What's Hiding in Your Cabinet?

As you know I am slowly making my way through the various hair products that I have in an effort to streamline what I am using and to eliminate some of the non-natural products I own. As I get through the last bit of these products it occurred to me that there are several products that I think deserve an honourable mention despite their synthetic ingredients because they were quite effective on my hair. Some of you might be thinking, "well why get rid of them if they are doing a good job?" The only answer I can give is "because that is the choice I have made for myself and my hair". Gradually I have been replacing these products, with some success (and some disappointments), which I have also discussed below.

If you plan to try any of these products please don't let my words discourage you. My goal is not to discourage anyone from trying a product I've mentioned on my blog. Please remember, this blog is about my personal hair journey, highlighting the highs and lows of my hair (rightly named "Diva!") and as I've already established, she is a bit of a snob when it come to most hair products. What doesn't work for her, may work wonders for your hair....so always try things out for yourself.


Nature's Gate Aloe Vera Moisturizing Conditioner ($5.99-$7.95 CDN)

Promise: Gently effective, this exotic combination of herbs packed with natural proteins help condition, moisturize, nourish and restore natural softness and shine, giving you silky soft and tangle-free hair.

Ingredients: Water, Cetyl Alcohol**, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Hordeum Distichon (Barley) Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Panthenol, Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Seed Extract, Viola Tricolor (Wild Pansy) Extract, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance.

*bold/highlighted ingredients are synthetic and/or potentially toxic in high doses.
** plant derived source said to be safe

Results: When I used this product I was pleasantly surprised. It isn't the greatest conditioner for deep conditioning in my opinion, but it is a great "cheapie" conditioner for co-washing. I swear my tangles just fell out with very little effort when I applied it directly to a tangled section for a few seconds. My comb just glided through my hair with such ease I did a little happy dance in the shower . When my hair dried my new growth was incredibly soft and felt moisturized. Overall, I was very pleased. The smell is pleasant and fruity, yet mild. It is just too bad it has all those darn chemicals in it. But if you are not as particular as me, I would definitely give it a try, especially if you can find it for $5.99 or less. Overall, I will give this product a . I would have given it more, but it didn't work like a conditioner should just a great co-wash product. Problem is, if you don't like to co-wash your hair, then this product may not be for you.

Giovanni Direct Leave In Conditioner ($6.99-$10.99 CDN)

Promise: Restores strength, luster and nourishment to abused hair. Moisturizes and builds body. This conditioner infuses each individual hair with proteins. Detangles for easy comb-out, easy styling.

Ingredients: Aqua (purified water) with *rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) oil, *nettle (Uritica dioica) oil, *thyme (Thymus vulagris) oil, birch leaf (Butela alba) oil, *chamomile (Anthemis nobilus flower) oil, *clary (Salvia sclarea), *lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), *coltsfoot leaf (Tussilago farfara), *yarrow (Achillea millefolium) oil, *mallow (Malva sylvestris), *horsetail (Equistetum arvense) oil, *soybean protein (Glycine soja), cetyl alcohol (plant derived), tocopherol (vitamin E), trace minerals, citric acid (corn), sodium hydroxymethyglycinate, grapefruit seed (citrus derived).

*bold/highlighted ingredients are synthetic and/or potentially toxic in high doses.

Results: When I used this product a few weeks ago I was so impressed I was wondering why I had stopped using it. My hair was so smooth and detangled beautifully. When my hair dried it was a lot straighter than usual and had far less frizz and incredibly soft. The best part is I had absolutely NO breakage. I was ecstatic ! This product has been hiding at the back of my cabinet since I began my journey simply because I was trying to reduce the amount of protein I was using. As I have become more educated about balancing moisture and protein I felt it was safe to give it another try, mainly to use up the last bit of it. The amount of protein in this product is very minimal given its location on the ingredient list. It is also a vegetable source protein, which is not as strong as other forms of protein. This product is such a great leave in that I think a person can over look the last ingredient (which is arguably NOT natural although it is promoted as such). Overall, I have to give this product an because I really loved what it did for my hair. That's a pretty high score, which says a lot given the fact that I am so picky. It honestly would have got a 8.5 if the product contained a natural preservative.

