Naturally Fashionable- Mix & Match Pieces From Your Closet For Fresh Fun Fall Looks!

Erickka Sy Savané
 Styled by Dani G. 

With the changing of seasons comes an opportunity to reinvent ourselves! But it doesn't have to be costly or overly complicated. We can start where we are, using what we already have. That means sifting through our accessories and wardrobe to mix and match pieces to create looks that surprise and inspire even us! It helps to go through this process with a friend because we're already conditioned to see our clothes a certain way. This is what happened when my bff, Dani G., who also happens to be a stylist, came over and showed me that I have what it takes to be fun and fabulous this Fall! What do you have in your wardrobe?

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For a look that's warm, stylish and utterly effortless, throw on a colorful wrap. If you don't have one, a throw blanket will do! 

Use that same wrap over a sweat shirt, belt it, with a fitted pencil skirt and heels for a look that's sexy casual. 

Bump up that bomber jacket vest with a vintage belt, bracelet bling, that same pencil skirt over black Old Navy leggings, and a French-inspired, vintage scarf!

For a look that's pure ease, throw on some chunky jewelry with a belt that cinches the waist, a headband, black leggings, and a pair of Manolo Blahniks! Eat your heart out Peg Bundy!

No need for makeup with this De La Cruz, Glycerin & Rose Water Skin Moisturizer that will have your skin glowing like Saint- Tropez in the Fall! Use it to pour or add a spray pump top to use it as a spray mist. 

Here's the accessories Corner!

What pieces do you have in your closet that can inspire some fun Fall looks?

Erickka Sy Savané is the managing editor of CurlyNikki.com, a wife, mom, and freelance writer based in Jersey, City, NJ. Her work has appeared in Essence.com, Ebony.com, Madamenoire.com, xoNecole.com, and more. When she’s not writing...wait, she’s always writing! Follow her on Twitter, Instagram or  ErickkaSySavane.com

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6 Ways Primal Types Can Observe Halloween

I’ll take the holiday bait today. It’s true…with its emphasis on candy consumption, many Primal types feel lost on Halloween. They don’t know what to do with themselves.

The costumes are fun, and being with friends is always a good time, but how should they react to all that sugar? It’s a hard thing.

Luckily, today I have 6 ways you can observe Halloween while staying true to your Primal roots.

Do Some Ancestral Reenactment

Everyone knows, deep down, that going Primal is really all about re-enacting ancient hunter-gatherers. Personally, my mode of communication and utilization of Internet technology is a source of deep shame. I’d much rather cite PubMed entries while sitting around a campfire. If I could, I’d smash my laptop, renounce antibiotics, toss my toothbrush. That I cannot find the courage to do so is slowly killing me on the inside.

But I can’t. I’m in too deep. So I use Halloween as the one day out of the year that I can fully embody the paleolithic hunter-gatherer that yearns to burst free. I suggest you do the same. Put on a loincloth. Grab an atlatl. Contract a parasite. Live the dream, if only for one night.

Dress Up As Your Favorite Obscure Ancestral Health Community Celebrity

Sure, almost no one will get your costume. But when you meet someone who does, you’ll know you have a friend or lover for life. A few ideas:

Robb Wolf: Wear a jiu jitsu gi and a big broad smile; refer to everyone as “folks.”

Mark Sisson: No shirt, paint-on abs, and a frisbee.

Chris Masterjohn: Carry a cup of egg yolks, and hand out vitamin K2 capsules.

Bill Lagos: Blue blockers and a blow torch.

Peter Attia: Ride a road bike while wearing only a speedo and carrying a gallon bag of cashews.

Stephan Guyenet: Wear a peasant’s burlap tunic, and carry around a dinner plate containing boiled cabbage, boiled chicken breast, boiled potato.

Petro Dobromylskj: Dress as a molecule of palmitic acid.

Emily Deans: Doctor’s lab coat made of mammoth fur, stethoscope made of bone; hand out samples of magnesium glycinate and SSRIs.

Michelle Tam (NomNomPaleo): Carry an Instant Pot filled to the brim with Red Boat fish sauce.

Richard Nikolay: Naked, dusted with raw potato starch, with Bitcoin hash emblazoned in Sharpie across chest.

