CBS Sunday Morning is one of my favorite shows, and I set my DVR so I can watch it AND sleep in every weekend. It’s such a great show that covers so many topics. This last Sunday, there was a feature on ubiquitous fitness personality Jillian Michaels (click to watch it if you want to). It was about her many many DVDs, and fitness pills and potions she endorses, and how hard she’s worked to build her brand, and how – despite what we see on The Biggest Loser – Jillian Michaels is at heart, a misunderstood woman who takes the tough love method we see on television to heart because she once was a bigger teenager and knows tough love works.

I was fascinated by the story, but still somehow unmoved. I’m not meaning to disparage Jillian Michaels at all – her DVDs and fitness books stay in the top 10 for a reason, but hers is not a journey I can personally relate to, and her method that has ever worked for me. My goal isn’t dramatic weight loss or physical reinvention. My goal is an overall improvement in my health and fitness. I completely disagree with yelling and using anger as a motivating tool in working out, that doesn’t inspire me at all. What does inspire me, is seeing real role models with real results that have come from consistently putting in work. No surgery. No pills. No crazy diet plans. Nothing unhealthy or extreme.

Top – Erika of A Black Girl’s Guide to Weight Loss, bottom left Dr. Nina Ellis-Hervey, right Renisha James

I am inspired by women who I know, who have transformed themselves both externally and internally, with hard work and exercise and consistent effort. I am inspired by women who I know, who have managed to put fitness at the forefront of their lives despite the difficulties and demands of real life. Let me tell you about the three women who are my personal fitness inspirations, and hopefully they can inspire you too. Because of these ladies, I know my own fitness journey is possible if I dedicate myself to it.

Erika of A Black Girl’s Guide To Weight Loss.

When I first heard about Erika’s weight loss journey – you can see it right at the top of her blog, first of all. And she did it all with consistent hard work and teaching herself healthier ways to eat. When I first heard about Erika’s weight loss journey, it seemed impossible. But she did it, without gimmicky diets or unhealthy exercise habits. Erika isn’t one who believes in fads or programs with fancy names. She doesn’t get caught up in crazes. Her blog tackles the psychological aspects of fitness and what it takes to dedicate yourself to changing your physique. A LOT of what she’s written about resonates with me, and her recipes are amazing! You can follow her on Twitter @BGG2WL and here’s her Facebook page. And she just started a YouTube channel which is as amazing as I expected it to be! Check her out there, and on Ebony.com!

Click here to visit her official site. And you can follow her @BGG2WL on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Dr. Nina Ellis-Hervey AKA “Beautiful Brown Baby Doll” .

Anyone who’s managed to lose more than 100 pounds by changing their life to include a healthy diet and exercise gets major kudos from me, and not only has Dr. Nina Ellis-Hervey done that, she’s managed to keep the weight off and inspire others while doing it. She’s a force to be reckoned with. On Facebook she keeps her followers on track throughout the day by asking them what they’re eating and sharing positive messages. Her YouTube channel is vibrant, fun, touching and always honest and relatable. She tackles tough topics, like how to heal from unsupportive friends and family, and the difference in how the opposite sex treats her now. She’s not afraid to be emotionally honest about her experience, and I love that about her. Encouragement, positivity, and honesty!

Click here to visit her official site. And you can follow her @ButflBrwnBabyDoll on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Renisha James of Renewed Fitness

Renisha is SUCH an inspiration to me on so many levels. I know her personally and have seen how fitness has transformed her life, her personality, and her outlook on the future. But that alone isn’t what has made her one of my fitness inspirations. Renisha didn’t have a dramatic weight loss story of her own, but making fitness and healthy living the focus of her life has taken her to some incredible places, and her life’s work is to inspire other people to be fit and healthy as well. From Renisha, I’ve learned how taking fitness seriously can change your personality for the better and make you a more focused, centered and confident person. I’ve worked out with Renisha, talked to her about my life and my own journey, and she’s really helped me to get my mind right about my health. Her blog is awesome and she’s about to star in French art film Bobby Seale Polyptych. Click here for details on that!

Click here to visit her official site. And you can follow her @RenewedFitness on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

My goals aren’t to metamorphosize into a different person, it’s just to take better care of this body that is my temple. Currently I am working out regularly with a personal trainer – the awesome Jen Zea, who teaches classes at PhyziqueChicago.com. When I work out with her, I feel positive, recharged, capable and BETTER. The three women above inspire me to do better and try harder. It’s a journey, but I’m back on it. And I feel good about it!

Who are your biggest fitness inspirations?

The post My Biggest Fitness Inspirations appeared first on Afrobella.

The Caribbean has a reputation for spicy food. Jerk, curry, pepper sauce – despite our already hot climate, we love our food hotter. But there’s one hot, extremely popular Trinidadian dish that left my American husband perplexed – corn soup. It is EVERYWHERE in my homeland. Sold on corners in high traffic nightlife districts, available for sale at every fete, and made with a loving and steady hand in homes all over Trinidad. Including my own.

