Oil Pulling

Oil Pulling

Recently, a close friend of mine introduced me to the ancient Ayurveda process known as oil pulling. Oil pulling is a technique of pulling the toxins out of your body through your gums. It is said to be a total; healing process for your body and assist with illnesses such as: gingivitis, halitosis, eczema, ulcers, diseases of the stomach and much more. It is also believed to assist with the whitening of teeth, which I have noticed during my short time doing this process. It is not an easy process and also not very enjoyable; but the health benefits are well worth it. Listed below are the steps.

1. On an empty stomach pour one tablespoon of Sesame Oil into your mouth. Other oils that are popularly used are Pure Olive Oil, Coconut Oil and Sunflower Oil but, Sesame Oil is the recommended oil. It is recommended to be done in the morning before eating or drinking; if you choose to do it later or multiple times day then it should be done 4 hours after eating and 1 hour after drinking.

2. Move the oil around in your mouth without swallowing it (as it will become filled with the toxins and parasites that are being removed from your body). Do not gargle it, but move it around like mouthwash. You do not have to swish it around vigorously, just in a relaxed manner. You should swish it around in your mouth for 15-20 minutes without swallowing or spitting.

      Once the oil has become filled with the toxins it will start to turn white and thin from being mixed with your saliva.

3. Once you have reached your time limit, spit the oil out and rinse your mouth with warm salt water. While this step is optional, the salt acts as a antimicrobial, helps to mollify inflammation and helps to rid any toxins that may have stuck around after the spitting.

You’re done!

This process can be done every morning or a couple times a week, whichever you are most comfortable with. But, please understand that this is not an overnight detoxification. It takes time to see results, but your health, your teeth and your breath will thank you for it!

What are some natural health techniques that you indulge in?

Walgreens Sale

Walgreens Sale

Ladies and Gentleman, may I have your attention puhleeeezzz!!!!

I stopped by Walgreens this morning to re-up on nearly the only product I use in my hair, Organix. While in the store I became filled with joy to find that it was on sale, bogo, along with a lot of other great popular natural products. I decided to share my wealth with you guys. I hope that you find somehting that can help you, if not then go try Organix brand. My tope three are the Coconut Milk shampoo, conditioner and serum for softness and smell good, Morroccan shampoo and conditioner for shine and softness and the Keratin shampoo and conditioner to battle shrinkage.

- Optimum Brand Products
- Luster's Pink Sheen Hair Spray
- Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Moisturizing Shampoo (I love the long lasting moisture that this shampoo provides!) and other Herbal Essences products
- Nubiam Heritage Products
- As I Am Products (The only thing that keeps me from being a product junkie is money, but I have always wanted to try this expensive brand and a large number of their products are also on sale. )
-  Agadir Argan Oil Products
- Organix Brand Products

I hope that you find something that you like on this list!

What is your favorite product to use?

A Piece of Cake

A Piece of Cake

As you all may or may not have noticed, last week was a bit sparse with the posts. I do apologize.

I am a sucker for a good memoir and a sap for a good book, last week a friend of mine provided me both.

Last week, I barely slept and spent every waking moment either reading this book or thinking about reading the book. I was very amused that I was reading a book all about addiction and felt like I was addicted to the book.

This book "A Piece of Cake" is a about a woman named Cupcake Brown who was found her mother dead in her room at the tender age of ten and before she could blink was ripped from her family and thrown into California’s foster care system. By 11 she was an alcoholic prostitute and eventually became a gang member and addict of almost every drug known to man.

Eventually after hitting rock bottom, she pulled it together and graduated from law school magna cum laude.

I am the type of person that struggles to make human connections but becomes extremely emotionally invested in books. This book took such a toll on me but it is one of the best books that I have read in a while. Not only because of the rawness of the author telling her own story first hand or the struggles that kept pouring on to her but because of everything that she overcame. This is definitely a book that I recommend to anyone who enjoys reading.

I am now reading “City of Bones”; hopefully it will not be as emotionally consuming. But I am sure it will be great!

What are you reading right now?

Long Hair, Does Care: From the Outside

Long Hair, Does Care:

From the Outside

Most naturals dream of having a huge afro and twist out that race to the ground. I dream of having the world’s longest afro one day, but retaining this length is not easy. On average our hair grows about 1/2" per month, which is only about 6" per year.

 When I was growing up, I was led to believe that black women just could not grow long hair, and based on what I saw as a child it was something I held to be true. I was under the impression that the only reason my hair was even kind of long was because I wasn’t fully black. In fact, it wasn’t until high school that I realized this wasn’t true.

