FAST, EASY TO DO, HEALTHY COOKING FROM POLYNESIA AND THE PHILIPPINES COMBINED IN ONE POT.

 

©  Millennium Media Entertainment, Inc.

You Can Prepare Healthy Meals As "You" See Fit

Forget Everything You Have Ever Been Told About Cooking

 

 

 

 

I have been meaning to talk about cooking for some time, instead of keeping tabs on China’s ongoing aggressive behavior in the Western Philippines Sea (South China) or lecturing the US Media why this is important to all Americans economically, and possibly militarily. 

 

Kudos to Bloomberg, ABC News and The Associated Press for their coverage thus far.

 

Make no mistake; I will continue covering the South China Sea Issues, as they unfold and continue educating the US Broadcast News Organizations about why The Philippines and South East Asia coverage is relevant to their revenues and audiences.

 

It’s time to take an intermission from my journalistic endeavors and have some fun.  I found a way to combine Filipino and Tongan cooking into a great, healthy Asia/Pacific meal.  It’s fast, easy to do, tastes great and is very nutritious.

I live in The Philippines and once upon a time, lived in Tonga, a Polynesian Kingdom, in the South Pacific.  I am borrowing from both countries' cooking styles. Think: Boiling down or braising.

 

*Side Note:  Highly recommend anyone reading this to visit one or both of these countries.  You will not meet better people, anywhere.

 

First of all, forget everything you know about cooking.  Remember that so called peasant food is excellent and easy to prepare.  Some of the most popular peasant food recipes have their origins in the villages of Italy, France, Thailand, Philippines…etc. 

 

The recipes are very simple.  Contemporary cookbooks and chefs have complicated how they are prepared.  Forget all about that, too.

 

I am going down a road that allows you can to decide about measurements, ingredients and spicing, yourself.  It is that easy, assuming you can boil water.

 

You can change out the vegetables I will be discussing here, for ones you prefer.  Remember there are no rules, except for cooking Tongan (Polynesian) Ha’Ka style and using coconut cream.  Rest is up to you.

 

 

Living out here on beautiful Palawan, The Last Frontier, I don’t have allot of time to cook...Yep--staying busy here in Paradise.

 

So, I innovated a new way to cook great, healthy food fast, with little fuss or mess. 

 

 

 

 

I adapted this cooking style used in Tonga and much of Polynesia.  Tongans often cook Ha’ka Style---Meaning cooking by boiling in English but, it’s how they boil or actually braise their foods that is different.  Coconut cream is used in cooking by both nationalities.

 

 

My ingredients are totally Filipino.  I usually use fresh Palawan pork, but fresh fish, chicken, lamb or beef would be great too.

 

A sharp kitchen knife is very useful.  No idea why people freak when they see me sharpening a knife on the back edge of another one. 

 

Granted it's a Marine knife sharpening technique, which I learned in the Corps.  It’s a fast, efficient knife sharpening methodology. I'm pretty sure my PSD thing is under control.  So, I don't get why people look worried.

 

I just had a plate of pork tenderloin braised in coconut cream, raw ginger, carrots, white radishes, a cabbage looking small plant called Pechay, plus onions, allot of garlic, a few hot, tiny Filipino chilies and shell pasta.

 

 

 

 

The whole process took about 40 minutes, including cleaning up, tops. I clean as I go, always in motion.  Before we get started, you can substitute your own vegetables for the ones I used here.

 

However, must have ingredients are coconut cream, onions, garlic and carrots.  After that use what you want to: Spinach, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant………Whatever you like.

 

Tongan Cooking Style: Ha’Ka

1. Bring one kilo, or so, of water to a boil
2. Throw in the 1/2 kilo pork, cut up in small chunks, Filipino adobo style.  Cut the heat to a half or slow boil. 
3. When the pork is maybe half braised, add chopped carrots, uncooked pasta and radishes.
   

Use the braising time to chop up onions, ginger and garlic. Then, (keep moving as the first ingredients lightly braise.)  add them in.

 

Incidentally I'm using a wok with a cover---but you could use a pot.  I prefer woks because they cook things quickly.

Then, when everything is mostly cooked, put in the chopped spinach/cabbage looking kind of plant--Called Pechay.