Just about every Saturday, my sister Petal makes a big pot of her Trinidadian Corn and Beef Soup. Thick and comforting and nutritious, it’s a friend and family favorite and frequently we have “soup limes” (social gatherings where everyone comes over to eat soup)! My husband was surprised by that when we were last at home. His surprise wasn’t because of the social gathering aspect – Trinis love a lime! The surprise was that such a thick and hearty soup is so ubiquitous and popular in the Caribbean, when such soups are frequently cold-weather staples. My response – Trini corn soup is just THAT good. I love eating it at home in its native environment – most often out of a styrofoam cup on a pavement on Ariapita Avenue or Western Main Road in St. James, Trinidad. And I love making it for cold weather comfort food occasions, like this current frigid, snowy weather that’s hitting Chicago. A good bowl of Trini corn soup is a welcome taste of home for me, even while the weather outside remains frightful.

My sister Petal graciously shared her recipe, and when I tried to make it in Chicago I learned a few things by trial and error.

#1 – this will require some day-before preparation, and while you’re making it it requires attention and regular stirring. Don’t just let this sit in the pot while you check your social media because you could easily ruin a whole pot of soup without realizing it. I speak from experience.

#2 – not all of the ingredients are easy to find, and you’ll probably have to swap things out. Trying to make this myself made me realize how many varieties of delicious root vegetables (AKA “ground provision”) we use in Trinidadian cooking. When I tried to find eddoes and dasheen in Chicago, I was told that those are varieties of “taro root” and they likely had one kind but not the other. SO strange.

#3 – this recipe is HUGE and you can either make it and expect leftovers that will last a long time, or cut it down to suit you. The choice is yours!

Here’s my sister Petal’s recipe for Trinidad Corn Soup!

PETAL’S CORN & BEEF SOUP

Serves up to 10 – halve the ingredients for a smaller number of guests

Ingredients

2 lbs. lean cubed beef – seasoned at least night before

½ lb. split peas – pre-soaked – I use yellow but any color can be used

½ lb. salted beef – boiled separately then drained and added to soup pot – can substitute with cooked ham or pork sausage pieces

1 bag mini carrots cut into smaller bites

Salt & Black pepper to taste

A dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ lbs. mixed ground provisions cut into smaller pieces (sweet potato, eddoe, dasheen, cassava – use American name alternatives) ** I used sweet potato, rutabaga, and butternut squash

2 yellow plantains cut into rounds

½ cups cubed pumpkin ** I have used canned pumpkin, or butternut squash here instead

1 cup potato – cut smaller

2 cans kernel corn

2 cans cream style corn

2 cloves garlic minced

½ cup chopped onion

1 hot pepper

¼ cup chopped chive

1 tsp. chopped thyme – Spanish or French

1 pack sweet corn cut into rounds

Dumplings – optional

Method

In a large pot place meat, peas, carrots and salt beef with enough water to cover ingredients

Cover and cook until beef and peas are tender

Add more water to make required quantity of soup

Add seasonings, onion, provisions, corns, pumpkin, potato, salt and pepper to taste

Add plantains last

Cook slowly and stir often

Taste again and adjust salt/pepper

Dumplings – Optional

Ingredients

1 cup of flour mixed from ¼ cup yellow cornmeal/remainder is white flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ cup water

Method

Mix cornmeal, flour, salt & baking powder – stir in water and drop spoonfuls of dough onto top of hot soup mixture while still in pot, cover and simmer 15 minutes

Enjoy!

It’s time intensive but a delicious taste of home. If you make it, let me know what you think! And for another version of Trini corn soup, check out one of my favorite food blogs, TriniGourmet.com!

The post Trinidadian Corn Soup – Perfect For The Caribbean OR Cold Weather appeared first on Afrobella.

The woman is in her 60’s and still nobody does it better. The one and only Grace Jones has aged like only the most high quality wine. Today, let’s look back to one of the images that made her an icon. The album cover for Island Life.

Grace is GORGEOUS. Sinewy. Sleek. Her skin is enviably smooth and stunningly beautiful. This shot is all about her beautiful ebony skin, taut muscle, and artistic sensuality.

This is one of the most emulated images of Grace Jones, one of the most iconic. But how did she do it?

It turns out…she didn’t. This was a clever bit of pre-Photoshop trickery.

Via My Blog Can Beat Up Your Blog:

“The picture was taken by a photographer named Jean Paul Goude who saw an intriguing subject in the model/ actress/ singer. He notes about that picture that “…unless you are extraordinarily supple, you cannot do this arabesque. The main point is that Grace couldn’t do it, and that’s the basis of my entire work: creating a credible illusion.”

Goude photographed Jones in a variety of positions using boxes to hold up parts of her body and then combined the images in a montage that eventually became the amazing image that you see above.”

Here’s the step by step mock up on how this photographic magic came to be.

Amazing, right?

Jean Paul Goude is no mere photographer, he is a French graphic designer and photographer who worked closely with Grace, loved Grace, and fathered a child with her as well – their son Paulo Goude is a musician in his own right.

Grace Jones is a beauty icon for many reasons – she is one of my major beauty influences, in fact. And this iconic image cements exactly why. She’s always been a genius collaborator, an innovator, a woman unafraid to share her body, her soul, her beauty, her talent and her unique, quirky personality with the world.

