serums, shampoos, straight up biotin, monthly trims, no trims, less heat, air-drying, oils……. you name it, i’ve likely used it in an attempt to grow out my hair. i’ve even tried mane n’ tail. but nothing had been successful in truly freeing me of my 2013 epic “long bob” fail until now.
between 2013 and 2016, i had only seen about six inches of hair growth with minimal trims in between, which is a sad and sorry situation. just weeks before my wedding, the ‘lob’ was finally gone – but my #mermaidhairgoals were far from achieved. i got married in may of 2016 and i wound up wearing extensions (as many brides do). i took them out in june, and by july, i decided to see an endocrinologist & nutritionist to find out if i had any vitamin deficiencies that were preventing me from achieving my ultimate beauty goals. turns out, my folic acid was low and my b-12 was even lower. my gut flora was all out of whack. it was no wonder i couldn’t shed the pounds, grow the hair, or clear the skin in time for my big day.
don’t get me wrong…. i still felt amazing as a bride, but after visiting dr. shira eytan at park avenue endocrinology & nutrition, i knew i had to start a religious vitamin routine so that my constant wellness efforts would actually be fruitful.
- first i wound up with nature’s bounty b-12, which helps turn the food you eat into energy for your body. vitamin b-12 also helps to create dna, which is the genetic material in all cells – including the ones that grow your hair! i mean… if i’m going to eat the ramen, i might as well have it working in my favor – rather than sitting useless on my gut, am i right?
- speaking of gut: next in my shopping cart was renew life women’s ultimate flora probiotic which is meant to restore balance in your gut, boost your immune system, and also aids in turning food into energy. the added perk of this specific probiotic? it also benefits your lady parts. check out this helpful article for more info on how gut bacteria affect your health.
- next deficiency to tackle was folic acid, which helps your body produce and maintain new cells…and dr. eytan informed me that the best way to boost those levels was actually by taking a prenatal vitamin. i chose naturemade‘s version, which adds dha, a promoter of brain health. keeps you thinking sharp, keeps your spirits up… sounds fine by me!
- the last product i added to my routine was an impulse buy… once again i was suckered in by a sleek, vibrant and fun marketing campaign. enter olly’s “undeniable beauty” gummies, effectively dubbed ‘grapefruit glam’. these delicious mini-snacks are packed full of borage oil, biotin, vitamins c & e to promote hair, skin & nail health. i loved the packaging so much, i even convinced my husband to try their men’s multivitamin!
after using these four products every day from july until january, my hair has grown nearly six full inches in six months. i paired them with a daily protein shake and a pretty vigorous diet & exercise regimen, but i truly feel that getting my deficiencies up and leveled out is what has helped my body to kickstart, awaken from it’s sluggish slumber, and start working for me again.
side note – i’m even able to (finally) cut my hair into a fun style without panicking about the length, which is why this weekend i’ll be paying a visit to gina ribando at ze(d) salon on the upper east side in nyc. after all the nurturing these locks have had, they’re ready to be shaped & coiffed for 2017! stay tuned for a blog post about my experience at ze(d) and gina’s expert hair care opinion.
so no…. this post isn’t necessarily a promotion of my specific regimen. but if you feel you’ve been waiting too long (months? years?) of honest trying without seeing body progress: whether it be weight related, mystery bloat, hair growth, acne, etc. – some simple tests might be the answer you’ve been waiting for. moral of the story: your body is your temple… and if your temple’s got plumbing issues, the property value goes down and there’s no way you’ll be able to do the renovation until it’s fixed. second moral: i watch way too much hgtv.
