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DRINKING CUMIN SEEDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Did you know that drinking Cumin seeds first thing in the morning as a tea or sipping cumin tea all day can assist you with suppressing your appetite and helping you burn fat easily? This is no hype at all.......read on?

I was bored the other day and doing my favourite thing which is watching youtube videos of hair Vloggers and I bumped into a video of an indian hair vlogger who was talking about Cumin seeds for weightloss. I remembered that I have seen Cumin seeds at the supermarket so I clicked on it to see what it was all about.

You can watch the video here

WHAT IS CUMIN SEED?
Cumin seed or Jeera is a nutty, slightly peppery seed predominantly used in Indian and Middle Eastern Cuisine. In India, it is regarded as a spice and used for cooking meats, spice foods and make curries..

In a recent study of 78 men and women testing showed Cumin as effective as prescription drug Orlistat (Xenical) for weight loss, without the nasty side effects. Over the 8 week trial, those receiving Cumin lost an average of 2-3 lbs – better than those taking Orlistat.


Another recent research study a Shahid University (more below) tested women on a controlled diet who were given cumin powder vs placebo and found the women given cumin powder lost 3 more pounds, and decreased their body fat % almost 15% vs less than 5% for the control group.
The dosage tested was 3 grams – or about 1 teaspoon of cumin powder daily, mixed with yogurt.
Abdominal Fat Burning
Both of these studies showed that not only is cumin great at overall helping your body not to build and store fat, but it’s specifically good at targeting your abdominal fat.

Conclusion:Cumin is not a magic diet pill but it does appear to be as effective for weight loss as popular prescription diet drugs, and have other health benefits with minimal negative side effects

Lower Cholesterol and Triglycerides 
In the study at Shahid University, those taking cumin lowered their triglycerides 23 points and nearly 10 points off their LDL cholesterol levels.

Improve Mental Health with Cumin
As mentioned, cumin is also beneficial to mental health. It can help you improve your memory and sharpen your concentration skills(4). It’s commonly suggested to use cumin in your daily diet if you suffer from any kind of insomnia, too.

Digestive system
In Indian cuisine it’s commonly combined with a number or other spices, such as ginger, fenugreek, black pepper and turmeric powder. This helps increase the effect that it has on your digestive system and helps your body absorb more nutrients, which in turn helps prevent your body from storing fat(6)
Cumin is an amazing source of iron, which is important for ensuring a healthy digestive system. It helps your body produce energy more effectively, carry a healthy supply of oxygen to the tissues in your body, and improves your immune system.
Arthritis, Asthma, and more
Cumin has also been proven to help those who suffer from arthritis, asthma and kidney disease.
Side Effects
This study of cumin (5) with subjects taking up to 20 grams of cumin daily showed it was “well tolerated with no significant adverse side effects.

Add Cumin to your diet

If you want to try adding Cumin to your diet for weight loss, you’ll need to carry some with you during the day since it works best taking it 3 times a day.
Add to recipes, or foods like YogurtIn one of the studies demonstrating the best weight loss results, the test subjects mixed cumin powder in their yogurt, so that is a good option for many people.

You can also follow the easy method of boiling 1 teaspoon of cumin in water and drinking as tea first thin in the morning

WHERE TO GET CUMIN
You can buy cumin seeds or cumin powder at any indian shop
I get mine from Park n shop Victoria Island OR Emjays supermarket on Adeola Odeku, Victoria Island

2016 GOALS / HOW TO HAVE $10,000 OR MORE CASH MONEY IN THE BANK

I read this article from one of my favourite bloggers, Nadege http://relaxedhairhealth.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/2016-intentions-how-to-have-10000-cash.html and thought to share.....as you get older, you want to at least have a Nest kept aside for the future that you do not touch.

This year, 2016, my aim is to grow my Nest and this article helps set out steps you can use to achieve this! Happy reading!

I like to watch reality competition shows.  Every so often, the contestants will be tasked with an interesting and unique challenge.  The game show announcer declares that the winner will receive $10,000 in cash! 

Screams are heard from the hopeful contestants as they are filled with emotion at the possibility of earning $10,000.  Some jump up and down, others have tears in their eyes as they describe how their lives would change if they were to receive such a blessing.

