Featuring Dr. Rosia Parrish

What is your name? Rosia Parrish

How old are you? 38 years old

Where are you from? I was born and raised in Colorado, then lived in Washington, DC, and Seattle, and I now call Colorado my home again. I live and work in Boulder with my husband, two-year-old daughter, baby on the way, and two kitty cats.

What is your background? I was a HIV clinical researcher with a background in medical anthropology and pharmaceutical politics before going back to school to become a naturopathic doctor (ND). I see patients for all conditions, but my specialty is infertility. Interestingly, I have treated many women with alopecia (hair loss) and I find the causes of hair loss are quite similar to infertility. Hair loss causes can be from depletion including anemia, dietary and digestive concerns, poor detoxification pathways, inflammation, autoimmunity, and hormonal imbalance including hypothyroidism, perimenopause, thyroiditis, and being postpartum. Hair loss can also be a result of being exposed to mold mycotoxins, toxic chemicals, plastics, heavy metals, as well as stress and emotional trauma.

What are you currently doing for hair health and care? I get my hair trimmed every 2-3 months to keep my hair long and healthy. I wash my hair every two to three days, and other than that, I brush it, sometimes use a hair straightener, and I do not use any other hair products. I believe that the health and beauty of skin, hair, and nails are a reflection of our internal environment. I love the Healthy Lifestyle Motto from the Bragg Company (they makes olive oil, and much more!), that “You are what you eat, drink, breath, think, say, and do.” I find that when people want healthy hair, there isn’t a perfect product that will fix it. If there’s an underlying cause, then those need to be addressed. For me, eating a pristine diet, ensuring I have robust hormones, and taking care of my physical, emotional, and spiritual health, is all just as important as the shampoo and conditioner I use.

Are you using any natural hair products? I use Shikai Color Reflect Shampoo and Conditioner. I love it because I have been blessed with strawberry golden blonde hair and this shampoo and conditioner reflects those colors of red and gold in a beautiful way. The Shikai brand isn’t the most highly rated brand on websites like EWG.org and I wish it was cleaner, but I’ve used it for decades and I also love how affordable and accessible it is since I can find it at almost every natural grocery store.

What do you like about your hair and what has taken some time for you to accept about your hair? I really like how shiny and strawberry golden blonde my hair is, and I really love having long hair. In high school, I used to do trades with a mom who was also a hairstylist—I’d babysit her daughter and she’d give me free hair appointments, so I had the most wild hairstyles back then, from pixie cuts, very short bobs, and she would layer my hair with multiple colors of dye. The dying stopped after a bully called me, “Simba” from the Lion King, and my hair has been natural ever since (and no, the bully didn’t win—he actually apologized). I’m glad I stopped dying it because my daughter was born a brunette with my husband’s hair color, and over the first seven months of her life, her hair changed and now it is my hair color! It is fun matching my daughter.

What is something different, interesting, or funny about yourself? My husband and I met in April 2006, and on our second date, we both realized that we were first-born twins, and our parents didn’t know they were expecting twins until delivery! This actually still happens in 3% of twin births.

Clinic website: www.nawellness-boulder.com (telemedicine appointments only!)

Facebook (Fertility ND): https://www.facebook.com/fertilityND/

Instagram (Fertility ND): https://www.instagram.com/fertility_nd/