Herbal Essence Long Term Relationship Split End Protector ($2.99-$5.99 CDN)

Promise: "The beautiful beginning of the ends. Smooth them with a kiss of protective conditioning that strengthens your hair against split ends and breakage. I'll help keep your hair from splitsville with my quenching formula fused with extracts of red raspberry and satin. I'm a tip treat with a silky finish that feels so good."

Ingredients: water/eau, stearyl alcohol, cyclopentasiloxane, cetyl alcohol, stearamidopropyl dimethylamine, rubus idaeus (raspberry) juice, hydrolyzed silk, dimethicone, glutamic acid, fragrance/parfum, benzyl alcohol, citric acid, sodium chloride, edta, propylene glycol, dmdm hydantoin, red 33.

Results: Now the price alone is a huge plus, however I care more about the product itself and the effect it has on my hair. I will say overall, the product was just "fine". It moisturized well enough, but left my hair  a little stiff (if you can believe that ), but it may be the fact that I used too much. it may also be because of the protein, which I was not aware was in it prior to doing this review.  It also left a slight film over my hair, which I believed was because of the cones. It really didn't leave my hair feeling as moisturized as I would have liked, but "moisturized" enough none-the less. I found this disappointing because so many people rave about it. For this reason I have to give it a .

Oyin Homemade Hair Dew Lightweight Quenching Lotion ($12-$19 US or $24.00-$36.00 CDN--oh yes you read that correctly!!!!)

Promise: This creamy, conditioning leave-in is light enough for every day. it's great on 'naked' hair immediately after a cleanse, or as a way to reinvigorate tired hair all the way through your hair care cycle. Looking for a product to wake up and moisturize your 'second day hair'? Looking for a way to make your hair pliable enough to re-style without a full rinse? Just want to refresh your coils and curls and give them a shot of moisture before sealing? This leave-in is your answer! As always, mineral/paraffin/petroleum free and full of nourishing castor, olive, and coconut oils instead. We also combine with aloe vera to quench the thirstiest hair... and since it's glycerin-free it's appropriate for even the driest of climates. Give your hair a drink today!

Ingredients: purified water, castor oil, olive oil, organic aloe vera gel, behentrimonium methosulfate (emulsifier), coconut oil, olive squalane, optiphen (preservative), cetyl alcohol, fragrance, and love!

Results: So, I finally found a moisture based all natural daily moisturizer, but the gosh darn price tag had me shaking my head for days. I tried to get around it by going directly to the website, which you can see sells the product for 50% less and that's even with the exchange rate. The problem is shipment fees. They are so ridiculous it was actually cheaper to buy it locally. Luckily, the store I buy some of my products from was having a monthly promotion, which brought the cost down. Despite the price I simply had to try it after reading and watching several reviews on  it, the whole time hoping I would not be disappointed. Now let me start of by saying I love the fact that this products is made fresh to order so that they are not sitting on shelves for months/years. I wanted to wait before giving a review on this product simply because I was not impressed at all the first time I used it. It is not a bad product. It is moisturizing, however it seems like it took a while for my hair to respond to this product. Many people mentioned in their reviews that this product felt amazing the very next day after using it. Their hair was so soft, so manageable, blah, blah, blah...Well Ms. "Diva!" was not hearing it, at least not initially. Like I said it was good, but not amazing, especially for the cost--and I don't mean the Canadian price. I think $12.00 is pretty pricey for this product. Also, I was not that keen on the burnt-sugar scent. It was actually a little off putting to me; I am now use to it, but it took some time. Now, 6 days later, my hair seems to be warming up to the product. I may have been a little heavy handed the first few times I used it, not sure--but likely (LOL), which may have given me the lack luster results I saw initially. My hair feels very soft and moisturized. My breakage seems to be improving as well, so everything is gravy. With all of this taken in consideration I had to give this product an because the price is simply hurting my pocket.

- = not worth the money, don't waste your time.

- = neither hit or miss; just okay

- = good product; really worth trying.

= amazing product!

Hair Faux Pas: How to Get That Hair Growing...Finally

For the last little while I have been a little less motivated to continue with my journey. I think its something we all go through, but I think a lot of my frustration has been more about the fact that I have seen less than desirable results. The fact that I suffered a small set back hasn't helped the situation at all.

