90% of all food allergies are caused by 8 common foods! Do you have these symptoms?

Eight common foods are causing 90 percent of all food allergies! Do you have any of these symptoms?

This may surprise you, but eight common foods – milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, soy, wheat and shellfish – cause 90 percent of all food allergies. Chances are, half of those items make common appearances in your daily diet. They could, however, be jacking up your cortisol, decreasing your immune strength, and keeping you from achieving your wellness (and weight loss!) goals.

Allergies versus intolerances While the cause of true food allergies – the kind that produces severe or anaphalatic reactions — involve IgE antibodies in the immune system, food intolerances can arise when we consume the same foods day after day with little variety. This dietary stagnation causes the body to become “sensitized” to the food. In common parlance, the terms “allergy,” “sensitivity” and “food intolerance” are often used interchangeably, but sensitivities and intolerances are not true IgE allergies.

Food sensitivities or intolerances usually involve a different set of immune system antibodies called IgG antibodies. Symptoms are less intense and typically do not appear immediately, but rather within 12–48 hours, after eating the offending foodstuff. Heartburn, headaches, difficulty getting out of bed in the morning, looking tired even after sufficient sleep, an inability to lose weight, bloating and relentless water retention can all be related to food sensitivities or intolerances.

Because the connection between the symptom and a specific food can be difficult to pinpoint, those who suffer these discomforts often go on feeling worse and worse as their immune system takes a constant beating.

Many of us with food sensitivities don’t even realize how bad we feel until the problematic foods are removed from our diet. Then suddenly getting out of bed becomes easier, our energy, mood and concentration improve and joint pain, headaches and sinus congestion disappear. Here’s a handy chart on common symptoms associated with food sensitivities. You may be nodding your head to more than a few of these side effects:

Symptoms commonly associated with food intolerances/sensitivities

Digestive: Gas Bloating Abdominal cramping Loose stools Indigestion or heartburn Constipation GERD (reflux) Blood in the stool Lactose intolerance Inflammatory bowel disease Irritable bowel Syndrome

Skin: Eczema Psoriasis Acne Hives

Mental/Emotional: Irritability Anxiety Depression Food cravings Insomnia

General: Joint pain or stiffness Arthritis (rheumatoid) Fatigue Difficulty getting out of bed in the morning Headaches Migraines Malaise Weight gain Water retention Puffy eyes Dark under-eye circles High blood pressure Cellulite Difficulty losing weight

Nasal/Immune system: Sinus congestion Ear congestion Post-nasal drip Seasonal allergies Hay fever Asthma Chronic ear infections Itching in the ears Itchy mouth Runny nose Watery eyes Sneezing

Identifying your trigger foods To get to the bottom of your symptoms, I recommend that you do a 14-day elimination diet where you remove the most common food allergens from your diet to give your body a break, alleviate stress off your immune system, and detox overall. Slowly re-introducing each food after a 14-day break can allow you to connect particular symptoms with your food choices.

All that experimenting with different foods may sound like a major inconvenience, but the results can be invaluable. I recall one patient who had suffered with headaches for 20 years – they were gone after just two weeks of avoiding wheat. Another woman had bleeding from the bowel for two years – it was gone after one week on a dairy-free diet.

Uncovering food sensitivities is a powerful process to explore. But what you do with the information you gain is up to you. Once you’ve determined the effects of particular foods on your health, you have to decide whether or not you want to continue eating them.

Check out Dr. Oz's Elimination Diet HERE!

Plan B for determining your food allergies If you don’t want to do a 14-day elimination diet you can consider IgG food allergy testing. Although I encourage you to go through the process of food elimination and reintroduction because it’s so effective, you can choose to have a blood test to identify your IgG food allergies instead. This test identifies the presence of IgG antibodies to certain foods. Positive results to certain foods should be followed with the removal of those foods from your diet for a period of two to six months.

Guest Post:  Natasha Turner, N.D., is a naturopathic doctor

The "Connect 4" to Hormone Havoc that Causes Hair Loss

Many of our guests (salon family)  are fast paced - multitasking -super women!    Naturally, this brings on excess stress, fatigue and hormonal challenges over a period of time. Common first experiences of hair loss is after giving birth.  Years later women reach menopause or other hormonal imbalances, and all not uncommon for women to start losing hair. And while hair loss is a normal process  -  it’s also something that can be remedied by addressing underlying health and hormonal problems.

I appreciate the recent post shared by Dr. Sara Gottfried MD.  You may know of her most recent book "The Hormone Cure."   Sara understands the fundamentals of functional medicine and how it relates to women's health and hormones - inside out.  Enjoy the quick read and thank you, Sara!

