PJ1- 3 THINGS

Hey there girls (and guys),

I just wanted to share some personal information with you by telling you my likes and dislikes about my hair. Before I post that, I just want to say that my braid out lasted 5 days..(woowhooo). That's big for me because I am always playing in my hair...

3 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY HAIR:
1-It's Healthy
2- It's fuller
3-It's finally growing back

3 THINGS I DON'T LIKE ABOUT MY HAIR;
1-It's dryer than when it was permed
2-Summer time and straight hair doesn't mix :-(
3-How short it looks when its in it's natural state

3 THINGS I LIKE ABOUT NATURAL HAIR VS PERMED HAIR:
1- I have more options
2-I can color my hair more often
3-IT'S NATURAL!!!

3 THINGS I'VE NOTICED SINCE I'VE BEEN NATURAL
1- (I'm 90% sure about this) It grows faster
2-People are very vocal about giving me their opinion about my hair (both positive and negative comments)
3-I HAVE to have a plan for my  hair

Indian veggies, fruits remain highly toxic

Pesticides Much Higher Than European Standards

New Delhi: Rampant use of banned pesticides in fruits and vegetables continues to put at risk the life of the common man. Farmers apply pesticides such as chlordane, endrin and heptachor that can cause serious neurological problems, kidney damage and skin diseases. A study conducted by Delhi-based NGO Consumer-Voice reveals that the amount of pesticides used in eatables in India is as much as 750 times the European standards. The survey collected sample data from various wholesale and retail shops in Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata.
    ''Out of five internationally-banned pesticides, four were found to be common in vegetables sold in the Indian markets. Banned pesticides were found in bitter gourd and spinach,'' said Sisir Ghosh, head of Consumer-Voice. The banned chemicals included chlordane, a potent central nervous system toxin, endrin, which can cause headache nausea and dizziness, and heptachor that can damage the liver and decrease fertility.
    Officials said the tests conducted on vegetables at the government-approved and NABLaccredited laboratory, Arbro Analytical Division, revealed that ladies finger contained captan, a toxic pesticide, up to 15,000 parts per billion (ppb) whereas that in the EU has only up to 20 ppb. ''Indian cauliflower can have malathion pesticide up to 150 times higher than the European standards,'' said an official. The vegetables studied included potato, tomato, snake gourd, pumpkin, cabbage, cucumber and bottle gourd, among others. ''We have informed Food Safety and Standards Authority of India about the excessive use of pesticides in fruits and vegetables that pose serious health hazards,'' said Ghosh. He added strict monitoring from government agencies is required to check manufacture, import and use of banned pesticides. The pesticide residue limits have not been reviewed for the past 30 years, said Ghosh.
    The organization had conducted tests on fruits sold in Indian markets which again showed that 12 fruits, including bananas, apple and grapes, had high quantity of pesticides, violating both Indian and European Union standards. The chemical contents found in fruits were endosuplhan, captan, thiacloprid, parathion and DDT residues.
HC seeks govt reply after TOI report
    Taking suo motu cognizance of the report—published recently in the Delhi edition of TOI— showing alarming levels of toxicity in vegetables and fruits in India, a concerned Delhi high court on Tuesday asked the Delhi and central government to respond. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Manmohan converted the matter into a PIL, issued notice to both the governments and said the ''health hazard which has become quite epidemic'' as highlighted in the report ''can be curbed at the very root'' only if urgent steps are taken. The bench also appointed two lawyers, V K Rao and Saket Sikri, as 'amicus curiae' to assist the court as the ''matter requires certain study, research and assistance''. TNN

SLEEP HELPS WHEN IT COMES TO RECALLING MEMORIES

THE 2-MINUTE READ

A NEW STUDY by researchers at the University of York and Harvard Medical School suggests that sleep not only helps in learning a new piece of information, such as a new phone number or a new word, but also gets the brain to file it away so it is available when needed.
    The scientists found that sleep helps people to remember a newly learned word and incorporate new vocabulary into their "mental lexicon".
    During the study, researchers taught volunteers new words in the evening, followed by an immediate test. The volunteers slept overnight in the laboratory while their brain activity was recorded using an electroencephalogram, or EEG.
    A test the following morning revealed that they could remember more words than they did immediately after learning them, and they could recognise them faster demonstrating that sleep had strengthened the new memories.
    This did not occur in a control group of volunteers who were trained in the morning and re-tested in the evening, with no sleep in between.
    An examination of the sleep volunteers' brainwaves showed that deep sleep (slow-wave sleep) rather than rapid eye movement (REM) sleep or light sleep helped in strengthening the new memories.
    When the researchers examined whether the new words had been integrated with existing knowledge in the mental lexicon, they discovered the involvement of a different type of activity in the sleeping brain.
    Sleep spindles are brief but intense bursts of brain activity that reflect information transfer between different memory stores in the brain — the hippocampus deep in the brain and the neocortex, the surface of the brain.
    — ANI

