Bidii Health Supplement - Issue 02 2021 by BIDII

issue: 02 Aug 2021

BIDII is dedicated to educating the

African Caribbean community on matters of health and well-being to stimulate our collective prosperity. With great information available on food, health and beauty, Bidii aims to encourage a better and healthier lifestyle for both men and women. This supplement on health is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a trusted health advisor for any questions you may have regarding any specific medical condition.

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Our Health Raw Foods

The food we eat is crucial to the quality of our day-to-day lives. Bidii speaks with Raw Food Consultant Derin Bepo about eating raw, the affects on the body and how it can help us regain balance and control of our health.

Even if there is something cooked in the salad, have it be only 20%. They usually say, “oh, I can do that!” But what they do not realise is that I have just inducted them into raw food eating. If they can do that, their whole health framework changes because they are getting huge volumes of plant molecules in a raw form now, and it is getting into the body. Some people after 30 days start to feel different. They, all of a sudden, start to get a huge amount of raw unprocessed plant molecules in their natural and hopefully organic form into their body and this has an exponential and radical change in how the body works, and begins to function at a different level. The body begins to wake up and does what it needs to do; namely, the repair and reversal of diseased states. So it is really that simple. People think it is some kind of regime. And when I finish the 30 days, it can go back to business as usual, and there are several scenarios after this. They often have a loss of taste for certain things like common

Q: How do you find people’s approach to “raw food” lifestyle? A: A lot of people come to me with illnesses and one of the first things I do, is to increase the amount of raw food they are eating. I think I have become a bit more mature. Before, I was a bit “raw-food zealous”, chanting “go eat raw food, go eat raw food!” Now I get people eating raw food without even using the phrase “raw food”. So, I’ll explain; to reset your body over the next 30days, you need to eat a bowl or large portion of fruit for breakfast, at least a litre of vegetable juice a day, then a large portion of salad.

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foods. They might ‘treat’ themselves to certain processed food after the 30days and they become violently sick and feel ill. Then they get it, and the body is saying ‘hey, we don’t want that. We never wanted it! Now we have gone really clean and clear, and you are dumping this back into the system?’. So, the body will sometimes react violently and feel ill; and I welcome that! That physical reaction is the body talking more eloquently, loudly and more persuasively than I ever can.

pensation plan is that vitamin C is widely distributed throughout nature. Like sweet peppers are high in vitamin C. There is a high amount of vitamin C in surprising number of plants, but the heat process destroys all that to an extent that everyone is now drastically low on vitamin C. Moving onto the immune system, the number one driver is vitamin C. The immune system is such that it is the number one beneficiary from the intake of vitamin C. This is then linked to cancer rates. Now when we look at someone with cancer, we find in every case there is no vitamin C in their body, or it is at very low levels. Thus, due to cooked food, diet and lifestyle, no one is getting enough natural sources of vitamin C. Everyone’s immune system is depleted from lack of vitamin C, amongst other things.

So, the key thing is, the body understands and functions optimally with plant molecules, those plant molecules in their pure form which are unheated. Q: Is the cooking process effectively killing the food we eat?

Plant based molecules are the foundation of good health. Without plant-based molecules, the body will not work. The body will be in a constant state of degeneration.

A: Everybody can understand that. That is basic, but in fact it is 1000x worse than that! The specific plant molecules and nutrients destroyed by heating is not well understood and people say “well I am OK with that!”. Let’s make an example with vitamin C. This is the first plant molecule to be destroyed by heat. It is the most labile and delicate of the molecules in the plant kingdom.