I watch what unfolds with mixed feelings. 

On one hand, I too would be excited if I received $10,000 for less than an hour of activity.  But, on the other hand, I never want to be in a situation where the only way to receive such an amount of money would be to win on a gameshow.  Yes, $10,000 is a lot of money, but at the same time... it isn't.

Years ago, I set the intension of saving $10,000 cash.  I picked that number because $10,000 was (and still is) a lot of money.  I wanted direct access to $10,000.  I never wanted to be in a situation where I never had five figures in the bank unless I won it on a gameshow.  I needed $10,000 to be normal and accessible.  T Harv Ekar talks about the financial thermostat in his book Secrets of a Millionaire Mind.  This is our self imposed financial comfort level.  The people who started crying at the thought of having $10,000 likely never had that amount of money.  But, on the other end of the financial spectrum are those who've made millions, lost it, and made it back again.  Once you reach a certain financial level, it becomes easy to replicate. 

 My wish for every single person reading this post is that you have the opportunity to have at least $10,000 in your bank account.  Whenever an emergency situation comes up, you'll be ready.  If your family members need help, you can assist.  If you lose your job, you can continue to pay your bills. If an opportunity to invest comes your way, you can take advantage!  And if you were to lose the $10,000, you'd know how to get back to that level again.  Wouldn't you want that?

Good!  Let's talk about how to do it.

1. Create a system
When I first made the decision to become a deca-thousandaire, I went back to the basics.  The book that taught me was Automatic Millionaire.  I don't think I even finished reading the book before I set up automatic wealth deductions from my paycheck to my savings.   Saving automatically changed my life!   Reaching my goal was way easier than if I had to use discipline to get to the same outcome. 

We receive 26 paychecks a year.  If we saved only $200 per paycheck, we'd easily have $10,000 in two years.

 "But Nadege.....two years is a long time."

Really?  If you would have started saving $200 a paycheck when North West was born. You'd have $10,000 by now.  That's how fast time goes by.   Even if you don't have and extra $200 to save each paycheck, start with $100 or $150.  As the years go by, you'll get raises and can increase your automatic deductions.  The point is to do it!   If you do nothing else in 2016.  Set an automatic deduction to a savings account and let it work for you. 
 
2. Measure your results
The day I decided to save five figures, I opened up excel and created a spread sheet.  Each month I'd update my net worth tracker by listing my debts and the amount saved.  My favorite thing to do at the end of the month was to look at my numbers.  Chills went up my spine as I watched my net worth rise.  With every thousand dollars saved, I become even more excited about the day when my bank account would reach the magic number.  It was an obsession.

3. Enjoy saving. Hate Debt!
Let's face it, saving multiple thousands of dollars is easier when you don't have a ton of debt.  First and foremost you need to have a reduction plan in place.  At one point I had a car payment that needed addressing. So once I had a small amount saved, I threw all of my money at the stupid car payment until it was out of my life.  Every spare dime I had I allocated towards reducing the loan and I kept a log of how much interest saved as motivation to keep going.  

Debt causes your money to leak. Perhaps you could have saved those $10,000 multiple times over if you hadn't been paying on so many credit cards.   Debt is the enemy of your wealth and you must treat it as such.  You can't get comfortable with it. You can't have it lingering around.  It must be dealt with using a high level of urgency.   For help on how to attack your debt, I suggest Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover.

4. Stop thinking $10,000 is a lot of money. 
 One of the most powerful ways to manifest something in your life is to stop seeing yourself as separate from it.  When you're thinking "$10,000 is a lot of money" you might be falling into  the trap of viewing it as something that's unattainable.  Yes, $10,000 is a decent sum of money, but you've got to start getting comfortable with the idea of having a surplus of $10,000 cash.  It's a new mindset. 

When I first began my financial transformation, the first thing I did was to stop flinching every time I saw a price tag of something that seemed expensive.  That doesn't mean I bought the item, it just meant that I couldn't overreact to the cost. This took a lot of work, because I was the cheapest person you know.  But once I stopped gasping for air every time I saw a $100 price tag, my mind and life began to shift. 

You have to get comfortable with the notion of having that much money. If you don't, you'll do everything in your power, consciously and subconsciously, to keep yourself at your current financial level. 