EVOO

Happy Sunday everyone,
 Just wanted to write a quick post on Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  For starters I am on day 5 of my braid out and I was 2.5 seconds from washing my hair and restyling it. It was drying out because I wasn't moisturizing it as I should have and my curls were starting to mat. I took my spray bottle off EVOO and water mix and sprayed my hair all over. I usual do this about 20 mins before I wash my hair. Immediately as I was spraying, my hair started coming back to life. After I was done I had a change of heart ! I didn't feel the need to wash my hair anymore. It was like I woke my hair up. It was rejuvenated and a little fuller. I am going to try to squeeze another day or two out before I wash my hair again.

So just to touch on the Extra Virgin Olive Oil a little, I wanted to know what was the difference between EVOO and regular Olive Oil..... The only big difference is the percentage in acidity. EVOO has 0.8% acidity and Olive Oil has 1.5% acidity. You also have Virgin Olive Oil and Pure Olive in between.
I am a big fan of EVOO. I have it in my kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and pocketbook...
This stuff is used for an array of things. To name a few:
- cooking
- body oil (after showering/shaving)
- facial moisturizer

- hair moisturizer
- oil lamps
- medicinal use
- religious use (ex. Christians use as holy oil)

Product rating: ~Super size~

BRAID OUT W/CANTU

Hello Bloggers,
Just want to say I'm very new to this blogging thing. I'm constantly on blog sites getting new ideas, researching, and just trying to gain as much knowledge as I can about natural hair/natural health.

So lets jump right into it...after reviewing tons of tutorials, I decided to come home last night and try a braid out using the Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In  repairing cream. I did a cleanse with apple cider vinegar and EO chamomile and honey conditioner. Next, I sprayed my hair all over with my EVOO and water mix. Last I applied the Cantu all over my hair as a leave in and began to part and corn braid. When I was done, I had a total of  9 braids. I put a rod on the ends and sat under the dryer for about 20 mins (only because I was on my way to bed). 

Braid outs are a little different from twist outs. 1 thing I noticed is that you can't go too fast while taking the braids out and you can't mess with it that much. You will start to get frizz immediately. Over all I think I like it and the Cantu works well in my hair. It's not an all natural product but it has moisture, volume and it smells good. I'm hearing that you can't mix this product with other products or you will get a white, cottage cheese buildup effect on your hair. Product rating: ~Regular size~

Teething troubles

Stay away from the dentist's chair... a quick guide to dental hygiene for all ages

