I’ve loved this song from the moment I heard it. The funny thing is I was relaxed at the time it came out and could never fathom going natural. I had no idea there was a remix featuring P!nk.
Hair has the ability to make a statement but at the end of the day, all it is is hair. Cut it, dye it, do whatever you want to it.
There’s definitely more to me than just my hair!
Are you looking to eat better, feel better, look better… but you just don’t know where to begin? There are solutions other than going vegan/vegetarian. You can start by…
1. Cutting down on the sugar.
vs.
Excess sugar causes anxiety and mood swings. It makes the body more acidic, aggravating chronic illnesses and even acne. I was shocked to find that one large chocolate milkshake at Burger King (22 oz) contains 1110 calories and just over 100 grams of sugar! *brief pause to gather composure* What human being would knowingly consume this? I myself used to be a sugarholic. A nice specialty drink or Cinnabon roll would always give me a quick emotional AND physical pick-me-up. The more I became reliant on sugar for this, the more I began to feel rundown. I eventually had to cut back.
I recommend baby steps… Start by swearing off soda and energy drinks (if you consume them at all). When it comes to beverages, they are the worst of the worst. Not only do they contain massive amounts of sugar (usually 36 grams or more a can) but they’re filled with chemicals. When adding sugar to your tea or coffee (brown or white), try adding less. For example, go from adding 3 teaspoons on the regular to adding 2 — or better yet — 1. Take your time and go as gradually as you’d like. It’s about acquiring a taste for it. It’s okay to go slow. Once you’ve cut out sodas and cut back on added sugar, you may want to consider sipping on water or herbal tea throughout the day (no sugar added) as opposed to commercial juice. This will keep you hydrated as well as cleanse your system, helping you feel calm/balanced. It will also help you manage your weight as well as keep your skin clear. You’ll look and feel great!
2. Getting more fiber.
You don’t have to consume ONLY brown rice, brown pasta, brown bread, etc, but having it on hand and consuming in regularly will provide you with the extra fiber needed to cleanse your system. Grains are often full of nutrients (B12, iron, manganese, etc.) that the “white” food items lack. Just think of it this way, if it’s brown, is likely less processed; therefore the nutrients haven’t been stripped. You want to stay away from highly processed food as much as possible. Try having whole wheat toast, oatmeal, cream of wheat, whole wheat crackers, brown rice, etc. as much as possible (ideally, at least once a day/every other day). Have a wheat intolerance, many veggies and legumes are high in fibre a well. An added bonus? The extra fiber these foods contain help you to feel full longer, thus lose weight.
3. Taking a multivitamin daily.
There are so many vitamins necessary for optimal health that you just may not get enough of on a daily basis (eg. B12, vitamin D, iron, magnesium, folic acid, etc.) Taking a multivitamin formulated for your age/gender/lifestyle helps guard against deficiencies, helping you feel at your best. I currently take a vitamin formulated for active women, but I was previously taking prenatal vitamins for my low iron. Check with your doctor to determine what’s best for you.
4. Keeping that body in motion.
Exercise does not have to be hard, sweaty work. Make sure you get at least half an hour of physical activity, preferably outdoors, every single day. This is easiest done by taking a quick walk around the block. Early morning, on your lunch break, when you’re about to run errands – it doesn’t matter. Being physically active does not mean you have to be confined to a gym running on a treadmill or lifting heavy weights. Yoga, boxing/kickboxing, basketball, dance, playing like a kid in the park, a romantic walk with your sweetie – there are a lot of fun ways to keep active.
5. Virtually unplugging.
People often overlook how easy it is to become overstimulated and stressed by the constant electronic devices/stimulants we deal with every day. Make it a point to refrain from checking your phone/email constantly, forgo an hour of TV time for some informal meditation or some interesting reading material. Make sure you don’t allow yourself to become overwhelmed by electronic devices/social media and you will definitely be able to think clearer and find more time for yourself.
