Have you ever seen a woman give birth? It is one of the most powerful, touching, and downright frightening events this world has ever seen. It happens every single day, yet it is anything but ordinary.

After 40 weeks of being molded and sculpted out of sight, a new life readies itself to enter this world. Suddenly, it's time for the world to receive a beautiful gift. A woman bears excruciating pain, bares her most private of parts without shame, and pushes with all she has, all in hopes of finally locking eyes with the child who already holds her heart. But she rarely does it alone.

Surrounding her from start to finish are relatives and friends, all serving as mommy coaches and cheerleaders. There are doctors, nurses, and midwives providing medical care and support. She is cocooned by community, and most within her community are other women. It's been that way forever. Women have been helping other women give birth to and mother children from time immemorial. And from well before this blog was ever even a thought in my mind, I have longed to be a part of that community of women. I have longed to support other women along their journey to create and nurture life.

No worries ladies, women's health is still the focus of this blog. However, in honor of Father's Day and National Men's Health Month, I wanted to share some important information for the men in your life to improve their fertility and health. 

After all, what's good for the goose is good for the gander, it takes two to tango (or to make a baby), and err... you get the point. Both an egg and sperm are needed to create a new life. And just like our food choices can affect our fertility, nutrition can affect men's fertility too.

Ah, it's time to breathe easy and live light. Summer is right around the corner and my mind is filling with thoughts of sun, sand, and leisure. The smell of seaweed and coconut oil overtake me as I daydream about lazy days on the beach. 

Living in NYC, my days are more likely to include picnic blankets, grass, and crowded parks than sunny beaches. Trips to surf and sand come a lot less often. Fortunately, enjoying the smell or the beauty and health benefits of the coconut oil, the oil synonymous with summer, doesn't have to wait until the next excursion to the ocean.

There’s something about the Mediterranean that just screams tranquility, wellness, and fertility. Maybe it’s the pristine coastlines or all that lush greenery. Or perhaps it’s the world renowned mediterranean diet, the quintessential health promoting and protecting diet that’s big on flavor and nutrients. 

Boasting ample amounts of fiber, phytonutrients, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and flavor, the Mediterranean diet is one of the best eating patterns to follow for optimal fertility, health, and beauty.

I'm (slightly) ashamed to admit this: I have seriously considered not wearing a helmet while riding my bike simply because the thought messing up my hair was almost too much to bear.

Having naturally kinky-coily hair, my hair quickly molds into any shape it is encouraged to take. Just let the wind blow a bit too hard and too fast, and my afro turns into a Gumby-esque slope. Cute on some folks, I'm sure, it's just not the look I'm going for. That being said, wearing my hair in an afro, then smashing a helmet on it, simply is not an option. I had to find a solution ASAP.

Pinterest to the rescue, as always! If you're in the market for a helmet friendly hairstyle, just scroll down. You will find a Pinterest roundup of some of the best hairstyles to don under your helmet.

Pleasant, pretty, and purple, this smoothie marks the end of the Eat (and Drink) the Rainbow smoothie series. It has been fun to come up with these smoothie recipes and I hope you have enjoyed them as much as I have.

A mixture of red raspberries and blue(-ish, they still look purple to me...)berries, along with purple cabbage, gives this tasty delight its beautiful hue. And each ingredient provides nutrients known to improve the elasticity, roughness, and tone of our skin. In addition to providing what our bodies need to be radiant and beautiful, it provides what it needs to be healthy.

If you are looking for an excellent source of vitamins A, B6, C, and K, thiamin, magnesium, potassium, and manganese, you have found it here. Pleasantly Pretty also packs a good amount of riboflavin, niacin, folate, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and copper. Not too shabby.

Earlier this month, I went to the basement of my apartment building to dust off my bike and hop on after a long winter. Helmet on, I excitedly pedaled down the street. 

Not paying attention, I turned the wrong way down a one way street. Fortunately, there were no cars coming as they were stopped at the red light a block away. Nonetheless, I decided to slow down and pull aside to change directions. The light down the street turned green as I squeezed the brake levers. My bike didn't slow down or stop. 

I squeezed again, still nothing. Confused and a little scared, I rode between two parked cars to figure out why my brakes weren't working.

Turns out I didn't have any!

Sometime between November and May, someone removed my front brake pads and loosened by rear pads. Really people? Who does that? As if riding in NYC isn't scary enough! Anywho, had I checked my bike before I left, I would have noticed sooner. Thank God I noticed before making it too far from my apartment.

So, what could and should I have done before taking my bike for a ride? Turns out, it's as simple as ABC.

The ABC Quick Check was developed by The League of American Bicyclists as a way for cyclists to ensure their bikes are ready and safe for use. A stands for Air, B is for Brakes, and C is cranks, chains, and cassette.

The end is near for the Eat (and Drink) the Rainbow Smoothies Recipe series. I must say, this was the HARDEST smoothie recipe to come up with. Why? Because I couldn't think of any readily available vibrant blue fruit or vegetables. 

After racking my brain, I settled on blueberries though they have always appeared purple to me... much like this smoothie. Blue, purple, or blurple, it's delicious and good for you. Isn't that all that really matters?

This yummy drink is the total package; she's got brains and beauty. The blueberries are full of polyphenols, most notably anthocyanins, known to protect brain cells, which could potentially improve and protect our memory. Polyphenols might also improve the appearance of our skin through their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

The chia seeds lend quite the potent combination of unsaturated fatty acids and proteins to the mix.

Brilliantly Beautiful is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, K, and B6, potassium, and manganese. It also boasts a good amount of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, magnesium, and copper. Being made solely of fruit, vegetables, and seeds it is also an amazing source of fiber.

Read on and drink up if you want a drink that can help you become even more beautiful, brilliant, and healthy.