so you can do your own research before deciding to add them to your daily routine.
I weight about 153 lbs, exercise and strength train regularly, if you want to take a similar regimen of vitamins, you may want to adjust accordingly.
I take these in pill form each day.
- 10 “Dr. Shulze’s SuperFood Plus” Tablets (http://www.herbdoc.com)
- 1 “Dr. Mercola, Complete Probiotics” (http://www.mercola.com)
- 1 “Dr. Mercola, Purple Defense”
- 5 “Dr. Mercola, Chlorella” Tablets
- Standard Process SP Complete and Cyro Food
I might take an extra dose of the above listed vitamins after a particularly intense workout that day. I also take the “Dr. Mercola, Immune Support” in the winter whenever I feel like I am going to catch or already have a cold.
I also hand mix this drink with a spoon in the morning and after a work out.
- 1 or 2 Pasture-Raised Organic Raw Eggs (http://vitalfarms.com)
- 1 Scoop of “Dr. Mercola, Pro-Optimal Whey” Protein Powder
- Dash of Organic Cinnamon
- Approx ¾ Teaspoon Organic Psyllium Husk Powder (any brand)
- Add enough water that you can mix the ingredients
(update: This is the list of supplements I was taking in my late 20's. I since switched from Mercola & Dr. Shulze's products to "Standard Process" products.)
Standard Process
(update to the Vitamins and Supplements section) There are a few supplements that should be mentioned. Take "Simplex M" and "Wheat Germ Oil" for male hormone balance. Your testosterone levels are very important to have balanced to keep your hair. You want your body to create the testosterone for muscle that it needs without creating more then it can process. Take "Chlorophyll Complex" and "Cardio Plus" for blood, heart and circulation. There are many more products from Standard Process that can help your specific health challenges, but that is beyond the scope of this article.
Last Minute Meals
From the previous parts of this section, you’ve probably got a good idea of what the diet I suggest consists of: lots of vegetables, lots of high quality protein and limited amounts of fruit, starchy vegetables, grains & breads. I can’t always find time to prepare the best meal. Here are some fast food meals that I eat when needed.
- Subway, Salad with half spinach, half lettuce, roasted chicken, double meat, all veggies that I like, no dressing, avocado if available and a light sprinkle of shredded cheese. (best choice)
- Café Rio, Salad any meat with no chips and no dressing. Don’t eat the tortilla. If you don’t have a Café Rio in your area, this is a salad with some beans, rice, meat, lots of romaine lettuce, tomato and guacamole.
- Wendys, two grilled chicken sandwiches and a side salad with no dressing. Don’t eat the bottom buns.
- Chick-fil-A, two grilled chicken sandwiches and a side salad with no dressing. Don’t eat the bottom buns. (good side salad)
Here are a couple last minute meals I make at home when I don’t really have time to cook.
- 1 can Vital Choice salmon, lots of romaine salad and other veggies such as cucumber. Dip pieces of salmon in a little mustard. Eat all the salmon, skin and bones.
- Any meat cooked without deep frying it in oil and steamed or raw vegetables (low starch) such as broccoli. Worst case scenario, put some chicken thighs in a covered casserole dish and cook for an hour at 360 degrees (could vary for your elevation). If you don’t have a steamer, put ½ an inch of water in a pot, bring it to a light boil and throw in the veggies for 10-15 minutes.
(update: Since the writing of this article I've move to even more of a low-grain to wheat free diet.)
Water
Since you are going to be optimizing your health and will not be drinking any soda or processed juice drinks, you’re going to be drinking more water.
In the spirit of being healthy and keeping unwanted toxins from entering your body, you want to be aware of the quality of water you are drinking. One of those toxins you don’t want in your body is fluoride (6.). The best way I know of to remove this and other toxins from your water is using a reverse osmosis filter system. This will give you pure water.
Exercise
Exercise is needed for good circulation. Good circulation is needed to transport nutrients to cells and waste away from cells. Think of your hair as grass, if it doesn’t get the nutrients from the soil (your head) that it needs, it’s going to die. Worst case scenario, you improve your circulation and get sick less often. I’ve also found that improved circulation helps clear sinuses.
This is going to be different for everyone depending on what shape you are in. Some of you who are older or may not be exercising at all are going to want to start walking at least 3 times a week to improve your circulation (10.).
If you are already active, just be sure to include some exercise into your routine that improves circulation.