In an effort to keep myself motivated I have been doing my usual round on the internet. Reading this and that, which I enjoy doing because I can often find women that have similar hair textures and/or hair issues as my own. Hearing their story is always inspiring and it helps me push on. Seeing their progress gives me hope, but leads me to ask: why am I not seeing progress? I know the basic stuff I should be doing--or do I? Am I causing the issues with my hair?

Ladies, it goes without saying that hair grows, no matter what you do; it will grow. It also goes without saying that 99% of the upkeep and maintenance of my hair fall solely on my shoulders (pardon the pun). I only go to the salon once every 9-10 weeks for my relaxer touch up (self-relaxing was a disaster), and I have no plans to alter that relationship. So if these two things-- continued hair growth and personal maintenance--are indisputable, then I can only conclude that any hair breakage or damage I experience is the result of something I am doing or not doing to my hair, right?

Now I am not saying any of this to be hard on myself. I believe I have come a loooong way since the beginning of my hair journey in terms of knowledge and the general care of my hair. However, I am not seeing the results that I would like to see, plain and simple. Again, I am not being hard on myself or even unrealistic; I am not expecting to go from SL to APL in two months or anything like that. However, I am expecting to at least see a few inches of progress from one relaxer touch up to the next. Instead, I am seeing breakage on a consistent basis, that is not normal. My hair has also been hovering at SL for the last 4-5 months (taking setback into account), and that is not normal either. So clearly there are things I can be doing better, I just need to figure it out, which brings me to a beautiful hair diva's channel on YouTube.

Let me tell you, this woman Shlinda is funny, sassy, but more importantly, she points out the many hair faux pas that women are doing to their hair that leads to ongoing hair issues, information that may not be new, but helpful none the less. She points out the simple things that make me just shake my head thinking--"Really, how simple is that?! Why haven't I been doing that?" The following tips are some things that Shlinda has suggested on her channel and a few of the things are my own tips that are sure to get that hair growing.

1. Re-evaluate how you HANDLE your hair.

I personally can be VERY rough with my hair. When I M & S, when I detangle and when I style, I AM rough, plain and simple. I never really stopped to think about how hard I was being on my hair, but I have always been quick to tell my hairdresser or my BF, "oh no, you need to be careful" whenever they handled it too roughly. Well, as the saying goes "what is good for the goose, is good for the gander"--I need to start doing what I am instructing other people to do.

2. Maintaining a DAILY journal.

I typically don't do this. I make note of what I have tried/use whenever I wash my hair or use a new product. I also update my blog with any new discoveries, but a daily log is a different thing entirely. For many women this won't be necessary, but for newbies (I consider myself a sophomore) this is a good idea. Record what you are doing to your hair everyday.  How does it feel after using each product? How does it feel at the end of the day? At the end of the week? This will tell you if the product is a keeper or should be trashed. You will also recognize when something isn't going well with you hair sooner than later because you are forcing yourself to be more aware on a daily basis vs. weekly or monthly basis.

3. THROW AWAY products that simply don't work for your hair.

I've already said this and follow this practice, but I've slipped a few times. Now this is a tricky "rule" as some products need adjusting to work effectively on your hair. Not to mention no one is made of money and I know I don't have the luxury of buying and simply throwing out products because they don't work the first time around. But don't feel you must commit to a product simply because "everyone" else swears by it. Products do not work the same way on every person. You know when something is working for your hair or not. My rule of thumb is to let my hair be the true judge. If my hair is generally soft, supple, etc and I use a product that makes it feel like straw, I will not play around with that product to see if I can "make it work". It's simple not for me. Now if a product makes my hair feel "okay" then I will play with oils or combine it with other products to see if it works better. Over the last year or so I have learned more about my hair and I can make these decisions a lot quicker than in the past. Unfortunately, when I've waited too long to throw away a product this has been disastrous for my hair.

