June issue

Health, Hair

Happiness June is

Cancer Survivor Month

Summer beauty tips

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Contributors is a wife, mother, and nationally-qualified fitness competitor. She seeks to motivate and inspire women to achieve their fitness goals, no matter where they are on their journey.

Find Maya at: mayafitgirl.wordpress.com Instagram- @maya_fitgirl Twitter- @maya_fitgirl

a Jamaican girl, on the journey to lifestyle development and healthy hair. I am a DIY and hair blogger, aspiring model, motivational speaker and follower of Christ.

Find Yulli at: http://kreamykurls.blogspot.com/ Twitter: @Blue_Grrl IG: @Kreamykurls

planned her life out in 2nd grade. Two Psychology degrees later she realized she was insane, unhappy, and unrealistic. She got out of her head and began her happy.

Find Jasmine at: http://www.eyecheated.blogspot.com/ Instagram @lyrical_prodigi

aka Tootieboots has been natural for 5 years. She is a natural hair enthusiast with a passion for encouraging others to explore their natural mane. She is by no means a professional natural hair expert but she enjoys sharing and exchanging healthy hair tips.

Find Dayo at: free2bnaturelle.blogspot.com Instagram: @tootas_25

is founder of Fountain of Life Health & Wellness that helps its clients maintain a healthy lifestyle. She also works in a private rheumatologist office and cherishes her 5 beautiful children & happily married life.

Find Jasmine at: Facebook.com/NaturalBkBeauty Instagram: @NaturalBkBeauty

, owner of Makeup By Holly is a 15 year makeup artistry veteran. Located in Richmond, VA her services include Bridal, TV, Runway, Fashion shows and Photo shoots. Holly also freelances for Giorgio Armani and is a Certified Makeup Instructor.

Find Holly at: http://www.makeupbyhollyb.com/ https://www.facebook.com/MakeupByHolly Instagram: @makeupbyholly is a lover of making fresh and healthy food from scratch for herself and her family.

Through her blog, she shares these recipes to help enrich the lives of others.

Find Donielle at: http://doniellemichele.blogspot.com/ IG: @doniellemichele

Stretching Cross Leg Twist Sit straight up with one leg out in front of you and the left with the knee bent and foot flat on the floor.

Cross your foot over the straight leg (a). Twist the opposite arm to the side of the bent knee while turning the head to look behind you (b). Twist to the opposite side. Repeat five times on each side.

a

b

Repeat the same routine on the opposite leg. Repeat five times on each side

Back Stretch Video 6

Blade Stretch Sit straight up on a chair or on the floor (a). Pull your shoulder blades together, while maintaining good posture (b).

Hold for five seconds. Relax.

Repeat routine five times.

a

b

Back Stretch Video 7

Also, incorporate low impact aerobic options to your daily routine, as suggested by Spine-Health .com, such as walking, stationary bicycling, elliptical machine or water aerobics. These exercises are very low stress to the back and provide effective strengthening and conditioning when done on a regular basis.

strength training. In order for my knees to perform as they should, I had to make sure I dedicated time to doing exercises that would repair the weakness in and around my knees. It was hard, but I had to do it if I didn’t want my knees to stop from doing what I loved and live an active life. Not doing anything would have made my prognosis even worse.

But you say, “Maya, back pain isn’t my issue. I have really bad knee problems.” As someone who was diagnosed with patella femoral syndrome in high school, I just knew my athletic career was over. No more track, basketball or cross country for me, right? Nope. My doctor’s prescription was

If you are experiencing any discomfort or pain with your knees, try these exercises to help care for and decrease the problems you are having. Just like with the back, your knees and their surrounding joints and muscles will need to be stretched and strengthened frequently.

Knee Stretches 1. Heel slide knee extension: Lie on your back, with left knee bent and left foot flat on floor.

Slowly slide the left heel away from your body so both legs are parallel. Hold for 5-10 seconds, return to starting position.

Repeat 5 times on each leg.

Knee Stretch Video 1

2. Knee flexion: While sitting upright on the floor or in a chair, loop a long towel under your foot (resting on the floor). Gently pull on the towel with both hands to bend the knee, raising your foot 4 - 5 inches off the floor. Hold for 5 - 10 seconds, then release.

Repeat 5 times on each leg.

Knee Stretch Video 2

3. Hamstring stretch: Standing, put foot in front of you, toes up. With hands on the small of your back (or one hand holding a chair for balance), bend the opposite knee and hip (not your lower back), until you feel the hamstrings stretch. The upper body comes forward at the hip. Hold for 5 -10 seconds, then release. Repeat 5 times on each leg.

Knee Stretch Video 3

Eating Healthy Food Safety While Living with Cancer By: Jasmin Kearse

during cancer treatments to experience having a lack of appetite. Some treatments can make food taste unpleasant.