Give Out Healthy Primal Treats To Trick-or-Treaters

There’s nothing kids love more than healthy treats on Halloween. Some options that the kids in our neighborhood just love:

Teaspoons of Cod Liver Oil: Keep capsules on hand for kids with costumes that restrict mouth access.

Raw Liver Shake: Blend up some raw liver (beef, lamb, or chicken) with a little OJ and frozen blueberries. Serve in tiny, decorative Dixie cups.

100% Cacao Dark Chocolate: Everyone knows that kids love chocolate.

Kale Chips: Fill a big serving bowl with loose kale chips and let the kids grab as many as they like.

Mini Bottles of Natural Dry-Farmed Wine: Reduced alcohol content makes it perfect for minors.

Dark Chocolate Covered Brussels Sprouts: Fill snack-sized Ziplocs with 3-4 Primal “truffles.” Tell them to eat it quick before it melts!

Magnesium Oil Spritzes: Spray everyone who comes to the door. Tell the irate parents it will help their kids sleep, so they should thank you.

4-inch PVC Pipe Sections for Foam Rolling: As kids approach, be rolling out your quads as an example. Actual foam rollers are best but get rather expensive.

Single-Serving Kerrygold Butter Slivers: Just cut each stick of butter into 8 pieces, wrap in foil, keep in fridge, and hand out. Tell them it’s expensive and they should appreciate it.

Offer Lessons in Evolved Fear

In this Sunday’s Weekend Link Love, I linked to an article about the evolution of fear. It turns out that most of the things we innately fear, like snakes, spiders, heights, the dark, and deep water correspond to real dangers faced throughout the course of human evolution. Halloween is the perfect time to give a lesson on how it all works.

Gather three tarantulas, three black widows, two scorpions, one snake (ideally not venomous), 1000 fly larvae, two bats, and assorted cobwebs and other bugs. Set up shop on the edge of a rocky cliff. The possibilities are endless.

Rail Against the Sins of Sugar Consumption On the Busiest Trick-or-Treating Corner

Now’s the perfect time to change hearts and minds. Dress in your Sunday best, grab a big sandwich board sign, and scrawl quotes from Gary Taubes and yours truly. Wear the sign and hit the busiest trick-or-treating street near you.

Hand out printed out copies of “The Definitive Guide to Sugar.” Have the article on sugar alcohols handy in case you get into nuanced discussions.

Tell kids that “Sisson saves” and “Gary loves you but hates the sin.”

Burn a pile of granulated sugar in the street. Make sure it burns, rather than turns into delicious caramel.

Hand out stevia packets.

Go On a Candy Bender

It’s Halloween night. Your kids are down for the count, having eaten their nightly allotment. Cleaning up, you come across a Baby Ruth candy bar. It used to be your favorite one. In your heyday, you’d go through five King-Sized bars every week. How long has it been?

You’re doing so well. You just read The Keto Reset and finally beat that stall you hit a few months back. The weight’s flying off, and by the looks of it appears to be almost all lost body fat. Your wife’s even taken notice. You feel her eyes all over you, lingering in the best of ways.

One can’t hurt…. You unwrap it, take a bite. You take another. And another. It’s gone. You’re on to the next one.

You hit the chocolates first. Snickers, Kit-Kat, Milky Way. Then the fruity candies: Skittles, Starbursts, Sour Patch Kids, Sweet Tarts. Then the weird stuff you hated as a kid. candy corn, Twizzlers, Tootsie Rolls. You don’t care anymore. You eat it all.

Your child’s stash exhausted, you move onto the drug stores. CVS is selling fun-sized Three Musketeers for a buck a bag. You don’t even like nougat, but you buy out the store anyway. That’s the last thing you remember.

Three months later, you have no teeth. Your insulin is so high you can feel it. All the weight’s back on, and more. You stumble to a pay phone and dial your house. A stranger picks up. “There’s no one here by that name.”

Well, that’s it for today. If you’ve got any other ideas for observing Halloween as a devoted Primal type, share the joy below.

Thanks for stopping by today. Happy Halloween, everybody.

