Zuri Eshe

Skin Changes during pregnancy

In nearing my third trimester of pregnancy I continue to try and brace myself for the new changes to come.  This is not my first pregnancy, and so far, this pregnancy is going just as the first, which, for me is great.

 

Pregnancy brings on a lot of changes.  Hormonal changes during pregnancy brings on physical, emotional and even psychological changes.

 

Yeah, I’ve experienced emotional moments, where even watching a commercial will have me reaching for he tissue box.  And yes, my belly is keeping me from tying my sneakers, but I’m also enjoying the moments of feeling my baby moving in my belly.

 

One of the changes that some pregnant women experience is changes in their skin.  Some women are more prone to having one or more irritating skin conditions during there pregnancy.  These irritations are common and usually disappear  after pregnancy, but these are a few of the changes that mom –to-be may experience:

 

Varicose Veins/Spider Veins – As mom-to-be’s weight increases, putting more strain on the blood vessels in the legs, so increases her changes of getting both Varicose and Spider veins.  Spider Veins, also sometimes appear on the face and chest.  To reduce the appearance of Varicose/Spider Veins, try to wear support pantyhose or compression stocking.  Wear soft rubber soled shoes such as sneaker, and avoid doing a lot of standing for lot periods.  When possible, keep your legs elevated. 

 

Acne – If you are prone to acne, then you may have bad acne during your first trimester.  Due to the hormonal changes taking place in the body during pregnancy, the production of excessive sebum (Oil in the skin) can cause blockage in the pores, making the skin greasy and causing acne to occur.  To help with your skin, keep face clean of excess oils and of dirt.  Don’t aggravate the skin with excessive scrubbing.  Don’t use cleansers or moisturizer that contain alcohol, retinoids or salicylic acid.

 

“Mask of Pregnancy” or Chloadma – Some women experience dark patches on their skin, usually on the cheeks, forehead and neck.  It effects mostly women of color. It is thought that exposure to the sun can worsen this condition.  This condition usually clears up after pregnancy, but you should avoid exposure to the sun and apply sunscreen with SPF 30 or more to protect the skin.

 

Linea Nigra – You know that dark line that appears straight now the middle of you belly?  Well, that is Linea Nigra.  It’s caused by pigmentation in the skin where the muscles in the abdomen stretch to accommodate your growing belly.  You can help to reduce the appears of linea nigra by taking folic acid supplements or eating green leafy veggies and wholegrains.

 

Stretch Marks – Ah!, the dreaded stretch marks.  Some women (and I envy them dearly) are lucky to never experience the unsightly bruising of the skin, but ladies.  Chin up and wear your battle scares proudly.  These lines usually appear on the breast, abdomen and the thighs and it usually effect about 70% to 90% of pregnant women.  For some women, stretch marks will fade in time after pregnancy.   To try and reduce your chances of getting stretch marks, keep the skin moisturized and lubricated.  Creams rich in cocoa butter, shea butter, avocado and mango butter are great products to help moisturize the skin and keep it supple.  And remember ladies, those scares came from carrying your little bundle of joy.  Just wait, there will be more to come (scares that is).  Like a broken ankle with 2 plates and 13 screws.  Ouch!!!  Ask me how I know.

 

This is the time to really pamper and nourish your skin.  Be mindful of the things you put in and on your body!

In nearing my third trimester of pregnancy I continue to try and brace myself for the new changes to come.  This is not my first pregnancy, and so far, this pregnancy is going just as the first, which, for me is great.

 

Pregnancy brings on a lot of changes.  Hormonal changes during pregnancy brings on physical, emotional and even psychological changes.

 

Yeah, I’ve experienced emotional moments, where even watching a commercial will have me reaching for he tissue box.  And yes, my belly is keeping me from tying my sneakers, but I’m also enjoying the moments of feeling my baby moving in my belly.

