Starting the Diet Gave Me Beautiful Skin

by S
(UK)

Hi Sheree, first of all, I want to thank you for what you are doing. Not only are you offering a genuine solution to hair loss, but you're supporting us every step of the way. It's amazing.


I'm a 23 year old female. My hair loss started at 22. After all my research into hair loss, I have put it down to the following things:

Being on a high androgen index contraceptive pill since 17 (which I am now off)
Eating a high sugar but calorie restricting diet, eating one meal a day and snacking on sweets, crisps and chocolate to keep me going.
Large amounts of stress and anxiety with illnesses/constantly being run down.

I found your website 3 weeks ago and have been making a real effort to follow all your advice. I've completely transformed my diet, cut out all sugar and I am now eating proper meals and portion sizes.

I know the diet is very beneficial for weight loss, but I've actually managed to gain weight which is really great for me because I've always been underweight and never been able to put it on healthily. I have put on nearly 3kg since starting this diet and I feel so much better. The weight has gone on evenly and I feel a lot stronger.

I would really love your guidance because I still feel at times like it's not going to work for me even though I know it makes scientific sense that it will. I guess it's because when you start losing your hair, so many people tell you there's nothing you can do about it.

My current diet is as follows:
Fish at least 4 times a week, (sardines, mackerel, rainbow trout, cod, salmon.
Homemade vegetable soups with plenty of green vegetables or red peppers and tomatoes.
Salads with watercress, spinach and rocket with avocado, turkey, carrot, red cabbage and mixed seeds and nuts, 7 - 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, including blueberries, kale, cabbage.

Since eating like this, my mood has completely changed. No more crying and anxiety! I also have acupuncture once a week.

Sorry for such a long post!! I do have a couple of questions which I would be so grateful if you could answer. Is it acceptable to eat grains in a muesli if it also has plenty of nuts and oats with it? Also rye bread which has no added sugar. Is this okay or should I just eliminate it too?

Thank you so much Sheree. I'm really looking forward to starting this journey to hair growth.

S
xx

Comments for Starting the Diet Gave Me Beautiful Skin

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Apr 16, 2014
 Your Body Knows How to Make Hair Grow
by: Sheree

Hello, S, and welcome to The Healthy Diet Paradise.


Your diet is excellent, so keep doing everything you're doing. I would remove the Muesli and the rye bread. Keep all grains to the least amount possible, even the ones that are allowed on the diet. I'm uncovering more and more information that the paleo lifestyle is by far the friendliest diet for hair growth.

And if you look at men and women who are on pure, strict paleo diets, they look impossibly young and always have a thick, healthy cap of hair. So keep all acceptable grains to a bare minimum and absolutely no wheat.

You said you've gained weight. This weight gain was necessary, because your system was way off balance. The diet works by restructuring anything that's wrong with your organs and endocrine system. This necessary weight gain is protective and acts as a barrier against disease.


The top question I get is this: "Sheree, will this diet work for me?" The reason people ask this question is because they see others getting fantastic results. And they've been told by doctors or other professionals that there's no cure. So it appears to be a miracle. But all the diet is doing is creating a nutritionally rich, optimal environment for hair regrowth. So it really is a science.

It's extremely rare that the diet does not work. I've had cases of obsessive compulsive disorders where the diet wasn't done correctly. Or I've received messages where individuals have done the diet incorrectly. It's extremely rare that someone has said, "I've been on this diet and it has not worked." This diet can't help but work!

Your body is an intelligent, self-sustaining life force and doesn't need any outside intervention to correct hair loss. Your body can make a baby, and at the most precise moment, starts contractions. Then it makes milk to feed the baby, containing all necessary antibodies and enzymes that are needed for your baby to survive and thrive.

Your body knows when to stop growing. It knows how to filter food and send it where it's needed. This is the same intelligence that will regrow your hair. Your hair is meant to grow, and it will.

With your current diet, you will see results in a relatively short period of time. Please let us know your hair growth progress. And please take a picture so that you can document your results.

Love,

Sheree
Apr 17, 2014
 Thank you
by: S

Thank you so much for your reply Sheree. You're absolutely right. I've been reading your website every day for encouragement and also because the information there is just so interesting.

