1.  Physical Stress

Different types of stresses on the body can cause hair loss.  Stressors can include:  high fever, severe infection, major surgery, acute physical trauma, chronic debilitating hair loss, acute weight loss, crash dieting, anorexia, low protein intake, medications (beta-blockers, anti-coagulants, retinoids, immunizations), hormonal disruption, iron or zinc deficiency.  Surgery-related hair loss should not last for more than six months and hair should re-grow after that period of loss.  If the hair loss is diet-related, it may last for longer.

2.  Nutrient Deficiency

Here are some common signs that your hair loss may be nutrient-related:

• Your hair loss started more than six months after surgery.
• Your hair loss lasts more than 1 year.
• You have low energy levels or other physical signs of fatigue and malnourishment.

If you have these diet-related symptoms, you may need to change something about your diet.  Ask yourself if you are getting at least 60 grams of protein if you’re a female or 80 grams of protein if you’re a male.  If you are not, you should start increasing your protein intake immediately.  Be sure to go with food first.  Getting a majority of your protein from supplements may enable you to reach your protein goal, but you may be missing out on nutrients from real foods that your body needs.

3.  Vitamins/Minerals Deficiency

Are you following your vitamin regimen closely?  If not, start immediately.  Iron is the single most important nutrient when it comes to preventable hair loss.  Zinc deficiency has also been seen in correlation with hair loss.  Biotin is commonly believed to help prevent hair loss but has not been confirmed through research involving humans.  Other possibilities for deficiency include Vitamin A, Folate and B6.  Taking your multivitamin daily is key.  If you have a history of anemia or are a female of menstruating age, you may have to take an additional Iron supplement.  Omega-3 Fatty acids are also good for hair health and are found in walnuts, avocado and flax seed.

4.  Emotional Stress

Are you stressed for any reason?  Stress can cause hair loss.  Try to incorporate even as little as 10 minutes of quiet time into your day.  Sit in silence for some deep breathing, go for a walk or do some reading to decrease your stress levels.  If you have recently stopped smoking, this may also cause you to feel stressed.  If so, hang in there!  You will feel better and be glad you quit soon.

If you don’t think any of the above reasons are causing your hair loss, make an appointment to see your doctor.  There may be an underlying metabolic issue that could be the cause.

There are three kinds of physical activity that are all a part of a healthy, active lifestyle.  Aim to participate in all three every week.

1. Strength Training:  Performing repetitions of weighted exercises utilizing weight machines or dumbbells helps to build lean muscle mass, increase bone strength and improve posture.  Aim to perform these exercises 2 to 4 days per week.

 

2. Flexibility Exercises:  Gently stretching and bending your muscles helps increase circulation, decrease the risk of injuries and maintain mobility.  Holding stretches softly for about 20 seconds per muscle group after every time you perform any exercise can also decrease muscle soreness.

 

3. Endurance Activities:  Walking, biking, yard work, dancing, water aerobics, swimming and step aerobics train your cardiovascular system and lungs.  Build up to performing endurance activities most days of the week for 30 minutes at a time.

Be sure to get clearance from your surgeon before starting any exercise programs after your weight loss surgery.

At this month’s support group meeting our focus was on one thing – EXERCISE.  Why should we exercise?  How should we exercise?  What are the best ways to exercise?  How often and how long should we exercise for?  The questions are endless.  To help us get a grip on all things exercise we invited Monica O’Reilly, owner of Fit for Life Fitness Center, to help answer these questions.  Here is a breakdown of what we learned:

