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Alopecia Areata & Diet

Alopecia areata is a condition consisting of localized hair loss in circular patches across the body. Although many people consider hair loss to be permanent, some physicians have had success in reversing the symptoms of alopecia areata through placing the individual on an elimination diet to remove troublesome "trigger" foods.

  1. Alopecia Areata

    • Unfortunately, there is no existing medical treatment that can fully cure lopecia areata. Although many cases are genetic (around 20 percent) and a minority are due to diseases of the immune system, the vast majority of cases have no discernible cause. While there are treatment methods that can help an individual to recover a portion of the lost hair, such as ultraviolet therapy or injection of steroid medications under the skin, none of these procedures are 100 percent effective at reversing hair loss.

    Diet Theory

    • According to Dr. Alvin Stein, MD, where alopecia areata is caused by an autoimmune disorder, it can be effectively treated through the elimination of toxicity in the diet. More specifically, toxicity can be removed by eliminating consumption of allergenic foods, or other irritants such as pesticides and herbicides. Adopting an elimination diet can help to remove stress from your body, allowing it time to repair the "damage."

    Diet Suggestions

    • To remove unnecessary toxic chemicals from your diet it is necessary to purchase organic foods whenever possible. This includes fresh fruits and vegetables, but it also include consumption of grass-fed meats and filtered water. Completely abstain from sugars, processed foods, alcohols, white flour, and other "junk" foods.

    Benefits

    • In addition to allowing you to potentially solve your alopecia areata, adoption of a more natural diet will likely result in considerable weight loss as well. Along with being able to tighten your belt a few extra notches, you will also be boosting your immunity against various diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

    Considerations

    • In addition to adopting the general approach listed above, you will also want to get yourself tested for food allergies so you can make necessary adjustments. Any food to which you are allergic is going to cause undesirable systemic strain on your body, possibly exacerbating your alopecia areata. While the most common food allergies are to lactose and gluten, you will have to consult with your doctor to find out for sure if any are affecting you.

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