Go Lavishly Natural: 100+ Recipes for Healthy Natural Hair, Mind, & Soul

by PhD Erica K. King

Overview

What if you could heal hair loss with a ridiculously good green juice?

How about preventing depression with a homemade hair butter? If you’re reading this, you care about what’s in the products you use in your hair and on your skin. Go Lavishly Natural is your guide to all-natural fruit and plant-based recipes that heal the underlying causes of hair loss. These causes are often the result of the SAD Diet -- Stress, Anxiety & Depression. Relaxation is the cure! Go Lavishly Natural provides a proven, step-by-step relaxation system you can use to heal ALL areas of your life, while having fun in the process!

“The psychologist for people who don’t need psychologists,” Dr. Erica K. King will guide you through:

A 21-Day Relaxation Diet for stress reduction and awesomeness
The psychological and spiritual benefits of juicing
How to make your own natural hair care line
How to use energy medicine for mental peace, emotional immunity, and healthy hair
Inspiring meditations and affirmations for spiritual wellness

You’ll also discover:

How To Make Your Own Mega Hair Growth Serum
How To Make A Hair Tea That’s Better Than Your Creamiest Conditioner
How To Heal At The Cellular Level With The 7 Hair Butters of the Chakra
The Best Raw Living Foods for Hair, Skin & Nails

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781504378734
Publisher:	Balboa Press
Publication date:	08/18/2017
Pages:	334
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Natural Hair and Body Care: DIY Basics for the Modern Naturalista

You are the sum total of everything you've ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot — it's all there. ... Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive.

Maya Angelou

Before we get started, I'd like to get a few things off my hair. First, what is a modern naturalista, and Is being a naturalista just related to hair?

I define a naturalista in three ways:

1. Someone who doesn't chemically relax his or her hair

2. Someone who has a natural approach to or philosophy of health, life, mind, body, and food

3. Someone who has a natural approach to healing, specifically with medical and mental conditions

You may find that you're all three, one more than the others, or none at all. Perhaps you're more of a naturalist. The word naturalista comes from the French word naturaliste. Its definitions include:

* A person who studies nature, especially by direct observation of animals and plants

* A person who believes in or practices naturalism in any form

As someone who is reading this book, you are an official naturalista! I know you have an interest in the best ingredients and the highest-quality products that work best for your hair and skin. You don't have to wear your hair naturally to enjoy that — but if you do, the recipes in this book will complement your current regime and may eventually become all you need to care for your gorgeous natural hair!

How To Use This Book

You can read this book straight through, or pick and choose your favorite recipes and chapters. It was written so that you could turn to a page and find something that works for you! You can also skip right to The Relaxation Diet (pg.) at any time. Each day is a complete act of relaxation:)

Getting Started | How to Make Your Own Natural Hair Care Line

Start with the Products You'd Like to Make

Do you love hair butters?

Are luscious, thick conditioners your thing?

When my hair fell out (again) in 2011, I needed everything — a new shampoo, an oil-free conditioner, leave-ins, and anything that offered moisture.

I suggest picking two to three products you'd really like to make (try a mega hair-growth serum, page 56, or coconut shea butter, page 60) and go from there. Don't concern yourself with how easy or hard it will be to make, or what ingredients are required.

Once you have your products, move on to step 2: identifying the right ingredients for your hair.

Identifying What Works

Now that you know what you want to make, it's time to identify the ingredients you'll be working with for your own luscious creations. To do this, we'll need to look at your favorite hair products. I'll show you how to create your own list when we make our Mega Hair-Growth Oil in Chapter 10.

Quick Tip

You'll want to include the ingredients, even if they aren't natural. Why? This product is working for your hair, so before you remove anything, we'll see if there are any natural alternatives for that ingredient.

Check Your Ingredients — On Everything

The next time you're ready to buy or use your favorite products, check your ingredients. I love almond oil, walnut oil, and macadamia oil, which are all found in many natural products — but with the severe nut allergies in my family, they're out, out, and out. I also don't want toxic parabens in my shampoos or conditioners.

Parabens are often used as preservatives in foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. They keep funkiness from growing in your hair products with their antifungal and antibacterial properties. The FDA lists methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and ethylparaben as the most common parabens found in our products. Although parabens may provide some benefits to our cosmetic formulations, they also come with some baggage.

