Don't go on a Diet.....Make a Lifestyle Change

It's that time of year. Whether you are preparing for prom, or for a summer vacation, weight loss goals have been set. One of the most sought after weight loss techniques is trying one of the many popular diets out there. These diets are known as "fad diets". These "quick fixes" help us to lose weight faster. Although these diets tend to help us lose weight fast initially, there are many downsides to this type of dieting. Although many people are pleased with their short term weight loss, it is important to understand that it is just that---temporary. No matter what fad diet you choose, they all have one thing in common. They simply adjust your caloric intake. And as a result, you will lose a few pounds. This is not healthy and it often slows down your metabolism making it impossible to continue to lose weight once you stop dieting and in most cases you will gain the weight back quickly. As a young woman, it is important to realize that you need a balanced diet, with adequate calories and nutrition. Teens should be eating well and exercising regularly, and fad diets could make you feel that this is not necessary. It is important to get exercise daily to maintain a healthy body. It is very easy to look at fad diets and be interested, because it is an easy way to lose the weight that you want to lose to look nice in your prom dress, or in your bathing suit on your summer vacation. It is always important to remember that quick fixes never really solve the problem, it just fixes it for a short amount of time. So I encourage you not to go on diets, but make healthier lifestyle choices that you can stick to.

Written By: Ericalynn Cotton

Healthy Hair: The Reality of Heat Damage

As African American females, we have such an advantage because we are able to wear our hair naturally curly, straight, in a weave, braids and any other style we can come up with. Many times we are unaware of the damage some styles can cause.One of the leading causes of damaged hair is heat styling. Extreme amounts of heat can crack your hair's cuticle and withdraw moisture inside of it-- leaving hair dry and brittle. The tools that cause heat damage are hair dryers, hot rollers, curling irons, straightening combs and flat irons. Once your hair has endured enough heat damage, it is nearly impossible to restore the health of severely damaged strands. As a result, it is in your best interest to use a minimal amount of heat possible when drying and styling your hair.

Here are some tips to avoid extreme heat damage:

1. Avoid multiple swipes with a flat iron and try not to apply heat to your hair multiple times per week.

2. Section your hair off into small enough pieces where one thorough swipe of the flat iron is enough to straighten the hair.

3. Never blow dry 100% wet hair: Allow your hair to dry for a while (up to about 70% dry) before using a blow dryer. When you dry 100% wet hair, you boil the water inside the shaft and get a condition known as bubble shaft which causes weakened, damaged hair that's more likely to break when combed.

4. Take advantage of your blow dryer's cold shot when possible. Although it won't dry your hair as fast as the hotter temperatures will, it will still dry it and decrease the amount of damage on your hair.

5. Consider bonnet or hood drying rather than blow drying: Bonnet/hood drying diffuses the heat over a large area of your hair rather than concentrating high heat on a specific area. If your hair is really sensitive to high heat (especially if you have relaxed hair that is easily prone to breakage), you may want to opt for using rollers and a bonnet or a hood dryer as opposed to blow drying your hair.

Written By: Ericalynn Cotton