Cancer is defined as a broad group of diseases involving unregulated cell growth. Cancer cells divide and grow uncontrollably, which forms malignant tumors, and they invade nearby parts of the body. They tend to spread to more distant parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the bloodstream. Not all tumors are cancerous; benign tumors do not invade neighboring tissues and do not spread throughout the body. There are over 200 different known cancers that affect the human body.

Although, a lack of appetite may be present, it is imperative to get adequate nutrition. When planning meals, choose high calorie, nutrient rich foods, such as avocados, nuts, beans, seeds, puddings, and cooked cereals, eat small meals throughout the day, don’t wait until you are hungry to eat, keep your favorite foods close at hand, and you can even make your meals look appealing, by adding parsley, lemon slices, cherry tomatoes or other colorful garnishes to your plate to make your meals more appealing.

The causes of cancer are different, complex, and only partially understood. There are many things that are known to increase the risk of cancer.

Things, such as tobacco use, dietary factors, certain infections, exposure to radiation, lack of physical activity and obesity, can directly damage genes to cause cancerous mutations. Many cancers could be prevented by not smoking, eating more vegetables, fruits and whole grains, eating less meat and refined carbohydrates, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, reducing sunlight exposure and being vaccinated against some infectious diseases.

There are certain foods that can help ease the common discomforts from cancer treatments. For example, you can conquer constipation by drinking water and eating high fiber foods like beans, lentils, vegetables, and fresh fruit. Eating bland foods such as rice, bananas and apples can assist with diarrhea symptoms, along with drinking water to stay hydrated. You can protect mouth sores and avoid dry mouth by grinding foods to make them easier to swallow, or eat foods that are already soft, like soups, and yogurt shakes. Finally, you can overcome nausea by choosing foods that do not have strong orders, steer clear of greasy foods and remain hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

Our daily diet, physical inactivity and obesity are related to approximately 30-35% of cancer deaths. Recent studies suggest that in the United States excess body weight is associated with the development of many types of cancer, and is a factor in 14-20% of all cancer deaths. More than half of the effects from diet are due to over nutrition rather than from eating too little healthy foods. Diets that are low in vegetables, fruits and whole grains and high in processed or red meats are linked with a number of cancers.

People with cancer, usually have to undergo chemotherapy, and radiation to assist with reducing cancer cells. These treatments can be extremely hard on the body; however, making healthy food choices can help with feeling better. When being treated for cancer it is important to eat a balanced diet, such as choosing whole grain breads and cereal, fill half your plate with vegetables and fruits, choose meatless meals a few times a week, have a leafy green salad with dinner, and limit sugary foods. It is common

Some cancer treatments temporarily weaken the immune system, so it is important to avoid germs that can be picked up from food. Contaminated foods can cause extreme illnesses. Certain guidelines can assist with keeping you safe, such as, avoid cracked eggs, check expiration dates to avoid food spoilage, cook all meats until they are done, don’t buy bulk foods from open bins, keep all perishable foods in the refrigerator, prep your food on surfaces that are cleaned with soap and hot water, scrub and rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly and use a separate cutting board for raw meat, fish or poultry.

Living with cancer plays a major role in the lives of those diagnosed with the disease, but there are many choices that we can make to lessen the effects of vigorous treatments. Changing up our diet is a major contributor to lessening the effects of the side effects.

It’s never too late to make healthier choices in our diets

Blueberry Kiwi Iced Tea Ingredients • 2 Green Tea Bags (will make about 5 glasses of tea depending on how strong you like your tea and how much ice you use) • 1 pint of blueberries • 2 kiwis (peeled and cut in 4) • Sweetener (I use raw cane sugar or honey) • Lots of ice • Strainer Add about 4 cups of water to a pot and bring to a boil. (Put some blueberries and kiwi slices to the side to add to drink at the end). Turn off fire..... add blueberries (washed, of course) and kiwi to boiling water. Stir for about 5 minutes (or until the blueberries start to lose their color. Strain tea into a pitcher and gentle mash fruit to get the juice out. *Tip: Don’t throw out fruit. Save in a container and add a little honey for an awesome pancake topping or add to plain yogurt!* Add sugar and water to the mix (How much depends on what you like so I will leave out the exact measurements). Let chill. How to serve: Grab a glass and fill it with a handful of blueberries and a couple of kiwi slices with lots of ice. Pour tea over ice and give a light stir. Serve and ENJOY!

Quick and Easy Avocado Salad Ingredients • 2 ripe avocados (cut into chunks...bite size) • 1 tomato diced • 1/2 cup of fresh cooked corn • 1/2 cucumber chopped • 1/4 tspn fresh minced garlic • About 1 tspn of freshly chopped parsley and cilantro sea salt and red pepper flakes EVOO Seriously simple....throw all ingredients in a bowl and toss (lightly) with evoo. Very light and refreshing for those hot summer days. Enjoy!

