Quest for a Diagnosis Update: There is freedom in walking

  I haven't been posting very much about my illness,because every day was pretty much the same & to be frank...its not the funnest thing to think about. Sometimes it helps to keep our minds off ourselves. But anywho, some things have happened recently which I would love to share with you guys.
  First off,I have an appointment with a pain specialist December 4th. My primary doctor believes my brain should be examined with an MRI. Looking for lesions? that I don't know, I'm just so happy that someone is looking outside the box. A big reason why I quit my rhumatalogist is because he simply quit trying. All he wanted to do was shove Cymbalta down my throat after I told him that my body was responding negatively to it. I know it helps tons of people,but I was not one of them.
  I'm starting to realize that I may have to deal with this pain for the rest of my life. Please do not take this as I am being a negative Nancy, its just that there are some things we will go thru in life that we may view as negative at the moment, but actually helps us somehow.

Psalm 119:71 GWT
It was good that I had to suffer in order to learn your laws.

John 11:4 GWT
When Jesus heard the message, he said, “His sickness won’t result in death. Instead, this sickness will bring glory to God so that the Son of God will receive glory through it.

Romans 5:3-4 GWT
But that’s not all. We also brag when we are suffering. We know that suffering creates endurance, endurance creates character, and character creates confidence.

  It really does matter how you look at a situation, do you make the best of what you got? Or do you wallow in self pity,wondering why is this happening to you? Whatever I'm going thru has helped me to grow spiritually, deepening my relationship with my Heavenly Father. Its taken the 'busy' out of my life, & is teaching me humility. God has me under His thumb, right where He needs me, in a place to where He can use me. He will not put anymore on you then what you can bear,so for Him to know that I can bear this...we'll there are no words to explain,just know I feel blessed :) He has given me strength among other things to get me thru each day,one being walking.

1 Timothy 4:8 GWT

Training the body helps a little, but godly living helps in every way. Godly living has the promise of life now and in the world to come.

  Yes,the one thing that I dreaded getting back in to for fear of the pain,has been one of the things to actually help me manage it. Now I still have the AM pains,spasms,burning,twitching,etc but I'm able to tolerate it. Funny how that worked out :) I forgot how free I felt when I'm on that treadmill or at the park!!! I'm doing something that in the beginning of this quest,was an extreme difficulty. I own a walker,a cane,cruches even a shower seat. I'm happy to say I haven't had to use any of them in a while :) this is MY version of independance. My workout regimen is as follows;

•walk 45 minutes, 7 days on 1 day off, doing interval training
•rotate my days which I do strength training for various areas on my body
•eating mainly the 'good carbs' (oats,whole grain)
•drinking 16oz water with each meal (5 meals)
•avoiding refined carbs,sugary stuff,excess eating (eating just cause)
•measuring my weight loss in inches instead of relying on the scale all the time. Scales can be really funky acting. For each day I do not use the bathroom,I gain a pound. TMI? Maybe but that's why I can't always trust that thing. :)
•I'm a pescetarian (eating only seafood,but I only do tuna & shrimp lol) I've been this for almost 3 years, & not for weight loss reasons.

  Yea,stuff like that. I'm doing pretty good,its more than just weight loss for me,its a testimony. I've already lost a few inches. In 2010 I was a resounding 253lbs in a size 18/20, right now I'm in my late 180's and the lowest size I can fit comfortably is a size 10. My body fat percentage is pretty good,I tend to store below the belt than in my midsection, & I'm top heavy (pear/hourglass shape) so I'm less likely to develop the diseases most apple shaped people may get. Plus,I LOVE my bootay,hips & thighs. 
  I'm still taking my medication in the morning for the spasms & pain, & I thank God for it, but I can't wait for the day I won't have to pop pills.
We'll I think that's it for now,will try to keep you guys updated more often.

Till next time!!
Nessa*

Blog feature: Nappturally Curly Demure

Oh my wow...would you just look at those banging curls!!! This fellow naturalista is obviously seriously talented! Whenever I decide to color my hair,she may have to book a one way trip to South Carolina. ;) 

Tell us a little about yourself:
  "I am an Office Manager from New York!! :) who enjoys painting, singing, publically speaking, learning and ofcourse living."

