Hair today, gone tomorrow...

I'm getting slightly - only slightly - concerned about the amount of hair I lose every time I wash, or even wet, it. During my five-time-a-week soak and slap (get hair really wet then slap on a load of conditioner before my curl-enhancing product), I seem to lose about a golf ball-sized mass of curls. During my bi-weekly wash (dry, curly hair does not need to and should not be washed much more than that, it just makes it drier), I seem to lose another nectarine's worth. Is this normal? Is this OK? Am I going bald? Can I prevent it? And if so, how?

Questions and worries that require a lot more research than I've had time for. I suspect there's something I can eat to help matters, and I desperately hope that it involves avocados. That would make life very, very enjoyable.

In my new, not-going-out-due-to-house-moving-skintness life (get paid early next week, hurrah!), I've been spending a lot of time on my makeshift sofa (the actual sofa is under piles of amah bags and I can't move it alone, so I've got my emergency friend-staying-over mattresses folded and set up, I'm such a student) watching TV. Oh, and reading recipes, that's right, whole point. And speaking of avocados, I read a deliciously simple recipe in The Notting Hill Cookbook for "Mexican soup", or something (will have to verify). Basically you make up a batch of chicken broth (from a roast chicken carcass, couple carrots, an onion, some woody herbs like bay and thyme, optional stock cube), boil it all up, strain, cool, freeze some for later use), heat up a bowl per person, then chuck in finely sliced red onion, chunks of avocado, plenty of fresh coriander, a squeeze of lime and chilli if you like it spicy. What could be simpler yet more appealing when you get home late from a concert, can't face a big meal, or simply want something to whet your appetite for bigger things.

The avocado used to get a lot of stick for being "fattening" and "calorific". But too much of anything is bad, so why this nutrient-packed snack got a bad rap is beyond me. They contain only monounsaturated fat - the good type, that may help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. They're also loaded with protein, beta-carotene (which converts to Vitamin A) and Vitamin E, making them super-healthy. I'm lucky that my West Indian mum introduced me to them at a very young age - a half on a plate with French dressing and sliced cucumber was a common starter for me as soon as I could hold a spoon - and I haven't looked back. I love when she visits the West Indies and comes back with a football-sized specimen - it lasts a good couple of meals, although I think if I were left alone with one, I'd finish it off in one sitting.

And probably be violently ill afterwards, but sometimes you have to make the sacrifice.

My favourite way to eat this powerfruit is with a little salt, just scooped straight from the shell, or a la Mama, with a sharp salad dressing. Mexican guacamole is a great way to serve them (mush it up with lime juice, a bit of chili and coriander), and they also taste divine with various seafoods (garlicky prawns. griddled tuna), chicken (slice up some grilled chicken and toss with chopped tomatoes and avocado and a good squeeze of lemon juice then shove in a pitta), melted cheddar, feta cheese, coriander... there's very little that can't be improved by a side serving of avo!

It also makes a great mask for dry skin (with or without the addition of some honey and/or yoghurt) and dry hair - mush it up and slap it on, wrap your head in cling film (OH, how my university housemates laughed the first time I did this) and wander round for 30 minutes before shampooing it all out.

Come to think of it, it's been a while since I've done a natural hair mask. Maybe this will be the answer to my problem. Maybe I'll try one this week - either avocado or banana-based - and report back...