5.  Get to a milestone then replicate.
To save $10,000 in cash, all you have to do is create a system to save $1,000 in cash. Then replicate.  It's that simple.  If you can save $1,000, you can get to $10,000. It might take a little longer, but it's possible and it's worth it. Sure, thinks will pop up along the way which will cause you to dip into your savings.  But, you'll pay it quickly, then get right back on track towards your $10,000.  One thing I made sure to do was not get upset when a situation came up that required dipping into my savings, instead, I was grateful to have the money available. 

 Having a cushion of $10,000 makes you feel so amazing.  You can walk into a store and get what you want. But chances are, you'll be wiser with your money because you'll want to maintain that $10,000 threshold.  When you've worked hard to build your savings, you won't be so quick to blow it.   I suspect the game show winners often spend their earnings as quickly as it comes in.

Why, because when you get a lump sum of money, the next thought that appears is: "how am I gonna spend it?"  But when you build up $10,000, the next thought is "how can I get this to $20,000....

And that's when the fun begins.

GREETINGS!!!!

Hey All!!!!


Happy new year!!!!

It's so good to be back on my Blog after taking a hiatus......a lot has happened to me, but Thank God, i'm still standing!

I'm going straight to Resolutions as I have a few Resolutions to make this year...they are:

• Blogging more frequently....this needs to become a habit
• Focus on my business, come up with some natural products that are just too awesome (watch out for this shortly!!!!)
• Exercise every day...i wear a fit bit so i am aiming to make at least 10,000 steps a day though, i gotta admit , this is so tough these days as i usually feel tired
• Run at least 3-4 times a week
• Take care of my hair better.....i feel i am at a stage where i understand my hair better now. So, i am aiming to grow at least 6 inches of hair and retain at least 5 inches so no more scissors trigger happy hands
• I am currently transitioning to natural so i will see how that goes. At the moment i am about 13 weeks post relaxer which is just like a normal stretch to me. I intend to wear a lot of Protective styles this year
• Aim to be happy in my skin, after all, how can anyone love you if you don't radiate loving yourself enough?
• Focus on being more healthier and work on my looks as time is taking it's toll on me...(i know this is funny, but i am aiming to age gracefully)

So, how are you all doing???

Any resolutions this year?

Flawless Glowing skin

Nothing beats having beautiful, flawless, glowing skin making you look forever young. Come on!!!! Everyone wants that……. I love going to the spa for body scrub like treatments and even a Hamman bath. But did you know you can actually give yourself a Spa treatment within the comfort of your house/room? How? Read on!!!

  What you’ll need – Kessa/Hamman gloves 

                             _   Moroccan Black Soap/ Your DIY

Black Soap treatment containing Black soap ( liquidified; 3 tbsp. honey: 3 tbsp. lemon juice)

                              _ Sauna Suit.

1. Wear your Sauna Suit around your house for 1 hour. The sauna suit heat up your body and removes toxins in your body and traps the heat softening your skin for a better absorption of your products.

1. Slather your body lavishly with your soap mix same way you’d rub a lotion on your skin but not sparingly.

1. Wear your Kessa glove and gently exfoliate your skin from head to toe in light circular motions to cleanse skin and remove dead skin.

1. Rinse off with water…….. Note all the dirt being washed out.

1. Moisturize your skin. I love jojoba oil as its light but very moisturizing. You can use any cream of your cream.

1. Notice how your skin is glowing.

Try this wonderful tip and thank me later ………

BENEFITS OF USING HONEY ON SKIN

Honey is sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to but you might be surprised to learn that this ingredient has incredible skin benefits as it has antibacterial properties and skin saving antioxidants…………Check out the many benefits of Honey on the skin

Acne - Honey acts as a natural antibacterial so great for treating and preventing acne

Ageing - Because it’s full of antioxidants it slows down ageing

Complexion booster - Is very moisturising and helps create a glow

Clarifier - Opens the pores and makes them easy to unclog

HOW TO USE

1. Moisturizing Honey Mask: honey is a natural humectant meaning it draws moisture from  the air into the skin and ensures it’s retained it in  the layers where it’s needed most for penetrating, long- lasting hydration.    

