IT’S CONFIRMED. DAIRY PRODUCTS AND SUGAR CAUSE ACNE.

DO DAIRY PRODUCTS AND SUGAR CAUSE ACNE?

 The following article is a guest post form Mark Hyman.  I have followed Dr. Hyman since the start of my Functional  Medicine pursuits back in 2007. He sharp, clear, and helps the reader understand at a ground level of how nutrition, hormones, and every day choices inhibit our "beautiful health."

When I was in my 20's, I had cystic acne, and after removing dairy for 2 months, my acnes was almost completely gone.  Food allergies, milk, wheat, etc may be the missing link for many - whether in teenage years, or the return of the pimple in the later stages of life.  Enjoy the article.  

 

As our sugar and dairy consumption has increased over the last 100 years so has the number of people with acne. We now have over 17 million acne sufferers, costing our health care system $1 billion a year. Eighty to ninety percent of teenagers suffer acne to varying degrees.

The pimply millions rely on infomercial products hawked by celebrities or over-the-counter lotions, cleansers, and topical remedies. Recent research suggests that it’s not what we slather on our skin that matters most but what we put in our mouth.

Many have suggested a diet-acne link, but until recently it has not been proven in large clinical studies. Instead dermatologists prescribe long-term antibiotics and Accutane, both of which may cause long-term harmful effects. In 2009, a systematic review of 21 observational studies and six clinical trials found clear links.

Two large controlled trials found that cow’s milk increased both the number of people who got acne and its severity. Other large randomized prospective controlled trials (the gold standard of medical research) found that people who had higher sugar intake and a high glycemic load diet (more bread, rice, cereal, pasta, sugar, and flour products of all kinds) had significantly more acne. The good news is that chocolate (dark chocolate that is) didn’t seem to cause acne.

The dietary pimple producing culprits – diary and sugar (in all its blood sugar raising forms) – both cause spikes in certain pimple producing hormones. Dairy boosts male sex hormones (various forms of testosterone or androgens),  increases insulin levels, just as foods that quickly raise blood sugar, (sugar and starchy carbs) and spikes insulin.

Androgens and insulin both stimulate your skin to make those nasty, embarrassing pimples. One patient recently told me he would give a million dollars for a pill to cure acne. He doesn’t need to. It seems that for many the cure to acne is at the end of their fork, not in a prescription pad.

While pimples are not as simple as too much milk or sugar in your diet, both have a significant impact. Nutritional deficiencies as well as excesses can worsen acne. Correcting common deficiencies including low levels of healthy omega-3 anti-inflammatory fats, low levels of antioxidants such as vitamin E, zinc, and vitamin A, and including an important anti-inflammatory omega-6 fat called evening primrose oil  may all be helpful in preventing and treating unwanted pimples.

I will explain how you can correct and incorporate all of these nutritional elements of your diet and outlines some supplements that will help you fight acne in a moment. But first it is worth taking a deeper look at milk and sugar.

It appears that anabolic or sex hormones in milk contribute to acne …

Stay Away from Dairy and Avoid Acne

One scientist referred to milk as a “complex aqueous, suspended fat, liposomal, suspended protein emulsion”. What we do know is that milk is designed to grow things – namely, babies – and in the case of cow’s milk, calves. It is naturally full of what we call anabolic hormones (the same ones that body builders and A Rod use to grow big muscles, and which cause bad acne).

These are mostly androgens (like testosterone) and growth hormones including insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). There is no such thing as hormone-free milk.

Here’s a short list of the 60-some hormones in your average glass of milk – even the organic, raw, and bovine growth hormone free milk:

• 20α-dihydropregnenolone
• progesterone (from pregnenolone)
• 5α-pregnanedione
• 5α-pregnan-3β-ol-20-one, 20α- and 20β-dihydroprogesterone (from progesterone)
• 5α-androstene-3β17β-diol
• 5α-androstanedione
• 5α-androstan-3β-ol-17-one
• androstenedione
• testosterone
• dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate acyl ester
• insulin like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF-1 and IGF-2)
• insulin

This is what our government suggests we drink in high doses—at least 3 glasses a day for me, a healthy adult male, according to the mypyramid.gov website. Those guidelines have been strongly criticized by many including leading nutrition scientists from Harvard such as Walter Willett and David Ludwig.