 

One of the changes that some pregnant women experience is changes in their skin.  Some women are more prone to having one or more irritating skin conditions during there pregnancy.  These irritations are common and usually disappear  after pregnancy, but these are a few of the changes that mom –to-be may experience:

 

Varicose Veins/Spider Veins – As mom-to-be’s weight increases, putting more strain on the blood vessels in the legs, so increases her changes of getting both Varicose and Spider veins.  Spider Veins, also sometimes appear on the face and chest.  To reduce the appearance of Varicose/Spider Veins, try to wear support pantyhose or compression stocking.  Wear soft rubber soled shoes such as sneaker, and avoid doing a lot of standing for lot periods.  When possible, keep your legs elevated. 

 

Acne – If you are prone to acne, then you may have bad acne during your first trimester.  Due to the hormonal changes taking place in the body during pregnancy, the production of excessive sebum (Oil in the skin) can cause blockage in the pores, making the skin greasy and causing acne to occur.  To help with your skin, keep face clean of excess oils and of dirt.  Don’t aggravate the skin with excessive scrubbing.  Don’t use cleansers or moisturizer that contain alcohol, retinoids or salicylic acid.

 

“Mask of Pregnancy” or Chloadma – Some women experience dark patches on their skin, usually on the cheeks, forehead and neck.  It effects mostly women of color. It is thought that exposure to the sun can worsen this condition.  This condition usually clears up after pregnancy, but you should avoid exposure to the sun and apply sunscreen with SPF 30 or more to protect the skin.

 

Linea Nigra – You know that dark line that appears straight now the middle of you belly?  Well, that is Linea Nigra.  It’s caused by pigmentation in the skin where the muscles in the abdomen stretch to accommodate your growing belly.  You can help to reduce the appears of linea nigra by taking folic acid supplements or eating green leafy veggies and wholegrains.

 

Stretch Marks – Ah!, the dreaded stretch marks.  Some women (and I envy them dearly) are lucky to never experience the unsightly bruising of the skin, but ladies.  Chin up and wear your battle scares proudly.  These lines usually appear on the breast, abdomen and the thighs and it usually effect about 70% to 90% of pregnant women.  For some women, stretch marks will fade in time after pregnancy.   To try and reduce your chances of getting stretch marks, keep the skin moisturized and lubricated.  Creams rich in cocoa butter, shea butter, avocado and mango butter are great products to help moisturize the skin and keep it supple.  And remember ladies, those scares came from carrying your little bundle of joy.  Just wait, there will be more to come (scares that is).  Like a broken ankle with 2 plates and 13 screws.  Ouch!!!  Ask me how I know.

 

This is the time to really pamper and nourish your skin.  Be mindful of the things you put in and on your body!

New logo

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A change has come!

Many changes have taken place since my last post.  Not only did I go through a physical cleansing of sorts, but it became clear that with that cleansing, things around me began to change too. 

 

The first thing to happen was, within weeks of my “Cleaning house”, I found out that I was pregnant.  Did the cleansing help that happen?  No.  I was actually pregnant before I started the herbs, but I didn’t know that at the time. 

 

Secondly, it became painfully clear that things needed to change in my business.   I had gotten tired of fighting with other companies that chose to use my company name or a variation of it as their own.  My business was being confused with similar businesses and their lesser quality products (some were just representatives or consultants of other people’s products).   So, with great resolve, I decided it was time for a new image for my business, starting with a name change.  This was a very hard decision to make since the name “The Essence of You had been with me for a very long time.

 

As I started to advise family and friends of my decision, my good friend sent me a handmade card with these words transcribed:

 

 

We Celebrate!

 

 

Today we celebrate and give thanks for

The Essence of You

You have served faithfully

You have not only nourished our skins

You have also nourished our souls

Out of you, friendships and children have been born

Men and women have loved, and made love

And because of you

We celebrate the birth of

Zuri Eshe!

 

We may not be where we want to be

But because of you, we are not where we were

You inspired us to dream

Gave us the courage to explore and invite new blessings

So we celebrate

The Essence of You

You have served faithfully

We thank you and say good bye to you

And not with sadness

 

No we celebrate and give thanks for

Zuri Eshe

For all the blessings she will bring with her

We greet you with love and excitement

And for the adventure that awaits us

You are the next chapter in this beautiful story

Welcome and blessings

 

Zuri Eshe

 

These words have a special meaning/history for both my friend and I (and I hope to you too), since we have such a long history together (The Essence of You, my friend and I).