I've now stopped the rye bread, I started getting really bad stomach pains and bloating so I can see why you've said to avoid it!

I can see that the diet is already working because my skin is flawless. It's given me some confidence back because prior to the diet I was actually having to wake up for work earlier to apply make up to cover up the horrible painful blemishes I couldn't seem to get rid of. People now comment on how bright my eyes look and that my skin glows.

I know that it will take longer to see any change in my hair because like you've explained, my body will send the nutrients to the most vital and damaged places first. I can relate to this because I look after critically ill people with multi organ failure and I see how when the body is under attack, it shuts down the least important organs/systems first to protect the most important. I also remind myself that if the body can recover from multi organ failure, then it can definitely grow hair back!

I've taken some photos and will maybe post them. Following other members' journeys such as Nat and Cardaro really inspires me, so I will try and build up the courage to upload mine.

I'll keep you posted :)

S
xxx
Apr 17, 2014
 Supplements
by: S

P.S.
As recommended, I've just ordered Borage oil and Fo Ti (which i've already been taking as part of my acupunture in small doses and i'm sure I grew some small black hairs with it).
I'm just wondering if you've come across research about n-acetylcysteine as a supplement for hair loss and what your opinion is? I know in my work we use it for treatment of inflammatory/respiratory type illnesses and psychiatric conditions and it is also a very effective supplement for the treatment of PCOS as it addresses high testosterone and insulin resistance. Maybe this would also be a good addition?

Thanks,
S
xxx
Apr 18, 2014
 Low Glycemic Diet
by: Sheree

Hi S,

You mentioned that you had pain and bloating when you were eating rye bread. It sounds to me like this could possibly be a symptom of gluten intolerance. Removing bread will speed your hair
growth, lower insulin and make your skin look incredible.

N-acetylcysteine

I've read some fascinating articles about n-acetylcysteine. Livestrong has a very interesting article on this supplement, and it's listed as beneficial for hair growth. In particular, n-acetylcysteine appears to increase glutathione, which is the master antioxidant. So I would think that would be an excellent supplement for you.

I'm so happy to hear about the improvement in your skin. Your painful blemishes were caused by
an inflammatory reaction to diet. You will never have that problem again. Your skin is the first
line of defense, and any damage shows up there first. So since your skin is doing so well, this
tells me that the rest of your system is going to follow close behind. Especially your hair.

On our acne diet page, we discuss the effects that a high glycemic diet has on our skin. Just by tweaking out diets, we can avoid scary drugs like Accutane, which have been linked to hair loss.

Whenever you get ready, I would be delighted for you to post your pictures. This will document
how long it's taking, and give you accurate feedback about your history.

I know that your success story will be next. And I can't wait!

Love,

Sheree
Apr 20, 2014
 Bad week
by: S

Thank you Sheree! I really hope so. I feel like this week has been my worst week on the diet so far. I started the week eating rye bread and muesli and then had the horrible pain and bloating as you know.

I also felt like I was finding fallen hairs everywhere and my hips started to feel really inflamed like it had before I started the diet, when I had been eating lots of bread, pastries and sugar.

I'm really starting to think I have an intolerance to wheat and gluten. When I can focus and cook for myself, I love the diet and never get cravings for sugar or bread. The thing I'm finding hardest is when I have to eat in company.

This week it was a celebration and I ended up eating some white rice and a really small piece of cake. I know that's probably minor, and I resisted a lot of the other foods, but I still feel unhappy about it!

I know other people mean well when they offer me things, and because I'm slim, when I refuse bad foods, I think they assume I'm trying to lose weight. So I just eat something to assure them I'm not. It's really difficult. I don't feel comfortable telling most people the real reasons why I've changed my eating habits.

Anyway, I know that for the next months I should be able to really avoid sugar. I've ditched the rye bread and muesli and instead have a natural live yoghurt, no sugar. And the only cow dairy I have is with blueberries, banana, almonds and macadamia nuts or a poached egg with salad for breakfast.

I guess it's normal to have these ups and downs, and I shouldn't be so hard on myself, but because I haven't seen progress yet, I feel guilty about it. Sorry for the rant!!

Also, I feel like my weight gain has halted a bit. Could you advise me what other foods I could eat to help?

