A Woman's Guide to Overcoming Estrogen Dominance from Xenoestrogens | Part One

Did you know that your stress levels and hidden chemical-laden skincare products may actually be behind your stubborn weight gain to a myriad of other symptoms?

Here, I share informative hormone health tips that I discuss on the Awaken Beauty Podcast.

We explore what happens as a consequence to our inner and outer ecosystem and daily actions that may be putting us at risk when we have “too much” or an imbalance of Estrogen.

Estrogen is what gives us women our beautiful hips, breast and thighs and keeps our entire body well lubricated. Estrogen also increases the health of our bones, plump skin, mood and much more.

Feeling it?

• Irregular or heavy periods

• Water retention

• Acne Breast swelling and tenderness

• Headaches

• Fibrocystic breast changes

• Weight gain

• Mood swings

• Hair loss

Today we review exactly how your estrogen gets out of balance and the critical key actions you can take to become aware and detoxify them!

Listen to the show below (scroll down to watch on Youtube)

How Does Your Estrogen Get Out of Balance?

Based on endocrine research, an imbalance happens in two primary ways.

1. Inability to metabolize hormones.

Not being able to rid our body of excess estrogen is becoming more common and is caused by a myriad of factors including genetics, stress, diet and lifestyle.

These may all contribute to an excess of hormones in the body and known as endogenous (internal).

The leading biomarker to test is if you have a optimal biological function to detoxify efficiently on a daily basis. There are tests to learn more about your personal ability to methylate and what specific detoxification pathways your body engages — good or not so good.

If left unchecked, a long term circulation of hormones can lead to an excess of certain hormones, particularly estrogen, in the body tissue.

2. Exposure to excess hormones in our outer environment.

Exposure to exogenous (external hormones) or hormone like substances can make a woman go crazy - and it’s the consequence of modern day living exposure to hormone like substances on a daily basis.

It’s these excess hormones that are obtained from a coined word knows as “xenoestrogens” that may directly contribute to unhealthy weight gain and other health deficiencies.

How’s this happen? Glad you asked!

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WHAT ARE XENOESTROGENS?

Xenoestrogens are a group of endocrine-disrupting chemicals that mimic our body’s natural hormone, estrogen. Normally our endocrine system releases an appropriate amount of each hormone for the body to function optimally. When’s the last time you’ve felt fully balanced?

This disruption happens because these chemicals bind to or block our natural hormone receptors.

So these xenoestrogens, in particular, get in the way of our estrogen receptors. This keeps our natural estrogen from binding as it normally would.

This leads to higher levels of circulating estrogen free flowing in our bloodstream, known as estrogen dominance

So in a nutshell, the more xenoestrogens we’re exposed to, the more total estrogen we’ll have in our bodies.

Mimicking estrogens effect on weight gain in a couple ways:

First, Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals target signaling proteins to make more fat cells which can promote weight gain.

Next, this can further change the energetic balance and the metabolism of ghrelin and leptin, the chemicals which control hunger and satiety. Errored thinking and a double minded confusion then leads to overeating.

Endocrine Disruptors and Estrogen Dominance

Unfortunately our environment is so filled with these chemicals (both inside and outside our home), our bodies are constantly inundated with and exposed to them.

Signs of this estrogenic excess weight are usually found around the abdomen, thighs, breast and the back of the arms.

Instigating the situation even more, excess estrogen processes an enzyme called aromatase, which converts our adrenal steroids (hormones) into estrogen. MORE ESTROGEN!

See the cycle?

It’s a cruel twist of biological fate, that estrogen prompts the formation of more fat cells, and the cycle just perpetuates itself.

EXCESS WEIGHT = EXCESS ESTROGEN = MORE FAT STORAGE

How about he role of stress?

Cortisol is the primary stress hormone produced by the adrenal gland and can easily sabotage weight loss. This is a basic biological function intended to protect us from starvation. When we experience high levels of stress, we produce high levels of cortisol, and our bodies store fat, sort of like an emergency backup plan.

So if you’re leading a high stress lifestyle, and wondering why you can shed those pesky pounds despite your best efforts, finding a way to de-stress is a must.

Feeling stressed? You can address overwhelm in a matter of seconds. I trust you’ll love the 7-11 breathwork exercise.

Exercice: Take a moment and close your eyes closed and put your hand on your stomach. As you take it deep breath in for seven and release for a count of 11, allow your stomach to gently push your hand out and in until you’ve changed your state into a calm, clear, clean, quiet, powerful and peaceful mind.

Now that we are clear and calm, let’s go in depth and create a plan on how to improve detoxification for overall wellness and weight management.

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5 Steps to Balancing Your Estrogen Naturally

Love Your Liver. Your liver is responsible for metabolizing and releasing estrogen out of the body.