Viva Grace, and thank you Jean Paul Goude for this genius moment of black beauty history.

For more, read:

Grace Jones, the Definition of Fierce.

Grace Jones, Still the Baddest

10 Things You Never Knew About Grace Jones

My Blog Can Beat Up Your Blog, the original post on the topic

Grace Jones album cover was a pre-photoshop fake.

And there you have it!

What’s your favorite Grace Jones black beauty moment in history?

The post 28 Moments of Black Beauty History–Grace Jones Island Life Photo appeared first on Afrobella.

Coconut water’s explosion in popularity has been amazing to watch. Having grown up with coconut water as a part of my everyday life, it’s been kinda cool to see the beverage be so excitedly embraced by the American mainstream.

The American adoption of coconut water means a lot of changes for coconut water purists. From changes in packaging to new added flavors to ways of ingesting the elixir, it’s a brand new day. Now there are coconut water ice pops for sale, and shelves are crowded with all kinds of flavors of coconut water. When my dad came to visit me recently, I tried to introduce him to chocolate coconut water and he was nothing short of horrified. He actually used the word “abomination.” It is that serious.

Smoothie photo via Shutterstock

Through the new coconut water awakening, I’ve learned a few things about the all-natural drink I grew up loving. Number one, not everyone has a love-at-first-sip experience with coconut water. For some, those added flavors help them get the nutrition of coconut water without the flavor (which sounds ridiculous, I know). Secondly, because of the popularity of smoothies, I’ve learned a new use for coconut water!

In Trinidad, I discovered, coconut water is pretty much consumed as is, or it’s used as a mixer in cocktails. I never thought of blending it with ingredients like strawberries and spinach until this year. And now I ADORE a coconut water-based smoothie. It rejuvenates you after a workout, delivers the antioxidants, calcium, magnesium and potassium your body needs, and the sweet, light, pleasant flavor doesn’t overpower the smoothie like yogurt or juice can. When I push myself to exercise and then drink one of these in the morning, I feel like nothing can stop me!

Thanks to the folks at Naked Coconut Water, I’ve been experimenting with new flavors and have pretty much nailed my smoothie recipe down. Here’s my basic recipe when making a coconut water smoothie.

3 parts fruit – I hate bananas so I usually use frozen peaches, mango, or pineapple as a base to thicken the smoothie. Then, I add berries of choice. I have bags and bags of frozen fruit in my freezer, so combinations often include strawberries, blueberries or blackberries.

1 part veggies – Kale or spinach. Choose your favorite!

Add coconut water to your desired consistency. One 11.2-oz package of Naked Coconut Water should work!

Blend.

Serve.

Feel awesome.

If you need more of a specific recipe, might I recommend Dr. Oz’s coconut water-based “dinner” smoothie? He gets ambitious and adds cayenne and flax seeds.

And if you really, really want an Afrobella-specific recipe, here’s one of my standard favorites!

Afrobella’s Morning Strawberry Piña Colada Smoothie

2 cups frozen pineapple chunks

1/2 cup frozen peach slices

6 or 7 large frozen strawberries

1 cup fresh baby kale leaves

One 11.2-oz. package Naked Coconut Water.

Blend baby kale and coconut water first.

Then add strawberries and pineapple. Blend till smooth.

Best enjoyed after an awesome morning workout.

What are your favorite smoothie recipes? Do you love coconut water as a base? Tell me!

This post was sponsored by Naked Coconut Water, but the opinions are always mine.

The post Coconut Water Smoothies. The New Breakfast of Champions appeared first on Afrobella.

In October I went on a whirlwind trip to New York on a special trip for the Target Inner Circle. Target was having their first ever multicultural makeup and beauty event, and it was hosted by my friend Tai Beauchamp, who never fails to be an inspiration! It was an elegant evening event which brought together some of New York’s best bloggers and editors.

Cocktails, luscious little bites, on trend info on Target’s makeup and hair product offerings, and some of my favorite people in NYC. FUN!

I’m a girl who shops around in the Target beauty aisle, but even this regular customer learned a thing or two at this event. Actually, make that five. Here are 5 things I realized at the Target “Meet Your Match” multicultural beauty event!

– I’ve been sleeping on Iman Cosmetics – they’ve stepped the drugstore game up all the way!

I’ve enjoyed Iman’s products in the past but it was wonderful getting reacquainted. The Iman Cosmetics eyeliners are smooth and creamy, and the foundations give great coverage in a range of skin tones that more drugstore cosmetics brands need to aspire to. And I LOVE the lipsticks. Getting great quality at a great price never goes out of style! SO excited for that Iman BB Cream to hit shelves!

Here we’re checking out makeup artist Aurora Pritchard demonstrating Iman and Milani products on her gorgeous model.

Makeup artist Rudy Miles was there to educate on the brands, and demonstrate how Milani and Iman enhances women who are all shades of beautiful! Love his energy – check him out on Twitter @BeautyByRudy!

- Shea Moisture makes EVERYTHING

So if you’ve read my classic Shea Moisture hair product review you already knew that I love their hair products and they make MANY hair products. But did you know Shea Moisture also makes amazing bath and body products? I was dazzled by the array of body washes, sea salt soaks and lotions!

