More on Reading your body like a book

The crown of your head, your hair, has its good days and bad days.  Some people have a dry or sensitive scalp, others get the odd grey hair prematurely, whilst many people complain about thinning hair as they age. 

Dry, flaky scalp and dull, lifeless hair, both reflect a diet rich in refined sugars and a lack of fatty acids.  Eliminating refined sugars and adding things like fish, unroasted nuts and seeds, and salad oils (olive oil, flaxseed oil, and so forth), will not only nourish your skin, but bring back the shine in your hair as well.  Another supplement to add, especially if you don’t eat a lot of, or any, red meat, is a vitamin B-complex.

A sensitive scalp can occur if you spend too much time in the hot sun without protection, but it can also be something that is with you every day.  Taking cod-liver oil (or something similar), will feed the scalp and help it to become more moist and less sensitive.  Using a brush that has natural bristles and being careful when you tie your hair, will also help.  If you have a vitamin D-deficiency, add it to your diet (especially if you don’t go out in the sun).  Many people living in the Northern Hemisphere suffers from a vitamin D-deficiency; important not only for your scalp but it helps to build and maintain a strong immune system as well.

Premature greying is not something that is something that is liked by everyone.  There are many factors at play – genes, stress and/or a supplement-deficiency.  If you are one of those who is starting to see grey hairs sticking out, try adding PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid), a vitamin B, to your supplement program.  Some people also found success with the Chinese herb “ho-shou-wu” or “fo-ti.”  I didn’t study Chinese medicine, so please do your research first before using it!

Are you noticing that your hair is starting to thin out?  Sometimes this is caused due to a pregnancy (or recent pregnancy), other times it is due to hormonal changes as you age, or it can be due to stress and lack of certain vitamins and minerals in your diet.  A study indicated that hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid), can cause thinning of the hair.  When we age, our stomachs stop producing adequate levels of stomach acid and pepsin.  This leads to poor digestion of essential proteins and impedes the growth of new hair.  Supplementing your diet with hydrochloric acid-pepsin-tablets / capsules, will help your stomach to digest and absorb the protein properly.

If you are losing an abnormal amount of hair on your legs, arms, underarms, or anywhere else, ask your health practitioner to test your androgenic- hormone and testosterone-levels.  Losing too much hair on the body, can be a sign of low hormone levels, which impedes your immune system’s functioning.

Your mouth, tongue and lips, can quickly let you know whether or not you are in tip-top shape.  A cold sore, caused by the herpes virus, can be caused due to stress, a lack of certain nutrients, a cracked lip, or an immune system that is not running on full capacity.  Adding selenium, found in garlic and onions, to your diet, can help.  Taking a L-lysine-supplement once a week or month, can help as well. 

Cracked lips can be caused by many factors: allergies like hay fever or sinus, cold or very hot weather, being in a room with aircon (which causes your lips to dry out), a lack of vitamin C and/or a lack of vitamin B2 (Riboflavin).  As always, do make sure to take a good vitamin B-complex supplement, if you don’t eat any red meat.

Cancer sores can be triggered by something in your diet.  Write down what you eat and/or drink, when it reoccurs, and eliminate this from your diet.  Lactobacillus acidophilus can also help and stay clear of using toothpaste which contains sodium lauryl sulphate. 

Bleeding gums can either be caused by allergies, especially if you sleep with an open mouth, or periodontal disease.  Supplementing with coenzyme Q10 and folate, can help.

Our eyes are the windows to our soul.  For many years, doctors used (and is still using) Iridology, to see what is going on inside of our bodies.  Cloudy eyes (cataracts), are usually due to ageing.  Studies have found that it can also be linked to sugar-insulin metabolism.  Too much refined sugar is not just bad for the waistline, but it can also affect your lenses.  How?  Your lenses respond to high blood-sugar levels by “helping” it to remove some of the excess.  Unfortunately, the lenses cannot store the excess sugar, thus it condenses, over time, into cataracts.

Red, watery eyes can be caused by the weather, an allergy or it could be an infection.  If you do notice that they eye is irritated and/or watery, seek help.  The last thing you want to do is to damage your eyes!  Remember, you only have one pair!  An eye haemorrhage occurs when one of the blood vessels bursts.  This can be caused by rubbing your eyes, pressure on the eye or, in rare instances, it could be a sign of hypertension.  If you are unsure, ask a medical practitioner for advice.

Vitamins A, C, K, as well as B2, Zinc and Selenium, are all important to add to your diet, as all of these play a vital role in keeping your eyes healthy.  Lutein is another important ingredient, used by your eyes to stay healthy and strong.

Our nails are another place to look for any signs of changes.  Cracked (brittle) nails can be caused by low acid and pepsin production in your stomach, but it can also be caused by a lack of calcium, magnesium and potassium, in your diet. 

White spots almost always point to a zinc deficiency.  In rare cases it can also be an indication of low levels of pancreatic enzymes or gluten-gliadin intolerance.  Zinc is not easily found in foodstuffs, so best to take it as a supplement, or as part of a multi-vitamin supplement. If in doubt, please consult a health practitioner.

The last place that “tells” you what is going on, is your bones and joints.  After the age of 30, our bone-growth stops.  Therefore, it is important to exercise and do weight-bearing exercises.  This can be anything from walking, jogging, cycling, to working out with hand weights, a Pilates ball and even swimming.  Many suffer from osteoarthritis as the years go by.  Not only is mild exercises like walking, Pilates, swimming and stretching, good, but also taking extra supplements like Omega oils, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium and potassium, as well as glucosamine and chondroitin, to naturally repair the damaged joint cartilage.  It can also prevent swelling, together with niacinamide.  Many people eliminate the “nightshade” vegetables from their diet, which seems to help. 

Our bodies is our temple.  Taking care of ourselves, both internally and externally, is key to living a well-balanced, healthy life.  being healthy should not be seen as a chore; rather it should be a lifestyle.  When something is not in balance on the inside, it will quickly show on the outside.  So, dear readers, listen, and in this case look at, your body, for any messages that something is not in sync.