Since embarking on my fertility journey I have become very conscious
of what and how I eat. I’ve made various
changes to my diet mainly cutting out caffeine, reducing my dairy intake, eating
wheat and gluten free as much as possible and by drinking a Herbalife shake
every morning. I also ensure I cook all
my meals from scratch and at lunch times where I used to buy readymade soups
and things I have stopped. If I make
soup at home it will last less than a week in the fridge so why would I buy a
fresh soup from the supermarket that expires after a month? I’m very wary of all the added extra’s in the food we eat especially in
the food labelled as healthy. I’m not a
complete health nut – everything in moderation is key and I never restrict or
deny myself. I eat what I like I’m just
more aware what it is I am eating.
This new way of eating has led me to thinking about my
hair. For the last 10 years or so, I
have worn my hair relaxed but as with eating rubbish, this phase is also coming
to an end. As I’ve grown so conscious of
what I put inside my body I am also becoming conscious of what I am subliminally
putting in my body via my scalp. I was asked a year or so ago why I relaxed my
hair and to this day I still do not have an answer. It’s just something I do – by why do I do
it? For what purpose? I usually
relax my hair myself, applying Vaseline as barrier all around my hairline and
scalp. I know of course the cardinal
rules of relaxing - not to scratch your scalp in the days leading up to
relaxing and to never ever relax clean hair.
These rules and also doing it myself in my own environment, has meant
that I have not suffered burns like some people have experienced.
I’m highly aware of all the natural hair blogs and all the
talk of natural hair journeys, and I can’t lie, I’ve often rolled my eyes at
these sentiments and terms of endearments.
I completely understand that for some making the decision to go natural
after many adult years spent weaving or relaxing or anything else is a big deal
and so I’m glad that support is there where needed. As a relaxed hair wearer I couldn’t help but
sense the air of superiority from the naturals around me. And why not – in these times of conflicting
beauty ideals and body dysmorphic disorders it’s high time we are confirmable
not only in our skin but also in our hair. As a black woman who is comfortable in the
skin and body I’m in, it means that it’s high time I get back to be being
comfortable in my natural hair the way it grows naturally from my scalp.
x x
