3 Side Effects of Going Natural

   Hello people :) I hope you are all happy and healthy. If not, I will put some positive thoughts out into the universe for you. For everyone on the East Coast, stay safe from Hurricane Sandy. This wind is no joke!
      I was looking in the mirror this morning, and it occurred to me that going natural has resulted in quite a few positive changes about myself. For instance, I LOVE my hair. I love the way it curls. I love the way it shines. I love the fact that the way it looks is directly ME, no alterations or edits. Wait, I'm lying. I dyed my hair that cinnamon brown color. That would be considered an edit. But you know what I mean. Here are 3 positive changes that occurred as a direct result of me going natural.
Improved Skin Appearance
   I noticed that my acne-prone skin has been doing noticeably better since I've been using natural products like coconut oil, avocado oil, Shea butter. I tend to stay away from oils on my face because they break me out. Now I realize that it's the type of oil you use, not the oil itself. It turns out that the more I keep my skin moisturized, the less I break out. My favorite product at the moment is pure Shea butter. I use it while the skin is still damp. My skin is softer, clearer, and smoother. Me likey.
Improved Diet
   I cut my hair off because I wanted to start from scratch and grow my hair out to be as healthy as it could possibly be. I use the best products for the outside of my hair, and I also can't forget to nourish it from the inside. I'm starting to eat healthier and drink more water. (You may judge me about the fact that it takes something superficial like hair health to get me to start eating healthy. You may be correct. Regardless of my motivating reasons, at least I'm doing the damn thing now.) I've noticed that water can seriously make you feel better. It's like a magic elixir. That's free. And comes from your faucet. It helps my appetite, it helps when I feel sluggish, it helps when I feel dry, and it helps when I have a headache. Water is the bomb. Eating more greens leads to a happy belly. Yogurt is also great for minor stomach issues. Hmm. Maybe my stomach issues were related to junk food. Imagine that.
Improved Confidence
      My confidence has grown tremendously. I was quite confident before, but now.....smdh. I think it stems from me loving my hair in its natural state. It's like a snowball effect, it affects my attitude, my outlook, and it redefined my perception of beauty in general. It's not just about straight and long hair anymore. Beauty is a range, from straight to curly to kinky to locs. It really opened my eyes to different styles and how many people have their own version of beauty. That just inspires me to define my own style. Which then inspires more confidence. See the snowball effect in action?
      So that's clearer skin, better eating habits, and increased confidence. Those aren't too bad as far as side effects from going natural. What changes have you noticed about yourself after deciding to go natural?