Empowered selfcare, lifestyle strategies & coaching
A summer favorite moringa face mask *please note this post may contain affiliate links and I may receive a small percentage of any sales generated from associated links. It’s that time again and that means bring out the diy moringa face mask, y’all! This is …
Easy Prep Summer Summer Snacks It’s okay to get your snack on from time to time as long as it’s a healthy version! For me, spring and summer mean it’s also time to cut down on cooked foods and go more raw. My vegan nutty …
Bone both has always been a thing in my family, so using it as a base for my fish bone broth soup is a no brainier! You can make yours from scratch or use an organic grass fed version from your local store. Also, as a fan of Trader Joe’s, I love using their organic beef bone broth as a base for soups and stews whenever I’m pressed for time. However, most of the time I have to just tough it out and make it from scratch. That’s because that way I can guarantee the quality of my bone broth.
Bone broth is something most folks are familiar with even before it was a “thing”. That base from your mom’s home made chicken soup? Yeah, that was bone broth and that’s part of the reason you bounced back from that cold or flu you were suffering from. You can also make bone broth from either beef, chicken or fish. All you have to do is boil down or simmer your fleshy bones to extract the nutrient dense marrow. The broth is also rich in collagen which gives it a jelly like consistency once it cools. Most folks add their blend of savoury spices to amp up the flavour.
Now that health gurus have “discovered” the all around benefits of bone broth, its now become mainstream. The truth is, my family has always used “bone broth” and meat stock as a base for our traditional soups and stews. Not only does it add a complexity to the flavour, bone broth has a huge number of health benefits. Studies have shown that bone broth supports the immune system, improves gut health. Also, it adds a variety of key nutrients in significant quantities. Protein, amino acids, magnesium, phosphorus and collagen are some of the main nutrients.
Not only that, when used as a base for my fish bone broth soup, I get the added nutrients of collagen and minerals that increase joint and skin health.
Like I said, I’m using fish in my bone broth soup because it’s light, nutritious and pairs well with other dishes. My fish bone broth soup is also a perfect dish for the Easter season! To maximise the nutrient profile, I use my grass fed beef bone broth as the base. For this, I use oxtail or short ribs in combination with my favourite spice blend. My spice blend includes bay leaves, fresh ground black pepper, fresh ground multicolour peppercorns, turmeric and Nigerian curry powder. Next, I add a table spoon or so of fresh curry leaves. Last but not least, I add a dash of all spice and Nigerian hot chilli powder (optional). You can find other gut friendly recipes like this one right here on my blog!
1. Bay leaves (1 teaspoon)
2. Fresh chopped garlic (1-2 large cloves)
3. Fresh chopped onion (1)
4. 18 ounces of bone broth (home made or store bought)
5. 1/4 teaspoon Nigerian curry powder (you can use Jamaican if you can’t get this variety)
6. 2 table spoons Himalayan pink sea salt
7. 1/2 cup of sea moss (which ever variety is easiest, I use Jamaican wild crafted)
8. 3/4 cup organic shiitake or baby Bella mushrooms, sliced thin and chopped
9. 2 tablespoons organic turmeric powder
Also, here’s the rest of my secret ingredients for this recipe:
10. 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
11. 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pink pepper
12. 1/4 teaspoon Nigerian hot chilli powder (to your tolerance)
13. 1/4 teaspoon allspice
14. 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
15. 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
16. 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
17. 2 tablespoons soy sauce or organic Braggs Aminos
18. 1 tablespoon fresh grated and chopped ginger
19. 1 tablespoon of fresh curry leaves
In case you’re wondering, all of these ingredients have many health benefits especially for the gut. To start with, curry leaves have been used in Indian cuisine and herbal medicine for generations. For instance, curry leaves have been used for treating upset stomach, nausea, constipation, and diarrhoea. Also, curry leaves stimulate digestive enzymes and support bowel movement. Ginger, garlic, allspice, and turmeric help to support gut health as well as the immune system. These are just a small taste of the healing benefits of this fish bone broth soup! Needless to say, it’s not only nutrient dense but it’s healing to the tummy as well.
