Health, Hair & Happiness

As we get settled into 2014, I hope that our little newsletter will help you along your journey towards better health, hair and happiness. When I first went natural back in 1998, I had no idea that it would have lead to a better Scarlett, someone who is more aware of my health and introspective about the world around me. Health and natural hair are my passions and in order for the latter to thrive it needs the former.

I’m super excited since this is the first official issue of Health, Hair & Happiness. My goal is to create a space of shared experience and expertise where we can all continue to grow together as we embark through life’s challenges and triumphs. If you are just going natural, you will get the basic 101s of what to expect and how to ease into learning your new hair without feeling overwhelmed. If your goal is to eat healthier, then you will find simple tips to a cleaner diet that won’t scare you or your family & friends. Also, realizing the reality of a continued path of processed food and how it takes it toll not only on our bodies, but our hair.

Health, Hair & Happiness is here to help you to achieve your 2014 goals and I’m happy you’re here to join us.

XOXO

Scarlett Rocourt Creator of Wonder Curl Editor of Health, Hair & Happiness

Grain Brain by Dr. Perlmutter, is a provocative book into how grains affect our bodies and most importantly, our brains. We never really think about whole wheat because it’s supposed to be healthy for us , right? Wrong! This book puts all of that conventional wisdom on its head as he uses anecdotal information from his private practice as well as peer-reviewed research that any of us can search online. One of the tools to living a healthier life is being equipped with information, this book gives you that and more. It will also help you to explain to others when you tell them you’ve given up bread.

Recently, I found myself without any Carmex.

I found this to be a very scary experience since I am almost never without Carmex. I usually keep one in my purse, in my desk drawer, in my bedroom and in my living room. They say that the ‘addiction’ is all in my head but all I know is that a day without this stuff proved to be a very challenging one indeed.

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Contributors Maya Williams is a wife, mother, and nationally-qualified fitness competitor. She seeks to motivate and inspire women to achieve their fitness goals, no matter where they are on their journey.

Find Maya at: mayafitgirl.wordpress.com Instagram- @maya_fitgirl Twitter- @maya_fitgirl

Lakisha Hill AKA Naturally Kish, Natural Hair/Healthy Living Blogger and Events Host from Baltimore MD. She’s been Loving her curls since '02 when she returned to Natural.

Find Lakisha at: Passionistas.me/category/naturally-kish/ Instagram: @naturallykish Twitter: @naturallykish

Jasmine Price planned her life out in 2nd grade. Two Psychology degrees later she realized she was insane, unhappy, and unrealistic. She got out of her head and began her happy.

Find Jasmine at: http://www.eyecheated.blogspot.com/ Instagram @lyrical_prodigi

Dayo L aka Tootieboots has been natural for 5 years. She is a natural hair enthusiast with a passion for encouraging others to explore their natural mane. She is by no means a professional natural hair expert but she enjoys sharing and exchanging healthy hair tips.

Find Dayo at: free2bnaturelle.blogspot.com Instagram: @tootas_25

Jasmin Kearse is founder of Fountain of Life Health & Wellness that helps its clients maintain a healthy lifestyle. She also works in a private rheumatologist office and cherishes her 5 beautiful children & happily married life.

Find Jasmine at: Facebook.com/NaturalBkBeauty Instagram: @NaturalBkBeauty

Table of Contents Winterize Your Hair………………………………………….4 Overcoming Your Superwoman ….………………….6 Recipes………………………………………….…………………..8 Acquiring Health………………………….…………………....9 Natural Hair 101………………………….…….……………...10 Get the Cover Look…………………….…….……………….11 Journey to Happy……….…………………….……………….12 Love Yourself…………………………………….……………....13 3

Dry winter air means less frizz.

That’s a great thing right? Well, not so much. With the dry air also means no moisture and that’s moisture you won’t be getting in your hair. Because curly hair tends to be dry and brittle (especially on the ends), it’s important that you add what’s been taken away. Here are 5 easy tips to keep your curls looking fresh every day.

