Thirsty? Go for ulta-hyrdation with coconut water!

The last few days have been really hot in my area. Because of this, my thoughts are now focused on how to stay as hydrated as possible as spring and summer begins to roll in. I feel like I have a hard enough time taking in adequate amounts of fluid on a daily basis. Now I've got to take my fluid intake to the next level.

Instead of lugging around tons of water with me, I've decided to consider "working smart" in the area of hydration. Along with drinking an adequate amount water, I've also included another super-drink to my routine. This beverage is the newest craze in healthy drinking although it's been around for centuries. The drink I'm speaking of is none other is coconut water.

In recent times, we've seen an increase of healthy available beverages such as pomegranate and acai juice. These juices offer us lots of good stuff like wonderful antioxidants but I'd also like to tell you all about the exciting and pretty amazing benefits of coconut water. When I did my research online I learned that coconut water is a "super hydrator" and contains minerals and electrolytes similar to that which is already present in the human blood. This means you can quickly replenish the nutrients lost from strenous activity or simply from sweating. Coconut water is so powerful that it's been used introvenously in emergency situations. And unlike some sports drinks out there, coconut water is an all natural solution to avoiding dehydration.

Although water is the ultimate drink of choice some folks are simply not into water all that much. So instead they opt for unhealthy alternatives such as juice, coffee or soda. If drinking a ton of water isn't your thing, I'd like to invite you to consider drinking coconut water as a second option. I've heard it called the purest liquid second only to water. The coconut has tons of wonderful properties such as being antibacterial and anti fungal. When you drink the clear fluid you benefit. Some say this refreshing beverage is beneficial for those who suffer urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and various other types of ailments.

Because of its nutritious properties, some companies have repackaged this age old drink and turned it into the latest craze in super-nutrition. In fact, celebrities like Madonna, Demi Moore and Matthew McConaughey have all invested in Vita Coco, a company that's bringing coconut water into the mainstream. Vita Coco is a little rich for my taste. Instead, I just reach for coconut water in cans at my local ethnic grocery store or at Walmart. I've decided to leverage this ultra healthy drink help me in my hair journey. One main reason is because coconut water contains more potassium than a banana, but without the high sugar levels. Our hair can suffer if we're not getting enough potassium. High salt diets can contribute to excess sodium to build up around the hair follicle. When this happens, beneficial nutrients aren't absorbed properly which could lead to hair loss. I'm also challenging myself to remain hydrated to help manage dandruff and other issues related to not taking in enough fluids.

Another thing I really like about coconut water is how well it masks the gritty taste and texture of the silica gel I've been taking. I just add a tablespoon to my glass of coconut water and I'm good to go! Next time you're out and an about, why not pick up a few cans of coco water as an alternative. At around $0.99 cents a can, it's really affordable for all the benefits you'll receive.

30 days later: Here's my experience with taking silica

As of this moment, over a month has passed since I first began taking silica. As I mentioned in my previous post, I felt like I began experiencing positive results very quickly after I began taking the supplements. So now more than 30 days have gone by and I'd like to share an update of the benefits I've received from incorporating silica into my regimen.

Immediately after introducing silica into my routine, I paused my juicing practice. So for the past 30 days I haven't juiced once for fear of not being able to identify where my results where coming from. This way I could be confident that any benefit I received was directly attributed to silica. When I made my first silica purchase, I picked it up in pill form because that was all I could get my hands on. Shortly afterwards I placed an order online for silica gel so I could take this whole silica thing to the next level. Once the gel was in my clutches, it became my main focus. I used the pills whenever consuming the gel wasn't convenient like when I was traveling or on days when I simply forgot to take the gel. On a few occasions, I would even "double up" and take a pill and the gel in the same day.

So now, a month later, I'm ready to talk about my experience. As I mentioned in my first post, I immediately experienced a benefit to my skin. My highly acne prone skin shifted suddenly the moment I introduced silica to my system. Since then I've had to deal with only 1 pimple. Not one breakout......one pimple. Incidentally, that pimple came only after I introduced a new moisturizer into my regimen. Once I stopped using that product, I suffered no additional breakouts. So to me, even if I experience no benefits to my hair, I will still use silica to promote clear, healthy skin. I will also add that I ordered a moisturizer that has silica and aloe vera gel as it's main ingredients. It's moisturizing without any greasiness at all. Although this has helped to support my clear skin regimen, I think it works secondary to the benefits I get to taking it internally.

Not only has my skin improved greatly. I am also happy to announce that I am now the proud owner of a new set of fingernails. What I mean to say is that silica has truly made an impact on my nails. Normally, I don't do anything special to care for my nails so they grow at their own rate and break pretty frequently. In the past, you'd rarely see me sporting lengthy nails on all of my fingers. Nowadays, I'm filing them down to keep them at a manageable length. Although I'm excited about this, I'm also a little bummed that I now have to include nail care into my maintenance routine. Before this my nails stayed short and didn't require any attention. Now I have to keep them filed, even, and neat. It's a great problem to have.

So now let's get to the meat of our conversation. How has silica impacted my hair? My last touch-up was mid February (not long after my first take of silica). Currently I have a nice new crop of growth coming in. That's all good and well but I can't say for certain that my hair is growing any faster (although I do feel like I have quite a bit of new growth). What I will say is how pleased I am with the quality of growth. My virgin growth isn't as tightly coiled as before. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I can brush my edges with sonia hakuk brush and they actually listen. They actually listen. If things keep going as they are, I should be able to add at least a couple of weeks to my stretch (if not longer).

Again, this is just a mini-update to acknowledge the good I've received from giving my body this most essential mineral. At this point I'll be re-instituting juicing back in my daily grind and further reap the benefits. If I were compare my experience taking silica versus when I was taking high doses of biotin regularly, I'd say that both supplements impact my new growth rate. Both have the ability to grow my fingernails. If I remember correctly, biotin makes my nails a bit stiffer, stronger. Biotin gave me longer lashes. I'm not experiencing this as much as with silica. Biotin also grew the hair all over my body. Growing a "stache" and toe knuckle hair is not a good thing (sorry for visual). Silica impacts the tone and clarity of my skin. There's just something about it that my skin likes. Overall, I'm pleased with the results and I'm really looking forward to see where I am 6 months with regards to the overall quality of my skin. So all in all, I would call silica a great overall beauty supplement. It's a must have. For those of you who are looking to find out where you can get silica from food sources. Make sure you include lots of leafy greens, cucumbers, brown rice, oats and other whole grains, beets, and most other root vegetables.

Here's an interesting article on silica for additional reading.

Breathe in, breathe out, and experience healthier hair

Over the past year or so, I've really become attracted to the zen lifestyle of yoga and deep meditation practices. When I practice these methods on a regular basis. My body and mind benefit immensely. Little did I know that this holistic practice was also benefiting my hair as well.

I got into doing yoga a while back partly because it seemed like an easier form of exercise. I hate sweating. I hate it so much that I tend to stay away from aerobic activities so I could avoid it. Because of this, yoga just seemed like such an attractive alternative. So I started by just doing simple things like searching for free yoga videos on youtube. Although yoga isn't as physically demanding as running, I still felt the wonderful changes to my body over time. Not only did my body become more flexible, I also felt like my mind was more focused and at peace when I practiced yoga consistently. These benefits are pretty rad but what I'm most excited about is that my overall hair regimen also benefits from the practices taught in the zen lifestyle.

Deep Breathing ~"Focus on the breath."

Taking in slow, deep breaths is a foundational pillar of yoga. When I first began yoga, I didn't understand why I had to breath so slowly over and over again. Well now I know that this type of deep breathing practice benefits the body in numerous ways. One of the most powerful benefits of taking in deep breaths is improved circulation. The normal way most of us breathe is really insufficient. Our normal way of breathing is considered "shallow" and only uses a fraction of our available lung capacity. The optimal way of breathing should mirror that of a new born who allows her abdomen to fully expand and contract with each breath. So how does did deep breathing help your hair journey? Each deep breath you take in floods your body with oxygen which improves blood circulation throughout the body. Increased circulation means that oxygenated-rich blood can nourish your scalp and hair follicles. I like to combine deep, focused breathing with my scalp massages to make it even more impactful.

Yoga Poses-"Downward facing dog."

One thing I will say about the art of yoga is that although it isn't strenuous aerobically, there are some pretty difficult movements one has to master. Most notably are the various poses were my head is pointed towards to the floor along with several other positions that require a great sense of balance. These poses offer a real benefit to the scalp. First you're drawing in oxygen in large quantities through the deep breathing then you promote a rush of blood to the face and scalp with the various bending movements. There are numerous sites online that recommend numerous yoga poses for "hair fall" and stronger hair. Traditional exercises, while beneficial to the body, don't offer the direct scalp benefit as yoga bending poses.

Stress Reduction-"Release all of your negative energy."

I started practicing yoga during a pretty hectic time in my life. I felt like I was experiencing increasing amounts of work-related stress and needed to find a way to manage those damaging emotions. So I started doing yoga for 20-30 minutes each morning. In doing so I soon realized that I experienced a more peaceful and powerful day. I don't know how to explain it but I felt like I had such control over my mental state. My stress levels went down dramatically and we all know how adversely stress impacts the health of our hair. Whenever you are experiencing excessive shedding, take a moment and assess your stress levels before you spend money on a hair product. If your shedding is stress related, perhaps you can address the issue from the root cause with the calming effects of yoga.

Meditation/Visualization-"Close your eyes and quite the mind."

One of the most beneficial practices of the zen lifestyle is the art of visualization, meditation, and intention manifestation. I am fully present to the benefits of seeing what you want in the mind before it manifests in reality. One of the biggest examples of this is Njoy's inspiring story of how she incorporated visualization into her hair regimen. Stephen Covey said that everything is created twice, first in the mind, then in reality. What makes this practice so powerful is how visualization creates a strong, deep belief in actually achieving what you desire. The more you believe you can have strong healthy resilient hair, the more it becomes possible for you.

I'm saying all of this to demonstrate how important it is to build a hair regimen around a healthy lifestyle more so than just relying on products alone. If you are not much of a physically active person but you'd like to incorporate healthy practices into your routine, check out some of the hundreds of free videos available on youtube.

Why you need Silica in your beauty & hair regimen now!

In a recent post I listed some of my favorite items I'd carry with me so I can care for my hair on the go. While writing that post, I mentioned that I would soon be including silica into my hair nutrition and supplementation regimen. At the time, I knew that silica promoted healthy hair but it wasn't until I started actually researching the properties of the mineral that I really became conviced of it's value to my overall health.

So far from my online research I've learned that silica essentially is availalble in two main forms. Commercial silica products are usually derived from vegetal or colloidial sources. Horsetail silica extracted from a plant source. This type of silica is readily available, at a reasonable cost, in most health food stores. I first heard of horsetail silica years ago on the hair boards. Back then, the supplement went through the typical "hair craze of the moment" as did many other items. I didn't pay much attention to it at the time but now I am ready and open to receive it's many benefits.

So why is silica even worth talking about? First off, it's important to know that silica is one of those essential nutrients our bodies need in order to function properly. Kinda like essentail fatty acids or water. We have a natural store of silica in all of our connective tissue which depletes during the day through normal body functioning. We also loose silica as we age and that's when we begin to experience the signs of aging. Those who have adequate amounts of silica in the body boast of having beautiful skin, healthy hair, strong nails, and healthy joints. In fact, I learned that newborn babies have the greatest amount of silica reserves.

You might even remember me mentioning silica as a beauty nutrient when I talked about juicing cucumbers in my video. Because silica is a natural occuring mineral, some of the food we eat contain silica. However, because our soil is becoming deficient and most of the food we eat has been processed, the amount of silica we receive from our food is minimal. Our bodies need this mineral to function optimally so it only makes sense that we supplement silica in a form that our bodies can readily absorb.

Horsetail

As I mentioned before, horsetail silica, is a plant based source of silica and the most widely available. You can purchase in supplement form or you can even buy horsetail tea bags. I was really interested in picking up some horsetail silica extract then I came to find out that all silica is not created the same.....

It seams that the body more readily absorbs silica in colloidal form. This means that the particles are small enough to be absorbed into the body's system more efficiently. You guys already know that I am really trying to focus on supplementing in ways that make sense. Meaning I want the nutrients to be in usable form right away so I can get the most benefit. So when I found out that there are silica sources even more powerful than horsetail, I immediately wanted to know more.

Bamboo

Before researching for this blog post, I had no idea that bamboo is the richest known natural source of silica. Believe it or not, bamboo is comprised of nearly 70% silica. Horsetail, by comparison is around 5-7% silica. I don't know about you, but if I were replenishing my silica stash, I'd probably reach for the bamboo supplement over the horsetail. I was browsing silica selections at the health food store the other day and found that bamboo had about 420 mg of silica per serving whereas the horsetail contained much less.

Collodial Silica

Another alternative source of silica comes from quarts crystals. This type of silica is naturally in colloidal form which means the particles are smaller and more readily absorbed by the body. If you are one the market for silica, you'll quickly realize that most colloidal silicas are more costly than other sources. I think it's because you get more bang for your buck! Next I learned that colloidal silica comes in both capsule and gel form. It was a little harder for me to find colloidal silica capsules in the health food store, and I could only find the gel form online. After reading several great reviews of silica gel that I knew I had to get my hands on it.

Fiji Water

So then I found out that Fiji water contains around 91 mg of naturally occurring colloidal silica per liter. According to the website, Fiji water is filtered through many layers of volcanic rock before it's collected and bottled for consumption. This process creates silica infused water naturally. If any of you buy bottled water, you'll realize that Fiji is probably one of the most expensive waters on the market. Before I didn't really get why the price difference. Now I get it. You're not only getting much needed hydration, you're also receiving vital minerals that support your entire body, skin, and (most importantly) healthy hair.

So I purchased some colloidal silica capsules 6 days ago. Each day I've taken one capsule first thing in the morning. I may be completely crazy but I've already noticed a difference in my skin. I feel like my skin is thicker and more plump. Not too long ago, I was checking out my wrists. The first thought that crossed my mind was "why are my veins so obvious?" I hated the way they looked. I'm not sure if the silica made the difference, all I can say is that I no longer have veiny wrists! Add that to the fact that I've been purposefully eating sweets, fried foods, etc without one break out. In order to understand the magnitude of this last statement, you have to understand that if I even so much as sneeze the wrong way, I have to deal with pimples. Another nice result I've experienced is a reduction in the "cracking" and "popping sound" of my joints. I feel more lubricated....I feel (dare I say it) younger.

Even with all the wonderful benefits to the body, my most selfish reason for taking silica is for improved skin and, of course, hair health. Most people who've taken colloidal silica consistently share their positive experience first with strong healthy nails, then glowing skin and stronger hair. In fact, a study was conducted of 55 healthy women who consumed Hubner's silica gel for 6 months. Those in the study experienced increased thickness in their hair by almost 13%. So I took the plunge and ordered the gel form online. My desire is to continue to see massive improvements in the quality and health of my skin and to have the ability to maintain strong, thick, healthy nails that are all the same length. And of course I want to experience quality growth of ultra healthy strands. Thank you, Lord, for creating silica.

Here are some reviews of silica from makeupalley.com

jenjenluv on 1/26/2011 6:25:00 PM More reviews by jenjenluv

Age: 19-24 Skin: Combination, Fair, Not Sure Hair: Blond, Other, Other Eyes: Hazel

I started out with the smaller bottle of this stuff. I'm not sure the brand, i am too lazy to go check. The first bottle went fast. it only lasted about 2 weeks. Now i'm on my second bottle. It's been about a month and i still have lots left. I take a table spoon a day and i like the taste. The gel turns into an almost fluffy texture when in your mouth. My skin is much nicer looking. Not as oily. My nails are stronger. I noticed new little lashes growing on my lashes. and my brows are growing in nice and thick. My hair seems a bit better. I'm sure in a couple mnonths it will be even nicer from using this. It's hard to say right now because the winter has been harsh on it. Overall i think its a great little miracle worker. I don't know how it works really but it's had nothing but great reviews, and while it doesnt work magic over night, it subtly does wonder for your hair skin and nails.

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felgoj on 3/19/2010 2:15:00 PM More reviews by felgoj

Age: 36-43 Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium Eyes: Brown

My coworker can attest to the fact that when she takes silica (horsetail extract) regularly for a few months, her hair grows faster. I've seen her have gorgeous hair that she grew out from a short bob to long past her shoulders in almost no time (1 season). I started using silica (along with biotin) 1 week ago in an attempt to grow stronger, thicker nails. I forgot that it's good for skin & hair as well, & I'm glad that it is b/c currently I'm desperately trying to grow out a bad haircut by the time summer comes! lol Let's hope the results will be good. So not much has happened in 1 week except: My eyelashes are SO MUCH LONGER! I thought I was imagining things but I compulsively examine my lashes every day & I could swear the other day my lashes looked different -- longer & curly at the ends (my ordinary lashes never curled on their own). I don't wear mascara every day, so knowing that my lashes look puny with mascara on, I applied mascara today to check the length & it's official -- my lashes really grew longer in 1 week. The difference is so obvious. Nothing else in my skincare routine or daily habits changed except for the addition of biotin & silica to my diet. I have to credit them both & will continue using them together (as long as biotin doesn't cause me any bad acne breakouts). I take biotin once a day (5mg) & silica twice a day (both Vitamin Shoppe brand) with food. I'm so amazed at this unexpected result! I hope to get similar results with my hair, & will update after a month or two to allow for some hair/nails results (which obviously will take longer than lashes ....but who knows! lol). Now I know the real value of silica & I wish I believed in its powers sooner. UPDATE: I'm 2 weeks into this & I noticed my pores have shrunken! I always had giant oily pores that have been a major source of embarrassment & disappointment. Two men in my life have also asked me why I have holes in my face (ugh!). My skin now looks velvety smooth without any makeup & my pores are no longer obvious - my pores look normal! YAY I thank silica & biotin for this. I wish I discovered this a lifetime ago. continued >>

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dawl_1015 on 2/26/2010 10:11:00 PM More reviews by dawl_1015

Age: 19-24 Skin: Normal, Tan, Cool Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine Eyes: Green

This product is amazing, I use the Hubner brand and experienced ridiculously fast nail growth, clear skin, and stronger/thicker hair. My hair has been dry, thin and basically crappy my entire life.. Its very dry despite constant conditioning, a healthy diet etc, and never grew. Now the baby hairs around my forehead are literally 5 inches long (the BABY HAIRS), when they used to be only a centimeter! As for the rest of my hair, it's getting better, Ive only been using it 2 months. My nails grow so fast that I trim them, and 3 days later, they're back to the same length, its crazy. I dont know if this will work for everyone, but it's been awesome for me, and I recommend that people try it for at least 2 months to see if they get good results! Where I buy it, it's $30/bottle CDN, but I get it from a small, local health food store, and you may find it cheaper at other places. Happy hair growing =)

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eurobarbie on 7/26/2009 10:16:00 AM More reviews by eurobarbie

Age: 19-24 Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine Eyes: Blue

I had first found out about Silicea through many advertisements in health food stores. It was probably not untill a year later I had decided to purchase it when I noticed how lacklusture my hair had become, perhaps through too many uses of my straightening iron and the bi monthly hair colourings. Of course I still use topical hair creams and lotions, to be honest I knew that if I wanted nicer hair I would have to chop off my ratty ends and suppliment my diet. In addition to the not so pleasent state of my hair I had my mothers weak, brittle nails and moderate hormonal acne. This is when I decided to purchase Silicea. I had read up about Silicea before purchasing because I was abit scared of putting this in my body. The Hubner Brand Silica website states "Silica gives strength and support to all connective tissue, tendons and ligaments, skin, hair and nails. Silica supports the absorption of calcium in the human body. It is essential to the human body, it is found in lungs, intestines and blood." So simply I suppose, silicon is needed in a lot of the parts of our body and this is an aqueous solution made of oxygen and silicon. It is reccomened to be taken once daily, a tablespoon mixed into your favourite drink. I did so, I first mixed it in with water, and to be honest whilst there is no taste whatsoever I found little bits of gel still floating around no matter how well I would mix it, I would feel them slide down my throat and it wasn't the most pleasent experince. So I started taking it with orange juice, and couldnt tell the gel apart from th juice no mater how hard I tried. My mother takes this with a glass of milk as silicea helps absorption of calcium and she doenst find the bits of a gel a problem. After about two weeks, I noticed my nails and hair were a little bit better, but again being honest, it was probably not the strength of result I was hoping for. But I had also had subsequently being applying the gel to any pimples I had before going to bed, using a cotton tip soaked in the gel, and I had found that my skin was so much better. I was so surprised, having acne for the last six years having tried everything from over the counter prescriptions to homeopathy, I was so surprised a simple natural compound worked so well. It has cleared up 90% of my pimples, and now I only dab the occasional spot and it is litterly gone the next day. There is a little bit of tightness and redness which may occur whislt the gel is on your skin. You may also feel a slight tingle after about 10minutes of the gel being on your skin. I get this sensation whilst my mother doesnt, but it is only superficial, do not be scared, do not wash it off it helps dry the pimple naturally and I find also prevents scaring. I still drink the gel when I feel that I am getting a few pimples due to eating too much sugar or that time of the month, it works beautifully. I had continued drinking the gel for 2 months after my initial purchase, The overall condition of my skin was lovely, I cant really decsribe it, I guess I would have to say healthy. The dryness around my knees and elbows had healed up and skin was more radiant. I had found my fine hair to have less breakages and I allowed it to grow longer as I had wanted to for a while. I couldnt really tell any effects on my nails as I had got acrylic nails shortly after, but they do grow quite fast. Now the product itself, as I have said to me there is no taste or smell, although the sales lady told me there was a metally taste, I have noticed no such thing. The gel is a clear thick mixture. Be sure to always keep this in the fridge after opening and shake the bottle very well before adding the gel mixture to your drink of choice or before applying it to your face. This mixes in any particles that have seperated. I initially purchased this from a healthy food store in QVB for 45AUD but have being buying it from Chemist Warehouse for around 30AUD ever since. I recommend it to alot of my friends with acne and other skin conditions, it has helped a handful of them greatly and I cant encourage people enough to try it. Its natural and relatvly cheap considering the amount of money people spend on pimple mediactions which contain harsh chemicals which may dry out your pimples but are causing havoc to your skin and body. oh yes, have repurchased and will always repurchase. I wish everyone the best of luck with this product :)

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pinkandblack on 7/25/2009 2:24:00 AM More reviews by pinkandblack

Age: 36-43 Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Not Sure Hair: Other, Other, Other Eyes: Other

I'd experienced nothing-short-of-miraculous hair regrowth (my hair had been thinning for a while) with BioSil capsules, then I switched to Flora Silica because it was half the price and lost all that new growth )= I've just restarted my BioSil regimen and will update in a few months.

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illeyad on 7/25/2009 1:39:00 AM More reviews by illeyad

Age: 19-24 Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium Eyes: Brown

Silica is one of the best beauty supplements out there. For those who don’t know Silica is not to be thought of as ‘plastic silicone’ it is classified as a natural mineral found in the earth known as Silicon Dioxide. It is known for assisting in calcium absorption during bone formation- therefore it is known for helping mend bone fractures. Silica studies have revealed that it can prevent osteoporosis. It can also promote the health and healing of your connective tissue. As healthy and wonderful as this sounds, I am sure you are more interested in it’s beautifying properties! I originally bought this supplement for the promise of healthier nails and hair after Biotin turned out to be a failure for me. For those who do not know, Biotin is known to cause break outs in acne prone skin. I wanted an alternative and came across Silica tablets at my local GNC for $18 per 90 soft gel tablet bottle. After 6 weeks of use, I am pleased to report I have suffered no break outs and have finally achieved my stronger, less flexible mid length nails. A huge change from the original brittle, breakable, pealing nails I had. Although I must admit, Biotin had done a better job adding a little thickness to my nails where Silica only made them a tiny bit thicker, but much more stronger. However, healthy nails were not the only benefits I achieved, I noticed my skin appeared more dewy and glowy. After some research I found out that Silica promotes skin health and collagen renewal. It also is credited towards fetal growth, bone health, dental health, capillary health, speeds healing, such as sprains, bruises, and cuts. I am extremely pleased with this product and highly recommend it to anyone who is not 100% happy with Biotin, or had bad results from it. Research reveals that the most potent form of Silica is found in the product- Biosil, a more natural form. It is twice the price, however it is considered the best because it is all natural and comes in a potent liquid form that is more readily obsorbed. Happy Shopping!

"Healthy hair to go!" My list of healthy hair items for when I'm on the move

I was thinking the other day about how full my makeup bag was. I carry several types of lipglosses, a couple of mascara tubes, a myriad of make-up pencils, a small bottle of perfume and other miscellaneous items. With all the many beauty items I carry with me at all times, I realized that I hardly carry any times in my purse that contribute to healthy hair.

My day job requires me to be away from home for most of the day. It's not uncommon for me to leave early morning, returning late-night. Sometimes, I'll pass the whole day without doing anything that benefits the hair.....the whole day. So I determined this was no longer acceptable and decided to take action and create a "healthy hair" on the go kit. I had an extra make-up bag handy so all I needed to do was pick out what items would make the cut.

Scalp Massager:

My fatal flaw is the constant incessant need to play with my hair. I know for a fact that this constant manipulation has negatively impacted my retention. This is especially true when I'm doing an activity where my mind tends to wander (like driving or sitting in front of the computer). Well now I've decided that if I can't break the habit, I can at least put something in my hand that will help add some type of benefit to my hair. The answer came in the form of my trusty scalp massager. It's small enough to fit easily into my make-up bag. Putting my scalp massager to work satisfies my craving to always fiddle with my hair. It's like giving a smoker a nicotine alternative that deals with the need to have a cigarette in hand. So while I'm driving, I can have 1 hand (safely) on the wheel and the other hand stimulating and envigorating my scalp.

Aveda Damage Repair:

I'm fortunate enough to have an Aveda school in my city. One of the benefits I get to enjoy are the low cost massages, facials, etc. Not too long ago, while waiting to pay for my amazing massage, my eyes wandered to the trial size bottle display and noticed a cute little tube of moisturizer. I was still feeling all "zen" like from my relaxing experience so I grabbed the moisturizer without even looking at the price. I came to find out later that I paid around $8.00 for 0.85 fl oz tube. Had I known what I would be paying for it, I think I would have passed. I'm glad I didn't because I really like how well it moisturizes without weighing down the hair. In fact, I enjoy this product so much that I later bought a full size bottle. So the travel size bottle is now with me where ever I go. Now, whenever my hair needs a little kick of moisture, I've got my Aveda daily hair repair within arms reach.

Silk Scarf:

Another way I combat my hands in hair disease is by tying it up under a silk scarf. Often I have to make a 2-3 hour commute from one job location to the other. I've decided to use this time to "refresh" my hair. By this I mean moisturizing and sealing my hair and allowing it all to sink in under the loving care of a silk scarf. This also helps me keep my hands away from my hair so it's a double benefit. In the picture, my silk scarf is folder and held in place with a binder clip. This helps keep it in a small enough size to fit perfectly in my little bag.

Hair Nutrition:

Gosh, I can't even begin to tell you how often I've forgot to take my vitamins after a long day of crazy hectic-ness. So now I've decided to take my nutrition seriously and pack my Nordic Naturals omega-3 supplements where ever I go. Just having the pills with me serves as a subconscious reminder to stay consistent with taking them. Since my makeup bag is transparent, I'm provided a gentle reminder to take my vitamins every time I'm in my purse (even if I'm just reaching for my cell phone). I also keep a bottle of Cell Food in my purse. One of the benefits of Cell Food is that it can be taken without food. I also like the fact that no refrigeration is required. This product has a ton of health claims. What attracted me most is that Cell Food claims to contain 78 trace minerals and 17 amino acids which are easily absorbed at the cellular level. I've grown accustomed to the strange taste which makes it easy for me to just take off the cap and drop a few drops on my tongue whenever the mood strikes. Next on my list of products to try is their silica formula. You guys may already know but silica is essential for healthy hair, skin, joints, and a healthy heart. The list of benefits to the body from taking silica is just too good to pass up. I'm really in tuned to taking my nutrition to the next level by focusing on readily absorbable sources. This is why juicing is so exciting to me. Cell food goes well with my philosophy of "getting the most bang for my buck" when it comes to nutrition. This also means that I don't have to pack 50-11 vitamins like I did years ago when I didn't know any better.

Gleau Argan oil blend

What healthy hair kit would be complete without a small size bottle of Gleau for sealing? I once had a habit of re-applying a light oil to my hair a couple of time throughout the day. I kid you not, I received the most number of compliments on my hair when I maintained this practice. I guess the healthy glow was just too much for folks to look at without saying something positive. So now I ask myself, "why did I stop doing this?" One sure way to get this habit going again is to keep a little bit with me at all times. And because this oil is so light, I don't have to think twice about reapplying when ever needed. My little 1/4 ounce bottle easily fits into the palm of my hand so I can discretely take it into the restroom with me and apply without feeling self-conscious.

Although this may all sound like a lot of stuff to be carrying around. It all fit neatly in my bag makeup bag which is around 8.5 inches long, 4.5 inches high. I even had enough room to slip in my tiny spray bottle filled with essential oils. Both this healthy hair kit and my makeup bag are able to fit side-by-side, comfortably in my purse.

Now that I'm packed and ready to go, I must focus on the next phase of my healthy hair plan. Before, when I held more of a 9-5 work schedule, I would use my restroom breaks as the perfect opportunity to refresh my hair with product. I was also fortunate enough to have my own office so I could easily break out beauty supplies, when convenient and reapply whenever the mood struck. Because of the routine nature of my work, my actions easily developed into a habit. Now, I barely ever have two days in a month that look similar so I don't have a support structure in place to reinforce a consistent habit. I realize that creating a structure is key otherwise I'll just be lugging around more stuff that I'll never use. I've got some ideas that I'll play around with around how to create a practice of promoting healthy hair throughout the day. My end-in mind is to support my desire to have healthy looking hair everyday with consistent action. I'm excited to see what may come of this in the long run.