The famous Nurse’s Health Study examining health habits of 47,000 nurses found that those who drank more milk as teenagers had much higher rates of severe acne than those who had little or no milk as teenagers. If you think it is the fat in milk, think again.

It was actually the skim milk that had the strongest risk for acne. In other studies of over 10,000 boys and girls from 9 to 15 years old, there was a direct link between the amount of milk consumed and the severity of acne.

It appears that it is not just the anabolic or sex hormones in milk that causes problem but milk’s ability to stimulate insulin production. It actually may be the lactose or milk sugar in milk that acts more like a soft drink than an egg. Drinking a glass of milk can spike insulin levels 300 percent.

Not only does that cause pimples, but it also may contribute to prediabetes. This is true despite studies funded by the dairy council showing that milk helps with weight loss. The question is compared to WHAT diet – a diet of bagels and Coke, or a healthy phytonutrient, antioxidant-rich, plant-based diet with lean animal protein?

Stay Away from Sugar, Refined Carbs, and Pimples

If a glass of milk causes pimples, that may drive you back to your Pepsi. But not so fast. Recent studies also show that sugar and refined carbs (a high-glycemic diet) cause acne. More importantly, taking kids off sugar and putting them on a healthy, whole foods, low-glycemic load diet resulted in significant improvements in acne compared to a control group eating a regular, high-sugar American diet.

In addition to less pimples, the participants lost weight, became more sensitive to the effects of insulin (resulting in less pimple-producing insulin circulating around the blood). They also had less of the sex hormones floating around their blood that drive pimples. We know that women who have too much sugar and insulin resistance get acne, hair growth on their face, hair loss on the head, and infertility. This is caused by high levels of circulating male hormones and is called polycystic ovarian syndrome but is a nutritional, not gynecologic disease.

But the dietary influences don’t stop there. It is not just sugar, but the bad fats we eat that may also contribute to acne.

Get an Oil Change

Our typical Western diet is full of inflammatory fats – saturated fats, trans fats, too many omega-6, inflammatory, processed vegetable oils like soy and corn oils. These increase IGF-1 and stimulate pimple follicles. Inflammation has been linked to acne, and anti-inflammatoryomega-3 fats (from fish oil) may help improve acne and help with many skin disorders.

Balance the Hormones that Cause Skin Problems

The link is clear - hormonal imbalances caused by our diet trigger acne. Our diet influences sex hormones like testosterone, IGF-1, and insulin, which promote acne. The biggest factors affecting your hormones is the glycemic load of your diet (which is determined by how quickly the food you eat increases your blood sugar and insulin levels), and the amount of dairy products you eat. The good news is that eating a healthy diet and taking a few supplements can balance those hormones. Exercise also helps improve insulin function.

How to Prevent and Treat Acne

Eight simple steps to help most overcome their acne problems:

1. Stay away from milk. It is nature’s perfect food – but only if you are a calf.
2. Eat a low glycemic load, low sugar diet. Sugar, liquid calories, and flour products all drive up insulin and cause pimples.
3. Eat more fruits and vegetables. People who eat more veggies (containing more antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds) have less acne. Make sure you get your 5–9 servings of colorful fruits and vegetables every day.
4. Get more healthy anti-inflammatory fats. Make sure to get omega-3 fats (fish oil) and anti-inflammatory omega-6 fats (evening primrose oil). You will need supplements to get adequate amounts (more on that in a moment).
5. Include foods that correct acne problems. Certain foods have been linked to improvements in many of the underlying causes of acne and can help correct it. These include fish oil, turmeric, ginger, green tea, nuts, dark purple and red foods such as berries, green foods like dark green leafy vegetables, and omega 3-eggs.
6. Take acne-fighting supplements.Some supplements are critical for skin health. Antioxidant levels have been shown to be low in acne sufferers. And healthy fats can make a big difference. Here are the supplements I recommend:
   • Evening primrose oil: Take 1,000 to 1,500mg twice a day.
   • Zinc citrate: Take 30 mg a day.
   • Vitamin A: Take 25,000 IU a day. Only do this for three months. Do not do this if you are pregnant.
   • Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols, not alpha tocopherol): Take 400 IU a day.
7. Try probiotics. Probiotics also help reduce inflammation in the gut that may be linked to acne. Taking probiotics (lactobacillus, etc.) can improve acne.
8. Avoid foods you are sensitive to. Delayed food allergies are among the most common causes of acne—foods like gluten, dairy, yeast, and eggs are common culprits and can be a problem if you have a leaky gut.