1. Steaming your hair. Simply staying in the bathroom after a hot shower will help to add moisture into your hair.

You can also employ a hand-held steamer or a hooded steamer to get even more water into your strands.

2. Less shampoo, more conditioner. You may already practice cowashing (using only conditioner to clean your hair). But for those of us who have to shampoo, doing it less often in the winter, or even diluting your shampoo with water will lessen the dryness you experience. Or, you can forego the shampoo altogether and use a clay cleanser. The Detoxifying Clay Cleanser uses kaolin clay to cleanse your hair, has conditioners that won’t strip your hair’s natural oils and will leave your curls defined and ready for deep conditioning or styling.

3. Deep conditioning more often. All you have to do is add a penetrating oil such as Virgin Organic Coconut oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil to your conditioner and wearing a plastic cap for 5 - 10 minutes will help the oil to penetrate into your hair shaft to strengthen from within. If you sit under a hooded dryer, you’re maximizing the penetrating effects even deeper. Or using a deep conditioner like the Restoring Hair Treatment will give your hair the added moisture that it loses in winter.

4. Invest in a humidifier. Now that it’s winter, you’ll most likely be using a heater which forces more dry air into the atmosphere. When you use a humidifier, you put moisture back into the air, and your hair (and skin).

5. Use more emollients and less stylers. Stylers such as Get Set Hair Jelly are great for defining your curls and keeping the poofiness down in the summer, but during the cooler temps, with little to no humidity, you can use less. You will want to up your emollient rich products such as Butter than Love Hair Pudding and/or Butter than Love Hair Whipped. These products are loaded with Shea Butter and Castor Oil, ingredients that will seal in the moisture.

Written by Scarlett Rocourt 4

WonderCurl.com

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Realize That Saying “No” is Ok As much as we would love to help others whenever we are asked, there are times when it is just not feasible: whether due to time constraints, lack of resources, or simply, you’re not feeling up to it. Despite those very valid reasons, we find ourselves saying “yes” to those requests. Requests that impede upon our day and affect other things we have to do. We feel guilty about wanting to say “no,” then feel resentment after we say “yes.”

we find ourselves overwhelmed with the sense of obligation almost every moment of the day. An obligation to our children, spouse, job and most everything with which we affiliate ourselves.

If you are like me, you wake up and immediately begin to think about all that you “must” get done for the day. I “must” put a load of laundry in the washing machine. I “must” feed the cats. I “must” vacuum the hallway. I “must” fold the clothes, and most importantly, I “must” get in my cardio…all before 6:30 a.m.! I “must” be insane.

As a fitness competitor, wife, and mom with a 9 to 5, I get caught up in that Superwoman mentality in which I have to be all and do all for everyone. But the reality is; I can’t be. I will end up overworked, overstressed and useless to myself and my family.

To help maintain my sanity, I have found four ways to keep my inner Superwoman in check: Know My Limitations I work out regularly, so I have come to know my limits in the gym. If you hand me 65 pound dumb bells and ask me to do bicep curls, I will promptly let you now that those weights are far beyond what I can handle right now and may end with me injuring myself. Taking on that heavy load and incurring that injury may have a negative effect on things I have to do outside of my fitness life.

Now, think about your daily tasks in the same manner as those 65 pound dumb bells. Choosing to take on more you can handle can be detrimental to yourself and everything else on your to-do list.

Just imagine that your co-worker asks you to help them finish a project to which you are not specifically assigned and you are already working on something that is due by the end of the day. Your co-worker’s project becomes that 65 pound weight. You have exceeded your limit, which brings me to my next point…

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An inner anger quells inside the pit of our belly every time we see that person who had the audacity to ask a favor to which we gleefully complied. We must remember that “no” is not a bad word. It is a word that frees us from duty from which we had no ties in the first place. It is a word of power that lets others know that we respectfully decline and can still be friends.

Saying “no” is one way to draw the dividing line between your issues and the other person’s issues, which brings me to number three…

Not Making Your Problem, My Problem I am a mom of two boys, one of whom is thirteen years old. He’s a great kid, but sometimes he does things at the last minute. Recently, he let me know he had a big project due that was to make an elaborate cook book.