Now as naturals, it is harder than ever to debunk this myth. Not only due to the fact that no matter how long our hair grows, it always shrinks back up to our foreheads and kills our dreams.  But, also due to the fact that we must work even harder to take care of our hair and making sure it is getting all the proper nutrients and moisture that it needs to remain healthy.

This is care that we must make sure we are taking from both the inside of our bodies and the outside. Now, I will be discussing the things we must do from the outside to ensure hair health and promote growth.

·        Let’s start with a maintenance tip that I struggled with: trim your hair about ever 10-12 weeks to remove split ends. It is important to remove split ends so that they will not cause further damage to your hair by traveling up the hair shaft and making the hair more vulnerable to breakage. While it may not cause your hair to grow "faster" it will help you retain length by helping it grow healthier and not break off as much. The 10-12 weeks is only a guideline, if you are maintaining your hair health and there are no split ends then you do not have to force cut your hair for the sake of timeframes.

·        Another very important tool is to keep your hair moisturized. This is important because black hair is often very dry and dryness can cause hair to be brittle and break off. There are a number of essential oils that can assist with maintaining moisture in the hair and also a number of shampoos and conditioners made specifically for dry hair. While I do encourage supporting black owned businesses, being natural does not necessarily mean that we can only use products from the "Ethnic" section, nor does it being in the "ethnic" section make it black owned. What is most important is that you find a product that works for your hair and is safe for your hair.

·        Another problem is making sure that we utilize protective styling. This is definitely one of my weaknesses, I just love my twist outs so much. But wearing your hair in a protective style will hide your ends and protect them from being further damaged. Also when it is I a protective style we tend to not play in it so often, which will assist us in maintaining length. When we fidget in our hair we tend to pull on it and weaken its natural curl. Our ends are our oldest and usually most damaged hair, so keeping them from rubbing against our clothing and other items can definitely assist in maintaining moisture. We should also protect our hair at night, by twisting our hair up and wrapping it in a satin scarf or bonnet. An alternative to this is using a satin pillowcase, for those like me who can barely find the energy o wrap their hair and sleep too wild 5to keep a scarf on.

·        To follow up the protective styling tip, we must also remember to be careful when choosing our protective styles. We must do our best to avoid hairstyle that pull our hair such as tight ponytails or braids. This can cause our hair to break at the root from stress.

·        Also, another hard rule to accept as naturals is that we must not comb or brush our hair too often. Some say to only comb or brush when wet and with the assistance of conditioner, other say to not brush/comb more than twice a week with the assistance of moisture and/or moisturizer. Either way, we must not brush/comb our hair excessively. This is because we can cause our hair such stress that it is pulled out from the root or we can just break.rip it in general in attempts to detangle it.

·        A tip that may be challenging for new naturals or transitioning naturals is to stay away from heat. As new/transitioning naturals, we tend to still be in the stage where we are not quite comfortable with the happy nappy look or the "need a relaxer" look. This can cause us to pull our flat irons or curling irons and fry our hair to the point of no return. This is not only detrimental but counterproductive. It can cause our hair to become so damage that all the hair we did grow is just as damaged as the hair that was previously relaxed and have to be cut off. Also, our natural hair is obviously not the same look as our relaxed hair, so chasing the relaxed look would be counterproductive. There are many no heats styles that can achieve the curly look and help new/transitioning naturals ease into their new hair.

·        Also, as discussed time and time again, you must find a conditioner or moisturizer that your hair likes. Just as important as a good shampoo/conditioner is a good leave in conditioner or moisturizer to keep your hair shiny, soft and healthy. This can be anything from a product to a mixture of essential oils to a mixture of both. As long as your hair likes it and is able to retain moisture from it, then it is great!

·        Last but not least, we must not wash our hair too often. As stated previously, our hair tends to be dry naturally. Washing our hair too often can strip it of its necessary oils and cause it to be dry out quicker and break off. The amount of times you wash your hair is dependent upon your comfort level, most naturals only wash between once or twice a week with co washes in between. Co washes are just a wash using only conditioner, so it does not strip the oils and provides moisture and remove dirt.

I know! It is a lot of work, but it will be well worth it when you did that Bantu knot out that hangs down to your shoulders and stretches down to your bra strap! The woman pictured below currently has the world's longest afro, with the tricks listed above, I am coming for her!

What tricks do you use to retain length?

