IN THIS ISSUE
FEATURES
Returning to Our Roots: Green is Gorgeous... Green Cosmetics Natural Hair linked to Depression? Every Community needs a Gabriel’s Place
LIFESTYLE
Natural Woman on the Scene: Midwest Mind Body & Beauty Expo Going Raw: A Live Food Life Style Vegan Bar B Que Dish Idea’s
BEAUTY & HAIR Environmental Dangers of Feminine Care Products Getting your Vagina in the sun? Orgasms What You Need to Know
Going Green & Natural Natural Hair Zone NWM 2016 Swim Suit
Natural Woman
Magazine
LETTER from
THE EDITOR
I cannot believe we have created 25 issues of Natural Woman Magazine (NWM) it seems like it was yesterday I was sitting at my desktop thinking of headlines for our very first issue. Stressing myself out hoping NWM would be a great impact in our community, and 25 issue later we still here and going strong. My goal has always been for NWM to be a platform for women who want to live a natural lifestyle just being a natural woman. Not competing to equals with men, but just rising to our rightful place right beside him. A lifestyle that embodies what it truly means to be a natural woman in our world today. We lack platforms that speak to the creator, mother, sexual goddess, healer, ruler, and teacher we have in all of us. I am so grateful to have had access to information that enables me to be able to uplift women in the way we deserve. We are more than just baby producing, house cleaning wives, we are not lessen than anything on this planet. I have always believed that to raise a nation you must raise the women,we are the first teachers, lovers, and creators here on this earth. And with every issue of Natural Woman Magazine we want to bring you closer to that message with the hope of encouraging you to live your most authentic fulfilling life you can create for yourself. In this issue of NWM we are crying out for everyone to return back to our roots of living in harmony with nature by becoming more sustainable and environmentally aware. All it takes is for each of us to make a “Green” change and together we can create a wonderful world.
Azizah Nubia Editor in Chief
ON THE COVER:
Male Models: From L to R Latrese Gree, Ashlee Thurmond, Keeana WhartonPhoto by: Nikita Anderson AZ8 Media Cover photo was shot a Gabriel’s Place
Our mission at Natural Woman Magazine is to promote, empower, and inspire you to live a more abundant healthy life.
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Azizah Nubia
MARKETING DIRECTOR
AZ8 Media Marketing
ADVERTISING/SALES
Gracie J. Perry
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Miranda Collins
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Samanda Robinson
PHOTOGRAPHER
Nikita A. | AZ8 Media
QUESTIONS & FEEDBACK Phone: 220-252-0109
www.asknaturalwoman.com
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NATURAL WOMAN ON THE SCENE
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A
Stage Play by Sandra A. Wright SYNOPSIS “The Mask” is a fascinating fictional depiction, of life encounters, in the lives of a group of women with very diverse backgrounds. In this powerful tell-all monologue series, they share some unfortunate encounters which commonly plague women. The piece, delivers a relatable message. Showcasing, Baby Mama to the Church Lady, as they deal with issues, of low self-esteem, mental health, lust and more! Come out to see and hear the shocking secrets which compelled them to hide behind The Mask! FEATURED CAST: Ayanna (Psalmoetry) Lewis “Paige” The Material Girl Jewel A. Sisk “Sister Gladys” The Church Lady LaKishia Delaney “Mercedes” The Baby Mama Shelly L. Mathewis “Verdel” Successful Entrepreneur.
STUDY REVEALS
THAT WOMEN ARE LITERALLY WORKING THEMSELVES TO DEATH
We all strive to be successful in our professions. Our jobs may need long work weeks, skipped lunches, and the idea of time off is ridiculous. But new studies are finding that our need to be on top when it comes to work may actually be killing us softly especially for women. Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, researchers from The Ohio State University and Mayo Clinic tracked the work and health histories of 7,492 men and women over the course of 32 years. The purpose of the study was to decide how fulltime jobs affect our health over a long period of time, and whether gender plays a role. For the study, researchers looked specifically at eight conditions: heart disease, failure, or other heart problems; cancer of any kind (except skin); arthritis; diabetes; chronic lung disease; asthma; depression; and high blood pressure. After analyzing the data, the researchers discovered that working long hours (40+ or 51+ hours per week) was much associated with higher risks for four types of the chronic conditions: Heart disease risk was elevated for people working 51 or more hours per week. Non-skin cancer risk was elevated for people working 51 or more
hours per week. Arthritis risk was elevated for people working 40 or more hours per week. Diabetes was more likely to be reported by people who worked more than 40 hours per week. But when the researchers broke the findings down by gender, they found a startling correlation: The health risks associated with long work weeks were much greater for women than men. “For men, long hour work appeared only to affect the risk of contracting arthritis. No adverse effects were found for other conditions,” explain the researchers in the study. “In fact, working moderately long hours (41 or 50 hours per week) was actually associated with less risk of contracting heart disease, chronic lung disease, or depression.” “For women, however, the side effects of working long hours were much more dire. For example, working 60 or more hours per week tripled the risk of diabetes, cancer, heart trouble, and arthritis in women. The researchers also found an association between hypertension and asthma among women working 51 to 60 hours per week.” So why do long hours take a different toll on the body based on
gender? Before you shout “women are the weaker sex,” consider this: The researchers hypothesize that one reason women are experiencing more adverse health effects is because, beyond carrying a fulltime job, women are also saddled with the brunt of housework and child rearing—what many sociologists refer to as the “second shift”—which increases their work time and stress levels. “Research indicates women generally assume greater family responsibilities and thus may be more likely to experience inter-role conflict and overload compared to men,” explain the researchers. “Therefore, when women work long hours, they may experience more time pressure and stress than men, and their health consequently might be more affected by working long hours, especially when considered over a long time frame.”