 

 

I used to buy this at Asia Grocery Stores in Southern California, when I lived there.  So, you can find it in the US.

 

 

Add, a 200 ml packet of powdered coconut cream, (You can buy a can of it in the US--Just make sure it is coconut cream and not coconut water) basil, black pepper, oregano and a few chilies. 

 

 

There are all kinds of powdered coconut cream, you can use.  On Palawan, you usually can find fresh coconut cream in the local market.

It is to die for.

 

Key is keeping an eye on the water level.  Don't keep the ingredients covered with water.  Use enough water to braise/cook your Ha'ka.  You may have to add more water, as you go.  Just don’t make soup.

 

You need only enough water to keep the vegetables, pork and pasta half submerged.  And, you will be thickening it with coconut cream and/or curry, mushroom soup…etc.  Whatever you want.

 

 

At this point you can add curry, or consider mushroom soup or just soy sauce.  If you’re going to add soy sauce, wait until it's done and by now, it is.  The coconut cream has thickened it and curry would have too.  Another variation is coconut cream and just soy sauce.  Again, your choice.

 

 

You are done now, if you have been following along.  If you are adding soy sauce… do it now. I usually rest the Ha’ka, slightly covered for about five minutes and do some more cleaning. 

 

Now you can serve or store what you made in your refrigerator. 

 

Make as much or little as you want.  What I just described will provide me with four meals.

 

 

 

To reheat---No nuking this simple delicacy.  A non stick pan will work great and it's just as fast.  Simply, warm it up.  Add a few tablespoons of water, if you want.  Nuking food kills the vitamins, plus you have to stop, stir, more nuking…blah, blah, blah.

 

*Note:  Notice that no oil, sugar or salt were used?  The coconut cream and other natural ingredients will take care of naturally sweetening this.  You could use some sea salt, if you would like.  

 

Substitutes for pasta could be potatoes, yams or any kind of root crops and/or beans.  I use local root crops like sweet potatoes and ube.  (Like a potato or Taro)  It is up to you.  Root crops, beans, pasta or a blend of all of them.  It’s your call.  

The only really important thing is bringing the water to a boil, turning down the heat and watching it as it boils/braises gently.

 

You can save hours preparing meals this way.  All the food preparation, sautéing etc. stuff we are told to do before braising or simmering, is bull shit.  This is really good and easy to make.

 

I didn't do any measurements herein, since this easily done by eye or to taste.  Spice your Ha’ka as much as you want or not.  Again, watch and judge your water level.  that is the only real work there is to do, besides chopping vegetables.

 

I hope you find cooking Filipino food in a Tongan Ha’ka worthwhile and time saving.  I am on FB, LinkedIn and my email address is below in my contact information, for anyone having questions about this.

 

You might be wondering who or what the heck I am.  I have over 30 years of experience as a Television News, Programing, Marketing Consultant and senior level executive.

 

I would like to think I am  still all those things.  I just happen to live in Puerto Princesa, Palawan Province, in The Republic of The Philippines.

I spent many years in the Western and South Pacific, plus the Far East. I am fluent in some of the languages. It’s a long story and we can save it for another time.

My mother thought it was over the word Corps.  She felt I was like a moth to a flame, when I heard the word, Corps.  Maybe.  I was in the Marines and Peace Corps. I was also a freelance producer in The Far East.

My television career has been and still mostly is US Driven. However, these days I’m hanging my hat, while managing my US business, from Palawan in the Western Philippines.

The Philippines is not a technology laggard. Anything but.

• Technology allows me to operate just like I did, back in Dallas, Texas.
• Palawan is a wonderful, beautiful place with no crime and the nicest people, maybe on Earth. I served in this country years ago, and always wanted to come back. Two and an half years ago, I did just that.
• I think very highly of the Filipino culture, lifestyle and people. You will not meet better people anywhere.

That

That’s me above

• Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or would like to learn more about what I do.
• I do critiques and consulting ala carte or as a packaged deal.
• Part of what I do is help people think and manage the how's, who's, whys, plus what they do, for improving their careers. The where, is Where you want to see your career go.

Thanks for reading this and sincerely hope you find the information useful. There are also other articles on the Blog related to News Talent Career Management, including health and dietary information. There is an index, camera right, for your convenience.