The post 6 Ways Primal Types Can Observe Halloween appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

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7 Dating Questions To Leave At Home On Your Next Date

By Erma BreAnn

Whoever said getting to know someone was fun, glossed over the beginning stages. Getting to know someone is a long term process. In fact, it is never ending. The first few dates are like making it to Wednesday, we’re just trying to get over the hump. As a young woman feeling stuck in ‘forever single’ status, dating becomes boring. I’ve gone on unoriginal dates just to answer the same questions over and over like a trash song on repeat. I know some questions need to be asked because there are important things we should know about someone, but we could get to the point quicker by asking more direct questions and leaving some irrelevant ones in the past. So to keep you from beating a dead horse on your next date, here are 7 Questions To Leave At Home.

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1. Closed-ended questions
If you can answer the question with “yes” or “no” I would suggest leaving those questions at home. You are trying to get to know someone, so stop scratching the surface. Closed-ended questions leave room for misinterpretation, and the issue with most is the assumption that we have the same level of understanding and meaning of certain words. I’ve learned my version of clingy is not the same as others. Make your questions clear and leave little room for misunderstanding. Be creative by using scales, hypothetical situations, descriptions, anything to get the answer you want and need.

2. How many relationships have you had?
I would place this in the closed-ended question category. I would also place this question in the shredder. The answer is irrelevant and doesn’t tell you if this person is going to be a good partner. If you are curious about their level of commitment then ask. I would suggest, “How do you define a relationship?" This way you know how they view relationships, which is more important than a number.

3. When was your last relationship?
Much like question #2, I think it’s pointless. I know we like to regulate how much time it takes to get over an ex but that isn’t for you to decide. We like to assume if it has been a short period of time, then they can’t be over their ex and most likely are still involved with them. Television and media has brainwashed us to dictate someone’s emotions. This question says a lot about your insecurities and trust issues. The better question is “How do you feel about your exes?” This is a simple question because how someone views an ex, in my book, is more important than how long they’ve been single.

4. How many sexual partners have you had?
I think this question should be laid to rest. It opens the door for slut shaming or prude shaming, which benefits no one. What is a good number anyways? I’m sure it is somewhere between slut and prude but that’s relative. It doesn’t matter if someone is on number 53 or number 2, their sexual history doesn’t inform you on whether or not they practice safe sex.

“When was the last time you have been tested?” is an extremely important question rarely getting her time in the limelight. I might be more willing to provide my number of sexual partners, I have no shame, if I wasn’t the only one concerned with sexual responsibility.

5. Have you ever cheated?
You know, I’m tired of this one. I have yet to hear a person say they wouldn’t date someone who has cheated and followed through. There are too many women who think they can change a person so why do we stress over this question? Maybe, I’m tired of hearing it because my answer isn’t interesting and I’m not interested in theirs. A better question would be to ask, “What do you consider cheating?”  Know the rules of engagement with each person you date because no two people are alike.

6. Do you want kids?
I may be the only person who hates this question. The word ‘want’ makes children sound like an accessory. Wanting kids doesn’t mean you should have them. I have dated multiple people with kids and some without, learning from those experiences I could not have kids with just anyone.  It sounds simple to just be on the same page of wanting them. I instantly want to know why they want kids because bringing a child into the world is a great responsibility. We should be asking, “What kind of parent do you envision yourself to be?” If a person doesn’t envision themselves as a parent then they will tell you and of course don’t stay around trying to change their mind if you know you want kids.

7. What are you looking for in a partner?
This isn’t a question I ask or want to answer with too much detail. Never tell someone what you are looking for past communication and honesty. Giving a list of your perfect partner or ideal relationship can lead to the other person trying to be what you want until you're hooked. Then you get surprised when they switch up and become their real authentic self. Leave this question at home. If you are asked this question, keep your answer simple.

Good luck!

What do you consider good date questions?

Erma BreAnn is a queer writer and poet based in Chicago. She is the creator of the blog Basic, Bad, & Bitchie at ermabreann.com, focusing on her journey through life. Follow her on Instagram: http://ift.tt/2xn8FRC

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5 Inexpensive Ways to Freshen Your Hairstyle

 

 By Mary Wolff

Choosing your next hairstyle can be tricky. You obviously want something that is stylish and easy to care for, but you probably also want a look that will last a few weeks. When it comes to these 5 inexpensive ways to freshen your hairstyle, make your look go the extra mile without spending a lot of money.

