We all want beautiful and healthy hair. Unfortunately, factors like poor lifestyle, illness and stress can all take a toll on your crowning glory. Your hair growth slows down and you shed more often. Women value their hair a lot, so female hair loss is a pressing concern for the ladies.

The good thing is that through a careful selection of healthy food, you’re able to promote hair growth and prevent female pattern hair loss.

If you prefer natural methods over traditional female hair loss solutions, here are the best foods you can eat to ensure your hair grows well and you don’t shed too much:

1. Eggs

Hair is made of a tough kind of protein called keratin. It makes sense to eat enough protein to maintain lustrous locks. Eggs are a powerhouse of protein and biotin, and a deficiency of these two nutrients are linked to female hair loss pattern.

Provided you have no other ailments that limit the consumption of eggs, you can enjoy up to two, hard-boiled eggs per day.

1. Spinach

Spinach is high in vitamin A which promotes hair growth. Vitamin A facilitates sebum production to keep your scalp moisturized and your hair hydrated.

Spinach is also rich in folate, iron and vitamin C that are all attributed to healthy hair, and makes a great supplement for female hair loss treatment.

Try to eat 2-3 cups of spinach in a day. You can cook it, eat it raw as a salad, or mix it to your favorite smoothie recipe.

1. Fish

Not just any kind of fish—you need the fatty ones like salmon, mackerel and herring. These are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that speed up hair growth. If you suffer from female hair loss stress, eating fish is the way to go.

Like eggs, fish are rich in protein and contain high amounts of vitamin B and selenium that prevent hair loss.

Make sure to eat about 2 servings of fatty fish in a week. If you want a steady intake of fatty acids, you can take a daily dose of omega-3 supplement to ensure your hair stays healthy and hydrated.

1. Berries

How many strengthening hair treatments have you seen that incorporated essences of berries in them? You can skip those products and go straight to the source, as berries are an excellent source of antioxidants and vitamins.

By eating berries, you load up on antioxidants that protect your hair follicles from harmful free radicals. They are also rich in vitamin C which prevents your hair from going brittle.

Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, strawberries—there are so many berries you can eat. Aim at least one cup of serving in a day to ensure optimal hair growth.

1. Avocadoes

Avocadoes are not just a good source of fats, they also contain a high amount of vitamin E which protects the scalp from stress and damage. Certain conditions like psoriasis can benefit from this extra boost of vitamin E to facilitate skin healing.

Fatty acid deficiency is linked to hair lossso the fats in avocados can feed your cells to maintain healthy, gorgeous locks.

Eating one avocado per day is a good habit to start. There’s so much you can do with this delicious, nutritious fruit. You can make guacamole, a healthy salad, or a thick smoothie from it—or simply eat it as it is.

Remember that the results from eating a balanced, female hair loss diet do not happen overnight. The key is consistency—you need to make it a habit to carefully incorporate all these food into your diet to promote hair growth and prevent hair loss. Once you see and feel the results, it’s a lot easier to keep going.