Paraben Exposé(Watch Out For These In Your Products)

Methylparabens are often listed as 4-hydroxy-methyl ester benzoic acid, and sodium salt in your ingredients. Methylparabens and each of the parabens that follow, mimic estrogen and can disrupt the endocrine system.

Propylparabens are often used as fragrance. This paraben can cause endocrine (hormone) disruptions that include birth defects, developmental delays, and cancerous tumors. Other names you might see proplyparabens listed as include, potassium salt propylparaben, propyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, and benzoic acid.

Butylparabens (also called benzoic acid, sodium salt, 4-hydroxy-butyl ester benzoic acid) can cause skin irritation, disrupt the cellular structure and function of your organs, and weaken the immune system.

Last but not least, ethylparabens are often used as a preservative and a fragrance. Ethylparabens have been linked to — you guessed it — disrupting the hormones and cycles of the body (menstrual cycles, hair growth cycles, etc.). The good news is that of all the parabens, it seems to rate the lowest on the toxicity scale. Yay!

What's That In Your Conditioner?

Have you ever heard another naturalista say she hates cones and had no idea what she was talking about? More than likely, it was little d, dimethicone.

Dimethicone is a silicone-based polymer (part of the rubber family; plastic) that works as a conditioning emollient. It's a common ingredient in most conditioners. It provides slip and lubrication to hair and skin products and reduces greasiness in creams and oils. It's often the ingredient that makes your conditioner so easy to wash out.

When used over time, dimethicone can cause product buildup on your hair, seal off your hair cuticles' ability to absorb moisture, and weigh your hair down. EWG lists dimethicone as a moderate health concern because it's been linked to non-reproductive organ system toxicity.

Make Your First DIY Recipe

We've covered how to get started making your hair care line, which ingredients to use, and which ones to keep out of your natural goodies. Let's get this party started with the very first products we use to keep our hair fresh and clean! In the next section, we'll cover the best homemade shampoos that clean your hair and nourish your spirit.

CHAPTER 2

Take the Challenge

If you don't understand yourself you don't understand anybody else.

— Nikki Giovanni

In 2013 while lying on the Keawakapu Beach in Maui, I had two revelations. One, never forget sunscreen again, and two, I should start a hair challenge. Something had to change with Lavishly Natural. We were living in Maui at the time, and I didn't have the same access to hair and body care ingredients like I had in Arizona. Shipping was expensive, and what I was able to bring was limited. I learned how to do everything with clay, vanilla oil, coconut oil, and shea butter! It was a challenge with three luscious heads of natural hair to do every day.

I had a total of 1,100 e-mail subscribers and an idea that each week for ninety days (the standard time of most wonderful hair challenges), I would share a tip we could use to grow and care for our healthy hair. That first year, it was me and one other naturalista. Success! From that moment on, every winter, I ran the challenge, and it got bigger and bigger. It's now been shared over 50,000 times and counting!

Lavishly Natural's Healthy Hair Challenge

Thousands of women and young girls have participated in the challenge, and I invite you to join now too! Simply go to EricaKKing.com/ lavishlynatural and sign up for the automated thirty-day course. I'll come to your inbox every day and challenge you to complete one exercise a day. The activities don't take long to complete, and you may recognize some of the recipes in this book.

You're going to love it, and I'm not the least bit biased.

Are You Part of the Lavishly Natural Goddess Community?

If you have read this book and still have not signed up for my Lavishly Natural Updates, stop right now and take your beautiful self here: LavishlyNaturaI.com. There, you can sign up for my weekly newsletter and get information about live courses and events! I share exclusive recipes and tips with my readers that you cannot find anywhere else, so come, and bring your hair.

Relax Goddess

In the last part of this book, you will find the Twenty-One-Day Relaxation Diet. It's a fun way to incorporate many of the recipes in this book into a simple daily practice. It will also help reduce your current stress level and bring peace to your mind and body.

After the Twenty-One-Day Relaxation Diet, I've also included a shopping list (appendix B) that has all of the ingredients used in this book. You do not have to buy everything at once. You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry already. At the end of the list, I share places where you can find natural, organic ingredients online. I shop from each of them for anything I can't buy locally. As always, look around and do your own research on everything that touches your hair and skin. Do not skip this step. You are your own expert, and your hair is fabulous!