 

So join me as I say good bye to The Essence of You (you will be missed but never forgotten my friend) and say tuned as we introduce to you and the world, Zuri Eshe, A beautiful Life Body Care line.

Clean House Maintenance

Ok, yesterday ended week 2 of my “Cleaning House” and I really didn’t do so good.  I wasn’t really mindful of the things that I was eating, or better yet, I didn’t eat the things that I should have been eating which is more colon loving fiber. 

 

Without some sort of stimulate for the digestive system and colon, the toxin and other “stuff” have no where to go which leads to an uncomfortable situation (ask me how I know?)

 

Now, I’m not saying to run out and buy up tones of Metamucil, but you do have choices.

 

Foods:  Eat fruits and vegetables high in fiber like:

              Fruits:

 

·         Apples (that did the trick for me and boy was I glad J), Apricots, Bananas, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Figs, Grapefruit, Navel Oranges, Peaches, Pears, Plums/Raisins, Strawberries,

 

Vegetables:

 

·         Avocado, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Carrots, Cauliflower, Collard Greens, Sweet Corn, Green Beans, Kale, Onions, Peas, Sweet Peppers, Baked Potato, Spinach, Summer Squash, Sweet Potato, Swiss Chard, Tomato, Winter Squash, Zucchini

 

Other foods:

 

·         Bran (cereal/muffins), Bread (whole wheat), Oats, Wheat pasta, Brown Rice, Almonds, Black Beans, Cashews, Flax seed, Garbanzo Beans, Kidney Beans, Lentils (red), Lima Beans, Peanuts, Pistachio, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower seeds, Walnuts

 

There are additional herbs that you can take to stimulate the natural flow of the digestive system and are herbs that can be added to your herbal cleansing process (as I just did.  You live and you learn K)

 

          Herbs:

 

·         Flax

·         Dandelion

·         Cascara Sagrada

·         Senna

·         Slippery Elm Bark

 

It is good to note that at this point of cleansing, you may or may not feel a little drain/sluggish as I did.  I’m told that this is sometimes normal since the body is detoxifying, your energy level may wane.  Also, it can happen if your body is detoxing but not able to release the toxins efficiently, so it begins to re-absorb it back into the body (which may have been my case).  That is why it is important to have regular bowel movements, to help pass the toxins from the system.  It is also important to eat a proper, well balance meal to replenish the vitamins and nutrients your body needs during cleansing.

Cleaning house (so far so good!)

 

So far so good on my cleaning house journey.  I’ve made one week and I must say it’s not what I imagined.

 

When I would hear people saying they were “Detoxing” or “Cleansing their system, I imagined them constantly running to the bathroom through out the day.  Now, that is true for some programs, but it has not been the case with me.  Maybe it’s because the approach that I’m taking is different.  I’m not trying to do a rapid detox/cleanse and see immediate results or to totally change my way of doing thing all at once and throw my system into shock.  I’m taking my changes gradually, one step at a time to get my body use to the changes being made.

 

Case in point, some detox/cleansing programs want you to have a liquid diet as you cleanse.  Well, if you are only putting liquid in, it’s natural that only liquid will come out, no matter what form of liquid (yuke!) 

 

I am trying to eat a sensible diet by incorporating:

 

·         more veggies into the mix.  This is something that I didn’t really do regularly, so with adding more vegetables into my diet, my system can gradually get use to it, which helps my digestive system. 