There, you will also find articles on this Blog about the Television Business and current affairs in Asia, if that interests you.

John Sheehan
Millennium Media Entertainment
214-628-6236 (Routed also to The Philippines)
johntsheehanmme@gmail.com
Blog: http://johnsheehan17.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Millennium-Media-Entertainment/74464753836

TELEVISION TALENT PERFORMANCE TIPS: EVERYDAY CONDIMENT CURES

 

Turns out your diet may be healthier than you think. 

Those little extras you love like ketchup on burgers or hot sauce in tacos have hidden health benefits. New research shows that certain spices, herbs, and spreads not only boost flavor but can also help curb appetite, ease digestion, promote better memory, and even fight heart disease and cancer.

Here are 9 condiments to have on hand.
By Amanda Pressner
Prevention Magazine

Ketchup 

•  
•  
•  

 

• Benefit: Lowers risk of cardiovascular disease
• Daily Dose: 3-4 tablespoons

How It Works: Lycopene — a powerful antioxidant in ketchup — may slow the process that leads to atherosclerosis, says Betty Ishida, PhD, a USDA research biologist.

While all ketchup contains some lycopene, a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that organic versions contain up to 60% more per gram than conventional brands. The researchers also found that organic ketchup had the highest levels of vitamins A, C, and E.

Serving Tip: Use dark-hued ketchup for the most lycopene, and squirt on burgers and baked fries or stir with equal parts reduced-fat mayo for a Russian dressing, says Tanya Zuckerbrot, RD, a dietitian in New York City. Or mix with chopped garlic and herbs to marinate grilled chicken, suggests Daniel Stern, executive chef and co-owner of MidAtlantic and R2L restaurants in Philadelphia.

Buckwheat Honey

 

 

 

• Benefit: Fights aging

• Daily Dose: 2-4 tablespoons

 How It Works: Dark honey like buckwheat or blueberry contains the most antioxidants, say researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, who analyzed 19 varieties. Antioxidants protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals and may reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline, and macular degeneration.

Serving Tip: Honey has a strong flavor, so add in small doses to oatmeal, plain yogurt, and tea, and use instead of refined sugar, suggests Stern. Whisk it into homemade salad dressing for a touch of sweetness.
 
Rosemary

 

• Benefit: Eliminates foodborne carcinogens
• Daily Dose: 1-2 tablespoons

How It Works: Rosemary minimizes or eliminates carcinogens formed when cooking some foods, say scientists at Kansas State University, who found that seasoning beef with rosemary before grilling can reduce cancer-causing substances called heterocyclic amines by 30 to 100%. Danish scientists got similar results when adding rosemary to dough. Acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic compound, forms in carb-rich foods when heated above 250°F.

"By incorporating 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary for each pound of f lour, we reduced acrylamide by more than 50%," says Leif Skibsted, PhD, a professor of food chemistry at the University of Copenhagen. He believes that the antioxidants in rosemary "scavenge" the harmful compounds.

Serving Tip: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons per 2 pounds of pork loin, steak, or lamb, or spread a paste of chopped rosemary, Dijon mustard, garlic, and coarse sea salt on meat before cooking, suggests Marc Meyer, executive chef at Cookshop, Five Points, and Hundred Acres restaurants in New York City. Stuff chicken or turkey with citrus fruit and rosemary sprigs, then roast.

Horseradish 

 

• Benefit: Detoxes your body
• Daily Dose: 1/4 teaspoon

How It Works: Glucosinolates, compounds in the roots and leaves of the horseradish plant, can increase your liver's ability to detoxify carcinogens and may suppress the growth of existing tumors, says a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Horseradish is one of nature's best sources of glucosinolates — it has up to 10 times more than broccoli, the next-best source.

Serving Tip: Mix into ketchup for a cocktail sauce or mustard for a sandwich spread, or add to yogurt to serve with lamb or fish, says Stern. Make a dip, adds Zuckerbrot: Combine 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup chopped dill, 3 tablespoons bottled horseradish, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; enjoy with whole wheat pita chips.

