Anyone who knows me is aware that I am ridiculously gung-ho about using natural products. I’ve found that cutting out the products I was using with icky ingredients has been so beneficial. Cutting the sulfates in my shampoo, not applying paraben-packed makeup, steam cleaning instead of chemical cleaning.. all of it has paid off. So when I discovered the icky ingredients that were hiding in my tube of toothpaste, I was on a search for a healthier alternative.

And then I found Tom’s Of Maine natural toothpaste! Not only is Tom’s a safer way to brush, my teeth and gums have never felt better. My teeth have always been very sensitive, even when using toothpaste aimed at sensitive teeth. I’ve found that switching to Tom’s, my teeth are starting to become more and more tolerant of hot and cold foods. And did I mention it tastes GREAT?

If you’re looking for a natural toothpaste, I definitely recommend it. They are also giving away a $500 Target gift card through Twitter and Facebook, check it out here: That’s Wicked Fresh contest page. I just entered my wicked fresh moment “Taking a Vegas vacation and winning $50 on the penny slots!” So maybe that $50 will turn into a $500 gift card? Ya never know

Honestly, my hair has ALWAYS been long (ever since I can remember) so I am just programmed to take care of it properly. Well I’m assuming what I do is “proper” considering it stays in pretty good health all year round So considering I have never had hair above my shoulders, I can’t really compare what it’s like caring for long vs. short. But I would imagine that the way you care for your hair depends more on the TYPE of hair you have rather than length. Obviously if you have chin-length, super curly tendrils all over your head that is far more work that having ass-length straight hair.

SO… onward to my list of hair tricks and tips that has kept my very long hair in very healthy condition over the years!

1. Avoid sulfates!!!!!! I can’t stress enough the importance of using sulfate-free shampoo! I have been sulfate-free for about three years now and my hair has never looked better. Sulfates are a harsh detergent chemical that can cause hair thinning, folicle damage and even CANCER. Look for Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate or Sodium Ammonium Sulfate (anything that says Sulfate) on the top of the ingredients list on your shampoo bottle. You can get sulfate-free shampoo anywhere these days… Walgreens, Walmart, CVS and of course beauty stores. Some of my favorite brands are RenPure and Organix.
2. Immediately follow your shampoo with your conditioner, but don’t rinse. Massage the conditioner in from root to tip for a couple minutes, use a little water to help you distribute the conditioner, and leave it in for the remainder of your shower. The very LAST step before you get out should be to rinse. This allows the conditioner enough time to penetrate the hair shaft. If you are worried about getting conditioner in your eyes, pickup some shower caps from the dollar store and wear it over your conditioned head while you finish your shower.
3. Don’t wash your hair with super hot water. I know it’s tempting because it feels so good, but your hair will do much better in cooler water. The cooler the water, the shinier and less frizzy the hair shaft
4. Always use a leave-in conditioner, at least on your ends. I have fine hair so it doesn’t take much product to make my hair look greasy, so I’ve mastered the technique of leave-in conditioner. Start with towel dried hair. I use a quarter-sized glob and work from the bottom up. Make sure your ends are really saturated and then move up your length. Whatever conditioner I have remaining on my hands (which usually isn’t much) by the time I get to my scalp, is what I use for the top of my hair. I like to make sure I get my part where the frizzies pop up. I like all of Wen’s cleansing conditioners as leave-ins (but I don’t really like them as a shampoo/conditioner substitute… just as a leave-in) and SunSilk makes pretty nice leave-ins too.
5. If you can, air dry. I have naturally straight hair so skipping the blow dryer isn’t a problem for me. But if you have waves or curls, work with your natural texture and skip the hot tools 3 or 4 times a week, your hair will thank you for it.
6. Again, if you can, only wash your hair every other day. The natural oils that your scalp produces are really good for your hair shaft. I personally have to wash my hair pretty much every day because it’s fine and blonde, so you can really notice when it’s dirty. But if you have darker hair and can pull off a pony tail, go for it!

That’s all I’ve got. I hope this was a useful read for you and your hair Feel free to leave your hair tips in the comments!

For centuries, chocolate, and the cocoa from which it is made, has been a sought after substance. It’s far and away the most popular candy type, and sells by the millions year after year. But, there are many myths surrounding chocolate. So, let’s take a look at some of these myths and the truth behind them.

1. Chocolate is bad for you – Not so, at least in its simplest form. Cocoa comes from a bean, making it a plant based product. As such it is full of anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are important because they work to rid your body of free radicals, naturally occurring oxygen molecules that, when left unchecked, cause cell damage. Free radicals contribute to the development of cancer, heart disease and many other illnesses. We all need plenty of anti-oxidants in our diet to get rid of these free radicals before they damage our cells. Ounce for ounce, cocoa and dark chocolate have more anti-oxidants than blueberries, green tea and red wine – all considered anti-oxidant powerhouses.

2. Chocolate causes acne – Actually, this is most likely just an old wives tale. Studies going back to 1960 have shown that even when large amounts of chocolate are consumed, it has no correlation to getting acne. In fact, in most people, diet as a whole has no bearing on acne.

3. Chocolate causes migraines – Another old wives, tale, it seems. Many studies have been conducted on migraine triggers and chocolate has never been shown to trigger migraines; even when the studies were conducted on people who believed themselves to be chocolate sensitive.

4. Chocolate is high in caffeine – Milk chocolate has about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of decaffeinated coffee. Chocolate does, however, contain theobromine, a caffeine related substance. Theobromine is far less powerful than caffeine.

5. Chocolate causes tooth decay. In fact, chocolate may actually decrease your risk of tooth decay, because recent studies have shown that flavanol anti-oxidants may actually slow the buildup of plaque. Recent dental studies have also shown that tooth decay is mostly caused from foods that linger in the mouth. Chocolate leaves the mouth very quickly, so it is not a serious cause of tooth decay.