- Milani delivers pigment and glitter at incredible prices.

Milani is one of my favorite drugstore brands, for real. Their Lip Flash pencils are awesome and I adore their glitter nail polishes. And from checking out their eye and lip products up close and personal, I can now tell you with authority that you should check them out if you’re looking for a lower price point alternative to high pigment, trendy cosmetics brands you’d spend more on in the department stores. Their Glitzy Lips glosses are so pretty!

– I know some amazing ladies!

I already KNEW this, but there’s something so awesome about walking into a fancy event in NYC and thinking you won’t know anyone, and then finding that the room is full of your close friends who you were hoping to see!

Kristin Booker of Fashion Style Beauty is sweet as pie, seriously!

That’s my boo Tia Williams of Shake Your Beauty and The Fly Cut, one of the first women to inspire me in this beauty blog biz and one of the most genuine, down to earth women I know!

That’s me with two of my favorite people, Felicia of This That Beauty and Amber of Beauty Blogging Junkie, ADORE these ladies!

– The natural hair movement has truly arrived

It feels so great to say that. It felt even better to SEE it. Target has been steadily increasing its black hair care aisle to include options for both relaxed and natural hair, and being in this gorgeous lounge and seeing SO many of the brands I’ve watched grow and evolve through the years was truly an incredible moment.

Curls. Kinky Curly. Jane Carter. Shea Radiance. All of these brands started small and have grown to mass market, and it’s SO inspiring. Standing there and looking at this display, I couldn’t help but wonder what would be next. Will Oyin, Koils By Nature and Naturalista Cosmetics join their ranks? I think so! Eventually! Target is so interested in giving us what we need right now, I can’t help but smile to think of what the future will bring.

I had a BLAST at the Meet Your Match event!

Thank you, Target Inner Circle! Yet another amazing experience!

What are your favorite finds in Target’s beauty department?

The post 5 Things I Realized At Target’s Awesome Multicultural Beauty Event appeared first on Afrobella.

There are many beverages I know nothing about. Don’t ask me to discuss the finer points of coffee or the subtle flavors of wine. I do know a thing or two about tea. And I know a whole lot about coconut water, based entirely on my life experience of being a Trini.

I grew up with a coconut tree in my backyard. If my brother wasn’t drinking coconut water to get over dehydration or my sister wasn’t guzzling one because it’s so refreshing and delicious on a hot day, my dad chopping open a fresh nut for his beloved scotch and coconut water. And if we didn’t want fresh coconut water from the backyard, there was always the option of driving around the Savannah and choosing a vendor from whom to buy your coconut. Nobody chops open a coconut like a Trini. Nobody. Don’t believe me?

Coconut water is a part of life where I’m from. Not so much where I live now—Chicago. Here, my coconut water comes from the supermarket, and most often the flavor’s been blended with another fruit. I reviewed some of my favorite coconut waters a while ago and now the folks at Naked Coconut Water have put me up to a challenge: The Closest to the Coconut Challenge!

Does Naked Coconut Water come close to the real thing? Let me break down my whole experience!

The folks at Naked sent me a package, including Naked Coconut water and two coconuts from Florida. The origin of your coconuts can make a HUGE difference in flavor. Thai coconuts are super sweet and a layman coconut connoisseur can tell the difference between Thai and other nuts. The Florida coconuts tasted very much like the Caribbean coconuts I grew up with—less sweet, but no less refreshing. Opening a coconut is not as hard as you think, especially if you use this cool coconut opening tool! Naked sent me this one, but you can score one for less than $10 on Amazon.

There was a noticeable difference in the clarity — the fresh coconut’s water was clear while the Naked Coconut Water was slightly cloudy. In terms of taste, I did a blind test and yes, I could tell a difference. Naked Coconut Water is best when served cold, and it’s also amazing as a base for smoothies. Fun fact: the water from one coconut contains more potassium as a banana! So if you’re a banana hater like I am, know you’re getting that key component of nutrition here.

My conclusion? I would always prefer to drink coconut water straight from the nut, but since I can’t, I love the availability of brands like Naked to satisfy my coconut water needs. You can follow them @NakedJuice or on Faceook.com/NakedCoconutWater.

_{This post was sponsored by Naked Coconut Water but trust and believe, these Trini tastebuds and opinions are entirely my own.}

The post The Great Coconut Comparison – Naked Vs. The Real Thing appeared first on Afrobella.

You know a trend has reached its peak when the New York Times writes a piece on it, but I must have been under some kind of rock when “mirror fasts” became the thing. According to this NY Times piece, Mirror Fasts Help You Take the Focus Off Yourself, bloggers have been all into the craze, documenting their time away from reflective surfaces in introspective posts that span a week, a month, even a year – yes, there are people who are doing their best to avoid reflective surfaces for a full 365, in a quest to break their obsession with image, or to cease their inner critics, or to make a statement about how narcissistic we are as a society.

Maybe they didn’t send this memo to beauty and fashion bloggers. I’m thinking this is not a trend likely to be embraced by the likes of us.