Of course, it was due the next day.

I asked him what he was going to do about it. This was his problem. I haven’t been in 8th grade for 22 years. All of my assignments have been turned in.

Sometimes moms want to swoop in and save the day.

But it’s amazing what our children can do when left to their own devices. I helped him when I had a free moment or two, gave him a couple of dollars so he could walk to the store to get supplies, but I did not let him disrupt my time with what I already had going on.

The same idea can be applied in the work place or with friends. Do not let someone else’s problem become your own, unless you are willing (without resentment) to deal with all that goes with it.

And last, but certainly not least…

Schedule “Me Time” This is the hardest of all things to do for most women.

We rarely take time for ourselves. How many times have we taken a day off, had the whole house to ourselves and started cleaning the house, making doctors’ appointments for the kids, or took our spouse’s shirts to the dry cleaners? For some, these things may be relaxing, but let’s face it; we think that if we do something exclusively for ourselves, we are being selfish. What’s so wrong with that?

We need to take time for ourselves every once in a while to recharge and reinvigorate ourselves. Take a look at your calendar and designate some time, at least once a week to do something that is only for you- not the kids, the job, the spouse, or for your home, but just for you.

If every Saturday at 8 a.m. you want to take a walk, then put that in your schedule. If every Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. you want to mindlessly watch reality television shows or catch up on your DVR, then put that on your calendar. Wouldn’t a spa day be nice? Put that in your calendar.

Every week night after my workout, I spend about ten to fifteen minutes in the steam room. The eucalyptus aroma and hot steam envelopes my entire being and helps me release the stress from my day and aches from my muscles. What a great end to a rough day.

Ladies, we have to know our limits, and practice adhering to those limits. As natural nurturers and caretakers, we must remember to take care of ourselves, so that we will be better prepared to take care of others.

Superwoman needs a day off too!

By Maya Williams 7

Super Bowl Sunday is February 2nd and you’re looking for healthy recipes that will keep your New Year’s resolutions on track but you want to satisfy all of the spectators. Below are a couple of my favorite vegetarian recipes that are so good that even meat eaters won’t know there’s no meat unless you tell them.

Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower ‘Wings’ 1 cup water or soy milk 1 cup flour (any kind will work—even gluten-free!)

2 tsp. garlic powder 1 head of cauliflower, chopped into pieces 1 cup buffalo or hot sauce 1 Tbsp. olive oil or melted vegan margarine

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Preheat the oven to 450°F. Combine the water or soy milk, flour, and garlic powder in a bowl and stir until well combined.  Coat the cauliflower pieces with the flour mixture and place in a shallow baking dish. Bake for 18 minutes.  While the cauliflower is baking, combine your buffalo sauce and olive oil or margarine in a small bowl.  Pour the hot sauce mixture over the baked cauliflower and continue baking for an additional 5 to 8 minutes.

Serve alongside vegan blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Peta.org

Quinoa Vegetarian Burgers 1 cup water 1/2 cup red quinoa 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 cup diced onion 2 cups finely chopped cremini or white button mushrooms 1 teaspoon minced garlic 3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1 large egg 2/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup whole pecans, toasted and finely chopped (see Tip) 1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce 8 small whole-wheat burger buns, toasted if desired

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Combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.  Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, marjoram and oregano; cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes.  Beat egg in a medium bowl. Add the quinoa, mushroom mixture, cheese, pecans, oats and soy sauce; stir to combine. Scoop scant 1/2-cup portions of the mixture onto the baking sheet and shape into 8 patties, about 3 inches wide, leaving about 1 inch of space between each patty. (The mixture will be crumbly; patting it into burgers on the baking sheet makes it easier to work with. The burgers hold together very well once baked.)  Bake the burgers until crispy, 28 to 30 minutes. Serve on buns with your favorite garnishes.

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Achieving and maintaining health is an ongoing process. We create the atmosphere for either optimal health or minimal health through our everyday choices. Many questions have been raised for years regarding what is the best way to achieve a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle is summed up with three basic principles, eating clean, exercising and getting adequate sleep.