4 Hormone Horrors that Cause Hair Loss

If hormones can zap your energy and steal your sex drive, it’s probably no surprise that they can also turn your tresses into a mess. Here are just a few ways that hormonal issues can cause hair loss:

1. Excess Estrogen.

Estrogen, the power player in women’s bodies, is your friend when it’s appropriately balanced. It makes you feel energized, helps stabilize your moods and contributes to a healthy sex drive. Yet too much estrogen, which can be caused by weight gain, perimenopause or toxicity from exposure to endocrine disruptors (which are rampant in our food, water and plastic products), can lead to thinning hair. During and after pregnancy, for example, estrogen levels peak and then dip, causing sudden hair loss for many women.

2. Insulin Issues.

Insulin, that helper hormone in charge of regulating blood sugar levels, also affects a number of different body processes, including fat storage, heart health and, you guessed it, hair growth. One study published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Risk found that women with some markers of insulin resistance have a greater risk for androgenic alopecia (AGA), or female pattern baldness.

3. Tricky Testosterone.

In men, testosterone is associated with being big, burly and hairy. But too much testosterone in women creates all sorts of unpleasant results. Namely, it can cause hair growth on the face, neck or chest, and hair loss on your head. Not pretty.

4. Thyroid Woes.

Your body is an intelligent system. So when it’s under stress due to hormonal imbalances, like fluctuating thyroid levels, it redirects energy used for noncritical processes (hair growth) to more important matters at hand (balancing your hormones). Low thyroid is often the cause of that thinning scalp some women get as they age.

3 Ways to Maintain your Mane               

If you’re tired of yanking out gobs of hair from the bathroom drain or piling on products to pump up your ponytail, here are three strategies that have helped many of my patients address the root cause of hair loss:  

1. Get tested.

Because there are a number of different factors that can contribute to hair loss, it’s best to ask your doctor for a few different tests. I recommend checking: fasting glucose, iron levels and complete blood count (which can determine if you have anemia), as well as thyroid, estrogen and testosterone levels. These assessments should give you a better understanding of what hormonal issues may be at the root of your problem.

2. Eat clean.

Incorporating more fiber into your diet will help to lower estrogen levels through the process of “elimination” (i.e., excess estrogen will come out in the wash). Focusing on a high-protein,

low-carbohydrate diet with lots of veggies will improve insulin resistance that may be contributing to hair loss.

3. Pop a quality multivitamin. 

Nutrients, or lack thereof, can affect hair growth, too. Vitamin A helps fat synthesis in hair follicles, encouraging growth; vitamin E helps protect your hair cells from damage; and B vitamins also help to restore hair thickness and shine. Vitamin C and zinc also help to repair cellular damage from the inside out, which makes for a healthy mane.

Unfortunately, there’s no magic solution, pill or product that will correct hair loss entirely. But if you think of your hormones as a cast of characters, knowing which ones are leading the show and which ones are only playing a supporting role can help you get to the bottom of the issue.  Manage your stress levels and get enough sleep. This will help with general hormone balance and can protect your precious locks from any further damage.

Find Sara's article here!

A missing link! Vitamin K2 and your Skin + Bone Health!

Vitamin K2 and it's amazing role in our 'Beautiful Health" both internal and external.

New evidence has confirmed that vitamin K2′s role in the body extends far beyond blood clotting to include protecting us from heart disease, ensuring healthy skin, forming strong bones, promoting brain function, supporting growth and development and helping to prevent cancer – to name a few. In fact, vitamin K2 has so many functions not associated with vitamin K1 that many researchers insist that K1 and K2 are best seen as two different vitamins entirely.

Vitamin K2′s role in the body includes protecting us from heart disease, forming strong bones, promoting brain function, supporting growth and development and helping to prevent cancer – to name a few. It performs these functions by helping to deposit calcium in appropriate locations, such as in the bones and teeth, and prevent it from depositing in locations where it does not belong, such as the soft tissues. One of the health benefits of vitamin K2 not often discussed is its role in ensuring healthy skin, and this vitamin is likely beneficial for preventing wrinkling and premature aging.

Adequate dietary vitamin K2 prevents calcification of our skin’s elastin, the protein that gives skin the ability to spring back, smoothing out lines and wrinkles.  This is because K2 is necessary for activation of matrix proteins that inhibit calcium from being deposited in elastin fibers and keeping these fibers from hardening and causing wrinkles. In fact, recent research suggests that people who cannot metabolize vitamin K end up with severe premature skin wrinkling.   Vitamin K2 is also necessary for the proper functioning of vitamin A- and D- dependent proteins. As I discussed in the first article in this series, vitamin A is essential for proper skin cell proliferation, and cannot work properly if vitamin K2 is not available. Therefore, vitamin K2 is important in the treatment of acne, keratosis pillaris, and other skin symptoms of vitamin A deficiency.