If you’re making your own bone broth, factor that into your cooking time. Next, you can add all of your spices and herbs at this point. I usually add my spices at the beginning and save the curry leaves for last, and also saving some for garnish. Once your bone broth is ready, you can add the fish no more than 20 minutes before your soup is ready. I hate overcooked fish and depending on which one you choose, the cook time will vary for your fish of choice. It’s important that you make sure your bone broth is well seasoned because it’s your soup’s base. Also, keep in mind that you need to add the more delicate ingredients toward the end of the cook time. For instance, save the curry leaves closer to the time that you’re going to add the fish.
Next, allow to simmer for another 5 mins and then serve it up with a few curry leaves to garnish. On a quick note, the curry leaves are not just for show and should be eaten in case you’re wondering!
For whomever needs to hear this As I continue to celebrate women 365 days a year, I just want to remind men of one thing: women are not your therapists (or therapy). This is true of anyone in a relationship. Your partner is not your therapist …
A favorite all-weather beverage As we’re breaking into spring I still can’t resit a dose of my gut healthy hot chocolate to get me through those chilly spring mornings here in the Midwest! As most of you know, I love hot healing beverages throughout the …
Who doesn’t love the herbaceous scent of rosemary essential oil? Combine that with tea tree oil and a few other choice ingredients, and you’ve got magic! We all know that we need to nourish and protective our hair and scalp throughout the year, especially those cold and dry winter months. So it was a no-brainer for me to craft my own rosemary hair growth spray that had all of the benefits I want without the additives. f you have sensitive skin like me, you’re constantly on the hunt for hair and scalp sprays, oils, etc that boost moisture and promote growth. After spending copious amounts on money on many black hair care products, I’ve come to realize that DIY-ing some of my hair care is the way to go.
I not only love herby essential oils and infusions, I’ve found that they also work well for my sensitive skin from head to toe. This rosemary hair growth spray is a natural offshoot of that. Rosemary essential oil has so many skin health benefits as well as tea tree oil. When I first came up with this recipe, I had already tried store brands that made similar claims. But when I read further, I found most of the beneficial ingredients all the way at the bottom of the list! So with some research of my own, I tried a variety of ingredients that had the benefits I wanted. Rosemary has a history of being great for hair and scalp health and so does tea tree oil. Other ingredients like lavender, almond oil, etc equally contribute to skin health.
While I’ve always been a fan of hair oils, I’ve since found that water-based sprays work better and are less prone to build up and mess. I get all the benefits of the essential oils and natural moisture from the water itself. The aloe vera gel gives the hair an extra boost of hydration and strengthens the hair as well. Not only that, it enhances elasticity (reduces breakage) and shine!
By DIY-ing my own rosemary hair growth spray, I get all the benefits and non of the added chemicals. This is not my only DIY recipe for 4C hair. You can check out another awesome spray right >>here<< ! As with any thing else, always check to make sure you don’t have a sensitivity to any of the ingredients. This is one of the main reasons why I started DIY-ing a lot of hair and skincare products. I got tired of expensive products that either didn’t deliver or irritated my scalp or skin.
4. Filtered water or distilled water
Like I said before, I’ve tried almost every hair growth and moisturizing product out there for natural hair, and not been impressed. Apart from that, most of them either don’t have the amount of the beneficial ingredients they claim, or they’ve got extra stuff that’s just bad for you.
This is also why I say, ingredients matter and knowing what’s in your food and personal care products matter. To be honest, when I created this rosemary hair growth spray, I was only thinking of myself, family and friends. Then, it occurred to me that other folks could also benefit, especially if they want to avoid harmful ingredients. As much as these mega corporations would like to believe how complicated and exclusive it is to make, it really isn’t. This is a simple recipe and can be further enhanced depending on what benefits you’re looking for. On another note, if you have sensitivities or are taking certain medications, consult your health care provider!
In a ceramic or glass container, combine your almond oil and essential oil blend. Next, add in your aloe vera gel and mix thoroughly before adding in the filtered or distilled water. After mixing, transfer a portion of your mixture to a spray bottle and vigorously shake before spraying and applying to your hair. In general, this rosemary hair growth oil keeps well in the fridge for a few days and a new batch made fresh every couple of days. Check out the YouTube video below for this recipe!!