Photo via Shutterstock

I am part of a generation that self-documents relentlessly. We’re an image-conscious lot, into fashion and makeup and taking self portraits where we relentlessly critique and celebrate each other’s beauty. I can’t even count how many times I look at myself in a day intentionally and inadvertently. Every time I look at my phone, I see myself. There’s a whole wall of mirrors at my gym. My bathroom is basically covered in mirrors. Even contemplating the steadfast effort it would require to avoid mirrors makes me tired. Besides reflections in storefront mirrors and smartphones and life and such, makeup and beauty are part of my job. Applying beautifying products is what I do. I’m always gazing at myself and applying something to my face. Does that make me a narcissist? Not according to the Mayo Clinic. I’ve definitely met textbook narcissists in the past. I’m not a therapist, but I don’t believe that looking into the mirror makes you a narcissist. Thinking you’re better, more beautiful, and more special than other people – that makes you a narcissist.

The blogger who is credited as kicking off the mirror fast craze – Kjerstin Gruys, blogged about her year without mirrors and has been featured on 20/20 in a special episode about obsessions — click to watch as she brushes her teeth in front of a bathroom mirror that’s been covered over with a giant sheet and does her makeup without looking at herself. Gruys is a sociologist and blames the mirror and the media for causing self esteem issues. “There aren’t a lot of beauty role models who are above a size 4 or 6. I’m roughly a size 10. I have a very normal body, but I compare myself to women who are photoshopped so they don’t even look like the actual women,” she says in her interview with Robin Roberts. And then she goes on to discuss her eating disorder in high school. At that point I was like….hey, I identify with all of that! But then she lost me completely, with the covering of the bathroom mirror and refusing to even look at herself in her wedding dress on her wedding day. To me, a mirror fast seems like a gimmick that won’t help you get over deeper self-esteem issues. It comes across as avoidance of reality.

For me, mirrors have been essential tools in appreciating the evolution of my beauty. There was a time in my life when I didn’t love what I saw in the mirror. I went through years where all I could see were my flaws. Learning to look in the mirror and love what I saw was essential in building my confidence. The mirror came to help me embrace all of me, and that’s how I learned to enhance and appreciate my beauty. So now when I look in the mirror I still see the impending zits, the acne scars, the oversized pores, the cellulite and under-eye wrinkles — things to bemoan aplenty. But I also see the beauty, the body parts and features I love, the parts I accept, the parts I want to change. My reality. Learning to embrace the reality of my reflection was key to building my own self esteem, when I had none.

When I feel nervous before appearing in public, the last thing I do is touch up my makeup, give myself a once over and smile at my reflection in a mirror. It’s a way of making sure I’m about to present my best self, and a way of reassuring myself that I’m gonna give my best in whatever I’m doing. I can’t imagine depriving myself of that. I don’t see why I would. But hey, that’s just me. And look. Even my cat can’t help checking himself out whenever he can.

What do you think, bellas? Would you be down to do a mirror fast? Or do you think the idea is kinda silly?

The post I Don’t Get The Mirror Fast Thing appeared first on Afrobella.

The first time I tried oil pulling, I was at the end of my rope. I had been fighting a disgusting cold for weeks and the coughing and congestion was killing my joie de vivre completely. I was SO OVER IT. I took to Twitter to vent about my ongoing illness and was offered a barrage of helpful (and not so helpful) advice. One of my Twitter friends – @Yolioliya of Yoli’s Green Living suggested I try oil pulling. And I was all like “Oil pulling, what’s that?” Yoli wrote all about it on her blog and put me up on game. Check out her post about it. Yoli convinced me to try it and after a week or so of consistent, daily oil pulling I could tell my illness was on the way out. I became an oil pulling evangelist.

Oil pulling is nothing new, from what I have read, it’s been a part of Indian Ayurvedic culture since the Charaka Samhita, which has been dated back to the Gupta period, 300-500 CE. A LONG time ago. Wikipedia defines it like this – The practitioner rinses the mouth with approximately one tablespoon of oil (sesame and sunflower oils are the most recommended) for 15–20 minutes on an empty stomach (before eating/drinking) then spits it out.

That’s it and that’s all.

I’ll admit, I can’t swish oil around my mouth for THAT long. If oil pulling requires that kind of endurance, I fail. I generally try to make it to two minutes and then repeat two or three times. I pull the oil through my teeth and around my tongue and mouth, making sure it doesn’t touch or go down my throat. Then I spit and spit and spit some more. Repeat as necessary. Even though I only can successfully oil pull for short periods of time, here’s what I’m doing and here’s my results.

I started oil pulling again because I recently had to endure ongoing, not-fun-at-all dental work. Cavities, gum issues, tooth pain, no bueno. My plaque situation was at a critical level and I was prescribed a medical rinse that could best be described as foul. This stuff comes with a warning that it might stain your teeth and will affect the flavor of things you eat – not just immediately after rinsing, but in general. YUCK. I was waking up with the taste of this horrible chemical rinse in my mouth, even after the dentist told me I could stop using it. My tongue was discolored. My breath was awful and regular mouthwash wasn’t helping me to get rid of the flavor of the medicated mouthwash. When I looked up ways to improve the flavor of your mouth and color of your tongue, the internet led me back to oil pulling.