I hope these tips are easy enough for most to follow. Getting healthier doesn’t involve some drastic detox, diet, or fitness regimen. It’s all about making positive changes to your lifestyle at a comfortable pace. That being said, go as slowly as you need to and don’t be too strict with yourself.
Natural henna powder has many benefits. When used correctly, it acts as a protein treatment, adds shine, softness, and leaves a shimmering reddish tint behind.
It’s also very affordable as it can be found at your local ethnic (South Asian) grocery store for under $5 bucks, “Nupur Henna” being one of the most popular brands. You can mix it with your favourite tea to alter the shade of red it leaves behind, you can add yogurt, honey, or olive oil for extra shine and softnesss…it’s versatile. The reddish tint is permanent. It grows out as opposed to washes out.
One just has to make sure they are using pure henna powder without any chemical additives, as the chemicals added to some “color-in-the-box”-type brands may have an adverse effect on dry/damaged or previously colored hair.
Henna indigo is a process that people use when they don’t want the reddish tint that comes with using henna alone, especially since it turns gray hairs light copper. They may want to darken their light hair (eg. from medium brown to dark brown) or cover their grays.
For darkening hair, indigo powder can simply be added to henna powder and applied the same way you would normally do your henna treatment – mix the paste, let sit for a few hours, apply, leave in for a few hours, and rinse out.
To effectively cover grays, however , the process is a little more tedious. You mix the henna paste, let it sit for a few hours, apply, leave in for a few hours, rinse, make a paste out of indigo (without letting it sit), apply, leave in for a few more hours, and rinse. It may take a day or so for you to see your final results as the indigo needs time to oxidize.
I’ve had marvelous results with henna treatments while relaxed and natural. It makes my hair feel stronger as well as makes it super shiny.
(Yes, the packaging looks a little old school)
In case you’re having trouble getting your hands on henna indigo, “Light Mountain – Color the Gray (black)” can be found online for under $10. Iherb.com is one of the places that sells it. It contains nothing but henna powder and indigo powder, in seperate packages, with easy-to-follow instructions.
Want $5 off your iherb.com purchase? Use my referral code: ENI555 (no minimum required).
Wondering where to get the most natural products for your skin and hair, or the latest supplement you heard about?
For the last several YEARS, I have been relying on iHerb.com to get my favourite supplements / natural beauty products (eg. MSM capsules, Giovanni shampoo and conditioner, henna/indigo powder, Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap, Now Foods shea butter, soap-free cleansers, etc.) at prices NO health store can match.
They even allow you to pick your own “free” samples upon checkout. They are now listed under the “Try and Save” category and appear at prices as low as $0.13 (yes, 13 cents) CDN.
Black soap, spurilina, chia seeds, nutritional yeast, cocoa butter, natural deodorant, natural toothpaste… most herbs, supplements, and natural beauty products, you can find them all here!
Want to receive up to $10 off your first order, and save even more on your future iHerb purchases? Just enter this gift code– ENI555 (my personal referral code) upon check out or go to http://www.iherb.com/?rcode=ENI555
Upon making your first purchase, you’ll be assigned your own code that allows you to receive a discount every time someone else enters it.
Shipping is super affordable as well. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this company!
Happy shopping!
In all honesty, any person who adds fuel to a negative stereotype makes me sick!!!
This — then — 23-year-old South African woman right here is an example of how one person can make things bad for others. There are a number of stories just like hers.
Does this justify someone who has thick locs being automatically searched by airport security?
You can already guess what my opinion is.
One day, a scorpion looked around at the mountain where he lived and decided that he wanted a change. So he set out on a journey through the forests and hills. He climbed over rocks and under vines and kept going until he reached a river.
The river was wide and swift, and the scorpion stopped to reconsider the situation. He couldn’t see any way across. So he ran upriver and then checked downriver, all the while thinking that he might have to turn back.
Suddenly, he saw a frog sitting in the rushes by the bank of the stream on the other side of the river. He decided to ask the frog for help getting across the stream.
“Hellooo Mr. Frog!” called the scorpion across the water, “Would you be so kind as to give me a ride on your back across the river?”
