For lustrous hair, eat the right foods

Of course you care how your hair looks. Who doesn't? Ever since humans emerged from caves, we've used our hair to broadcast two messages: "I'm healthy and powerful" and "Hello, honey, how about it?" Some politicians get elected just because of it -- or don't for the lack of it.

What you feed your body also feeds each of the 150,000 hair follicles on your head. Try these foods for glossy locks that tell everyone you're as young as you feel. Or even younger.

1Green tea, walnuts and salmon The polyphenols and omega-3s in these foods are good for more than your heart and brain. They help make your hair shiny. (And if you're fighting dandruff, try rinsing with green tea. It helps kill off dandruff-causing fungus.)

2Fruits Brightly colored ones are rich in vitamin C, essential for making collagen, which gives structure to hair (and firms skin, too).

3Beans, whole grains and other FOODS RICH IN vitamin B

No mystery here: B vitamins (especially B-6 and folic acid) ensure a good supply of blood and oxygen to your hair follicles, encouraging growth and maybe slowing loss.

4Dark-green veggies Think spinach, broccoli and Swiss chard. They're great sources of vitamins A and C, which help produce sebum, the scalp oil that's a natural hair conditioner.

5Dark sesame seeds The Chinese swear this keeps a man's hair darker longer.