Hair thinning, breakage, or dryness can feel frustrating and even discouraging—especially for high-performing women balancing career, family, and personal health. But what if your hair is more than just a beauty concern? What if it’s a powerful window into your overall health?


In this episode of Reclaiming Vitality, I sit down with Dr. Valerie Gettings, ND, a gut and thyroid specialist with a passion for helping women uncover the root causes of hair challenges. Together, we explore what doctors really look for when evaluating hair health, the common medical triggers of hair loss, and how small, intentional habits can restore stronger, healthier hair.

Why Your Hair is a Reflection of Your Health

When patients come in worried about hair loss, the first step isn’t reaching for a product recommendation—it’s about understanding what’s happening at the root level.


Doctors look at:


  • Shedding vs. Breakage: Is the hair falling out with the bulb (true hair loss) or snapping mid-shaft (dryness issue)?
  • Scalp health: Signs of rashes, eczema, or buildup can point to inflammation, infection, or product issues.
  • Patterns of loss: Front, sides, or overall thinning often indicate different underlying conditions.


Simply defining what’s normal (about 100 hairs shed per day) versus what’s abnormal helps patients set realistic expectations—and uncover when something deeper might be going on.

The Hidden Causes of Hair Loss

Hair problems often trace back to root causes beyond the surface. In functional medicine, we see patterns like:


  • Low Ferritin (Iron Stores): Optimal ferritin for hair health is 60–80. Low levels trigger thinning because the body pulls iron from hair follicles.
  • Thyroid Imbalances: Hypothyroidism often shows up as dry, brittle, or thinning hair.
  • Hormonal Shifts: Postpartum shedding, perimenopause, and low estrogen affect growth and quality.
  • Chronic Stress: Burnout reduces digestive capacity, limiting nutrient absorption needed for strong hair.
  • Gut Health & Autoimmunity: Conditions like celiac disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, high staph/strep, and viral loads can all disrupt hair growth.
  • Protein Deficiency: Hair is made of protein; without enough dietary protein, hair quality diminishes.

Essential Nutrients for Strong, Healthy Hair

If you’re serious about reversing thinning or brittle hair, lab testing and diet are crucial. Key nutrients include:


  • Iron/Ferritin: Supports follicle strength and regrowth.
  • Vitamin D: Optimal levels (60–80) are linked to stronger hair.
  • Protein & Amino Acids: The building blocks of keratin and hair structure.
  • Collagen: Internal supplementation can stimulate new “baby hairs” around the hairline.
  • Biotin: Helps keratin production, but won’t fix deeper thyroid, iron, or hormone issues on its own.

The Bottom Line

Burnout isn’t a mindset problem. It’s a metabolic and hormonal consequence of living in chronic stress physiology.


If you’re stuck in a cycle of fatigue, fog, and frustration, the answer isn’t to try harder—it’s to reset your HPA axis and reclaim your body’s natural rhythm.

Doctor-Approved Hair Care Tips

Beyond labs and nutrition, your daily hair care routine plays a big role in scalp and follicle health. Dr. Gettings recommends:


  1. Shampoo the roots twice (not the ends) with a professional-quality product.
  2. Condition only the mids and ends, never the scalp.
  3. Use a leave-in conditioner to lock in moisture.
  4. Wash brushes monthly to prevent oil and buildup redistribution.
  5. Massage your scalp or brush with intention to stimulate circulation and growth.
  6. Protect hair with a silk pillowcase and microfiber towel to reduce frizz and breakage.
  7. Apply oils like Olaplex bonding oil (for fine hair) or Moroccan oil (for coarse hair) only to the ends.

Hair thinning, breakage, or dryness can feel frustrating and even discouraging—especially for high-performing women balancing career, family, and personal health. But what if your hair is more than just a beauty concern? What if it’s a powerful window into your overall health?


In this episode of Reclaiming Vitality, I sit down with Dr. Valerie Gettings, ND, a gut and thyroid specialist with a passion for helping women uncover the root causes of hair challenges. Together, we explore what doctors really look for when evaluating hair health, the common medical triggers of hair loss, and how small, intentional habits can restore stronger, healthier hair.

Why Your Hair is a Reflection of Your Health

When patients come in worried about hair loss, the first step isn’t reaching for a product recommendation—it’s about understanding what’s happening at the root level.


Doctors look at:


  • Shedding vs. Breakage: Is the hair falling out with the bulb (true hair loss) or snapping mid-shaft (dryness issue)?
  • Scalp health: Signs of rashes, eczema, or buildup can point to inflammation, infection, or product issues.
  • Patterns of loss: Front, sides, or overall thinning often indicate different underlying conditions.


Simply defining what’s normal (about 100 hairs shed per day) versus what’s abnormal helps patients set realistic expectations—and uncover when something deeper might be going on.

The Hidden Causes of Hair Loss

Hair problems often trace back to root causes beyond the surface. In functional medicine, we see patterns like:


  • Low Ferritin (Iron Stores): Optimal ferritin for hair health is 60–80. Low levels trigger thinning because the body pulls iron from hair follicles.
  • Thyroid Imbalances: Hypothyroidism often shows up as dry, brittle, or thinning hair.
  • Hormonal Shifts: Postpartum shedding, perimenopause, and low estrogen affect growth and quality.
  • Chronic Stress: Burnout reduces digestive capacity, limiting nutrient absorption needed for strong hair.
  • Gut Health & Autoimmunity: Conditions like celiac disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, high staph/strep, and viral loads can all disrupt hair growth.
  • Protein Deficiency: Hair is made of protein; without enough dietary protein, hair quality diminishes.

Essential Nutrients for Strong, Healthy Hair

If you’re serious about reversing thinning or brittle hair, lab testing and diet are crucial. Key nutrients include:


  • Iron/Ferritin: Supports follicle strength and regrowth.
  • Vitamin D: Optimal levels (60–80) are linked to stronger hair.
  • Protein & Amino Acids: The building blocks of keratin and hair structure.
  • Collagen: Internal supplementation can stimulate new “baby hairs” around the hairline.
  • Biotin: Helps keratin production, but won’t fix deeper thyroid, iron, or hormone issues on its own.

The Bottom Line

Burnout isn’t a mindset problem. It’s a metabolic and hormonal consequence of living in chronic stress physiology.


If you’re stuck in a cycle of fatigue, fog, and frustration, the answer isn’t to try harder—it’s to reset your HPA axis and reclaim your body’s natural rhythm.

Doctor-Approved Hair Care Tips

Beyond labs and nutrition, your daily hair care routine plays a big role in scalp and follicle health. Dr. Gettings recommends:


  1. Shampoo the roots twice (not the ends) with a professional-quality product.
  2. Condition only the mids and ends, never the scalp.
  3. Use a leave-in conditioner to lock in moisture.
  4. Wash brushes monthly to prevent oil and buildup redistribution.
  5. Massage your scalp or brush with intention to stimulate circulation and growth.
  6. Protect hair with a silk pillowcase and microfiber towel to reduce frizz and breakage.
  7. Apply oils like Olaplex bonding oil (for fine hair) or Moroccan oil (for coarse hair) only to the ends.

Your health won’t wait—why should you?

Let’s get to the root of what’s getting you stuck.

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