NEW to this. Going CRAZY and NEED HELP!!!

I have been creamy crack free since june of 09. i used to wear my hair in twists and a pretty bomb afro. lately i've been stuck. i don't know what to do with my hair. i'm tired of the twists and dont' feel like wearing an afro. my mother suggested that i braid my hair and keep it like that for a long time. while i'm raising the change to get that done, i'm still lost on how i should care for my hair. what products should i use? what kind of regiments should i stick with? it's been almost two years but call it say i'm still new to this. if anyone can help that would be great.

something to know: i have bad allergies towards dairy, eggs and seafood. i don't think there's any hair products with seafodd but hey.....why not put it there, can't hurt.

oh and my hair has been breaking like mad. what could i do to aid that? i'm almost afraid to touch my hair because it breaks soooo badly.