My Hair is in Love

I have been on a hunt for a product that gave me twists/twist outs to my liking ever since I BC’d in February of 2006. Some products kind of did the job, but my twists and twist outs wouldn’t last. I’ve read about people making their own gel out of flax seeds, so I went out and bought some a while back. I made my very first batch last month, and I decided to go ahead and put it to the test. Much to my surprise, my hair fell in love and my twists have never been the same.

The flax seed gel concoction left my hair soft, moisturized, and it had a nice hold that wasn’t crunchy or crispy at all. I also sealed my hair with something called “Soothing Foot Butter”. I know it’s geared towards the feet but it's all natural. Everything turned out nice. Hopefully you can see enough of my hair in the pics above to see my results. I didn’t think of taking a close up hair shot of my results at the time, but I will make sure to do so when I twist again.

Flax seeds are an awesome source of Omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids nourish the hair which in turn promotes healthy hair growth and a natural sheen when taken orally. I’ve seen the benefits of applying the Omega-3 fatty acids externally to my strands by way of the flax seed gel. You can use the gel on your scalp as well. It helps combat psoriasis and eczema that may be present on the scalp. You might want to think about adding some Omega-3 supplements to your daily vitamin intake to get your fair share of healthy fats. These unsaturated fats are beneficial to your cardiovascular and brain health as well as your immune system.

My Recipe
½ cup of flax seed
3 cups of water (use 1½ to 2 cups for a slightly thicker gel)
1 oz Avocado Oil
1 oz Aloe Vera Gel

Bring the flax seeds and water to a boil. Stir the flax seeds as the water boils. You will see a frothy type gel begin to form. Continue to stir for about another minute. Remove your pan from the heat and strain the mixture using a strainer with the smallest holes you can find or a tea ball. I’ve found that these work best. It can get a little messy if you use a cheese cloth. After straining, let the gel cool and stir occasionally. Once it cools, add the oil, AVG, and stir. The gel will be kind of slimy and loose if you use 3 cups of water. You may want to place this in the fridge in between uses if you are not using a preservative in your mixture. Apply as needed.



Until Next Time,
Indulgenceiskey
www.naturesindulgence.net

Quick Workout: Shoulders

I know that it is cold where most of you live so I thought I would share a workout that you can do without leaving the house to go to the gym. One of my friends gave me this workout, and I would like to share it with you all. He has a blog so check him out him you get a moment, especially if you like football.

This can be done quickly/slowly with heavy weights, light weights, or bands.

In this exercise you will basically superset 2 exercises. A superset is two or more exercises in a row, then a rest break.

Front arm raises immediately followed by side arm extensions.

2 full sets of 10 or 3 full sets of 8 (depending on heavy/light).

1 set (10 reps or 8 reps) of front arm raises + 1 set (10 reps or 8 reps) of side arm extensions, then rest. All of this equals one full set.

Front Arm Raises

Side Arm Extensions

Rest for no longer than 5 minutes after the above superset then

Upright Row

2 sets of 10 or 3 sets of 8 (depending on heavy/light)

Try to bring bar, hand weights, or bands just under your chin.

This will complete the quick shoulder workout.

An Alternative

The slightly longer workout is essentially the same as above except we will break each exercise into its own routine.

Front Arm Raises

2 or 3 sets of 16 per arm (depending on heavy/light)

In this workout you will do one arm at a time alternating arms. Do 8 with palms facing towards you and then 8 with them facing away from you and this will complete one set.

Side Arm Extensions

Do 2 sets of 10 or 3 sets of 8 (depending on heavy/light). Do both arms at the same time.

Upright Row

Do 2 sets of 10 or 3 sets of 8 (depending on heavy/light). Do both arms at the same time.

Both of these are relatively quick but the 2nd one is more isolation work. If you go heavier you will need more rest, thus resulting in more time.

I hope that you all will find this work out to be beneficial for you when you are “strapped” for time.

Goody Bag Treat for the Day!

The Goody Bag Treat for the day is a coupon for a free seasonal prep evaluation for your vehicle at your local Pep Boys. It expires at the end of the month.

Enjoy!

Until Next Time,
Indulgenceiskey
www.naturesindulgence.net