So tell me, what are your must have "healthy hair" items that you take with you wherever you go?

Let's talk more about Juicing!

In my last post, I mentioned how juicing is now becoming part of my regular routine. I'm glad to hear that some of you are also interested in the art of fruit and vegetable juicing as well. I'll start by saying that I got into juicing near the end of 2010. Prior to that I blended green smoothies with powders, almond milk, and frozen fruits. While I do believe that green smoothies are a healthy morning practice, I was floored when I found out about the possible benefits of juicing vs blending.

Don't get me wrong, blending is great! I loved the convenience of buying frozen fruits and enjoying a banana flavored smoothies first thing in the morning. Ultimately though, I was intrigued by the idea of taking in the highly nutritious goodness of the fruit and vegetables directly into my bloodstream. Plus I also felt that juicing could offer the possibilities of adding much more variety to my drink mix. Blending works really well with strawberries, bananas and other fruits but it gets kinda tricky when I tried adding spinach and other leafy greens. My blender didn't do a great job breaking up the spinach leaves in small enough pieces. So when I drank my smoothie, I had to interrupt my drinking with chewing spinach chunks. Not pleasant at all.

So then I began to research juicing and immediately was attracted to the possibilities of introducing spinach, kale, carrots, parsley, etc into my drink mix. Instead of adding powdered nutritional supplements into my smoothie, I could now enjoy the richness of vitamins and minerals directly from the source! What else excited me was the greater absorption rate of those nutrients when I juiced compared to eating the vegetable raw or blending. Because there's no digestion involved in the process, the body doesn't have to use nutrient stores to break down the food. Hence, your body gets a potent shot of super-food from the moment it enters you.

I have Jack LaLanne (RIP) juicer. I paid $99 dollars for it at Wal-Mart. My first juicer cost me around $40 but I soon returned it once I saw how little juice I was getting per fruit/vegetable. For now, I'm pretty happy with my purchase. It's really easy to use and does a pretty decent job of extracting juice from my fruit. There is clean-up involved with every use. At first I was turned off by having to take it apart and clean it each morning. I even went as far as trying to convince myself not to juice daily because "it would take to much time." Then one day I actually timed myself from start to finish with an egg timer. The entire process of pulling veggies out of the fridge, juicing, and clean-up took me only 15 minutes. From that day forward, I vowed that I could never use time as an excuse not to juice. There's no reason I should ever not juice because I couldn't dedicate 15 minutes to my well-being. Don't get me wrong, I still use other excuses. "I don't feel like" it is still a valid excuse I use (for now). Even with the excuses I still manage to juice 4-5 days a week. There's a part of me that hates the idea of throwing away wilted organic greens just because I was too lazy to juice. I use that as motivation to keep me pretty consistent for the most part.

One of the concerns most people have when they consider going into juicing is the cost. The idea of spending hundreds of dollars on a regular basis freaks most people out. I'm happy to say that, for me, juicing hasn't been as expensive as I first thought. Generally, my budget for fresh fruits and veggies is around $20-$25 week. I get my organic apples, carrots, and celery at Wal-Mart for the lowest price possible. When I'm at Publix or Target, I get organic cucumbers, beets, and kale. Recently, I've made a trip or two to Whole Foods for parsley and other hard to find organic greens. There are also times when I get "conventional" (non-organic) veggies as well. I just try to make sure more of what I'm drinking is pesticide free.

As far as recipes are concerns I don't really have them. I do have some staples I always include in my mix. Apples, celery, cucumbers, carrots, ginger, spinach and beets are pretty standard for me. Lately though, I've become a little more adventurous in my ingredient choices. I know the greatest power lies in the leafy greens. So now I go for kale leaves, parsley, red cabbage, and cilantro. I pretty much go for anything bright green or red. The sky's the limit! It's quite exciting actually, I love walking through the grocery aisle with my blackberry Googling the nutritional benefits of juicing whatever produce is currently in season.

So for those of you who are curious about getting into the practice of juicing, I say go for it! There's just so much benefit for your body at the cellular level. If cost is an issue, I suggest starting with blending green smoothies and working your way to fresh juices when funds are available. I do want to challenge you to think about whether a $20 weekly expense is possible for you. That $20 goes somewhere. Why not allocate it towards something as powerful as juicing? It's good for you.

The most important thing you can do to avoid dry winter hair

I live in the state of Florida and, as you know, one of the things I have to deal with for the better part of the year is how hot and sweltering it can get in the summer time. Currently, the weather is beginning to change and many of us are breaking out our jackets and sweaters. One of the last things we think about when the weather starts to shift is the amount of water we are taking in the a regular basis.

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Last year, while siting down having a conversation with my supervisor. I looked down at the palms of my hands and noticed something peculiar. My palms were white with dryness and I had tiny little areas of where my skin began to peel. I quickly picked those areas of skin out of embarrassment hoping the problem would soon go away. Days later, the entire palms of my hands were flacking and peeling. I'd never experienced anything like it. I thought I'd been infected with some type of skin eating bacteria. The more I peeled the loose skin, the worse it became.