4. MAKE TIME for your hair

Now this is not what you think it means. As you know I take time out to do my hair on a weekly basis. What I am talking about is giving yourself the time required to do your hair with the least amount of damage as possible. These are two different things. Sure, I would deep condition my hair every week, M&S everyday, co-wash weekly (sometimes ), but I use to whip through this process. Sometime I did this because I did not have enough time to do these things, so I would rush through it. However, there were times when I just didn't want to do the things I had to do to maintain my hair, so I would just do a quick job to "get it over with".  I would quickly M&S for example just ripping through my hair so I could get to bed or out the door (which highlights tip #1), yet be confused when I saw broken pieces in my hand. I think taking the time to slowly do these things will make a huge difference in your hair. Small changes like waking up earlier, M&Sing as soon as you get home before you get too tired, washing or co-washing on days when you have more time to slow the process down can all be helpful in this area.

See these are all such simple things, but I've been sleeping on it I tell you. It's so simple and doesn't require any effort at all. Rather, it requires you relax on how much "effort" you're putting into your hair.

HHG!

Great Lessons from Natural Divas

I enjoy learning new things about hair regardless of the teacher because I think the more you know, the more equipped you are to properly take care of your hair. I know there are some women that have relaxed hair that will only listen to information from other women with relaxed hair. While I see the merit in this approach, I think there are some limitations (which I will get to later). 


I have learned so much from fellow hair divas on YouTube (e.g. JustThisGirl1, KISSseventyseven, ninapruitt, sexymami1001, chinablk, ulovemegz just to name a few) in terms of technique, product review and basic hair care information. These women have shown me it is possible to achieve and maintain long relaxed hair as long as you have the right education. Even more, they know what I am struggling with and can make suggestions that will help me out as I bump around figuring this hair stuff out. Similarly, I have found that my natural hair divas have also been immensely helpful in terms of knowledge, product and technique as well. Now I know your probably thinking, how can someone with natural hair help me out with knowledge, hair care products or technique to use on relaxed hair? Well this is how:


1. Knowledge
When someone makes the decision to wear their hair natural they ultimately become much more knowledgeable about their natural hair structure and the elements that improve the quality of their hair. Depending on the state of your hair prior to the decision to go natural you may notice changes with your scalp, hair moisture levels and protein tolerance, things that will help you understand the way you hair should be in the first place. For some of us, we have been relaxed for so long that we are completely unaware of our hair's baseline or natural state and what looks/feels normal. Something I have learned from my natural hair sisters is the fact that many hair products meant to help our hair actually disturbs the pH balance of our hair and scalp, which leads to the many issues we have (e.g. tangles, knots, breakage, dryness). As you know the process of relaxing the hair already disturbs the pH level of the hair and scalp. Our goal then is to try to help return it to normal pH levels, which we achieve by neutralizing the relaxer. From that point on we then have to work to achieve and maintain a normal protein-moisture balance in our hair to further protect it from damage, which we do with regular conditioning and deep treatments. Knowledge of what our hair should look and feel like only helps with these goal because it will give you something to aim for.

Growing up I believed dandruff was a "natural" condition that every black woman had to deal with. And what do you do with dandruff? If you grew up in my house you scratch the living day lights out of it to "lift" the dandruff so it could be brushed away, not knowing that this act was more harmful than beneficial for the scalp. Now my lack of knowledge of what a healthy scalp should look and feel like made it hard for me to address the issue effectively. Instead, I would use products that were masking the issue or making the situation worse. Effectively stopping our hair "ills" usually only requires that we look more closely at the products we are using on our hair because your hair/scalp is clearly telling you something about that product. Point and case, for years I have been using CON thinking it was the best shampoo for my hair, based on advice and lack of adequate knowledge about my hair. I also had the driest, itchiest scalp imaginable-- it drove me crazy. So I decided to tackle it. I kept using CON and my situation never improved. It was frustrating and I couldn't understand what the problem was. Eventually I stopped using CON (not because I thought this was the problem at the time) and began using more natural products, which began my hair journey. I also began using natural oils and  EO on my scalp, which slowly began to improve the situation. With time and determination my scalp stopped itching completely and it was not longer flaking; my scalp had achieve a more "balanced" state. In comes CON. In an effort to use up the last few bottles I had, I brought it back into my regimen. Within weeks my dry itchy scalp returned. Given the fact that CON was the only thing that I had changed to my product line up I had to conclude that it was the CON causing my irritated scalp.