Nutrient density – Eat quality protein
– Eat plenty of garlic and onions
– Take a B complex
– Eat a minimum of 3 cups of cruciferous vegetables weekly

Fix Your Gut.
Once the liver processes estrogen for elimination, it is up to your gut to move it out! If you are experiencing constipation, there is a good chance your estrogen isn't making its way out, but instead, going back into circulation in the body. Figuring out and treating the underlying cause of your digestive issues is crucial in creating optimal hormonal health.

Eat Fiber. Aim for at least 25 grams per day by eating plenty of vegetables and fruits. Fiber will keep your bowels regular and help eliminate waste, including unnecessary estrogen.
Stress Less.

Sleep! Seven hours is the minimum you should be getting nightly. Your body needs sleep and your hormones demand it.

Remove Products Containing Endocrine Disruptors

Front and center, as a formulator, I can see first hand how estrogen mimicking chemicals are traditionally found in personal care products. As I started formulating over 12 years ago- I made sure none of my skin and hair products were free of hormonal disruptors.

I’ll go deeper into Xenoestrogens in beauty products on a upcoming episode, but for today’s purposes, I want to leave you with a overview of the top 3 offenders you can address immediately.

Ready to take action?

The importance here is to bring awareness to our inner and outer everyday trance of “normalcy” by assessment because I want to make sure that you're informed and you know how to support your hormones in every way possible.

So let’s jump into the power of removing these top three!

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3 Most Common Endocrine Disruptors and How to Find Them

1. Bisphenol A (BPA)

BPA is a chemical that has been associated with cancer, including breast cancer. But beware! The chemicals they use to replace BPA are equally concerning in regards to the negative health effects like sabotaging your fertility, causing your weight to climb, and painful periods.

BPA is Commonly Found In:

• Receipts

• Plastic bottles and containers

• Canned foods

• Food packaging

2. Flame Retardants

Your rest it at night may be in conflict with your hormones!

The tricky thing about flame retardants is that they aren’t just in our couch cushions or mattresses. They are also in our pets beds, find their way into the dust in our home, are in baby car seats, electronics, and on kid’s pajamas.

• Flame Retardants Are Commonly Found In:

• Mattress

• Furniture

• Pet beds

• Children’s Car Seats

How to Avoid Flame Retardants:

• Check the labels on clothes and don’t even touch those synthetic pajamas in the store.

• Check the labels on furniture before you make a new purchase

• Purchase flame retardant free mattress

• Choose pet beds without flame retardant

• Use a HEPA or other air filter in your home

3. Phthalates

Ever wonder why you hear avoid fragrance when it comes to hormones? That’s because fragrances can be a source of phthalates, which are known to cause harm to reproductive health.

Phthalates Are Commonly Found In:

• Personal care products

• Plastic wrap and food storage containers

• Plastic children’s toys

• Fragrances in trash bags, diapers, and candles

• Air fresheners

How to Avoid Phthalates:

• Read labels and avoid products that list phthalates or fragrance

• Eat out of glass, rather than plastic storage containers

• Ditch air fresheners and opt for essential oils instead

• Buy natural, beeswax candles only (or at minimum fragrance free)

• Use laundry detergent that doesn’t have artificial fragrance

Eating organic foods as often as possible

Avoiding Xenoestrogens (like personal care products or cleaning products that can disrupt our hormones)

Avoiding further exposure by not eating out of plastic containers and not touching the paper receipts from the grocery store.

Make sure you're getting a variety of fiber-rich foods that can help you carry waste out. And, at the same time, those foods are supporting your overall hormonal system, your nutrient health, and your liver detoxification.

You can also support detoxification and elimination of chemicals that harm your hormones by supplementing with:

• Diindolylmethane (DIM)

• Broccoli seed extract

• Resveratrol

• Chrysin

• Calcium D-Glucarate

• Folate

• Magnesium

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Well ladies, that’s it! I get pretty heated up around hormone disrupting invaders in our life.

Stay tuned to a story shared with Julie Tebben on Episode 11 and how it directly relates to the importance of our beauty and personal care products we use as women, every day.

Here’s a few facts to preface my next mini episode on Xenoestrogens and products.

The average US woman uses 12 personal care products a day, containing 168 different chemicals

While most men use fewer products, they’re still exposed to about 85 such chemicals daily

Women with higher levels of personal-care chemicals in their bodies experienced menopause two to four years earlier than women with lower levels

Ok, Enough for now. I hope you enjoyed this savvy info.

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Watch on Youtube!

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You can listen to the episode here.

Please like, subscribe if you’re not already part of our tribe and comment what you learned with your 5 star review!

Looking for natural, organic and hormone disruption free skin and body care? Then you know where to go! Head to Evoqbeauty.com and enter “AWAKEN” for 25% your very first order!

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Download the SHOW NOTE PDF HERE!

