I love my natural hair…period. I love the texture, color, versatility and unpredictability it offers me daily and that even means on the so-called ‘bad hair days’. I am a natural of almost a decade and although the journey has had several ups and downs the path is paved with positivity and rainbows as far […]
Hey, girl, so I hear you are new to this natural thing? Did you just do The Big Chop? I bet you are freaking out about what to do next. Well not to worry, if you need some hair styling tips dealing with that TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro), we have you covered. Some of us […]
Have you been trying to get a super cute and defined twist out for the longest and it still comes out looking crazy? I have. I’m still trying to achieve the perfect twist out, and I’ve been on my natural journey for almost two years. If you’re like me and don’t know why your twist […]
Years ago, I enjoyed an amazing, nutrient-rich smoothie every morning. I tried my best to include as many superfoods as humanly possible into my daily smoothie. I searched high and low for the perfect ingredients to boost up my morning drink. The two must-have ingredients that I always included were spirulina and chlorella.
Once I took on a busy position that included lots of travel, I no longer had the luxury of making smoothies at home every morning. Eventually, my diet no longer included blue-green algae. I've now rectified the situation by restocking on both spirulina and chlorella. After I share some of the amazing benefits of these amazing superfoods, you'll be just as obsessed as I am. I originally started taking spirulina as a vegetarian looking to supplement my diet. If you're adopting a more plant-based lifestyle, spirulina is a must! When you eliminate meat from your diet, you run the risk of consuming too little protein or becoming deficient in B vitamins. Spirulina is loaded with protein and is one of the few non-animal sources of b12 on the planet!
Once I started to eat meat again, I figured that I wasn't loosing out on much by not being consistent with taking super-green algae but I was sadly mistaken. Spirulina offers so benefits that I was missing out on. Many of those benefits are directly in line with my health and beauty goals.
Let's discuss.
Weight Loss
Many of us are gearing up to shed the extra pounds from winter. Spirulina might be an ally to help you lose a few pounds effortlessly. Studies of obese subjects showed that spirulina supplementation promoted a "significant reduction in weight." All the subjects had to do was take spirulina daily over the course of 6-12 weeks. No change in lifestyle required. The more body fat they had at the beginning of the study, the more weight they lost. What is it about spirulina that causes weight loss? Remember when I said that spirulina is loaded with protein? One thing about protein is that it helps keep us satisfied longer. Which is why the study participants experienced a decrease in hunger. But it's not only the protein, spirulina also contains an amino acid that stimulates the secretion of chemicals that help suppress hunger, Spirulina also has a positive effect on lowering our insulin resistance. The more insulin resistant we are, the leaner we can become.
Immune Function
What really got me interested in taking spirulina again is learning that it can help stop/slow the spread of the corona (flu) virus based on positive results from animal studies. That's exciting news, especially with the current concerns of coronavirus infections. A recent animal study confirmed that spirulina supplementation inhibited viral replication (growth) and plaque formation in a broad range of influenza strains. What's exciting is that spirulina seemed to disrupt the viral activity effectively during the early stages of infection. This could mean that spirulina could have a protective quality in helping prevent flu infections from becoming worse. Our immune system could benefit greatly from regular spirulina supplementation.
Hair & Skin Benefits.
I went ahead and stocked up on spirulina supplements to strengthen my immune system but I'm even more excited about the potential beauty benefits of this superfood. Apparently, spirulina helps increase our skin's metabolism. This means greater cell turnover which produces younger, glowing skin. Let's not forget that spirulina is loaded in healthy fats and amino acids...both great for healthy hair and skin.
Here are a few reviews I found online from lovers of spirulina/chlorella:
I have experienced hair growth, stronger whiter nails, energy through the roof! I even effortlessly (no workouts) lost some pounds. I work nights and sleep all day. I never had this much energy before, I was sleeping my life away, it seemed like all of my awake hours were spent at the job. Not the case anymore. So happy to have added these GREENS to my diet. I've been taking Spirulina for almost a year. I take 2 to 3 capsules a day. My energy is through the roof, curbed appetite, whites of eyes look brighter, no colds this winter. I rarely get sick anyway, but I was exposed to so many sick coworkers, and my daughter had a horrible cold about a month ago. I followed my normal precautionary steps of keeping my hands out of my face and keeping them washed, plus spraying Lysol on door handles, etc. whenever I thought of it. I honestly believe the Spirulina gave me that extra hedge of protection. I'm a user for life. I take Spirulina. It is the truth in so many ways. It clears up my skin whenever I mess it up with a sugar overdose. I'd been taking chlorella for about a month. I'm taking other supplements so, I'm not sure whether I'm erroneously giving appropriate credit to chlorella but, I've noticed clearer skin, brighter eye whites, more regular, more energy and most importantly, I've lost 13 lbs with no change in diet or exercise.
Lately, I haven't been eating as healthy as I'd like. I like to cover my transgressions with superfoods that provide multiple nutrients at once. And if it gives me amazing skin, that's just icing on the cake.
We all know the story behind virgin coconut oil: it heals, mends, cures you name it, it does it. Coconut oil is also known as cocos nucifera and it is basically white fat made by pressing coconut kernels. We always suggest that when making the decision to purchase coconut oil, always buy organic, cold-pressed, pure, unrefined, […]
We all want to look good. We want to be beautiful and appreciated along with being treated fairly and respected. Don’t knock it, just understand it and don’t discount it as being trivial. I want to be valued for my mind, but I’m sorry, I also want to make sure I feel good about my […]
When I first began my natural hair journey, I was really narrow minded. I thought that every style had to begin with clean, freshly washed, and wet hair. I thought the only way to get from one style to the next was if you started from scratch. What I didn’t know during that time though […]
I love my natural hair…period. I love the texture, color, versatility and unpredictability it offers me daily and that even means on the so-called ‘bad hair days’. I am a natural of almost a decade and although the journey has had several ups and downs the path is paved with positivity and rainbows as far […]
Hey, girl, so I hear you are new to this natural thing? Did you just do The Big Chop? I bet you are freaking out about what to do next. Well not to worry, if you need some hair styling tips dealing with that TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro), we have you covered. Some of us […]
Have you been trying to get a super cute and defined twist out for the longest and it still comes out looking crazy? I have. I’m still trying to achieve the perfect twist out, and I’ve been on my natural journey for almost two years. If you’re like me and don’t know why your twist […]
We all know the story behind virgin coconut oil: it heals, mends, cures you name it, it does it. Coconut oil is also known as cocos nucifera and it is basically white fat made by pressing coconut kernels. We always suggest that when making the decision to purchase coconut oil, always buy organic, cold-pressed, pure, unrefined, […]
We all want to look good. We want to be beautiful and appreciated along with being treated fairly and respected. Don’t knock it, just understand it and don’t discount it as being trivial. I want to be valued for my mind, but I’m sorry, I also want to make sure I feel good about my […]
When I first began my natural hair journey, I was really narrow minded. I thought that every style had to begin with clean, freshly washed, and wet hair. I thought the only way to get from one style to the next was if you started from scratch. What I didn’t know during that time though […]
