That New New

Ya'll remember the character New New played by Lauren London in ATL? She said that she called herself New New, because she always had the "New New shit" Well, my New New has nothing to do with fashion, but this brand new life, these brand new vibes and this brand new look. I started this journey exactly a year ago, and would have never guess the "newness" life would bring. Here is an update of my hair journey, the good, the better and the best. It will no longer be bad, and absolutely not ugly.

My Lichen Planopilaris Progressing from March 2020-July 2020

The Bad & The Ugly

Progressing through Lichen Planopilaris from September 2020-Present

The Good, The Better & The Best

If you didn't know already, I decided to do a big chop. Why? Simply because I was tired of hiding behind my scarves AND my scars. I was tired of dwelling on the past, and I was ready to celebrate the transformation that God worked me through. Many people who've been following my blog and social media ask very similar questions. What are you putting on your scalp? Does it burn? Does it itch? How is your hair growing back? The answer is plain and simple, the gut.

Why Is Gut Health So Important?

It is my understanding that your gut is like a powerhouse, it is your foundation. When you think about the foundation of a house, after constant wear and tear, it's going to eventually collapse. Your gut is the same way, constant use of antibiotics, bad eating, stress, lack of sleep, etc. is going to eventually wear out your gut and become "leaky". *In my Sarah Jakes Roberts voice* But GOD!! The good news is, it can be rebuilt and be restored. With the right diet, sleep, exercise, and minimum use of medications, your gut can go back to normal and the transformation is a beautiful thing.

Gut Restoration Diet

I have mentioned the Gut Restoration Diet in several post, but as long as people keep asking, I am going to keep sharing. My doctor, Sonza Curtis (Three D Wellness) is a true advocate of it, and it can heal a multitude of issues! Acne, hormones, IBS, you name it!! If you are having health issues and can't figure out why, contact a good functional medicine doctor and give it a try!

Recommended Foods:

• Plant based milk

• Free range meat and wild caught seafood

• Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables

• Gluten free grains

• All nuts & seeds (no sugar added)

• Very limited natural sugars (almost none)

• Water

• Drinks with no sugar added

Foods to Avoid

• Dairy

• Gluten

• Processed Foods

• Farm Raised/Hormone fed meat

• Sugar Sugar Sugar

• Soda

• Alcohol

• Coffee

Along with the Gut Restoration Diet, you still need to find out what your body is deficient in. There are supplements including digestive enzymes that your body will need in order for the gut to process what you're eating correctly. Truthfully speaking, this might not be a 21 day one and done situation. It took me about three months before I saw progress, but the moment I touched my scalp and it didn't feel like it was on fire, I knew that this was legit!!!

Here's a little real talk for a second. People have come to me with a multitude of excuses. But the question is, do you want to stay sick or not? Do you want to stay on medication for the rest of your life or not? I'll let you think about that.

What Else?

A lot of times, after I finish this beautiful presentation of the Gut Restoration Diet *over exaggerating* I get a "what else?" question. Months ago I gave you home remedies that I use on my scalp. I had the blender going with the carrier oils, essential oils, juices and berries!! You couldn't tell me that I wasn't whipping this hair growth remedy in the kitchen *truthfully borrowed from YouTube* However, in January of this year I decided to try a 30 Day Hair Detox by @iamblackgirlcurls on IG, that was recommended by my sister. She wanted to prove to me that all this stuff that I was putting on my hair had nothing to do with hair growth.

In the 30 day hair detox here were the requirements:

• Cleanse & condition every 5-10 days.

• Do not use products that have shea, coconut or castor oil in the top 5 ingredients.

• Just cleanse and condition every 5-10 days.

• Cleanse..and..condition..every 5..to..10..days.

Whewwww chileee! When I tell you my mind was blown!! First of all, majority of my concoctions include oils on oils on oils. Secondly, just cleanse and condition every 5-10 days, which includes no leave in and no deep conditioning?! *mic drop* I couldn't believe it, but I gave it a try. Without the coconut oil, almond oil, lavender, avocado, rosemary, bananas, etc., my hair still grew. Do you know why? I continued to put the right things in my body.

Even after the 21 Day Gut Restoration was over, I still ate the exact same way. *BOOM* I'm not going to lie, I love some sugar, fried catfish, and wine every now and then. Other than that, I've been consistent. Check out on IG @blackgirlcurls to learn their theory about taking care of natural hair.

Now, I'm not saying to throw away your oils and butters, because honestly I loved the self-care part of it. I loved spreading the creamy solution on my scalp, and let it sit in my hair while I watched my favorite TV shows. If you feel like it is working for you, then do it. However, if you're tired of your wash routine and want some results, eat the following:

• Protein rich foods

• Fruits & vegetables

• Fatty Fish/Omega 3's

• Healthy Fats (Avocados)

My Non-Negotiables

Here are some things that I consume or participate in on a daily or weekly basis that has done wonders for my health.

Food:

• Some type of green vegetable or fruit with every meal

• Fruit & Veggie smoothies with plant based milk

• Sea Moss

• Flax Seeds

• Chia Seeds

• Hemp Seeds

• Avocados

• Nuts

• Herbal Tea

• Limited amounts of meat/more plant based meals

• Treat myself to something unhealthy 1-2 times a week *be realistic*

Non-Food:

• Exercise at least 3 times a week

• Self-care before work

• Daily prayer/word

• Ratchet television *entertainment for the soul*

• Motivational podcast

• Fun times with people that I care about!

What Else?

Dassit ya'll, dassit! Seriously, I have come a long way from antibiotics, steroids, and string cheese. Regardless of what journey you're own, we can go the same route and get similar results. If you've checked out my social media lately, I've posted about my mom's journey with diabetes. Just from eliminating sugar and eating whole foods, she has gone down from 2 meds a day, to 1 med! Different journey, same route and similar results!!!

Let me know how you're doing. It's been awhile!! In the meantime, check your food labels, stay hydrated, get some sleep, and don't forget to live un·scarred.

Newly & Progressively,

Gia

"I am no longer accepting the things I can not change. I am changing the things I can not accept"

-Dr. Angela Davis

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