Foods for Younger Looking Hair

It's one of the maddening ironies of aging: Hair gets thinner where we want it -- on our heads -- and starts sprouting up in places we don't.

Good trimmers and tweezers are all you need for the latter. But for the former? Try these healthy hair foods from Drs. Roizen and Oz (see below) -- they can help make your locks look more like they did in your 20s.

Healthy-Hair Diet

• Eat more salmon. Omega-3 rich foods like salmon and sardines help seal in shine. Distilled fish oils or DHA supplements will work, too. Need something new to do with salmon? Try this quick and easy Blackened Salmon Sandwich from EatingWell.
• Be a bran lover. Bran is rich in vitamin B, which may slow hair loss and promote hair growth. Other B-rich victuals include beans, peas, carrots, cauliflower, soybeans, nuts, and eggs. Make bran-infused pancakes a snap with this Healthy Pancake Mix.
• Say yes to avocados. Avocados and avocado oil may prevent some funky stuff that kills hair follicles -- dihydrotestosterone (DHT) -- from getting where it needs to go. Watch this video for shortcuts on cutting, peeling, and seeding an avocado.
• Say no to animal fat -- and red meat -- if you're losing hair. They can lead to more DHT production and hair-follicle damage. Make meat-free gravy for your mashers with this delicious Portobello Gravy recipe.
• Stock up on green tea. Brew a strong pot, cool it, then give your head a rinse to help kill off dandruff-causing fungus. Incidentally, if you drink green tea, the caffeine in it may help slow balding, too. Try this simple Green Tea-Fruit Smoothie for breakfast -- another fabulous EatingWell recipe.

For more tips on being healthy and beautiful -- outside and in -- check out YOU: Being Beautiful -- The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty. It's the newest book from RealAge experts Michael Roizen, MD, and Mehmet Oz, MD.

YOU: Being Beautiful -- The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty. Roizen, M. F., Oz, M. C., New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008.