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Resources:

Dr Jolene Brighten

Thttps://www.energeticnutrition.com

https://www.shechangeseverything.com/blog/2018/11/4/are-chemicals-making-you-sick-the-full-list-of-obesogens

Planning Pregnancy–or Battling Infertility?

 

Why every woman should understand the ingredients in her skincare if trying to get pregnant or is already pregnant.

By Kassie Kuehl, Hairstylist and Health Coach www.KasiaOrganicSalon.com 

Most women know that when they become pregnant, there is a need to smarten up and realize how critical it is to eat well, and to avoid certain foods such as caffeine or fish, due to its elevated levels of mercury. There is also another side of the story for those wishing to conceive, and are battling with infertility.

Eating well and eliminating stress are important, but there is an even bigger picture to a healthy pregnancy, conceiving, and the toxic  "body burden."   The term body burdon pertains to the slew of environmental as well as man-made chemicals.  Chemicals made by man are fat soluble and not readily broken down by metabolic processes–and because of this, can be stored in body fats and build up to dangerous levels.

If a woman breastfeeds, female offspring are potentially most at risk of accumulative toxins. Over the past several years, studies have come out to show that chemicals have been found in the breast milk of American women. A study of the breast milk of American women published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in 2003 found "unexpectedly high levels" of chemical fire retardants in every participant tested.

The average level of bromine-based fire retardants in the milk of 20 first-time mothers was 75 times the average found in recent European studies. Milk from two study participants contained the highest levels of fire retardants ever reported in the United States, and milk from several of the mothers in EWG’s study had among the highest levels of these chemicals yet detected worldwide.

While the news of these chemicals in breast milk is shocking and disturbing to most moms, doctors and experts agree that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risks and breast is still best.

On and in Our Body

Each day American women reach for shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, and moisturizers. We apply blush, eye shadow, mascara, and lipstick, then maybe dab on some nail polish and perfume. We look good, we smell good–AND we have just exposed ourselves to 200 different synthetic chemicals.

It is not just a makeup problem–but a snapshot of the BIG PICTURE

We are seeing more benign lumps in breasts, thyroid problems, and infertility, which have become an increasingly common experience for many women. As a Western society, we are at an interesting disconnect–looking at how to treat disease–but not how to prevent disease.

Chemicals also affecting men–and some chemicals in these products are particularly problematic for men. We're all exposed to phthalates, and phthalates interfere with the production of testosterone, and they're also linked to health effects like lower sperm counts and testicular tumors.

We now know that what we eat passes into your bloodstream and to your baby, however it is as important to know what you are absorbing through your skin.  Our tissue uptakes 64 percent of everything we use topically–everything we put on our skin or hair.   Many manmade cosmetic chemicals are fat soluble and are not readily broken down by metabolic processes, and because of this, can be stored in body fats and build up to dangerous levels. Babies are potentially most at risk because during breastfeeding, further exposure to the pollutants stored in body fats occurs.

Since personal care products are not regulated by the FDA, you may be surprised that a number of controversial ingredients and known carcinogenics are found in our skin, hair, and body care. This is why it is up to you to decide what you feel at peace with as to what you’re putting onto, and therefore into, your body, and potentially passing on to your baby.

For years, retinoids,  salicylic acid, and accutane have been declared unsafe to use during pregnancy. Through research, this list continues to grow.  Pregnant women should be aware of other questionable ingredients such as parabens, PEGs, and acrylamides. Often women have reactions to fragrance, mineral oils and allergens during pregnancy.

Seek out products that are natural and do not contain parabens, PEGs, SLS, glycols, acrylates, mineral oils, silicones or artificial fragrance. To help change the face of this industry, stop wasting your money on bottom-line companies that use cheap additives or fillers in their products

SIMPLE SOLUTION:  Take this quiz to find out if you may be using products that could adversely affect you and your family’s health.

Take a look at the ingredients of the beauty products you use. Then answer the following questions True or False:

1. Sodium lauryl sulfate appears as an ingredient in my shampoo or other hair products.

2. I notice a combination of sodium lauryl sulfate and TEA (triethanolamine, DEA (diethanolamine), or MEA (monoethanolamine) in one or more of the hair products I use.

3. The word "methylparaben" appears on a label.

4. My product lists "fragrance" on the label.

5. I see the words "dibutyl phthalate, or DBP," or "diethylhexyl phthalate, or DEHP" on a label.

If you answered "True" to any of the questions, you may want to reconsider using those products. Here's why:

1. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a suspected liver or gastrointestinal toxiocant and sometimes causes eye and skin irritation, hair loss, and allergic reactions.

2. When sodium lauryl sulfate is combined with TEA, DEA, or MEA, it can cause the formation of nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic.

3. Methylparaben is a commonly used disinfectant in many products. But recent research has shown that, when exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun, it actually causes wrinkles and liver spots.