Inspiration Enduring to Inspire

By Jasmine Price I was probably 5 years old when my grandmother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I could not understand what the big deal was. My aunt and mother had taken turns staying with her and nursing her back to health.

But for me there was no change. My grandmother still looked the same. She still looked and smelled like strength. If she was as sick as they said she was then she should look the part.

This rang true for many of the women who played a part in molding me into the woman I am today. I remember listening to my grandmother talk about having 6 children by the time she was 26. No big deal! Right?

As a child these events were insignificant. There is little understanding about adversity and perseverance. In my mind raising children or battling breast cancer was just something adults dealt with.

My grandmothers entered this world equipped with armor that allowed them to be immune to ill feelings.

Somehow, they just survived.

It was not until I was in college that I realized that my grandmothers did not personify strength because they endured. My grandmothers were strong because as they endured their own difficulty they inspired and encouraged other people. Personally, there is no greater thanksgiving than to continue to be selfless when everyone around you would understand if you had a complete mental breakdown.

I am sure that there were many times when my grandmothers felt like giving up. There had to be feelings of desperateness and incompetence but somehow those feelings never manifested themselves. So, when I think back on how my grandmother could be battling breast cancer yet continue to make me feel special, I realize that she was passing on her strength. Correspondingly, knowing that my father’s mother raised 6 boys and 2 girls in the same household while catering to each of their individual needs inspires me.

I spent a significant portion of my 26 years of life feeling sorry for myself, allowing things out of my control to frustrate me, and waiting to get even with people who do not know or have forgotten that they have hurt me. My grandmothers love life and are full of life but have had significant bumps in the road.

Granted, my story is unlike theirs but it is because of their resolve that I now know how to bear my cross.

Here’s how: • Smile, smile, and smile! A smile is effortless, contagious, and full of hope. The only thing it requires of you is to turn the corners of your mouth up!

• The “woe is me” is only accepted during your first 15 minutes (figuratively speaking)!

• Understand that your pain and adversities are opportunities to teach, heal, and inspire others.

Remaining angry and closed

allows negative feelings to manifest into bitterness.

• You find out who you are in the midst of a storm. Do not let the rain go to waste. Allow your storm to wash and shape you!

Makeup Sweat proof makeup

By Holly Byrd Miller Summer is among us and that means hot, sweaty, humid conditions ahead. These conditions can really wreak havoc on our makeup and cause it to smudge, crease and run. Most women opt for light, barely-there makeup, in an attempt to minimize the smudging, creasing and running that can occur, under hot conditions.

I am happy to share with you products that are light, yet give a flawless finish and will hold up well under the hot, humid conditions. Some of the best products to help achieve this look are tinted moisturizers, BB creams and CC creams.

A tinted moisturizer is a moisturizing cream or lotion with a slight tint that gives light coverage - comparable to foundation. If you desire a dewy finish, you can wear it alone or apply powder on top, for a matte finish.

Some of the best tinted moisturizers on the market are Laura Mercier tinted moisturizers, NARS pure radiant tinted moisturizer, and AmorePacific moisture bound tinted treatment moisturizer.

A BB cream is a beauty balm or blemish balm. BB creams infuse makeup with skincare.

BB cream is a tinted moisturizer with tons of benefits including Sun Protection Factor (SPF). They can smooth the skin, contain anti-aging ingredients, even out

the skin tone, moisturize, protect against sun damage, and have a light-reflecting component that gives your skin a dewy, luminous finish. They provide the least amount of coverage than CC creams, so they are perfect for younger skin or skin that needs a

little boost of radiance.

A CC cream is a color correction cream. CC creams minimize dark spots, sunspots, and post acne marks. They also firm the skin, reduces the appearance

of redness, primes, protects, moisturizes and minimizes pores.

CC cream, Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream SPF 30 Hydrating Colour Corrector, and Bobbi Brown CC cream to name a few.

Some popular CC creams are Peter Thomas Roth CC cream, Giorgio Armani Luminessence

There are products designed to aid in sweat proofing makeup, so it holds up well in humid conditions. For example, apply primer, allow it to dry, follow with a silicone-based foundation, waterproof concealer (if needed), waterproof cream eyeshadow alone or under your powder eyeshadow, waterproof eyeliner and mascara, brow gel, cream blush and long lasting lip stain.

Do not let the heat and humidity keep you from looking your absolute best. You can tackle them head on with some of the best sweat proof, long-wearing and heat resistant products on the market. Now, go and show the world how â&#x20AC;&#x153;flawsomeâ&#x20AC;? you really are.

Some popular BB creams are Dior Nude BB cream, Smashbox Camera Ready BB cream, Revlon Photo Ready BB cream, and Clinique Age Defense BB cream to name a few.