From brushing your teeth twice daily to paying a visit to the dentist, no amount of care is enough when it comes to your teeth. A painful tooth will always make you wince. Dr Ashok Dhoble, Hon. Secretary General, Indian Dental Association, tells you all about oral care throughout your life. 1
ORAL CARE FOR YOUR BABY
    Taking care of
your baby's teeth is important because these allow him/her to eat a good diet, allow for proper jaw growth, give the face its form and appearance, assist in the formation of proper speech, and most important, act as "space savers" for adult teeth. If baby teeth are damaged or destroyed, they can't help guide permanent teeth into their proper position, resulting in crowded or crooked permanent teeth.
WHAT PARENTS SHOULD KNOW
» There are a number of problems that affect the oral health of children, including tooth decay, thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip sucking, and early tooth loss. » Breast milk can cause tooth decay as well. As these liquids break down in the mouth into simple sugars and are allowed to sit in the mouth, bacteria start feeding on the sugars, causing tooth decay. » Use a wet cloth to wipe your child's teeth and gums after each feeding. This helps remove any bacteria-forming plaque and excess sugar that have built up on the teeth and gums. 2
ORAL CARE FOR YOUR TOT
Just follow these
simple tips to help your tot get strong teeth and gums
» Teach your child to brush twice a day with accepted fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque - the sticky film on teeth causing tooth decay. » Give your child a peasized amount of toothpaste and make sure he/she doesn't swallow the paste. » Thumb sucking after age four can lead to crooked, crowded teeth and/or bite problems, so make sure this habit is dropped early. » Make sure that your child's drinking water is fluoridated. If your water supply, municipal, well or bottled does not contain fluoride, your dentist or pediatrician may prescribe daily fluoride supplements. » Take your child to the dentist for regular checkups. 3
ORAL CARE FOR TEENAGERS
As a teen, the best
way for you to enjoy a nice smile and healthy teeth, irrespective of wearing braces or other orthodontic treatment is to continue the good oral habits that you started early in childhood.
DENTAL ISSUES FOR TEENAGERS
»ORTHODONTICS: An orthodontic evaluation will determine if you need braces, and what type of treatment is right for you. If a person wears braces, extra care should be taken to properly clean teeth. »SMOKING: If you don't smoke or chew tobacco, don't start. In addition to other health problems, smoking can stain your teeth and gums, stain the tartar build-up on your teeth and contribute to bad breath. »ORAL PIERCING: If you're considering oral piercing let your dentist know; he or she can help you make the safest choices. »EATING DISORDERS: Both bulimia (binge-eating and vomiting) and anorexia (an inordinate fear of gaining weight often resulting in vomiting) are serious disorders that directly affect the appearance of teeth by eroding the tooth enamel. While a dentist can correct the deteriorated tooth enamel, he or she cannot treat the actual eating disorder — a potential lifethreatening condition that requires addressing psychological issues of self-image and self-control. 4
ORAL CARE FOR ADULTS
The key to keeping a
bright, healthy smile throughout adulthood is to practise proper oral hygiene. Even as an adult you can get cavities and gum disease, which can lead to serious problems. The best way out is to continue to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss daily to remove plaque between your teeth, limit sugary or starchy foods, especially sticky snacks and visit your dentist regularly for professional cleaning and checkup.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
»Gum disease begins as gingivitis, which in this early stage is still reversible. Symptoms of gingivitis include red, swollen or tender gums that tend to bleed when you brush them. If you notice any of these symptoms, see your dentist before serious problems develop. »The health of your gums can also affect your overall health. Recent studies have shown a possible link between periodontitis (a gum disease) and other diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and a possible link to premature births. 5
ORAL CARE FOR SENIORS
Teeth can last a lifetime with proper home care and regular dental checkups. Nevertheless, there can be issues too.
DENTAL ISSUES FOR SENIORS
»Dry mouth is a common condition in seniors, one that may be caused by medications or certain medical disorders. Left untreated, dry mouth can damage your teeth. Consult your dentist on ways to restore saliva in your mouth. »Existing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer, can affect your oral health. Be sure to let your dentist know of any general health issues you're facing. »Dentures can make life easier for many seniors, but they require special care. Follow your dentist's instructions carefully in this regard.

Turmeric may help prevent osteoporosis

 Arecently published study by Janet Funk of the University of Arizona College of Medicine adds to the literature supporting the potential health benefits of turmeric, showing that it may be an effective resource for preventing osteoporosis, or bone loss, a significant concern for postmenopausal women, among others. The study findings also point to characteristics of the turmeric tested that may determine its efficacy.
    Turmeric comes from a plant that is related to ginger. It is a mainstay of Indian cooking, and it has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for a variety of ills, from stomach ache to arthritis. Commercially produced turmeric is consumed widely as a spice and is readily available as a dietary supplement.
    Funk, an endocrinologist, has studied turmeric for several years, working with carefully characterised extracts that have been processed specifically for her research.
    In earlier studies that she conducted to assess the antiarthritic effects of turmeric, Funk discovered that it not only prevented arthritis, but also prevented the development of bone cells that foster bone resorption and bone destruction around the joint in a model of rheumatoid arthritis.
    To study whether turmeric might prevent bone loss occurring with postmenopausal osteoporosis, Funk's team evaluated and compared two turmeric extracts analogous to those that are commercially available and marketed.
    The extracts contained a mixture of three major curcuminoids – chemical substances also known as polyphenols that occur in turmeric in varying proportions. One was a complex turmeric fraction containing 41 per cent cucuminoids. The second, a curcuminoid-enriched turmeric fraction, contained 94 per cent curcuminoids and was by far the more effective in preventing loss of bone mineral density and trabecular bone, the spongy or porous bone found in the spine and hip, the types of bone areas that are most subject to fracture in post-menopausal women.
    The study appears in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Have an itchy eye? Keep away from steroid-based eyedrops