Following these simple tips will help you eliminate acne and have that glowing skin you have always dreamed of. And it’s much cheaper (and safer) than expensive medications and dermatologist visits. Improve your diet and take acne-fighting supplements and you will watch your pimples disappear.

For more information on how to optimize your nutrition and improve your skin, seewww.drhyman.com.

Now I’d like to hear from you.

Have you struggled with an acne or skin problem? Have you noticed any link between your skin? What seems to be a problem for you?

Why do you think we are encouraged to consume so much dairy when the risks to our health (and our skin) are so high?

What other steps have you taken to fight acne? What has worked? What hasn’t?

Please leave your thoughts by adding a comment below – but remember, we can’t offer personal medical advice online, so be sure to limit your comments to those about taking back our health!

To your good health,

Mark Hyman, MD

References

1. F. William Danby, MD, Nutrition and acne, Clinics in Dermatology (2010) 28, 598–604
2. White GM. Recent findings in the epidemiologic evidence, classification, and subtypes of acne vulgaris. J Am Acad Dermatol 39(2 Pt 3):S34-7 (1998 Aug).
3. Lello J, Pearl A, Arroll B, et al. Prevalence of acne vulgaris in Auckland senior high school students. N Z Med J 108(1004):287-9 (1995 Jul 28).
4. Venereol 21(6):806-10 (2007 Jul).
5. Wolf R, Matz H, Orion E. Acne and diet. Clin Dermatol 22(5):387-93 (2004 Sep-Oct).
6. Magin P, Pond D, Smith W, et al. A systematic review of the evidence for myths and misconceptions’ in acne management: diet, face-washing and sunlight. Fam Pract 22(1):62-70 (2005 Feb).
7. Spencer EH, Ferdowsian HR, Barnard ND. Diet and acne: a review of the evidence. Int J Dermatol 48(4):339-47 (2009 Apr).
8. Bendiner E. Disastrous trade-off: Eskimo health for white civilization, Hosp Pract 9:156-89 (1974).
9. Adebamowo CA, Spiegelman D, Danby FW, et al. High school dietary dairy intake and teenage acne. J Am Acad Dermatol 52(2):207-14 (2005 Feb).
10. Adebamowo CA, Spiegelman D, Berkey CS, et al. Milk consumption and acne in adolescent girls. Dermatol Online J 12(4):1 (2006).
11. Adebamowo CA, Spiegelman D, Berkey CS, et al. Milk consumption and acne in teenaged boys. J Am Acad Dermatol 58(5):787-93 (2008 May).
12. Hoyt G, Hickey MS, Cordain L. Dissociation of the glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to whole and skimmed milk. Br J Nutr 93(2):175-7 (2005 Feb).
13. Kaymak Y, Adisen E, Ilter N, et al. Dietary glycemic index and glucose, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3, and leptin levels in patients with acne. J Am Acad atol 57(5):819-23 (2007 Nov). Cordain L, Lindeberg S, Hurtado M, et al. Acne vulgaris: a disease of Western civilization. Arch Dermatol 138(12):1584-90 (2002 Dec).
14. Smith RN, Mann NJ, Braue A, et al. A low-glycemic-load diet improves symptoms in acne vulgaris patients: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 86(1):107-15 (2007 Jul).
15. Smith RN, Mann NJ, Braue A, et al. The effect of a high- protein, low glycemic-load diet versus a conventional, high glycemic-load diet on biochemical parameters associated with acne vulgaris: a randomized, investigator-masked, controlled trial. J Am Acad Dermatol 57(2):247-56 (2007 Aug).
16. Smith RN, Braue A, Varigos GA, et al. The effect of a low glycemic load diet on acne vulgaris and the fatty acid composition of skin surface triglycerides. J Dermatol Sci 50(1):41-52 (2008 Apr).
17. Zouboulis CC. Is acne vulgaris a genuine inflammatory disease? Dermatology 203(4):277-9 (2001).
18. James MJ, Gibson RA, Cleland LG. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and inflammatory mediator production. Am J Clin Nutr 71(1 Suppl):343S-8S (2000 Jan).
19. Simopoulos AP. Essential fatty acids in health and chronic disease. Am J Clin Nutr 70(3 Suppl):560S-9S (1999 Sep). 26. Kaaks R, Bellati C, Venturelli E, et al. Effects of dietary intervention on IGF-I and IGF-binding proteins, and related alterations in sex steroid metabolism: the Diet and Androgens (DIANA) Randomised Trial. Eur J Clin Nutr 57(9):1079-88 (2003 Sep).
20. Fulton JE, Jr., Plewig G, Kligman AM. Effect of chocolate on acne vulgaris. Jama 210(11):2071-4 (1969 Dec 15).
21. Anderson PC. Foods as the cause of acne. Am Fam Physician 3(3):102-3 (1971 Mar).