4. Artificial fragrances have been linked to a wide variety of health problems. Artificial musk, for example, has been shown to weaken the immune system.

5. Phthalates—plasticizers found in numerous cosmetics and other products—have been shown to be hormone disruptors that can cause birth defects and other harm.

Find out more about the toxic chemicals hiding in your beauty products at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com, The Environmental Working Group (EWG.com).

Visit with one of our team members at Kasia Organic Salon in replenishing your "Beautiful Health" routine.

About the Author: Kassie Kuehl, a natural products hair stylist and health coach, believes that it is crucial pregnant women pay close attention to the ingredients in their hair, skin, and body care products–and become educated in the use of non toxic products/services. Kassie has many educational articles and info about her Organic Salon Services at www.KasiaOrganicSalon.com. Kasia Salon offers high-quality, natural skin care products to help improve your overall health of your skin, body, and soul!

Detox daily with these summer foods!

Do you know that what you eat now in these warm summer months can protect you from colds and flus in the fall and winter? If you want to avoid a bad week of coughing and a stuffy nose in the near future, there are 3 main foods,  eat more of this summer that will help you feel more energized, lean and clear.

Eating more of these foods will also help your skin look radiant and you will have less cravings for foods that don't make you feel good.

Top 3 Summer Detox Foods

1. Eat dark leafy green vegetables every day, such as salads, micro greens, sprouts or steamed kale.  Pile greens into your wraps and sandwiches, your tacos and burritos and even in your fruit smoothies (try spinach or romaine).
2. Enjoy decadent amounts of berries, such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.  They make great desserts, toppings and even taste delicious in salad.
3. Drink copious amounts of plain water to stay hydrated.  Aim for 1/2 your ideal body weight in ounces every day (if you weigh 120 pounds, drink 60 ounces of water per day).

When you eat light, juicy seasonal summer foods, the intestinal mucosa in your digestive system will stay clear and healthy.  Remember, in nature it is not about avoiding certain foods.  It is about eating more of the good ones.

Learn more about this article from John Douillard!   Summer Grocery List : By John Douillard, DC, PhD

Be there on June 16th. The Toxies are Coming to Town!

Hey Informed Beaute's ....this one's for you!

You've heard of the Oscars, the Emmys and the Grammys, but now there's a new, up-and-coming awards ceremony: The Toxies.

Join for this free event on Thursday, June 16th at Intermedia Arts (map) from 5:15-7:30 pm. From 5:15-6:00 there will be a reception with light appetizers and drinks. The awards show will begin following the reception. RSVP now!

The Toxies is a satirical awards show that recognizes “bad actor chemicals," referred to as such by researchers due to their harmful effects and prevalence in our lives. Formaldehyde, Bisphenol A (BPA), Lead and others will be in attendance. These chemicals—portayed at the show by actual, good actors—are known to contribute to certain types of cancer, development disorders, infertility and other health problems. They are in our homes, workplaces and schools, and it’s time they are recognized for their harmful effects.

Help raise awareness around the important issue of toxic chemicals in our every day products. RSVP now to this limited-seating event for free!

And don't forget to vote below for Minnesota's People's Choice Award for Worst Performance of the Year by a toxic chemical. The winning toxic chemical will receive a Minnesota Toxie Award live at the event.

Learn more here.   Don't miss a chance to win a raffle/donation from Kasia Organic Salon!

http://iatp.typepad.com/healthy_legacy/2011/06/toxie-awards-join-us.html

The Toxie Diaries: Formaldehyde

Hey Formalde-fans!! Been awhile since I’ve written, so I decided to update all my followers on what I’m up to.

So, where have I been? Well, if you keep up with the news you’d know I’ve been pretty much everywhere. (Remember when I showed up in those FEMA trailers for the Hurricane Katrina victims, causing respiratory complaints among inhabitants? Oops!!) Even though the EPA tells people I’m known to cause cancer, they can’t do anything about it! I’m still pretty much all around, partying, you know, havin’ a good time. Don’t tell my publicist :).

Anyway, went to the nail salon the other day. I feel like I’m there all the time! Remember when people only knew me as that reeking chemical in high school science class? I’ve come such a long way since then: carpeting, particleboard, personal care products – I’m even showing up in cribs and changing tables, leaching out into the air to be breathed in by little babies. I’m so well known, I can’t wait to show up at my high school reunion and surprise everyone with my overwhelming success and stench! Ugh...do I smell!

Is there a more versatile toxic chemical than me? I’ve made so many lists, it’s hard to keep track.

Oh, news item! I was just put on the Minnesota Priority Chemicals List! “Priority Chemical” – not bad, huh? I guess it has something to do with how I’m a toxic chemical or whatever. Not sure if I get a certificate or trophy or anything for it, but it’s cool to be recognized. And I just want to thank all my victims and the shameless drive for profit over health that’s gotten me to where I am!

