What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[Guest]

I thought you were Louise! But then I said 'about' because at this stage, what's a couple of weeks? Anyway I think you've finished haven't you? Do you have any problems with it at all now?

[The Dogmother]

Diet plays a bigger part in all this than most people realise. Adding olive oil to salads etc helps too. I ended up with very dry skin and hair after sticking to a low-fat diet for a while and corrected it by using olive oil as a dressing..

 

Perhaps having some olive oil in her diet would help her then Ginette. We have plenty of that type of oil and eat a basically mediterranean diet as I am half Italian. I am sure that it would help - a friend of mine is a bit of a faddy eater and has an almost totally fat free diet (which can't be healthy) and her hair and nails are the driest I have ever seen.

[Eyren]

Fat-free is a really bad idea - the walls of all your cells are made of lipids, and whilst some can be synthesized, not all can - hence the phrase "essential fatty acids".

 

I avoid excess saturated fat, and also trans fatty acids (found in most margs and butter-based spreads - except Lurpak Spreadable, because they're illegal in Denmark), so most of my fat intake is from olive oil, nuts, oily fish and the aforementioned Lurpak Also, dare I say it, poultry fat is mostly unsaturated and so healthier than mammal fat

 

In fact, rather than choosing fat-free varieties of foods, I avoid them because they are often loaded with sugar to make up for the lack of fat-soluble flavours, so they leave you feeling hungry again half an hour later

[The Dogmother]

Thanks for that clarification redfox, interesting about the Lurpak - I use that because we prefer the taste. wasn't there a health warning about trans fats recently?

 

It's true about the low-fat foods though - I looked at the label of some low fat biccies the other day - they had less fat, but almost double the sugar of regular ones

[Karen & co.]

Plus some vitamins are fat soluble only, so you need some fat to get an adequate amount of them

 

karen x

[Eyren]

Thanks for that clarification redfox, interesting about the Lurpak - I use that because we prefer the taste. wasn't there a health warning about trans fats recently?

 

I heard about them on Radio 4 - made me glad I'd started buying Lurpak already!

[Guest]

I didn't know about Lurpak either. I use PURE spread, on Lesley's recommendation and it doesn't have hydrogenated fats etc. Choosing the right foods is easy if you stick to what is natural and cook from scratch. Nuts, avocados and oils are good sources of the right sort of fat. Fruits have natural sugars.

 

I really wish there wasn't so much tempting junk for sale. It isn't fair on us. And how gorgeous it is to see a spread of fruit and vegetables in the market or greengrocer. The presentation makes your mouth water! Or it does mine anyway!

[Louise]

I think I am pretty sorted Ginette don't use anything apart from water on my hair now

[The Dogmother]

I think I am pretty sorted Ginette don't use anything apart from water on my hair now

 

What, not even Lurpak?

[Sheilaz]

What an interesting discussion everyone, so really useful tips & knowledge passed on there. Health, diet & genetics all do play a big part.

Well, I've always plaited the girls' hair, I started a 4 plait style trend here some years ago, as 2 plaits were just too thick. But, then we rush, or have a change of style, and are very soon back to the matted tangle.

Hope no one's confused that Ginette & I both have an Esther

Well, Esther's just washing her hair for hopefully the last shampoo/conditioner time, then I'm going to comb through with some expensive oils which I thought I'd try instead of more conditioner or detangler. Then 4 plaits, and a Summer resolution!

Wish me luck, I may be gone some time.......

[The Dogmother]

That sounds good Sheila. When I was travelling in Africa and wasn't able to wash my hair for sometime, I rubbed coconut oil through it and plaited it. When I was able to wash it I used neat shampoo on dry hair and then rinsed it out; it felt fab!

[Guest]

Good luck, Sheila! I hope Esther approves of your plans!

[Sheilaz]

... the scissors part of the plan could be tricky, I'll have to hide the off cuts! I'm still here, just how long does a girl have to spend in the bathroom?

Thanks for encouragement both of you. It was your sun protecting oils that inspired me Claret.

[The Dogmother]

Rosie always asks the hairdresser to 'cut her hair long'

 

They no longer make the sun protecting oil that I used to use

[Sheilaz]

Well, only half done & she was very late to bed, it takes ages. But, I'm really pleased with the oil, and we discussed no shampoo, so Esther starting today.

Wonder how others are doing, Aylana & Merryn?

[Aylana]

Hello all. I haven't been able to get online much recently to update, but basically my hair is still horrid. Nothing I do makes it look even semi decent anymore. It was absolutely fine for the first couple of months so I am debating giving it a shampoo tomorrow morning and then going back to just rinsing for a month or two. I don't need it to be perfect I just don't want to feel and look grotty anymore!!!!

[Sheilaz]

I know yours has been feeling grotty for over a month, so I can understand it if you do. Although I felt that desperate several times, it would be peaks & troughs of only a few days. It's a shame when yours started off so well, but it's still tremendous progress, and you can always start again.

