Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Hello Terry, “I don’t know what’s going on lately, but I have noticed that my hair has started to become very brittle and I have more split ends. I’m hoping you have some suggestions on how to get my hair back to being stronger and thicker. Thanks!” — Sara H., Seattle, WA

A. Dear Sara, Most of us have come to believe that we only have to treat our hair with shampoos and conditioners to improve the quality of our hair. However, for hair to grow and have the outward appearance of thick, shiny and lustrous hair, it depends on several key nutrients. If you consider the damage to your hair to be severe, I suggest you take 6 capsules daily of a millet seed oil extract formula that also contains other hair nourishing ingredients (vitamins A and E, B vitamins, zinc, L-cysteine, etc.). If you think your hair is only mildly damaged, then you can take a smaller dose of 3 capsules per day. You may also want to consider adding a bioavailable silica product extracted from horsetail. Many people never think about silica when it comes to hair, nails and bone health, but it is one of the most important minerals we need. Because silica is poorly absorbed, you want to look for a product that contains organic silica and bioflavonoids, blended with marine lipids. This greatly increases absorption and will help you achieve the best benefits. I recommend taking 60 mg of silica daily for 2-3 weeks in order to build a foundation for new, stronger hair. After the initial 2-3 weeks, you can then take 10-20 mg daily. Since hair grows slowly, keep in mind that it will take a minimum of 60-90 days for full recovery. However, if after the 60-90 days, you continue to have difficulties with your hair, and you find you are also having problems with energy, mood, weight gain and cold sensitivity, you may want to visit an integrative healthcare practitioner to have your thyroid function evaluated. Many women have suboptimal thyroid function, especially after the age of 35. If this is the issue, then adding a product that combines healthy doses of iodine with the amino acid L-tyrosine could be extremely beneficial. I’d recommend 30 mg of iodine and 400 mg of L-tyrosine in combination, taken twice daily. This will provide the raw materials necessary for your thyroid glands to make healthy amounts of thyroid hormone.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally