I’m not a Doctor! .. I don’t even play one on this blog!

Hey Everyone!

Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and getting the chance to spend some quality time with family and close friends. With the new year quickly approaching, I‘m sure everyone’s getting those resolutions set, me included, except I this time I plan on sticking to “the plan” dang-gone it! lol We’ll see...

Well, one of the to-do items on “my plan” is to take extra care of this head o’ hair of mine! When I first went natural, I started taking the supplement Biotin (and *MSM). One of the benefits of biotin is it helps stimulate hair growth and hair thickness, as well as improve nails and skin. Because I was newly natural and wasn’t sure of my natural hair growth rate, I wasn’t able to determine if biotin had much to do with the rate my hair was growing; I was averaging about ½” to ¾” of growth per month. *NOTE: The average growth rate for hair is between ¼” to 1” of growth per month. When I BC’d in November 2008, I had about 1 ½ inches of new growth (stretched). *In the picture below, I still had a little bit of relaxed ends hanging on.



Later, during the month of December, I joined a “5 Inches By Next December” challenge with my natural sisters on Nappturality.com. I was able to reach my 5” goal by late-March/early April...that means about 3” of growth in 3 months. Shortly after ending the challenge, I stopped the supplements. Since April, I’ve trimmed my hair twice and have “dusted” my ends about three more times...so I can say I’ve cut about 1 ½” to 2” off since April. Today, my hair is between 5” (center of head, hard-to-retain-length section) and 6”. Yep, about 3 ½” of growth in almost eight months, which equates to about 3/8” of growth per month. Not bad, in fact it’s about average but I was getting close to an inch a month before.

Soooo, yesterday I went to Walgreens and found Nature’s Bounty brand of Biotin 5000mcg (5 mg). It was a “Buy One, Get One” at that! I probably could have found them for less but I got both bottles for $11.00, each contains 60 capsules to be taken once a day. If taken as suggested, these should last me 4 months which should be more than enough time to see if the biotin is doing anything for me.

I found an interesting read on www.webmd.com that tells about biotin and its benefits:

“Eating for Hair Health continued...
According to experts, this nutrient is also essential for hair growth. It's so important that biotin supplements are often prescribed right alongside medical hair loss treatments such as Propecia, Proscar, or minoxidil (Rogaine, Ronoxidil).
"Biotin is a major component in the natural hair manufacturing process -- it is essential to not only grow new hair, but it also plays a major role in the overall health of skin and nails," says Andrew Lessman, clinical researcher and creator of Your Vitamins, an all-natural supplement line manufactured in Henderson, Nevada.
While Lessman says we can get biotin from our diet -- it's present in foods like liver and egg yolks -- we would have to consume thousands of calories daily to get what our hair needs. That's one reason why he and so many dermatologists suggest biotin supplements.
Indeed, Daly says he routinely recommends up to 3 mg of biotin daily for his hair loss patients, while Lessman developed a healthy hair, skin, and nails product containing 2 mg of biotin per daily dosage, which he believes is the minimum for healthy hair.
The recommended daily intake (RDI) of biotin is a scant 300 mcg -- and even the healthiest diets usually contain no more than 30 to 50 mcg, says Lessman.”

.....

Notice the clinical researcher recommended a daily intake of 2mg (2000 mcg) as the minimum for healthy hair; the supplements I have are 5 mg (5000mcg). I’ve read on several hair boards where women are taking up to and beyond 13,000mcg!! Now, although biotin is a water soluble vitamin and any excess is flushed out of the body, I wouldn’t recommend taking that much. As usual, please do your own research on Biotin to see if it’s something you’d be interested in. And I will keep you updated on how my plan goes with using the Biotin 5 mcg!

*A Lil’ Extra: “MSM” is methylsulfonylmethane (METH-əl-sul-FON-il-METH-ane); MSM provides sulfur, a vital building block of joints, cartilage, skin, hair and nails, and methyl groups, which support many vital biochemical processes in the body, including energy production. MSM is a naturally-occurring nutrient found in small amounts of many foods.

Wishing you All a Merry Christmas and an Amazing 2010!

