If there is one thing I’ve struggled with on and off since I was a teenager, it’s acne. I tried everything to get rid of my acne, but would oftentimes throw my hands up in the air and just chock it up to messed up hormones.
If you’ve tried just about everything from potions to lotions and supplements, to wacky homemade remedies, and have felt, “this is hopeless” then you are going to love this week’s video!
What does acne say about your health?
The biggest thing to understand is that acne is a SYMPTOM not the root cause. To really get rid of acne for good, the causative factors need to addressed. It’s the reason why I created my FREE Skincare 411 Guide to give you the tools you need. But before we dive in any further, I’d like to get a couple of popular acne treatments out of the way and why they don’t work:
Birth Control
In practice, this is probably one of the most popular (and in my opinion, one of the most dangerous). The birth control pill pumps synthetic estrogens into the body which dries up the skin and may provide temporary relief. Problem is, it doesn’t address the underlying problem. And because it will destroy the bacterial balance in the gut, it can leave you with even MORE acne in the long run because your gut’s health is tied to the health of your skin.
Acne Medications
As someone who has been on a TON of acne meds, I can tell you that it really does a number on your body. Sure, you may get some temporary relief, but the effects on your gut and liver can’t be overlooked. Remember, if something is going to impact your digestion, it will inadvertently affect your skin.
So what is going on and how the heck do we get rid of acne for good?
Inflammation in the gut
Given that acne is called, “dermatitis” that should be a big red flag that acne is an inflammatory condition (side note: anything that ends with “itis” is an inflammatory condition. And inflammation begins in the gut. The biggest factors that create that inflammation is dairy, gluten and sugar. All of these breakdown into sugar which increases the hormone insulin which can then increase the amount of testosterone and estrogen that can promote acne. Even the overconsumption of starchy carbohydrates can wreak havoc as they raise insulin levels and can lead to a rise in estrogen and testosterone.
Inflammation in the gut can also occur if elimination is poor. One of the big areas to make sure is working like a well-oiled machine is your colon. In other words, you need to be pooping at least once a day, otherwise how do you expect to have clear skin if you’re constipated? If you’re elimination channels are congested and not open (kidneys, lymph, liver, colon, skin, etc.), then your skin will be one of the first things to show signs of congestion and, you guessed it, inflammation.
Speaking of the gut, can we talk about H.pylori for a second?
It never ceases to amaze me how many stool tests we run in our online practice (available to members who upgrade to testing in my hormone membership program Sexy Lady Balls) that reveal H.pylori. If you don’t know what that is, it’s the bacteria that leads to stomach ulcers. Believe it or not, 2/3rds of the population has H.pylori and many of them can be asymptomatic. But what does this have to do with acne? If you’re one of the many who has the bacteria, you won’t have the stomach acid needed to breakdown a lot of important nutrients. Now before you go running to grab an enzyme that has hydrochloric acid (aka. HCl) remember that enzymes that contain that can actually do even more harm if you have H.pylori.
So HOW do you know if you have H.pylori? Where do you get tested and how does it get treated?
Well for starters, not all testing is created equally. For example, a patient of mine tested negative on a stool and breath test issued by her doctor. But, when she took our stool test that we offer as an upgrade in Sexy Lady Balls, she not only tested positive for H.pylori, but for every single virulence factor of H.pylori!
Once H.pylori is found, a qualified practitioner will need to create a custom protocol based on your individual needs and retest you in about two months following treatment.
Heavy metal toxicity
Mineral balance and heavy metal exposure is a HUGE area of focus in our online clinic (again, offered as an upgrade in Sexy Lady Balls). The reason is because we see copper toxicity in the droves in practice because women had taken the birth control pill (or their mothers did – which passes in utero) or because many pipes in our homes are made of copper. And if you’ve got high levels of estrogen in the body it’ll continually raise the absorption of copper. All of this will show up on the skin as the body tries to eliminate it from the system.
So how do you deal with heavy metal toxicity?
Well frankly, I don’t believe in chelation therapy because I’ve seen it do more harm than good. Rather, I feel that heavy metals need to be eliminated safely once the body (in particular the adrenals) are built up through mineral balancing so it feels strong enough to dump whatever is stored in the body.
As someone who is dumping copper and other heavy metals, I will tell you that my skin absolutely has reflected my detox. Yes, it’s frustrating at times, but my skin is already improving as I dump and frankly it’s better out than in!
How can you test for heavy metals?
Well Hair Trace Mineral Analysis is best and it HAS to be done by a qualified practitioner. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen cases where practitioners weren’t qualified to read the testing. HTMA testing is also offered as an upgrade in Sexy Lady Balls.
What about beauty products?
In this video I RAVE about BeautyCounter, because frankly it’s toxin-free skincare which I’m a HUGE fan of. If you’re using commercial skincare then chances are your skin is absorbing estrogen mimickers on a daily which can really wreak havoc on your hormones! My favourite is their Cleansing Balm (literally there is a cult following for this product and now I know why). Yes, it’s a bit pricey but frankly the stuff is amazing and it lasts me for a good couple of months since you only need a little bit of it.
Lastly…food and water.
I’ve already mentioned what to remove, but it’s important to note what to add in. Consume low glycemic index foods and really up those veggies so they equal at least half of your plate (with greens being the star). Make sure you’re drinking HALF your body weight in ounces (e.g. 140lbs = 70oz of water) and add in sea salt every time you do.
And make sure to download my free Skincare 411 Guide below, because in it I’ll help you understand how to test if you’re intolerant to any specific foods (that could be contributing to breakouts), and other tools to help you glow from the inside out!
Until next time, see ya!
xo
Melissa