Q: What effect does eating cooked food have on us? Another way of looking at it is that it is not just cooking that takes out the vitamins and other molecular structures within plants. Here’s another thing to note; all plants have melanin! [By the way, this is very important.] Like green vegetables and red cabbage, purple aubergines and grapes, blueberries, these are melanin. They are called plant melanin. These melanin are very essential for life and health; hence, all melanated people have need for melanin from fruits and vegetables to furnish and empower the human melanin systems, which consists of 12 in the body. And the most sophisticated is in the brain, called the Substantia Negra, which is a major part of the brain functioning for consciousness, IQ and everything. What’s interesting is, have you noticed what happens (especially to the colours) when people cook something like cabbage? The colours are gone, all bleached out by the heat process. What has happened is it has destroyed the

Everybody can understand that. That is basic, but in fact it is 1000 times worse than that! The specific plant molecules and nutrients destroyed by heating is not well understood and people say, “well, I am OK with that!”. Let’s make an example with vitamin C. This is the first plant molecule to be destroyed by heat. It is the most labile and delicate of the molecules in the plant kingdom. There is Vitamin C in everything. People think vitamin C is only in oranges, but it is in potatoes and cabbages too. It is widely dispersed throughout the plant kingdom, but people do not eat enough fruit and what they are eating are harvested way before they are ripe. So the vitamin C levels are low anyway, and the comCOPYRIGHT © 2021 BIDII LTD

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biochemical bonds in the food, which hold the melanin components in the plant together. Now, what’s interesting is it’s not just that we loss things when we cook something. We actually create something. When you think back to school when you were doing chemistry to create new compounds, you must have a Bunsen burner; therefore, when people are heating things up, they are basically doing chemistry. They are creating compounds, the only thing is, these compounds are highly toxic. There are many types of highly toxic compounds especially when you heat carbohydrates at high temperature. They produce specific biochemical toxins. Anything barbequed, gets these brown molecules. We call it browning, and people like that ‘browning’. But when you heat food at a high temperature, there are many destructive compounds. Those chemical compounds create a challenge for the immune system. The immune system starts to react against compounds formed from heating food, and that’s one of the reasons we have the modern diseases such as “auto-immune”. These are linked to the compounds in food which are triggering abnormal reactions from cooked food. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for instance: It is really important to eat raw food if you have MS, because there is a severe auto-immune reaction where the immune system is actually destroying the fine points of the nervous system. To repair, start juicing. There are certain compounds in the humble broccoli, the humble cauliflower, beetroot, which will actually remove man made toxins out the body and escort them off the premises, which is what we call detox. Plant compounds can remove heavy metal toxins, chemical toxins out of the body. But then again, you have to have your liver working and your intestines working to be able to do that. Most people’s liver is not working. Most people’s intestines are not working and quite blocked up and liver cleansing and bowel cleansing is where you start to repair the organs.

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Get them working, so they can start to escort the chemical toxins out of the premises. Get the detox pathways open up again. Get the kidney working. Get the skin working. Get the lungs working, to move things out the body.

interesting, cancer research people worked it out. That is why they came up with ‘5 a day’. Which is actually 9 a day, what they said years ago “if you eat 9 (it was actually 9 but they dumbed it down to 5) portions of fruits and veg a day, you minimise your cancer risk”. Having such knowledge, they worked out what “in fact” they were saying was that cancer is the absence of plant molecules. So if you increase your plant molecules, basically you minimise cancer. So if they said 9 a day will minimise cancer what would 15 a day do? What would 20 a day do? What would only plant molecules do? It’s very interesting, we have access to raw foods, organic foods. We have access to everything we need. We just have to really understand that we need it, and just go for it. We are reaching a time when people are beginning to realise this increasingly. Since lockdown I have seen there’s been a change in consciousness massively, and people begin to wake up and realise we need to take care of our health.

Q: What is the body’s response to raw food? Is there a White tide to that too? A: You don’t get it at all. You see, with white tide, what we can learn from that is the body sees the cooked food as an enemy. The body only releases huge amount of white blood cells when it is under attack; the white blood cells are soldiers. So you want to see high white tide, microwave (or I call it ‘micrograve’), micrograve something. Eat some micrograved food that is when you get the highest amount of white tide reaction. Because that will be a whole other level of destruction on the food when you micrograved it. There is now radiation compounds embedded in that food into the body. It drives the immune system just absolutely berserk. You don’t see that with raw food. Your immune system is stable on raw food. Your immune system works on raw food. Your immune system will not be doing abnormal things. The compounds in raw food’s green compounds, purple compounds they are just wonderful and the immune system just loves them. So if you don’t have enough of them on a daily basis you are in trouble. It is easy to work out and it is

Read the full interview on the Bidii site, here.