CHAPTER 3

How to Make Your Own Shampoo

Most of the products for natural hair are rich, creamy, and completely indulgent — so much so that they can leave a little product buildup on the hair. This is normal, but if you have hard water, this little buildup can become a big problem.

The following recipes are wonderful for use any time you want to deeply cleanse and detoxify your hair. If you want a deeper detox, try the chelating cactus syrup. It's magical!

Six All-Natural Cleansers for Beautiful, Natural Hair

1. Soap Nut Foam Clarifying Shampoo

2. Erica's Bentonite Clay Wash

3. Chelating Cactus Syrup

4. Cherry Club Soda

5. Lavishly Natural's Herbal Shampoo

6. Super Bowl Clay Wash

#1 Soap Nut Foam Clarifying Shampoo

Looking for a foam based shampoo that won't leave product buildup?

Soap nut foam is the answer!

Soap nut cleansing has become a popular alternative to chemical detergents. Soap nuts, (Sapindus mukorossi, also called soapberries), contain an all-natural detergent called saponin. When the soap nut shell absorbs water, it releases saponin into the water. This fabulous foamy surfactant gently removes dirt, oils, and grime from your hair and clothes.

Ingredients

4 to 6 soap nuts
Instructions

1. Add soap nuts to a small 2-quart pot.

2. Add water to the pot and bring soap nuts to a boil.

3. Reduce to low-medium heat. Let them simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Strain out the soap nuts. You can use these again by storing them in a plastic bag once they dry. Keep them in your refrigerator for up to 1 month.

5. Pour the liquid in a food processor or blender.

6. Blend or mix on high for 30 seconds. The soap nut wash should begin to foam up as you mix.

7. Place foam in a bottle with a pump or in a sealable jar.

How to Use Soap Nut Foam

Massage the foam into your hair and work it down your strands. Continue to massage your scalp gently with the shampoo. If you want a deeper cleanse, allow the shampoo to sit on your hair for up to 5 minutes. The foam will begin to disappear as you use it, but it's still cleaning.

Rinse and repeat if needed. Follow up with your favorite hair tea, conditioner, and styling aids.

Soap nut foam can be drying by itself, so make sure to condition after use.

#2 Erica's Bentonite Clay Wash

Bentonite clay is an ancient cleanser that originates from volcanic ash. When used as a cleanser, it pulls the dirt, oils, and buildup out of your hair. It deeply detangles coily, curly hair with ease.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons bentonite clay
Instructions

1. Add the clay and marshmallow root powder to a medium sized bowl. Whisk the clay and marshmallow root powder. Make sure any lumps or clumps are removed. We don't want to wash these out of our hair!

2. Pour aloe vera juice in with the clay and powder. Stir until everything is mixed together.

3. Stir in honey and safflower oil.

4. If your mixture is too dry, add more aloe vera juice by tablespoon. Continue to stir all of the ingredients by hand to reach the consistency you like.

5. This is also a great mix to use after you've worn braids or twists for a few weeks (or months) and want to deeply cleanse your hair and scalp.

#3 Chelating Cactus Syrup

If you check the back of your favorite shampoos, you might see the secret ingredient in this recipe — EDTA. EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid) is a chelating agent most known for removing heavy metals and minerals from cosmetics. It keeps your products, hair, scalp, and skin fresh.

When used in DIY hair cleansers, EDTA removes soap scum that can develop over time from hard water. It also lifts and grabs onto heavy metals, removing them from hair and skin. This gives hair a clean, fresh feel and a healthy glow. This is a great recipe to use after wearing a protective style (braids, twists) for some time.

Calcium EDTA

I use calcium EDTA as part of chelation therapy with our son, Damon. Chelation therapy is used as a treatment for heavy metal toxicity in humans. We've used it for a few years to remove heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, mercury, copper, and more from his bloodstream.

Chelation therapy has helped restore health, wellness, and joy to his system. It's also the absolute best for getting chlorine out of your hair in minutes, without leaving your hair feeling stripped.

You can find EDTA online in powder form and in capsules. You don't need much. This recipe will cleanse, soften, and detox your hair from heavy metals, chlorine, and negative energy.

