To a large extent the appearance of your hair, its quality hand color, are down to your genes. Regular cleaning and cutting will keep the hair in good condition but diet also has an important role to play in keeping the hair healthy and well-nourished. But just as there's no such thing as a quick-fix weight loss diet, don't expect diet changes to affect your hair immediately - your hair only grows 1cm a month so you will have to be patient if you want to see results!

&bullEat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables to make sure you are meeting your daily vitamin and mineral requirements. Vitamin B2, Biotin, Vitamin C and zinc are of particular importance.

&bullEat plenty of iron-rich foods. Iron deficiency anaemia can cause dramatic hair loss.

Iron is found in lean red meat, dark green leafy vegetables, eggs, wholegrain bread and cereals. Figs, apricots and prunes are also good sources. Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime) and their juices, is needed to help the body to absorb non-meat sources of iron. Therefore, try to combine citrus fruits at meals when iron rich foods are on the menu.

You need to have the right amounts of proteins. Proteins build cells, and they also contain amino acids that are particularly crucial to hair growth. These include cystine, cysteine, methionine, arginine and lysine. These can be found in meats, fish, poultry dairy and eggs. If you are vegetarian, you can also get it from soy, nuts, grains and seeds (although you may need a protein supplement). Dieticians believe that at least 15% of your calories must come from food that is rich in protein. YStrict dieting can have a negative effect on hair growth. It causes the normal hair cycle to stop and you may lose a lot of hair. Once you return to healthy eating habits your hair will grow normally again. Get healthy carbs from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, brown rice and potatoes. To avoid health risks associated with a fat-heavy diet, get it from lean meat that is grilled or braised rather than fried.

Hair growth can also be halted by pregnancy, severe illness and surgery.

Often when hair loss occurs in large patches (alopecia areta) in both children and adults, there is no explanation and no dietary or medical treatment other than to wait for the hair to grow back. The condition usually lasts for 3-6 months. Hair re-grows spontaneously and is white for the first 6-8 weeks when it grows back. To conclude, for healthy hair, you need to invest in a good diet, with proper amount of proteins, fats and vitamins with good vitamin and minerals in diet. For more and better consultation post your medical question at