The Blog

CELEBRATING AND ACCEPTING DIFFERENCE

11-17-2014
Today, teaching Black children that they don't have to have straight hair or look like anyone else or stop being who they are in order to be accepted is another way of reaffirming that they are already perfect exactly the way God made them. This is a critical message for Black children and parents, and at the same time it's a message every child needs to hear. It's a message about self-confidence, self-acceptance, tolerance, and celebrating difference that is much bigger than choosing a hairstyle.


NATURAL SKIN MOISTURIZERS

09-12-2014

Why these ingredients?

  • Shea butter is a fat that is derived from the nut of the shea tree. It is incredibly moisturizing and has healing properties, so it helps with the dry skin associated with eczema.
  • Coconut oil contains a lot of good fats, too, and is another moisturizer. It’s also full of Vitamin E!
  • Honey moisturizes the skin and also has antibacterial properties. Two for one!
  • Lavender essential oil smells great, but it also has soothing and healing properties for skin.
  • Tea tree oil helps prevent the infections that often occur from scratching at eczema.


The 10 Affirmations All Women Should Tell Themselves Daily!

08-29-2014

Rule Number Two: Find confidence from self-approval.

You are human with flaws, and not everyone will love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are. Make peace with this. Stop putting so much pressure on yourself to measure up to the unattainable ideal in your head, and instead, use this energy to give the woman in the mirror the same unconditional love and support you give so freely to others.


Rule Number Three: Learn to forgive and let go.

Learn how to admit your faults and how to forgive others for their own, as well. Come to understand that it is better to build bridges instead of walls, but know when you need to just let go altogether.


Rule Number Four: Appreciate the basics.

Stop engaging in self-destructive behaviors and be grateful for the simple things you’ve been blessed with. When you recognize the power of loving versus hating, you’ll demonstrate it through kind words, genuine smiles and thoughtful gestures. Laughter is energy for the soul, so make it a point to create time for fun.


Rule Number Five: Feel secure in your relationships.

Learn to see people as they truly are and not as you want them to be. Once you become cognizant of your own insecurities, don’t project them onto your relationships. Understand that they will not be fixed by the person lying next to you. Come to terms with the fact that both relationships and people change and that is why you cannot determine your self-worth by the amount of love you are given.


Rule Number Six: Strive for self-love.

Your actions towards others are a reflection of how you feel about yourself. Strive to accept others as they are, while tending to your own needs. Finally release yourself of external forces and enjoy spending time with just yourself. You’ll realize you’re capable of new things.


Rule Number Seven: Practice mindfulness.

Stop looking to the other side of the hill for greener, better, happier things; it will never leave you satisfied. Give thanks for and recognize the abundance of all that’s good and positive in your life, rather than fixate on what’s lacking. If you live in the present, you’ll always feel fulfilled.


Rule Number Eight: Be proactive.

Take responsibility for yourself and understand that you have to pave your own way in this world. You have the building blocks for success, but it’s up to you to use them. Have the courage to do what’s right for you.


Rule Number Nine: Open up to experiences.

Living life to the fullest means you’re exuding positive energy and remaining open to every opportunity. The universe will never throw you an obstacle you’re not strong enough to overcome. Remember, good things come apart so that better things can come together.


Rule Number Ten: “Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to give you the flowers.”



Ten Best Foods for Hair

08-19-2014

Ten Best Foods for Hair

“Healthy diet is as good for the 200,000 hair follicles on your head as it is for your body”, having a proper balanced diet not only gives you a healthy lifestyle but also boosts your hair to whole new level with those right amount of those vitamins in your body.

‘You are what you eat’ and that doesn’t just apply to your body or skin this fact also implies on your hair. All who are worried about thinning and falling hair, the best notion to stop that is to concentrate on how healthy diet you consume.

Those expensive products and latest technology promising you that healthy shiny hair are just a rip off, maybe a temporary solution but when it comes to healthy hair it’s not just what you put on your tresses that counts, what you put in your body that counts too, so if you focus on eating that balanced, varied, protein rich diet it will give your hair that strength and shine you desire for.

Here are some best foods that might help you gain that beauty of your hair,

1. Walnuts:

This nut is enriched with omega 3 fatty acids and biotin which helps protect your cells from DNA damage and shield you hair from those ultraviolet rays also too little biotin causes hair loss ,so make sure you include walnuts as a dressing in your salads or to-go-snack.

2. Protein:

Chicken, salmon, eggs are the food rich in protein and protein is exactly what your hair needs to grow. They are enriched with fatty acids, about 3% of hair shaft is made up these fatty acids.so make sure youhave a protein rich meal every day.