ACNE: What is it and how do you deal with it?

There is no classic acne case. Those who suffer from acne are all of different ages, different backgrounds and different lifestyles. What they share is their frustration with the condition of their skin. They all want to know why this is happening to them.

Let's start at the beginning.

There are three major organs in the human body that are responsible for the elimination of waste and toxins: the liver, the kidneys and the skin. We take for granted that the skin is an organ involved in the excretory process. Many of us treat our skin like we might a vinyl floor, scrubbing, overcleaning, overdrying and applying harsh chemicals to it. Not only is this type of treatment unnecessary, but it can cause longterm harm to the skin, and will probably not improve the situation much.

If the liver and the kidneys are overwhelmed by the number of substances to be cleared and eliminated from the system, the skin takes over. The liver will clear caffeine, hormones, allergens or sources of sensitivities, chemicals, including food additives and coloring agents, as well as a host of other substances to which you are exposed on a daily basis. It is no small wonder why many of our livers are crying out for a little support.

The skin, in an effort to back up the liver and the kidneys in the removal of unnecessary substances from the body, will become overwhelmed and affected by the amount of waste that is forced out through its pores. This process disrupts the skin's integrity and affects its appearance.

Sometimes the appropriate topical treatments are enough to help the skin cope with the overload. By keeping pores open, by absorbing excess oil and keeping the proliferation of bacteria in check, the correct product may work to clear the skin.

However, if the problem is more extreme, or of a deeper underlying nature, more may be required.

Serious medications such as accutane have serious side effects. They correct the problem, at a cost. In some respect this type of medical treatment simply kills the symptom (the acne) without addressing the underlying cause. In some cases, acne recurs, albeit in time.

If your objective is the preservation of longterm and comprehensive health as well as beauty, the key is to lighten the load on your other excretory organs, and watch the skin begin to clear. This sounds easy, but is in fact no small task.

Hormones

Anyone who survived adolescence knows that hormones begin to rage during the teenage years. This is usually the time when acne makes its first appearance. Later in life, we may experience it again with hormonal changes, including premenstrual and perimenopausal episodes.

While any hormonal excess can promote acne, the male hormones (which are present in both males and females, only in differing amounts) are particularly notorious for stimulating the cells in the hair follicle to produce more keratin (a hard protein that forms hair, skin and nails). Additionally, male hormones such as testosterone cause the oil glands to enlarge and produce more oil. This traffic jam of substances trying to escape the pore can cause a blockage.

The blockage of the hair canal can in turn promote the overgrowth of bacteria, which will promote inflammation. This is the redness that you see when a pimple becomes infected. Not all pimples, however, become infected.

If the bacterium grows out of control, the hair canal can rupture. If it does so on the surface of the skin, the result is a pustule. If it does so more deeply into the skin, the result may be a cyst, which requires a doctor’s intervention to successfully treat. Cysts can result in significant damage and possibly scar formation, so it is well worth the doctor’s visit.

Interestingly, blood levels of testosterone are not always indicative of a hormonal overload. The problem appears to lie in the skin’s ability to metabolize the hormone. Acne patients show a greater activity of an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase, which converts testosterone into a more potent form, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The conversion into DHT seems to be the more direct cause of the acne, and is also the primary cause of unwanted facial hair in women.

MINERALS CAN HELP

Certain minerals such as Zinc and Sulfur are fabulous skin healers and builders. Make sure your diet is rich in fresh produce to ensure proper mineral content, and supplement with a high quality multi-vitamin that will guarantee you a dose daily. Extra zinc in supplement form does wonders for many people suffering from this type of acne.

Some herbs, such as saw palmetto and pygeum, have been found to curb the conversion of testosterone into DHT. This can be especially helpful for stubborn acne cases where DHT is a factor. In some cases, Saw Palmetto has had the welcome side effect of minimizing unwanted facial hair in women.

SUGAR

If you love chocolate half as much as I do, you despise the notion of sugar having anything to do with acne breakouts.

This is a fairly contraversial subject, and most researchers agree that the connection between sugar and acne is at best indirect, and certainly not universal (phew!).

However, the skin cells of acne patients have in many cases demonstrated the inability to metabolize sugar correctly . Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that promotes the uptake of sugar by the body cells. In many acne patients, there seems to be an impaired uptake of blood sugar by the skin cells, due to insensitivity to insulin. Some researchers believe this is a factor contributing to acne breakouts.

Sugar is not the only culprit. Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, white pasta and white rice, are converted quickly into sugar in the system. At the very least, this bogs down the system by requiring much effort on the part of the pancreas. Further, many researchers believe this reduces immunity considerably. Reduced immunity becomes a factor in acne, because acne involves infection. You want to keep your immunity strong to fight off acne infections, so I suggest you seriously reduce or eliminate all refined carbs, sugary foods included.