Hair BREAKAGE VS. SHEDDING

By Dayo Lewis Shedding is normal, but where is the limit? Are you actually shedding? Or is it breakage?

Many times, we mistake breakage for shedding, and vice versa. It is important to your healthy hair regimen to understand the difference between the two and to avoid application of the wrong treatment.

You don’t want to try and fix something that is not broken. So what is the difference?

According to Black Hair Science: Shed hair is hair that has reached the end of its growing cycle and naturally falls from the scalp, along with its tiny, white “root” attached. It is not the actual hair root that is secured deeply within your scalp, but it is the bulb root or base of the hair strand found on the scalp-originating end. It appears white because the hair stops producing melanin (color) at the point in its growth cycle right before it gets

ready to fall. After a hair is naturally shed, it may take up to four months for a new hair to fully emerge in its place. However, if the hair does not possess the white root bulb, then it is considered broken.

Causes of Shedding

• Menstrual Cycle; Menopause

• Pregnancy

• Illness

• Heredity

• Anemia

• Diet (Poor Diet, Low Protein Diet)

• Certain medications; Birth Control

• Surgery and treatments like Chemotherapy • Styling methods that place stress on the follicles • Stress

Hair breakage on the other hand is not natural. It does not fall naturally from the head, but are typically a sign of mishandling or abuse. In the stages before the hair ultimately breaks, the hair first becomes discolored and experiences cuticle loss. Eventually, the fibers begin to split and ultimately there is breakage. Breakage is more common as the hair gets older.

Causes of Breakage

• Improper use of heat

• Rough handling (Use of small tooth combs, pulling, normal wear and tear, over manipulating)

• Chemicals

• Sun

• To Minimize Breakage or Shedding:

• Excessive/Improper Coloring • Excessive/Improper Straightening

• Lack of Moisture • Excessive Protein Treatments

• Hair Vitamins (Manetabolism, HairFinity, Biotin)

• Change your diet (Drink more water and eat more vegetables, fruit and foods high in protein).

• Be gentle as possible when handling your hair, especially the ends and edges.

• Avoid over manipulation. Less washing and styling. Avoid pulling on your hair.

• Know the ingredients in your products.

• Massage your scalp at least 3X a week.

• Try co-washing instead of shampooing.

• Trim frequently, especially if you notice split ends.

• File your nails before handling your hair to prevent snagging/breakage.

• Keep your hair moisturized.

Deep-condition weekly with a moisturizing conditioner and always seal (Liquid Oil Cream) the moisture in.

• Try finger detangling instead of combing.

• To get a good proteinmoisture balance, do a protein treatment as least once a month, especially if you have color. Proteinbased products reinforce the hair shaft, and help it remain strong enough to fight breakage.

• Home Treatments – Black Tea Rinse, Henna,

Tips: Keep track of of your ‘shedding’ by taking pictures of all the hair left over from detangling and styling.

Compare pictures (the amount of hair left over) at least 2X a month. Check the strands of the left over hair to determine if it’s shedding (white bulb present) or breakage (no white bulb). Clarify your strands with a clarifying shampoo to ensure removal of build-up prior to deep conditioning.

Note: Shedding is normal however; please consult with a medical professional if you notice any prolonged, abnormal shedding or unusual scalp conditions. Also consult your doctor prior to use of any vitamins.

DIY: Fruity Mayo for Dry and Damaged Hair Summer is finally here and you can definitely let your hair down! But if you are guilty like I am for neglecting your hair because life had become so busy then this treatment will be the greatest apology. Three simple ingredients packed with the most amazing properties; mayonnaise, mulberry and mangoes. Mayonnaise is excellent for moisturizing the hair, protecting it from sun damage, restoring ph balance and stopping breakage. Mulberry rejuvenates the hair follicles; this is especially recommended for cancer patients who have done chemotherapy. In addition to rejuvenating, it retains one’s natural hair colour. An absolute plus for premature graying. Mangoes filled with vitamin A and E treat dandruff and encourages scalp circulation. Now that I’ve told you about all their goodness, let’s make it.

You will need: • 1/2 cup of mayonnaise • 1/3 cup of mulberries • 1/3 cup mango (flesh)

1. Place the mayonnaise, mulberry and mango in a blender and thoroughly combine.

2. Mix in shea butter and essential oil.

• 1 tsp of shea butter (optional)

3. Apply to dry hair and deep condition for 50 minutes to an hour.

• 4 drops of rosemary essential or oil of choice (for scent)

4. Follow with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner

Mess Level: High

5. Style as desired.

This treatment is definitely a proteinmoisture treatment but following up with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner is very important.

The hair will feel strong and strawlike so that balance is needed. It is especially beneficial if you intend on heat styling, the end results are strong, smooth and soft hair.