When I did more research into oil pulling, I noticed that oral hygiene is a major factor for folks who try it, and online, oil pulling has been said to benefit people with everything from halitosis to cavities and abscesses. For more on oil pulling, oral hygiene, bacteria, and the supposed benefits to immunity, read Jon Barron’s exhaustive post on the subject. The breakdown in that article is informative and very helpful.

Within days of restarting an oil pulling regimen, I noticed a difference. My tongue didn’t look stained by mouthwash anymore. Neither did my teeth – in fact, they looked cleaner and whiter. When I woke up in the morning my breath didn’t smell awful and my mouth didn’t taste like chemicals. In fact, my morning breath was becoming more like regular everyday breath – not bad at all. I noticed that flossing was easier and more productive – bits of food that might have required hard work to remove rinsed out easily. And if I felt at all phlegmy, oil pulling helped me regulate that ASAP.

It’s been maybe two or three weeks, and the difference is REAL. I’ve been using virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil (my brand of choice right now is Kelapo Coconut Oil, I use it on my hair, my skin, and now in my mouth). Untoasted sesame oil and  sunflower oil are supposed to be the most beneficial and my plan is to run out to Whole Foods or look online for some very pure sesame or sunflower oil next, and a tongue scraper as well.

That’s been my oil pulling experience. So far it’s been great and I’ve noticed real differences. I actually look forward to doing it every morning. Of course everything isn’t for everyone and I’ve heard from several folks who say oil pulling made them nauseous, or didn’t work, or seems like it wouldn’t be truly beneficial, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. For example, it didn’t work for this blogger at Simple Homemade. But it worked for me!

So I wanna hear from YOU. Have you tried oil pulling before? What are your thoughts, what’s your experience, and what’s your advice for folks who are curious?

The post All About Oil Pulling appeared first on Afrobella.

How much do you value sleep? Do you get enough of it? Do you have a healthy sleep cycle? What’s your relationship like, with you and shut-eye?

These are all important questions, but ones we rarely ask ourselves. For many of us, sleep is literally the last thing we think about. And then we close our eyes at night and do the best we can. Struggle sleep is all too real, people.

Photo source.

When I was in college, it was all about depriving myself for various reasons. To party, to study, to hang out with my friends. For some reason, not getting enough sleep seemed almost cool. And then it started becoming something of a problem, as I went into graduate school and then began working for a newspaper. And then blogging. All time consuming tasks that frequently call for late nights and running on empty. Even though I’m long past my college days, to be honest often it feels like I never get enough sleep just because of what I do for a living.

Let me tell you the story of my first mattress. A decade ago, my husband and I were a newly married couple living in south Miami, right by the University of Miami campus. I was a graduate student, doing my MFA in Creative Writing. (Someday I’ll publish those short stories, I swear)! One of the first purchases my husband and I made was our queen sized mattress, which I recall we bought at a discount store on Bird Road (near Miami Twice and the comic book store, for my Miami readers). This wasn’t the kind of store where one could lie on the mattresses to try them out. Mattresses stood against the wall in dangerous looking plastic covered stacks, and the gentleman who was there didn’t speak much English.

Which one of those would you sleep on? Exactly. This is the kind of mattress situation we walked into.

We paid $250 for a mattress and boxspring — that was our price range in those days — and we drove home with this queen sized mattress set tied to the roof of the Honda Civic, holding it in place the whole way. Our mattress was hard. It was never cushy and comfortable, even on its best day. And we slept on it for 10 years. A decade of creaky mattress back issues and struggle sleep.

In the mean time, we spent money on other things like restaurants and entertainment, never thinking about the real improvement an actual investment in our mattress might make to our lives. But when you think about the statistics, it only makes sense. Think about how much time you spend in bed. Think about how much better you feel after a truly good night’s sleep – like at a hotel, for example. Think about the relationship between beauty, and sleep. We’re willing to go for expensive facials and treatments that make our faces look beautiful and rested. Why not invest in something that can actually make a tangible difference to your life, your health, and your physical appearance in a holistic way? Why do people settle for struggle sleep?

For tangible answers, I recently interviewed Dr. Robert Oexman who is a sleep doctor for the Sleep to Live Institute, as well as the Sleepy’s Sleep Consultant — click here to check out the Sleepy’s Facebook page and click here for their official site, Sleepys.com! I had to ask serious questions. Like, first things first — is beauty sleep even a real thing?

Afrobella – My blog is primarily about beauty and sleep is always connected to beauty, to the point where mattresses are named for the idea of beauty sleep. Is beauty sleep a real thing? Can more or better sleep in fact improve one’s appearance in a calculable way?

Dr. Oexman – Actually we do see aging related to sleep issues. I am not sure that it is “calculable” (for example 6 hours of sleep for 4 years will make you look x years older). There are some very good examples of what happens during sleep that will impact how we look. For example, human growth hormone is secreted at night when we sleep. Instead of taking that supplement why not try some extra sleep! People who do not get enough sleep have higher levels of inflamatory markers like “C-reactive protein”. Melatonin is a great antioxidant that is secreted at night when we sleep and is diminished when we are awake.

Afrobella – How old is the average American’s mattress? How much time do we spend in bed in our lifetime?

