Summer Time is HERE: Tips for Natural Hair and Health

June 18, 2010 · Filed under Encouragement, Fitness, Health and Awareness, Hot Picks!, natural hair products, Naturally Innovative, Nutrition, spiritual food, Transitioning, type 4 hair · Tagged healthy living, mental stability, natural hair, natural hair products, natural hair tips, styling tips, summer hair suggestions, summer tips for living happy, type 4 hair

FINALLY summer is here family!  I have been waiting, and waiting and waiting to the end of the semester AND for the sun to come out.  Well I finally got my prayers answered all.  May (to me) officially started the summer….the students are gone, so the celebration has began at my house.  Lol

As the warmer weather draws near, I wanted to give my readers some helpful tips to get you through the next few months; as it relates to natural hair and your overall health.  Remember, living a full and healthy life is not just about hair; but also about how you view yourself, prayer life and hygiene, etc!   So with that being said, I present to you the orAKAle’s 2010 Summer Tips for living life to the FULLEST:

Hair – these are must haves for all my natural divas!  These will be life savers to accomplishing those styles and textures for the change in weather.  Most of these can be purchased at your neighborhood beauty supply. For the orAKAle’s recommendations on hair products, search “product review” in the box to the left for my MUST TRY product lines:

Spray Bottle (will help with daily moisturizing of those coils and styling)

Denman Brush

Hair Milk and Butters (KBB and Oyin are my favs)

Satin Cap (a must have for any and all naturals)

Wide Tooth Comb

**orAKAle’s tip: Add your favorite leave in conditioner and/or essential oil to your spray bottle for a daily (and light) spritz!  Ideal for the summer time since the heat changes

Skin – with the weather changing…you have to switch up your regimen and application. Now, I am not saying run and throw out all your skin care products that are getting YOU results…but consider implementing some of the below (if you haven’t already) to protect the skin from possible sun damage.  For more information check out my posts Acne pt1 & Acne pt2)

Non Pore Clogging Face Wash (suggestion – Purpose and/or Cetaphil…both dermatologist recommended)

SPF 30 Facial Creams

Witch Hazel (great astringent substitute that doesn’t clog or strip the pores)

Limit the Make Up (remember sweat and make up is not cute)

Limit Your Sun Intake (if you must lay out on the beach, apply appropriate sun protecting lotion)

Body Butters/Creams vs. Shea Butter

 

Health – like everyone else…who isn’t always worried about their health; AND looking for new/natural and innovative ways to be a healthier person….well the below list are my suggestions to consider for the summer to 1) enjoy your break and 2) prepare for fall and winter.

Get a Physical

Go See the Dentist

Drink Plenty of Water (I believe you should get a minimum of 8 servings/64 ounces of H2O/day)

Fruits and Veggies (the keys to healthy and long living.  Not only do they help with digestion, but they also help with skin, weight loss and strong bodies)

Multivitamin (currently I take One A Day – Women’s Weight Control…but will be trying a new one soon…TBC)

Exercise, Exercise and Exercise

 

Sleep – self explanatory….get at least 6-8 hrs of sleep DAILY.  Studies have shown that people who get these amounts of sleep daily perform better, stress levels are lower and overall live happier HEALTHIER lives.  While I am sensitive to the many responsibilities that we all have, in our daily lives, that pull us in all sorts of directions….how can you be the BEST YOU CAN BE if you are not resting…..think about it.

Mental – I am a firm believer that we should all have planned/scheduled down time to not only regroup, but to also revitalize daily.  If you are not taking the time to mentally stimulate yourself (positively) this entire post will be irrelevant and you will definitely not be happier….because seriously…don’t you deserve to be happy too…

Read Daily (this is not including work/school related publications)

Clean up your Inner Circle of Acquaintances

Take a Vacation (this can be with or without the kids..lol)

Pray, Pray….and then Pray again (if you are not spiritually grounded, you will not be successful at any of the above)

Tell those around you how much they mean to you/that you love them

While I know it may not be easy to implement all of these initially, you should at least try to accomplish some this summer.  I am no expert in these areas by any means; but I have done all the above and have seen some positive results in  I hope these tips help you like they’ve helped me.

The orAKAle has spoken………