3. Beans:

Legumes like kidney beans and lentils must be an essential part of your hair-care diet they not only provide protein but also contain ample iron, zinc and biotin, makes your hair strong, shiny and thick.

4. Carrots:

Yes, your hairs need this Vitamin A! It not only promotes healthy scalp but also a good vision.

5. Whole Grain:

You need to get rid of that processed food from your kitchen and switch to whole grain from whole grain breads to whole grain breakfast cereals to get that sufficient dose of zinc ,iron and vitamin B a healthy hair needs. Whole grain not only helps you get that healthy hair but also reduces those hunger pangs you get throughout the day before meals and reduces your vulnerability towards the fatty food.

6. Dark Green Veggies:

Eat you veggies! Try to load yourself up on those broccolis, spinach and Swiss chard they are not only rich in antioxidants but vitamin A and C produces a sebum which act as a natural hair conditioner.

7. Vegetable Oil:

No one wants that dry frizzy hair! So adding about a teaspoon of healthy oils like olive, peanut, safflower and sunflower can give you that shiny you don’t get from those expensive products.

8. Blueberries:

This fruit is a super hero, vitamin C in it makes your hair strong as too little vitamin C can lead to hair breakage, other alternative for them are kiwis, tomatoes and strawberries.

9. Sweet Potatoes:

They are great source of antioxidant beta carotene, which our body convert into vitamin A and basically no cell of your body can function without vitamin A and this food also sustains the oil necessary for your scalp and prevents dandruff and weak hair.

10. Beef:

If you do not have cholesterol problems, then you should eat this meat at least twice a day, it has all the nutrients which are needed to maintain the health of your scalp and hair.



8 Foods to Make Hair Grow Faster

07-25-2014

Whether you’re in the midst of trying to recover your strands from a misguided cut or simply want longer locks, you may have a hard time patiently waiting for your hair to grow. (We’ve been there.)

Luckily, unlike the watched pot that never boils, concentrating on your hair growth can yield actual results, particularly when it comes to strategic eating.

Here are eight foods that help lengthen your mane, recommended by Harvard and Yale Medical School-trained nutritionist Jayson Calton, PhD, and licensed nutritionist and fitness chef Mira Calton, CN.

1. Salmon:

This fish is loaded with the strong hair supporters like Vitamin D and protein, but it also contains omega-3 fatty acids that promote hair growth by keeping your scalp healthy.

2. Yellow Peppers:

Yellow bell peppers have nearly five and a half times more vitamin C than oranges (341 milligrams, as opposed to 63). This is good news for your locks since vitamin C is an antioxidant that strengthens the hair shaft and hair follicles, as well as prevents breakage.

3. Oysters:

Zinc deficiency has been noted to cause hair loss and poor scalp conditions and oysters are loaded with zinc — just three ounces contain 493 percent of your daily value. But not just any oysters will do: Steer clear of the ones caught in the Gulf of Mexico, which may contain unusually high levels of Cadmium due to the 2010 BP oil spill.

4. Eggs:

Eggs are an excellent source of those aforementioned omega-3s, and they are also contain biotin (which many people trying to grow their hair take in supplement form). But, just so you’re aware, it’s not the egg white that will make your hair long and beautiful, it’s the yolk. Eating too many egg whites can actually block the absorption of biotin into the body, causing a depletion of this micronutrient.

5. Sunflower Seeds:

Just a few little seeds can supply you with an abundance of vitamin E, which will enhance blood flow to the scalp and promote faster hair growth.

6. Sweet Potatoes:

These are loaded with beta carotene, the precursor for vitamin A that not only promotes a healthy scalp but promotes hair growth. But choose foods loaded with beta carotene over supplementing with high doses — like over 2500 milligrams — of vitamin A from retinol since it can be toxic at very high levels.

7. Avocados:

Due to their high concentration of essential fatty acids naturally found in skin cells (which help to keep your skin smooth and supple), avocados are an age-old beauty secret. When topically applied to the hair and scalp, they have the added ability to stimulate collagen and elastin production. Mix a little avocado with sour cream (which contains lactic acid to help exfoliate dead skin and clean up buildup on the scalp) and apply to your hair and scalp for about ten minutes before washing it off.

8. Almonds:

These nuts will make your hair grow faster and thicker due to their high biotin content. One cup contains nearly one-third of your daily requirement. You should be able to see the results in a month or two of adding them to your diet.