Dr. Oexman – The average mattress purchasing cycle is approximately 13 years (I have asked this question to patients that report having the same mattress for greater than 30 years!!!). For most people they should change out every 7 to 8 years. People who are overweight or perspire a great deal should change out more often. We should spend on average about 1/3 of our lives in bed. Unfortunately in the past 20 to 30 years we have seen average sleep time in the US fall so that we are not spending as much time sleeping. This is most likely attributed to technology that has invaded sleep time like cell phone use late at night, computers, games, Facebook, texting, TV’s in bedrooms, etcetera.

Afrobella – What are your thoughts on dealing with dust mites? The idea of them living in a mattress or pillow is just horrifying – are there any mattresses or pillows on the market that are dust mite repellant?

Dr. Oexman – As disgusting as they may seem we have been living quite symbiotically with them for many years. You can put protective barriers on your pillows and mattress but they will still be in blankets, carpets, headboards, etc.. The best way to deal with this is to put your pillow in the dryer on low for 30 minutes once a week when you change the pillowcases. Use a mattress protector that you can wash once a week and vacuum your mattress once a month. No matter what you do you can reduce the numbers but you can not eliminate them.

Afrobella – What is your best advice for anyone who wants to buy a mattress?

Dr. Oexman – First I would say you need to get fitted for a mattress just like you do for a pair of shoes, eye glasses or a new tux. There are test systems at some mattress stores that measure your body and will recommend a mattress that will fit your body type and any pain complaints you may have. It is brand agnostic and covers a wide variety of price points. If the retailer does not have that system, you need to look for a mattress that has cushion layers to relive pressure on shoulders and hips. It also needs to support you so that you do not feel like you are sleeping in a hammock. Consider buying a new pillow with the mattress since your pillow needs may change with the different support you are getting from the new mattress. If you are not going to change your mattress take your old pillow with you to the store. Make sure the mattress does not feel hot. Heat can disrupt sleep more than noise in the environment. Buy the biggest bed you can fit into the bedroom. The larger the bed the less you will be disturbed by your partner. Try using separate sheets and blankets. This will give each sleeper the temperature they are looking for and will reduce the amount of sleep disruption from pulling on blankets.

Afrobella – I am a side sleeper, and my husband has back issues. Should we go for firm, or pillowtop? Tempurpedic or something else?

Dr. Oexman – Sleepys.com has the diagnostic system that will measure each of you and make a recommendation for a support level you need. Start with that and select the “comfort” you are looking for. There is no real definition of firm and a pillow top is mattress design. You can have a manufacture designate a mattress as firm but it may feel quite different than another manufacturer’s firm. I have felt some pillowtops that are very soft and others that are very firm.

That’s the official word from Dr. Oexman — click here to follow Sleepy’s on Facebook, click here for their Twitter, and if you’re in the market for a mattress, definitely check out Sleepys.com, their selection and their prices are amazing!

And what about me and my decade old mattress? I recently went through the exhausting (see what I did there?) process of choosing a mattress, and this is but post numero uno in a mini-series about the quest for beauty sleep. I can tell you now that finally — a decade later — I’ve upgraded my mattress situation and I’m here to tell you it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in YEARS. Stay tuned for part two! But for now — tell me about your current mattress and your relationship with sleep? Is it a healthy relationship? Or are you getting by on struggle sleep right now?

The post The Need For Beauty Sleep appeared first on Afrobella.

In 2012, Afrobella of the Month is BACK! Some months may be written by me, other months may be written by an expert or a contributor! This month’s AOTM is written by Renisha James, fitness expert and personal trainer. Learn more about her philosophies on fitness at RenewedFitness.com, and follow her on Facebook or on Twitter! Take it away, Re!

Toni Carey and Ashley Hicks are the humble yet excited, focused yet fun-loving women who’ve founded, what is now, a national movement called Black Girls RUN! They were honored when I contacted them about being featured as “Afrobella(s) of the Month” and I couldn’t help but to be excited to talk to two women I consider role models. They’re beautifully natural, love their communities and seem to glow (even through the phone). Their influence is greater than even they can imagine. I made sure Toni and Ashley knew that they weren’t just two ladies who started a blog. They are embraced as go-getters and advocates for the health of Black women.

How it all got started…

If you’ve ever heard any crazy myths about running or walking or exercising in general and what it may do to you, you probably won’t be surprised about what Toni Carey’s mother had to say when she told her she wanted to start running. After breaking up with a boyfriend and trying out vegetarianism for the first time, Toni wanted to really step things up and start running. And if you’re a runner, you know how excited you were to get your new shoes and your gear and just get out there to try it. Well, when Toni called her mother to tell her the news, she was met with skepticism and concern that her uterus would fall out and that Black women don’t run. Crazy right?

“After talking to my mother, I called Ashley and told her story about what my mother said and we were both like, ‘That’s crazy! Black women DO run!” Toni said. Ashley agreed and even started a Nike+ Virtual running group called Black Girls RUN! Both ladies thought it would only be right to start a blog to share their experiences with the sport and also bring awareness that yes, black girls DO run! Ashley couldn’t believe the response they started getting. “Honestly, even in the early days when still on Blogspot and it was really just this generic blog that we’d created, we’d look at emails and just be so happy! Like, “Oh my God, someone’s reading our blog!”