Chelating Cactus Syrup Recipe

16-ounce bottle with top
Instructions

1. Chop each cactus leaf into four pieces. Cactus leaf may also be listed as Nopales in your local grocery store.

2. Grate each piece until it becomes green mush.

3. Place grated cactus into a large bowl.

4. Add 4 cups of distilled water

5. Cover and let sit for 4 hours.

6. The water will thicken as it sits.

7. Strain cactus leaves from the syrup and throw them away.

8. Add in calcium disodium EDTA to the syrup and stir.

9. Pour the syrup into your bottle.

How To Use:

Apply a handful to wet hair and work through your hair from the scalp, to your ends. Once your hair is saturated, rinse until the syrup is gone. Store unused chelating cactus syrup in your refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Note

Do not eat or drink calcium EDTA or EDTA in any form without being under the supervision of a medical doctor or health care professional.

For a natural chelating agent, eat and drink more cilantro. Cilantro is a powerful, all-natural blood cleanser that can remove heavy metals from the bloodstream.

#4 Hair Detox | Cherry Club Soda

Cherries are nature's natural vitamin for hair, skin, and nails! Eating a bowl of cherries can boost your immune system, give you healthy, vibrant skin, and reduce your risk of cancer.

This recipe takes a naturally detoxifying club soda and adds hair-softening, revitalizing cherry pulp to the mix. Cherry pulp hydrates the scalp, prevents dandruff, and adds volume to your hair. It also helps balance the pH levels of hair and skin.

Other benefits of cherries include:

• improves circulation

• helps with weight loss

• freshens hair and scalp

• causes hair growth in balding areas

• has a calming effect on the mind and body

• helps prevent weakening of the heart and nervous system (making it a powerful anti-aging food)

• prevents the growth and spread of cancer cells

• induces and improves the quality of sleep

• relieves moodiness and anxiety

• strengthens brain function

• improves memory

• reduces stress

• repairs damaged hair follicles

• provides nourishment and nutrients to the scalp

Note

Black cherries have a better effect on hair loss and recovery. Montmorency (tart) cherries have been found to help the body recover better and faster, especially after exercise.

Cherry Club Soda Recipe

Ingredients

2 bottle of club soda
Instructions

1. Remove the seeds from the cherries.

2. Blend cherries and 1/4 cup of the club soda until well mixed.

3. Pour the cherry club soda mixture and remaining club soda into 2-quart pitcher.

4. Pour over your hair for an anytime detox.

5. Rinse out well and follow up with your favorite conditioner.

Optional:

Dip your fingers into the pulp mixture and gently massage it into your scalp. Allow this mixture to sit on your scalp for 10 minutes.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Go Lavishly Natural"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Erica K. King, PhD..
Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Introduction, xi,
Chapter 1 | Natural Hair and Body Care: DIY Basics for the Modern Naturalista, 1,
Chapter 2 | Take the Challenge, 6,
Chapter 3 | How to Make Your Own Shampoo, 8,
Chapter 4 | DIY Plant-Based Conditioners That Rock, 18,
Chapter 5 | 8 Hair Teas That Are Better Than Your Creamiest Conditioner, 34,
Chapter 6 | Vivacious Vinegar Recipes for Healthy, Natural Hair, 54,
Chapter 7 | Healing Clay Treatments for Gorgeous Natural Hair, 59,
Chapter 8 | Whipped, Buttered, and Creamed: How to Make the Best Hair and Body Butters, 69,
Chapter 9 | DIY Hair Oils, Infusions, & Cocktails, 84,
Chapter 10 | How To Make Your Own Mega Hair-Growth Serum, 110,
Chapter 11 | Behavioral Nutrition: Edible Recipes For Hair Growth and Wellness, 117,
Chapter 12 | Natural Milk: Awesome Allergy-Free Options, 128,
Chapter 13 | The Beginner's Guide to Juicing, 142,
Chapter 14 | Green Juice Recipes for Mental Wellness, 181,
Chapter 15 | How to Use Energy Medicine to Grow Your Hair: The Seven Primary Chakras, 191,
Chapter 16 | The 21-Day Relaxation Diet, 213,
Appendix A | The Lavishly Natural Shopping List, 299,
Index, 307,
References, 313,
About The Author, 319,