The point I am trying to make has nothing to do with CON itself as a product--it works wonderfully for some women. It is more about the fact that my scalp was not healthy because it had been taken far off it pH levels (by relaxing) and never returned as it should. The product I was using simply was not doing what my hair was saying it needed it to do, bring it back into balance.


2. Hair Products
While it is not always the case, most women that have decided to grow their hair naturally tend to use natural products to take care of their hair. There are a number of reasons that they do this, but the one reason that stands out is the fact that natural products can produce great results. If you have been following my blog for a while then you know I am on a mission to use all natural products on my hair despite the fact that I am relaxed. I am not going to get into my decision to relax and use natural products here, but I will say that I believe there are a lot of benefits to using natural products on the hair/scalp. A lot of companies, in an effort to save cost and raise profits, use cheap ingredients in their products, which can damage  the hair with continued use. Now this is not the case for some women. They seem to have great results with products that use mineral oil, petrolatum, and sulfates; I have not. It wasn't until I began using natural products that I began seeing results with my hair. Now I know technique has a lot to do with our ability to maintain our hair lengths, but the products we choose to use has just as much, if not more to do with hair retention. If something is coating my hair and preventing it from getting the moisture it needs and requires there is a strong possibility it will break off.

Now my hair seems to be a real snob when it comes to hair products, which is why I named her "Diva!"; she likes what she likes and doesn't apologize for it. The unfortunate thing is many women that have relaxed hair do not use 100% natural products on their hair (not including oils of course!), which has not been that helpful to me when I am searching for products to use on my hair. Much of what I have learned about natural products has come from my natural hair divas and research. I think there is this belief that if you have relaxed hair you must use products that are "tailored" for relaxed hair. Similar things have been said about using "white" hair products on "black" hair. Both of these statements are myths. Hair is hair regardless of its texture, and it has the same needs--moisture, protein and balance.

3. Technique
No one would argue that relaxed hair is fragile. Improper use of combs, brushes or heat can cause damage leading to breakage. So it may come as a surprise that many believe that curly/ coiled natural hair is equally as fragile due to its structure. It took me a while to wrap my head around this argument, but as I learned more about my hair structure I understood why this is the case. Without getting into the mechanics of hair, tightly coiled hair has its share of limitations in terms of its ability to get adequate moisture and tangles. I have three close friends that have natural hair and only one of the three has been able to achieve very long length in her natural state. The only difference between this long loced diva and my other girlfriends is the dedication and time she puts into washing, deep conditioning and moisturizing her hair on a regular basis. The other two experience breakage, dandruff and tangles and have no idea why. Now before you ask the question, I am not one to "educate" other women on their hair when I am not ask for my opinion. I think it can come off as arrogant and truthfully I am not a qualified to give anyone direction. I can share my knowledge and that's it. And as I mentioned earlier, there are women that strongly believe that relaxed women can only educate other relaxed women about hair; not naturals. But I digress....

The care and dedication I see my natural divas use when moisturizing their hair (separating it into sections, gently combing with their fingers, combing from the ends to the root) are all very reminiscent of women with relaxed hair. In fact, there are more similarities than difference between relaxed and natural hair women in term of technique. 

So there you have it. There is a lot of knowledge you can garner from a natural hair sister, so I say get as much info as you can. Knowledge is knowledge, no matter who it comes from.

Hair Challenges Following a Vegetarian/Vegan Diet

The other day I had a meeting with my doctor so I could get the results of my yearly check-up. I was happy to hear that all thing looked good, minus a few issues with my hemoglobin levels due to iron deficiency. My iron levels have always been an issue for me, especially now that I am a vegetarian (I was actually a vegan for about a year, but it became such a challenge to find recipes that I liked so I gave it up). As a result, I have encountered a lot of challenges with my hair, which sadly, comes with the territory of a vegetarian diet--but this doesn't have to be the case (which I will get to later).

In an effort to improve my overall health (and of course my hair, I hit the computer to research the different types of plant-based foods I should be including in my diet to ensure I am getting the required vitamins, minerals and protein/amino acids for optimal hair health. This is something I probably should have done before I changed my diet, but that's okay; you live and learn.

