Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse for Hair Loss

As you may know from my myriad of posts on the topic of hair loss, it’s something very near and dear to my heart. My PCOS causes my hair to fall out more than the average woman. There’s many other causes of hair loss in women, but this hair rinse could potentially be beneficial for most causes.

Here’s Why:

Removes Scaly Buildup

The acidic nature of apple cider vinegar helps to restore pH and remove product and dirt buildup on the scalp. Apple cider vinegar also contains something called alpha-hydroxy acid. This acid gently exfoliates the scalp, removing buildup. Clogged hair follicles also promote bacterial issues on the scalp, which can halt or slow hair growth.

Promotes Circulation

Vinegar acts like a tonic which promotes good circulation to the capillaries on the scalp.

Protects Follicles

There is a thin acidic protective layer on the scalp, with a pH of about 5 (slightly acidic). Many shampoos and other hair care products are very alkaline, with a pH closer to 7 (slightly alkaline). Apple cider vinegar has a pH of 3, so when this is diluted in water, helps to balance out the alkalinity. This acidity hardens the outer layer of the hair and flattens the cuticle so hair is shiny, healthier and more manageable.

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse for Hair Loss

Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse

2016-05-13 14:38:36

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Ingredients

1 part raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (like Bragg’s)
4 parts filtered water

Instructions

Mix the apple cider vinegar with the water in a container. You might want to use a squeeze bottle or something you can use to easily distribute the mixture onto your hair. I just put it in a liquid measuring cup with a spout.
After your normal shampoo, apply the ACV mixture to your hair, gently using your fingers to coat the strands. Leave in for about 1 minute. Rinse your hair with cool water.
You’re done! Optionally, you can use your conditioner after the ACV rinse, but if you’re wanting to remove build-up on the scalp, I would skip it. The hair will come out shiny and soft anyways!

Notes

Use this rinse when you feel your hair and scalp is getting built-up with product, or as a regular routine, anywhere from once per week to once per month.

By Robyn Srigley - The Hormone Diva

The Hormone Diva https://thehormonediva.com/

Have you tried an apple cider vinegar rinse for your hair? What did you think? Please share in the comments!

How to Use More Cruciferous Vegetables for Happy Hormones

The vegetables I grew up with were pretty sad. Frozen vegetables like corn, carrots, peas and greens beans were the name of the game. If I did get fresh vegetables, it was a sad iceberg lettuce salad with carrots, cucumber and store-bought french dressing (STILL my favourite salad dressing of all time). Super crappy.

I never knew there was a whole other world of delicious vegetation that I could eat and experiment with. As a teenager, I began to bring more fresh food into my life- like spinach, broccoli and those containers of baby mixed greens. I also ate bell peppers and began my love affair with onions.

The more I learned, the more I realized that certain vegetables can have some pretty profound effects on my health. The biggest contenders in this area are the cruciferous vegetables. Now I eat them fresh, steamed, roasted or any way I can on a daily basis. I can say that they have helped me in numerous ways, like reducing my digestive difficulty, balancing my blood sugar and helping my liver detoxify hormones.

What Are Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables are vegetables in the Brassica family of plants.

Here’s the list of delicious morsels in this group:

broccoli
cauliflower
cabbage
bok choy
turnip
radishes
kale
collard greens
brussels sprouts
mustard greens
napa cabbage

kohlrabi
rutabaga
rapini
arugula
daikon radish
mizuna
horseradish
watercress
wasabi
romanesco

Why Cruciferous Vegetables for Happy Hormones

As you can see, there are numerous vegetables in that list- all delicious. There’s so much variety it’s impossible to get sick of these Happy Hormones vegetables.

Here’s why we all need more of these beauties:

Glow: Skin + Hair Health

These vegetables contain sulphur, an important mineral which is needed for healthy skin
Brassicas contain Sulforaphane, an anti-oxidant and anti-aging compound which can reduce skin damage
The DIM contained in these vegetables helps the body to detoxify excess estrogen, which can cause acne and contribute to other hormonal issues like PCOS, where hair loss and skin issues are common

Vivacity: Healthy Weight

The sulfur compounds in cruciferous vegetables help to detoxify the liver- which when sluggish causes weight gain, bloating, gas and constipation
The veg also contains high levels of fibre- which will create amazing poops which allow you to excrete built up hormones like estrogen, as well as move your bowels to reduce the weight of a GI system full of stool
The fibre in these vegetables also balances insulin and blood sugar- something that is 100% KEY to releasing excess weight- keeping you full longer and not running to the vending machine

