FACTORS TO PROMOTE HAIR GROWTH

All minerals are important for the health of the hair, especially calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, copper, and iodine. Vitamin D (cod liver oil) is important for the proper assimilation of the minerals in the intestines. (Remember: you are not what you eat, but what you assimilate.)

Iodine is a trace mineral which is found in foods and water in extremely small quantities. It is needed by the thyroid for its healthy functioning. It has been observed that iodine deficiency in the diet causes dryness, thinness and poor growth of hair. Iodine has a direct action on the activity of the thyroid gland. When the thyroid gland is functioning to its fullest capacity, the general metabolism is speeded up, which has a favorable effect on the quality and growth of the hair. It is also believed that iodine has something to do with keeping hair from turning gray.

The best natural source of iodine is kelp. Kelp is a dried and powdered seaweed, and can be obtained from health food stores in tablet or powder form. One or two kelp tablets usually contain a minimum daily requirement of iodine.

Remember that the diets of people known for their healthy, thick hair—the Chinese, Italians, Japanese, Eskimos, etc.—are rich in iodine, which is procured from sea foods and seaweed. Seaweed is a staple food in many countries, notably in Japan.

A few years ago sheep farmers in the Great Lakes region complained that they were having trouble growing wool on their sheep. Iodine is lacking in the soils of this area, as in many other inland regions of the United States. When the farmers added iodine to the sheep’s rations, the quality and quantity of wool improved immediately.

Kelp is also rich in many other minerals necessary for healthy hair growth, such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. One or two kelp tablets with each meal is a good protective dosage.

Lecithin is very rich in choline, inositol, and phosphorus—all acknowledged hair-growth stimulants. Lecithin is a modern wonder food, indeed, and much scientific research is available which shows that it is essential for many vital functions of the body. It is extremely important for the health of the nerves. It is vital for the brain—28 percent of the brain is lecithin. It is credited with the ability to break up fat and prevent fatty deposits in the arteries—one of the plagues of modern man. It rejuvenates the endocrinal glands which are involved in the growth of hair.

Commercial lecithin, available at health food stores, is made from soybeans. It comes in granular, liquid, or tablet form. Take two to three teaspoons, or the equivalent in tablets, each day.

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