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1. Add a Gloss

One of the easiest ways to change things up is to add a gloss to your hair. This is usually more affordable than a full-on color job and can add new life to your hair. Most last for only a few shampoos so they are also non-committal for those not sure if they will like it. Best of all, you don’t even need a trip to the salon! There are products that let you add gloss to your strands in the comfort of your own home such as John Frieda Clear Shine Luminous Glaze.

2. Get a Trim

This is a great way to freshen up your hair while keeping it healthy and happy. Whether you choose to do a blunt cut style trim, dusting, or step into the salon for a layered trim, cutting your hair is an inexpensive way to give things a new vibe.

3. Add an Accessory

When you are just tired of your hair in general, a great way to bring back the fun is with a stylish hair accessory. From sleek headbands and flower clip ins to elegant head wraps, there are a ton of affordable hair accessories to help set a new style for your hair.

4. Create Bangs

If you have ever wondered how you would look with bangs, but are too scared to take the plunge, create them without ever using the scissors! This look is easy to do and can make you feel like you have a whole new style. Here is a quick tutorial on how to achieve this look, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOOrNzTsjDw

5. Add a Few Highlights

If a full color job is a little too pricey at the moment, adding a few highlights is a more budget-friendly solution that can make your hair feel different and fresh. When choosing this option to freshen up your locks, aim for a few face framing highlights to really create a new look.

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Today is YOUR Day.

Right now, as you read these words, you are imagining your limitations. You forgot that you are just pretending to be ‘too shy’, ‘not ready yet’, ‘not smart enough’, ‘not witty enough’, ‘not free’, ‘not love-able’, ‘unworthy’, ‘lacking’.

continue!>>>


You’ve practiced this life (which has become like groundhog’s day— repeating the same ish, the same thoughts, incessantly), this way of being, for so long, that you believe it’s you. It’s not! And just like you created this experience for yourself, you can create another one. The secret is that you don’t go to work changing or fixing this current version of your imagined self. You don’t ‘become’ a better version. You just BE a new one.

How would you feel if you were free, right now? How would you feel if you could have, do, or be everything you want, right now?! That excitement that you feel in your chest that causes that smile to ripple across your face, that light you feel on the inside... THAT’S THE REAL YOU! Be HER now! Walk in these elevated #Godfeels for the rest of the day. Respond to emails as her, talk to your associates as her, check your feed as her, pay the bills as her, interact with your spouse and kids as her. Be her now and the world will catch up. This is the only way. 

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3 Ways To Address Mental Health In The African American Community

By Winnie Gaturu

In the black community, mental health is not an issue that’s commonly discussed. It is either treated as something that doesn’t exist or as white people problems. The result is that many black people suffer in silence or aren't aware that they have mental health issues, which can lead them to believe that they're making a big deal out of nothing. That’s what I used to tell myself too, a few years back. Now, I can see that what I was going through was not normal.

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I was always tired, but couldn't sleep, and I'd spend most nights crying in an unfinished building next to our house. Other times, I'd spend the whole day indoors, hating to talk to people. However, I attributed these feelings to pregnancy, and what I believed all pregnant women went through.
I was wrong. Data from the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Healthy shows that an estimated 20% of the African American population is more likely to suffer from mental health conditions than the white population. It also shows that African American teens are more likely to attempt suicide than their white counterparts. Some of the major triggers of mental health conditions include homelessness, racism, economic disparities and prejudice. Common mental health conditions in the black community include post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicide, major depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety. As a community, there are several things we can do to address mental health conditions. Here are 3.

 Speak Up About It
According to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), many people in the African American community don’t talk about mental health conditions. This stems from a common misunderstanding that relates mental health with personal weakness, or punishment from God.

