2012 Vitamin Regimen

2,000 mcg- MSM

1 mL drop of B-Complex with B-12 

1 Gummy Multi Vitamin

I place the MSM and B-Complex in my Orange Juice every morning.

You know how supplements don't affect the hair already on your head? Well, I'm curious to see how healthy my "new-growth" is through-out the year.

I believe I posted the benefits of all these vitamins...check out the "Supplement" label for more details.

MSM- Natural Hair Growth Supplement

I saw this article on Curly Nikki and decided to post this on my blog as well.
I take 1,000 mcg of Trimedica MSM daily by scooping the powder into my Orange Juice.
I have been taking MSM on and off for about 2 years now, but recently I have been taking it consistently.
When purchasing or consuming MSM, I always suggest purchasing a brand that states it's OptiMSM.
OptiMSM is one of the purest forms of MSM and although it is more expensive than the others, it's worth the price.

I have noticed:

Less Shedding- I believe the MSM extended my Anagen Phase
Clearer Skin- Some people experience break-outs or cysts, but my skin actually became brighter and more clear. I do take this with Vitamin C , so that may help. I also drink a lot of water (but should drink more)
Softer New-Growth
Very vivid dreams- I should start a blog about all of the crazy dreams I had since taking MSM. Whenever I tell people about my dreams the next AM, they are surprised how I remember them so clearly and how bizarre they are. This is just one of the side-effects I guess, but I don't mind it.
A Change in my Menstrual Cycle - Whenever I first taking MSM when I haven't for a while, that month, my period either comes a little early or it last a little longer. But it is also very light. I know TMI. It goes back to normal the month after.
No Joint or Muscle Pain- When I was working out extensively, MSM was a must. I never experienced any pain and I believe MSM was the culprit

MSM will probably remain a staple supplement in my regimen because the good outways the bad.

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via DrPhoenyx.com
It’s always a pleasant surprise when you stumble upon a vitamin or supplement that can cure some of the most common health issues, while also giving you a nice little beauty boost. And such is the case for MSM!

I was recently chatting with a newly natural neighbor (try saying that 3 times fast!), when she asked about supplements she could take for hair growth. I suggested MSM. I guess she expected me say something like biotin or a multivitamin, because she instantly looked confused. So I explained that MSM, aka methylsulfonylmethane, is a sulfur-based compound that is naturally found in many foods such as milk, onions, garlic and green vegetables. Next to water and salt, MSM is also the 3rd largest compound found in the human body. Within the medical community, MSM has been traditionally used to treat pain bone and joint diseases such as osteoarthritis and tendonitis. But it also has a really cool side effect. And this really cool “side effect” is hair growth.



How is this possible?
The main ingredient in MSM is sulfur- one of the principle building blocks of hair (and nails). So MSM helps hair growth because it gives your body a building block for hair. But besides just contributing one of the main building blocks of hair, it is also theorized that MSM increases hair growth potential by lengthening the growth phase (anagen phase) of the hair cycle.

Weekend Wrap Up

Hope everyone had a great weekend! It's never long enough for me..but oooh well!

So, I did detangle my hair and this is the amount of hair I lost through finger-detangling and detangling with a comb. This is a combination of shed hair and minor breakage.  It seems like a lot, but that's 2 weeks worth of hair, so I am not too alarmed.

I ended up wearing my hair like this on Saturday and Sunday. (sorry camera phone pic because I didn't feel like getting the digital camera)

I am 12 weeks post relaxer and itching to relax, but even if I wanted to, time wont permit.
Whenever I reach 12 weeks post, I contemplate transitioning to natural, but will I? No. Haha. I decided I will go back to natural under 2 circumstances.
1.) If my hair gets seriously damaged
2.) If I so happen to stretch longer then 9 months.

I started back on my MSM. I will be taking 1,000 MG/Day which is 1/4 tbspn. It's great for hair, but my main reason for taking it is because my skin is at it's best when I do. I have a healthy glow and my dark spots fade so much quicker. I haven't taken MSM in about 6 months, so I think it's about time I start again. The best brand in my opinion is Trimedica Opti Pure MSM, so thats what I'm taking.

Another Confession, I haven't gone to the gym in about 2 weeks. I do crunches at home, but that's not enough for me. My excuse for not going was because I "needed" new sneakers. I went to the mall on Saturday looking for some Reebok Easy Tones, (funny because I never wear Reebok) but they didn't have my size in the color I wanted. So, I opted for a pair of Air Max's. Got home and hated the way they looked. So, today, I will return the Air Max's and hope to find some sneakers to my likings.