It’s important to get adequate amounts of dietary vitamin K2, particularly if trying to heal the skin or prevent wrinkles.

Foods high in vitamin K2

• Natto

• Hard cheese

• Soft cheese

• Egg yolk

• Butter

• Chicken liver

• Salami

• Chicken breast

• Ground beef

It is important to note that commercial butter and other dairy products are not significantly high sources of vitamin K2, as most dairy cattle in our country are fed grains rather than grass. It is the grazing on vitamin K1-rich grasses that leads to high levels of vitamin K2 in the dairy products of animals, so be sure to look for grass-fed dairy products when trying to increase your intake of vitamin K2. (11)

A great all-around supplement for skin health is Green Pasture’s Fermented Cod Liver Oil and Butter Oil blend. It has a great mix of vitamins A, D, K2, and omega-3s in the proper ratios to help maximize skin health, especially in people with acne.

New research has expanded our understanding of the many important roles of vitamin K2.  Proof is being published at a rapid pace to bring clarity to one of the most poorly understood by medical authorities and the general public.

For more information on VK2 and how to source this supplementally, contact us at Kassie@kasiaorganicsalon.com. 

Guest Post Reference For more information on VK2 - head over to Chris's Blog: http://chriskresser.com/vitamin-k2-the-missing-nutrient

The Issue of Hair Color (tips to color as safely inside)

Everybody is greatly relieved when their hair grows back after chemotherapy. But its color and texture may be different than what you remember. Soft curls may require new products to manage them. Women who dyed their hair for years are often surprised by the amount of gray. It’s usually because the hair is just growing back in its natural, undyed state — which they may not have seen in a very long time!

About 75% of women in the United States use hair color. The practice goes at least as far back as ancient Egypt, when women used henna to change the color of their hair. It really moved into the mainstream culture in the 1920s and ’30s with the introduction of salon and home hair dye kits.

While you may not be quite certain what color your hair will be when you’re done, using a home kit is fairly easy. Or you can get it done at a salon, of course. Permanent hair dyes use a mix of prepackaged dye (usually your color plus ammonia) plus a “developer” (often hydrogen peroxide). When you massage the mixture into your hair, the developer reacts with the dye to open the hair cuticle (the protective outer covering of the hair shaft) and deposit color inside the hair. Other options include semi-permanent and temporary hair dyes, which stain hair without chemically changing the hair shaft, so they eventually wash out.

Concerns about chemicals

Each time you color your hair, you only absorb a small amount of dye into your system. But since hair coloring is a commitment that often involves repeated exposure over many years, you may be concerned about the potential long-term risk.

Questions about the safety of the chemicals used in hair dyes have been around almost as long as the hair dye kits themselves. It’s hard to accurately measure the risk. The coloring process uses a range of chemicals and each one could affect the body in a different way. There are differences in the quality and ingredients between brands and types of dyes. So it’s hard to test and compare them and come up with any meaningful results.

It’s also tough to make solid safety statements. In the 1970s, research linked chemicals in hair dyes to cancer when the dyes were tested on animals. So companies eliminated certain risky chemicals from the dye kits.

Concerns have persisted about the possible role of hair dye in cancer. But no clear link has ever been found between the personal use of hair dye and cancer in humans.

Most of today’s commercial hair dyes still contain some chemicals that may be considered risky. So far, research has revealed this much about how hair dyes affect our bodies:

• It’s important to be careful when applying the dye. Hair dyes can irritate skin and hurt eyes (if the product comes into direct contact with the eyes). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that chemical hair dyes carry a warning about this skin irritation and the potential risk of blindness if used for dyeing the eyelashes or eyebrows.

• Many hair dyes contain coal tar, a mixture of chemicals derived from petroleum. Some people have been concerned that coal tar dyes increase the risk of cancer based on studies in small animals that were fed extremely high doses of coal tar. When coal tar dyes are applied to the skin — the more typical exposure we see in the hair dying process — there doesn’t appear to be a risk. Furthermore, studies of personal, at-home hair dye use in humans haven’t found any link to breast cancer.

• Some studies have found a slight increase in the risk for bladder cancer among salon workers exposed to hair dyes on a regular basis. No increased risk for bladder cancer has been found among people who have their hair dyed.

• Some studies have linked the personal use of hair dye with a very small increase in the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia (cancers of the blood and bone marrow). The link was only in women who started dying their hair before 1980. Other studies have not found any link between hair dye use and these cancers.

