365 Ways #128–Unless you like the bald look

#128–Are you losing your hair? With hair loss, my first thought would be your stress level--and stress isn't just mental/emotional.  It's exercise, sleep, chemical, nutritional, hydration (or lack thereof), etc. 

It could also be a sign of hypothyroidism. A tincture of iodine would be a good investment. Place a 2 inch by 2inch square on your forearm and see how long it takes to disappear. It should stay there for 24hrs. If it disappears sooner than that, you may be deficient in iodine (easy to do with the typical American diet).

Lysine is an amino acid that you could be deficient in as well. Good sources are meat, eggs, and fish. With any history of vegetarianism, this could easily be the cause, even if you’ve been eating animal products for a while.

Iron, too, should be checked, especially if you’re a woman who is still menstruating.

Lastly, if you’re approaching menopause, even prematurely (which would be a result of excessive stress from various sources–not just mental), then the hormonal changes could be the culprit. In addition to reducing stress levels so you don’t suffer as much from what’s termed pregnenolone steal, I’d stay away from cans (BPA) and plastics as well as non-organic food. The xenoestrogens could be disrupting the delicate hormonal balance in your body.

Of course, any hair loss could be just a part of a normal cycle, too–not every hair follicle is active at the same time. But I’d look at the above just to be sure.