Long Hair, Does Care: From the Inside

Long Hair, Does Care:

From the inside

Most naturals dream of having a huge afro and twist out that race to the ground. I dream of having the world’s longest afro one day, but retaining this length is not easy. On average our hair grows about 1/2" per month, thats about 6" per year.

 When I was growing up, I was led to believe that black women just could not grow long hair, and based on what I saw as a child it was something I held to be true. I was under the impression that the only reason my hair was even kind of long was because I wasn’t fully black. In fact, it wasn’t until high school that I realized this wasn’t true.

Now as naturals, it is harder than ever to debunk this myth. Not only due to the fact that no matter how long our hair grows, it always shrinks back up to our foreheads and kills our dreams.  But, also due to the fact that we must work even harder to take care of our hair and making sure it is getting all the proper nutrients and moisture that it needs to remain healthy.

This is care that we must make sure we are taking from both the inside of our bodies and the outside. First, I will be discussing the things we must do from the inside to ensure hair health and promote growth.

·         The primary composition of your hair is keratin which is a protein that is formed with amino acids. To grow new hair, we must produce amino acids by consuming protein. A few ways that we can ensure that we are consuming healthy protein is by incorporating the following foods into our diets:  lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts, beans, and soy products.

·         Other nutrients that are needed for both healthy hair and bodies are iron and zinc. Iron and zinc deficits can cause both anemia and poor hair. 

o   In order to transmit oxygen to our cells and help our body build protein we must have sufficient iron. Good sources of iron to incorporate into your diet include: leans meats, poultry, eggs, beans, lentils, tofu and soybeans.

o   Zinc works to repair tissue and keep oil glands working as they should. Good sources of Zinc include: peanut butter, lean meat, oyster, crabs, poultry, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas or fortified grain products.

·         This one may be hard, but don’t be afraid of fat. We need healthy fats to promote hair growth. Fats help absorb Vitamins A, D, E and K. It is important to limit fat intake and primarily intake unsaturated fats and fatty acids like Omega 3.

·         A lack of sufficient Vitamin C in your diet can lead to dry, weak, dull hair that is more vulnerable to breakage. Vitamin C builds collagen which assist in producing new hair cells. Another process that Vitamin C assists with is the absorption of iron. You can get your Vitamin C from sources such as: citrus fruits, pineapples, strawberries, guava, broccoli, kale and peppers.

·         Another vitamin that supports healthy hair and growth is Vitamin B. While there is no scientific proof that shows that taking Vitamin B supplements such as riboflavin or biotin will make hair grow, there is evidence to support that a lack Vitamin B can cause hair loss and hair thinning. Sources of natural Vitamin B include: seafood, spinach, oatmeal, whole grains, soybean products, lean dairy, lean meats, bananas, lentils, potatoes, peas, beets, broccoli and artichokes.

So, in order to have long healthy hair, we must take care of our bodies. Consuming these foods and vitamins will not only benefit our hair health but will also improve our overall health!

The Color Curse

The Color Curse

There has been much debate about color and natural hair. A lot of people argue that dying your hair alters it from its natural state and therefore nulls your natural status. I cannot say that I agree, probably because I, like many other naturals, have a weakness for some color. Part of the reason that I enjoy being natural is because I can easily change my hair and try new things, one of those things is colors.

Today, I plan to try a new color in my hair and will discuss the ways to care for your hair for dying purposes.

A lot of people like to deep condition before and after they dye their hair.

Here are a few ingredients to consider for your pre and/or DC next time you dye your hair.

Hair food

·        Banana: rich in potassium, natural oils, carbs and vitamins that soften air and protect elasticity preventing split ends and breakage.

o   Also enhances the sheen of hair, encourage growth and control dandruff
o   Can be difficult to remove

·        Beets: high in crabs, low in fat, source of folic acid, beta-carotene, chlorophyll, potassium, vitamin C, iron and antioxidants.

o   Also can be a natural dye

·        Carrots: the juice can be added to conditioner to give your hair an extra boost of nutrients.

o   Can be mixed with beets to color hair
o   Can be used to restore limp hair

·        Avocado: rich in several vitamins, copper and potassium

o   Will strengthen air and make soft and silky

·        Yogurt: rich in zinc, calcium, lactic acid, vitamins B1, B2, B-6, B-12, protein and yeast

o   Promotes hair growth
o   Makes easy to comb and get rid of knots

·        Eggs: packed with vitamin A, D, E and fatty acids

o   Used for shine, moisturizer and conditioner

·        Olive oil: smooth, shine, soften and condition

These items are equally good for your hair when ingested and when applied directly. I encourage you to try as many as you can, you may learn something new about your hair!