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Green Juicing

The benefits of GREEN Juices: Increased energy

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Improved digestion

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Rapid absorption of nutrients

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High amounts of nutrients

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Reduced inflammation

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Increased immunity

Green juices are by far one of the best ways to ensure your bodies nutritional needs are met on a daily basis. Once your nutritional needs are met, you find you are able to experience more energy and vitality throughout your life. Many of the modern so called foods consumed are usually void of the essential vitamins and minerals required to sustain health. I call them ‘foodless foods’. Examples of foodless foods are anything that has to be flavoured and seasoned in order to gain taste. All foods in the plant kingdom are already loaded with flavonoids.

To ease into the raw lifestyle smoothies and juicing are a great option and is easier to incorporate than you think. Ayoola from Fruit of Life works to educate people through supportive health programmes on the benefits of great nutrition through raw food.

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These flavonoids are natural plant compounds that hold all of the nutrients we need.

produce less juice and very wet pulp which means your not getting a high yield and you’re wasting time and money.

When plant compounds are consumed on a daily basis we feel electric! So, for many who do not have time to put together raw food recipes and watch lots of YouTube videos then order fancy equipment to get started the solution is to get a juicer!

So, if you are serious about juicing, a masticating slow pressed juicer is the best option. Think of it like this, your digestive system is like a large advanced juicer: it takes in the solids, breaks it down slowly so that it becomes liquid and join the blood stream. Using a juicer means you bypass the digestive process, freeing up vital energy and allows you to get larger quantities of nutrients into your body. By far, juicing is the best way to achieve the desired health excellence we are looking for.

The correct juicer is also key to your abundant health! There are 2 types. The one I recommend is a slow pressed also known as a masticating juicer which mimics digestion and slowly breaks down the greens into a liquid form so that the body can digest the plant compounds rapidly and instantly into the blood stream. The other juicer, which I do not recommend, is a centrifugal juicer which uses a blade system function that slices through the vegetables heating them slightly and loosing the delicate nutrients like vitamin C, they also

Ayoola provides a range of programmes and workshops to help people start a healthier food and nutrition journey via her site fruitoflife.co.uk

Ayoola provides a range of programmes and workshops to help people start a healthier food and nutrition journey. Recipes to try today! Bunch of Black Kale

3 Apples

2 stalks of Celery

1 Beetroot

1 Orange

Bunch of Coriander

¼ White Cabbage

Bunch of Coriander

1 Pineapple

3 stalks of Celery

1 Aubergine

Beetroot

Bunch of Rocket

1 stalk of Celery

4 Brussel Sprouts

Bunch of Coriander

1 Beetroot

4 Apples

2cm Ginger

Yields approx. 800ml

1 Beetroot

2 Oranges

1 Cucumber

2 Apples

Bunch of Purple Sprouting

Yields approx. 750ml

Broccoli Yields approx. 1.3ltrs

Ayoola’s 30 Day Rejuvenation Programme starts 13th September 2021 and more dates to follow! Sign up now to experience powerful health strategies to get you in peak condition! The programme includes cleansing, fitness, live raw food demos, group support and a walking club. Join here: ayoolasfruitoflife.co.uk COPYRIGHT © 2021 BIDII LTD

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Bowel Cancer and the Black Community

of the Black community, more and more men and women, including many under the age of 60, are being diagnosed with this illness and possibly at too late a stage. Anyone who is in the age range of 25 to 59 and experiencing persistent bowel problems should remember that Chadwick Boseman (43) and Natalie Deselle-Reid (53) are evidence of how bowel related cancers can steal the lives of younger adults.

As the Black community accounts for an increasing proportion of new cases of Bowel Cancer we must try to understand more about this disease, what contributes to it and what we can do to improve our situation. Speaking with W.E.L.L.BEING SE15 co-founder Daniel Palmer, Bidii learns the facts and much more.

In England, when looking at the age range of 25 to 59, between 2014 and 2018, the overall number of deaths due to cancers of the digestive system were 14,565 among the male population. Among the female population, the number was 9,072.