Now I want to ask loads of questions, ???grotty in what way, have you tried vinegar since the desperate bicarb & oatmeal week, what is your hair type & length,..... and then encourage you to keep going!

But, best wishes for whatever you decide in the morning, and do let us know how you get along, Aylana

[AnnieP]

Hey all. I still snoop around on this thread, admiring all your endeavours! I gave up after the 3 week stage I won't be trying again, but have halved the frequency with which I shampoo, and halved the amount of shampoo too, so am only 1/4 as bad as I used to be if you get my drift.......

Anyway, fascinating about the fats discussion, and that they're banned in Denmark. I use Lurpak too. Its yum!

Also interested about the plaits, as it suddenly hit me that last year when OH was working in Barbados, I went out there to join him for 5 weeks. On my first day, I had my hair braided on the beach, as I couldn't be doing with all the washing and styling it would have taken for the evenings after a day in the pool/sun/sea.

Anyway, my point is, that I just used to rinse it, shove conditioner on it and leave it. After 5 weeks the plaits came out and considering everything, it looked pretty good, apart from the wiggliness of it all.

Anyone brave enough to have braids? It might solve a problem regarding how awful it looks.....I think they're rather expensive to get done over here professionally though......

[Louise]

I do use Lurpak Clare but only in my cooking

 

After the oils discussion yesterday I looked at the bottle of vegetable oil in the cupboard and was horrified to see that it contains an anti foaming agent Why

 

I will have a look for a diferent one methinks

[Lesley]

Hey all. I still snoop around on this thread, admiring all your endeavours! I gave up after the 3 week stage I won't be trying again, but have halved the frequency with which I shampoo, and halved the amount of shampoo too, so am only 1/4 as bad as I used to be if you get my drift.......

 

That's what I've been doing as well Annie. I've also managed to NOT have my highlights done - so now my hair is pure mouse colour Actually, it is rat colour

[Aylana]

Hi Sheila!

 

Well it feels grotty in the sense that that top half of my hair is totally greasy. It keeps separating into those horrible rats tails and is plastered to my head constantly. I have tried vinegar a few times and it helps a little bit but I still look really really greasy on top. My hair is long (down to my waist nearly) and very fine. After all this time the grease still hasn't gotten anywhere near the bottom of my hair which is still really flyaway.

 

Anyway I won't be shampooing this morning for the simple reason that OH has just used the last of it.

[The Dogmother]

Bloomin' men!

 

I have had my hair braided once when I was travelling and it was very long, but I didn't like the Bo Derek look and took them out after a couple of days. I just used to oil it, do an ordinary plait or two and poke the ends back in near the roots to protect them from the sun. I wasn't able to wash it, so just left the oil in until I reached civilisation.

 

The sun protection oil I used to use was a John Frieda one, but they don't seem to make it any more - it smelled fab and washed out really well too.

[Guest]

Aylana, when did you last use bicarb? if it was at least 2 weeks ago, I would try that again.

 

I was suffering in a similar way last week. One of my thoughts was that maybe my hair had become too acidic and therefore the vinegar made things worse not better. The bicarb worked really well (2 tsps in a pint of water) and I didn't add lemon juice afterwards.

 

How many weeks altogether is it now?

 

We need to ask all these questions to see if we can think up a solution you haven't tried! Hope you don't mind!

[Sheilaz]

Hi Sheila! Anyway I won't be shampooing this morning for the simple reason that OH has just used the last of it.

... That's good news Aylana, clever OH! (I told him too )

Well, I hope you didn't buy any today because, I agree wholeheartedly with Ginette, unless you have bicarbed in the last 2 weeks, I'm certain that is what you need!! Please try, but only 2 tsp in a pint of water, rub in and rinse.

Remember, every time you have a trim, you will be getting rid of the old hair, and the hair coming through will be in such good condition. I can't wait for all my hair to be new hair, prob. about 3 years or so for us though!

Let us know about the bicarb, it really might take you through the grotty stage, but don't get desperate & over use. You could alternate bicarb 1 week, 2 vinegars the next or something.....

...am I in time?

Lovely to hear from you Annie P. Esther had her hair braided last summer holidays. Her best friend has beautifully braided hair, so we went to her hairdresser, a wonderfully laid back person...who took about 7 hours!! It didn't suit Esther, but at least it was practical for swimming etc. Have a request from Grandparents not to do it again, she didn't look like Esther, & I agree.

[Merryn]

Hi, it's me! I think Sheila was asking how I was doing.

 

Well, it's 8½ weeks since I stopped using shampoo and I think it's going to be OK. 2 weeks ago I had my highlights done (first time since I started this) and so of course they had to shampoo it. It did smell gorgeous but the last 2 weeks have been awful as it shakes off the treatment. It was worth it to get some colour in my hair and will only happen about 3 times a year.

I think I need a bicarb rinse as the vinegar isn't doing so well at the moment. I'm going to a BIG family party this weekend so it's GOT to look good - can't have all my sisters eyeing my hair with horror!

I'm sure it will settle down again so that I only need to use water - as I was before the highlights.