STRESS

Few of us can claim to be unaffected by stress. Stress comes in many forms, among them psychological, physical and environmental.

The body secretes anti-inflammatory hormones in response to stress and trauma. If, however, you are operating under long-term stressful or traumatic conditions, these hormones can cause side effects, including the hormonal toxicity that can result in acne.

Try to take some time for yourself every day to unwind and relax. Meditation, a hot bath, soft music, candles and recreational reading can all help relax tightly strung nerves.

WEAPONS YOU CAN USE TO FIGHT ACNE:

1. Stressing out over stressful situations never helps matters, so focus on getting past it and don't let the situation frazzle your nerves.

2.Calcium and Magnesium do more than strengthen bones, they help to soothe the nerves and reduce sugar cravings. Make sure you supplement with these essential nutrients, as part of your high qualtiy multi-vitamin and mineral formula, although extra calcium will probably be needed, since calcium is too bulky to be sufficiently contained in a multi.

3.Vitamin C and a good Bioflavonoid complex will help to strengthen connective tissue, which includes, among other things, the lower skin layers (the dermis). These nutrients also act as natural anti-inflammatory agents.

4. Detoxification is a fail-safe method of cleansing the body of internal build-up and overloads of ALL kinds, and works really well for acne sufferers.

By detoxification, I am speaking of an internal cleansing diet that should be carried out under the guidance of a licensed professional. When the cleansing period is over, the tissues of your body will have eliminated a good deal of stored toxins that you have been carrying around most likely for many years, and the result is vibrant energy, increased metabolism and clearer skin.

5. Exercise accelerates circulation, which in turn speed up the excretion of waste. Try 20-30 minutes of activity every day, at least.

6.Drink water and plenty of it. The purest forms are purifed via a process known as reverse osmosis, or distilled. I am not a fan of Spring water. Call me a skeptic, but I sincerely question whether there is a single "pure spring" left on the planet.

7.Eat as much fresh foods as possible. Basically, buy food that is in a state as close as nature provided it as possible. That means fewer boxed, jarred, canned and bagged foods, and more fresh fruits and veggies. If you were a child and you were coloring a picture of your diet, would it be a rainbow of vibrant colors, or a pasty, pale range of tans, browns and whites? The more colors, the more phyto (or plant) nutrients, and these will keep the intestines clean and build greater vitality.

8.Milk Thistle is an herb that is venerated for it's powerful ability to purify the liver. I have personally seen several people overcome serious skin disorders like eczema with milk thistle and flax seed oil alone. However, not all milk thistles are created equal. Teas are largely ineffective, and many capsules are not properly absorbed by the body. A high quality liquid extract is your best bet.

9.If your diet is lacking in Fiber, then take Fiber Supplements. Of course, it is far better to eat plenty of fruits and salads, because in addition to fiber these foods contain a wide variety of nutrients. However, when your diet has been less than ideal, these can help. They not only speed up the elimination of food in the digestive tract, but they may help bind toxins as they go. Constipation fosters the development of acne, and can worsen an already existing condition.

10. Last, but definitely not least, increase the essential fatty acids in your diet, Specifically the Omega-3's.

11. Look for certain product ingredients that will help boost your skin's capacity to deal with the excess oil secretions. Fruit acid gels are excellent for exfoliating the skin and keeping pores unclogged. Use them regularly.

Reference: http://healthyskinshop.com/acinper.html

99% of Pregnant Women in US Test Positive for Multiple Chemicals

99% of Pregnant Women in US Test Positive for Multiple Chemicals Including Banned Ones

ScienceDaily (Jan. 16, 2011) — The bodies of virtually all U.S. pregnant women carry multiple chemicals, including some banned since the 1970s and others used in common products such as non-stick cookware, processed foods and personal care products, according to a new study from UCSF. The study marks the first time that the number of chemicals to which pregnant women are exposed has been counted.

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Analyzing data for 163 chemicals, researchers detected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), phenols, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and perchlorate in 99 to 100 percent of pregnant women. Among the chemicals found in the study group were PBDEs, compounds used as flame retardants now banned in many states including California, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane ( DDT), an organochlorine pesticide banned in the United States in 1972.

Bisphenol A (BPA), which makes plastic hard and clear, and is found in epoxy resins that are used to line the inside of metal food and beverage cans, was identified in 96 percent of the women surveyed. Prenatal exposure to BPA has been linked to adverse health outcomes, affecting brain development and increasing susceptibility to cancer later in life, according to the researchers.

Findings will be published in Environmental Health Perspectives on Jan. 14.

The study was not designed to identify direct connections to adverse health outcomes.

"It was surprising and concerning to find so many chemicals in pregnant women without fully knowing the implications for pregnancy," said lead author Tracey Woodruff, PhD, MPH, director of the UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment.