·         Cutting back on things like dairy, wheat, gluten, white rice, red meat and pork.  Now I have to admit, this is really hard for me.  I love bread and rice and usually have one or the other with every meal, but I’ve cut back on it.  The rice was easy, but the bread, I’m still struggling with that.  I can’t eat whole grain because they have oats in them, which I am allergic too.  Breakfast is the hardest meal for me since I like to eat Cream of Wheat (allergic to oatmeal) or a bagel (which I haven’t had all week) or sometimes I like to have an egg with toast and bacon.  I’m not big on fruits because I’m allergic to a lot, and the ones I do like to eat are not really in season, so I opted for one egg white veggie and a slice of turkey bacon (I know, I know, but a sista still needed to have that bacon taste and it really taste good).  Today.  I finally found a really good Bran muffin that I enjoyed (most taste like cardboard), so maybe I’ve found something new for my menu.

·          Yoga.  I had always loved doing Yoga in the passed, but stopped because I thought I was too busy to incorporate it into my schedule.  Just this weekend, I was encouraged to start up my program again at home with my daughter.  It was her idea really.  She pulled out her yoga mat and announced that she was going to do some yoga, so I took the opportunity to join her and I’m glad I did.  At eight years old, she was really into it and focused (she had some yoga in school) and it was fun watching her and doing it with her.  Now I can make yoga apart of mommy and daughter time and I love the idea.  Yoga is the recommended exercise to do when cleansing/detoxing.  It expends less energy and helps with the flow of blood and oxygen in the body.

 

Everyone must find the right “program” for them.  One that will suite your lifestyle without causing havoc to your system, or depriving your body of vitamins, nutrients and energy it needs to make it through the day.  Just do the reach, talk to your doctor and be patient.  Good things are worth waiting for.

How are you doing with your "Cleaning house" journey?  Post your comments .

I'm cleaning house!

 

This weekend started a new beginning for me in many ways (my Journey).  The first of a few changes is to begins from within.  I’ve decided to stop neglecting myself, particularly my health and well being.  I decided that I was going to “clean house”.  I’m sure most of you have watched the “Clean House” show on the Style channel at least once.  It starts by the host going to a person’s home and helping them to “un-clutter” their mess.  As they un-clutter the mess, they begin to get to the root of the problem.  “Why is your house so cluttered?”.  Then they begin to get rid of the clutter and determine ways to keep the clutter from coming back.

 

Well, I’m cleaning house now and I’m starting with myself.  I decided it was time to change the way I’m treating my body.  Yeah, I can tell you what oils and herbs are good to put on your body, but it never occurred to me to use some of these herbs to put into my body.    Now I’ve heard of the “Master Cleanse and varying other detox programs”, but none of them have ever appealed to me because they all seem so extreme.  Don’t eat this, drink only that, I mean, come on!  Who wants to live their life like that even if it’s only for 7 days?    So I ignored these fades and kept eating and didn’t pay attention to what I was doing to my body, which eventually effected my mind and spirit.  You see, they are all connected.   Your body houses your spirit and nourish your mind, and if that is out of whack, then they are all out of whack. 

 

So as I continued to do my research on herbs and their use in past and present day, it occurred to me that I should be using some of these herbs internally to help improve my health and way of life and this can be done without the drastic steps like, hmmm… not eating!

  Burdock Root (Arctium lappa) – Not only is this herb great as a topical application for skin conditions (I use this in my creams to treat my daughter’s eczema when it flares really bad), but it is also great when taken internally too.  This is a great purifying that removes toxins that build up in the blood.  Burdock provides support for the blood, liver and defense system.  It’s rich in Vitamins B-1, B-6, B-12 and E, plus it has iron, and zinc.  It is also diuretic and it sooths aching joints.  Great when combined with Yellow Dock and Red Clover.

Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus) – Also a blood purifier to cleanse toxins from the body.  It stimulates bowel movements to help remove lingering waste from your intestinal tract.  Is helps to clear up skin blemishes and blood and skin disorders, all related to the liver not operating effectively.

Chickweed (stellaria media) - This is also a good blood cleansing herb to try and helps the skin and other elimination organs such as the kidneys.

 These are just some of the herbs that can be taken to start you on your way to cleansing your system.  Please keep in mind, these and other herbs should be used as recommended and if you have any health conditions, please consult your doctor before starting any cleansing process.  These herbs, along with a healthy diet will get you on your way to better health.