Getting your Pu$$y in the Sun Written by India Ame’ye
GOOD READS BY INDIA AME’YE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR INDIA AME’YE (B. 1976) IS A NIGERIAN-AMERICAN PUBLISHED AUTHOR, NATURE FAIRY, WOMEN’S WELLNESS COACH, FILMMAKER, AND ORDAINED MINISTER. INDIA TRANSITIONED FROM WORKING IN FITNESS AND BEGAN TO CULTIVATE MORE FOCUS ON SPIRITUALITY, WOMB HEALTH, DIVINE FEMININE CONSCIOUSNESS, ABUNDANCE CONSCIOUSNESS, AND TOTAL BODY BALANCE. FROM THAT POINT ON, SHE MADE SERIOUS CHANGES IN HER LIFE, AND DECIDED THAT HER WORK SHOULD BE MORE REFLECTIVE OF HER SPIRITUAL LIFE, A LOVE OF THE SENSES, ORGASMS, AND PLEASURES, AND CONNECTION WITH NATURE AS A POTENT SOURCE
All living things need sunlight–no surprise there! And no surprise that the body needs sunlight, even if that body has to be covered in a floppy hat and sunscreen, but most people forget that their genitals need sunlight as well. Sit your ass on the earth’s throne. When I’m being really intentional, I like to get the earth’s permission, CAN ‘I sit this assss on ya?’ Here I was in a public park, but a beloved found some isolated space where I could air out, royally receive, and charge up the light within! Mmm, beautiful beings of light, I draped my body in such a way that if someone showed up unexpectedly, I could cover myself and continue on with the moment. But here’s the magic: As many times as I have been nude in nature, I have never been “caught” once!! HA! Perhaps because I commanded my safety and invisibility within my visibility! I commanded my higher self–the love essence within me–to affirm my safety. And I removed my garments with such agency, freedom, and pleasure!! ‘No fears allowed in this moment…’I told my whole self! Then I opened my legs, parted my lips (both sets), and just breathed, chile! Tip: You must open those inner lips too! Get a lil tan on your pussy and ride the energy of the wind. Oh goodness it feels delicious to be entered in this way. Gently bounce your ass and hips as you decree your grounding. Get ‘high’ off your own body’s ecstasy. Slap your ass to shake the toxins out of your root. DEEPLY ride this sacred penetration for the wellness of your body, your life, your community, and the goodness of humanity!! You’re going to get deliriously wet, just consider getting used to being wet daily, hourly in many cases. ‘Let thou waters flow and blow into the earth.’ This moment is a holy scripture of unconditional love, connected to all there is, so take the whole moment inside without any inhibitions! Then after you settle down, observe your afterglow and share it with someone you adore! And that person will go into the world sharing bits of that transferred glow and on and on. We are all just that connected! Glory be to the Goddess who lives within us ALL!
FROM
WHY RAW?
T
he more we can eat foods that maintain that aliveness, the more “life force” we ourselves will be able to embody. Remember Life=Life and Death=Death. Author Charles de Coti-Marsh says, “By eating live foods you create a live body. Live foods contain essential nutrients the body needs to create and maintain energy. Dead foods speed age, decrease ability, and decrease energy … they are useless when dead…” The best way to approach raw foods is to gradually incorporate more and more raw fruits and vegetables into your diet. A good start is to try to eat 75% raw and 25% lightly cooked (especially in regard to whole grains).
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EVERY COMMUNITY NEED’S A
GABRIEL’S PLACE What if there were a community space where you could have access to healthy foods, shop for locally organically grown produce at a low-cost, fill up your empty water containers with fresh clean alkaline water, and have free healthy gourmet meals served in a restaurant setting where the community can come and eat together in peace and harmony? Sounds like heaven huh? Well there is a place that exist that offers these wonderful services and more, right in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. Gabriel’s Place is a 501c3 Non- Profit Urban Agriculture Education Center in Ohio. Where their concept is “from the seed to the table”. When St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church closed in 2008, the Bishop of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, Thomas Breidenthal, made a commitment to continue to have a ministry presence in the Avondale community. In order for that presence to meet the needs of the community, he connected with several community organizations and listened. And Eight years later Gabriel’s Place has become a beacon for sustainability and healthy foods in the neighborhood of Avondale a predominately African America community with one of the highest rates of crime, health disparities, and unemployment in the city of Cincinnati. Operated under the executive direction of Community Activist and environmentalist Trazana Staples, Gabriel’s Place offers a number of programs and services that are absolutely free. Programs like Jr. Chef & Jr. agriculture a 3 year program where high school students learn how to grow, prepare, and preserve fresh foods and have
the opportunity to leave the program with college credits from Cincinnati State Technical Community college. Gabriel’s Place also has a Share A Meal Tuesday this is a program where Gabriel’s Place can give a full course healthy meal in a restaurant setting free to the community. All meals are prepared fresh with ingredients from the Gabriel’s Place Garden and other local community growers. And to tops things off Gabriel’s Place provides a community produce and farmers market every Tuesday and Saturday where patrons can come and shop with local vendors, fill up their empty water containers with Alkaline water, and have access to fresh produce a much needed service for the residents of Avondale where the access to healthy foods can sparse because Avondale is a food dessert community. Every community need a place like Gabriel’s Place a place where a community can grow and unite together through the power of healthy food and education. To donate or to learn more information about Gabriel’s Place please visit them at www.gabrielsplace.org
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