Mumbai: A senior researcher with a government lab thought his conjunctivitis had healed in a record time of 48 hours after his redness, itchiness and irritation disappeared soon after applying a steroid-based eye drop. But, as soon as he withdrew the drop, the infection returned with a vengeance affecting his vision and causing unbearable pain in his eyes.
    He rushed to JJ Hospital where the steroid-based eye drop was immediately replaced with an antibiotic one. Professor of ophthalmology at the hospital Dr Ragini Parekh cautioned that it was not an isolated case. And, that there were many instances where abuse of steroid drops have led to deterioration in normal conjunctivitis infections. The hospital has treated over 100 conjunctivitis cases in the last three weeks.
    Steroid-based drops, as Parekh explained, hide the infection, and give a feel good feeling to the patients. "But, the infection lies dormant and does not get killed by steroids. So as soon as the drop is discontinued, the actual infection comes out and takes a virulent form," she said. The duration of infection also gets prolonged as healing takes longer.
    Steroid drops, say city ophthalmologists, are primarily meant for post-surgical comfort, and is mostly prescribed under the cover of antibiotics. Cornea surgeon Dr Tripti Mongia of Aryan Hospital in Kurla said that every one-two out of 20 conjunctivitis cases this year had some corneal infiltration. "Normal conjunctivitis does not affect the cornea but due to improper medication the infection moves to the secondary level requiring
more aggressive management," she said. Plain antibiotics are more than enough to treat viral or bacterial conjunctivitis, she added.
Bacteria vs virus
Incidentally, the verdict is split over the issue if it is a virus or a bacteria that is responsible for the 'pinkeye syndrome' in the city. Some eyecare centres in the city like the Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital are seeing more of bacterial infections (60%), while several other centres including JJ Hospital is witnessing more of viral. Parekh said that conjunctival swabs had been sent to the hospital's microbiology laboratory for investigation. "They will look into the nature and trend of the organism this year," she said adding that reports are expected within two days.
Red in the eye
Besides, ophthalmologists are also witnessing cases of sub-conjunctival haemorrhage where patients are left with a red clot in the eye even after the infection has subsided. Cornea surgeon Dr Kavita Rao of Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital said that those were cases of bleeding on the outer surface of the cornea. "Viral infection can make the blood vessels to rupture as they become fragile," she said. "But, it is a routine occurrence and is self-resolving," she said.
Not an epidemic
The good news though is that doctors say it is still not an epidemic like situation. "Cases are more and worse than normal but not that unusually high," said ophthalmologist Dr SS Bhatti. Head of epidemiology cell of BMC Dr Daksha Shah too said that numbers are normal so far and ample medicines have been made available to civic hospitals. Till last week, civic hospitals had treated over 850 cases.
Pink-Eye Threat
Wash hands often Avoid rubbing eyes Refrain from sharing eye drops, towels, pillows, etc Stay indoors and avoid attending gatherings to curb the spread of infection Watch out for reduced vision or sensitivity to light Wear sunglasses Avoid using public swimming pools

Coffee's 'the secret to long life'

LONDON: Sipping a hot cup of coffee daily could give you more than a healthful lift of energy. The drink helps people live longer by warding off heart disease, a study has revealed.

Researchers at the University of Athens have carried out the study and found that drinking a cup of coffee everyday improves elasticity of the arteries, which can stave off heart disease, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

In fact, the researchers have based their findings on an analysis of 485 people with high blood pressure.

The subjects of the study were all aged between 65 and 100 and long term inhabitants of Greek island of Ikaria. It is known as the "land of longevity" and a third of residents reach the age of 90.

Dr Christina Chrysohoou, who led the study, said there was conflicting evidence about the effect of coffee drinking on heart health, with some research showing it aggravated high blood pressure.

"But drinking coffee is a deeply embedded social tradition in Greek culture which made it imperative to probe on this island of 'high life-expectancy," she said.

In the study, the subjects' arteries were assessed for distensibility - or elasticity. The 56 per cent who were moderate coffee drinkers consuming between one and two cups a day, had best arterial health, with their blood vessels behaving like those found in younger people.

Their arteries were more elastic than those measured in people who drank little or no coffee. Around one in 10 who drank three or more cups a day had the least elasticity.