Creating a Movement

I can be honest in saying that before I really started diving into the world of distance running, most of the images I saw were of white people. With the exception of Kenyan runners who run and win marathons, most of the running world, to me, didn’t have a Black presence. Toni and Ashley’s vision has definitely changed that. More and more black women are lacing up their running shoes to get outside and hit the pavement thanks to Black Girls RUN! But Toni and Ashley still haven’t fully grasped the impact their website has made.

“I don’t think we fully understand what we’ve created and how much of an impact we’re making. I still feel like it’s our little pet project and that hopefully black women will run,” Toni says. But even in their humility, Toni and Ashley understand that it has been successful, but still can’t fully grasp how big it is. “The stories that people tell us about getting started with the group and their weight loss. People who’ve never run a day in their life are now running. I don’t think we’ve taken the time to really realize the impact and the scope of it. I’ll go through sometimes and look at the groups (on Facebook) and I’m like ‘wow, I didn’t realize we had this many people or like 12,000 likes on Facebook.’ The sheer numbers surprise me to this day.” (Picture above from the December issue of Runner’s World that featured BGR! in an article entitled “Why is Running So White?” )

Our Health, Our Hair

The stereotype around the fact that black women don’t work out because of their hair is definitely being broken down more and more everyday especially in the community Toni and Ashley have created through the Facebook groups. Ashley says “I think it’s a good time to because we’ve kind of created this forum where people have so many resources to draw. You can post to your individual group and get information on how people are caring for their hair while working out. And I don’t think that network has always been there.” Websites, blogs, YouTube videos, new products – all of these are more accessible to women and provide a wealth of information to those who need to figure out some ideas on what to do with their hair while they workout. Is our hair still a barrier to our health? “I think it’s still an issue, but the conversation around it is different. And I think that just starting the conversation has helped tremendously… the conversation is changing from ‘I can’t work out today, because I just got my hair done’ to ‘well let me figure out how to manage this.’” Toni says.

On Caring for their Own Tresses

We all have our favorite products, hairstyles and quirks about our own hair. Both ladies are natural and embrace their hair with grace. Ashley is a wash-n-go kind of girl whose favorite products are Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk, Hair Rules Curly Whip
and olive oil. “And it just got long enough that I can wear a ponytail, so I’m really excited about that.” Toni’s hair is extremely coarse and she is still trying to nail down her own hair regimen. “(laughing) I probably need to have a consultation with Afrobella after this.” Some of her favorite products are Giovanni’s 50/50 conditioner, Hair Rules Curly Whip, and she uses almond oil and water as a refresher.

Advice for Beginners

Beginning a running routine can be scary, exciting, difficult and sometimes frustrating, so it’s important to try and start off on the right foot (see what I did there?). As women who’ve been running for a few years now, Toni and Ashley have been through it all and offer some great advice for newbies. Ashley says, “ I always tell people to first start with the Couch to 5K program. I think that is the best way to work your way into running. And then on top of doing the program, I tell everyone to go get fitted for running shoes.” Toni encourages beginners to make a commitment to what they want to do by even signing up for a race first. “Now, don’t make a half marathon or a marathon your first race, but start with a 5K and work your way up to a 10K and then maybe start looking at half marathons, but once you make that commitment and make up your mind to do it, it’s going to keep you on track.”

What’s your motivation?

Motivation for Toni and Ashley isn’t just an attempt to show their huge following that they run on a daily basis, it’s a little deeper than that. For both ladies, motivation to run and stay active comes from a desire to better themselves and stay accountable. “Running is really a way for me to meditate and clear my mind, so that really helps motivate me when I have things to think through. I just go for a run or a walk, but really, running helps me do that,” Ashley says. I guess my motivation is when I’m running and eating right and stuff I feel like I’m at my best and I just hate not feeling that way. Because when you know what your best feels like, you always want to be there.” Both ladies are fully aware that they’ve got a nation of runners watching them, counting on them to stay just as committed to running as they are.

What’s next for Black Girls RUN!

Can this amazing organization get any better at rounding up women to take better care of their health? Toni certainly thinks that there is definitely room to grow. “Well we’re definitely going to add more groups, hopefully internationally, which is really exciting. Basically, getting out into the community because we’re sort of doing this at a bird’s eye view and we know that we can make a much larger impact if we were actually in the communities doing things. So hopefully that’s part of the plan. Our website is going to become much bigger and better as well.”
I have no doubt that the movement Toni and Ashley have created will grow and flourish in to something the running world cannot ignore. And as more black women realize how important it is to be active and live a healthy lifestyle, Toni, Ashley and Black Girls RUN! will be there to support those women through every step.

You can find BGR! running gear at their online store: blackgirlsrun.bigcartel.com. To find out if there’s a BGR! running group in your city, go to www.blackgirlsrun.com, and click on “Running Groups”. You can also follow BGR! on Twitter: @BlackGirlsRUN.

The post Afrobella(s) of the Month — Toni Carey and Ashley Hicks, founders of Black Girls RUN! appeared first on Afrobella.