Peak 8
The best exercise format that I know of for improving circulation is called Peak 8 (a.k.a Sprint 8). The way this works, is that you do a high intensity workout such as sprinting for 30 seconds, rest for 90 seconds and repeat up to eight times. It takes less then 20 minutes and I’ve never had my heart pumping so hard. The American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine has even changed there guidelines for cardio to say that you can do an intense workout for 20 minutes three days a week which is exactly what Peak 8 does. Do not do this workout more than 3 times a week (11.).
This might not be for everyone. It is a rigorous workout.
Personal Care
It is important to be careful of the toxins that you allow your body to be exposed to. This can be a challenging as there are so many ingredients in even the most basic products that you purchase at the store. There is a reason the shaving cream most of use on our face can take the paint off of a car.
Be conscious of the care you take of yourself.
Deodorant and Aluminum
You may want to consider switching to an aluminum free deodorant. If you look at the primary active ingredient of most all anti-perspirants, you will find aluminum zirconium or possibly another aluminum compound. Aluminum has been linked to neurological disorders and you should limit your exposure to this element (7.).
Is it healthy to prevent our bodies from sweating? Sweating is widely believed to be healthy and eliminate toxins from the body. The hard part is finding that balance between eliminating toxins and eliminating friends from your smell. I currently use the old spice classic deodorant, original scent. It seemed to be less strong then others and doesn’t have aluminum. I’m still on the look out for a better alternative that does not contain propylene glycol. I read that a pinch of baking soda mixed with water will do the trick, but I haven’t tried that yet (8.).
Hair Brush
Find a boar bristle brush that is not too hard and not too soft. You can brush your scalp vigorously where you have thinning for a few minutes twice a day to stimulate the scalp. This was recommended by my hairstylist, it feels great and is safe. I can't say with certainty it prevents hair loss or causes growth, but it does distribute oils evenly in the hair which helps the hair look better at a minimum.
Toothpaste and Fluoride
Continuing with the theme of optimizing your health and limiting your body’s exposure to toxins, I suggest that you look for a healthier and safer alternative to the standard toothpastes. Look for something with no fluoride. I like the Auromère brand toothpaste, just a little bit of it goes a long way (http://www.auromere.com).
It’s beyond the scope of this book to go into all of the dangers of fluoride, but if you would like to learn more there is a countless number of websites talking about this. Google search “dangers of fluoride”. I would recommend limiting your exposure to this industrial waste product that is by all definitions a poison that should not be consumed.
Silver Fillings and Mercury
Many people are not aware that a silver filling is actually made using mercury. One of the side effects of mercury poisoning is hair loss. If you have a mouthful of silver fillings and are losing your hair, you may want to check your mercury toxicity. Be sure to do your research and find a dentist who uses the necessary precautions to safely remove mercury fillings before considering having them removed. I’ve read that you should not be having any mercury fillings removed if you’re pregnant for example. Getting them removed incorrectly could be more dangerous then leaving them in (12.).
(update: A diet that stops hair loss might also stop tooth decay. There is a book called "Cure Tooth Decay Naturally" that help you with that challenge.)
References
1. Propecia, Proscar, Finasteride -- PERMANENT SEXUAL SIDE EFFECTS
http://www.propeciahelp.com
2. The 76 Dangers of Sugar
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/20/sugar-dangers.aspx
3. Microwave Hazards
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/18/microwave-hazards.aspx
4. Chemical in Broccoli Blocks Growth of Prostate Cancer Cells, New Study Shows
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/05/12_Cancer.shtml
5. Why You Don't Want to Drink Pasteurized Milk
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/03/26/pasteurized-milk-part-one.aspx
6. Fluoride Article
Warning: This Daily Habit is Damaging Your Bones, Brain, Kidneys, and Thyroid
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/07/01/paul-connett-interview.aspx
7. Death of Alzheimer victim linked to aluminium pollution
http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060417/full/news060417-10.html
8. Three Green Beauty Alternatives
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/07/15/three-green-beauty-alternatives.aspx
9. Want a Good Nights Sleep? Never do these things before bed.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/02/secrets-to-a-good-night-sleep.aspx
10. Improve your Circulation by Walking
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/01/19/improve-your-circulation-by-walking.aspx
11. Flood Your Body With This "Youth Hormone" in Just 20 Minutes
http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2010/11/13/phil-campbell-on-peak-8-exercises.aspx
12. Mercury Toxicity (Amalgam Illness)
http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C586629.html