Healthy Hair Feature: Pre_medicalrulz

For 2010-2011 relaxed/texlaxed and natural features, check this post.

1) Are you natural, relaxed, texlaxed, or transitioning? (And how long?) 
I am relaxed and as of Dec 2011, I am/was MBL. Haven’t done a length check since.

2) What mistakes have you made in your hair care journey?
I wouldn’t call them mistakes but more like a learning process. LOL. When I first started I followed everybody else’s regimen instead of simply listening to my hair. I was using cheapie conditioners because I heard everyone say ‘all conditioners are made equal’. That is a pure lie. LOL The first 10 months of my hair journey was at a standstill. I didn’t retain a thing.

3) What is your current HEALTHY HAIR routine?
I currently wash my scalp every week. I deep condition for more than an hour. At every wash I do a protein/moisture treatment. I currently only use Nexxus products. I keep my regiment very, very simple. The less manipulation – the better.

4) Do you have a HEALTHY BODY routine? If so, what is it?
I only recently started ‘clean’ eating. I never did that before in my life but I started noticing my curves were becoming more…… curvaceous. LOL I had to make a quick change. So far, I love it and I see the difference the most in my overall skin.

5) Do you have any advice for those seeking healthy tresses?
In the beginning you’re going to expect major change and may get frustrated if you don’t see any. You’ll even have people telling you that your hair can’t grow or won’t grow pass a certain length. Have patience and stick to what works for you. Eventually, you’ll see a major difference and your hair will thank you. Many people don’t like to protective style, I suggest they start.

Friday's Length Retention Tip!

Do you want to reach your goal? Then ...

adopt a low-manipulation shampoo routine.  Instead of massaging your hair while you wash, massage your scalp only.  Allow the water and shampoo to run from your scalp to your strands for cleansing.  Additionally, lather only once instead of twice or more.  If you are prone to product buildup and this routine is insufficient for cleansing, then reevaluate your product or shampoo collection.

Additional tips:
-Wash your hair in braided/twisted sections in order to minimize tangling
-Blot the hair, instead of rubbing, with a towel
-Use a natural shampoo, which is less abrasive than a sulfate (SLS, SLES) shampoo
-Use a microfiber towel, instead of a regular one that is likely to snag the hair

For Wednesday Hair Growth Tips, check out this post.

A Healthy You in 2012!

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness


Was one of your New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier? Lose weight? Work out more? Or maybe you just want to adopt a healthier more active lifestyle? Well I have some great news for you…you can and you should start TODAY! Sound too easy? Well yes…it is THAT EASY!

You do not have to invest in a fitness center membership to start obtaining your personal health goals. Today, I will give you some suggested tips to help you kick start your new healthier lifestyle.

First, you have to sit down and make a plan. Create some goals that you would like to achieve and be realistic when you make those goals. You cannot say that you want to lose 20 pounds in one month. Realistically and in a non-life threatening way that can NOT be done. There is no healthy way to achieve that goal in that amount of time. Losing weight takes time, patience, and dedication. It is good to make an overall goal. For instance you want to lose 20 pounds. Well then you have to make smaller goals to go along with that major goal. For example I want to lose 2 pounds this week, and try one new healthier recipe this week. That is a great mini goal to help you reach your overall goal. You will have to adopt a healthier eating style, you will have to adopt a new fitness routine, and you will have to set weekly goals for yourself (like I will only have 2 cokes this week and drink more water).

When you have your goals set you can then decide how you want to achieve these goals. This will consist of a mixture of adopting a new workout routine as well as adjusting the food you consume. It is important to learn what the right portion sizes are and to try to have a variety of things to eat throughout the day. (I have written a post about portions sizes that can be found here.) You do not want to starve yourself! You can eat and snack during the day as long as those foods are nutritious and beneficial to your body. Your workout routine should start off being about 3 times a week. (More would be great if you can find a great workout and if you can fit the time in to do so.) You can do some of the following things at home or in your neighborhood to start your workout routine:

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Interview with Mala Rhodes of AFROVEDA

The following is an interview with Mala Rhodes, CEO of AfroVeda Hair Products at http://www.afroveda.com/.  AfroVeda strives to represent true, Ayurvedic hair care remedies for curly, kinky and coily hair types.

1. How long have you practiced healthy hair care? Tell us about your healthy hair journey.

Although my hair has been natural for more than 10 years, I have only practiced healthy hair care for the past 5 years. As I began to educate myself about the benefits of natural hair products, and utilize the principles of Ayurveda for my own hair health, I realized that having beautiful healthy hair was not just about what is applied externally. Being conscious of what I consume makes a huge difference in how healthy my hair really is.