Choosing to dye your hair is a big commitment to your hair, if you thought the maintenance was tedious before, and then it is definitely not a step you would want to take. But, for those of you who are ready to dye and ready to commit to the upkeep afterwards to help restore the health of your hair and maintain it then I wish you much luck.

Here are my results post dye (which I immediately followed with a dc consisting of: avocado, lemon essence, hone

What are your favorite homemade dc's?

A Curl's Best Friend

A Curl’s Best Friend

I think that we, naturals, all have a go to style when the new style fails or we just don’t know what to do with our hair. Personally, in my car I keep an emergency kit for days when I’m just not feeling pretty enough, its super girly but whatever, and don’t have my usual vices. The items in my emergency kit include: bobby pins, perfume, a brush, some moisturizer, mascara, lip gloss, red lipstick and a pair of earrings.

Those are the bare minimums that I feel I need to pull my look together when i'm not feeling my prettiest.

Below is a list of "in case of emergency" items for most naturals. Some are interchangeable, like I would prefer to keep bobby pins in my car/purse over a scarf, but it all depends on how you look to wear your natural.

Moisturizer: sometimes the only thing to revive yours curls/fro is a little moisturizer, whatever your little indulgence is, it is always best to keep a little bit on you. I keep a little jar of coconut oil in my car, since I tend to do my hair in the parking lot at work (I am not an early bird). Also a little moisturizer can replace gel, I personally don’t like gel, so I like to use moisturizer to help tame my hair and pull it into place.

Bobby pins: almost all naturals can agree that bobby pins are like the second most important tool next to moisturizer. Bobby pins are the secrets behind most of the amazing hairdos, or the trick to a quick up do when you bantu knots don’t work out or your twist out just looks twisted.

Scarf: another item that I like to keep in my car is a scarf, for days when I don’t feel like fidgeting with bobby pins or just feel super discouraged. A lot of naturals I know are whizzes with head wraps, unfortunately I am not one of those naturals. I like to use my scarf to swoop my hair into a ponytail, since it only looks like a pony in the scrunchie, and then make a nice bow at the top.

Hair Bow: this item is also dependent on your comfort zone, I also don’t feel like my hair plays well with bows, but I love and envy them on other naturals. A bow can definitely be used to spring your hair to life.

Brush/Gel: if you like to use gel, then a brush obviously goes hand in hand. In the event that your hair doesn’t suit your needs, you can grab your brush, gel and bobby pins and create a totally new creation.

My favorite go to style is the faux hawk, what is yours? Or what do you keep in your emergency hair/beauty kit?

A Day in the Fro of Sunny

A Day in the Fro of Sunny

Sunny is a born again natural and owner of

"...And She Bakes!",

this is her hair story.

Q: To begin, how long have you been natural?

Sunny: About 2 ½ years now

Q: Wow! I didn’t realize. How did you go about your natural journey (i.e.: big chop or transition)?

Sunny: Well, this was actually my second BC. The first time I cut my hair was really spur of the moment. Big mistake! I wasn't sure what to do with it, and it was cut all wrong. So, I immediately got braids. Once it started growing out, I was doing "wash and gos" before I knew what they were called. I got a texturizer and rocked the fro for about 6 months then got a relaxer, yes on top of the texturized hair. Another mistake! So for my 21st birthday I got a cute pixie cut but didn't want relaxers anymore. I let it grow out for 2 months then cut off all the relaxed ends. And here I am 2 years later, relaxer free!!

1st Big Chop                                                                  2nd Big Chop

Q:  That is quite a story! How old were you when you got your first relaxer?

Sunny:  I think I was about ten; I was definitely in elementary school.

Q:  Would you say that the decision to no longer relax your hair affected your attitude or view towards yourself or others in anyway?

Sunny: I can definitely say I'm 100 xs more confident! It’s a liberating experience. It’s like I've found me and I can Express that and share it with others. Meeting other naturals is like bonding with a long lost sister.

Q: I love the way naturals greet each other, it’s like women finally found a way to show love to one another. How about with your baking? Has it affected it in any way?

Sunny: It’s made me more conscious about what I put in my food. I like healthier, all natural foods, but there's no good substitute for real sugar and real butter. Just try baking a sugar cookie with fake sugar. It's gross.

Q:  Can you tell us more about your company "...AND She Bakes!"?

Sunny:  "...AND She Bakes!" has been a dream of mine for years now. I've always wanted a bakery that caters to different tastes: off the wall cupcake flavors, decadent cookies, classy and elegant cakes or the classic flavorings, i.e. chocolate, vanilla, etc. The name comes from a woman being well put together, good head on her shoulders, carries herself well...AND She Bakes! Lol she can do it all.