Olive Oil

• Benefit: Boosts long-term memory
• Daily Dose: A few tablespoons

How It Works: Olive oil is a top source of oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid that is converted during digestion to oleoylethanolamide (OEA), a hormone that helps keep brain cells healthy. In a new study from the University of California, Irvine, rodents fed OEA were better able to remember how to perform two tasks than those that didn't eat it.

Researchers hypothesize that OEA signals the part of the brain responsible for turning short-term memories into long-term ones. "OEA seems to be part of the glue that makes memories stick," says Daniele Piomelli, PhD, a professor of pharmacology and biological chemistry at the university.

Serving Tip: Drizzle on roasted veggies or salad, or mix with crushed garlic and a pinch of salt and spread on toasted whole grain bread. Or blend equal parts olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and water with a squeeze of lemon and use as a dip for crisp veggies like radishes or cucumber.

Cinnamon

 

• Benefit: Stabilizes blood sugar levels
• Daily Dose: 1 teaspoon

How It Works: People who added cinnamon — one-half to a heaping teaspoon — to a sweet dish experienced a slower rise in blood sugar than those who didn't consume any, found a series of studies in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The spice enhances insulin sensitivity, so it allows you to use more of the glucose in your blood, keeping blood sugar levels stable, says Joanna Hlebowicz, PhD, the studies' lead researcher and a fellow in cardiology at Lund University in Sweden.

Adding cinnamon to a carb-heavy or starchy dish may also help stabilize blood sugar after you eat, she adds. Keeping levels stable minimizes sugar highs and lows, and for those with diabetes, it could mean needing less insulin.

Serving Tip: Sprinkle on cake, cereal, or a latte. Work into starchy meals, like rice or grain dishes, by grinding together with cumin, coriander, and caraway and adding chopped nuts and dried fruit for a Mediterranean flavor, recommends Meyer.

Hot Sauce

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Benefit: Curbs appetite
• Daily Dose: A few dashes

How It Works: Eating just one meal that contains capsaicin — the compound that gives hot sauce and chile peppers their heat — not only reduces levels of hunger-causing ghrelin but also raises GLP-1, an appetite-suppressing hormone, says new research in the European Journal of Nutrition. Other scientists found that people who drank capsaicin-spiced tomato juice before each meal over 2 days ingested 16% fewer calories than those who drank it plain.

Serving Tip: Splash on tacos, brown rice, or low-fat tomato or lentil soup. Hot sauce also pairs well with citrus, adds Meyer. Top half a grapefruit with a few shakes, plus a teaspoon of brown sugar.

Sauerkraut

 

 

• Benefit: Eases digestion
• Daily Dose: 1/2 cup

How It Works: Sauerkraut is full of probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) that can help relieve the gas, stomach distension, and discomfort associated with irritable bowl syndrome — and may improve the quality of life in up to 95% of those with IBS.

Serving Tip: Use fresh sauerkraut (it has more probiotic bacteria than jarred varieties) as a relish for grilled meats or lean turkey hot dogs. Or toss into a veggie and tofu stir-fry, says Andrea-Michelle Brekke, RD, a nutritionist in New York City.

Black Pepper

 

 

 

 

• Benefit: Guards against cancer
• Daily Dose: To taste

How It Works: Piperine, a compound in black pepper, may help interrupt the self-renewing process of cancer-initiating stem cells, according to new research from the University of Michigan. "By limiting the number of stem cells, you're limiting the number of cells with the potential to form tumors," says lead study author Madhuri Kakarala, MD, PhD, a clinical lecturer in internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School.

Serving Tip: Sprinkle on all your favorites; to up the heat and add texture, toast whole peppercorns before grinding, suggests Stern. Mix into plain yogurt and use as a topping on fresh fruit, he adds.

***Recently experts have recognized the health benefits of coconut byproducts.  Some say that coconut cooking oil is better for us than olive oil.  Also, coconut vinegar is being touted for its health benefits.  Lastly, coconut sugar, which has many health benefits, is risk free for diabetics. 

We all know there is a down side to having too much cane based sugar products, in our diet.  However, there is no downside to using coconut sugar.  Only upside, according to various experts.  Television Dr. OZ did a segment on coconut sugar’s health benefits: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/coconut-palm-sugar-best-new-sugar-alternative

Finally, there is a wonder fruit that most people outside of Asia, consider an ornamental house plant.  Calamansi can make your house or apartment smell nice, but did you know that has numerous health benefits?  Please check on my post on this amazing South East Asian fruit: http://johntsheehan.blogspot.com/2012/10/super-multipurpose-fruit-from_8968.html

You might be wondering how I know so much about exotic plants like coconuts and Calamansi? 