 This nail polish was a b*tch to get off. I used like 2 tablespoons of Nail Polish remover and still couldn't get it off last night. And to top it off, I ran out of the remover. So I woke up at 5:30AM this morning, got ready as usual and went to Walgreens to buy some Acetone. It's not too good for nail health, but I was determined. I ended up removing the nail polish and doing my nails, but I am tired as who knows what.

My Vitamin Regimen

 I always speak about the products I use for my hair, but I also take a few different supplements that are known to help with not only overall body health, but for skin and hair as well.

So...here's what I take..

2 Gummy Multi-Vitamins Daily- See post here

4000 MCG of Spring Valley Biotin

Biotin is necessary for cell growth, the production of fatty acids, and the metabolism of fats and amino acids. It plays a role in the citric acid cycle, which is the process by which biochemical energy is generated during aerobic respiration. Biotin not only assists in various metabolic reactions but also helps to transfer carbon dioxide. Biotin may also be helpful in maintaining a steady blood sugar level.[2] Biotin is often recommended for strengthening hair and nails. Consequently, it is found in many cosmetics and health products for the hair and skin, though it cannot be absorbed through the hair or skin itself.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotin

1 Nature Made Super B Complex (it is said to take this with Biotin to combat any side effects such as bumps/pimples..which is true because I haven't experienced any break-outs since taking it. )

Adequate vitamin B complex consumption offers numerous benefits, some of which can be seen almost immediately. One of the first and most noticeable benefits is often improved mood. For many people, their mood becomes better and more stable shortly after taking B complex supplements. Long term supplement usage can also have numerous benefits. In most cases, the condition of the person's skin and hair improves greatly, and some people are even able to lose weight. Vitamin B complex can help to greatly improve one's overall health and state of well-being
http://www.vitaminbcomplexsupplements.com/b-complex-vitamin-benefits.html

Shedding - It happens to the Best of Us

Shedding:  Everyones hair sheds. Its a natural process.Shedding occurs when your hair reaches the end of its growing cycle and it naturally falls from the scalp with it's tiny white "bulb" attached to it. The bulb is not the actual hair root, but its the base of the root. See, for every shed hair another hair replaces it. So, if the actual root came out with the hair, you would not be able to produce hair from that same place on your scalp anymore. If a hair does not have that white bulb, then its a broken hair. You will notice that shed hair is usually longer then a broken piece of hair.

Ways to Slow down Shedding
If you see shed hair, don't worry. On average a person sheds about 50-100 strands of hair a day. Now, I think that's a lot of hair to be losing. I personally do not want to lose that much hair in a day. The best way I can help with extreme shedding, is with Garlic!

Garlic is a rich source of a number of vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin B-1 or thiamine and vitamin B-6. Vitamin C promotes collagen growth, makes the hair roots stronger and thus prevents breakage of hair. Thiamine helps to improve the blood circulation in the scalp and which is vital for hair regrowth

Garlic Supplements: Garlic Vitamins are said to decrease the amount of shedding. Do a search on it and you will see a tremendous amount of testimonials on the use of Garlic Supplements.


Garlic Shampoos-- Nutrine Garlic Shampoo is a good one that can help reduce the amount of shedding. If you use this once a week the shedding would decrease drastically. (I have not used this, but heard of many good results)

Because we ALL need this

Now, I know a lot of people DREAD taking their vitamins. I can say it , I do too. But they are necessary for our overall health and especially our hair health. I take about 4 different supplements daily, one being a multi-vitamin. I hate swallowing pills and I didn't think the children's vitamins were "good" enough for me, so I started taking an adult gummie. A lot of drugstores have their generic version which works just as well. (The VitaCraves can be expensive, about $7 or $8 for 50)



Why do we need multivitamins?
Multivitamins fulfill the deficiency of the poor nutritional value of many foods we eat. In order for the human body to function effectively and efficiently, it needs a daily supply of several important nutrients. The daily stress of life, fatty foods, pollution, and germs decrease these necessary nutrients of from the body. It depends on us how we replace them. We can do this by eating nutritious meals and taking quality nutritional supplements.


*Articlesnatch.com*


Why do we need a multivitamin for Hair Health?
Vitamin deficiencies have also been linked to hair loss Anemia, a vitamin B-12 deficiency and copper deficiency may all cause hair loss and are easily prevented by taking a daily multivitamin. Multivitamins contain essential nutrients for bodily functions, such as hair growth.
Taking a multivitamin every day will not guarantee you a full head of hair again, but a natural cure that is not expensive is certainly worth a try.

*sytledepartment.com*


****MAKE SURE YOU ALSO DRINK PLENTY OF WATER****

Disclaimer: I am not advertising these products, but showing what I like and what works well for me.