Preventing hair thinning Getting Hairy No woman I know would be overjoyed to find her hair thinning. But it is estimated that one in five American women live with this problem every day.  For some, the condition is temporary, brought on by stress, illness, medication, or diet. Hair loss can be triggered by crash diets, tight ponytails, braids, weaves, or hair extensions, thyroid disorders, pregnancy, discontinuing birth control medication, or general anesthesia.  One of the more common causes in pre-menopausal women is iron deficiency. You can increase your iron intake through diet by adding dried fruits, fish, meat, legumes, and dark greens. You can also choose an iron supplement, but seek out the advice of your physician first.  Another option is to supplement with MSM (methylsulfonyl methane), a component of proteins found in the hair, nails, skin, and tendons. MSM contains sulfur, which your body will need help in metabolizing, so you should also add a small amount of the nutrient molybdenum.  Finally, adding 500 mg of gamma linolenic acid (GLA) in the form of black currant oil or evening primrose oil twice a day for six to eight weeks, and supplementing with fish oil and 400 IU of vitamin E may also lead to an improvement.  ****************************************************  A question of timing  Q: I have been using SSKI and have experienced true success! My hair is silky and shinier, my nails are healthy, and my energy level is really up. How long can I use this iodine supplement safely?  JVW: As you have seen, SSKI has its benefits. But to be safe, I always recommend that its use be monitored by a doctor skilled in natural medicine because of SSKI's potential to affect thyroid function if used over long periods.  Although in my experience, taking nine or fewer drops of SSKI daily has hardly ever resulted in thyroid suppression for the majority of my patients, the risk is still there, so it is important to have your physician order and interpret periodic thyroid function tests to monitor your thyroid's performance. The good news is that if your test results show that your thyroid is affected, you can simply discontinue your use of SSKI and recovery should be prompt.  Also, make sure your diet contains lots of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as the amino acids methionine and cysteine, especially if you are a vegetarian or don't eat much meat. If you eat meat or other animal protein daily then you are probably getting enough of these two amino acids, but if not, then be sure to take 300 to 500 milligrams daily of each when using SSKI long term.  ****************************************************  What are...goose bumps?  Goose bumps are tiny raised spots on the arms and legs that occur as a result of involuntary contractions of the small muscles attached to hair. These contractions are brought on by cold, fear, or other emotions and also cause the hair to stand on end.   Yours in good health, Amanda Ross Editorial Director Nutrition & Healing

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