If you are thinking about changing to a plant-based diet there are some things you will need to be aware of as the change this type of diet may bring about several changes for your hair*:

1) Dryness. This can occur for several reasons in a typical diet, but is mainly due to poor water consumption. In a vegetarian diet however, this may indicate that you are not be getting enough essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids have been attributed to improving the texture of hair.The best whole food sources of healthy fats in a vegetarian diet are nuts, seeds, avocados and, soybeans, soy products, olives and flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil is a pure vegetable fat and, like all fats, should be used in moderation (about 1 tablespoon per day). Flaxseed oil should never be heated or used to cook with. It is best drizzled over foods (such as salads, vegetables, or baked potatoes) or used in salad dressing or smoothies. Flax oil must be stored in the refrigerator (or freezer, to extend its life) and should be used up by the expiration date on the bottle. You should aim for a healthy balance of omega 3 and omega 6. 

2) Shedding and Thinning Hair. When changing to a plant-based diet there will be a drop in your calorie intake. This is expected as the increase in fiber through fruits and vegetables is so filling that you may not be eating enough calories. Unfortunately, this sudden drop in weight loss can lead to thin, brittle hair and temporary hair loss (shedding). As your body adjust to this change the shedding will subside. To minimize this condition, be sure to get plenty of all four food groups: whole grains, legumes (beans, nuts, seeds), fruits, and vegetables in your diet.  If your hair is thinning, assess your diet to be sure it's well balanced, and make adjustments to ensure you're not malnourished.

3) Slow Hair Growth. By restricting all animal products, you limit your access to protein, iron, amino acids and certain vitamins that are typically obtained from meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy. A well planned vegetarian or vegan diet should provide you with all the nourishment your body needs. However, sometimes vegetarian and vegan diets are not as varied or nutrient rich as we think they are, which can lead to poor body (and hair development:

Protein is important for the growth of strong hair among many other things. When people consume enough calories in their diet, protein deficiency is essential nonexistent. Nearly all foods contain protein including grains, beans, legumes (pea and lentils), nuts, seeds and vegetables. Therefore, if you are eating sufficient qualities of these foods, protein should not be a concern. The challenge however is eating a variety of these foods in order to get all of the essential amino acids required for proper body development. I recently incorporated quinoa into my diet as it is one of the best plant based sources of protein because it contains all the essential amino acids required for healthy growth and development. Quinoa is also a great source of B vitamins, potassium, riboflavin, zinc, copper, and manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin E.

Iron Plant-based iron has always been considered to be an inferior source of iron, which means vegetarians and vegans must pay a bit more attention to their diets to ensure proper intake. While heme iron (iron from animal sources) gets absorbed into the body at the rate of 25%-35% of the intake, non-heme is absorbed only at the rate of 2%-10%. The main reason for the low absorption rate is the presence of substances that bind with it and carry it outside the body. Therefore, iron from plant sources is best absorbed by the body when it is taken with vitamin C rich foods or drinks. Vegetables and fruits high in vitamin C include red and green bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, mustard greens and kale, citrus fruitsberries, papaya, cantaloupe and grapefruit. It is important for vegetarian and vegans to include a source of vitamin C with every meal. Nutrition specialist also recommend soaking and sprouting of beans, grains and seeds to enhance absorption of iron from these sources.

Foods high in iron include: dried apricots, avocados, currants, raisins, dates, figs and prunes, potatoes with their skin, bok choy, spinach, kale, watercress, broccoli, savoy cabbage, peas, turnip greens, mung bean sprouts, tomato juice, aked beans, adzuki beans, black beans, chick peas (garbanzo beans), kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans, pinto beans, whole grain bread or brown rice, black treacle, fortified breads, cereals and grains. Even though whole grains and legumes are poor sources of iron, taking them with vitamin C rich foods will help in increased assimilation of iron from these sources.

Source

Healthy hair need optimal amounts of all nutrients. Be sure you're getting plenty of whole foods; they're the best source of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. If you're having trouble eating enough food, take a multi vitamin-mineral supplement. Vegan in particular should include vitamin B12 and vitamin D and omega-3 supplements as these are harder to get through their diet.

*Please note: I am not a licensed dietitian, therefore the information I am providing is not based on my "medical experience". This is simply information I have gathered from various books and sources on the internet for my personal use. I do not recommend anyone make changes to their diet without first discussing it with their doctor.

HHG!