Natural hair: How to transition from relaxers to natural hair

Natural hair: 
How to transition from relaxers to natural hair.
                 10 Tips for easy transitioning
                              by N'na

I have transitioned for over a year before enjoying my natural texture and have learned a few things over this incredible journey. Going natural has taught me more patience than I had and opened my life to so many new things. Below are some of my tips that have made my experience enjoyable.

1) Do not rush to big chop. Cutting you hair is not the only way to go natural.

2) Do your homework and ask a lot of questions.

3)Make up your mind and have peace with your decision.

4) Deep condition you hair at least every two weeks for healthy hair.

5) Continue getting your hair professionally done or caring for it in the best of your abilities. Going natural is not an excuse to neglect your hair. Preferably stick to hairdressers who are experienced in treating and styling natural hair.

6) Get you hair trimmed as needed. Cutting your ends gradually will facilitate its growth and the transition to natural hair.

7) Use products and treatments that work best for you hair. You can use protective styles, products from professional brands with no paraben and/or  kitchen/natural products such as coconut oil, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Shea butter.

8) Love the process and be patient. A transition is just that, a journey to a chosen destination. It's a special time worth enjoying and impatience can influence you to make decisions you might not be pleased with.

9) Surround yourself with supportive people and if the ones closest to you are slow to share you excitement, remain confident in yourself. Our loved ones will always turn around because at the end, all they care about is our happiness.

When you don't get the support you expected remind yourself that it's not personal they just want you to make the right decision based on  their own belief system.

If you are married or have a boyfriend it's important to have his support and his input. Do not neglect your man's opinion and tactfully show him why going natural is best for you. 
I was very fortunate to have my husband's support from the get go but I have always valued his input in the process as we discussed very frequently the beauty of natural hair.  http://goodhealthdiva.blogspot.com/2011/03/i-am-coming-out-call-to-naturals.html

10) Attitude is everything. Beauty is a whole package deal. It's not just hair so as you learn to take great care of your hair take great care of the whole you as well.

We would love to learn from you. Are you new to transitioning or have you been doing it for a while? How long? What's your tips to transitioning? Which one of the tips above best relate to your journey?


N'na

Benefits of detoxing: How and why to detox

                              Detox 101 : How and why to detox

Hi there,

I have a few friends who have asked about detoxing recently so I figured it would be great to share some basic tips with you as well.

Spring is around the corner and it's a great time to consider doing a detox and do a " Spring cleanse". Detoxing can ideally be done every 3 months, but doing one early Fall/Winter and one early Spring are good times as well.

So below I am  offering some general tips on detoxing that I hope will benefit and inspire you to detox.

There are different kinds of cleanses you can do and if you have never detoxed before a candida cleanse, a colon, liver and kidney cleanse are generally most recommended to free your body from toxins that have affected your health. Some cleanses can be done in 7 days, 14 days, 21 or 30 days. Embracing a healthier lifestyle and eating habits are crucial to further benefit from your detox.

                                                DETOX 101

Written by N'na. All rights reserved 2012.

Disclaimers: The suggestions below are not to replace doctors' advices. If you have certain medical conditions you should consult your doctor before starting a detox program or eliminating some things from your diet or adding to it.

Why should you detox?

We live a very toxic lifestyle and in spite of our best efforts to make healthy choices our surroundings,foods and cosmetics are loaded with toxins.

What are some benefits of detoxing?

• Cleanse your body from toxins
• Give your organs a chance to rest and work better
• Give you more energy
• Naturally heals your body from certain ailments : you get less  headaches, less diseases and sicknesses throughout the year.

• Better skin and complexion
• Give you a clearer sense of thinking and feeling
• More willpower and more positive outlook on life
• Weight loss (detoxing assits with weight loss because your organs working better once you give your body a chance to release toxins, bacteria, fecal matter etc).

                         
Which organs can mostly benefit from a detox?
Your whole body can benefit from a detox but some organs play a major role in the quality of our health such as:

• the kidneys
• the liver
• the colon

There is actually various kind of cleanses:
Candida cleanses, parasite cleanses, kidneys & liver cleanses, colon cleanses, colonics, lung cleanses, total body cleanses etc.  Each one is beneficial to your health and for optimal health it's recommended to do them all especially if you have never detoxed before.

When to detox? At least twice a year such  as Spring and Fall.

Please consider Fasting. Fasting is probably the best way to detox your body and your mind. It’s important to fast often. Fitting a one day fast weekly/biweekly or a 3 days fast in your monthly schedule are all reasonable endeavor. ( Please consult with your physician before embarking in any fast)

Keep in mind that while you are detoxing you might experience some headaches, you will have to take more frequent trips to the bathroom as your body must flush out many toxins, bacteria, fecal matter etc. Do not stop the detox on account of these as it's actually a proof that the detox was much needed but PLEASE if you suffer from any particular health condition consult with your physician before, during and after your detox.