Easy 16 Ways To Detox Every Day

Guest Post:  BY MICHELE CONIGLIARO

We’re all human. We partake in the occasional (or more frequent) indulgences life has to offer. Even as a practicing health-fanatic-vegetarian-yogi, I can’t imagine my life without my favorite glass(es) of red wine and dessert! Daily detox measures help counteract the less healthy items we put in our body, as well as the environmental factors for which we have little control.

Instead of relying on intense, short-lived detoxes, begin incorporating these steps to detox your body EVERY SINGLE DAY of your life.

1. Drink hot lemon water.

Kick-start the detoxing process first thing in the morning by drinking a cup of warm water with lemon and cayenne.

2. Have a fresh cold-pressed juice

Do it on an empty stomach, which allows your body to absorb the nutrients more quickly. My go-to detox elixir: lemon, kale, spinach, spirulina, and ginger – the more greens, the better!

3. Sip a detox tea. 

Sip a few cups of detoxifying tea blends throughout the day. Look for ingredients such as dandelion root, ginger, burdock and licorice root.

4. Add apple cider vinegar. 

Along with a host of other benefits, apple cider vinegar alkalizes the body and helps detox the liver. Buy the raw, unfiltered and organic variety.

5. Eat detoxing foods and supplements.

The liver and kidneys serve as the body’s filtration system, and thus are integral to overall health and cleansing. Incorporate the following to aid in continual kidney and liver cleansing: parsley, cilantro, dandelion root, licorice root, cayenne, turmeric, red pepper, garlic, lemon, lime, grapefruit, sea vegetables (seaweed salad, nori, dulse), artichokes, beets, cruciferous vegetables, wheatgrass, spirulina, chlorella and milk thistle.

6. Eat clean.

Incorporate fiber into your diet to keep the elimination process flowing. Limit or avoid high-mercury fish such as swordfish, tuna, mackerel, shark, marlin and grouper. General rule to follow: larger fish typically have higher levels of mercury. Avoid refined sugars, processed foods, alcohol, caffeine and non-organic fruits and veggies.

7. Sweat.

Sweating is crucial for expelling toxins. Use an infrared sauna, which assists in removing heavy metal toxins stored in fat tissues. Take a Bikram yoga class — or any yoga class! Exercise with extra layers to help increase body temperature and perspiration.

8. Invert.

Scientifically shown to help the cardiovascular, lymphatic, endocrine and nervous systems, inversions reverse the flow of gravity, stimulate the lymphatic system, and aid in blood purification. Traditional inversions include:

• Shoulder stand
• Headstand or handstand
• Legs propped up against a wall

9. Jump.

Rebounding is great for stimulating the lymphatic system and increasing circulation. Small, portable trampolines are a quick and easy way to build jumping into your daily routine.

10. Eliminate.

Elimination seemed appropriate for the “Move” category! Further cleanse your colon by taking daily fiber supplements, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and incorporating colon cleanses such as colonics or enemas.