Love,

S
Apr 22, 2014
 Handling Mistakes and Social Situations
by: Sheree

Hello S,

From the severe symptoms you're describing, it definitely sounds like some type of wheat/gluten intolerance. You're going to need to check with your doctor to confirm this.

To help you put on a few pounds, there are a few steps you can take. Of course we're going to eliminate wheat. In your situation, because you're having a problem gaining weight, we can tweak the diet a little bit for maximum benefit. You can double your fruit intake. You can double your gluten free grain intake.

So if you normally eat half a cup of brown rice, eat one full cup. Or if you're eating yams or sweet potatoes, take another serving. These carbohydrates will increase and/or stabilize your weight. Then keep a close eye on your scale to make sure your weight is going up. Once your weight gets to where you want it, then scale the carbohydrates back down a bit.

When you're eating a low glycemic diet, it's a lot harder to gain weight. And it's extremely easy to lose it. A lot of our younger visitors have trouble keeping their weight up because they think they're overeating.

You should never, ever go hungry, and you need to be eating enough to fill you up every single meal. So make sure you're eating until you're satisfied. And then when you're hungry, eat again. Any excess food will be eliminated, and you never have to worry about becoming overweight.

You don't have to tell people the reason you're eating the way you are. What I do is say, "I've already had my fill for today." Or you can say, "I'm stuffed," and then grab the food that is safe for your hair. Social issues in particular are much harder for our younger participants. Peer pressure, teasing, and disbelief are very common.


They won't be teasing you when they see your thick, sexy, bountiful head of gorgeous hair. They'll be asking for your advice. So stay strong. You'll get used to it. Even if you're perceived as different, that's a beautiful thing. People like us are what make the world go round. It tends to get people's attention.

The white rice you ate at the celebration is not going to hurt you. White rice is extremely high glycemic, but when you combine it with other foods, it lowers the GI.


So you can have white rice a couple of times a week, but make absolutely sure you're combining it with a lower GI food. I'm more concerned with that piece of cake. It's not just the sugar that's in the cake, it's the wheat. In your situation, the cake is a far bigger offender than the white rice.

If you make a mistake, start again with your next meal. As long as you're aware of the mistake, and don't trend towards eating the way you did before, you're going to be fine.

Give yourself until around July/August of this year. You stick to this diet, and you're going to see some big changes. I have high expectations for you. And I know you can do it.

Love,

Sheree

Apr 23, 2014
 Great News!
by: S

Hi Sheree,

Thanks for your encouragement and advice. I haven't been eating any rice regularly so I will start incorporating small amounts of brown rice into my diet to help gain weight. I was also thinking quinoa and different beans might help. I've started putting a wholesome peanut butter on some of my fruit too.

I just had to write to you because something amazing has happened. In my first post I mentioned that I had been on a high androgenic contraceptive pill. Well, once I decided to come off that in February last year, I had a real problem with getting my cycle back. I had amenorrhea for nearly 12 months.

I went to the doctors several times and had blood tests and ultrasounds to determine why my natural cycle hadn't returned.

One Doctor was pretty rude, didn't even look at me and just said I had PCOS and had to go back on the pill. This didn't make sense to me, though, because I didn't have the common symptoms of PCOS. Yes, I had hair thinning and a lack of periods, but this could be down to other things.

I have no hirsutism, no cysts on my ovaries, no insulin resistance or weight problem. Anyway I decided to do my own research and found you.

Guess what? Nearly a month into this diet and my period has returned. I just feel so happy. This to me is major progress. I'm watching my body heal itself.

On your last comment, you mentioned I should stick this diet out until July/August to see results, but this diet is for life now! I never want to go back. I don't miss the rubbish food I used to eat, the bloated, tired, anxious way I used to feel after eating it. My body is repairing itself because I'm constantly feeding it nutrients.

I really am so grateful to you Sheree. I can't tell you how much it means to me to know my body is working properly. Before I found your website, I was a 23-year-old worrying about whether I'd have any hair left, and if I'd be able to have children in the future. Those worries are quickly disappearing.

Thank you so much for everything you're doing.

Love,

S

xxx
Apr 25, 2014
 You're Going to Have Lots of Babies
by: Sheree

Hi S

Congratulations on your period starting! As sure as the sun will rise, you're going to have lots of babies. And their babies will have lots of babies. Your body will continue to change, become more beautiful and healthy. This diet will continue to take your breath away with what it can do for you.