6. Many people are allergic to chocolate. Chocolate actually is a food that is very low on the food allergen list. Many people, however, probably wish they were allergic to it!

7. Chocolate makes kids hyperactive – Sugar can sometimes cause children to have excessive energy. And, compared with many other desserts, most chocolate is actually not as high in sugar as many other items. In addition, research has shown that it’s often the atmosphere where sugary substances are served (think birthday party) that causes kids to go wild.

So as you can see, chocolate is not the enemy. And, in fact, if you choose your chocolate wisely, it is actually your friend. Many doctors recommend one ounce of dark chocolate per day to boost your anti-oxidant intake level. So, eat up! Just make sure chocolate, like other treats is eaten in moderation.

Mary Ward is a freelance writer and likes writing about healthcare career topics, such as how to obtain an online x-ray tech degree.

Today I feel compelled to post about my love for salads. I have recently discovered the yummiest, healthiest, phytonutrientest salad ever! What are phytonutrients you ask? Well I just discovered them recently myself. And I figure that anything that starts with a “PH” must be awesome. Basically, they are nutrients derived straight from plants.. so thank you mother nature! Having a phytonutrient rich diet can beef up your immune system, prevent yucky diseases, and even keep your eyes working at top-notch performance.

Phytolife.com is an informative (and cute) little website which explains how awesome phytonutrients are. Phytolife.com also has some really deelish salad recipes based on the FreshExpress bagged salad you can buy at the grocery store. They are super-packed with phytonutrients! My favorite is the “sweet tender greens” drizzled with balsamic. Tonight I am going to make the red greens, watermelon, and feta cheese salad.. mmmmm. It sounds promising, right? So jump on the phyto bandwagon with me and go to Phytolife.com to get yourself phyto-educated 8)

I was forced to take a several-day-long sabbatical from my website due to a death lingering illness. That’s right people.. I had STREP THROAT. Dun dun dunnn. There is just something about throat pain, vomit, no sleep, and chapped lips that curb me away from society for days on end. But now I’m all bandaged up and ready to par-taaay.

So I’ve decided that my mom is officially out of her fucking mind. My little sister’s 11th birthday was on the 6th. OF COURSE I wasn’t invited to a birthday party of any sort.. (my mom went nuts in February and fled to my aunt and uncles house in Phoenix, which is 100+ miles away, with my little brother and sister) so I went to the mall and bought her a cute little watch and a pretty little matching necklace. And a card that said “Happy birthday to the smart sister.. *open* From the pretty one!” Hahaha. I sent it off several days early to make sure she would get it on time. So the 6th came, and I called 4 different times.. leaving 4 different messages for her. So finally, at about 8:30pm, my mom calls me. Here is the basic conversation:

SO-CALLED-MOM: Hello Chelsey. (crazy psycho voice)

CHELSEY: Hi..

SO-CALLED-MOM: So I see you’ve been trying to call.

CHELSEY: Yeah is Jacey there? (Jacey is my little sister)

SO-CALLED-MOM: Oh well that depends.

CHELSEY: …Um what does that depend on?

SO-CALLED-MOM: It depends on if you’re going to go to court and tell them what a horrible mother I was again.

CHELSEY: (tries to unsucessfully interrupt)

SO-CALLED-MOM: And if you’re going to testify that I was in bars with your dad all the time and tell them I treated you sooo bad…

CHELSEY: (tries to unsucessfully interrupt again)

SO-CALLED-MOM: *is yelling now* YOU’RE SO FUCKING DISRESPECTFUL OF ME.. LEAVE ME AND MYYY GODDAMN KIDS ALONE YOU BITCH! WE’RE FUCKING HAPPY AND HEALTHY AND YOU TREAT ME LIKE SHIT!

CHELSEY: ..So can I tell Jacey happy birthday now?

SO-CALLED-MOM: NO FUCK YOU. YOU LEAVE US ALONE blahablahblahblahblahblah (at this point I knew it was hopeless)

CHELSEY: Mom, just let me tell my sister happy birthday.

SO-CALLED-MOM: LJHSLFOIFHLKDGDLIHOI (cussing and yelling more stupid bullshit at me)

CHELSEY: FINE! fuck you bitch. *click*

Now, keep in mind that I haven’t even spoken to her for probably over a month or so. And when I did.. it wasn’t a heated conversation at all. But then THIS comes out of nowhere.. and just boggles me. I just blame it on her insanity. There is no other explanation for my own mother to be THAT hostile to me out of nowhere.. esspecially when I was just trying to tell my little sister happy birthday. I’m sure my mom didn’t give her my gifts either. Jacey would have called to thank me. My mom wants her to think that I don’t care about her.. for what reason I don’t know.

Yeah I called her a bitch at the end. It was my anger talking. I totally gave into her tactics and lowered myself to her level. I’m sorry but being kept from my brother and sister just fucking infuriates me. Esspecially when I JUST WANT TO TELL THEM HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Jesus Christ! I hope she gets help soon.

Alright moving on.. I HAD A GOOD DAY AT WORK TODAY!! My boss offered to pay for my health insurance ONE HUNDRED MOTHER FUCKING PERCENT.. yes ma’am. Chelsey is free and clear to get sick as fuck cuz now my ass is tooken care of. Shit my perscription copay is $0.. how the fuck you gonna beat that? Man.. sometimes freeness just makes me orgasm.

redrum ♥ Laura ♥ Xquizite ♥ Jukie ♥ Babie ♥ Jessica L. ♥ *shae ♥ Pia ♥ Eyezly-Jade ♥ dorka ♥ Dreina ♥ Tiffany ♥ sincere ♥ n.gurl ♥ Chrissy