Guest blogger, Carol Dunlop is certified through FiTour as a Personal Trainer and through the American Red Cross as a CPR, AED and First Aid Instructor. She has competed and placed in several Fitness America and National Bodybuilding competitions. Carol was diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer of 2011 and she is sharing her story of survival at DietsInReview.com. Check out her website, OptimumBodySculpting.com.

In 2006, Grammy Award-winning recording artist India.Arie released I Am Not My Hair as a type of ode to women, especially women of color, to our hair and the many ways we wear it and fret over it. I am certain that most women fret over their hair and agonize over what it will and won’t do, even when it looks the most beautiful. So, I’m sure that you can imagine the uncertainty that I felt when my doctor informed me that I would definitely lose my hair as a result of my chemo treatments.

I waited until I was certain that my hair was actually coming out. When I could feel the clumps in my hand, I knew it was time! My sweet soulmate and husband actually cut and shaved it off for me. There was actually no better, more sweeter or honest and intimate thing for him to do than that. I felt so close to him for sharing that moment with me. I will never forget it and always remember that special time.
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Growing up as a little girl, I can remember my mom spending a lot of time straightening my hair. She would go through the process of washing and pressing it, then she would section it out into some nice, pretty ponytails and I would head outside to play. On my way out the door she would yell, “Don’t sweat your hair out!,” a phrase most black women heard growing up.

What my mom meant was I shouldn’t go outside and get all sweaty, because that would reverse all the work she had just done. Any moisture on my hair would result in it becoming puffy and curly again. Many women grow up with the mentality of avoiding any type of sweat for fear of messing up their hair. Some even go as far as avoiding exercise in the name of beauty.

Black women have the type of hair that requires a lot of maintenance, and if time and money are spent in the beauty salon getting it styled and straightened, most aren’t likely to hit the gym and allow sweat to ruin it. Unfortunately, when this happens, health suffers. Some may think avoiding workouts to keep their hair intact isn’t a big deal, but the issue is serious.

In fact, Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin made an appearance at the recent Bonner Brothers International Hair Show in Atlanta, an annual show that features around 60,000 hair stylists. Dr. Benjamin, who is an African-American woman, wants to make sure black women know that a hairstyle shouldn’t keep you out of the gym.

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Trick uh till uh mania… Trichotillomania is traditionally one of the most difficult psychological disorders to say, one that is difficult for many to understand, and one that has been difficult to treat. Research published this month in the Archives of General Psychiatry introduces a possible new treatment that is currently available over the counter as a vitamin supplement.

Trichotillomania is classified as an impulse control disorder in the DSM-IV; however, some consider it self-injury, a tic, or an obsessive-compulsive disorder. When someone suffers from trichotillomania they experience urges to pull out their hair; this can be hair from the scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, or any body hair. Generally sufferers experience tension building with a desire to pull that is relieved once they have pulled the hair out. Pulling tends to increase during times of high stress and may disappear entirely during times of low stress. Pulling can result in bald patches or complete absence of hair in certain areas of the body. In some cases sufferers are also driven to bite the bulb at the root of the hair, chew on, or even swallow hair.
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Summer is here which means there will be plenty of long days spent outside by the beach, lake, or poolside. It’s very important to apply and re-apply plenty of sunblock, but the sun can effect other parts of your body, not just your skin.  Below is a list found on WebMD of sun problems and associated foods that can help your body bounce back from the sun’s powerful rays.

Dry or Damaged Skin

• Caused by: sweating more in summertime causing your skin to be less supple; chlorine in pool water and saltwater can also dry out your skin; finally the very common sunburn really can dry out your skin.
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