11. Dry body brush.

Before showering, dry brush your body head-to-toe, using long strides toward the heart. This activates the lymphatic system, stimulates blood circulation, and enhances toxin elimination through our body’s largest organ — the skin!

12. Tongue scrape.

Yes, it sounds funny, but this quickly cleans the tongue of accumulated bacteria and toxic debris from the night before. Think of it as giving your body an extra assist in the detox process, while also achieving better breath! I promise you’ll be hooked.

13. Try hydrotherapy.

Hydrotherapy encompasses a large range of approaches and methods. An easy way to incorporate hydrotherapy daily is by alternating between hot and cold water every 30 seconds in the shower. Cold water stimulates, causing blood vessels to constrict, while hot water relaxes and causes blood vessels to dilate. This alternation of hot and cold water improves elimination, decreases inflammation, removes wastes from tissues, and stimulates circulation.

14. Detox bath.

I have a magical detox bath formula resulting from many years of research and testing. And, yes, I’m sharing it with you! Take one every week to cleanse from the outside in.

• Dead sea salts / Epsom salts (2 cups): draw toxins out through the skin
• Baking Soda (2 cups): naturally alkalizing substance helps remove toxins
• Fresh ground ginger (1 tbsp): heats-up body temperature, encouraging perspiration
• Therapeutic-grade essential oils (4 drops each): Geranium, eucalyptus and juniper berry possess powerful agents aiding in detoxification.

15. Get massages.

This deserves two exclamation points. Massages increase circulation, stimulate the lymphatic system and remove toxic build-up. They also feel pretty good.

16. Make your home healthy.

Introduce plants to your home (peace lilies, ferns and palms are great natural air filters), change A/C filters regularly, avoid harsh household chemicals, install chlorine filters, introduce an air purifier, and consider a reverse-osmosis water system.

Michele is a certified yoga instructor (200 RYT), member of Yoga Alliance and teaches Detox and Vinyasa flow classes at Green Monkey in Miami, FL. By day, she works as a Sr. Marketing Strategist Anthropologist at SapientNitro a global interactive marketing, creative design, & technology agency. Michele is finishing her Master of Arts in Liberal Studies with a concentration in psychology and anthropology at the University of Miami. The perpetual hobbyist, she is obsessed with healthy living, detox techniques, philosophy, anthropology, psychology, art and classic literature. On a more personal note, Michele is a spiritual-seeker, humanist, dedicated yogi, practicing vegetarian, and rainy-day appreciator.

The 7 Most Common Symptoms of Low Thyroid Function

While a healthy thyroid helps support hair growth, thyroid imbalances can negatively impact it. It's estimated that as many as 59 million Americans have a thyroid problem, but the majority don't know it yet. The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck, is the master gland of metabolism. When your thyroid doesn't function, it can affect every aspect of your health, and in particular, weight, depression and energy levels.

The thyroid does not affect the scalp itself, but it can interfere with the hair growth cycle. If you are experiencing scalp problems alongside a thyroid imbalance it is probably coincidental.

WHAT IS THE THYROID AND WHY DOES IT AFFECT HAIR GROWTH?

Your thyroid is a gland at the base of your neck that regulates your bodies’ metabolism via the production of ‘thyroid hormone’. It also controls the production of proteins and tissue utilisation of oxygen – which is why it affects hair follicles and hair growth.

Thyroid disorders occur when your thyroid gland produces too much or too little hormone. This is classed as either ‘hyper’ (high) or ‘hypo’ (low) thyroid, whereby your thyroid is either over or underactive. Either a hypo or hyperthyroid can cause hair loss – and in fact a hypothyroid is known to cause hair loss in up to 50% of people.

 

7 most common symptoms of low thyroid function are:

1. Severe fatigue/loss of energy: If you suffer from a thyroid issue, you may feel highly fatigued and sleep more than average — but even after the extra sleep you don’t feel rested or have any energy.

2. Weight gain/difficulty losing weight: When your thyroid slows down — even a bit — so does your metabolism. That’s why unusual and unexplained weight gain and changes to body shape can be the first noticeable symptoms.