Apply a thin layer of raw honey to slightly damp skin in a circular motion. Leave on face for at least 30 minutes and rinse off with warm water…Viola! Soft, radiant skin

1. Pore Cleanser: the enzymes in raw honey clarify skin and keep pores clear and clean. Plus, the anti-bacterial properties of honey and jojoba or coconut oil also prevent bacterial build-up that can lead to skin imbalances and breakouts.

Try it: Stir one tablespoon raw honey with two tablespoon jojoba oil or coconut oil and stir very well. Apply to clean, dry skin and massage gently in a circular motion, avoiding your eyes area. Rinse with warm water. 

1. Gentle Exfoliator: honey is loaded with antioxidants, enzymes, and other nutrients that nourish, cleanse and hydrate skin. Baking soda meanwhile is a gentle natural exfoliator that removes dead cells, allowing new cells to emerge for a radiant complexion.

Try it: mix two tablespoons of honey with one tablespoon baking soda. Splash your skin with water then, gentle rub the mixture on your face or body in a circular motion. Rinse well.

1. Sunburn Treatment: honey restores hydration to the deepest layers of sun- exposed skin and both honey and aloe Vera contain powerful anti inflammatories  to calm burned and aid- recovery.  

Try it: mix one part of raw honey with two pure aloe Vera gels. Apply to the affected area.

1. Acne Treatment: honey contains antibacterial and antifungal properties that thwart bacteria that can lend to breakouts. Its anti- inflammatory properties will calm redness and irritation. 

Try it: apply dab of raw honey to affected areas and let sit overnight. You can also add some drops of tea tree oil or lavender oil to the mix for deeper cleansing

MY WIG REGIMEN

I started my wig regimen on the 15^th of June 2015. If you don’t know already, wigging is an excellent method of protective styling and if done properly, can aid with length retention and hair growth. How? Well, depending on how you wear your wig, it can actually provide you with 100% no manipulation for the period or low manipulation.

                               Below is how I am using wigs to grow my hair.

1. Cornrow/ use plaits. The cornrows can be about 4-10 and plaits about 8-20. It just depends on if you like your hair flat or not. I tend to like to do my plaits myself as it gives me control over how tight or lose my hair is, but sometimes, I may want that professional looking cornrow, but I find no one handles my hair better than me.
2. Co wash my hair 2-4x a week. It just depends on how dry I feel my hair is. I’m currently relaxes, stretching and moisture is everything so a conditioner wash is very important. I cowash my hair in the cornrows or plaits. 
3. Shampoo hair once a week. I do this to prevent build up which can be caused by the silicones in my conditioner wash. I use Aussie Moist which is great at providing moisture but can form a film around your hair stands. I also use Vo5 moisture milks strawberries and cream, and sometimes may use Sitrimillah’s  Creamy hair cleansing rinse…… It just depends on my mood. 
4. I DC once/twice a week. This also depends on what I feel my hair needs. I like to do a garlic treatment with Alter ego garlic treatment to prevent shedding mid-week. (during relaxer stretching, we tend to lose hair by shedding.) You can control this with the aid of garlic pills, a tea/coffee rinse or a treatment specifically for that purpose. 

                    My second DC treatment is during the weekend and usually consists of me using Sitrimillah’s  hairveda or Aphogees 2 min reconstructor  (which is a protein treatment). It all depends on what I think my hair needs.

• 2x daily moisturizing and sealing with my spray bottle mix which consists of castor oil, water, kinky curly knot today and jojoba oil…this mix is da bomb for my hair….i got this mix from Kimmaytube’s recipe for leave in but found aloe vera doesn't do much for my texlaxed/relaxed hair….using water instead just works perfectly for my hair
• I re do my plaits / cornrows every week or every 2 weeks as my spirit moves me

I am currently doing my inversion for 7 days after which Ii am not sure if i will relax my hair or continue stretching….Part of me wants to relax but another part wants to stretch for another month or two. When i am ready to relax tho, i will buy my relaxer. In meantime, i am enjoying wigging my hair

FOODS FOR LONG HEALTHY HAIR

It’s amazing most women are embracing their natural hairs now and paying extremely attention to their hair. Nevertheless, relaxed hair can be healthy, long and also taken care of. Let’s talk about healthy foods that helps our hair grow longer and thick.