Q: To what extend is Bowel Cancer affecting the black community? A: Bowel cancer (which includes the stomach, intestines, colon and rectum) is a disease that is typically associated with people over the age of 60. However, based on recent data, along with revealing conversations with members COPYRIGHT © 2021 BIDII LTD

According to reports by MacMillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK...

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...The human body is a complex biomechanical organism. Many industrial systems and machines are modelled on the functions of the human body. Engines, heating systems and plumbing systems are modelled on the same principles that govern our internal organs. A mechanical engine’s efficiency relies on the free and regular movement of air, water, fuel or an effective lubricant to deliver energy and/ or protective minerals to where they’re needed, before eventually removing unwanted waste from the system in the form of gases/emissions. Drainage and plumbing systems rely on vast amounts of water to move clean water to where it’s needed, while also carrying waste material away from our homes.

23% of all newly diagnosed cases of cancer are detected through an emergency route. ●With early detection, 53% of bowel cancer cases are survivable. 54% of cases are actually avoidable.

Breast, prostate, lung and bowel cancers together accounted for more than half (53%) of all new cancer cases in the UK in 2017. The number for reported bowel cancer cases in the UK between 2015 and 2017 were more than 29% (29,000) out 100,000 for Black men. For Black females, the number of reported cases was more than 20% (20,000) out of 100,000.

The average adult’s colon is around 5ft long - a winding tubular network of muscle and tissue responsible for absorbing nutrients from food and liquids before also eliminating unusable waste from our systems. If that waste is not eliminated and is allowed to accumulate and fester (constipation/congestion), it becomes toxic and begins to internally disrupt the body’s normal and automatic cleansing and healing processes. One of the human body’s cleansing and healing processes is called apoptosis.

Q: From your perspective what is the key to understanding the bowel and bowel cancer? A: Let’s first look at the symptoms of bowel cancer:

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Bleeding from your anus and/or blood in your poo A persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit

Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason

When cells become damaged or worn out, they self-destruct. This is called apoptosis. It helps to protect us from developing cancer. Cells can also undergo apoptosis if they have broken away from their proper place in the body.

A pain or lump in your stomach area - a sign of a bowel obstruction

Q: What aspects of our lifestyles contribute to the cases of bowel cancer?

Bloating, nausea and/or vomiting – also a sign of a bowel obstruction

A: Poor diet is a major contributing factor to the many cases of bowel cancer presented in the 60s+ and the under 60s age groups. Colorectal (colon) cancer (CRC) is the third most common cause of cancer death worldwide with approximately 2 million cases diagnosed annually.

Unexplained weight loss

Inability to empty your bowels or pass wind

Now, let’s talk about the human body…

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In cancer cells, the molecules that decide whether or not a cell should repair itself are faulty. For example, a protein called p53 usually checks whether or not the cell can repair its genes, or if the cell should die. But many cancers have a faulty version of p53, so they don’t repair themselves properly. This leads to more problems. New gene faults or mutations can make cancer cells:

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bowelcanceruk.org.uk/about-bowel -cancer/screening/ You can also read the Never Too Young report by Bowel Cancer UK. It is very important to note that while a diagnosis by a medical professional is important, it is equally as important to explore all treatment options available to you. Depending on the stage/level and location of disease, the medical procedures presented to those diagnosed with cancer can be invasive and aggressive, further compromising your body’s ability to heal.

grow faster spread to other parts of the body form resistance to treatment

Cancer cells can ignore the signals that tell them to self-destruct, so they don’t undergo apoptosis when they should. Scientists call this making cells immortal.

A good naturopath or wholistic dietician will help to determine what is necessary for you to aid in your own healing. Below is a list of complementary practitioners who may be able to offer useful advice about good bowel health.