How long have you been natural? What inspired you to start your healthy hair journey?
  "I have been Natural almost 3 years and I will never go back. I decided to go natural when I became a mother of my daughter. I didn't want her to have any type of discern with her natural beauty so I had to lead by example."

Did you encounter any negativity along the way?
  "No,suprisingly none at all LOL"

What is your current regimen?
  "My current regimen is washing biweekly and deep conditioning monthly. I twist my hair 2x a week at most with Reve Essentials Hair and Body Moisturizing Creme on dry hair and rock twist outs. I never ever detangle with anything other than my fingers."

What are some of your favorite products?
  "Reve Essentials, Oyin Handmade, and Curl junkie"

What are some techniques that you think made this journey a tad bit easier on you?
  "Doing my twist on dry hair and finger detangling!"

Do you have some advice you wouldn't mind sharing that would help someone just starting their hair journey?
  "Have PATIENCE and love yourself before you go on this journey. Your hair will show the love you carry for it." :)

Is there anything else you would like to share?
  "Don't give up!"

Where can we find you?(blog,facebook page,website,etc)
  •www.curlydemure.blogspot.com
  •Instagram-Curly Demure
  •Twitter-Curly Demure
  •Facebook-Curly Demure
  •YouTube-Curly Demure

For ladies in the NY area I throw a monthly meet up with my home girl Cutie Kinks:
www.meetup.com/CutieDemure

 

  Thanks soooooo much for sharing! I couldn't agree more with you about the finger detangling, your hair will benefit from the low amount of manipulation. And what a sweet act of humility to do this for your baby girl...kudos!!!

  Don't forget, if you would also like to be a feature on Nappturally Nessa,please send an email to; nessadodd@yahoo.com,with "Interview" in the subject bar, & I will respond back with the details.

Till next time!!!
Nessa*

Quick Thought-Why the phrase 'good hair' isnt a good thing to say

  I'm sure many of you have heard this "you've got some good hair" *rolls eyes* such a pet peeve of mine & I'll tell you why.

  If there is such a thing as good hair,that means there must be such a thing as bad hair...right? Wrong!! How is it that something that was God given to you from birth be bad? And why would you give something on you such a title?
  When you make the decision to go natural, you are not only transitioning your hair, many of us had to transition our minds as well. Just because your texture isnt like someone elses,you can't drag a fine tooth comb thru in one pass (or any comb for that matter),or its difficult for YOU to manage doesn't make it bad. Not all of us were born with the know how to style our hair (I know I wasnt lol) but that's when you roll up your sleeves,do your research, ask questions & learn!
You can not treat your natural hair,as you did your relaxed hair, I repeat YOU CAN NOT TREAT YOUR NATURAL HAIR AS YOU DID YOUR RELAXED HAIR. The shoe won't fit.
  Know this,when you decide to take the plunge, you MAY NOT end up with curls. But again, that does not mean you have bad hair. Through many trials you will discover what works & what does not work for your tresses.Master your hair, & no one will know it better than you. ;)
  Also a quick note, if you have not seen any noticeable progress you may want to re evaluate your hair regimen (routine) because its obvious something isn't working. But that's okay!! :) we won't know everything in this lifetime,so don't be afraid to ask questions & take notes. We all can learn something from each other,and this goes for everybody not just us naturals :)
  I understand that not everyone will choose to go that route, which is a given since no two people are the same.
  In conclusion; the hair that grows from your scalp is beautiful. It is not bad,ugly or any other term that is taken to be something negative. It is your crown and it is AWESOME!!!

Nessa*

Product Review:Yes to Cucumbers Cooling Body Butter

You probably won't see too many product reviews here at Nappturally Nessa,because I have my staples & I'm pretty stubborn in moving outside my comfort area aka my "staple products". But,I was getting really tired in trying to make my own leave in cream.
This was on clearance at Target ($3.00 instead of $13.00,yea...you'd buy it too lol) so I figured why not. Come to find out... I LOOOVVVEEED it :) and it must be pretty good for it to now be a part of my staple products.
Here are the details:

Company-"Yes to.."