"Several of these chemicals in pregnant women were at the same concentrations that have been associated with negative effects in children from other studies. In addition, exposure to multiple chemicals that can increase the risk of the same adverse health outcome can have a greater impact than exposure to just one chemical," said Woodruff, an associate professor in the UCSF Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences.

Exposure to chemicals during fetal development has been shown to increase the risk of adverse health consequences, including preterm birth and birth defects, childhood morbidity, and adult disease and mortality according to the research team. In addition, chemicals can cross the placenta and enter the fetus, and in other studies, a number of chemicals measured in maternal urine and serum have been found in amniotic fluid, cord blood and meconium, they state.

The researchers analyzed data for 268 pregnant women from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004, a nationally representative sample of the U.S. population.

"Our findings indicate several courses of action. First, additional research is needed to identify dominant sources of exposure to chemicals and how they influence our health, especially in reproduction," said Woodruff. "Second, while individuals can take actions in their everyday lives to protect themselves from toxins, significant, long-lasting change only will result from a systemic approach that includes proactive government policies."

Co-authors of the study are Ami R. Zota and Jackie M. Schwartz of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, UCSF Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences.

Do you really absorb up to 60% of what we apply to our skin?

I remember back to 3 years ago when the phrase "we  absorb up to 60% of what we apply to our skin” was just starting to be used among natural beauty pioneers that were health minded as well.   Through my Functional Medicine research at the time, I just knew that this had to be true. To bring this topic up is important to me, as we are finding a increasing number of women with dermis allergies and environmental health complications with the overload of product use.   So, let's back this up.

There is  research to show strong evidence that we do in fact absorb quite a bit of what is applied. Rates of skin absorption of contaminants in public drinking water were studied by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. The study found that the skin absorbed an average of 64% of the total contaminant dosage. In another study the face was found to be 2-6x more permeable than other body surfaces such as the torso, and underarms and genitalia to be even more permeable. In fact, the underarms and genitalia showed up to a 100% absorption estimate (Kasting, 2005).

The studies showed that absorption rate varies depending on the compound. Some examples include, caffeine, which is absorbed by the skin at 48% while DDT is absorbed at 10%. Alarmingly  fragrance ingredients, showed a 100% absorption rate (Robinson et al, 2000).

In any case regardless of actual percentage rates, it makes sense to know the ingredients in our skin care products so we know what we are applying and absorbing. Of course those of us at Kasia Organic Salon commit  to  the  choice of natural/organic  as it immediately cuts out artificial preservatives, fragrances and color compounds that are either suspected or confirmed to be harmful to us.

We suggest the following TOP 5 for your everyday Beautiful Health needs:

Pureoderant Kasia Natural Skin Care Jojoba Oil La Bella Donna Makeup Kasia Spicy Citrus and Weigh-less Organic Conditioner

Reference:  Vitale

Why We Need To Remove Toxic Chemicals From Our Bodies

We live in a toxic world.

By simply avoiding toxic chemicals in your home and specifically taking an action that removes toxic chemicals from my body, one should experience these improvements:

* sleeping more deeply and getting a full night’s rest * waking up refreshed and rested

* having good energy, but not hyper

* clear mind

* feeling happy and cheerful

* feeling like I have the energy to do whatever I want

* digestive tract improvement

* suddenly scheduling evening social activities instead of resting

* getting a lot of work done

* not feeling stressed

* don't feel like I'm "slogging through the mud"

* eyesight noticeably better

* wanting to go for a walk instead of making myself exercise * increased strength and muscle development without exercise * feeling more alive and vibrant * skin is very soft and smooth, a noticeable change

* lost six pounds in one week with no exercise or change of diet

* feeling like I can take on more and bigger projects

Avoiding new chemical exposures in my home got my body from being disabled to functional, detoxing my body to remove the chemicals stored in my body from past exposures is bringing my body closer to its natural state of good health.

Our Toxic World

We can take control of the toxic chemicals we are exposed to at home, but the minute we walk out the door we encounter all kinds of toxic chemicals from pesticides spraying, automobile and commercial vehicle exhaust, airplane exhaust, incinerator emissions, manufacturing smokestacks and other industrial sources. As soon as we walk into a building, we’re likely to be hit with toxic emissions from building materials, carpets, pesticides, and cleaning products.

And the world has been toxic for at least as long as I’ve been alive. Rachel Carson wrote about the poisoning of songbirds by carcinogenic DDT in 1962, when I was seven years old. But researchers had already found residues of DDT in human fat in 1944. Before I was born, DDT had already been detected in Antarctic penguins living thousands of miles from the locations were the pesticide was being used.

