Hair Loss on the Vegan Diet

This is all conjecture as there is no proof of any of the stuff I'm going to write here. Definitive nutritional studies of a subculture are not forthcoming in the near future, so we have to wing it to some extent, don't we?

Here's couple basic theories taken from other theories. One of the main reasons I think there's hair loss is low iodine levels due to the fact that the vegan diet can be high in soy which depletes iodine levels. So does raw broccoli, raw brussels sprouts, raw cauliflower, and raw cabbage. You don't need much iodine, but lack of it can lead to hair loss among other health issues. The other thing is that breads and pastas play heavily in some vegan diets, and other diets as well. Pasta and bread are low in l-lysine. Having low levels of that amino can also contribute to hair loss. I didn't know that until yesterday. In addition to that, there's Bromine in a lot of baked goods, Bromine appears to reduce the levels of iodine too. And on top of that, iron levels can be low on the vegan diet, and that too affects hair loss.

Certain nutrients in kelp, such as iron and the essential amino acid l-lycine, directly affect hair growth. Deficiencies in iron and l-lysine can impact hair loss in otherwise healthy individuals, according to Dr. David Rushton at the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom, in a 2002 literature review published in the journal Clinical Experimental Dermatology. In studies conducted in women, Rushton reported a significant proportion of subjects with hair shedding responded to l-lysine and iron therapy. Kelp's high iodine content may also contribute to claims it can help hair grow. Conditions related to iodine deficiency, such as hypothyroidism and goiter, can cause hair loss and thinning, according to thyroid.org.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/158317-kelp-for-hair-growth-does-it-work/#ixzz1DV8QKe5N

Now before you go eating kelp, and popping iron supplements, please read the rest of the article so you can avoid having too much iodine. You don't need much. Also, do your very best to get complete proteins so that you are not low on l-lysine.

Here's a link to foods high in iron, scroll down for the veg foods:
http://libraries.umdnj.edu/camlbweb/hrc/documents/IRON_RICH_DIET.pdf

Take vitamin C with your iron rich food to increase absorption. Kale has both vitamin C and iron in it.

http://www.vegfamily.com/whole-family/kale.htm

This is how I personally get iron, l-lysine, and iodine:

Iron: Kale. A lot of it because I love it.

L-Lysine: I look for complete proteins in vegan foods here: http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-protein/

Iodine: I use ancient mineral salt with naturally occurring iodine and I eat nori about once a month (I wrap hummus in it and it is so good).

Both Kals Brand and Red Star Nutritional Yeast have excellent protein profiles, in particular Lysine

Kals: http://www.vitacost.com/Kal-Nutritional-Yeast-Flakes

In this brand, there's 918 mg of Lysine in three rounded tablespoons. There's also a lot of B vitamins. Since I became vegan, I use Red Star or Kals every day. I would have to estimate that I eat about 1/4 cup of it mixed into soups, sprinkled on salads, added to scramble, and also sprinkled on all vegetables. I love the stuff.

Red Star: http://truefoodsmarket.com/nutritional-yeast-large-flake-1-lb.html

You can make soup bases, dips, and sauces with nutritional yeast.

Here's a dip that I make frequently:

1/2 cup of Nutritional Yeast
1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic granules
1/2 teaspoon more or less of iodized salt. I use the ancient mineral stuff.
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon dijon
1/2 cup raw cashews (bits and pieces are dry, but you can work with them if you soak them for a little while in water)
1/8 cup water

Process till smooth.

Spice it up more and add roasted red peppers and/or avocado. I water this down for a salad dressing or soup base. I make a sauce for veggies and thicken it with blended Northern white beans or arrow root. Sometimes I use beans in replacement of the cashews and omit the dijon. I also water down homemade hummus to use as dressings and sauces. Whatever I have around. You can add some (a couple drops) of liquid smoke to this dip, it is wonderful.

Notes from low carbing it and another low carb vegan snack

So far I made a mistake (which would happen on any diet) and didn't keep up on my electrolytes, so these days I drink an EmergenC packet with water. I was getting charley horses three nights in a row. Thankfully, my husband mentioned potassium and that got me thinking and googling. I immediately felt better after drinking the EmergenC and haven't had the cramps again. Usually I don't get them, but we ran out of bananas and I went a few days without a banana in my protein/green smoothie. We got a bunch at Trader Joe's yesterday, but they are still green. Once they are ripe, I'll freeze them.

As you might know, I'm a plant eater for the health of the animals. Fortunately my body digs this diet filled with greens and beans. I'm eating lots of vegetables, mushrooms, tempeh, and various sauces that I make myself. Once you know how to make sauces, and they are easy to make (especially Asian sauces), then you can eat the same stuff over and over again and not get bored.

However, I like tasty snacks. My new favorite low carb snack is:

1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1/4 cup walnuts or cashews
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Some roasted red peppers
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
1/4 cup water (use less if the mixture is spreadable)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon mineral salt

Blend in a food processor until smooth.

Spread on a low carb tortilla and cook it in a pan until golden on both sides. I use coconut oil on the pan and lightly salt the pan too.

Then I serve it with fresh avocado and/or salsa. Really good!

I got the dehydrator (as a birthday gift from my Mother) a few days ago and have been, and am still, booked up with design work so I haven't set it up yet. This weekend I'm going to start! I'm excited. You wouldn't know it from this blog, but I'm a web designer/developer at dropSoul.com (just me).

Since I started this new low carb diet about 3-4 weeks ago, I'm down about 11 pounds from where I started. In the last 2.5 years, I lost 60 lbs. gained back 20 lbs., but I was still lifting heavy and eating a lot (too much pasta, but still a lot of protein), so some of that has to be muscle. I would like to get down smaller, but I have more muscle, so even if I lose less, I'll fit my size 4 clothing again without bulge. I dislike clothes shopping. I get all my clothing at consignment boutiques and second hand shops, so I can't re-buy my favorites ever again. I take good care of them and even got natural dyes at Dharma Trading company to re-dye them when they fade. I did this with some blacks in a 5 gallon pot, it works great!