Product Ingriedients- Water (Aqua) , Dead Sea Water (Maris Aqua) , Capric/Caprylic Triglyceride , Algae (Seaweed) ExtractRhodella, Dunaliella, Spirulina , Cucumis Sativum Fruit Extract , Brassica Oleifera ExtractBroccoli , Silt (Dead Sea Mud) , Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Butter , Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) , Cucumis Melo JuiceMelon , Ipomoea Batatas ExtractSweet Potato , Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Juice , Fragrance (Parfum) , Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil (Sweet Almond) , Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil , Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil , Persea Gratissima OilAvacado , Niacin , Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract , Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract , Punica Granatum Peel Extract (Pomegranate) , Imidazolidinyl Urea
*side note- There is a similar product "Yes To Carrots Body Butter",the only difference is carrot ingriedients replaces the cucumber in the list.*

Discription- Yes to cucumber and green tea for the soothing fantastic-ness. Yes to sweet almond oil for softening every inch of your body.  Gently apply to clean, dry skin. Make sure to cover from head to toe...you don't want to miss out on this softness.

Price-$13.00 US

Size-8.45oz

Consistency/Texture- Creamy,Light,Smooth,Thick but kind of "airy/whipped"

Scent-Light,Fresh & Clean,very similar to their conditioner if you've ever tried them,floral

Sold at- Walmart,Target,Rite Aide,Walgreen's, Amazon.com, Yes To website,GNC.com,vitacost

Coupons/Savings- I'm not sure about any others,but at my Target there is a travel size section in one of the aisles. That is where they have a small "Yes To Carrots" version of this product,you can try that for 2 bucks to see how you like it first before taking the plunge & purchasing $13 worth of product (although a little goes a long way with this). Also,on that lid is a coupon for 1 dollar off any "Yes to" product over 6 bucks. And since gnc sells this online, you might be able to use your gold card to get a discount.

My experience- Although marketed as a 'body butter', I do use it as a hair product. It glides on smooth,absorbs easily,leave hair feeling soft but not coated. Sometimes I use it solo,other times I seal it in using a crisco mix or my oil mix (castor/safflower). Works well on damp or dry hair.
Would I buy this again- uh duh!! Lol ofcourse! This butter is the buisness!!

Till next time!!
Nessa*

Come on lets twist again...again :)

Yes!! As you can tell by the title,the twists are back!! I had been in my hair for a whole week,so it was about time.
Here's the rundown of what went down (ha ha):

•Sunday night I began finger detangling using my 'strumming' technique (I will try to do a post on this when its time to take these down) then continuing the stretch I put the finished section in a bantu knot. I wasn't able to finish that night,so Monday morning I jumped back in it & ended up with 4 bantu knots.
• Around 3:30pm I started twisting,took a 30min dinner break :) & finished at 7:50pm

So it took me about 4hrs 30mins to complete this set,which is like WOW because I was thinking it would take me anywhere between 6-8hrs. I believe what sped up the process this time around was the fact that my hair was stretched & detangled a good bit. Doing these twists on hair that is not detangled very well can easily put 4hours on the time it takes to twist.
The only tools used were;my fingers,some satin hair scrunchies & some claw clips. Yep,no combs :) not even to part. And the only products used was my "twisting butter" & "Yes to Cucumbers Cooling Body Butter".

I plan on keeping these in for 4 weeks, using my routine, but we shall see. We don't know what tommorrow brings, (Proverbs 27:1 Do not brag about tomorrow,because you do not know what another day may bring)

Anywho,enjoy the pics! Sorry if I look a little shiny & rough :) I was actually REALLY happy (I even danced...don't judge me) if you've ever done small or mini twists, you know the feeling I'm talking about. The,I-just-finished-my-hair-and- won't-have-to-be-bothered-with-it for-a-few-weeks,feeling.
Okay let me stop, I'm beginning to ramble :-p

Till next time!!
Nessa*

P.S. I've put some pics in of what my twists were like in 2010,they've come a long way.