Q: I like it! What can we expect from "...AND She Bakes!" for the year 2013?

Sunny: I'm praying for big things! This month is my debut. I'll be presenting myself and unique dessert samples this Saturday the 16th at Sacred Sounds at the Roosevelt in Ybor. I'll be providing catering needs and I'm also in the works of getting a food truck so I can bring "...AND She Bakes!" to you.

Q: Wow! That sounds great. Is there anywhere that your customers can find information about you and your company at?

Sunny: They can find me on fb:

Facebook.com/andshebakes13 for updates, new kitchen creations and contact info and

Also follow me on Instagram: @andshebakes

 

Q: What are your hair plans for 2013?

Sunny: For 2013, I'm focused on the health of my hair. Getting down to the basics of what my hair needs to thrive and sticking to a healthy hair regimen. On a more superficial level, I love color! So I'm going to be experimenting with brighter hues like richer reds or even purples. There's a semi-permanent brand out there, "Manic Panic" that lets you mix their dyes to make your own colors. I'm doing that!

Q: What is your favorite product to use in your hair?

Sunny:  Well, coconut oil is my favorite for sealing in moisture. It's one of my favorite scents. I think because I bake, I love smelling like coconut and vanilla every day.

Q: Do you have a signature hairstyle?

Sunny: I always seem to do a twist out with a design on the right side.

Q: What is your advice to those of us who have dreams that we are afraid to chase?

Sunny:  Be afraid of them that means it is something worth fighting for. Let that fear bring out your bravery. But you must be confident in whatever it is you want to do. Self-confidence will get you far.

Stay tuned for a local giveaway from "...AND She Bakes!", must be a follower of "Adventures with Dandelion" and like our Facebook page: Facebook.com/curlsbyspoken to qualify for the giveaway!

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Natural Love

Natural Love

What better way to celebrate this day of love then with a little Natural Hair Porn: Couple’s Edition!

Hope you enjoy!

Wicked Wednesdays

Wicked Wednesdays

It’s that time of the week again!

Happy Weeeddnnneesssday!

Don’t forget to share your hair porn with us as well!

Submit all pictures to spokenheart_mf@aol.com

Hair Porn (Cree Summers)

Shawna getting ready for an open mic!

Hair Porn (Kim Wayans)

Media Mouth Mel showing off her new cut!

Hair Porn (Lauryn Hill)

Chrissy getting ready for an evening out!

Look Ma, No Fears!

Look Ma, No Fears!

During my time as a natural hair advocate, I have run into a number of naturals who are still afraid to wear their hair just as it is. I understand! I am not exempt. There are times when I fall under the spell of needing to "do my hair" before I can walk out the door. But, it is something that I have been working on since I started growing my hair. My mama always said I was a wild one, so it may be easier for me to adjust to my unruly mane but I also want to encourage my other curlies. So, I want to share with all of you what I share with them.

     I love being natural, because I feel like it is my middle finger to the world. I mean to say that I feel like it is my way of telling others that I do not need to conform to any standard of beauty in order to feel beautiful. I do not need to comb out my naps, nor do I need to flat iron or shove them into a rubber band. God gave them to me in this big puff because that is how she decided I would look best. If women with flowing tresses do not have to be ashamed or alter the way their hair grows out of their scalps, then why should we?

     Now I know, it can be a lot to deal with, on those days I like to get out of bed, give my fro a little tug back to life and get on with my day. I want all women and men who choose to go down this journey to be able to feel the same way. It isn’t easy with people constantly in our ears saying "When you gone do your hair?" or the side eyes of disgust shooting through our fros trying to lay them down. But, who cares? If it’s not your hair then it will be your outfit or your makeup or anything else that someone can find to criticize. You will never be perfect enough for this world, but you can always be perfect enough for yourself.

     I want to challenge all my fearful naturals to just wake up one morning and fluff out that fro, give it a little shine and walk out the door (after you get dressed, of course). Feel the freedom running through your coils from not trying to make your fro fit in. It’s a fro baby! Once you started down this road, you left fitting in behind! Don't use that scarf to hide your fro anymore, use it to accent it!

     Please, keep taking care of your hair. But, don’t be afraid to just let it be sometimes! The point of being natural is to be natural!

P.S. I also worked on my fears! In my hand below are the clipped ends of my fro! It only hurt a little! I’m so excited about the growth that I made room for! And yours too ;)