• Protein promotes grow and since hair is made of protein. Make sure you’re getting plenty of protein in your diet. For an example : lean meats like chicken, turkey and also liver which may be hard one to swallow, but liver feature a key ingredient that’s crucial for growth. As untasty as it sound, liver may be the food of choice when it comes to hair improvement. Eggs are not left out. They are also great food for healthy hair. They are rich in vitamin B5 and B12 to stimulate hair growth as well as biotin, which thicken the hair shaft.
• Iron is responsible for delivering oxygen to your cells from the blood in your toes all the way up to your hair follicles. Lean meats are great way to get iron, but if you’re vegetarian, consider eating beans, lentils and soy products such as edamame and tofu.
• A lack of potassium could lead to several health risk, as well as hair loss. Bananas are naturally rich in potassium and can easily satisfy that sweet tooth. *wink*.
• Zinc assists in the repair of your tissues, making sure that oil glands around follicles are working in the proper way. Get your zinc by eating oysters, low-fat roast beef, toasted wheat grains, roast pumpkin, dark chocolate and cocoa powder.
• Vitamin C deficiencies can cause hair that is weak, lustreless and prone to breakage. Your body uses vitamin C to build collagen which is crucial in developing hair growth. Vitamin C also assists in breaking down iron, another building block of hair. So maintaining good levels of vitamin C is necessary to absorb iron. 
• Carrots have a high concentration of vitamin A which helps promotes hair and scalp health. Vitamin A plays a role in sebum production, much like spinach, and a diet rich in carrots can lead to faster hair growth through healthy sebum production.
• Applying Olive Oil directly to the hair to seal in moisture content and improve shine, especially at the hair ends. Add Olive oil directly to the hair avoiding the skin and leave overnight with a shower cap. Don’t forget to work it out in the morning.  
• Vitamin E is important for healthy hair growth. Eat enough avocados, nuts and seeds and olive oil on a regular basis.  
• Silica prevents baldness, stimulates healthier hair growth, and assures beautiful shine, luster and strength. Green leafy vegetable, especially sea vegetables are good mineral sources raw oats provides silica. 

What a healthy diet!!!!! And what’s exciting about this chain of foods is that it can work in several ways; for your hair, skin and maintaining your body structure/ weight loss. Let’s do this #healthyhair #healthylifestyle 

Author: Ruth Josiah

ALL ABOUT COLON CLEANSES

Obviously, i am not squeamish and there are several things i am willing to try in the name of beauty and wellness, so in my opinion (remember, i am not a medical practitioner),  colon cleansing or colon hydrotherapy or colon irrigation is something we should all go through once or twice a year to cleanse our bodies.

For the Lily livered, colon hydrotherapy is a safe and effective process that works by gently flowing water into the colon to assist in the breakdown of wastes for elimination. A small tube is passed into the colon and purified filtered water at body temperature is released. The therapist massages the stomach to assist with aiding the waste being removed . It is not painful but can be a bit uncomfortable.....kind of like when you have diarrhea.

A toxic bowel is usually the source of many health problems so by cleansing the old , toxic mucus lining of the bowels, one can feel better.  When toxins in the fecal matter are absorbed by the colon system and are not passed out, it can cause auto -intoxication. These toxins end up circulating the body, the lymphatic organs, circulatory system, liver, lungs and kidneys and become unburdened and unable to cope.

Some symptoms of auto-intoxication are - difficulty losing weight, foul breath / body odour, headaches, allergies, chronic fatigue,  arthritis, acne, bloating, indigestion, irritability, nervousness, depression and constipation.

To embark on a colon cleanse, you can just book an appointment with your natural health  practitioner or spa. If you want an effective colon cleanse, a week before your appointment avoid dairy, shell fish, red meat, processed carbohydrates, fried foods, sugar, carbonated drinks and EAT more of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, coconut oil, avocados, olive oil, whole grains (not whole wheat) and of course chicken.
Benefits of a colon cleanse -

• Clears the colon of old, hardened waste materials and toxins
• Improves overall health
• Provides weight loss due to the elimination of impacted decal matter
• clears drugs and heavy metals from the system
• Improves skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, eczema
• Decreases mucus in the body
• Decreases constipation, gas, bloating, indigestion, hard stools and heamarrhoids 

If you live in Lagos, you can book an appointment with the following
B Natural Spa
Villa Maroc,
14 Alagbon Close,
Victoria Island OR

B Natural Spa
11 Oduduwa way, Ikea GRA
Lagos

Venivici Health Club and spa
6 Block 69
Admiralty way,
Lekki Phase 1,
Lagor

10 THINGS ABOUT ME!

Hiya Everyone!