3. Dry skin, brittle nails: New wrinkles, dry or cracked patches, and itchy rashes are signs of imbalance in your thyroid hormones.

4. Brittle hair, itchy scalp, hair loss: Your thyroid plays a role in your hair’s growing and resting cycle. Without proper thyroid functioning, your hair follicles stay in the “resting” phase rather than growing actively. In addition to brittle hair or hair loss, thyroid issues can also cause premature graying of the hair.

5. More sensitivity to cold and lower body temperature. Always feeling cold is a telltale sign of a problem with your thyroid hormones, which greatly influence body temperature.

6. Diminished sex drive: Imbalances in your thyroid can affect your reproductive hormones, and lead to lower levels of desire.

7. Puffiness in face and extremities: Another telltale symptom of hypothyroidism is puffiness in the face, most often around the eyes.

As one of the centers of your endocrine system, your thyroid influences how your other hormones are used. That’s why an underactive thyroid can influence so many functions in your body — and lead to such a wide range of symptoms.

Thyroid disorders are easily diagnosed during a routine blood test.  Read more about Thyroid biomarkers, tests, and what they mean here. 

Reference:  Womentowomen.com

The Toxic Truth About Gluten-Free Food

Enjoy this is a guest post from Jordan Reasoner and SCDLifestyle. 

Today, even the smallest grocery stores across America are beginning to carry gluten-free foods in a “healthy living” section, right next to the green tea.

Gluten-Free foods are becoming ubiquitous and synonymous with living a healthy lifestyle… even for people without Celiac Disease.

But is gluten-free really healthy? Will it make Celiac Disease a distant memory?

I’m here to tell you no… and there’s a lot to talk about.

The gluten-free diet is the wrong prescription for Celiac Disease

Evidence is piling up that high inflammation, poor vitamin status, and leaky gut persist on a gluten-free diet, which leads to one thing: untreated Celiac Disease…

But what could possibly be wrong with a gluten-free diet?  Doesn’t gluten cause Celiac Disease?

Yes, gluten causes Celiac Disease and it must be eliminated to treat Celiac Disease… in fact, research suggests that even an acute gluten exposure triggers a 70% increase in intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and a spikes inflammation for as much as 6-months^[1].

But there’s a laundry list of other foods that drive inflammation and keep the gut leaky.  Don’t get me wrong, gluten is the worst offender.  But a Celiac’s gut is severely damaged and highly susceptible to poor food choices.  If you don’t remove the “other dietary triggers” contributing to the disease, you’re going to end up sick and pissed off like I was.  Going gluten-free isn’t enough… and here’s why.

Eating gluten-free is usually toxic

Mainstream literature on Celiac Disease tells us that eating gluten-free is a healthy lifestyle choice and Doctor’s regularly explain it as the only way to treat newly diagnosed Celiac Disease patients.  But the treatment plan is dripping in the same conventional wisdom that created the current Standard American Diet (SAD).

That’s the rub: the average gluten-free diet is built on the same foundation as the SAD… both are low-fat, highly processed diets made up of toxic foods.

The biggest problem with the Gluten-free diet is the reliance on processed foods that are low in nutrients and high on toxins.

The standard gluten-free diet typically contains 4 specific food toxins that contribute to leaky gut, inflammation, and poor vitamin status:

• Cereal grains (like corn, rice, and oats)
• Soy (soy milk, soy protein, soy flour, etc.)
• Industrial seed oils (Canola oil, grapeseed oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil)
• Sugar (especially high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar)

Even though the worst offending food toxin, gluten, is removed – the gluten-free diet relies heavily on the other four agents of modern disease to create a diet that “looks” very similar to the Standard American Diet.  In fact, many types of gluten-free pasta and other packaged foods are loaded with higher concentrations of these 4 food toxins than their original counterparts.

Gluten-free cereal grains are waging war on your gut

In “How Gluten Causes Celiac Disease” I explained that the main reason we don’t eat wheat and other gluten-containing grains is that they contain a protein called gliadin, which is a prolamine that increases zonulin production, causing leaky gut and inflammation.

And remember when I said that plants carry weapons of mass destruction?