Jennifer Lewis: "The elevator to success is broken. Take the stairs:"

Black celebrities are speaking up, among them Jennifer Lewis, Alicia Keys and Michelle Williams. Jennifer Lewis has undergone 10 years of medication and 17 years of therapy to help her manage bipolar disorder. She was diagnosed in 1990 although she says she knew something was extremely wrong even before then. Alicia Keys struggled with depression, acknowledging that she felt sad all the time and couldn’t shake off that feeling. Keys attributes her recovery to learning how to let go. Michelle Williams also opened up about her depression and suicidal thoughts when she was a member of Destiny’s Child, and has made it her goal to normalize the discussions about mental health.

Know Where To Find Mental Health Treatment
The good news is, there are many places you can seek help for mental health conditions. Since we all have access to the internet, you can start with a quick Google search to find a treatment center near you. The National Alliance On Mental Health (NAMI) is a great resource to finding treatment in your area, and you can also talk to your doctor. Although treatment can be expensive, the Affordable Care Act has made insurance coverage easier and more affordable. Joining a support group is also helpful so that you can surround yourself with people who understand what you're going through. 

Support Those Suffering From Mental Health Conditions
There’s a lot we can do to support loved ones when they are suffering from a mental health condition. Some of the things that hold us back from doing so include the person refusing help, being too afraid to approach them, not having a better understanding of the condition and feeling that we can’t offer enough support. Although these may be valid concerns, there are simple things you can do to offer your support. Simply listen, ask your loved one what you can do to help them and support their healthy behaviors such as sleeping, exercising and eating healthy. You should also ask whether they are receiving help. If they aren’t, assist them in finding a mental health professional or support group they can visit. Knowing that there’s someone who cares will go a long way in helping them recover.

Are you open to talking about your mental health issues?

Winnie Gaturu is a writer, tech lover, mom, wife and student from Nairobi, Kenya. During her free time, she loves trying out new recipes, diy projects, filling in crossword puzzles and spending time with her family. You can catch up with her on yourhairandbeautywrite.wordpress.com.

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Dear Mark: Keto Carb Timing, Fat-Burning Aerobic Zone, Stored vs Dietary Fat

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions from readers. First, why do I recommend that keto dieters (and low-carbers in general) position their carbohydrate intake shortly after their workouts? If it’s to refill glycogen stores, aren’t they already depleted by virtue of us being low-carb? Second, do my current 180-age aerobic HR recommendations clash with the original PB “move frequently at a slow pace” recommendations? And finally, how does the body decide what to do with stored versus dietary fat?

Let’s go!

Peloncito wondered:

Here’s a question I’d love someone to answer: there’s a lot of discussion in the book about timing any carbs you consume for when ‘glycogen suitcases’ are open, i.e. post-exercise. This makes perfect sense with Primal Blueprint, but now I’m wondering, do you even HAVE glycogen stores on Keto? Wouldn’t the 20g or carbs you’re eating get burned right away for energy, never allowing you to make any? Surely the body wouldn’t activate gluconeogenesis just to make a little spare glycogen for an emergency? Following that logic, why would it matter when you eat carbs, if you do – surely they’re going straight into virtually empty ‘suitcases’ any time of day?

Glycogen stores get smaller and emptier on keto. It’s true.

But they’re still there. And you generally have some glycogen on keto. Muscle glycogen is only used locally. You won’t pull biceps glycogen to provide power for your quadriceps. Biceps glycogen can only power the biceps. Furthermore, glycogen is primarily used to enable intense, protracted movements. The average person won’t burn much muscle glycogen walking to work, lifting shopping bags, and performing other common everyday movements. Becoming keto- and fat-adapted makes you even less likely to use glycogen for everyday movements. You’ll reserve that precious glycogen for the times you truly need it—sprinting, lifting heavy, running hard and long.

What does hard training do? Why is the training window so crucial for keto dieters looking to eat some carbs?

It expands glycogen stores. The more you train, the more glycogen you can store.

It depletes glycogen. The harder you train, the more glycogen you use, and the more carbs you need to replenish it.

It increases glycogen synthesis. Without exercise, dietary carbs aren’t as likely to become glycogen. Training upregulates your conversion of carbs into glycogen. You turn more carbs into glycogen after training than after sitting around.

Another reason taking it post-workout is so important? This enhanced glycogen synthesis doesn’t last long. After just 2 hours post-workout it slows by 45%, even in the presence of high levels of glucose and insulin. So, while you can synthesize glycogen at any time of the day, it gets a whole lot more efficient and effective after a workout session.