To Jumpstart your detox.

Gradually eliminate or cut down certain foods from your daily diet.

Gradually add more healthy food and drink more water.

Drink every morning a glass of water with apple cider vinegar, freshly squeeze lemon juice and a spoon of honey.

Eat daily one or more grapefruits and/or apple.

Select a detox program and time frame as you can detox for 3 days, 14, 21, 30 days or longer.

Drink plenty of water to allow your body to flush the toxins.

Drink detox or herbal teas.

Foods to avoid when detoxing

Sugar

Dairy products

Wheat

Gluten: rye, wheat, bran, barley,baked goods...

Caffeine: Coffee, Black tea, sodas...

Other foods: yeast, alcohol, food additive and preservatives, chocolate, high fat foods.

Foods to eat when detoxing

Fresh fruits.

Fresh vegetables. Great detox vegetables includes broccoli, cauliflower, garluc, beets red and green vegetables.

Rice: Brown or basmati rice. Rice cakes, rice crackers, rice pasta.

Other grains:  quinoa, flaxseed, millet can be used instead of rice.

Beans:  Lentils are a great option.

Nuts and seeds:  such as walnuts, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds. Avoid peanuts.

Oils:  Extra Virgin Olive oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil.

Condiments: fresh herbs, sea salt, limited amount of honey, 100 % natural fruits and vegetables drinks, rice milk, almond milk.

Beverages: water, lemon water, herbal teas, freshly squeezed fruits or vegetables juices, smoothies .
                         

Herbs you can use daily to help with your detox: Ginger, oregano, cayenne, fennel, turmeric.

 Garlic: Fresh garlic is great to not only strengthen your immunity but it also cleanses your blood.

                                          Detox products on the market


There are many great products on the markets.

Please do your research before selecting a product. When selecting a product take time to ask questions, explain your goals, research the ingredients included and their roles and be aware of the fact that a detox program will not necessarily feel good at first!

A great website to check is http://www.drnatura.com/

                                  

Detox hygiene

Avoid beauty products that are harmful and loaded with toxins because your skin is your largest organ. Use organic, green or homemade beauty & cosmetics products.

During the time when you are detoxing avoid if you can and if it's not your workplace places such as Nail shop and Beauty Salon or any environment that would expose you to toxins.

Consider dry skin brushing before taking a shower.

Consider oil cleansing to cleanse your face.

Detoxing is about more than food & the body.

Detoxing is not just about food. There are emotional triggers to the food that we eat and habits strongly influenced or influencing our food choices.

Other things to consider when detoxing:

Rest your mind and body more.

Cut down or temporarily eliminate on TV time especially news and TV shows that cause the body stress. Cut down on activities or interactions that are unpleasant and unnecessary.

Train your mind each morning to expect the best.

Refrain from complaining unnecessarily focusing on negative things create more stress on your body.

Take time to start your day with a stretch as stretching allows trapped energy to be released.

Stretch often throughout the day.
see the benefits of stretching http://goodhealthdiva.blogspot.com/2011/05/benefits-of-exercising-stretching.html
the benefits of exercising http://goodhealthdiva.blogspot.com/2011/05/benefits-of-exercising-introduction.html

Walk more during the day.

Spread more love and do good more good deeds.

Smile and laugh more. ( Being scornful, sarcastic and laughing at the expenses of others is NOT what I recommend).

Keep a journal. Record your emotions, your goals…

Keep a gratitude journal. Make time each day to write things you are grateful for and start and finish each day by expressing verbally or in writing something you are grateful for.

DETOX  your environment.

Make time to go through your home, bathroom, closet, kitchen cabinets, home office and remove everything old, expired, useless etc.

In your closet get rid of everything stained, with holes, old and that no longer fit.

Declutter and cleam your space totally. A messy and dirty environment can also trigger stress and expose you to toxins.

Add some green plants in your home to purify your indoor air.

For more ideas please consider reading the following articles:
"The psychology of weight loss"

http://goodhealthdiva.blogspot.com/2011/11/psychology-of-weight-loss.html

"Pampering yourself is good for your health"

http://goodhealthdiva.blogspot.com/2011/01/pampering-yourself-is-good-for-your.html

If you consider fasting:

Disclaimer: Please consult with your physician before starting a fast.

Days before your fast drink plenty of water and eat more fruits and vegetables that are rich in water such as watermelon and cucumbers.

Determine the length of your fast. A meal, a whole day, a few days. Any  longer fast should be supervised.

The way you break your fast is very important. Eat foods that are light such as a fruit, a bowl of soup, a salad and eat slowly.
                       


There's a lot more to detoxing than the information I just provided. This article is meant to be an introduction and offer you some direction.

Detoxing is essential to your health and organs' cleanses such as the Colon  cleanses can improve your health and even assist with weight loss.