It’s no joke… plants are concerned about their survival just like we are.  They don’t want to die, which is why they have defense mechanisms to protect them, like toxic antinutrients and proteins that should deter any living being from eating them.

Most cereal grains contain a toxic protein called “prolamines,” which are knurly, tough proteins that humans can’t digest.  The research is very clear: we aren’t equipped to “digest” or break down prolamines small enough to absorb any nutrients^[2]

Toxic prolamines give the plant a protection mechanism for their survival (since they can’t get up and run away).  These proteins irritate the gut lining and sneak their way past the intestinal wall in humans and animals that eat them.

Gliadin is the prolamine in wheat, but other cereal grains common on the gluten-free diet have similar proteins that also cause problems:

• Zein, the prolamine in corn, has been shown to be problematic for Celiacs^[3]
• Avenin, the prolamine in oats, triggers a powerful inflammatory response in Celiacs^[4]
• Orzenin, the prolamine in brown rice, can cause inflammation in the gut of children^[5]

Prolamines are the big guns defending the plant from being eaten alive… but that’s not the only part of these cereal grains that cause problems.  They contain another secret weapon just as powerful…

Plant lectins in gluten-free cereal grains are toxic too

If prolamines are weapons of mass destruction, then plant lectins are the plants special forces executing individual suicide missions against your gut lining.  These toxic sugar-binding proteins don’t get digested either, and they bind to the cells on the gut wall (enterocytes) and prevent them from completing their normal healing processes (causing them to die). Not only that, but research shows they weasel their way past the intestinal wall and cause leaky gut… and trigger our old friend inflammation^[6].

These so-called “healthy, gluten-free grains” are waging war inside your gut because they don’t want you to eat them either… just like gluten.  And so far we’ve talked about how these cereal grains promote leaky gut and inflammation…

But remember earlier when I made the point that a gluten-free diet leaves many Celiacs with inflammation, leaky gut, andnutrient deficiencies?

Phytates steal vitamins and minerals right under your nose

Phytates are not for plant defense – they’re for self-fertilization of the plant.  They’re specially designed to keep the plant supplied with the necessary vitamins and minerals it needs to stay alive

When we eat them, they bind to metal ions inside us, so they can impair the bioavailability of critical minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc^[7].  Not only that, but they inhibit the enzymes we need to properly digest foods and extract nutrients from them.

These toxic assaults all add up… and they begin to paint the picture that the gluten-free diet doesn’t work. Even Quinoa, a frequent staple of the “healthy” gluten-free diet, contains large quantities of Saponins.  Saponins are another plant defense chemical that severely damages the gut wall and causes leaky gut^[10].

Soy disrupts your hormones and your thyroid

Soy is another food that gets coined as “healthy” in mainstream media.  It’s found in many gluten-free foods and is even touted as an alternative to eating animals.   The Soy industry has spent a TON of time and money trying to convince us soy is healthy.  The reality is: Soy’s filled with toxins.  Here are the 4 main problems with soy in regards to Celiac Disease:

1. Soy screws up your hormones because of the presence of phytoestrogens.  This is important because these phytoestrogens are linked to cancer growth and infertility problems.  Your hormones need to be working correctly to recover from illness.
2. Soy messes up your thyroid.  We already covered that if you have Celiac Disease you’re chances are extremely high of getting other autoimmune conditions of the thyroid (like Graves Disease).  The same phytoestrogens messing with your hormones are also implicated in hypothyroidism and potentially thyroid cancer^[11].
3. Soy is high in phyates, which means it robs you of valuable minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron.^[12]
4. Soy increases the need for more vitamin D, which we already know contributes to leaky gut.

For a complete listing of the toxic effects of Soy, check out this PDF from the Weston A. Price Foundation.  Just like grains, soy contains toxic chemicals that don’t support recovering from Celiac Disease.  Simply put: there’s much better quality food to put in your mouth.

Industrial seed oils inflame your body

Consumption of industrial seed oils (corn, cottonseed, soybean, safflower, sunflower, etc.) has dramatically increased in the last century and the gluten-free diet is no exception.   Many processed food off the shelf contain these seed oils that are high in omega-6 fatty acids.  In fact, you might even think that some of these oils are “healthy”.