Q: What support can we access for those struggling or could be potentially suffering from bowel Cancer?

epinutri.com facebook.com/NikasKitchen

A: We are currently working on a project that will highlight the concerns of those members of the Black African and Caribbean community who have experience with bowel cancer. Our mission is to make sure those charged with providing health care to the public, as well as those in receipt of it, are aware of the improvements and changes that need to be made by both parties in the patient/doctor relationship.

eattolivenottodie.com Cancer charities specifically focused on the UK’s Black African & Caribbean communities: cancerblackcare.org.uk (London NW10) bmecancer.com (Nottingham NG7) blackwomenrisinguk.org (London SE15) Daniel, along with Shelene Byer, is co-founder of W.E.L.L.BEING SE15. This Peckham-based partnership is dedicated to the promotion of events, organisations, traders, healers, practitioners and creatives whose services provide some level of physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing benefit to local and neighbouring communities.

Information about the project can be found via wellbeingse15.org/cabc The important thing for anyone who is concerned about their bowel health is to seek advice from their GP or registered health practitioner. I’m personally aware of the symptoms and effects this type of illness can have on the individual as well as their loved ones.

To collaborate, email: info@wellbeingse15.org

Ask your GP or Health Advisor about local bowel cancer screening programs, or visit:

Sign-up for updates via wellbeingse15.org Or follow their socials via @wellbeingse15

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‘Every kind of love is love. But self-love is supreme among them’

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Our Afros For the Love of the Afro

15th September is World Afro Day. It was founded by Michelle De Leon in 2017 to especially inspire Black children to embrace their natural hair. A year earlier, on 15th September 2016, the US state of Alabama, passed a law making it legal for employers to discriminate against and deny employment to people with dreadlocks. The date of 15th September has been used to make a change for the better. In 2017, 15th September was recognised by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Multiple milestones have been achieved over

the last 4 years with huge education campaigns and international recognition. Today, as we continue to celebrate the afro and the fight against discrimination, we must also look at our hair in history. The Nubian’s culture heavily influenced their Egyptian neighbours’ hairstyles and much of the styling that we see today can be traced back to Sudan, Madagascar, Nigeria as well as other ancient African kingdoms. Early African civilisations had an array of styles

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for our hair which would indicate a person’s family background, tribe, spirituality and social status.

is linked to cleanliness, femininity and beauty, making the comb much more than just a tool for daily grooming.

And as we style our hair, the tools are just as important. A symbol synonymous with the afro is the afro comb. MisBeeeWrites speaks of the exhibitions and artefacts of the afro comb dating back over 6,000 years and it’s continuous evolution from practical tools to so much more!

In the 1700’s Charles III of Spain demanded US colonial governor of Louisiana to “’establish public order and proper standards of morality,’. This brought into law the wearing of the Tigon head-covering from 1786. This was to enforce women of African heritage to cover the hair which was thought to attract white men due to the attractive hairstyles adorned with feathers and jewels.

The Ghanaian word dua’afe (wooden comb)

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From this time we start to get the idea of ‘good hair, bad hair’. Black hair textured was seen as bad, unattractive and dehumanised. This idea spread across the USA and beyond.

From the 2010s, natural hairstyles saw an increase in popularity with celebrities such as Viola Davis, Lupita Nyong’o walking the red carpet with natural hair and complete grace.

The US continued to dominate public opinion over many generations and the 60’s were no different. With the resurgence to Black pride the Afro came back strong! From the 60’s the afro comb started to be the symbol of power, pride and beauty. As the Civil Rights Movement in the US grew so did the afros and the comb was a must have to keep it looking pristine. Often the comb was perched in the hair as the finishing touch, too.

Now, as Black women spend approximately six times more than their white counterparts, huge haircare companies now see the potential revenue from this growing natural hair market. As profits decline due to women choosing to take a break from relaxed products, we now have big brands such as Pantene, Aveda, Kerastase and many more who previously would not consider catering for Black women’s natural hair now clambering to get the Black pound from women now embracing their natural curls. Some may see this as progress while others not; but it is great to see steps towards embracing natural hair as a norm.

The 80’s and 90’s saw the relaxer reign as the more European look and beauty standards were pushed through the MTV generation; but for the last 15 years there has been a steady wave popularised by the USA and UK as more women embraced the afro once more. From YouTubers to online blogs publishing clips of DIY concoctions, from deep-conditioners to hair oils and more, as well as tips to care for natural hair. The huge catalyst being Facebook and Instagram, where influencers really push natural hair with positive reinforcement.