Derek asked:

Recently finished the book and sensed this clarifying blog post was its thesis.. I do still have a question from the keto reset text.

A proposed part of the keto plan is fat burning exercise at an intensity target of 180-age (if I correctly recall).

This seems a rather high intensity compared to the “move frequently at a slow pace” (approx 55% of Max HR) prescribed in the PB. Cortisol spike alert ?

Am I misinterpreting the fat burning exercise suggestion in 21D KR?

No, that’s right.

In the earlier days, I recommended 55%-75% of max HR, not just 55%. 55% was the absolute low end that could still be considered exercise.

In Primal Endurance, I clarified my “cardio” recommendations to focus on the 180-age target. This isn’t actually all that different from what I recommended back in the day.

The updated message is that ANY movement contributes to aerobic fitness and the MAXIMUM heart rate to promote fat burning, increased aerobic capacity is 180-age in beats per minute. In many cases, this falls pretty close to 75% of max as it happens.

Pcskier asked:

Just finished the book. Still confused on one point. Once the carbs/excess glucose are gone, body switches to fat/ketones. But what differentiates our bodies from burning stored fat vs dietary fat? Every time I eat I wonder were this increased (but not by much…I was already very primal) fat is going to go.

Dietary fat takes precedence over stored fat. You burn it and store what’s left over. If you have more energy coming in than you’re expending, you’re going to store. If you have less energy coming in than you’re expending, you’re going to turn to your adipose stores.

This is why eating actual meals and limiting snacking or grazing is so helpful for fat loss. Without calories coming in, you have to turn to your stored body fat. It also explains why people have so much weight loss success with keto—becoming fat-adapted tamps down the hunger and makes skipping meals a breeze.

As far as ketones go, they aren’t “free.” Their presence actually reduces lipolysis (the liberation of free fatty acids from adipose tissue). This is completely normal, not pathological; as ketones are a form of energy or fuel, their availability abrogates the need for more energy from adipose tissue. Reducing lipolysis also keeps ketone levels from getting too high.

That’s it for today, everyone. If you’ve got any more questions, send ’em along. If you have input on today’s questions, chime in down below.

Thanks for reading!

The post Dear Mark: Keto Carb Timing, Fat-Burning Aerobic Zone, Stored vs Dietary Fat appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

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Nyasha's update: London Expat

Nyasha (our friend we met in India), writes:

I can’t believe its been almost 3 years since we met in India, it feels like just yesterday. That night was such a powerful evening, meeting you and Gene. I never imagined that sharing my story of leaving NY to move to Mumbai to volunteer with an NGO and church would encourage so many women to take steps of faith and purse their dreams and purposes.

3 years later, my journey of faith and international service is still going. After serving in the slums of India and working with girls who were rescued from sex trafficking, I had the desire to get a masters in International Development Studies (with a focus on Violence and Conflict). My aim was to gain a deeper understanding of some of the systemic issues behind poverty and violence in developing countries with hopes to be equipped to serve countries at a greater level. Well I applied to SOAS, University of London and was accepted! I left India and went straight to London to complete my 1 year masters.

Continue!>>>

Living and studying in London was such an amazing experience that I wasn’t ready to leave once my degree was done. I knew that I wanted to work for a large international organization, be based in London, and have a global role so that I could continue to travel and serve around the world. I was blessed to find a job that ticked all the boxes on my list! I now work for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, an organization serving over 10 million girls around the world. I oversee their “World Centers” and international assets located in London, Switzerland, Mexico, India and across the continent of Africa! Since leaving India, I’ve travelled to almost 20 different countries!
Living in London is really a dream come true and I believe this is still just the beginning. I plan to remain in London but also have a base in NY to continue working in the US and internationally. I also am looking into PhD programs and eventually would like to start my own NGO and work independently supporting other organizations, governments, businesses, and even artist in their visions to make greater impacts around the world.

