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Late Menarche (Start of Periods)

Courtesy quizlet.com
Courtesy quizlet.com

What Is Diffuse Alopecia?

D iffuse alopecia is characterized by abnormal hair loss or baldness.

Hair loss usually develops gradually and may be patchy or all over (diffuse). The average scalp contains about 100,000 hairs. Roughly 100 hairs are shed from the head every day.

Diffuse baldness not related to male pattern or heredity can be related to aging, nutritional deficiencies, some froms of dermatitis, radiation, endocrine disorders, especially thyroid hormone imbalance and diabetes, and undue stress.

Q: Can sudden stress cause hair loss?

A: A sudden physical or emotional stress may cause one-half to three-quarters of the hair throughout the scalp to shed. Other causes that need to be evaluated include use of common medications such as birth control pills, blood thinners, and anti-inflammatory pain drugs, and continued exposure to environmental chemicals such cleaning products.

What Is Diffuse Alopecia In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Early Menopause or Ovarian Failure

Hair Follicles.
Hair Follicles.

What Is Fine Hair With Rough Texture?

F ine hair (lower diameter across the width) with rough texture is an abnormal hair shaft feature altered from the normal diameter and smooth quality of hair.

Q: What is the normal diameter and smooth quality of hair?

A: Although hair may appear to be a simple structure, it is actually a complex part of the anatomy whose biology is only partially understood. Hair grows from small organs (follicles) located within the complex microenvironment of the skin which has multiple layers of tissue, three glands whose secretions bathe hair, and multiple vascular systems.1

An individual hair is a thread-like shaft made up of cornified cells. It consists of the outermost layer, or cuticle, the cortex which is a horny component, and the medulla which is the central part.

Hairs receive nourishment from capillaries via the papilla at the base of their follicles (roots). Since the number of hair follicles are determined at birth, it is important to properly nourish them so they remain healthy.

What Is Fine Hair with Rough Texture In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Harkey MR. Anatomy and physiology of hair. Forensic Sci Int. 1993 Dec;63(1-3):9-18. [↩]

Cholesterol, Low 

Model of cholesterol molecule.
Model of cholesterol molecule.

What Is Low Cholesterol?

Low cholesterol found in blood indicates an abnormal blood level of this essential lipid (fat) that is characterized by decreased production of steroid hormones and bile.

Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like substance found in the bloodstream and is an essential structural component in all body cells. It is required for membrane fluidity and permeability of cells. Within the cell membrane, cholesterol also functions in intracellular transport, cell signaling and nerve conduction.

Cholesterol is required for these essential body processes:

  1. Cholesterol is converted to bile by the liver and stored in the gallbladder until needed for digestion of fats in the small intestine.  
  2. Cholesterol is used by the adrenal glands to produce the steroid hormones cortisol and aldosterone.
  3. Cholesterol is used by the sex glands to make progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone and their derivatives.
  4. Cholesterol is needed for the production of vitamin D.

Q: What makes cholesterol bad for you?

A: There are different forms of cholesterol that can be bad or good depending on the level. In blood vessels, low-density lipoprotein (LDL or ‘bad’) cholesterol can abnormally join with fats and other substances to build up in the inner walls of arteries. The arteries can become clogged and narrow, and blood flow is reduced. This is atherosclerosis which can lead to stroke, heart attack and thrombosis.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL or ‘good’) carries harmful cholesterol away from the arteries and helps protect from heart attack and stroke.1

What Is Low Cholesterol In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. http://watchlearnlive.heart.org/CVML_Player.php?moduleSelect=hdlldl [↩]