I felt like doing a fun post today so i decided to do this post and say something about myself!

1. My Favourite Color is Black
Its always been my go to color right from my university days. I would wear black jeans and a shirt. Not only does it suit my complexion but it is so easy to wear and even dress up, plus it's very flattering as it hides excess weight. My ideal look however would be rock chic glam. Kind of like the  lady on the left and a pair of booties! Very understated and sexy.......and yes, right now as i type, i am actually wearing a pair of dark skinny jeans, white shirt and of cos my booties.

2. I am Obsessive Compulsive about certain things.
I obsess about things i like a lot.....it can be a bit draining. So, i obsess about my hair....i obsess about my family, i obsess about my health, obsess about running (i've been unable to run for about 2 weeks so you can imagine the thoughts i have been getting). I also obsess when i love a person....so i would obsess about your health, if you are eating, where you are....of course i have to rein myself in most times. I am lucky that my obsessions are just thoughts and not actions and since i identified my behaviour a long time ago myself, i have learnt to keep my obsessive thoughts to myself and not allow it affect my relationship with people.

3. I'm very selfish and self conceited
Yes, you heard that right.....i know most people like to hide the fact that they are selfish and conceited. But me, i accept mine and embrace it.....why?Because i learnt a long time ago that thinking of yourself only and putting yourself first is not such a bad thing. Thats not to say that i don't think of others. I do, but you have to be worth me inconveniencing myself for you. You also have to understand the fact that we come into this world alone and we die alone. However, while practising this Mantra, never forget that you have a God and will come before him on Judgement day. So, do right in his sight. It's my guiding principle!

4. I'm modestly Vain
If you read my articles or know me personally, you would know that i am quite vain. I love to look good for myself and i don't think its a crime. My dressing, exercise, looks are all about me and a perception of what i should look like. I always believe i should look into the mirror and like what i see and if i don't like what i see, then i should change it. So, if i put on weight for instance, i won't bore anyone with my complaints. I would just carry my lazy arse to the gym

5. I'm a girly girl!
I love being a woman! No, i don't ever envy men or want to be them. Even if i was to be reincarnated 10 times, i would always want to come back as a woman. I love being feminine, wearing dresses, having my hair done, wearing make up and dolling up sometimes. I love perfume, lipstick and all the intricacies of being a woman. Girls rock and have all the fun in the world!

6. My Pet peeve s Slow drivers
Hmmm....Slow drivers drive me nuts. They drive me crazy and have me wondering why they decided to drive a car in the first place

7. I love to love
Not my fault! I'm aries! I can't help myself! I love to love and i like to fall passionately in love. I do fall out of love just as easily too, so you best be careful. We need passion in our lives to be happy and to feel alive and even if we know that the love is not permanent, we will still dive in head first not thinking of the consequences. We get completely depressed and fade out like a rose without water for nourishment

8. I like to regard myself as a free spirit
You can't hold me down so don't bother! Will do what i like as i please.

9. I'm a hoarder
This is my disease. I like to own and possess things and when i like something i don't want to run out of it. I hoard clothes, shoes, make up, creams, cleansers, shampoos, conditioners, perfumes. My room is over flowing with my possessions. My hoarding skills are renown as I've been in a situation where I've had 7 hair blow dryers (my reason for having seven was that they served different purposes), 3 hair steamers, 2 facial steamers, uncountable brands of products cos i will try a product, fall in love with the brand, buy everything in the brand range and then a few weeks down the line i decide i do not like it.....then i store it and start with another brand, refusing to give out the old one because i feel one day, i might go back to loving it)

10. I love running
Out of all the exercises in the world, the easiest, coolest and fun filled exercise for me is running. I love to run. When i run, i am happy. It clears my thoughts, i think about what i have to do, what needs to be changed. I know to some its very hard, but for me, its just so cool. I am obsessed with running clothes and running shoes.