In 2005, Environmental Working Group established that toxic industrial chemicals can be transferred from mother to baby before birth via the umbilical cord blood, proving that babies are now being born contaminated with toxic chemicals. But babies didn’t start being born contaminated in 2005. I suspect now that I was born contaminated way back in 1955. Toxic chemicals were already in consumer products and the environment then. We just didn’t know about them or their devastating effects.

So even if we remove toxic chemicals from our homes—where we have our greatest and most immediate toxic exposures—we still have already been exposed to toxic substances for most or all of our entire lives and continue to be exposed to toxic chemicals out in the world each day.

This is just the reality of today’s world. There is no place on Earth that is 100% pristine, nor any product that is 100% pure.

We cannot avoid 100% of toxic chemicals that exist in the world today.

But until we remove toxic industrial chemicals from our Earth, there are things we can do to protect our health from this onslaught of poisons.

Learn about our Infrared Sauna for Detoxification at Kasia HERE

Your Body's Detoxification System

To sustain life, our body systems need inputs of food, water, and air and--equally as important—they need to eliminate wastes. When we don't eliminate wastes from our bodies, it's like having the garbage in our homes pile up because we haven't put it outside in the garbage can to be taken away. Not a very pretty sight either way.

Many millennia ago, when our bodies were designed to flourish in the larger web of life, the only wastes the body had to deal with were natural ones:

* metabolic wastes generated by body functions * foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, mold, pollen and other natural materials * natural poisons, such as spider and snake bites, and toxic chemicals in smoke

Because our bodies need to eliminate things that don’t belong in them, they have natural systems of purification and elimination to keep the whole body system running smoothly. Toxic chemicals enter the body through being injected into the skin (such as drugs), ingested through the mouth (such as pesticides in food), absorption through the skin (such as chlorine while taking a shower or swimming in a pool) and inhalation through the nose (such as toxic chemicals in cleaning products). Toxic chemicals then enter the bloodstream, which carries them to all parts of the body. Then they exit the body through the kidneys via urine, through the liver via bile which goes into the intestines and leaves the body through feces, through the skin via sweat, and through the lungs as we breathe.

How toxic chemicals in consumer products and in the environment affect the health of your individual body depends entirely on the condition of your body’s detoxification system.

Body Burden

If your body’s detoxification system is not working well, or is insufficient for the amount of chemicals you are exposed to, then the toxic chemicals that come into your body will not be excreted, but instead will be stored in your fat, semen, breast milk, muscles, bones, brain, liver and other organs.The total amount of these chemicals that are being stored in your body at a given point in time is called your “body burden.”

Various chemicals move through your body at different rates. Arsenic, for example, is mostly excreted within 72 hours of exposure. Some pesticides can remain in your body for 50 years. Of course, how quickly chemicals are removed from your body depends on the condition of your body’s detoxification system and the amount of toxic chemicals you are exposed to. When you are continuously exposed to toxic chemicals, more toxic chemicals enter the body than can be removed by your detoxification system, and body burden results.

Approximately 80,000 industrial chemicals are used in the United States. We are exposed to these chemicals through the consumer products we use and from the air, water, and soil pollution put into the environment by their manufacture.

Scientists say that everyone alive today is contaminated with at least 700 toxic chemicals in their bodies. It doesn’t matter where you live or what you do. Just being on this planet, every body is contaminated.

In recent years it has become abundantly clear that we are being exposed to more toxic chemicals than our bodies can eliminate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now monitoring the body burden of the US population, taking samples every two years.

EPA biopsies of human fat show that 100% of human bodies have carcinogenic PCBs, styrene, dichlorobenzene, xylene and dioxins stockpiled in their fat.

The condition of your detoxification system determines how much of each chemical is eliminated from the body versus how much is stored, and where in the body it is stored.

Toxic Overload

Quite simply, in today's world

health = the amount of toxics we are exposed to + our body’s ability to detoxify

For good health the ratio should be less exposure to toxic chemicals than the capacity of our bodies to detox.

But for most people the ratio is more exposure to toxic chemicals than the capacity of our bodies to detox. Not only is the volume of toxic exposures greater than our natural capacity to detox, but our natural capacity is diminished by the toxic chemicals as they harm and overwhelm detoxification organs such as liver and kidneys.

Our bodies simply don’t have enough “detox ability” to handle the amount of toxic chemicals we are exposed to.

What We Can Do

When toxic chemicals build up in our bodies because our bodies are not able to eliminate them, we need to give our bodies some help.

There are two things we can do.

1. Reduce our exposure to toxic chemicals, at least in our own homes and workplaces. 2. Remove toxic chemicals from our bodies by a) Improving the functioning of our bodies’ detoxification systems and b) remove toxic chemicals directly from our bodies.

By taking these actions, we can give our bodies the best chance for good health.

This article is shared from Debra at :  http://toxics-health.com/why-we-need-remove-toxic-chemicals-from-our-bodies

Learn about our Infrared Sauna for Detoxification at Kasia HERE