• In order to reach your goals you CANNOT continue with the same eating, the same exercise, and the same physical activity behaviors.  You must change these behaviors through self discipline. 
• Physical activity does not discriminate.  Adults of all ages, shapes and sizes will gain health and fitness benefits through physical activity.
• Sitting for prolonged periods of time hurts your body.  How?  It turns off most of the abdominal muscles, over-works the back muscles, over-stretches the spinal ligaments, stresses the back portion of the discs and shortens the psoas, calf and hamstring muscles.  If you have a desk job make sure you get up and stretch every 20 – 30 minutes.
• Sarcopenia is to blame for weight gain in the majority of adults.  Sarcopenia is the gradual decrease in muscle tissue that occurs with age and begins for most people around the age of thirty.  The average adult will lose 1% of musle each year after the age of 40.  Men and women who do NOT strength train will lose 5 – 7 pounds of muscle for each decade of adult life due to disuse atrophy. 
• Lean muscle loss = slower metabolism!  A slower metabolism leads to lower energy requirements for your body to function. Fewer calories are being used so more calories are being stored as fat.  Without a reduction in food intake (calories), this process results in 15 – 17 pounds more body fat for each decade of adult life.
• Keep your muscles!  To replace muscle and raise your metabolism, strength training must be done on a regular basis.  Research reveals that by adding just 3 pounds of muscle you can raise your resting metabolism by about 7 percent. 
• Muscle loss = fat gain.  How do we fix this?  Eat sensibly.  The average person should do cardio exercise at least 3-5 times a week for a period of 25-30 minutes.  Strength train at least 2-3 times a week non-consecutively.  Work the major muscle groups of the body which include the legs, hips, chest, back, abdomen, shoulders and arms.
• Kick off your exercise program gradually.  If you are new to exercise start off with a 10 minute exercise session then increase to 2o minutes and then to 30 minutes.  When strength training start off with 1 set of 8-15 repetitions per exercise.  Progress to 2 to 3 sets over time.
• Make healthy lifestyle changes.  Know your BMI and your waist measurment.  Be aware of how many calories you are consuming.  The more calories you eat the more exercise you have to do in order to burn those calories because what your body doesn’t use will get stored as fat.  Weigh yourself weekly and if you’re goal is to lose weight, aim to lose 1/2 pound to 2 pounds per week. 

Joan Wilson before and after weight loss surgery.

As recently as 2009, Joan Wilson was one of the 17 million Americans with diabetes.  At 5-feet-tall and 217 pounds, she was a common Type 2 candidate, obese and physically inactive.  Type 2 diabetes can cause heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and leg and foot amputations.  If Joan, now 70, didn’t make some changes, she ran a huge risk of suffering from any of these afflictions, or worse, becoming one of the over 200,000 people who die from diabetes related complications each year.

Joan did not want to be a statistic.  She was tired of people looking down on her, tired of being unhealthy and tired of having no energy.  But Joan wasn’t tired enough to go down without a fight, refusing to allow poor health to rob her of her senior years.

After months of researching, Joan took the first step toward positive change and met with Dr. Timothy Hipp at North Florida Regional Healthcare’s Center for Obesity Surgery and Treatment.  After discussing her options, Joan elected to have the least invasive form of bariatric surgery, adjustable gastric banding.

Dr. Hipp performed Joan’s surgery in December of 2009 at North Florida Regional Medical Center.  By November 2010, she was 52 pounds lighter with plans to lose 20 more.  She is off of her diabetes and blood pressure medications.

“My life has changed so much,” Joan says.  “I feel like I have more energy.  I love shopping for smaller size clothes, and my health has improved so much.  I love life now.”

Not one to sit still, Joan is taking full advantage of her heightened energy, fulfilling her two passions of working and helping people.  She works part-time as a bookkeeper for a CPA and serves as treasurer for two community groups – Lake City Newcomers and Marion Place Homeowners Association.  No matter what, she makes time for exercise, and nearly every day she walks or rides her stationary bike. 

“I’ve never been happier,” she says.  “I’m proud of myself.”

Her advice to those considering weight loss surgery is to learn their options.  A decision to have the procedure must be followed by sticking to the program carefully.  More than anything, it’s key to remember gastric banding is a tool for losing weight and still involves commitment and work.

Today we are encouring everyone to pull out their dusty pair of sneakers and hit the pavement for it is National Start! Walking Day.  Here are a few ideas to help you get involved!

1. Take your dog for a walk.  It’s great exercise for you and your furry friend.
2. Take an evening stroll with a friend or family member.
3. Choose to take the stairs whenever you can. 
4. Park your car further away from the entrance at work or when shopping.
5. Squeeze in a quick stroll around the office during your lunch break.