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2012: A New Year, A New Me

I decided to not make any resolutions this year, but to continue to move forward with decisions I have made for my life. One of those decisions is to live a healthier lifestyle. I would blame this on the need to drop some pounds, but I’m more vain than that. What triggered this choice is my current battle against the onset of adult acne.

I’ve never had acne before and all my life have had nice, clear skin. I come from a family of women with this trait and when I started to break out, I didn’t panic since I knew how to treat and care for my skin. However, these breakouts were different; they didn’t clear up quickly using my usual methods. I tried facials and eventually tucked my tail and went to the dermatologist. I was prescribed an antibiotic, but was overwhelmed by the nauseating side effects. I went back to try something else and was prescribed a drug I had never heard of before. Through some online research I discovered this drug had worse side effects, including “drug-induced lupus”. I definitely was not putting that in my system.

It was then that I decided to focus my attention on how to clear up adult acne naturally. I learned that the origins of acne lie in both my kidneys and liver not being to do their jobs effeciently, and that in order to correct this my body needs to be detoxed. I thought about this: what had occurred over the past year to fill me up with these high levels of toxins?  The answer: Plenty. Working full-time, running my own business, and being wife and mother is a serious load, on top of daily occurrences that cause stress that I don’t consider, like driving in crowded LA streets. Dealing with different people, different personalities, and different issues in a high pressure environment was more than enough to bring this on. Now it’s time for me to correct it.

I’m starting this year with a physical and mental detox and continuing with the exercise plan I implemented in 2011. For the next 15 days, I will be eating only raw fruits and vegetables, and juices made from both sources to bring my body back to center. This won’t be an easy task, but as my husband always reminds me, nothing worth having ever comes easy. I am committed to this 15 day fast – no matter how hard it gets I won’t break. I’m excited to see how the body can heal itself with food and even more, I’m looking forward to seeing my complexion improve. Additionally, I’m purging myself of 2011 stresses – especially those things that aren’t personal to me. My focus is making me a better me so I can reach my highest potential as wife, mother and entrepreneur.

What changes are you making for your life in 2012?

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Have Good Hair With a Good Workout

Many a black woman throughout history has shunned a swimming pool or a workout routine because she didn’t want to “sweat her style out” or get her hair wet. But what if you want to be healthy? Exercising is a must. If you want to work out without messing up that perfect coif, try these tips:

Wrap it Up

For short to medium hair, wrap a cotton or silk scarf around your hair. You don’t have to cover your entire head. While you can always place a cotton bandana over your head and knot it at the nape of your neck, you could also just wrap the scarf around your hairline, leaving the crown exposed. This will preserve the volume without flattening your ‘do. Cotton is generally not recommended, but in this instance, it can absorb your perspiration and keep it from getting into your face.

Style a Ponytail

Longer-haired ladies can pull their hair back into a ponytail. Fashion a high ponytail that doesn’t rest against your neck if possible. Not only does it keep your hair out of the way, you can wear a matching covered elastic if you like your hair accessories to match your exercise outfits.

Braid It

If your hair is long enough, braid it into one or two French braids, or simply one braided ponytail. You can then wrap it with a scarf or pin the braid or braids up. Post-workout, unravel the braids for a wavy look.

Wear it Natural

Your hair doesn’t have to be natural, but you can style it in more of a “wash n’ go” way if you have a texturizer instead of fully straightening it. Of course, if your hair is natural, then you probably don’t mind wetting and/or conditioner washing more often. When you have other options besides the bone-straight look, you won’t spend as much time straightening after exercising. Instead, you can either shake it out and go, or wash and go without too much effort.