My hair journey has been a very long one and began very early in life. I can remember the weekend hair sessions with my mother who would wash my hair (along with my four sisters) on Saturday night, and press it with a hot comb on Sunday. Although my hair didn’t “blow in the wind” from way too much grease, I loved the smoothness of it and the fact that it reached the middle of my back. That was “good” hair to me.

Once I turned around 12 or 13, I received my first relaxer. I’m sure with 8 kids putting a relaxer in the hair of her 5 daughters made my mother’s hair care sessions much easier. We could wear wet-sets on special occasions and even wear it “down” sometimes for school. It was easy enough for us to take care of, so we were left to do just that. Despite the continued use of heavy greases and pomades, my hair still seemed to thrive. It wasn’t until I began experimenting with various other chemicals in my hair (Jheri Curl, hair color, and more relaxers – compliments of my sister who was in Cosmetology school) did I begin to notice a change. I didn’t take care of it like my mother did, and boy did it show.

Fast forward about 20 years and countless relaxers later, I found myself with thin, damaged hair from all the years of abuse. Beauticians continued to apply my relaxers incorrectly – only adding to my hair-thinning issues – and my own methods for restoring my hair’s health wasn’t working either. I seriously needed help. The chemicals had destroyed my hair and it was time for a change.

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Not a Fan of Shea? Try Mango

Are you not a fan of shea butter?  Then try mango butter, which has a lighter feel.  Check out this video tutorial on how to make whipped mango butter.

Friday's Length Retention Tip!

Do you want to reach your goal?  Then ...

incorporate pre-shampoo treatments into your regimen, particularly if you're prone to dry ends.  Pre-shampoo treatments (or "pre-pooing", for short) usually consist of applying a conditioner and/or oil to your hair and letting it penetrate for an hour or so before your regular shampoo wash.  The benefit of prepooing is that it minimizes the stripping of moisture that can come with shampooing.  Note:  There is no need to apply your prepoo to your scalp; simply applying it to the hair, or even just the ends, is sufficient.

Loo's recommendation:

Coconut oil for a prepoo. (Do this overnight for penetration of the oil.)  Coconut oil is known to not only penetrate the strands, but it may minimize damage by hygral fatigue (i.e., stress on the hair due to water uptake and eventual evaporation).  

Source: COCONUT OIL & HYGRAL FATIGUE.

For Wednesday Hair Growth Tips, check out this post.

Healthy Hair Feature: Niqu92

Today's healthy hair feature is Niqu92.  Though she's had a recent setback, there is much to be learned from her story ...

1) Are you natural, relaxed, texlaxed, or transitioning? (And how long?)
I was natural up until my junior year in highschool (08-09) and now im currently relaxed. I don't regret my decision at all. Although i loved my natural hair i enjoy my relaxed hair much more.

2) What mistakes have you made in your hair care journey?
I have always had long & healthy hair so i never really started a hair care journey per se until this year after many setbacks from 2011. I was on birth control pills and it made my hair fall out in clumps. On top of that i decided to go to a new stylist twice for a relaxer touchup and she did not neutralize my hair properly both times so my hair fell out from that. I also "bothered" my hair too much. I decided to start co-washing it about 5x a week and my hair became extremely thin and dry from that. I went to Great Clips for a trim and they sabotaged my hair. Due to all those setbacks i cut my hair 2-3in above BSL.

3) What is your current HEALTHY HAIR routine?
i learned from my mistakes and realized that LESS is MORE. So here is my current regimen
Once a week:
Shampoo with Design essentials
DC with Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm or Silicon Mix
after i rinse it out, i rollerset my hair.

I moisturize my hair nightly with Silicon Mix Leave-in Conditioner and seal with Jojoba or Coconut oil
I do protein as needed (about once every 6-8wks)
I get touchups and trim every 9-10weeks
maintaining this simple regimen and finally finding a good stylist has made my hair healthy again.


4) Do you have a HEALTHY BODY routine? If so, what is it?
I work out 5-6x per week with Turbo Fire
I try my best to stay in shape because im a diabetic so being healthy is extremely important for me.
I eat healthy on the weekdays and on the weekends i allow myself to slack off and eat all the unhealthy things my heart desires.

5) Do you have any advice for those seeking healthy tresses?
Everybody is different so you have to find out what works for you. Growing long and healthy hair is possible whether youre relaxed or natural once you find the right products/techniques that work best for your hair. Also, if you have suffered from a setback it is not the end of the world. I thought i was going to die when i had to cut my hair due to my setbacks but at the end i realized it's just hair.  Hair always grows back so dont think its the end of the world. It can actually be a good learning experience.