A day for you Every year we get excited and anxious over Valentine’s Day. Excited because spring is not far off and anxious because, a lot of us are looking to be coupled up! Too much emphasis is on “coupling” and not enough on selflove …
People Pleasing It’s no big secret that many of us are either people pleasers or recovering people pleasers. What is new, is that women all over the world, are finally saying enough is enough! While some folks are probably saying, what’s the big deal? The …
Yes ladies, its the New Year and as usual you’re ready to through in the proverbial towel because it’s looking like this year is going to be a repeat of 2021! Guess what? You’re not alone. I’m going to give you the top 3 reasons why your New Years resolution is not working out for you! Who doesn’t want to level up in the new year? But so many times we fall short for a variety of reasons and wind up feeling like a failure and demotivated. There’s hope for all of us though. By breaking down what’s really going on, we can all achieve our goals!
It’s no secret that most of us come up with New Years resolutions every year, but more times than not, they fall off the wagon. Most people make plans to change their fitness and health in dramatic ways. They want to eat healthier, lose weight, get a healthy work-life balance, etc. For women, these are often lofty goals that quickly fall by the wayside as we struggle to meet the needs of everyone around us. All of that pressure and expectations, take a toll.
Starting from the bottom up, your resolution(s) is not working because you really don’t have a plan. Second, you’re being unrealistic in both expectations and execution. Finally, and this is huge, you don’t have the right mindset! Now, lets break this down into 3 reasons why your New Years resolution is not working out for you.
When you have a real plan, it’s not too hard to execute assuming you don’t have any other issues (i.e. mindset, etc). For example, its not enough to say, “I’m going to or I want to lose weight next year”. Vague statement goals like this, only set you up for failure because they lack specificity and are vague. Second, you are being unrealistic in terms of both framing (not framing them positively, i.e. the resolve to stop wasting money or eating junk food) and expected outcome. Another reason we fail, has to do with mindset. This has to do with the story we are telling ourselves as well as the language we are using -negative vs. positive language. I address this even further for women in a previous post, right here.
As I’ve mentioned before, internal work is crucial for anyone who wants to actually see their goals comes true and achieve real transformation. That means reading books like these (click here to access my virtual bookshelf), to help you gain insight about self-sabotaging behaviors. In addition to this, getting therapy, health coach, etc, may also be needed on your journey.
Stop putting unnecessary pressure on yourself! Too many times, we add to our overwhelm and guilt. We do this by pilling on the pressure of “other people’s expectations”, etc. We spend so much mental and emotional energy focusing on what other people think of us, our own warped perceptions of ourselves, that we get discouraged and demotivated before we can even see results.
As women, we’ve largely been conditioned to take on the burden of societal expectations, ideals and, norms of what constitutes the “ideal woman”, beauty, etc. So, when you first commit to throwing off that “yoke” of domestication, it becomes easier to focus your energy on what you want to do, for you. That means your fitness and health goals, as well as overall selfcare. Next, ask yourself what you want to achieve for the new year. Forget about what others might think of your goals and you; simply focus on what you need and want.
However, before you even get to this point, you need to ask yourself one very important question. Why do you want or need to do this? Is it for purely health reasons? Are you trying to reclaim your power (i.e. self-empowerment)? Or is it, all of the above. If it’s all of the above you need to get a plan and individualized support to help you get started. Typically, partnering with a health or wellness coach is the best way to ensure success. Hey, we’re already well into the first part of the new year. That being the case, I’d rather partner with an expert than go it alone. Why risk winding up with a repeat of the previous year?
A wise person once said, “the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result”. If we’re honest with ourselves, we know this on some level. The problem lies in our capacity to break down all of this “stuff” that gets in the way of our realizing results. If this is a real struggle for you and you don’t want a repeat of last year, book a free 30 clarity call with me right here! Let’s stay connected here (susbscribe to the newletter) or join my community on IG.
A cozy tea for the winter In case you’re wondering, I’m something of a tea fanatic, especially when it comes to spiced and herbal teas. Once fall and winter set in, it’s time for my favorite winter spice chai (tea) along with a few tasty …
