So You Don't Work Out Because of Your Hair? Dr. Phoenyx Austin Reveals Biggest Fitness Mistakes

So You Don't Work Out Because of Your Hair? Dr. Phoenyx Austin Reveals Biggest Fitness Mistakes

The author of the new book “And That’s Why You’re Fat,” by Dr. Phoenyx Austin, breaks down the excuses for why black woman say they can not work out because of their hair and other excuses too.

“You can’t put your hair above fitness, above health [or] above your body,” said Austin. “There are women with natural hair who avoid working out because they don’t want to mess up whatever ‘do they’ve got. You have to keep the maintenance of your hairstyle simple.”

She also gives tips such as using apps, keeping a food journal, and maintaining a regular work out schedule to getting in better health.

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Blaq Natural Hair: MSNBC Correspondent Tamron Hall Shows Off Her Natural Hair

We like that more and more black women in the field of media are taking on their own identity and wearing natural hairstyles. It shows how much we can be ourselves and not be conformed to society's image of us.

Natural Hair blogger reported:

MSNBC correspondent Tamron  Hall has been a natural girl, but it looks like she’s ready to share her natural hair story with the world.

After 20-year in the industry, she recently shared her story with natural hair blogger Curly Nikki during a trip to South Africa.

“Like many Black women on television, straight hair has been her professional life and look… that was until our trip together to South Africa,” Nikki writes. “After hearing about my hair story and experiencing for herself, the positive and supportive natural hair community, she felt inspired to finally share her curly story with the world.”

“In a moment of pure honesty, she also shared that she sometimes felt a bit of resentment at her White colleagues who could wake up in the morning and come right in to work, entirely ‘appropriate’ or ‘professional’, but that she’d have to spend hours- that she could’ve spent resting or preparing- manipulating her hair to meet the straight hair standard of beauty,” she continued. “Sound familiar any one?”

“Tamron has been natural for a while but most folks wouldn’t know. Until this post, only close family and friends have witnessed the awesomeness that is her curly hair.  She shared that most vacations end with her having to wear her natural hair and that when she returns from vacation, she has to take an extra vacation day to get her hair straightened for work.  As we all know, straight hair is also beautiful and the limited use of heat-treated styles does not necessarily prevent us from having healthy natural hair.

However, I suggested to her that the NEED to straighten one’s hair for personal or professional reasons can sometimes become a ‘quality of life’ issue.  Tam’s response…‘I totally agree, and hope that being honest about my story helps other textured women struggling with this issue to try going natural either full or part time.‘”

Well, we hope she goes totally natural and move a trend in her workplace but we realize that may affect her 'quality of life". Hopefully she can do what really makes her happy one day soon.

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Lace Front Wigs: Researchers Say they Cause Forehead Cancer in Black Women

Lace Front Wigs: Researchers Say they Cause Forehead Cancer in Black Women

We always knew that those kind of wigs would cause some type of serious issues for black women in the long run. Now, researchers are saying just what we feared. Let's find out from the report below all the details.

We found a site named CreamBMP.com and they have information about what researchers have found about this kind of cancer from lace front wigs:

Saturday, March 29th marked the day that researchers came to the conclusion that Lace Front Wigs are the leading cause of forehead cancer in African American women. After years of studies Cancer has shown to be more prevalent in women who wear tightly laced wigs (Lace Fronts), because of the abnormal cells that are able to form under the moist heat that is usually a result of over-wearing the head ornaments.

We always felt that any tight wearing wig would be dangerous but we don't conclude it would cause cancer.

Lace Front wigs have long been a staple in the African American community; especially among inner city youth and with the recent acceptance in the past few years by entertainers & celebrities alike. “The amount of wig wearing youngsters has increased 3 fold” said Cancer Center of America representative Ronald DePinho.

It is true that black women and especially young women are wearing these wigs wanting to mimic celebrities and ideals from reality shows too.

When asked what can people do to help with the cause and hopefully prevent forehead cancer in a friend or family member? Dr. Renald Depondo responded: Snatch a wig, save a life would be the campaign.

We are praying that the above photo scares black women from continuing to wear these wigs. We want black women, young and old that this could happen to any of us if we don't take heed. We are hoping that many more women start taking on the natural hair concept that is literally being embraced by loads of black women all over the world.
 