Hey Ya'll!
It's Christmas Eve and I'm attempting to get the family together for a family-game night face-off! For this post I decided to repost an article I wrote on my "other" blog ("Now, how 'bout that?"); the post is in reference to starting your new year on a positive note:

Have you ever been in a great mood and as soon as someone with a negative attitude came around, your day seemed just a little less bright? I'm positive this negativeness is highly contagious; not only does it spread to you but it zaps away your positive energy and makes you physically unwell. Since passing beyond the age of "knowing better", I've become determined to distance myself from folks with bad attitudes. Of course, working outside of my home forces me to engage with all kinds of folks so this isn't a total withdrawal, it's more of a distancing on a personal level. And you know what? Most times it feels good; other times it's rather sad that there's only a handful, ...heck, maybe one or two folks I enjoy spending time with. Once you reach a certain point in your life or a certain age, you suddenly feel as if you shouldn't have to put up with so much of the nonsense. Am I getting crotchety and impatient in my older age (not that old!) or am I just sick and tired of being sick and tired? I've even considered marketing cards that expresses what some folks feel uncomfortable saying... Example: "I've known you for a long time and have mostly enjoyed knowing you but now I feel our friendship is costing me more than its worth"; or "I love you but it's time for you to get off of my couch and start living life on your on!"....better yet, "You may have fooled someone, but I know you only got that job because of who you know, not what you know". *giggle Maybe you'd be better off sending that last one anonymously! But do you get my drift?

LOL! Start 2010 on a positive note, surround yourself with positive people and things. If your environment doesn't support you, you can't be your very best. I wish peace and happiness to you and yours, and may the new year find you in an even brighter light! *Mmmwah! :)

Snowed In....

Hey Ya’ll!

We’re snowed in over here on the east coast and what could be a more perfect time for a deep conditioning treatment! Although I co-wash at least once a week, I only shampoo once a month and this weekend marked my shampoo day. I used Giovanni’s Smooth as Silk Shampoo (sulfate free). After rinsing, I then did a clarifying rinse with ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar (ACV) in about a quart of water. I ran the ACV rinse over my freshly washed hair followed by another quart of clear water.

I followed this with my deep conditioning treatment; I mixed Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle and Rose Conditioner, Giovanni’s Smooth as Silk Xtreme Protein Hair Infusion, coconut oil, olive oil, Suave Humectant, and a drop or two of Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO). I smoothed this mixture into my hair, ensuring I coated every strand by mashing it into each section of hair, and then covered with a plastic cap. After a little cleaning and playing a couple board games with the family, (about 2 hours) I finally rinsed the conditioner out.

To stretch my hair a little, I applied my mixture of shea butter, glycerin, coconut oil, and JBCO (yummy!) through my hair and braided it into eight braids. Because we’ve been snow bound, I’ve left the braids in all day. I’ll post a picture when I take them out tomorrow for work …that is if we’re able to get out on the roads!

So, I guess I’ll “see” ya’ll tomorrow! Take care!

Hair Diary Entry

HELLO!!

Happy Holidays!! Girl, I have finally gotten my flat iron technique down to where I can actually go out in public with straight hair. My versatility is endless!!! I had curls on Monday last week and a French roll by Friday. Today I am enjoying my twist out.

Have I told you lately thanks for saving me from going back to the creamy crack? To think I almost gave all this up. I surely would have regretted it.

I am currently using the JBCO and you are right; LOVE IT. Hope you are in the Holiday Spirit. Tracy

(JBCO - Jamaican Black Castor Oil)

Sleeping with the Enemy (A Poem)

Sleeping with the Enemy

Hey young sister girl, why the long face?
Why the look of disdain for someone twice your age?
Have the world out here made you that insecure
That you need to compete even with the “mature“?

Is that why you feel the need to show all your behind?
Don’t you feel you have anything to offer from your mind
Are you afraid to show how smart you can really be?
Will your strength displayed instead make you look weak?

You walked past me today, steady rolling your eyes
But behind your disdain was insecurity disguised.
I’m not your enemy young sister, already been where you are
But I chose not to follow all the other fallen stars

But to rise on my own and to do the smart thing
Not to use my body but instead use my brain
Yet you walk on by me being slightly ashamed
Because you are aware that its only a game

But you’re caught in the high of the attention you get
For all the wrong reasons , knowing it’s not legit
They only want to use you and for reasons unknown
You allow it to happen instead of yelling “hell no!”

