The onset of alopecia not only affects patients physically but also severely impacts their emotional well-being, as it significantly damages their appearance. Therefore, once diagnosed with alopecia, we must exhaust all possible treatment methods. However, drug therapies for alopecia may come with various side effects. Could dietary therapy serve as an alternative approach to treat alopecia?
Numerous dietary therapies exist for treating alopecia areata, but selecting the appropriate one requires consideration of individual circumstances. Below, we introduce several dietary therapies with proven efficacy for alopecia areata, hoping to provide helpful guidance for patients.
1. Hawthorn and Lotus Leaf Porridge (From Medicinal Porridge for a Hundred Ailments)
Indications: Seborrheic alopecia.
Ingredients: 60g hawthorn berries, 1 lotus leaf, rice as needed.
Preparation: Decoct the first two ingredients to extract the liquid. Mix the liquid with rice and cook into porridge. Take one serving daily, morning and evening.
2. Silver Ear Mushroom and Quail Eggs (Folk Remedy)
Indications: Seborrheic alopecia.
Ingredients: 15g white fungus, 10 quail eggs, a small amount of rock sugar.
Preparation: Rinse white fungus thoroughly and steam for about 60 minutes. Boil quail eggs in cold water until cooked, then peel.In a small aluminum pot, bring water and rock sugar to a boil until sugar dissolves. Add silver ear fungus and quail eggs, simmer briefly, skim off foam, then serve in a bowl.
3. Purslane and Chive Buns (From Dietary Therapy for Hundred Diseases)
Indications: Alopecia areata.
Recipe: Purslane and Chinese chives, 150g each; flour, scallions, ginger, lard, soy sauce, salt to taste; 2 eggs.
Method: Wash purslane and chives separately, air-dry for 2 hours, then finely chop.Beat eggs until smooth, scramble until cooked, then crumble. Combine with purslane and leek mixture. Add salt, soy sauce, lard, MSG, minced scallions, and ginger to form filling. Knead dough into buns, steam in bamboo steamer until cooked. Serve as main meal staple.
Ingredients: Dried persimmon cakes (as needed), goji berries (as needed).
Preparation: Grind both ingredients into powder. Form into mung bean-sized pills. Boil until liquid reduces. Drink the broth and consume the pills.
5. Platycladus Leaf and Mulberry Paste
Platycladus leaves 50g, mulberries 200g, honey 50g
【Method】Decoct cypress leaves for 20 minutes, strain. Add mulberries and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Strain again, then mix in honey to form a paste.
【Effects】Clears heat, generates fluids, dispels wind, promotes hair growth
【Indications】Alopecia areata due to blood heat generating wind, accompanied by dizziness, vertigo, and dry mouth.
6. Chrysanthemum and Eclipta Decoction
10g yellow chrysanthemum flowers, 5g Eclipta prostrata
【Usage】Decoct as tea, drink frequently
【Effects】Clears heat and cools blood
【Indications】Same as above
7. Sesame Rice Porridge
20g sesame powder, 50g glutinous rice, sugar to taste
【Usage】Cook glutinous rice with 500ml water and sugar to a thin porridge. Gradually stir in sesame powder until smooth. Remove from heat when gently bubbling. Cover and let sit for 3 minutes before serving. Consume warm on an empty stomach each morning and at dinner.【Benefits】Nourishes liver and kidneys, strengthens spleen and stomach, moistens intestines
【Indications】Deficiency of liver and kidney essence and blood manifesting as dizziness, vertigo, premature graying, soreness in waist and knees, intestinal dryness with constipation, and dry skin.
Note: Modern research indicates this product contains 60% fatty oil, along with protein, folic acid, carbohydrates, and fat-soluble vitamins A, E, and D. Furthermore, the majority of sesame's abundant fats are unsaturated fatty acids, which are crucial for infant growth and elderly health.
8. Polygonum Multiflorum Porridge
30g Polygonum multiflorum powder,50g japonica rice, 2 red dates, appropriate amount of white sugar
【Preparation】Add japonica rice, red dates, and white sugar to 500ml water in an earthenware pot. Simmer into a thin porridge, then stir in He Shou Wu powder gently until blended. Reduce heat to low and bring to several boils. Remove from heat when porridge thickens and becomes viscous. Cover tightly and let sit for 5 minutes.Consume warm at breakfast and dinner daily.
【Effects】Nourishes liver and kidneys, enriches essence and blood, strengthens spleen and stomach, darkens hair
【Indications】Liver-kidney deficiency, menstrual blood deficiency, palpitations and insomnia, dizziness and tinnitus, premature graying of hair.
Note: He Shou Wu contains anthracene derivatives, lecithin, starch, crude fat, etc.Pharmacological studies confirm its cardiotonic, lipid-lowering, and antihypertensive effects. It prevents cholesterol deposition in the liver and mitigates atherosclerosis formation, making it commonly used to prevent cardiovascular diseases like hypertension.
9. Mulberry Rice Porridge
30g fresh mulberries, 50g glutinous rice, rock sugar to taste
【Preparation】Soak mulberries briefly (20g per serving), remove stems, combine with glutinous rice and rock sugar. Place in a clay pot with 400ml water. Simmer over low heat until boiling, then reduce to a gentle simmer until porridge thickens. Consume warm on an empty stomach daily in the morning.
【Benefits】Nourishes the liver and kidneys, replenishes yin and blood, moistens the intestines, and improves vision.
【Indications】Yin and blood deficiency manifesting as dizziness, vertigo, insomnia, tinnitus, declining vision, blurred eyesight, premature graying of hair, and early onset of alopecia areata.Pharmacological studies confirm mulberries replenish gastric juices in the stomach to enhance digestive power; in the intestines, they stimulate mucosal secretions, increase intestinal fluid production, and promote peristalsis.
10. Walnut Sesame Cake
50g walnut kernels, 20g black sesame seeds, 500g flour
【Preparation】Crush walnut kernels, combine with sesame seeds, spread mixture onto pancake batter, and pan-fry until cooked.
【Efficacy】Nourishes essence and blood.
【Indications】Alopecia areata due to deficiency of essence and blood, accompanied by dizziness, tinnitus, and limb weakness.