Ah, for years I’ve felt a little removed as I really don’t appreciate many drinks that others do.  Ok, I’ll admit it, I don’t really like at all: coffee, tea, soda or alcohol.  Call me weird, whatever.  I happen to know I’m a bit let’s say… ‘unique’, to be more kind.  Anyways, so I’d go on trips with friends and they’d all be drinking coffee in the morning and there would be me.  Or, well you can imagine other situations where I’d feel left out.  So anyways, I was recently introduced to a warm drink online that I loooooooove and have had pretty much every morning now for a couple months.  And get this, it’s healthy AND tastes just like a sweet tart (one of my all time favorite candies, and I guess some would say a reflection of my personality as well, but let’s stay nice here and not over-elaborate).  Anyways, the recipe you all, or maybe at least some of you, have been waiting for…………………….

By the way, my measurements are almost never exact as I throw in a dab of this and that, but I’ll give some that are close anyways:

1 T of Braggs Apple cider vinegar – yay for detox and enzymes!

1 T of lemon juice – yay for vitamin c!

1 t cinnamon- yay for anti-inflammatory!

2 T honey- yay for help with allergies, and has added enzymes!

1/4 c or so of warm or hot water (was using very hot water, but recently heard it might take some of the health benefits away, so just using really warm water now)

Now I have something warm to drink with friends!  And I look forward to it!  And it’s good for me!  Down side- I’m still a bit ‘different’ and so can’t get this at Starbucks, but STILL, I’m joining the masses who have a warm drink in the morning!

Drink to your health my friends!  And maybe someday, coffee houses will start serving up stuff like this!

As I study and learn more about health and beauty, which are definitely interlinked in so many ways, I repeatedly come across the importance of blood circulation for various different issues concerning our health… which then also effects the appearance of our skin and hair. The very basic principle in this is that wherever we get blood circulation through some sort of stimulation or movement, that part of our body will be healthier. Our blood circulating throughout areas of our bodies actually brings healing to that part and then therefore a healthy glow.

Blood circulation often happens very naturally as we are young and active. But as we age, we get into certain routines with work and family life that don’t allow room as much for various different activities that get our blood circulating throughout all different parts of our body and skin. Some of our careers are more sedentary or they just have the exact same type of movements that don’t get our blood flowing to more parts of our body and face. Also, because our body is aging, it just doesn’t perform the same as when we are young. Like a car is all shiny and high performing when it’s brand new, but then over time needs things fixed on it to keep it running properly, so it it with our body and skin. Just being exposed to the elements of this world, the 2^nd law of thermodynamics comes into effect, and our bodies and therefore our looks will not be the same as when we are young.

I am convinced, through working with people of all ages for many years, that we can avoid many health issues in our future and look better while doing it. But, in order for this to happen, we absolutely need to spend more time on our personal care. We need to become more disciplined, as the years progress, to take proper care of ourselves.

And just one of these areas of care for ourselves would be the area of circulation. Understanding our scalp, face and body and the need for these areas to have continual blood flow and circulation to stay healthy and looking good is essential for health and beauty.

Health=beauty=health=beauty… over an over again.

Even the Bible says that the life of the body is in the blood. We need that blood life flowing well throughout all parts of our bodies.

So, let’s look at some examples to further understand this principle as well as some solutions. Some of it is so simple and such common sense and some things you may never have thought of.

Over 10 years ago, I went to my dentist and found that I had some problems with my gums, gum recession in particular. I didn’t know what could be wrong as I brushed and flossed every day. They suggested that most people don’t brush as thoroughly or for a long enough time to get the blood flowing and bring more health to their gums. They recommended getting an electric toothbrush that vibrates and is timed to stop only after a proper amount of time brushing. I got one and use it regularly and have had no problems with my gums since. This brush stimulated blood flow which causes healing for my gums and resolved the problem.

Another problem that can come up with our bodies is sore and stiff muscles which can cause pain. We know, have heard of and have practiced things that can help… applying cold and heat to the area, massaging the area, doing different stretches, strengthening and exercising of the area, taking a hot bath or hot tubbing with jets that massage the area. And what do all of these have in common? They all, amongst other things, create more blood circulation to the area.

In Cosmetology school, we were taught about scalp treatments for people with different scalp issues such as overly dry or unhealthy scalp skin and then also hair loss. The procedure involved brushing the scalp with a special brush in very small increments and then giving a scalp massage. Sometimes we used an electrical instrument as well. Again, why?… because these all brought blood circulation and also often oil production to the skin and could help their issue, before going to any not natural kind of treatment.