Its not like you don’t have the choice to decide
It’s your life to live but the enemy’s deep inside
Self-doubt, jealousy, feelings of being unloved
Absent esteem, peer pressure, fits your psyche like a glove

I pray one day you’ll awake mystery solved
To see you’re God’s creature then you’ll surely evolve
Into a strong sister girl, who can walk with pride
With a smile on her face, and her head held high

And the next time we past each other in life
I won’t be the target of your hatred and strife
But instead be considered a cohort, a friend
Then together we can defeat, the enemy within.

© Trena Jones, Nov 07

The Mental Journey...

Deciding to “go natural” can be a hard decision for some. For others, it’s just a thought and “BAM!” it’s done. But even when you’ve made up your mind to go natural, there’s a mental process which is much more serious than the act itself. There are many reasons we decide to go natural; some of us go natural because that’s just what everyone else is doing at the moment; the process for these folks is usually an easy one. Then there are others who decide to go natural because they’ve discovered the relaxers are thinning and breaking off their strands, and/or causing other scalp and hair issues, because of new beliefs, understanding, awareness, or whatever the many reasons. Whatever the reasons may be, there’s a mental journey one must take to successfully transition and/or “Big Chop” to natural.

There are a lot of issues we have with our hair that we’re not even consciously aware of. What do I mean by that? Well, since I’ve begun my own personal journey, I’ve discovered that even within the natural hair community, there’s still a sense of competiveness that deals with the issues that come with “good hair” “bad hair” conversations. We’ve been programmed for so long, that even though we’re saying we’re trying to see and find the “real us”, we’re making comments and doing things that prove otherwise. Ok, stay with me on this one… Some of us are still concerned with what texture our hair will be or what “curl pattern” we’re going to end up with. And when it comes out “other than” what’s expected, we run and get other chemical processes done Come on folks, if it’s growing out of your scalp and it’s healthy, IT’S GOOD HAIR! Stop questioning what God has given you and what it should look like.

And the truth of the matter is, it’s really not that serious. People will always have something to say about something. Why give anyone the power to dictate to you what is considered beautiful or healthy or professional? We have to wrap our minds around the fact that our hair is NOT a mistake! I think we’re blessed to have such versatile hair, where we could go from curly/coily/kinky to straight, or from big to the little TWA (teeny weenie afro), all in a day’s work!
The hair journey is multifaceted and every facet of this journey should be embraced every single step of the way!

So, whether you BC or transition for years, you should allow yourself to feel each moment you’re in this journey. And listen to your heart; you’ll find you’re much stronger and more beautiful than you ever thought you were!

Natural Divettes and Options...

Hey Ya'll!

Just wanted to introduce my natural Divettes! These are my 14-yr old twin girls; Alexis, who recently had the rest of her relaxed ends off, is now 100% natural, and Alyssa, who's been natural all of her life.

They're in high-school so you know they have to rock all kinds of hairstyles, including straight styles. Below is a picture of them both with a natural style:




In the next pictures, you can see how each of them rock straight styles (with or without enhancements) while having natural hair!






So to all the Divettes who're considering going natural but are a little nervous about styling options, being natural allows you all of the versatility you could ask for; naturally curly/kinky, straight, long, short, whatever look you desire! And please know the main goal of it all is healthy, beautiful hair!

Hate on Me Haters, Now or Later!

Hey Ya’ll!

Just wanted to stop in to talk about “haters”… Yep, even in the natural hair world, you will find haters. There are a few different type of haters that you must look out for and recognize, some more serious than others. Let me introduce you to three kinds of haters. Let me know if you’ve met any of them yet:

• The Ignorant Hater: These are the folks who say negative or ignorant things because they don’t have anything else to say. That’s it. Their mentality is “I don’t have anything of interest to say so I’ll just make an ignorant comment about what’s different about you.”

• The Self Hater: These are the people who try to make you change your mind about being natural because you make THEM have to think about and justify why they’re so afraid of being natural. This type of person worries about how other races of people will look at them if they see you. “Oh, they’re going to know this weave/wig/relaxer/lace-front isn’t my real hair!”

• The Sniper Hater: These people hate just because they are miserable in their own lives. They want someone else to wallow in their misery and/or come down to their level. They’re usually insecure and will talk about you behind your back or they will give you one of those “compliments turned insult”. In reality, they really wish they had the courage to be true to themselves.

These are just a few types of haters you will probably run into. Oh, there are many others out there and I’ll introduce you to them a little later but in the meantime, love yourself wherever you are in your hair journey and don’t let anyone discourage you from loving yourself just the way God created you!