Nature's Calling...

Do you know what I love most? No it’s not shoes, even though they’re pretty high on my list, it's FOOD. Yes, my skinny butt is a fatty (well not my butt, but my lifestyle). I have a pretty fast metabolism and most of my life I hated it. I didn't like the fact that I was so small, but with time I learned to accept the things I wasn’t so fond of about myself. Even through my awkward stage of not liking my body, the constant, continuous comment I would get was “How lucky you are that you can eat like a man, and not gain a pound.” Well folks, I don’t feel so lucky right now, because after all the burgers, pizza, fries and pretty much everything else, my body is screaming out, “I CAN’T TAKE IT.” So I’ve decided to make a change and be 100% natural. The first transition was my hair; the second, more recent one is my lifestyle.

“We all want to feel better, live healthier, look our best. Living a more natural lifestyle will help in these areas but will more importantly simplify your life and create more balanced awareness and overall state of well being.” (undergroundhealth.com)

I’m guessing I made a good decision, huh? Although living a natural lifestyle is simple, the transition from fat booty pig → to healthy living is not. Let’s explore the benefits, in efforts to help your transition.Over time, living a natural lifestyle has several benefits. It helps support a stronger immune system, less weight problems and better sleep. Nicole Wilkins saw an overall change in her appearance, mood and quality of life when she changed her diet. “By switching to whole foods I’ve seen major improvement in my hair, nails, skin, and energy.” Natural foods have more nutrition than conventional foods. Studies have shown that “organic fruit and vegetables have about 50% more antioxidants that scientists believe could reduce the risk of cancer or heart disease.” (vkool.com) Now I know that it may be hard to believe that eating fruits tastes better than chowing down on a burger, but it does! Real quick, don’t lie. If you’ve tasted organic foods before, don’t you see the difference when you eat the foods you’re not supposed to? Well if that doesn’t convince you to change your diet than think of how it affects others. Steering away from foods containing pesticides and all that other nasty stuff will help protect our future generations and the earth as well!I’m sure you all have heard of natural foods that you can eat, but did you know that some of these foods could be used for medical benefits? Let’s explore those, just for fun!Apple cider vinegar helps with the common cold, acid reflux, sinus infections, ear infections, yeast infections and urinary tract infections (because those are dreadful in and of themselves).If you have a headache, before you reach for the Advil, try a potato. According to prevention.com, “The 37 g of carbs in a medium potato can ease a tension headache by upping serotonin levels, as long as you keep the fat and protein below 2 g.”Cayenne Pepper is something strong, but it has been proven when paired with honey that it can help curb your cough! In addition to helping that cough cayenne pepper can also help a toothache, migraines, blood clots and your overall digestive system. Cool, right? Let’s live healthier, change your diet today!          Be Organic,Xoxo

Physical Benefits of Yoga

Being an athlete for the past several years can take a harsh toll on the body; being a sprinter automatically gives one a lazy mindset (or at least I found that me and my sprinter friends always looked for shortcuts). So what could I do? I know I needed to have some form of exercise to alleviate the injuries I endured over the years, but I knew that doing basic stretches by myself daily was only going to last me a week. I needed a system, a workout buddy; something organized to keep me focused. So I researched Yoga. I was not in need of yoga from a spiritual perspective, but my physical body had enough and needed a change! I found that yoga has a lot more benefits than flexibility and stability, and over time as I began to practice yoga; I felt a change in my physical body. My posture changed, my shoulders were less tense, my legs weren’t aching after walking for ten minutes; yoga helped me take care of my body better than I was before.Like I stated before Yoga truly helps with flexibility and stability, but what I didn’t know is that if you practice yoga, you can also release stress (migraines), help your heart by lowering your blood pressures, and lowering cholesterol. According to thedailyburn.com Yoga can help you sleep better and feel less fatigued, as well as help control food cravings. Lastly, I found that for those struggling with respiratory problems found that the breathing techniques performed in yoga helped those issues, (cnachealth.com)I know right now you may be thinking, I can’t do yoga or when I tried it, I found it didn’t benefit me. Well the answer to that my be what were you looking to gain from doing yoga and figuring out which yoga is right for you.Types of Yoga:Yoga for Weight LossIf you are looking to practice yoga to loss some weight you should try Vinyasa or Bikram Yoga.Vinyasa is a fast paced yoga that changes postures quickly. If you pair this yoga 2x a week with a cardio workout you will begin to see weight loss. Bikram aka Hot Yoga has also been known to be used for weight loss. Being in a 105 degree Farenheit room practices yoga poses can increase your heart rate which will burn calories fasters. Bikram yoga also helps your digestive system and allows to get rid of those unhealthy food cravings.Yoga for AthletesPower Yoga is a strength training yoga that focuses on your core and is often paired with hand weights. If you’re looking for a good workout, try this type of yoga!Iyenar Yoga, every athlete should ensure that one form of yoga they practice is NOT high paced. After power yoga, it is essential that an athlete practice a form of yoga that focuses on performance and breath control. Iyenar helps to promote strength while releasing tension and building mobility and stability.Yoga for All AgesRestorative Yoga is for all ages. It focuses on the beginner postures while relaxing and soothing the nerves. Props that are usually used are blankets/pillows and the ideal goal is to allow you to gain more flexibility and stability.Be Healthy, Xoxo

2014 Celebrity Charity Basketball Game

It is always good to give back! Being able to serve your community isn’t only beneficial for the recipient, but for yourself as well. Duffy’s Hope Foundation is dedicated to helping their community by reaching out to teens between the ages of 12-17. The foundation started in 1998 by Allen “Duffy” Samuels and is located in Wilmington, Delaware. Over the years Duffy’s Hope has been able to touch over 4,500 lives and continues to extend their hands to the youth of Delaware.Each year Duffy hosts a celebrity event to raise funds for seminars, mentoring, tutoring and more. This year I had the pleasure of returning to Delaware after 6 years. I had attended the Celebrity Softball Game in the summer of 2008 and returned that winter for the Basketball game. I enjoyed being able to be apart of what Duffy’s Foundation is doing to help their youth and was looking forward to coming back for the Celebrity Basketball Game this year. Of course being able to meet my favorite character, Derek Roman (Mckinley Freeman) from VH1’s “Hit the Floor” and the uncontrollably handsome Blue (Jay Ellis) from BET’s top show “The Game” added to my excitement. Other celebrity guests that attended the event were Romeo, Keshia Chante, Christian Keyes, Lamman Rucker, Allie Deberry, Tammy Browning, Hot Sauce, DJ Mifflin, and Raven Goodwin.

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There are several ways to give back to your community, church, school or other organizations, you just have to get out there and do something! Whether it is serving or organizing a charity event or simply donating to the organization, it is always good to be able to influence someone in a beneficial way!

Be Charitable,

Xoxo