Some great UK blacked-owned brands, dedicated to caring for our curls, are available, We can support:

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Relaxed or not, Black women have heavily invested in their hair and Black British women have been known to spend six times more than their white counterparts, yet we only make up around 4% of the female population.

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Finding good hair care products for our needs was almost impossible in the past, but as the natural hair movement grew, simple yet truly nourishing products have been made by Black women for Black women. We now have a thriving pool of women doing it for themselves.

Pure Goodness - puregoodnesslondon .com/collections/hair Almocado - almocado.com Bourn Beautiful Naturals bournbeautifulnaturals.uk Boulceme - boucleme.co.uk Flora & Curl - floracurl.co.uk Root2tip - new.root2tip.co.uk

And many more!!!

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Hair Transitioning

For some women transitioning back to natural hair is a breather from chemical treatments. But to grow a healthy head of hair, does take time and care. Speaking with Trichologist consultant Nicola Smart of Smart Hair Clinic to provide transitioning tips we can easily adopt.

Take it easy – the line of demarcation (the hair between the virgin roots and processed ends) is very delicate. If you choose to transition over the long term, expect for some of that processed hair to break naturally but being gentle especially when hair is wet, can help mitigate against that.

Moisturise – I think we all now understand how imperative moisture is for flexibility and elasticity in a hair strand. Hydrate your hair and scalp with regular cleansing and seal that moisture in with butters, creams, oils (providing you don’t have any scalp issues) of your choice. Also maintain moisture levels between wash days.

Be consistent - find a routine that works for your lifestyle and employ it religiously.

Be patient – 16-inch hair doesn’t grow overnight. In fact, contrary to popular belief, your hair might only grow 4 inches instead of the well touted 6 inches per year. If nothing else, this process is going to teach you to be patient with your growth both on and in your head.

Read the full interview on the Bidii site, here.

Protein – protein goes hand in hand with moisture. Some strands do well with a mild protein treatment every wash day, for others it might be less frequent. Figure out which approach works best for your hair and use protein treatments to maintain the hairs tensile strength and support moisture retention. A good protein/ moisture balance will be crucial to keeping processed hair, in particular, strong during the transition.

Hands off – keep it simple, transitioning hair is delicate so keep handling to a minimum.

The Smart Hair Clinic smarthairclinic.co.uk 525 Battersea Park Rd, London SW11 3BN Taking a holistic approach to diagnosing hair and scalp disorders. This includes exploring dietary factors, genetics, general health and other factors, in order to help treat and support those with continued hair loss.

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Beautiful Beginnings A great hair journey starts with good input and tools. Be it good advice, hair regime, books and hair care products. Books are a great way to inspire as well as learn. From a young age it is important we are introduced to ideas of self-esteem and children books expressing self-acceptance of black hair. How We Love Our Hair written by J. Ayoola A beautifully illustrated children’s book with page after page of great information and educational topics all about our different hair types. Teaching great ways for children to care for their tresses, making for a wonderful start to their hair care journey style after style. Available on all Amazon sites.

Almocado Natural products made for women with textured hair in all styles, enabling a good hair experience. Care for each and every strand to cleanse, condition and hydrate! Visit almocado.com

Bourn Beautiful Naturals A black owned business providing a great hair care range created to address the many issues women faced with dry, brittle hair. Making innovative hair recipes to nourish and moisturise our coils! Visit bournbeautifulnaturals.uk

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Pure Goodness Making a great collection of natural products all free from parabens, mineral oils and sodium lauryl sulphate, to care for our hair properly. All beautifully scented, giving softness and nourishment. Visit: puregoodnesslondon.com/collections/hair

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Hair Hamper Competition

Bidii has made 5 great natural hair hampers to help look after your coils! As we know, there are no magic products to transform your hair. But it is important to use good quality products and brands combined with a great haircare routine! So, in celebration of World Afro Day and to encourage great ways to look after your natural hair, there are 5 fantastic Bidii hampers to give away!

