Defining Wildcrafted: The 3 W's

At Morrocco Method, we take pride in the fact that our products are wildcrafted. For a company that values ethical and sustainable production, it was a natural choice. But what makes a product wildcrafted? What does it mean when you purchase Morrocco Method or other wildcrafted products?

What: 

Wildcrafted products are essentially products made from plants or plant parts that have been harvested from their natural environment. This means that they grew without human intervention as part of an uncultivated existing ecosystem. The harvesting of these plants is done with great care so as not to harm the natural habitat of the plant, and whenever possible, the plant itself. If it is necessary to harvest the entire plant, a seed or seeds are left in its place.  Ideally however, only the necessary plant part is taken and the plant is left to grow.

Who:

Wildcrafting is regulated by the Organic Food Production Act of 1990. It is done by harvesters who provide a plan for ethical and sustainable harvest. These individuals are also required to provide a three-year history of the area to be harvested, proving that no prohibited substances—including pesticides—have been used there.

Why:

The aim of wildcrafting is to make products from plant life that has been harvested in a way that is both ethical and sustainable.  By harvesting a plant or plant part from its natural habitat, complex and often fragile ecosystems are respected. Endangered and at-risk plants are left to grow, and the products we love can be produced without damage to the environment. That's an idea worth cultivating!  

Top 3 Preventable Causes of Hair Loss

Experiencing hair loss and hair thinning can be frustrating and demoralizing, but we aren't powerless to prevent some of the causes.

Often, hair loss is is attributed to genetic predisposition. We assume that we have a natural tendency toward hair loss, and that it is unavoidable without potentially dangerous drug or surgical intervention. These solutions, however, are often costly and damaging to the body. The good news is that hair loss has many causes that can be remedied naturally.

1. Mental and physical stress. 

Stress puts a strain on the entire body. Mental stress has been linked to several types of hair loss, including telogen effluvium and alopecia areata. Find what works for you when it comes to reducing stress. Get enough sleep, exercise, keep a journal, or consider seeking professional help from a therapist, especially if you are experiencing high levels of stress. Physical stress may be from injury, but it may also come from untreated health conditions. Health issues such as thyroid disease, lupus, and ringworm of the scalp can cause hair loss, and treating these conditions if they are present is the first step in treating the resulting hair loss.

2. Poor nutrition.

Poor nutrition affects the entire body and is often overlooked as a cause of hair loss and hair thinning. The state of our hair often reflects the state of our body. When the body is not receiving the vitamins and minerals it requires to function, our hair suffers. Iron deficiency is a leading cause of hair loss in women, and deficiencies in Zinc and B12 have also been linked to hair loss. Eating the right foods as part of a healthy and balanced diet is vital in achieving optimum health.

3. Method of hair styling. 

Tight braids and hair styles can lead to hair loss around the hairline, a condition known as traction alopecia. Braiding hair tightly or pulling hair up into a tight ponytail strains the delicate hair around the face and forehead. Instead, braid hair loosely and use ponytail holders that are large enough to accommodate the thickness of the hair. Never use rubber bands, which become tangled in the hair and cause breakage. There are also ways to minimize hair breakage and loss by eliminating the common mistakes we make in the way we wash, brush, and dry our hair.

10 Tips For Going Green(er)

So yesterday was St. Patrick's Day, a day of parades, celebration, and swaths of revelers all clad in lively shades of green. We at Morrocco Method would like to ask: why not everyday? To be clear, we don't mean the celebrations; the world would soon tire of funny hats and four leaf clovers. What we mean is: why can't everyday be a celebration of things green? Green has long since been the color nature, green living, and all things natural. So to extend this  celebration of green we're giving you 10 tips on how to be greener in your everyday.

1. Go paperless! Most companies offer paperless options for those wanting to reduce printed material--bank statements, energy bills, even your Morrocco Method product instructions!
2. Shop at your local weekly farmer's market. If you're not sure where to find them, check your local listings. There's probably more nearby than you'd expect.
3. Switch out your kitchen's paper towels with reusable cloth towels.
4. Unplug rather than turn off. Appliances that are off but still plugged in continue to use up electricity.
5. Cover your pool. Not only will this save you the hazard of fishing out leaves, but it also reduces evaporation, saving water on refills.
6. B.Y.O.B. Bags that is! Bring reusable bags on your next shopping trip. They're easy to find but also easy to make!
7. Re-position your fridge away from sunlight.  A fridge uses up to 2.5% more power for each degree the surrounding temperature is above 70 degrees.
8. Recycle your electronics. Americans tossed out 5.5 billion pounds of electronics in the year 2005 alone, and that number has only gone up. Bring that hunk-of-junk computer tower to your nearest recycling plant, and they'll be sure to take care of it.
9. Grow it out! I'm talking about your grass. Most grass species fare best when they're kept at least 2 1/2 inches tall. More surface area equals more sunlight absorption and thicker roots. You save time tending your lawn and you use less water to keep it healthy.
10. Wash in full loads only. That means both your dishes and laundry should be done at maximum capacity to save water (and time).

That makes ten! Only ten? I'm sure you guys can come up with a lot more. Leave your tips for going green in the comments below. Lets keep the celebration of green going all year round!

5 Mistakes You've Been Making With Your Hair

You've got your routine. You treat your hair right, or at least you try to. But these common mistakes may be preventing your hair from reaching its full, glorious potential. Because when it comes to to naturally luxurious hair, it's the little things that really make the difference.

1. Using the Same Shampoo Day In and Day Out

Your scalp is amazing in that it adjusts to what you put on it. Shampoos that regulate oil production are great in the short run, but to maintain your hair's equilibrium you should be rotating your shampoo at least every week. Rotating shampoos also prevents buildup of certain ingredients.