• Lead acetate is found in “progressive” dyes, such as Grecian Formula, which change the color of hair gradually from light or gray to black. Although most of these products are marketed to men, everyone should avoid any hair products with lead acetate. The European Union has classified it as a known human reproductive toxicant, which means it interferes with fertility and may alter normal development and functioning of the reproductive system. The Environmental Protection Agency has classified it as a known human respiratory toxicant, which mean it can irritate the lungs. Studies also suggest that it may cause cancer in the kidneys, stomach, and lungs.

Tips to color as safely as possible

Based on what we know so far — and based on the potential risks — you may want to change the way you color your hair to minimize your risk of breast and other cancers. Here are a few ideas to minimize risk:

• Always follow the safety directions exactly. Do a patch test for allergic reactions every time before you color. Never dye your eyebrows or eyelashes, since getting dye in your eyes can irritate your eyes and possibly damage your vision.

• Limit your exposure as much as possible. Wear gloves when you apply the dye. Don’t leave it on your head any longer than the directions say. When the coloring time is up, rinse your scalp and hair thoroughly with water. Then shampoo out any residue.

• P-phenylenediamine (PPD) is one particular coal tar dye used in many hair dyes, and darker hair dyes tend to contain more of it than lighter ones. PPD is banned from hair dyes in several European countries because of its potential to cause severe skin irritation. If you wish to avoid it, check the ingredients list.

• Beware that brands marketed as “natural,” “organic,” or “non-toxic” may actually contain high-risk ingredients, although in smaller amounts. The same may be true for “no ammonia” or “no peroxide” products.

• Whether or not it’s safe to color your hair during pregnancy is a question lots of women ask. Your body probably absorbs only a very small amount of hair dye when it’s applied, so it’s likely that very little chemicals, if any, would be able to get to your baby. But to be absolutely safe and avoid the worry, some women forgo coloring their hair during pregnancy. Talk with your doctor if you have questions or concerns.

• If you dye your hair at home, choose a product with a low hazard rating in the EWG Database.

• If you get your hair colored at a salon, know that most salon-only products are not listed in the EWG Database. Since the FDA doesn’t require an ingredients list on products intended for salon-use only, there’s rarely any published information on what’s in them. One option to ask your hair colorist about is the  Mastey Color  hair dye, which has plant-based dyes that are FREE of PPD, petroleum-based ingredients, peroxide, ammonia, parabens, and phthalates.

Guest Post By Dr. Marisa Weiss

4 Healthy Hair Solutions to Reduce your Winter Hair Blues

I’ve had lots of clients in my chair recently expressing their frustration about their winter hair woe’s: dry scalp/hair, static, frizz, split ends and a general feeling of ‘ehh’ about their locks. Winter can be tough on your hair and you may need to change your tactics with the season.

 

Dry Scalp and Hair: We all know the cold air outside makes the hair dry and brittle, but don’t think you are escaping damage by hiding indoors; indoor heating can be just as damaging.

The fix: use a shampoo/conditioner with moisturizing properties such as shea or aloe. Up your conditioning treatments if you have thicker fuller hair and those with finer hair consider adding a lightweight leave in conditioner to your hair routine.

Check out our Replenish Shampoo/Conditioner and our aloe vera based Off the Fritz.

Split Ends:  Dry hair causes split ends and you want to nip them in the bud, so to speak. When the hair begins to split at the bottom it will keep splitting until you trim off those ends.

The fix: Call and book a haircut with your stylist now! I can’t express how important it is to keep up with your trims to maintain beautiful healthy looking hair.

Frizz/Fly-a-way: Without the moisture, you may find yourself with some seriously frizzy or fly-a-way hair – even without wearing hat.

The fix: Try our brilliant Outshine,  pure argan oil based smoothing gloss; it’s a winter must. For extra soft smooth finish, add to your conditioner or right before you blow dry, continue use as needed. Argan is lightweight which makes this a great product to “layer”.

Dull Color: We tend not to see as much of the sun in the winter and it can wash out your complexion.

The fix: An easy way to rid yourself of the winter hair blues is to refresh your shade or add a few sun-kissed highlights.

Give us a call at Kasia Organic Salon and see how our healthy hair experts can help cure your winter hair blues!  612.824.7611

Author:  Valerie, Kasia Hair Health Expert and Stylist

HAIR LOSS AMONG WOMEN IS ON THE INCREASE

Hair loss is common and growing in younger women.   Changes in lifestyle, increased exercise or weight loss, malabsorption, the way we style our hair and also use of birth control pills could be factors.