Another example is that women like to go spas and get facials and body scrubs for the beauty and rejuvenating of their body and facial skin. Well, what do they do for you while you are there? For instance, with a facial, they put hot towels on your on your face (promotes blood circulation), then they massage all kinds of cleansers and exfoliaters onto your skin (promotes blood circulation), then they may use ultrasound and/or some sort of mircrocurrent technology on your skin (again promoting blood circulation). They may even use some sort of tapping on your skin. And do I need to repeat? People complain of an ashen appearance that their face has as they age, but these types of stimulation can definitely bring the brightness and color back to your face, again through stimulation that creates blood circulation. Indeed there are other things that happen there, such as taking the dead layers of skin off your face through exfoliating as well as strengthening and uplifting your facial muscles through microcurrent therapy, but none of it is even possible or effective without without the basic principle of circulation.

Another form of of this is what people call dry brushing which you can learn more about on youtube. But basically it is buying a special brush and before you get in the shower you brush your body with this, starting as your feet and then arms and working your way up, always toward your heart, and with this you will have healthier skin on your body and blood flow to and from your heart, again through stimulation which promotes blood circulation.

I’ve been practicing some facial exercises as I have learned that our muscles begin to atrophy and allow the skin to sag more as we age and these muscles can be built up again, just like the ones in our bodies, through exercise. My vision for the salon is ‘a healthier alternative for beauty’ and so I’ve been studying all kinds of ways to achieve our best look- naturally. Facial exercises also really wake up my face in morning before I read and then get up, and I like the feeling. On that note, blood circulation in general is an area of life that really feels good because it IS good for you, which is nice as many things in life that feel good or that we like (example: a whole box of doughnuts) are things we should avoid for our spiritual, emotional and physical health. Just try putting a steaming hot towel on your face after a long day and enjoy how it makes you feel. But anyways, even right now, you can feel blood flow to your face with a simple exercise. Again, as we age, blood does not flow so freely and easily to all different parts of our face and bodies like when we were young and so we have to be disciplined to make it do so if we want to stay healthy and then also look good. So try this… press your lips together starting with the outside corners and then all the way across towards the middle. Hold that position for at least 60 seconds. Do you feel a burning, maybe even an itching, sensation? That is because you are making your body send blood flow there that will in turn help your lips be more bright and beautiful and the pressure helps them to be strong, more shapely, and help fill out any lines around your lips. A side note: be sure to isolate that area and do not scrunch up any other part of your face during this pose so as to not create other wrinkles while trying to help with ones around your lips.

Different kinds of vitamins can also stimulate blood flow like some B vitamins and niacin.

Obviously, also all kinds of aerobic and strength training exercises can stimulate blood flow all throughout the body and face which is why most health/fitness experts suggest doing something at least every other day that makes you actually sweat.

So, all this to say, people have come up with all kinds of different ways to get our blood circulating for the sake of health and beauty. I know a lot of these are simple things you may already know, just like my last post about staying hydrated every day, but I just want to remind you and ‘stimulate’ your thinking about ways you may be able to practice these things on your own to help your health and then therefore make you more beautiful.

We can all go to the salon and use healthier products on our skin and hair. We can practice great hygiene and be careful with what we put into and onto our hair and bodies, but if we aren’t healthy through simple and inexpensive things we can practice at home, like proper hydration and blood circulation, the other things will not take us too far.

One thing people often say is that they don’t have the time or self discipline to do these things. But I would like to suggest to you, through the story of my own personal life, that there is a Source that has given me MUCH more self control in my life than I every thought possible. Find it here- in the Bible… Galatians 5:19-25. Self control is a fruit of the Spirit. Let us walk in the Spirit, and have the healthy life we are meant to have!

Oh beauty… there are so many ways to define beauty. Of course, being beautiful on the inside is the absolute most important. Character qualities such as kindness, courage, honesty, goodness, gentleness and graciousness come to mind. Having these types of qualities trumps all physical beauty for sure.

On this blog, we will talk of internal beauty at times, but our service to you from all we’ve learned in the industry of cosmetology is going to be to help you with things you may not have already thought of… things of health and beauty for your body, that will in turn affect the way you look and feel.

Again, the vision of our salon Hair Naturally is ‘a healthier alternative for beauty.’

We are going to look at beauty for your body in a very holistic way. I have learned that beauty definitely does not just come from slathering some certain cream on your face every day or having the perfect hairstyle. It is a bit deeper then that. So with that, I want to share a few little stories to remind, and hopefully motivate, us to stay healthy and therefore be more beautiful.