Fun fact: I’m apart of a close group of over 140 Black Americans who have migrated to London for work, school, art and to start their own businesses (can you say soul food restaurant in London-yum)! I’m not sure if everyone is just trying to escape the leadership of 45 lol, but nonetheless it’s definitely the marking of a historic movement of black people empowered by the generations before us to live outside the box and pursue life internationally. #newgreatmigration

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This Mom Birthed 4 Babies At Home And Now Helps Others Do The Same

Kimberly Durdin

By Erickka Sy Savané

“I felt like I was hit by a mack truck,” says Kimberly Durdin, describing her disappointment over having to get a C-section with her first child some 25 years ago. She was planning to give birth with midwives at a hospital, but because her baby was breech, it meant an automatic C-section. A few years passed and when she became pregnant with her second child, she knew she didn’t want to go back to a hospital for fear of another C-section. However, midwives at birthing centers where she lived in Brooklyn, were forbidden from working with her because it posed too much of a risk. Finally, someone referred her to a home midwife named Tioma Allison because they weren’t governed by the same rules. After one interview with Tioma, Kimberly was convinced that it was the way to go. And after reading her story, you might want to consider it too.

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“As soon as Tioma told me that she had her first baby in a hospital and she delivered her second at home herself, I knew I wanted her to deliver my baby,” Kimberly says, adding that Tioma’s Ivy League training–she’d been educated at Yale and Columbia–didn’t hurt either.

From there, Kimberly started in Tioma’s care, and thus began regular meetings at each other’s house. Things were going great until her seventh month of pregnancy, when she had a conversation with some friends.

“I told a married couple that I knew–the wife was a OBGYN and the husband was an ophthalmologist–that I was going to have my baby at home and the wife looked at me like I was crazy and screamed, ‘That’s a terrible idea!’”

Suddenly, Kimberly was shook, and all the wonderful feelings she had about having her baby at home were replaced with doubt. What if there was an emergency? With her confidence gone, she tried to get out of it. Eventually, she expressed her fears to Tioma, and her feelings began to change.
“Tioma explained that emergencies don’t happen in the blink-of-an-eye, and nine times out of 10, there’s plenty of time to get to a hospital, if such a complication should arise,” recalls Kimberly. “Even more rare is the need to be transported in an ambulance.”

Another unexpected boost came from the husband of the OBGYN.

One day, he pulled Kim aside and explained to her that his wife’s advice was influenced by her own experience being sued multiple times at a high-risk practice. But since Kim was healthy and low-risk, she should go ahead and birth at home like she wanted.

With renewed confidence, Kim sojourned on, and in the end everything worked out better than she planned because she delivered a health baby and she felt incredible after. It was the type of experience that she wishes more black women would consider because it’s a return to the way we used to birth- surrounded by our loved ones in a safe environment. Today, Kim has a total of 6 kids (2 born in a hospital, and 4 at home). The experience had such a profound effect on her that she got out of a career in fashion design and became an international Board Certified Lactation Consultant, doula, childbirth advocate, and currently, she’s only months away from completing her training to become a midwife.

Kimberly Durdin via Kimberlydurdin.com

“It’s been a beautiful journey,” Kim says of what has turned into over two decades of working with moms. What she’s most excited about now is the opportunity to be counted among the small, but growing number of black midwives, women like Jennie Joseph of Florida, Tioma Allison, her first midwife, and the many thousands of “granny” midwives who helped birth thousands of babies in this country. “We’re starting to realize that hospitals are new for black women and at one time all our babies were born at home with midwives. It’s such a powerful legacy and I’m so happy that it’s starting to come back.”

For women interested in learning more about home birth, Kimberly advises that you internet search midwives in your area, ask friends who’ve used midwives for their recommendations, and go to organizations like the International Center For Traditional Childbearing (ICTC) that have a directory of black midwives and doulas.

Would you consider a home birth?

Erickka Sy Savané is managing editor of CurlyNikki.com, a wife, mom, and freelance writer based in Jersey, City, NJ. Her work has appeared in Essence.com, Ebony.com, Madamenoire.com, xoNecole.com, and more. When she’s not writing...wait, she’s always writing! Follow her on Twitter, Instagram or ErickkaSySavane.com

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Weekend Link Love — Edition 475

Research of the Week

Muscle strength predicts health outcomes in older folks.

Women who are too skinny may risk early menopause.

