Welcome to My Journey!

Hello! First, let me introduce myself. I am not much different than the majority of you reading this blog right now. I am a working individual on a quest to live healthier and incorporate as many natural products and ingredients into my life as I possibly can. I've started this blog because I've spoken to many others who are also curious about this lifestyle change. I want to share my experience in the hopes that it will help someone get there quicker.

Why did I start in the first place? That's a longer story that I will cover in more detail in a later post, but here's a little info. Since maybe 4^th or 5^th grade, I have had my hair chemically straightened. I don't know why my mother started, but it became the norm for me. Last year in June, I decided I no longer wanted to use harsh chemicals on my hair. July 1, 2009, I went to the salon and got my hair cut very short, removing the hair that was still treated with chemicals. Since then, I've experimented with various products and techniques to style my hair and found that natural is simply easier and healthier. I've also recently become more consistent with my diet and exercise in an effort to lose weight and live an overall healthy lifestyle. This, along with my hair has piqued my interest in living naturally in all or most areas of my life. So here we are now.

The Current Me

I realize that since you don't know me from a can of paint, you have no idea what benefit I will gain from transitioning to a natural lifestyle, or if my journey is even worth it. So I need to tell you a little more about me in my current state. I am a single, never been married, healthcare professional who lives in the Northern Virginia area. I keep myself pretty busy between my occupation, my church, and my social life. Typically 4 of 5 weekday evenings, I have set activities that are not easily changed.

I would describe myself as a "fairly healthy" individual. Since I work in healthcare, I know what's right, but I can't say I always adhere to it. I have a sweet tooth that just won't quit! All of that sugar landed me with a few extra pounds that I finally decided had to go earlier last year. Since May 2010, I have been working with a personal trainer and I am really pleased. I am not at my final goal, but I have improved in so many ways. My energy level has increased, as did my strength. I am much more consistent in my diet and exercise routine. I have also lost most of the pounds my sweet tooth added. I typically plan my menu for the week on Saturday or Sunday so that I can be more conscious of what I am putting into my body. I try not to go to the grocery store hungry because that just helps me pick up extra items I do not need. I don't eat fruits and veggies every day, but I am doing better about reducing the number of processed foods I eat on a daily basis. My coworkers order out for lunch often, so I cook my meals on Sunday evening. This helps me have something to bring to work for lunch and I'll be less tempted to look at the mostly unhealthy, unnatural options on the menu. I take a multivitamin everyday; omega-3 capsules, and supplemental magnesium at the suggestion of my trainer. I get asked often about what vitamins are best to take. It really does depend on the individual, but for a general overview, I found Vitamins and You by Dr Oz, to be very helpful. As my journey continues, I may tweak my vitamin intake as well. I drink 40-60 ounces of water a day. It is recommended for someone of my weight to drink about 65 ounces per day, so I'm just about there.

As for other areas of my life, I usually don't consider natural products. Not because I don't want to, but I just never took the time to think about it, until I stopped using a relaxer on my hair. I have increased the number of natural products I use on my hair, but I'm still experimenting to find out what will work best for me. Until then, my hair and skin regimen consists of many well-known items that use chemicals I probably want to stay away from. Any other categories, like household cleaning products, I haven't even given it a thought to use natural products, until now.

So that's me in a nutshell as it pertains to my "natural life" so far. I'm excited to see what will come of this quest. What should you expect from me? Every 2-4 weeks I will explore a new natural product or technique and update you on how it's affected me. I will attempt to blog every week on my progress as well as my research on new things to try. I do this in a quest to live a life that's natural at least 75% of the time. Will I strive for more? YES! However, I don't want to make too lofty of a goal. I want this blog to be interactive as well, so please feel free to offer suggestions and if possible, I will try it. Results will vary, so please be mindful of this if you choose to try any of the same products. This blog is about me and my personal quest to live natural; please consider your current health status before engaging in any of these products.

Remember, with my experimentation, I want to help you, so please tell me if you do so and how it's influenced you. Again, welcome to my journey, enjoy the ride! Have a great week!