Dr Chrysohoou said moderate coffee drinkers consumed 25-50ml of coffee a day. Typically they were drinking strong Greek coffee but other types might work as well.

She suggested that ingredients such as caffeine and antioxidants may partly improve arterial function by increasing the ability to take up nitric oxide, which is impaired in hypertensive patients.

The findings have been released at European Society of Cardiology Congress in Stockholm.

Read more: Coffee's 'the secret to long life' - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Coffees-the-secret-to-long-life/articleshow/6473132.cms#ixzz1029IGaQm

There’s much more to health than karela juice

In the first of a two-part series, Rujuta Diwekar debunks the popular premise of detox foods

If you think you need to 'detox' you need to think really hard. For starters think what really drives you to toxify your system. And then think what makes you think that 'detox' for 2/5/7 days will magically wipe out all the diet and lifestyle sins committed over the last 2/5/7 months or who knows years.
    Honestly, I think what we do to our bodies in the name of 'detox' is similar to what the BMC does to our neighbourhood gully two days before some big neta's visit. What happens after the netaji leaves? Our little street goes back to its dirty old self in a matter of few moments. Now what we need to do to keep our neighbourhood gully permanently clean is exactly what you will need to do to 'detox' your system. First know that it's not a one day or a one week job, it's a behaviour modification or a lifestyle change that needs to be adopted forever.
    Nutritionally what you do to your body in the name of detox is just as bad, if not worse, as things you do to your body when you are in the 'toxic' (normal) zone. 'Detox' is understood as something that you will do over few days where you will probably eat nuts, fruits, juices of various vegetable or just eat nothing to 'rest' or detoxify your system. Some really exotic detox will mean some magical potion being injected anally into your system and then all your system gets wiped clean, or so we are told. (I have never been able to understand why a running stomach is mixed with the idea of 'cleansing the system'). We subject ourselves to this torture feeling really virtous about ourselves, all the while knowing deep within our hearts that we will be back to our old dirty ways in a matter of few days, max weeks. Let's assume for a second that the torture of starving our body or limiting its intake by consuming only fruits, nuts, vegetable juices accompanied by excessive amount of water and other liquids (orally and or anally) actually cleanses and is healthy. Then why not do it for the rest of our lives? And here is the true answer, because its unsustainable. A true detox will require an approach that is reasonable, sustainable and takes into account your work timings, diet history, likes, dislikes, state of mind, exercise status, the environmental factors like humidity, heat, height from sea level etc. In short, it's hard work to come up with a detox which is not just doable (for few days) but also sustainable for the rest of our lives. Or else our life will be going along the lines of the latest buffet at five star hotels — the salad and dessert buffet. Yup, they have cracked it, they know that we are avoiding main course and eating salads in the name of detox and allowing ourselves to eat that pastry because we have 'earned it' after putting ourselves through detox.
    Here's what you really need to understand, cleansing and detoxying the system is something that needs to be practised on a daily if not hourly basis. And like the thumb rule of any cleaning process you have to begin by
    reducing the damage. The four main pillars on which our sense of wellbeing
    rests are — 1. Food, 2. Activity, 3.
    Sleep, 4. State of mind. To achieve that truly light and energetic feeling that we are hoping for after repeated attempts to detox can be achieved by reducing our abuse to these factors and simultaneously working to strengthen these pillars. Work at identifying what is your state of your mind, sleep, exercise and food patterns just before deciding to take that harsh step to 'detox'. Do you notice a sense of irresponsibility towards your body's needs? Do you typically feel like a detox after a festive season or a holiday? Is it coming from a sense of guilt or shame? Are you hoping to fit into those tight jeans or to lose weight after the detox ordeal? It's important to answer these questions if we want to get out of the salad — dessert mode. It's your responsibility to keep your body clean, smooth and light, just like it's our responsibility to put our garbage inside and not outside the BMC's garabage cans. A detox can be a disaster because it follows the now proven and well understood phenomenon — feasting and fasting or starving and stuffing. So know that other than a yo-yo weight there is nothing to achieve post a fad, whatever its name, including detox. So let's begin by getting real and by reducing the toxins that we expose our bodies to on a daily basis.
Tomorrow, I will talk of detox from the holistic angle of the four main pillars and sincerely urge you to put that glass of dudhi/ karela juice down. There is more to it than food.
(Rujuta Diwekar is the author of the popular book, Don't lose your mind, lose your weight. She is the nutrition consultant to the country's A-list)