The new infertility rate is now a whopping one in five. I believe this shocking statistic is diet related. Doctors define it as unexplained because it doesn't appear to have a root cause. I believe this statistic is caused by the Standard American Diet.


When you were trying to find a solution, your doctor probably didn't know or understand your symptoms, and so he was short with you. A lot of our visitors go to naturopaths, and they're getting treated really well.


The reason I laid the science out on the website like I did was so that people could see the whole picture and connect the dots. If I just said, A poor diet makes your hair fall out, it doesn't come across the same way as if you lay it out point by point, detail by detail.

So the whole premise of the website is to enlighten the reader about diet and disease. We do not fully understand how this diet works. There is a mysterious component to it. That's what makes it so wonderful. And thank you for your beautiful comments. I'll do this work until my last breath. I love it that much.

Yes, this diet is for the rest of your life. The lucky thing is it doesn't matter what age or stage of life you start it, you're miles ahead of the game.

I'm really excited for you. Please write us as soon as you see any more changes.

Love,

Sheree
May 10, 2014
 Checking in
by: S

Hi Sheree,

I hope you are well. Just checking in for a bit of encouragement and motivation really. I feel like this forum is the only place I can talk about it.

I think I'm doing well, I'm managing to stay on track 99% of the time and think as positively as I can. It's hard because when I first started the diet, it seemed so radical that I was confident it would work. But now that I'm used to it, I get occasional doubts.

It's unfair of me to undermine the diet because I've seen the amazing things it's done for me in the space of a month:

-Cleared up my skin
-Dramatically improved my moods.

I can't emphasize how much it's changed me. It's like I'm back to being the person I'm supposed to be.

-Gaining a healthy amount of weight because I now have an appetite rather than surges and dips of my blood sugar.

-The return of my periods (my next one is due in a couple of weeks, so I really hope it does come)

-No more bloating or hip pain

-Better concentration, focus, circulation, energy and sleep.

If you don't mind Sheree, would you be able to talk a bit more about when you were experiencing hair loss? What was the pattern of your loss? Did you shed a lot? Did you get a professional opinion on what type your hair loss was e.g TE or androgenetic? I suppose I'm hoping that there will be similarities in our stories and my success will follow!

I know I have a long way to go on this journey and it will take time. I was reading a book on anatomy and the only functions of hair that it described were to protect the scalp from heat or cold. Hardly life saving stuff! No wonder your hair stops growing it when it's under stress or malnourished. The hair cycle must require a substantial amount of the body's energy and hair isn't really that necessary.

I've tried out lots of your recipes and they're delicious. I've been baking buckwheat, sugar free blueberry and banana muffins, gram flour cheese scones and banana bread. I might post some of my meal ideas if you'd be interested for other members to try.

Thanks for your time Sheree.

Love,

S
May 12, 2014
 Stand Your Ground
by: Sheree

Hi S,

Feeling overwhelmed and doubtful about the diet is very common. Both men and women run into this problem. Hair loss is already playing tricks on your mind, and since the diet is at times so slow, this is fertile ground for emotional issues to come up.

This doubt phase always passes. Stick with it, and keep remembering all of the good things that are happening.

I never got a professional opinion on my hair loss. I've never been one to go to the doctor, and from what I was reading on the internet, no one was getting anywhere with the medical establishment. I was completely at a loss on what to do.

The information that I came upon for this diet was accidental. But at the same time, I was praying so hard for a solution, and when the answer presented itself, I charged at it.

The thinning I had was bad. The front, sides and all of the back had thinned out. This came as quite a shock. When I went to style my hair, there wasn't much to work with. The weave I wore covered up the sides and the remainder of my hair.

When I went on the diet, it wasn't until I removed my weave that I noticed my hair was growing back. I'm estimating about three or four months to notice regrowth. By this time, I knew for sure it was my diet.

I'd always been a sugar hound, and the heroine-like withdrawals were debilitating. I was not one to give in. The horrors of withdrawal are long behind me, and I often forget how unbelievably difficult it is to adhere to this diet. So when a visitor slips off the diet, I patiently wait for them to come back. You cannot force it. The hair loss has to hurt more than the withdrawal pangs.