JOY: Positive Moods + Stable Relationships

When your blood sugar is balanced, you don’t get ‘Hangry’ between meals- so you and the other humans in your path won’t see the monster
As they help to detoxify excess estrogen- the common symptoms of mood swings, anxiety and depression that can result from estrogen dominance disappear

How to Use More Cruciferous Vegetables

(Beyond sad soggy boiled broccoli)

Steam a bunch of these veg, add just enough bone broth to cover and blend into a healthy, nourishing soup
Cut broccoli and cauliflower into tiny pieces and mix with your favourite homemade dressing, some shredded carrots and maybe a few juice-sweetened dried cranberries for a great salad
Put some of those greens like kale or collards into your next smoothie for an antioxidant and fibre boost
Shred Brussels sprouts and saute lightly with nitrate-free bacon and chopped onions
Make a stir fry with asian vegetables like daikon radish and bok choy
Put the daintier leafies like arugula, watercress and cabbage into a big green salad, topped with other veggies like peppers
Steam a bunch of cauliflower and broccoli and top with melted ghee, lemon juice and salt and pepper
Roast some rutabaga and mash as you would mashed potatoes, and use as a healthier and lower carb potato substitute
Use horseradish to flavour your foods- it’s great with all types of meats and many fish

As you can see there is no shortage of ways to increase the amount of these tasty delights beyond just boiling and choking them down. Dress them up, dress them down. Enjoy them to detox daily for Happy Hormones!

Which of these vegetables is your fav? How do you love to consume them? Please share in the comments!

Causes of Hair Loss in Women

Just when you think your life/health/soul couldn’t be beat down anymore. . .your hair starts to fall out. As women, we are very protective of our hair. It shows your personality, and shelters you from physical and possibly emotional harm. In my life, I’ve had three separate episodes (episodes = MANY months) of hair loss. The first time I experienced clumps of hair falling from my head in the shower, I was devastated. I hadn’t yet been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and didn’t know what the f*** was going on!

There are so many causes of hair loss in women, and it’s much more common than you’d think. In fact, it’s been reported that up to one in every four women will experience hair loss or thinning at some point. That’s a lot of ladies!

Thankfully, there are ways to slow or reverse hair loss in women. Before you can do that though, you must figure out what the heck is causing your hair loss in the first place!

Causes of Hair Loss in Women

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS is a hormonal disorder characterized by cysts on the ovaries, excess androgens and insulin resistance. PCOS has a lot more to it, but a main symptom for many PCOS cysters is hair loss. This type of hair loss is called androgenic alopecia, and is caused by excess testosterone. The excess gets converted into DHT, a ‘bad’ form of testosterone that at the skin/scalp level causes hair to fall out. Part of the reason that testosterone gets converted into DHT is chronic stress, so self-care is very important for PCOS. Women with PCOS may notice hair loss mostly at the temples, hairline and top of the head, rather than an all-over loss.

Hypothyroidism

Another leading cause of hair loss in women, having an underactive thyroid can cause your hair to fall out. This type of hair loss often happens throughout the whole head, not necessarily leaving patchy areas as in androgenic alopecia. Due to the lengthy life cycle of your hair follicles, you may not notice hair loss until months after seeing thyroid symptoms or being diagnosed hypothyroid. Hair growth actually depends on thyroid hormone, and too little thyroid hormone can cause hair loss- not just on the head but all over the body. Note that hyperthyroidism can also cause thinning of hair.

Poor Nutrition

Vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and nutritional compounds are essential to our health. We literally ARE what we eat. No joke. So if you’re eating a diet high in processed foods (think boxes, bags and cartons) or lots of fast food (I’m looking at you, McDonalds!) you will absolutely not be getting all the nutrients you need. Even eating vegetables from your supermarket may not give you what you need. Eating organic or locally grown foods, in the whole and natural state will go a long way.

One of the main nutrients missing for women experiencing hair loss is Iron. This mineral helps keep us energized, oxygenated and also prevents hair loss. If you’re unsure of your levels, get your doc to check Ferritin. Grab a supplement if you end up being low.

Stress

Stress can be an evil (but physiologically necessary) beast. I wish I could come up with a new name for it that has a positive spin! Anyways. . .

Chronic stress will help the body in creating all of the imbalances mentioned above and more!! Stress doesn’t allow our bodies to create the right hormones in the right amounts at the right time. So your thyroid takes a hit, your reproductive hormones are out of whack (hello, extra DHT!) and your nutrient status becomes dangerously low. You may go through some kind of emotional or physical trauma (like me losing my grandmother this spring) and not notice hair falling out until after the fact, due to your hair’s lifecycle.