Blog feature:Nappturally Shy

Meet the very 1st "blog feature" here at Nappturally Nessa, Ms. Shyron!!! A very sweet & God fearing natural. I am honored to also call her my friend.

How long have you been natural? what inspired you to start your healthy hair journey?
"I have been natural for about 14 months now. I have always wanted to go natural, but I was unsure on how. I was told by several stylist my hair was way to thick for me to go natural. I tried once while pregnant, but did all the wrong things so it didn't work."

Did you encounter any negativity along the way?
"My family told me to go natural, but I was afraid, plus of what I was told. Now being natural yes! I am told alot too get a texturizer & I need to loosen my curls etc.."

What is your current regimen?
"I don't have a strict regimen. I love to experiment way too much for that.. LOL"

What are some of your favorite products?
"LOL, I am still going all the products I about as a product junkie.. but I like the shea moisture line,Lets Jam custard, V05, plus my BFF Vannesa is teaching me to make my own concoctions."

What are some techniques that you think made this journey a tad bit easier on you?
"The detangling process has never given me much trouble, but I have found a much easier way to do it. I prepoo, shampoo, condition as usual, but I don't detangle until I get out the shower.I section off, put in a good amount of moisturizer, and detangle...much easier."

Do you have some advice you wouldn't mind sharing that would help someone just starting their hair journey?
"Stay postive, your hair is beautiful no matter what ANYONE says. God blessed you with your texture, don't try to make your look like anyone elses. Also, there are no magic ingredients that will make your hair grow to much faster than 1/4 to 1 inch a month,and ofcourse moisture is your best friend."

Is there anything else you would like to share?
"Going natural is a process of trial and error, you have to figure out what works for YOU.Someone elses regimen may not work for you. Embrace your hair!! if you have kinky hair don't wish for it to be wavy,or any other texture. And most importantly have patience...although I'm personally still working on this one. LOL"

Where can we find you?(blog,facebook page,website,etc)
"I'm on Facebook, thats it, I respect bloggers who blog about their journey, but sadly too many try to tell them what to do."

Thank you so much Shy for gracing us with your beauty & wisdom!!! Sad to say that there are some who do tell you what to do with your hair, & then it becomes one of those "My way or the highway" situations. And you are super lucky to not have a struggle when it comes to detangling! That is such a tedious process to me.

Would you like to featured? Ofcourse you do!!! So please send your favorite photos (2-5) in an email with your first name & "Nappturally Me" in the subject bar.

Till next time!
Nessa*

My Super Dee Duper Braidout!!!

Earlier this week I FINALLY had my wash day after wearing small twists & then a twistout during a 2 week period,after washing I applied my "Yes To Cucumbers Cooling Body Butter" to damp hair,sealed with my safflower/castor oil mix & proceded braid my hair into 10 braids for stretching,then multiplying them into 26 on the next day.

This morning I removed them for a super defined braidout. I didn't put any oil or anything on my hands for shine or anything. I'm strange like that. :)
 
Also, I've done many braidouts,usually on less braids & they usually turn out kinda fluffy,this one shocked me by being a tad bit on the heavy side. Heavy meaning I have some serious 'swing' to it & it feels weighted like I have small braids in. o_O
Theres a few things that could've affected this;

•The products used-I just recently started using that particular butter,which is more like a "cream" actually. I loved it so much,that it is now a part of my staple products...welcome home :)

•My hair length-Its kind of a DUH situation here,because the longer your hair gets for some the more weight it has
:-p lol I should've known that.

•The amount of braids- The smaller the braids the more defined the set is.
And...

•My hair was really detangled-I'm not saying my hair is usually "birds nest" tangled but I have to say that I did a do a mighty fine job finger detangling after removing my twists.

But uhm...thats all folks!! can't think of anything else to add,hope you guys enjoyed reading this post!!!

Nessa*

P.s. please overlook the unpainted fingernail :-) I'm trying to start a trend...no? We'll hey,can't say I didn't try ;)