When somebody tells me their story of hair loss, and their emotional state, I'm right there with them. Male or female, there's an echo in your soul. A horrendously hollow feeling that wilts your self-esteem like nothing else in this world can.

The successes here were hard won. The visitors who succeeded put in time and sacrifice to succeed. And their efforts paid off big time.

When I first started the website, I didn't believe I was cut out for this. Because truthfully, I'm shy. I couldn't imagine myself on a world-wide stage like this. But when I look back on my experiences, one after the other, I can see that I was cut out for this. I was built for this, brick by brick, layer by layer. The call was clear, and the truth had to come out. It's our diet, down to the most fundamental level.

Just wait and see. Within several months, your hair will grow in just like the rest. And you can rejoice in that.

I'll wait for your recipes, and I'll give you your own page for the website. The food you're making sounds fantastic.

Take care.

Love,

Sheree
May 29, 2014
 Progress
by: S

Hi Sheree,

So i've been a bit unsure whether to post this message. Perhaps out of irrational fear of jinxing it or something...but I think my hair is growing back.

I'd say I've been doing this diet properly (with a few small slip ups) for nearly 2 months. I mentioned in previous posts that the major change for me has been my mood. I've changed so much to the point that my hair loss doesn't bother me the way it used to. I used to scrutinize over my scalp whereas now i've relaxed a bit, immersed myself into the diet and let nature take control without really paying much attention to my scalp.

But one night I was getting ready for bed and I just thought I'd have a look. When I parted my hair to the sides it was like the follicles had thickened. I don't know if this is even possible but that's how it looked. When I parted my hair in the middle or pulled it back, I could see these awkward shorter black hairs sticking up at different angles. I was expecting any new hair to be a lighter colour but these are black (possibly owing to the fo ti, lots of dark leafy vegetables?) I can tell they're new hairs especially when I take photos and compare them to pre-diet ones. They weren't there before. Maybe i'm getting carried away but I just had to tell you. If my hair is growing back then I owe it all to you.

I'm still losing quite a lot of hair when I brush/wash it but I know that hair has a 3 month cycle so I just have to accept it and be patient. Also when you have experienced hair loss I think even one shed hair feels like 10.

I really want to devote more time to this site. Thank you so much for offering me the space for meal photos and recipes.

And of course, when i'm ready, the hair photos will come.

Thank you for everything Sheree.

Love
Sarah
May 29, 2014
 WOW!!! I'm Over The Moon For You!
by: Sheree

Sarah,

Your hair has responded very quickly to the diet. What incredible news! Yes, of course these are new hairs. Some people actually have thicker hair that grows back. Others have very fine new growth that sheds and then thickens. So you're very lucky that your hair is coming in thick.

So now that you're at the two-month benchmark, we can safely assume that between eight and 10 months, you'll have maximum thickness. It could take up to a year, or a little bit longer, for you to see the full effect of the diet. And by that I mean thick, heavy hair.

Your success is going to give hope to so many people who need help. I get letters all the time from people who say they read through the forums to get motivation, encouragement and support. So your positive words can actually pull someone away from the brink of severe depression.

I'm going to move your post over to the
hair regrowth success forum.

Please continue to update us on your hair regrowth. And any pictures you have would be awesome. The information that you're providing goes into our statistics database, and helps us to update our program guidelines. So your feedback is extremely important to us. Thank you so much for the information you're providing to us.

Congratulations Sarah!

Love,

Sheree
Sep 24, 2014
 You are my bestieee
by: Anonymous

hi sheree, You are awesome, just reading your website and replies to every fellow diet follower daily to get motivated. I am into the diet for 2 weeks now and my body responding great to the diet. Initially I thought there is no cure to the hair loss, but you made me to rethink. I started seeing you as my bestieee. You have given new phase to my life.
Sep 24, 2014
 New Bestie!
by: Sheree

Hi there!

You've already responded so quickly to the diet. Two weeks in, and you're feeling and doing great. I'm so delighted to hear about your new outlook.
And I'm super happy to have you as my new bestie!

Please stay in touch.

Love,

Sheree
Nov 10, 2014
 Seeking An Update
by: Anonymous

How is Sarah doing? Can we have an update now that the summer has passed?

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