Bentonite Clay Hair Wash

This posting is primarily for those of you with natural hair. I tried it and got amazing results. You can purchase the bentonite clay @ whole foods for around $6.00 and it lasts a very long time. It is a cost-effective, all natural alternative to shampoo. I was a little skeptical at first, however, once I tried it, I became hooked. I have not used shampoo in over 2 months. I encourage you to give it a try. Oh and by the way, I have found that mixing the clay with coconut milk was the best. I have included some pics to show my hair during and after the clay process.

Bentonite Clay Curl Popping Hair Care Treatment:This recipe depends on the length and thickness of your naturally curly/kinky hair.

Prep time: 10 mins

Instructions:Mix 1 to 2 parts Bentonite claySlowly add *water to the clay until you achieve a pancake mix texture.Apply to your hair (dry or wet)Allow to set for between 15 - 20 minutesRinse thoroughly until it's all out of your curls, kinks and coils.

*water can be replaced with your choice of liquid for example:Organic Coconut Milk Herbal infusion or anything you like...

Hair Care Benefits:One single treatment of Bentonite Clay will remove build-up from your scalp leaving your hair naturally clean.Bentonite Clay may also be used like a shampoo as it does remove dirt and debris - trapping particles into the mixture.

Shaving tip:Lightly dusting with Bentonite clay after shaving does soothe the area(s) & helps prevent the itchy after-rash some women (and blokes) have to contend with.

What's in it for you?Bentonite is packed full of minerals like Silica, Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Sodium and Magnesium.It can be used in the same way as Tuscan Green Clay.Once combined with water, bentonite has an enormous surface area that stretches open like a highly porous sponge. The toxins are drawn into these spaces and then eliminated.

How does it do that? "Clay has a negative electrical attraction for particles that are positively charged. Most of the toxic poisons are positively charged.These toxins are irresistibly drawn towards the clay. The very minuteness of the particles of Bentonite gives a large surface area in proportion to the volume used, thus enabling it to pick up many times its weight in positively charged particles."

Source:Robert T. Martin, Ph.D.Mineralogist at Massachusetts's Institute of Technology - an authority on Bentonite."Bentonite can absorb pathogenic viruses, aflatoxin (a mold), and pesticides and herbicides including Paraquat and Roundup. The clay is eventually eliminated from the body with the toxins bound to its multiple surfaces."Source:The Canadian Journal of Microbiology (31 [1985], 50-53)

Food Additives to Avoid

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine called to ask my opinion about whether I felt her son should be evaluated by a psychologist to assess whether he has ADHD. However, knowing that this child has not had a long history of disruptive, hyperactive, and inattentive behaviors, I suggested that she evaluate his diet and remove any possible allergens such as dairy as well as any food additives that could be contributing to his abrupt change in behavior. I am happy to say that my friend saw a positive change in her son's behavior just by simply reading the labels on food items and removing foods heavily laden with additives.

This brings me to the reason I am writing about food additives. I myself have really made a conscious effort to try to minimize the amounts of toxins and un-natural products that I put inside of my as well as my family's body and since there is so much processed food out there, I just thought that I would share any information that I could with everyone about the dangers of food additives.

Now please know that I am aware that we can not avoid all of these additives all of the time, but, we can limit the exposure for ourselves and our loved ones.

Here are 12 additives to subtract from your diet:(Please understand these are not my assessments, but those by MSN Health and Fitness.)

1. Sodium Nitrate (also called Sodium Nitrite)This is a preservative, coloring, and flavoring commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and corned beef. Studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer.

2. BHA and BHTButylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene are used to preserve common household foods. They are found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. They are oxidants, which form potentially cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body.

3. Propyl Gallate Another preservative, often used in conjunction with BHA and BHT. It is sometimes found in meat products, chicken soup base, and chewing gum. Animals studies have suggested that it could be linked to cancer.

4. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and restaurant food. It can cause headaches and nausea, and animal studies link it to damaged nerve cells in the brains of infant mice.

5. Trans FatsTrans fats are proven to cause heart disease. Restaurant food, especially fast food chains, often serve foods laden with trans fats.

6. Aspartame Aspartame, also known by the brand names Nutrasweet and Equal, is a sweetener found in so-called diet foods such as low-calorie desserts, gelatins, drink mixes, and soft drinks. It may cause cancer or neurological problems, such as dizziness or hallucinations.

7. Acesulfame-K This is a relatively new artificial sweetener found in baked goods, chewing gum, and gelatin desserts. There is a general concern that testing on this product has been scant, and some studies show the additive may cause cancer in rats.

8. Food Colorings: Blue 1, 2; Red 3; Green 3; Yellow 6Five food colorings still on the market are linked with cancer in animal testing. Blue 1 and 2, found in beverages, candy, baked goods and pet food, have been linked to cancer in mice. Red 3, used to dye cherries, fruit cocktail, candy, and baked goods, has been shown to cause thyroid tumors in rats. Green 3, added to candy and beverages, has been linked to bladder cancer. The widely used yellow 6, added to beverages, sausage, gelatin, baked goods, and candy, has been linked to tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney.

9. Olestra Olestra, a synthetic fat found in some potato chip brands, can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and gas. Olestra also inhibits healthy vitamin absorption from fat-soluble carotenoids that are found in fruits and vegetables.

10. Potassium Bromate Potassium bromate is used as an additive to increase volume in some white flour, breads, and rolls. It is known to cause cancer in animals, and even small amounts in bread can create a risk for humans.

11. White Sugar Watch out for foods with added sugars, such as baked goods, cereals, crackers, sauces and many other processed foods. It is unsafe for your health, and promotes bad nutrition.

12. Sodium Choloride A dash of sodium chloride, more commonly known as salt, can bring flavor to your meal. But too much salt can be dangerous for your health, leading to high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.

Sources:MSN Health and Fitness

No More LYE

I have learned a great deal about myself this past year since I became natural. Letting go of the weekly hair appointments at the salon has liberated me in sooo... many different ways. It has freed up many hours and a WHOLE lot of money. I have become reacquainted with who the real Kim is all over again. Initially, it was a little scary because I am 32 years of age and I had no idea what my natural hair looked like and how to care for it. I had not laid eyes on my natural hair in 20 years! But luckily with the internet and various natural hair books, I quickly learned how to care for my beautiful hair. I look at my hair now and wonder why on earth did we as Black women ever look at our hair as being ugly and why did we feel the need to chemically alter our hair texture. I mean, we have the most versatile hair on this planet-we can do almost anything and any style with our crown and glory. We can plait, twist, braid, rollerset, wear it straight, wavy, curly, etc. the list goes on and on.

I initially, became natural for my daughter who is now 2 years of age. I did not want to give her the same unspoken message that was given to me. I did not want to give her the message that her natural hair was not beautiful and to be accepted, she had to conform by relaxing her tresses. I also decided to become natural because I try to live my life as natural and holistically as possible- i buy and create natural products and I consume organic foods so I felt as though I was being a hypocrite because I was risking my health by relaxing my hair.

Becoming natural is a very personal decision and I do not condemn anyone for relaxing their hair. I just want to share my journey into becoming as natural and pure as humanly possible in a world where we are bombarded with a barrage of unnatural and toxic EVERYTHING!