Nettles are rich in vitamins A and C, several key minerals and lipids that can be beneficial to the hair. Nettle Root Extract has been used successfully in Europe as an inhibitor of 5-alpha reductase in treating BPH. As mentioned earlier, 5-alpha reductase is a key component in turning testosterone into DHT, the substance that causes the atrophy of hair follicles. Therefore there is great promise in its use as a component in . Nettle Root Extract is available at health food stores over the counter, and has few side effects.



Rosemary and sage are two herbs that have shown benefit traditionally when used externally. It is suggested that to promote a clean scalp, stimulation of the hair root, and thickening hair one should boil together in water rosemary, sage, peach leaf, nettle and burdock. Then strain the loose herbs from the liquid and use the liquid to wash the hair daily. Also recommended is steeping one ounce of ground rosemary, two ounces of ground sage, and a half ounce of ground nettles in one pint of ethyl alcohol for a week, straining the solution and adding one ounce of castor oil and one ounce of water to the liquid. This is said to make a great hair lotion to apply at night before bed or just before shampooing.

Aloe Vera has been used by Native Americans, Indians and many in the Caribbean as a to promote healthy hair and prevent hair loss. Aloe's positive effects on the skin are well known, and likewise it can help the scalp by healing it and balancing the pH level of the scalp while cleansing the pores. A common preparation of Aloe Vera gel with a small amount of wheat germ oil and coconut milk is used as a shampoo and has traditionally shown great benefit. Of course, if you do not want to go through the trouble of concocting your own formulas, similar products or products containing these ingredients may be found in the health food store if one does some searching.

If one is predisposed to seborrhea, eczema, psoriasis, or dandruff, one might consider the use of jojoba (pronounced ho-ho-ba) oil. Mexicans and southwestern Native American nations have used jojoba oil traditionally for centuries to promote hair growth and the control of dandruff. Jojoba oil is great for hypoallergenic skin by being a great moisturizer and mimicking the scalp's own sebum. It absorbs readily into the scalp and helps remove deposits of sebum from the hair follicles, neutralizes acidity, and nourishes the scalp with all the B vitamins, vitamin E, silicon, copper, zinc, chromium, and iodine.

Iodine is vital to the growth of hair. Sheep farmers long ago discovered that vegetation void of iodine due to iodine-depleted soil will adversely affect the growth of wool in sheep. Likewise, our hair needs iodine to grow. Iodine is synthetically added to table salt, however in this form it is not assimilated well into the body and can therefore cause iodine overload. An excess of iodine in the body can adversely affect the thyroid. It is best to use non-iodized salt and retrieve your iodine from natural food sources. These include seaweed, salmon, seafood, lima beans, molasses, eggs, potatoes with the skin on, watercress and garlic.

One of the most difficult nutrients vital to hair growth to get in one's diet is the trace mineral silica. Silicon is a form of silicon and is the second most abundant element in the earth's crust, second only to oxygen. The Earth provides everything we need for health, and with silicon being so abundant, it would seem that there would never be a problem with silica deficiency. Unfortunately, trace minerals are rare in Western diets because our food is processed and our soil depleted by chemical treatments so often that trace minerals are lost. Silica is vital to the strength of hair, and although it will not necessarily stop hair from falling out from the follicle, it will stop hair breakage. It works by stimulating the cell metabolism and formation, which slows the aging process. Foods that are rich in silica are rice, oats, lettuce, parsnips, asparagus, onion, strawberry, cabbage, cucumber, leek, sunflower seeds, celery, rhubarb, cauliflower, and swiss chard. Note that many of these foods, particularly rice, are a large part of Asian diets and Asians tend to have the strongest and healthiest hair. Be sure to seek out all the above foods from sources that grow food organically, as this is vital to obtaining the trace minerals that are usually not present in North American soil and therefore not in American foods. Additionally these foods should be eaten uncooked, or in the case of rice-unwashed, as trace minerals are easily cooked and washed away.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) are fatty acids that are needed by the body yet not produced by the body. EFA's are a key component to healthy skin, hair and nails. Common skin diseases, such as those discussed later in this book like eczema and seborrhea, are in part caused by deficiencies in EFA's. Including deep-water fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout, or herring approximately three times a week will provide sufficient amounts of EFA's. However, if for some reason you cannot eat deep-water fish or have an extreme dislike for it, it may be necessary to take a supplement to obtain the required amount of EFA's.

Last but not least, make sure to include the proper amount of water in your diet. Water is vital to proper hydration, which is necessary in order for all nutrients to be utilized properly by the body, not to mention the proper function of every cell in the body including hair follicles. The suggested amount of water intake daily is eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, or 64 ounces a day.

The effects of high-fat diets and the increase of DHT (Dihydrotestosterone), a chemical produced by the body found to cause hair loss, is not conclusive at this time. However, there does seem to be a connection; as societies that consumed relatively low-fat diets such as pre-World War II Japan experienced almost no pattern baldness, whereas in post-World War II Japan there is an increase in pattern baldness as their society consumes a higher fat diet. In fact, Asian and African men in their native countries traditionally suffer very little Male Pattern Baldness (MPB). Although when the same peoples come to North America, they begin to develop MPB. Because people of all races and ethnicities tend to develop MPB or androgenetic alopecia, yet do not exhibit these tendencies before moving to America, changes in diet may be a leading contributing factor. Diets high in fat do increase testosterone, which is the main component in DHT. More research needs to be done on this topic to reach conclusive evidence, although it certainly could not hurt to lower one's fat intake.