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Join our mailing list to receive offers and specials on our latest products. Also every day for the next 3 week we will give away one free Essence of Moisture Hair Care Line complete collection, enter to become one of the many lucky ones to win.   Name: Email Address: Hair Goals for The New Year Ebony of Essence would like to help you reach your hair goals in 2008     Hair Goal Sheet Click Here to Download      Starting from within The health of your hair begins from within, this statement should be the foundation of one of your first hair goals. The first step to healthy hair is by adopting healthy eating plan, because even the most expensive hair care products cannot give you healthy hair. Protein - Your diet should be rich in protein. Hair is made up of a protein called keratin. So a diet lacking in protein can cause weak, dull, brittle and lifeless hair and can cause retardation in the growth cycle. Good sources of protein include: Eggs, milk, low-fat cheese, fish, poultry, lean meat and beans.   Biotin - Helps produce keratin, may prevent graying and hair loss. Food sources: Brewer's yeast, whole grains, egg yolks, liver, rice and milk.   Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) - Prevents graying and hair loss. Food sources: Whole grain cereals, brewer's yeast, organ meats and egg yolks.   Vitamin C - Antioxidant that helps maintain skin & hair health. Good sources of Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, pineapple, tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes and dark green vegetables.     Vitamin B12 - Prevents hair loss. Food sources: Chicken, fish, eggs and milk.   Vitamin B6 - Prevents hair loss, helps create melanin, which gives hair its color. Food sources: Brewer's yeast, liver, whole grain cereals, vegetables, organ meats and egg yolk.   Vitamin E - Antioxidant that enhances scalp circulation. Good sources of Vitamin E: Cold-pressed vegetable oils, wheat germ oil, soybeans, raw seeds and nuts, dried beans, and leafy green vegetables.   Vitamin A - Antioxidant that helps produce healthy sebum in the scalp. Good sources of Vitamin A: Fish liver oil, meat, milk, cheese, eggs, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, apricots and peaches.   Inositol - Keeps hair follicles healthy at the cellular level. Food sources: Whole grains, brewer's yeast, liver and citrus fruits.    It is always a good idea to take a multi-vitamin supplement. GNC has a great Hair Skin & Nails Vitamin. In order to achieve healthy hair, it is imperative that you drink at least 8 glasses of water. Your body is estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water, and your body will not function properly with out it. If your body is not functioning properly, the health of your hair will suffer tremendously. Incorporate some of the foods listed above into your diet to ensure you get the right vitamins & minerals to keep your hair healthy. Start by creating a menu for yourself using the foods listed above.         Healthy menu example     Breakfast:   Whole grain cereal with skim milk- Vitamin Sources: Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) and Inositol.  Snack:  Low-fat plain yogurt mixed with strawberries and a handful of almonds - Vitamin Sources: Protein, Vitamin C and Vitamin E  Lunch:  Grilled chicken salad add tomatoes - Vitamin Sources: Protein, Vitamin C, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin E Snack:  Combine 1 cup whole-grain toasted oat cereal with 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1/4 cup dried cranberries for a healthy trail mix. Vitamin Sources: Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) and Inositol.  Dinner:  Grilled fish, brown rice & string beans. Protein, Vitamin B12, Vitamin A     *For a complete healthy meal plan refer to The Essence of Hair Growth E-book for Ethnic Women.      Exercise Exercise 4 to 5 days to optimize your health. The #1 cause of hair loss is high stress levels, and exercising reduces your stress level. Hair care products When combing your hair you should always use a wide-tooth comb, it is also important to use a natural bristle boar brush. Keep your scalp clean You should wash your hair every three days to once per week. It is imperative that you keep your scalp clean. You don't want build-up in your hair follicles. This will hinder your hair growth. Conditioner is a must! Apply conditioner on your hair after every wash. Washing your hair strips your hair of moisture. You'll need to add moisture back to your hair, with a conditioner. If you have time, place a plastic cap on your hair, after you've applied the conditioner and leave it on for at least 20-30 minutes. To maximize the conditioning treatment, sit under a hooded drier from 15-30 minutes. Moisturize! Find a light leave-in conditioner to use everyday. Use a light oil, such as Jojoba or sweet almond oil to seal in the moisture. Choosing the right hair care products for your hair is conducive to the health of your hair. Be sure to look at the labels and watch for hair care products that contain the following ingredients. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - This synthetic substance is used in shampoos for its detergent and foam-building abilities. It causes eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, scalp scurf similar to dandruff, and allergic reactions. It is frequently disguised in pseudo-natural cosmetics with the parenthetic explanation "comes from coconut." Synthetic Colors - The synthetic colors used to supposedly make a cosmetic "pretty" should be avoided at all costs, along with hair dyes. They will be labeled as FD&C or D&C, followed by a color and a number. Example: FD&C Red No. 6 / D&C Green No. 6. Synthetic colors are believed to be cancer-causing agents. If a cosmetic contains them, don't use it. Triethanolamine - Often used in cosmetics to adjust the pH, and used with many fatty acids to convert acid to salt (stearate), which then becomes the base for a cleanser. TEA causes allergic reactions including eye problems, dryness of hair and skin, and could be toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time. Propylene Glycol - Ideally this is a vegetable glycerin mixed with grain alcohol, both of which are natural. Usually it is a synthetic petrochemical mix used as a humectant. Has been known to cause allergic and toxic reactions. Alcohol (Isopropyl) - As a solvent and denaturant (a poisonous substance that changes another substance's natural qualities). A petroleum-derived substance, it is also used in antifreeze and as a solvent in shellac and diluted essential oils. According to A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, ingestion or inhalation of the vapor may cause headaches, flushing dizziness, mental depressions, nausea, vomiting, narcosis, anesthesia, and coma. The fatal ingested dose is one ounce. DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (monoetha-nolamine) &TEA (triethanolamine) - DEA and MEA are usually listed on the label in conjunction with the compound being neutralized, so look for names like Cocamide DEA or MEA, Lauramide DEA, etc. These are hormone-disrupting chemicals known to form cancer-causing nitrates and nitrosamines. They are almost always in products that foam, including bubble bath, body washes, shampoos, soaps, and facial cleansers. *We at Ebony of Essence have high quality natural hair care products that you can use to help you reach your hair goals.          These tips are a sure to get started in setting your New Years hair goals; to ensure that you stay on track and achieve your goals, we have created a goal sheet that you can print our from your home computer and start planning your New Years hair goals right away. Hair Goal Sheet Click Here to Download   Click Here to Read More Articles>>