It starts with the fact that if you want to maintain beautiful hair and skin, you need to maintain internal body health as well, which is also important if we want to have a vital life of abundance, being active, sharing, giving to and blessing everything and everyone around us as well. Bottom line is, we need to take care of ourselves.

One way to take care of ourselves that I’m sure many of us already know is to stay hydrated. It is abundantly clear that hydrated bodies/skin are healthier and more radiant for sure.

This is well known, but I just want to be a reminder for those of us who may have slacked off or who may be having physical problems that could be related to this and aren’t aware of it.

I want to share a few testimonies of people I know to help us understand the importance of this.

One is of a man I know who has suffered with atrial fibrillation. He was feeling like he didn’t want a second ablation treatment and so started reading up on other causes and then cures he could practice at home. He learned that dehydration is one of the problems that leads to this condition. This is why doctors often tell people to limit their alcohol and caffeine consumption when they suffer from this. So he heard about people who drank more water very deliberately every morning, 20 ounces to be specific, before eating or drinking anything else and how this helped their heart issue. So, he began doing this every day and do you know that when he went to his doctor a month or so later, his doctor checked and reported to him that his condition was completely gone and he no longer needed any treatment for it? Amazing! Now I don’t want people to get the idea that this will for sure cure them of this disease, BUT I do believe that this particular person’s issue was dehydration and this is why it worked for him. It can’t hurt to try it.

Next story is of a dear sweet woman I know who told me recently that she felt so terrible,
she actually had to go to the ER and she almost never goes to the doctor for anything. There she
found out that she was really just dehydrated and she could not understand why as she drinks a good amount of water each day. They told her she must need to add electrolytes to her daily routine if the drinking of water alone was not working. But, as we continued talking, she revealed that the day before she went into the ER, she had a very big concern that had her crying most of the day. It became very clear, through more talk with revealing facts exposed to both of us, that she had lost a lot of water from her body and minerals in her tears. So all that to say folks, that if you are crying more lately, you need to take good care of yourself by drinking more water then usual during those times.

I believe we need to think about fluid that is leaving our body. I have struggled with allergies that show themselves in a runny nose. Sometimes it can be just like a waterfall. I think this has added to my dehydration at times because again, fluid is leaving the body.

Fluid is also known to leave our body through our breath. We can see this if we breathe on a mirror or glass and we see wetness.

Fluid leaves our bodies in many ways, some of them being through sweat, urine, defication, tears, allergies and our breath. Therefore, we need to be replenishing it quite regularly especially as we age and our bodies become more vulnerable.

On the topic of electrolytes…

In that I have also struggled with mild dehydration in my life, I have gone to the store and bought Gatorade to help get those electrolytes going as well. But a little tip is that there are other ways to get your electrolytes instead of from a sugary, unnaturally colored drink.

All natural coconut water is a good source. And today I was happily surprised to find that Jamba
Juice is now offering some very refreshing drinks made with coconut water so as to stave off
dehydration for people as these summer months get so hot.

Also adding a ½ teaspoon of salt to your water can help.

Another benefit I have found in drinking water is weight management. There have been times I’m having a craving for a snack and I notice my throat does feel a little dry. So, I get a big glass of water first. I drink it and then have absolutely no more craving for the snack. I met my bodies need for hydration and then it stopped wanting anything. It is important to understand the body’s needs. Other times I want to eat for no reason, but I take a nap instead and also lose the craving for food because really my body was just tired and the nap was what was needed.

Can we drink too much water? Yes, though it is rare, some have and it causes problems. As far as I’ve studied, most should not drink more then 3 liters in a day. One calculation said a person should drink half their body weight in ounces. So if you are 140 lbs., you should drink 70 oz a day.

Drinking water can aid in digestion, energy levels, weight management, heart issues, skin clarity, vitality and health.

I have started drinking 20 oz before eating or drinking anything else every morning and it has had many positive benefits for me.

So these are just some details you might not have thought about on your own.

Another thing I’ve learned is that we often don’t see results from things we try if we don’t do them consistently and diligently. So keep it up!

Health and beauty are interlinked in so so many ways. So remember, stay healthy by staying hydrated and you will enjoy more beautiful hair and skin as an added bonus!

But!… always remember that ‘whoever drinks of this water will thirst again’

So…

Key thought for the day: If you are interested, please know that most importantly, a very special kind of water is offered to you for eternally sustainable real life… Please read John 4:10-14