Detoxing has the power to heal, alleviate or prevent some conditions, so do it often and enjoy its many benefits.

I wish you a happy detoxing, a great health journey and if you are new here you are welcome to become a Follower, Like the FB page, subscribe for email updates and let us know about your detoxing experience!!!



N'na

Natural hair: Let's talk What's prepoo?

Hello friends.

It's been a while since we talked hair, natural that's it! Well today briefly wanted to talk about hair!

If you are a new natural or juts becoming more acquainted with the world and lingo of naturalistas, you have probably heard the term prepoo and wonder what in the world that was!

The first time I heard the term prepoo I almost thought it was a mixed dog breed. You know like shipoo,maltipoo....but no! Here prepoo is not about a cute dog breed it's about a hair treatment that many naturalistas adopt to maintain healthy hair and protect their hair from the stripping effects of shampoo.

So prepoo is simply what they do to their hair before shampooing! It's applying oil and/or conditioners to your hair for a given period of time before shampooing!

How long do you prepoo?
The amount of time is subjective! Some people do it for at least 20mns to half an hour, others for a couple of hours and some might go longer! It's just a matter of choice and convenience.

What to use?
There seems to be no set rule or no set ingredients to prepooing as most people use products they like best on their hair. A lot of time it's through trial and errors that they get to make final conclusions on the products that are best for them.

The most common product is coconut oil as many natural will testify to its benefits on their hair!
Some go with the kind you get from the grocery store others would select a brand such as Vatika because it's a blend of fantastic natural oils and ingredients.

Here is what a few people report using on their hair:

Honey + olive oil
Aloe juice+jojoba oil covered with coconut oil and left for a couple of hours before shampooing
Mayo + olive oil
Coconut oil
Castor Oil
EVOO
Grapeseed Oil

Many people mix any of the oils above, adding other ingredients as well or use them as the sole ingredient for their prepoo.

I have used coconut oil and EVOO on mine and I am pretty content with this mixture!

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

 However, my favorite natural product has been Vatika! Which I have used for 13 years now, well before ever knowing about natural hair, prepoo etc. Before getting into prepoo I used Vatika for deep conditioning and for styling my hair.

Vatika Coconut Indian oil

Do you prepoo on wet or dry hair?
This is another subjective questions. Each time I ask naturalistas if they prepoo on wet or dry hair I realize that half would say dry and the other half would say wet. So I don't think that there's a right answer to this question. It's all a matter of preference, after all that's what hair styling comes down to!Isn't it? Just a matter of preference!


How often do you prepoo?
Most people prefer to prepoo each time they shampoo their hair! I fall into this category unless I shampoo my hair at the gym right after swimming!
So...have you prepooed your hair  before? What did you like about it? What's your favorite prepoo ingredients. Do you do it or wet or dry hair? How long do you keep it on?


Update: Wednesday July 27
I have been thinking about a comment made earlier this week about prepoo not being necessary in one's opinion and I have concluded that prepoo is beneficial and worth it especially if someone has dry hair. A friend of mine explained that she actually prepoo for hours and DC after her shampoo as prepoo is a must for her due to her having very dry hair.

I think prepoo is like marinating meat or fish! It might not be mandatory but when you cook that meat or fish it's so infused with flavor and so tender that there's just no comparison. I also view prepoo as something my mom used to do when my twin and I were kids. She would apply shea butter on our skins before we shower even though we  would washed away most of the shea butter it would still leave our skin smooth and babylike.

So prepoo is a matter of opinion and necessity to some, at the end of the day we have to listen to our hair. The way I see it having rich ingredients penetrating our hair before shampoing or cowashing can only be good for our hair!

So what about you? Do you prepoo? Why or why not? If yes what do you use and how long do you prepoo? How do you think prepoo benefits your hair?

N'na

Natural hair: Natural homemade deep conditioner for stronger and healthy hair

I made Friday evening a deep conditioning mixture that one of my maid used on my hair when I was in elementary school. Every Sunday afternoon as she would do our hair ( twin sister and me), she would shampoo our hair and make a mixture of egg yolk and olive oil that she would apply for 45 minutes before rinsing and braiding our hair.
I don't know why it never occurred to me to do it until now! Like I said in a recent post, a lot of pleasant childhood memories have resurfaced in my mind and this recipe is one of them. The only difference is that I added coconut oil.


I started with

• one egg yolk
• a tablespoon of EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• a tablespoon of coconut oil (optional)
• The one ingredient I did not add that I would greatly suggest adding is Honey! I abstained from adding some in this mixture because I did not have any more raw honey and I just did not want to add the commercial brand I had on hand and my treatment was a spare of the moment thing.

Then I just mixed all the ingredients! The texture was just like a commercial conditioner would be since my coconut oil was still in it's solid form!