I spent many years in the Western and South Pacific, plus the Far East. I am fluent in some of the languages.  It’s a long story and we can save it for another time. My mother thought it was over the word Corps.

I was in the Marines and Peace Corps.  I was also a freelance producer in The Far East.

My television career has been and still mostly is US Driven.  However, these days I’m hanging my hat, while managing my US business, from Palawan in the Western Philippines. 

The Philippines is not a technology laggard.  Anything but. 

 

• Technology allows me to operate just like I did, back in Dallas, Texas.
• Palawan is a wonderful, beautiful place with no crime and the nicest people, maybe on Earth. I served in this country years ago, and always wanted to come back. Two and an half years ago, I did just that.
• I think very highly of the Filipino culture, lifestyle and people. You will not meet better people anywhere.

That

                                                                            That’s me above  

• Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or would like to learn more about what I do.
• I do critiques and consulting ala carte or as a packaged deal.
• Part of what I do is help people think and manage the how's, who's, whys, plus what they do, for improving their careers. The where, is Where you want to see your career go.

Thanks for reading this and sincerely hope you find the information useful. There are also other articles on the Blog related to News Talent Career Management, including health and dietary information. There is an index, camera right, for your convenience.

There, you will also find articles on this Blog about the Television Business and current affairs in Asia, if that interests you.

John Sheehan
Millennium Media Entertainment
214-628-6236 (Routed also to The Philippines)
johntsheehanmme@gmail.com
Blog: http://johnsheehan17.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Millennium-Media-Entertainment/74464753836

30 Million Women Could Suffer Hair Loss

 

• PROTECT YOUR On-Air LOOK

• WHAT YOU SHOULD DO ABOUT HAIR LOSS

• BEWARE of GIMMICKS

MME WILL CONTINUE PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT DIETARY/HEALTH PRACTICES THAT MIGHT IMPROVE ON-AIR PERFORMANCE, LOOK AND OVERALL HEALTH. WE WILL TRY TO KEEP YOU UPDATED WITH USEFUL PERFORMANCE RELATED INFORMATION, AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. From the NEW YORK TIMES:

WHEN HAIR LOSS STRIKES
A DOCTOR IS A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND

By LESLEY ALDERMAN
Published: January 15, 2010
A couple of years ago my hair started falling out. Not in clumps, but I noticed more hairs than usual in my comb and in the bath drain.

I went to a trichologist (a hair specialist, not an M.D.) who tested my blood (all fine), told me some thinning was natural for a woman in her mid-40s and sent me home with expensive shampoo and a serum to use on my scalp. I used the potions. I took vitamins. I stopped brushing my hair.

I was a wreck. If someone had told me there was a cure in a remote village in the mountains of Bhutan, I would have put on my hiking boots and boarded a plane.
No one wants to lose their hair, but for women it is especially traumatic.

Men can shave their heads and look hip, even sexy. Most women don’t want to be bald. Though it is more common — and visible — in men, many women lose their hair. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 30 million women in this country have hereditary hair loss, compared with 50 million men.

But many additional women experience thinning hair that results from menopause or health problems.

If your hair is coming out, be advised that of the multitude of treatments on the market for women, few are worth your money, says Dr. Melissa Piliang, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic.

Americans spent an estimated $176 million on hair loss products last year, and chances are some of that money was not well spent. Don’t let charming salon owners, seductive ads or fancy gimmicks convince you otherwise.

So why did my hair fall out? After doing some research on my own, I decided it was either a bad bout of stress or the antidepressant I was taking at the time to treat the stress.

I’ll never know for sure, because both stress and certain antidepressants can cause hair loss. But after a couple of months, my hair stopped coming out and my life was back to normal.

In this column, I’ll explain what generally causes hair loss among women and what treatments tend to work. Please post your own experiences online, so other women can learn from them.

