More Fonts Means More Choice

Posted by Wongoo Lee, Software Engineer

Self expression is a beautiful thing.  It’s one of the best things about having a blog—a place where you can control the look and feel of your message and how it’s presented.  Today we’re excited to announce another amazing way to make your blog truly you—Web Fonts.

The Web has traditionally been pretty limited when it comes to font selection, especially for non-Latin alphabets such as Cyrillic and Greek.  But great strides have been made in this arena by our friends on the Google Web Fonts team, and finally there are more choices out there than just Arial and Times New Roman.  In fact, there are now 40 new fonts on Blogger in Draft for you to choose from.  And we’re just getting started—lots more to come!

Simply go into the Advanced tab of the Blogger Template Designer, select the type of text you’d like to change (Post Title, Page Text, etc.) and pick from a number of exciting, new fonts such as Reenie Beanie (which we've used for the title of this post!) or Neucha (Cyrillic) or GFS Didot (Greek) or even Hanuman (Khmer).  You will be spoilt with choice! For the full list, please take a look at the Web Fonts page in our Help Center.

Give it a try, and as always, we’d love to hear your feedback.  Just leave us a comment.

My First Attempt at a Henna Gloss

I've been reading up on the benefits of henna for hair. Outside of natural reddish brown color deposit, it works as a protein to strength hair and also as a great deep conditioner providing great softness, reduces frizzing and provides wonderful natural shine.

I went to curlynikki.com and printed out a copy of her henna gloss recipe, ordered a kit "Henna for African Hair" from mehandi.com and put aside time on saturday for this long process.

I read up on how it is extremely important to get good quality, fresh henna that is Body Quality and 100% pure otherwise it would be useless. The kit I ordered included, 100g of pure Body Quality Henna, 100g of of pure Indigo, 2 rubber gloves and a plastic cone "thingy" designed to help you to be able to better distribute the henna in your hair.  I got the kit with the indigo because I am a long time lover of jet black hair and I have a lot of grays that I need to be covered on a regular basis. The indigo is the second step to the henna process that will help me to achieve the jet black color naturally without the use of conventional chemical dyes.

I got my package in the mail early saturday afternoon around 12 o'clock.

I followed the recipe found on curly nikki's website and I mixed the henna as follows:
- 1.5 cups of warm green tea
- 100g of Jamila henna
- mixed until the henna was as thick as mashed potatoes and then covered with saran wrap and let sit for 4 hours; most people tend to let the mix sit overnight but I didn't have that kind of time
- after 4 hours I then added more green tea to make the mixture a little thinner like yogurt and then I proceeded to add 1 cup of a silicone free conditioner; I used Trader Joe's Nourish Spa conditioner. I then added 2 capfuls of Olive Oil and mixed until the consistency was smooth.
- I then put the mix into may hair making sure every strand was covered from root to tip
- I wrapped my hair with saran wrap completely and put a hat on and proceeded with my day.

After about 6 hours of letting the henna sit in my hair, I prepared the indigo powder with warm water, 1 teaspoon of salt since my grays are a bit dye resistant and mixed to the consistency of yogurt and set aside. I then I rinsed the henna thoroughly from my hair with as little manipulation as possible and then immediately applied the indigo mix, and wrapped again with saran wrap. I let this sit in my hair for another 2 hours. After this I rinsed the indigo from my hair and applied A LOT of the Trader Joe's Nourish Spa conditioner and went to sleep with the conditioner in my hair. Had it been earlier I would have sat under a hot hooded dryer but I was just too tired.

In the morning, I rinsed out the conditioner from the night before I washed once with a sulfate free shampoo and conditioned and dryed my hair.

I have to say, the results weren't earth shattering HOWEVER I did notice my hair was extremeley soft and VERY shiny without the use of any product (oil, sheen, cream) to make it this way.

All in all, I will incorporate this into my regimen as a way to strengthen my hair and I will continue to cover my gray this way from now on instead of using conventional commerical hair dyes.

TTYL, Asha!!

KIDS ROCK TOO!

  Hey bloggers,

   I think it is so cool when kids have their own identity. To recognize this at such a young age is very unique. Most of the time kids rely on their parents to dress them /pick things out for them. Kids also fall into the loop of being like other kids and looking like other kids. They are taught that this is how it's suppose to be.
     Using young Willow Smith for example, this 10 year old child has already created a style of her own. She KNOWS what she likes and she is able to express herself through her hair, fashion and music. The average parent or adult may look at her and criticize how her parents are raising her I personally don't see anything wrong with it (one reason may be because of the industry she's in). Her attitude is so carefree. I also think know she has opened the door for a lot of young girls to remain natural or transition back and feel good about it. It seems like going natural is becoming an epidemic; and one that I am not mad at. It's healthier for your hair, it's what God gave us, and you have unlimited options.
 Send pics of your kids or a child you know so we can give them some recognition.

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.