Health Center

Hair loss may just be a fact of life. This is especially true for men who are more likely to experience a common condition known as male pattern baldness as they get older. However, there are a variety of medical and lifestyle conditions that can cause or contribute to hair loss, and it may be worth checking whether any of these apply to you before you resign yourself to going bald. If there is a medical reason for your hair loss, there is a good chance it is reversible. Here are four common conditions that contribute to hair loss:

1. Iron-deficiency anaemia

On average a man’s daily iron requirement is around 8.7mg, while a woman’s is 14.8mg, and this can generally be achieved with a healthy and well balanced diet. However, if you aren’t getting enough iron, this could lead to iron deficiency anaemia, one of the leading medical causes of hair loss. Other symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia include breathlessness, fatigue, dizziness, feeling cold all the time, a rapid pulse, palpitations, and headaches. If you suspect you may have iron deficiency anaemia, see your doctor who may prescribe iron tablets.

To prevent recurrence of iron deficiency anaemia, eat foods rich in iron such as liver, meat, beans, nuts, dried fruit, whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dark green leafy vegetables. Getting plenty of Vitamin C will aid iron absorption. Read more…

The issue of children’s eating habits and their effects on obesity is constantly researched and discussed by food scientists.A nutritionally well balanced diet develops growth and can also reduce / prevent the risk of developing diseases such as heart disease and some types of cancer.

Low fat diet

High-fat diets are linked with increased hazard of several serious medical conditions consisting of obesity, cancer, and heart disease. As a result, current public health recommendations highlights the importance of reducing total fat consumption to no more than 30% of total calories, or 60 grams of fat per day in an 1800 calorie diet.

The type of fat is also very important. Saturated fats in foods such as meats products raise cholesterol more than unsaturated fats, which are found in olive, peanut, canola oil or polyunsaturated fats in safflower, sunflower, corn, soybean and cottonseed oils. Consumption of saturated fats to no more than 10% of daily calories is recommended.
Although cholesterol is important for rapid growth, children over age 2 should consume it in moderation.

Meat products provide protein, and vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, iron and zinc.

General recommendations to achieve a healthy diet in meat products are:

* Basically one serving of meat per day is suitable for normal growth and development. It is suggested that serving meat more than twice a day is inappropriate / excessive.
* Choices with the least fat include lean meat, poultry without skin, fish, and dry beans and peas.
* Serving more fish and poultry and fewer red meats is recommended as red meats contain highest extent of cholesterol
* Serving bacon, sausages, spareribs, pastrami and some other high content fat meat products should be avoided / reduced. Read more…