Food for Hair!

The same foods that are good for your body and your health overall are good for your hair, including foods that are high in protein, low in carbohydrates and have a reduced fat content,"

Another important dietary need are essential fatty acids, found in foods like walnuts, canola oil, fish, and soy.

There are many people who may have a sub-clinical lack of omega 3 fatty acids -- these are 'good' fats, which have anti-inflammatory properties and may actually play a role in healthy hair

A lack of iron that often occurs during the reproductive years -- can lead to anemia, a reduction of red blood cells that is often an undiagnosed cause of hair loss in women.The deficiency may be so slight you barely notice it, but it can play a role in female hair loss. Adding more iron-rich foods to your diet -- like broccoli or brewer's yeast -- may actually help reverse some forms of hair loss,

Also important to healthy hair growth are foods containing vitamin B12 -- including eggs, meat, and poultry.

And while you're reaching for that bottle of B12, don't shortchange yourself on the other B vitamins, particularly biotin. According to experts, this nutrient is also essential for hair growth. It's so important that biotin supplements are often prescribed right alongside medical hair loss treatments such as Propecia, Proscar, or minoxidil (Rogaine, Ronoxidil).

"Biotin is a major component in the natural hair manufacturing process -- it is essential to not only grow new hair, but it also plays a major role in the overall health of skin and nails,
We can get biotin from our diet -- it's present in foods like liver and egg yolks -- we would have to consume thousands of calories daily to get what our hair needs. That's one reason why so many dermatologists suggest biotin supplements, routinely up to 3 mg of biotin daily for his hair loss patients, The recommended daily intake (RDI) of biotin is a scant 300 mcg -- and even the healthiest diets usually contain no more than 30 to 50 mcg.

zinc supplements are also recommended -- normally about 80 mg daily -- because studies show this nutrient may affect the levels of androgens, the hormones involved in some forms of genetic hair loss.
"It's imperative that zinc and copper remain in the proper ratio. And unless you also supplement copper you don't want to dramatically increase zinc intake," What's more, since both metals are pro-oxidants (meaning they contribute to unhealthy free radical formation) supplementation in any significant amount would require careful health monitoring by a doctor.
Taking too much zinc can also cause a copper deficiency, which in turn can actually cause hair loss -- another reason she believes supplementation of these minerals is unnecessary.

What may be important for women to take, however, is the nutrient known as methylsulfonylmethane or MSM -- a substance vital to the life of hair and skin.