2. Brushing Hair While Wet

This is especially pertinent to those with curly hair. When your hair follicles get filled with moisture they begin to stretch. Wet hair strands are generally weaker, and breakage is more likely to occur. Allow your hair to air dry before detangling.

3. Not Wetting Your Hair Enough

We always recommend diluting our shampoos to ease the lather process. The same principle applies to your hair. To get the full effect of your shampoos saturate your strands for a good 3-4 minutes as a pre-shampoo warmup.

4. Not Drying With a T-Shirt

Wringing your hair out with a towel can cause tangles, excessive friction, and breakage. Instead, wrap your hair in a cotton t-shirt, which will dry the strands but not suck up any essential moisturizing agents.

5. Taking Super-hot Showers

Warm water is great in that it opens up your follicles to receive moisture and nourishment from your shampoos and conditioners. But if we leave our follicles open for too long they become susceptible to clogging and buildup. Finish your showers with a cold water rinse. This will seal those follicles, sealing in beneficial moisture. Apple cider vinegar, found in our apple cider vinegar shampoo, also acts as a great exfoliate for open follicles. There you have it! You're 5 steps closer to naturally beautiful hair. What small tips have you discovered for washing hair? Let us know in the comments below.

Spring Detox Tonic Recipe

It's back! We've previously talked about the Spring Detox Tonic, but here is a new and improved version. This recipe helps you jump start the morning while also encouraging your body to flush out toxins, alkalizing and balancing the pH of the body.

Ingredients
hot filtered water	8 fl oz
raw apple cider vinegar with "The Mother"	1 tbsp
organic lemon juice	1 lemon's worth
blackstrap molasses	1 tsp to 1 tbsp, to taste
raw honey	1 tsp to 1 tbsp, to taste
ginger	1 tsp freshly grated or juiced
cayenne (opt)	1/4 tsp

 Step 1: Pour your hot water into a cup. It has to be hot to help dissolve the other ingredients. Also, the human body is naturally 98.6 degrees, so drinking water closer to that temperature is ideal!

Step 2: Mix in 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. This help to balance your body's pH! Check out this post by Wellness Mama about the benefits of apple cider vinegar!

Step 3: Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice. This alkalizes the body (along with the acv!) In fact, body temperature water mixed with lemon and raw apple cider vinegar is on Empowered Sustenance's list of 5 Easily Daily Detox Routines! But we're going to add some more wonderful ingredients. Read on~

Step 4: Pour the blackstrap molasses—not light or dark, but BLACKSTRAP— directly onto your mixing spoon. Measuring it out first then trying to scoop it out into your drink will be messy. Blackstrap molasses is a by product of making cane and beet sugar, but don't let that fool you! It's low on the glycemic index, high in mineral content, improves hair health and much more. It is bittersweet, so use to taste.

Step 5: Pour honey like the molasses, it's so much easier. Honey will give you instant energy and other health benefits, and it will also help sweeten this drink.

Step 6: Finely grate some ginger and stir it in. You can even grate it and then squeeze it into your drink. Do we even have to tell you how amazing ginger is? So we'll let our favorite M.D., Dr. Andrew Weil, tell you all about the benefits of consuming ginger!

 Step 7: Mix in some cayenne pepper if you feel so inclined. Since we were actually drinking the tonic when the photos above were taken, we decided to omit this spicy addition. But let's have Dr. Weil talk about the benefits of cayenne pepper.

How often should I drink it?

Have a mug of this tonic first in the morning for 30 days during the spring. Drink when you just need a good detox any other time of the year too. Make sure to drink plenty of body temperature water throughout the day. Here's a video where Anthony makes this tonic himself and talks about the benefits:

What is your favorite way to detox? Tell us in the comments!

     

The Most Powerful Day to Cut Hair

Transformation, growth, renewal--yes, spring, that wonderfully green season, is just around the corner. Flowers bloom; animals awaken from their wintry sleep. But while we're lazily stretching our limbs, we must also remember that spring is a pivotal time to act. Now is the time to enliven and awaken our energy, celebrating our physical, energetic and spiritual bodies.

Spring Equinox

In accordance with the lunar hair chart, the Spring Equinox will fall on the 19th and 20th of this month. And while powerful in its own right, what makes this year's equinox extra powerful is that it coincides with the full moon. These dates also happen to be lengthening dates, meaning there is no better time than this year's Spring Equinox for those wanting to naturally lengthen their hair.

So What Do I Do?

Cut your hair, of course! As always, we recommend cutting your own hair using the blunt snip method. Salon cutting methods that shear, strip, or layer will often weaken your hair, causing breakage or damage later. Also, like mindful farmers preparing for the growing season, we too must ensure that the soil is clean before we lay down new seed. I am referring to, of course, your scalp. Spring is the most important time for detoxification of mind, body, and spirit. You're on your own for mind and spirit, but for your body I recommend using Zen Detox, which is formulated to cleanse buildup and reverse any chemical damage caused by synthetic products.

Anything Else?

Detoxing can be a very personal process, which makes it difficult to give you a straight answer as to how you should go about doing it. Many like to start by simply scheduling some alone time. Situate yourself in a stress-free environment where you're able to really listen your body's needs. Do so and you'll feel alive, powerful, and ready for whatever comes your way in the new year. Later in the week we'll discuss more common detox methods as well as a special detox juice recipe, a delicious way of purifying your body. Listen in as Anthony explains his personal detoxing routine: http://youtu.be/B7muis5Cz7s