Source

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Black Women, Warning to Stop Using Hair Relaxers, Linked to Fibroids [VIDEO]

Black Women, Warning to Stop Using Hair Relaxers, Linked to Fibroids [VIDEO]

There's some startling news coming from a new study in the American Journal of Epidemiology. The study says hair relaxers are linked to uterine fibroids and to young girls early as puberty.

When we think about this, it really brings to light why black women need to embrace the ever growing culture of going natural with their hair. We have always felt relaxers caused issues for our type of hair but who would have known that fibroids was a huge problem because of hair relaxers.

The study continues to state that:

Scientists followed more than 23,000 pre-menopausal Black American women from 1997 to 2009 and found that the two- to three-times higher rate of fibroids among black women may be linked to chemical exposure through scalp lesions and burns resulting from relaxers. Women who got their first menstrual period before the age of 10 were also more likely to have uterine fibroids, and early menstruation may result from hair products black girls are using, according to a separate study published in the Annals of Epidemiology last summer.

This may be a result to black mothers who grew tired of combing their young girls' hair and put relaxers on their heads as young as 4 years old. We have heard of cases like this. The study goes on to state:

Three hundred African American, African Caribbean, Hispanic, and White women in New York City were studied. The women’s first menstrual period varied anywhere from age 8 to age 19, but African Americans, who were more likely to use straightening and relaxers hair oils, also reached menarche earlier than other racial/ethnic groups. So far, there is only an association rather than a cause and effect relationship between relaxers, fibroid tumors, and puberty.

Here are some true and important facts about fibroids

Fibroids are tumors that grow in the uterus. They are benign, which means they are not cancerous, and are made up of muscle fibers. Fibroids can be as small as a pea and can grow as large as a melon. It is estimated that 20-50% of women have, or will have, fibroids at some time in their lives. They are rare in women under the age of 20, most common in women in their 30s and 40s, and tend to shrink after the menopause.

According to US studies, fibroids occur up to nine times more often in black women than in white women, and tend to appear earlier. The reason for this is unclear. Also women who are overweight may be more likely to have fibroids. This is thought to be due to higher levels of estrogen in heavier women.

This is so important that black women take heed to the information here about fibroids and black girls and women. We pray that more black women take in consideration that going natural really is the best way. Take a lesson from a story from our friends at Hicktown Press that was pretty eye opening for many of us.

Watch video below:

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Black Women: Growing Healthy Long Hair

Black Women: Growing Healthy Long Hair 

If anyone told you it is not possible, either they have succumbed to the stereotypes or they just haven't seen any real proof of it. Well, I'm here to tell you that growing naturally long hair is possible. My hair is nearly shoulder length but this is not long in my opinion. Long hair, as I see or want, would be at least half way down my back. I don't have long hair but I believe that I can achieve it. And if you want it, you can too! There are some great examples out there that I will explore and post here.

For now, let's get inspired by the video below:

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Welcome to Blaq Natural Hair Blog!

Photo: Beautiful Brown Girls

Hello and welcome to my Blaq Natural Hair blog.  I am starting this blog because I am beginning my own natural hair journey. I have tried a few times in the past and was unsuccessful. I was unsuccessful for many reasons:

• I didn't know how to take care of it
• I found my hair breaking off more than usual
• I didn't know how to style it
• I wasn't happy with it even though I knew it was better for my hair

Essentially, I was very eager to go natural but didn't have enough information about how to care for my hair and feel good wearing it out.

Ultimately, I want thick, long, healthy natural hair. I have been taking nutritional supplements for over 15 years. I am in my 40's and in perfect health according to my doctor's reports. I've never had any major health issues and that is why putting a relaxer on my hair every 3 months started bothering me. A relaxer or perm isn't very healthy nor natural so I had one thing I needed to change and it was my hair.

So, now that you know why I am serious about going natural now and for good, this is why I started this blog. I will be exploring natural hair care products and methods, natural hairstyles for black women and anything that will help me grow the healthiest head of hair I can.

I hope you will enjoy my journey in learning about natural hair and all of the natural products out their that many black women are using to maintain their God given natural hair.

I am happy and proud to finally take control of my hair and be totally natural in all I do from the inside out.

Come join me for the ride.

-T. Marie

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