Eating clean is the consumption of food in its most natural state, or as close to it as possible. It is not a diet, it is a lifestyle. The best way to start eating clean is as simple as starting slowly, one meal at a time. Keep a journal and make daily entries of what you eat in a day, so you can make an assessment where you need to make the proper eating adjustments. For example, you can start by eliminating all white products, such as white bread, sugar and rice and replace it with whole grains, like whole grain bread, brown rice and brown sugar.

Exercising is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. Exercise not only assists with weight loss and muscle strengthening, it also improves mental health, and helps prevent depression and promote positive self esteem. Incorporating physical exercise into our daily lives can be as simple as taking a brisk 15-20 minute walk.

The main objective when exercising is to get your heart rate slightly elevated. You can start by walking around a track at your local park 3-4 times a week, joining an aerobic class, or going for a walk during your lunch hour.

Getting adequate sleep is also a vital part of acquiring health. Our bodies require a minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep daily. A good night sleep enables us to think clearly, function with optimal energy and it helps our body fight against infectious disease. Our immune system relies on sleep to stay healthy. Sleep helps our brain work properly; it plays an important role in our physical health. It may seem challenging to get 7-8 hours of sleep at night due to busy schedules, but if you create a sleep routine such as knitting or meditating a ½ hour before bed can help you to get those 7-8 hours of sleep at night.

There is no quick fix to good health; it is a conscious decision that we have to make for ourselves. It is the process of telling yourself that you will not put anything in your body that is bad for you. Once you make the decision, everything else is easy. The key to acquiring health is to be patient with yourself and understand that you are not in a race. You are working on creating a new lifestyle for yourself. Good health is the best investment that you can make for your overall well being.

Written by Jasmine Kearse 9

You are finally ready to go natural or you've done the big chop and you're thinking...."Now what?" Well, don't fret ‘cause we got your back.

Many ladies new to the "natural world" use phrases like "my hair is so hard to manage", "I have nappy hair" and so on. It makes me laugh because I myself am guilty. But it doesn't have to be that way. So let’s start with some positive thinking, shall we?

No one said anything in life will be easy. We live and we learn. Going from straight to natural requires patience, positive thinking, acceptance and taking the time to learn new processes.

Patience: Your hair WILL grow, don't panic. Focus more on keeping YOU healthy, moisturizing and retaining length. Rome wasn't built in a day.

Acceptance: Accept your hair for what it is.

Remove all forms of expectations that you may have. When you start to love and appreciate your hair, it will love and appreciate you back.

Positive Thinking: Think in terms of how beautiful your hair is. Instead of saying ‘I have to deal with this hair’ try thinking ‘I work with my hair’. Of course you may have bad days but who doesn't have a bad hair day once in a while?

New Processes: If you aren't use to taking care of your hair, then get ready to learn. Knowing how to moisturize your hair, seal in the moisture and protective styling are the fundamental building blocks Whether you are kinky, coily, curly or wavy textured, here are some quick tips to get you started on your way to maintaining those beautiful locks: Start with a product or product line at a time, until you find what works for you. Check out reviews and how-to videos.

While your hair is wet, seal in the moisture (water). This means using an emollient (oil of butter) to keep the moisture in your hair otherwise it will evaporate and that’s what makes your hair appear dry. Curly hair is best manipulated while it’s still wet or damp. A good way to seal moisture is to use the LOC (Liquid, Oil, Cream/Butter) method. If you have fine hair you may skip the butter. .

You don't have to wear your hair in its natural or Afro/ Poodle state all the time. You can play with your curl pattern. Experiment with twist-outs, braid outs, perms rods and bantu knots.

If your hair feels dry, don't wait until wash day to add moisture. Co-wash (Conditioner wash) or rinse your hair with water at least once in the middle of the week.

Stretching your hair and seeing your length is a great way to keep yourself motivated. Blowouts, banding, braiding, threading and Curlformers™ are some ways to achieve that.

Work in sections. This ensures that you have saturated your strands with enough product and just makes your life easier.

Deep Condition weekly or every other week depending on the season and your hair texture.