My peeling palms were very embarrassing but the most disturbing part was I couldn't figure out how to stop it. So finally, after days of throwing around ideas and inquiring to myself about what could have caused this, I got the notion of increasing my water intake. The amount of water I was drinking at the time was very minimal. Like now, the weather was cooler and the desire to drink water was not that strong. I figured that since I wasn't thirsty, I didn't really need to drink much water.

So for the next couple of days, I faithfully filled my water bottle and proceeded to drink water at every opportunity. I think my goal was to drink at least 2 liters a day. I promise you that 3-5 days later, the peeling stopped and by the next week, my hands we back to normal. That experience was huge for me because it really taught me the power of drinking water and, more importantly, the consequences of being dehydrated.

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That whole experience got me thinking. Could the reduction of water intake during the winter months also have a negative impact on the health of my hair? Let's think about what our hair experiences during summer:

• Circulation is improved, growth is increased.
• Shedding is minimal
• The hair thrives overall

In the winter, I normally experience the opposite: super dry scalp, increased shedding, and slower growth rate. I used to think these results were just a normal part of winter but the whole palm peeling incident has really made me think. "Is it possible that some of my hair's winter symptoms have to do with my water lower intake?" When the body's water supply is insufficient, it uses whatever little water it has for critical functions such as making sure the brain and other organs are operating at proper levels. This leaves very little water for our extremities which leads to such things as dry hands, feet, lips, etc. We can see and experience dry hands and feet. But instead of moisturizing our bodies with water, we slather on lotions, butters, and lip balm to cover the problem.

The last thing I was thinking about, when my palms were peeling, was the possible impact of my dehydration on the scalp and my hair follicles. It's important to reiterate the hair strand is 25% water. Not only is the strand made up of water, it also relies on water to carry to the strand nutrients, vitamins, and proteins. If the palms of my hand were suffering at the hands of dehydration, what was going on with my hair? Looking back at my old posts from last fall/winter, one reoccurring message in my posts was about my constant shedding. Because of this, I'll make an un-proven assumption that the amount of water I drank had something to do with my dry, itchy scalp, my massive shedding, and my dry brittle hair. Once I remember being stranded on the side of a highway and, while waiting for the guy to come bring me gas, I read through an entire thread on Longhaircareforum on drinking a gallon of water day challenge. Those who managed to stick to the challenge faithfully boasted of experiencing more moisturized hair along with other desirable benefits. More specifically, they noted that their hair was more able to retain moisture overall. One member, amara11, provided us her opinion on whether increasing water intake actually could affect the already existing hair, not just the new growth. I took the liberty of posting her comment below for your reference:

Quote:

Originally Posted by locabouthair One thing to remember is that the water will ony affect the hair the new growth not the hair that is already on your head.So if your hair still feels dry after drinking lots of water, dont get discouraged, you have to give it time for the new growth to come in.

"This is not true. It's a common misconception.

The hair strand is continuous, and though hair is dead, it has layers that are continuous and feed right from the bulb. What you give to your body is not only apparent in the new growth, it is also spread throughout the core of the hair- (again because the entire strand is one continous length and it feeds out from the bulb). Since there is no disconnect between the bulb and the rest of the hair, what is available to the hair at the root, will eventually spread out to the tips/ends of the strand. You may notice it first at the new growth, but it will also make a difference in the hair that has already grown out (though this may take longer).



You can see between the root (bulb and papilla) and the rest of the strand, there is no division or block to the spread of nutrients and minerals to the rest of the shaft. This is one of the main reasons doctor can take tell whether you have ingested certain drugs by studying your hair strands (whether the roots are in tact or not!) "

This year, I'm not taking any chances. I have a new mindset when it comes to what my hair will experience this winter. It's inspiring to know there's something I can do to help manage my dry scalp and the health of my follicles. Along with the help of ultra-moisturizing hair products, I must focus on drinking enough water to make a difference this winter. Now, my water drinking will have a purpose. This purpose is motivating enough to encourage me to drink water even when I'm not thirsty. Hopefully you too have been inspired to really make a commitment to yourself regarding how much water you drink on a daily basis. I know for some drinking water isn't the easiest thing to do in the world. Heck, I only drink water and even I struggled to keep myself hydrated in the winter months. So now comes the time when we talk about some practical ways to turn our water drinking habits from a desire to reality.

One tip that I'll never forget is to start the day off with a large glass of water. At night our bodies are diligently working away to collect toxins. By drinking water first thing in the morning we jump start our digestive system and promote the removal of the toxins collected overnight. Once you've consumed your morning water, fill a couple of water bottles to take with you for drinking during your work day. When you return home refill your bottle and sip until you've drank close to half your body weight in ounces. Before getting into bed, refill another bottle so you've got water waiting for you for when you first awake in the morning. It's a process so don't get down on yourself if you don't drink as much water as you like one day. Just raise the amount even a little bit the next day.

So don't let the cooler weather rob your hair of the vital moisture it needs to thrive. We already have to deal with harsh external factors such as winter winds and lower humidity, the worst thing we can do is deprive the strands of water from the inside. Make the commitment today to combat winter dryness with plenty of water. Your hair will thank you.