I shampoo my hair with a commercial shampoo and then applied the mixture. I was not satisfy with the quantity so I made some more this time without the coconut oil! I mixed one egg yolk and one tablespoon of EVOO! This was enough to saturate my hair.
I put on a shower cap and vacated to the rest of my activities ( tackling the laundry and having a devotion time with my children)


You could leave it for 30-45 minutes but since I was not in any rush I just thought the longer the better so I kept mine on for well over an hour!

I rinsed it out by adding some apple cider vinegar to the rinse water...

And I applied some olive oil to moisturize my hair and let it air dry! Voila!

Please do not have egg white in that mixture otherwise you will be spending your time picking up egg from your hair!

The next day I deep conditioned my daughter's hair as well.  I used the same ingredients except that I added some honey.

I did not have to make any extra conditioner for her hair and I followed the same procedure up until the time I rinsed her hair.

After rinsing her hair I did not add olive oil to moisturize her hair! I simply finished her hair treatment by applying some mousse to her hair.

There she is after her shampoo and deep conditioning!

Since I love to recycle things, I used the egg white from my deep conditioning and hers to make a face mask. After beating the egg white I added  a tablespoon of coffee to the egg white just for antioxidant and the scrub feel. This mask can be made with the egg white alone but since I generally use some coffee as a facial or body scrub I added some to the mix I figure it might as well add some to the mix!

Facial mask with leftover egg white and used coffee. More on that in my next post!

Final result, Mother & Daughter enjoying their natural look after a healthy homemade deep conditioner!

In case you wonder why use egg yolk in my homemade deep conditioner:

Hair are made of protein

Eggs are protein

Eggs' protein will straighten the hair follicle

Eggs make the hair smooth and easier to comb and keep the hair from tangling That is if you are combing. In our cases we left our hair curly!

Well just a few benefits I am aware of, there might be more so feel free to share!

Have you used egg yolk before to condition your hair? What was your experience? What natural ingredients do you generally use to deep condition your hair? Do you know any additional benefits to using egg yolk in your hair? Have you ever had the unpleasant experience of having egg white in your hair?How did remove them?

N'na

Natural hair: Deep conditioning recipe for stronger and healthy hair

I have a simple treatment  that I love to do on my daughter's natural hair and wanted to share with you. The previous post is actually a French version that I wrote to encourage my readers who are not fluent in English to feel welcomed on this blog.
The treatment simply calls  for 1 tbsp of honey and 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil that you would mix with your conditioner. Reserve some apple cider vinegar for your rinse. Here are the simple steps.

• Shampoo your hair as usual
• Apply the mixture of honey, olive oil and conditioner ( you can do that with just honey and olive oil)  to your hair until your hair are fully saturated with your mixture. Sit under a hot dryer or simply leave it on.
• Leave it on for 30-45 minutes.
• Rinse thoroughly with water and a little of apple cider vinegar 
• Apply some of your conditioner mixture as a leave in- conditioner and
• Complete your treatment by applying any of the following oils: coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil, jojoba oil or any carrier oil of your choosing. I personally stick to the first three simply because they are easier to find.

On my daughter's hair below I applied some almond oil after rinsing her hair and applying a little bit of the conditioning mixture.
Please share with me some of your own homemade hair treats.

Three oils I love using for hair care

Ingredients for this homemade deep conditioning

In the small white bowl honey and olive oil (to mix with or w/o the conditioner) after shampooing




With the shower cap on waiting 30-45 minutes with the deep conditioner on

 



Soft and shiny hair after deep conditioning and Almond oil to seal her hair.


What kitchen ingredients do you generally use for your homemade deep conditionner? Which of the oila listed above do you use most often on your hair?

N'na

FOR MEN: Coconut oil and turmeric face mask!

This homemade mask is of course one for women. I just felt that it would be fun to have a man do it. I am glad my model (smiles) was such a great sport. I think that it's important that our men learn to pamper themselves too, learn to benefit from home spa and take care of their skins!

 What do you think?

A portion of the video is missing. At the end I asked my model here how his skin felt: his answer: " good and smooth"!

I love coconut oil and use it daily in my diet and my skin care regimen. Turmeric on the other hand is a herb that I just fell in love with. My mom who is a great natural health advocate was the first to tell me of the benefits of turmeric. I decided to try this simple mask last Sunday and have been hooked on turmeric ever since I researched its many health and beauty properties. I am adding it to my diet by simply adding it to my cup of tea and of course its now part of my skin care regimen. I wanted to try this on a man just to encourage men to take care of their skin. I will eventually share more about the benefits of coconut oil and turmeric for skin care. For now, just enjoy the video. Talk to you later. Oh, remember to leave your comments and become a Follower, and like the facebook page Goodhealthdiva!!! Thanks and have a great week!

To your better body and your better life!

Did you like this video? Do you have some nice skin care tips for recipe for men?