Protective Styling such as twists, braids, buns, weaves and extensions are great for length retention as they reduce friction on your ends that would render them brittle.

Drink lots of water. It is great for you, both inside and out.

As always remember...be PATIENT. Stay tuned as we dig deeper and learn what this natural hair "thing" is all about.

Written by Dayo Lewis

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Watch our how-to video to get this cover look for yourself.

The simple braided crown is a simple look that works great as a protective style or for every day fun. It works for any texture hair and in most lengths. All you need is a little braiding skill and you’re set!

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I spent the entire holiday season indulging in foods I knew I would hate myself for eating. The trio (mind, body, and soul) had lost its balance, causing me physical discomfort. I had to get the trio back on one accord. I immediately began to detox. I consumed fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish. I had also begun to steep cinnamon sticks and apples in water to help flush out all that holiday nasty. It took all of three days for me to feel a major difference in the trio. I had found the way back to my center; an occurrence imperative to loving yourself. The journey to loving yourself starts with some simple steps.

Growing up, my mother was notorious for these six words, “You have five minutes to feel…”. I hated it! How dare she tell me that I had five minutes to be angry, sad, or frustrated?! I had the right to feel whatever way I wanted and was entitled to let everyone else know exactly how I felt. However, the older I became the more I realized that: although I had the right, the only one who was suffering was me. The very people that I was holding responsible for me and how I felt simply did not care. Often times, we find ourselves basing our happiness around material things or what other people can do for us emotionally and physically. We make statements like, “I’ll

be able to smile once I get…” or “Once I find ‘the one’ I’ll be happy”. I, myself am guilty of entertaining such a ridiculous thought process. After all, we are human and entitled to our feelings, right? But why hold things and other people accountable for your happy?

Luckily, I began asking myself that question two years ago. Like my journey to be healthier physically, this journey to begin my happy has been challenging but enlightening.

Here’s what I’ve learned from my journey thus far:  Life will take you there but you do not have to stay there.  You must detox your spiritual and mental self from unhealthy thought processes and feelings.

This is no different from my trading in my green

smoothies for sausage during the holidays. You will have unhealthy thoughts and feelings. It is normal but you must remain aware and be able to get back to your center. 

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Denying your feelings takes away from your relationship with yourself.

Being happy and having joy does not mean being without negative feelings.

Being happy is knowing that you will have negative feelings and understanding that there will be “bad days”.

A healthy journey is continuous.

Making the conscious decision to be happy and healthy is the first step.

Written by Jasmine Price 12

What is self-love?

Without getting all Merriam Webster-ish I will define self-love by simply saying it is duty to one’s own being, it is what you owe yourself to be the best person possible.

I remember watching a Katt Williams stand up and he made a very profound statement (insert smirk). He said, paraphrasing, be in tune with your Star Player. You need to believe in yourself. This is probably one of the best examples I could use to display the necessity of self-love. If you don't love you, who will? If you don't believe in your dreams, who will?

Why is self-love even necessary?

Self-love let’s you know your worth. Without it, a person can tolerate an abusive relationship or a dead-end job. We also put out into the universe what we get back, so if you aren’t in the best relationship with yourself, others will not know to give you what you deserve.

Can one have self-love and remain humble?

Yes. It is easy? NO! For me it is a constant ongoing process to remember to thank God for bringing me to where I am presently. Being grateful and having compassion for yourself leads to higher levels of well-being.

Being my biggest fan is a daily struggle but showing gratitude for my blessings keeps me grounded.

I would like to assist you on your journey by offering the following tips: 1. When you awake in the morning, give THANKS for all that you are grateful for.

2. Next, be still for 5 minutes. Use this time to do absolutely nothing but BE. 3. Write down ON PAPER one intentional act of self-kindness for the day. An example might be you plan to compliment yourself every time you pass a mirror.

4. At the end of the day reflect on your day and Write down ON PAPER your wins for the day as well as what offered room for improvement.

Do this for an entire week. At the end of the week, take yourself on a date and reflect on how your intentional acts of self-love made you feel.

Written by Lakisha Hill

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