Lifestyle

Stress typically will increase testosterone levels and trigger and/or worsen hair loss and hair thinning in genetically pre-disposed. Our demanding lifestyles are stressful – and one could argue that this past decade has been an onslaught of failing economies, unemployment and increasingly competitive work environments.  I'll speak for myself, many of us do not take the time we need to relax.

Another fact is that stress can cause or trigger flare-ups of dandruff – and dandruff has been proven to worsen hair loss in some instances.

Oral Contraceptives

Oral contraceptives are being used more widely– and also among younger women. While certain birth control pills have the ability to help slow or stop hair loss and thinning, others can cause it.  The latter contains androgens (male hormones), which can trigger hair loss in women with follicle sensitivity.

Diet

Unhealthy and restrictive dieting regimes are, unfortunately, still popular and fashionable – and with every year a new fad crops up; from juice fasts and ’miracle’ shakes, to no-carb or no protein meal plans.  Being low or over weight  can certainly cause hair loss. Note, you can be either of these to be malnourished.

Hair cells are the second fastest growing cells in the body, yet they are not cells needed for survival.

Hair Extensions

Hair extensions are now more popular than ever. Our hair experts use the best on the market that are "tape extensions" and non damaging to the hair.

Average Life-Span

Hair loss may also be on the rise simply because people are living longer. Hair thinning is more common in all individuals as they age, and in women is especially more common after menopause due to falling oestrogen levels. Certain medical conditions and poor health also tend to be more in older age groups – and general health plays an important role in the maintenance of hair growth.

Contact our team today for a consultation - great color or cut suggestions - or women's health questions pertaining to sudden or long-standing hair loss.  

References: Kingsley Hair Center

Love is in the Hair! Sexy & Smooth Valentine's Day Keratin Special!

 Our Valentines Day Keratin Special restores and strengthens hair leaving it shiny, smooth, and best of all, it works with all hair types and textures.

Our healthy hair experts are here to help bridge the gap of that "middle of winter hair blues!"

 To show our love, we are offering the fastest, simplest and most affordable way to have smoother, shinier and healthier hair.  The treatment works great on over processed hair, as it will improve the hair’s overall look and integrity.

Love is in the hair.......   seal in your color creating a more vibrant color and shine like never before. When you layer this treatment, results improve and you add more of the protective protein layer around your hair.

Contact our healthy hair experts today! kassie@kasiaorganicsalon.com * Call 612.824.7611

Read all about the benefits of our NEW Keratin Services HERE! 

Expires February 20th Pricing may alter pending on the length of hair, and/or density.

The Anti-Aging Hair Diet

Hair not only loses color as you age it can also lose thickness and become dry and brittle.   Eating a diet full of antioxidant vitamins, minerals, healthy proteins and oils can help slow the aging process by repairing damage and helping you grow stronger strands.

We’ve compiled a list of healthy foods with vitamins and nutrients your hair needs. Consume them regularly to keep your hair vibrant.

Dark Green Vegetables – Choose dark green leafy veggies like spinach and kale. Greens are packed with antioxidants including A, C, and E, folate and calcium. They also contain iron, key for healthy blood, and circulation.  Good circulation in the scalp is one of the keys to keeping precious hairs. Try them raw in a salad or blended into a green smoothie.

Carrots - Take a cue from Bugs Bunny and eat LOTS of carrots as they are brilliant for building healthy skin and hair. Packed with carotene which turns into vitamin A for cell repair. They are also a good source of potassium, vitamins C & B6, copper, folic acid, thiamine, magnesium, and fiber. That means they heal, act as a diuretic (aka get rid of bloating), and remineralize the body. The perfect food for hair, eyes, and skin.

Lentils - These little protein, biotin, and iron-filled superstars help build long and strong strands.  They are also loaded with cholesterol-lowering fiber, and make a delicious soup during these cold winter months.

Coconut Oil - If you need an oil or fat for any dish, we recommend coconut oil. It’s good for your insides and outsides! You can use it as a skin moisturizer or a hair mask as well. Rich in

Vitamin E and other critical antioxidants this multipurpose oil is all about repair.

Avocados - Do you need anot

her reason to eat avocados besides they’redelicious? New studies show that avocado oil seems to assist with the absorption of carotenoid antioxidants like beta-carotene (see carrots).

Greek Yogurt - It’s high in hair-building protein, vitamin B5 and vitamin D. Emerging research links vitamin D and hair follicle health.

Make sure to consume 6 to 7 servings a day of these hair nutrient superstars and you can help slow the aging process from the inside out.

Contact the Kasia for your custom plan on how to Age-Less from the inside - out!

Guest Post:  HairColor4Women