“Well now, Mr. Scorpion! How do I know that if I try to help you, you wont try to kill me?” asked the frog hesitantly.
“Because,” the scorpion replied, “If I try to kill you, then I would die too, for you see I cannot swim!” Read More
Dry skin brushing is believed to help eliminate toxins from your body, help you achieve smoother/softer skin, firm your body, reduce the appearance of cellulite, and increase circulation.
All you need is a natural-bristle bath brush. I picked up mine for less than $10 in the beauty section of my nearest department store. Some bath brushes even come with a massager on the other side.
Before your bath or shower, take a couple minutes… Begin with your feet and brush in circular motions. Continue brushing up your legs. Proceed to your hands and arms. Brush your entire back and abdomen area, shoulders and neck. Lightly brush the chest area. Brush upwards on the back and down from the neck. It’s easy to remember it this way: Small circular motions towards your heart.
After each dry brush, I feel invigorated (as my circulation increases) and I feel more relaxed than usual after my shower. The softer smoother skin is just a bonus! I am thinking of getting one for my mother, who suffers from arthritis. I’ve found that the relaxed feeling in my muscles lasts the majority of the day.
The Law of Attraction states that “what you focus on expands.” It means that what you think about the most will show itself in your life, whether you’re conscious of it or not. In other words, focus on negative things (eg, anger, jealousy, loneliness, financial troubles, etc.) and you’ll bring more of this into your life. Focus on the positive (eg. love, affection, generosity, the blessings you already have) and you’ll bring more of this into your life.
The book The Secret (2006) by Rhonda Byrne brought the concept of the law of attraction to the masses a while back. Oprah backed it up, and made it a phenomenon. You Can Heal Your Life is a book written by Louise Hay and published in 1999.
It’s a self-help book that evolves around the concept of the law of attraction, law of abundance, positive affirmations, etc. It goes so far as to say that certain illnesses can be helped by changing your thought process. Eg. general cramps have to do with tension, fear, and holding on. They can be aided with thoughts such as, “I relax and allow my mind to be peaceful.” You can check out many excerpts from The Secret on YouTube…
I recommend you get your hands on You Can Heal Your Life in book form. It was recommended to me during a bout of depression several years back and really helped me to get out of my funk by changing my thought process. If you’re going through a difficult time or are at a stand-still in life, it can definitely do the same for you.
My favourite author, to this day, I love how frank and humorous Iyanla Vanzant is.
The Claim:
The Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cyclomethicone Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, White Willow Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Honey, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, C12-14 Pareth-12, Acrylamide/Ammonium Acrylate Copolymer, Methylparaben, Salicylic Acid, Polyisobutene, Disodium EDTA, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene, Isobutylparaben, Propylparaben, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Chlorphenesin, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Benzoic Acid.
The Results: When this product just came out (several to 10 years ago), I purchased it in hopes that it would tone down my super-oily T-zone. It helped a little, but not much. It was also too light to wear as a staple moisturizer and even the sales rep advised I wear it on top of my daily moisturizer.
I love The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Oil Toner and Tea Tree Oil Make-Up Removal Sheets so I didn’t mind continuing the use of the mattifying moisture gel as it was part of the same line and it didn’t break me out. Clearasil had translucent oil absorbing/mattifying powder back then, but it would leave a bluish-white tinge on my dark skin. When I discovered mineral make-up roughly 5 years ago, I fell in love with it. It wouldn’t break me out, I could control the amount of coverage, and it was very easy to create my perfect shade.
One day, I decided to use the tea tree oil mattifying moisture gel as a primer for my loose mineral foundation. The foundation went from being slightly chalky to silky smooth and left my skin looking slightly dewy and airbrushed. I came to find that the tea tree oily mattifying moisture gel works amazing as a make-up primer! I’ve been using it on and off ever since. MAC’s Fix+ also gives me the same effect. I would recommend The Beauty Shop’s Tea Tree Oil Mattifying Moisture Gel *try saying that 3 times fast* as a super light moisturizer (even to those with sensitive skin) and – moreso – as a make-up primer.