Each day you lose about 50 to 100 hairs but, when all is well with your body, an equal number is growing back. Lifestyle upsets, including severe stress (death in the family, divorce, job loss) and changes in your diet (crash programs, lack of protein), can cause your hair to shed more rapidly than normal.

Besides antidepressants, beta blockers and anti-acne prescriptions can also temporarily disrupt the growth cycle of your hair.

And take note: medications with testosterone, which women may take to increase their sex drive, can also cause hair loss. (Ask any balding man and he’ll be sure to tell you that his abundance of testosterone is to blame.)

Certain medical issues can also impair hair growth. An overactive or underactive thyroid gland can cause hair loss. So can iron deficiency. When women go through menopause and their estrogen levels fall, their hair often begins to thin. Many women also lose some hair a few months after giving birth because of the hormonal changes the body experiences.

That’s the background. Now for some guidance:
BE PROACTIVE If your hair is thinning, see a dermatologist who specializes in hair loss right away.

No matter what the cause, the sooner you address the problem the better for you and your hair. The dermatologist will take your medical history, run blood tests and may even do a scalp biopsy (don’t worry, it takes about five minutes).

“A scalp biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing hair loss,” said Dr. Marc Avram, a dermatologist in private practice with offices in Manhattan and Brooklyn. “The test examines the follicles themselves and can help determine whether the hair loss is genetic, inflammatory, infectious or due to an unusual physical or emotional shock to the system.”

If the blood test reveals that you have low iron, for instance, your doctor will put you on a supplement. If your hair loss seems to be the result of menopause, you and your doctor can discuss whether hormone replacement therapy would be a good idea.

“Low estrogen causes the hair density to decrease and the hair strands to become smaller. Estrogen makes the hair thicker and longer,” Dr. Piliang said.

The dermatologists I spoke with estimated that about half of the women they saw for hair loss had an identifiable trigger that could be addressed with medication, hormones or better nutrition.

THE TREATMENTS If no trigger is present, it’s likely you have androgenetic alopecia, a hereditary condition that causes the hair follicles to get progressively thinner over the years.

The most effective topical medication for the condition is minoxidil (brand name Rogaine), the only treatment for hair loss in women that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

You can buy minoxidil over the counter, for about $25 for a three-month supply. But you’ll also need to invest some patience. Minoxidil can take six months or even a year to work. Dr. Avram estimates that the drug, which must be applied twice a day, stops hair loss in 80 percent of the women who use it properly and it can actually stimulate hair regrowth in about half of users.

Your doctor might also suggest the prescription pill finasteride, sold under the brand name Propecia and also in generic versions.

Although the drug is not federally approved for use in female patients, some doctors have observed good results in postmenopausal women. But women who are planning to have children should not take this drug because it can cause birth defects.

Some of Dr. Avram’s patients report success with laser combs, devices that are intended to stimulate hair follicles. The combs costs $300 to $500 and are available online. Only one such comb, the Laser Comb brand, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and only for male pattern hair loss.

“Theoretically, light could thicken hair follicles,” Dr. Avram said, “but there are no independent, long-term studies that show laser combs work or don’t work.”

If treatments are not helping and your scalp is more visible than you’d like it to be, you might consider hair transplantation. The latest procedures work well and produce natural-looking results (gone are the days of hair plugs). But the transplants can cost $8,000 to $12,000 and are not reimbursed by most insurance companies.

BEWARE THE GIMMICKS Lots of over-the-counter products claim to promote hair growth, but only probably only those with minoxidil do. Shampoos and vitamins might make your hair look and feel healthier, but they won’t put more hairs on your head.

“There are no specific vitamins that grow hair,” said Dr. Zoe Diana Draelos, a consulting professor of dermatology at the Duke University School of Medicine.

Unless you are nutritionally deficient, you probably don’t need a vitamin supplement and if you do, a simple multivitamin is enough.
The saw palmetto plant is often said to help hair growth, but there is little clinical evidence concerning its efficacy.

Finally, be skeptical of any hair expert who claims to be able to determine the cause of your hair loss simply by analyzing your strands. “You can’t figure out someone’s overall health from their hair,” Dr. Draelos said.

Fads and gimmicks probably won’t hurt you, but they will waste your time and your money. When it comes to hair loss, a prompt medical consultation is the key.