How To Win A Bidii Hamper All you have to do is complete our Natural Hair Survey by the 20th October 2021! Participants will be entered into the draw where 5 winners will be randomly selected on 25th October to receive a hamper worth over £150! The hampers include a great selection of high-quality shampoos, deep conditioners and products from the great brands featured on the previous page – Almocado, Pure Goodness and BB Naturals. Plus, Mielle Organics, Mane Choice and Camille Rose!

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Our Sisters B-Uzuri

Self-care is a proactive unconditional way to help improve your current state and harness unlimited BEAUTY from the inside out. The B-Uzuri app is designed to give black women a platform to assist in fitness and more. Providing workouts, postpartum friendly exercises, meditation, information on diet and nutrition, plus much more, all aimed at the black woman’s lifestyle.

Introducing physical exercise can help in the following ways:

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Exercising individually or in groups requires a degree of motivation and discipline but all improvements, big and small, start with a single step. The B-Uzuri app aims to inspire in a variety of ways. Helping women look at nutrition and meal planning; while encouraging women to build healthy wellness practices.

Coming Soon! - The B-Uzuri app enables users to experience great forms of training such as yoga, meditation, workouts and more to help women achieve their fitness goals. Sign-up to our B-Uzuri mailing list here and be among the first notified about our app launch later this year!

Fitness offers an array of benefits from helping with your mental health and mood to giving a great cardiovascular workout.

Improved brain function Aid in weight Management Improves heart health and helps to lower blood pressure Can help to improve quality of sleep Can improve muscle strength Help with body shape and toning

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Our Brothers Our Time To Talk

otherwise people will define us, our lives’ experiences, and manipulate us into thinking what they want us to think. Q: You speak of ‘emotional resilience’. What do you mean by that and how can it be achieved?

Following on from our last supplement, the discussion of supporting black men is still paramount. For years, Alex Holmes has been helping men who have been ‘kicked down the road’ to unpack their problems and deal with uncomfortable truths. Bidii asks the questions that uncover the situation faced by many men and how to understand it.

A: I work with men on their emotionality. Emotionality is the observable behavioural and physiological component of emotion and is a measure of a person’s emotional reactivity to an event. Emotional intelligence covers five main areas: self-awareness, emotional control, self-motivation, empathy, and relationship skills. In my training, teaching and work I add a sixth area: resilience. Emotional resilience is the ability to adapt to stressful situations and crises.

Q: To unpack the stresses in society that affect black men is a lot. How would you best explain to men why it is important to identify and understand the environment they are facing every day?

Q: For many black men is it fair to say there is a sense of bravado? If so, where does this come from?

A: I would explain that for Black men, the context is very specific. We need to be comfortable in explaining it and giving it words because

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A: There is a sense of bravado but that is due to self-protection. You imitate what is acceptable, and what is accepted is the projected notion of masculinity that we have been taught to present to the world. The irony is this bravado doesn’t protect us in the way we think it does. Q: When it comes to men’s health people usually discuss going to the gym. Why does that narrative need to change? A: It doesn’t need to change, it needs to expand. We need to get to the point where we are thinking holistically. Physical health is important, but mental, spiritual, and nutritional health are even more so. We need to be clear that we aren’t here for a long time. It’s best we go through it with a modicum of whole-hearted living. Q: Why does speaking to someone mean so much? What can a brother do to help himself if he is not at that stage yet? A: Speaking is impactful as it opens up the mind and lets people into your inner world. We have such intense inner worlds, and if we don’t share them, we suffer with ourselves. The issue that arises is that we are not dealing with our stuff and when it becomes overwhelming and we begin to believe our thoughts. I will always suggest a man to reach out to me, and I can share some resources for him to seek some help. Check out Alex Holmes’ book Time to Talk Also join his much needed ‘Mind Chat’ men-only sessions eventbrite.co.uk/e/mind-chat-a-monthly-chat-to-see-how-youre-doing-tickets-135523110271 “…And here I am now, in the pursuit of helping men, and the wider community, navigate their stuff so we can build a world that is safe for women, girls, and all who struggle under this warped sense of patriarchy.” – Alex Holmes