A daily cold shower is good for your psychological health.

We intuitively know how many lay opinions it takes to outweigh an expert’s opinion.

Contrary to previous results, a new study finds no evidence that women’s preference for facial masculinity changes with their hormonal status.

Type 2 diabetics who restrict carbs and walk after meals see improved glucose tolerance and endothelial function.

Mild cold exposure lowers insulin.

A rosemary polyphenol increases muscle glucose uptake and activates AMPK.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 192: Mark Sisson and Joe De Sena: I chat with Joe De Sena, creator and founder of the world-famous Spartan Race.

Each week, select Mark’s Daily Apple blog posts are prepared as Primal Blueprint Podcasts. Need to catch up on reading, but don’t have the time? Prefer to listen to articles while on the go? Check out the new blog post podcasts below, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast here so you never miss an episode.

• How Does the Keto Reset Fit Into the Primal Blueprint?

Interesting Blog Posts

Is there consciousness after death?

Lyme disease may trigger celiac.

Media, Schmedia

Recipe writers often lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions. Why?

Some NBA players are going vegan and vegetarian. Curious to see how it goes for them.

Everything Else

Amazon drones to deliver statins directly to gaping mouths.

CRISPR 2.0 is here, and it’s apparently better than ever.

Migraines may be a self-defense mechanism against oxidative stress.

42% of American kids under the age of 8 have tablets.

The US wastes about 50% of its healthcare spending.

Will you worship an AI god?

See? Sprinting can save your life.

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

Podcast I dug doing: The one with Thor Conklin where I discussed achieving mental clarity.

Podcast I dug listening to: Krista Tipett interviews physician Atul Gawande about what makes life worth living (and ending).

Study that didn’t surprise me: Patients who used statins were more likely to develop diabetes over ten years, even after controlling for baseline diabetic markers.

Article I’m reading: “How evolution designed your fear”

News I did not enjoy: Roundup is showing up in people’s blood.

Recipe Corner

• Pichelsteiner.
• Pumpkin spiced chicken chili.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Oct 29 – Nov 4)

• 10 Nutrient Optimizing Tips for the Primal Enthusiast – Make a nutritious diet even more nutritious.
• Why the Blood-Brain Barrier is So Critical (and How to Maintain It) – You don’t want leaky brain.

Comment of the Week

“I agree with the wolf in the cartoon, and I react like that regarding other things as well, such as babies in covered strollers. But coudn’t you also direct the ‘The hell is he doing?’ towards the guy doin 5 sprints at the beach with small breaks in between?”

-Got me there, Troels.

The post Weekend Link Love — Edition 475 appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

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Vanilla Coconut Collagen Bites

Today’s delicious guest recipe is offered up by Registered Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer, and Health and Wellness Blogger Rachael Devaux. You can find her awesome insights and amazing recipes at Rachael’s Good Eats.

Rachael’s taken Primal Kitchen® Vanilla Collagen Fuel and turned it into an easy and tempting bite-sized snack you can have ready and stored for whenever hunger calls. With the sweet tastes of vanilla and coconut and the crunch of a variety of nuts and seeds, I find it’s perfect with some morning coffee or as an after dinner treat.

And if you’re someone who’s always looking for fast and easy options in the kitchen, this is the ticket!

Vanilla Coconut Collagen Bites

Servings: 14-16 balls

Time in the Kitchen: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• 1/3 cup raw almonds
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 scoops Primal Kitchen® Vanilla Collagen Fuel
• 3 tbsp shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup creamy nut butter
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds
• 2 tbsp almond milk
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Combine cashews and almonds in food processor to pulse until coarsely chopped. Add remaining ingredients, excluding 1 Tbsp shredded coconut and pulse until a thick dough forms.

Form into 1-inch balls then roll in remaining coconut flakes.

Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freezer for up to 2-3 weeks.

Rachael Devaux is Registered Dietitian, a Certified Personal Trainer, and a lover of all things health and wellness.

Her goal is to give people the tools they need in order to build healthy habits and to ultimately build a balanced lifestyle.

Creating a positive environment around food, learning to think about ingredients and where they come from, and being mindful of what your body needs are just a few of the topics she shares about on her popular website and social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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