Thankfully, most hair loss can be reversed, or at least stopped or slowed down. I have been extremely fortunate to be able to tame my PCOS hair loss. Here’s a great hair treatment I use weekly, and some ideas of what to look for in a hair loss supplement.

Be patient – your gorgeous hair will reappear!

Have you experienced hair loss? What helped your hair grow back?

Choosing a Supplement for PCOS Hair Loss

As you may have seen, I recommend a targeted topical and internal approach to hair loss in women. Part of the internal is choosing a quality supplement for hair loss.

There are probably hundreds of different supplement companies creating products for hair loss. Hair loss in women and men is extremely frustrating and not all supplements will work.

While I can’t guarantee that including the following ingredients in your hair loss supplements will help or reverse your hair loss, the research (both scientific and personal) points to fantastic results!

Choosing a Supplement for Hair Loss

Biotin

Probably one of the most indispensable nutrients for hair loss, this member of the B vitamin family strengthens both hair follicles and nails. Also known to balance blood sugar, this vitamin is a win-win for women with PCOS. For hair loss, 500-1000mcg per day is recommended.

Silica/Horsetail/Bamboo

These three hair loss remedies are interchangeable. What they have in common is the mineral silica. Silica is actually a combination of silicon and oxygen, two of the most abundant elements on the earth. What makes this mineral so great for hair loss because it promotes mineral balance in the body. This leads to balanced hormones and sexy hair! Silica is also a component of collagen, the compound that keeps your hair, skin and nails looking supple and ageless. Horsetail and Bamboo are two medicinal herbs that contain high levels of silica, and can be used in much the same way. Taking 20-50mg of one of these extracts per day should do the trick.

Vitamins B5 and B6

Vitamin B5 or Pantothenic Acid is your anti-stress vitamin. It improves your body’s ability to respond to stress by supporting your adrenal glands. This coupled with it’s protein-modulating effects makes it a win-win for hair loss. You already know that stress is a major cause of hair loss in women, not to mention that proteins form the basis of our hair and scalp. Healthy proteins = Happy hair! Take up to 50mg 3 times per day.

Vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine is your mood vitamin (among many other uses!!). It supports your nervous system- back to that stress cause again- promotes proper breakdown of sugars and starches, and keeps your heart healthy. Vitamin B6 is great for those who suffer from depression or low-moods as it helps create your feel good neurochemicals llike serotinin and GABA. This is common in women with PCOS, underactive thyroids and in menopause. This vitamin is also essential when trying to build up iron stores, another major cause of hair loss in women. Take up to 50mg 3 times per day.

Vitamin C

I LOVE VITAMIN C. There. . .I said it. Glad to get that off my chest. Useful for just about anything and safe for just about anyone, you can’t go wrong with a little ‘C’. Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid aids in improving scalp circulation. It also helps with antioxidant action in hair follicles. This vitamin is also necessary for Iron absorption, healthy adrenal glands and stress response, and hormone balance– all necessary for eliminating hair loss. Take to bowel tolerance (if you get loose bowels- you’ve taken too much!), this is usually 3-5g per day.

Vitex or Dong Quai

Hormones, how I ~~loathe~~ love thee. If you hair loss is hormonally-related, it’s important to take a hormone-balancer to help. Two of the most common are Vitex and Dong Quai. Vitex aka Chastetree Berry balances hormones right from the brain. It helps our body to balance estrogen and progesterone function, reducing hair loss. Dong quai is a chinese herb that has long been used to balance hormonal imbalances of many kinds, including PMS and even PCOS and endometriosis. Both herbs can be taken as capsules or liquid tincture (drops) and dosing should either be recommended by a holistic healthcare practitioner or by following the bottle.

Minerals

With nutrient-depleted soils now becoming rampant pretty much across the world, minerals can be hard to come by. Whether macro or trace, all minerals are important. Some minerals to emphasize for hair loss include 300-uses Magnesium, skin-balancing Zinc, thyroid-supporting Selenium and Iodine, plus some blood-building Iron. If your hair loss formula doesn’t include any or many of these minerals, you may want to check out a multi-mineral formula.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

When vitamins can’t be broken down in water, they are considered fat-soluble. Vitamins A, D, E + K all fall into this category. All are helpful for hair loss, but Vitamins A and D have a particular affinity. Vitamin D restores your immunity, balances hormones and manages your stress response. Vitamin A also balances hormones, encourages normal cell growth and maintains the normal structure and function of skin (and scalp). Aim for 800IU – 2000IU of Vitamin D per day. With Vitamin A (retinol) aim for 2000IU – 3000IU per day.