Here’s the thing: when Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids are in a balanced ratio, they don’t promote inflammation.  But when Omega-6 fatty acid consumption increases without a corresponding increase in Omega-3 fatty acids, the ratio is out of balance and inflammation occurs.  It’s common for a gluten-free diet to be high in omega-6 fatty acids from industrial seed oils and low in omega-3 fatty acids.  That’s a recipe for an inflammatory cascade…

Sugar fuels the fire roaring in your body

Carbohydrates and Sugars are the primary food for the bacteria in our gut. Bacteria live on sugar, that’s normal.  What isn’t normal is the type of bacteria found overgrowing in the gut of a Celiac patient.  Normally there’s a balance between good and bad bacteria.

When the delicate gut flora balance gets upset, opportunistic or pathogenic bacteria can quickly take over and cause ”Gut Dysbiosis” or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).  One reason Celiacs frequently have gut dysbiosis is a result of thedamage to the villi of the small intestine.  During the active stages of Celiac Disease, the villi aren’t working properly and carbohydrate malabsportion can occur (meaning there’s suddenly a ton of extra food for the bacteria to feast on).

Here’s where the gluten-free diet fits into all this…

The most common sugar consumed in the standard gluten-free diet is sucrose (or table sugar).  Sucrose is made-up of one glucose molecule and one fructose molecule bonded together to create a disaccharide (2 sugar molecules).  Sucrose gets broken down by the digestive process into mono-saccharide molecules to be absorbed by the gut.

Here’s the catch: the main “splitter” for these chemical bonds is the micro-villi, which we just discussed are damaged and not able to do their job.  This leaves us with a surplus of sugar molecules hanging around in the intestine feeding bad bacteria (Read this article for in-depth info on the different kinds of sugar).

In general, the standard gluten-free diet is primarily made-up of processed carbohydrates and processed sugars, which are mostly di- and polysaccharides that need to be “split” in the gut before  they can be absorbed.  Having a ton of undigested carbs and sugars hanging out in your gut creates the perfect recipe for digestive problems and SIBO…

SIBO makes your gut leak

Researchers have identified small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) as the only other stimulus powerful enough to trigger zonulin release and create leaky gut the same way gluten does^[14].  In fact, they theorize that the body responds to SIBO by opening up the tight junctions as a defensive immune response intended to flush the bad bacteria from the body^[15].

SIBO is overgrowth condition that drives leaky gut syndrome and the gluten-free diet is the fuel to feed the overgrowth.  In one study, researchers took small intestinal biopsies from children with Celiac Disease to understand the role bacteria played in the disease.  Their results were frightening: they not only found SIBO, but they discovered these children had 42 different rod-shaped bacteria, 30 of which had never been found in the human small intestine before… 18 of which were completely unknown^[16]!

Another study looked at adult Celiac patients that weren’t getting better on a gluten-free diet and found that, “SIBO affects most Celiacs with persistence of GI symptoms after gluten withdrawal.”^[17]

How can SIBO cause so much trouble? 

Pathogenic bacteria produce toxic byproducts that get released in the gut and the bloodstream, (like lipopolysaccharides – LPS).  These toxins can severely damage the intestinal cell surface, triggering an inflammatory response as the body attempts to fight off the perceived bacterial threat and cause difficulty digesting and absorbing certain carbohydrates.  They can also find their way into the bloodstream and wreak havoc on the liver^[18].

Not only that, but while they happily feed on undigested sugars and other carbohydrates that are supposed to feed you, they release gases like hydrogen and methane.  The end result is gas, bloating, and diarrhea or constipation… and perpetually untreated Celiac Disease.

The inflammation-leaky gut cycle

The bottom line is: If you have Celiac Disease, you have leaky gut and bad gut flora.

We’ve talked about how prolamines and lectins cause inflammation and leaky gut.  We’ve talked about how SIBO causes inflammation and leaky gut… and all within the confines of a gluten-free diet.

When your gut flora is out of balance and your gut barrier is damaged, your gut is going to be inflamed.  Inflammation triggers leaky gut and leaky gut triggers inflammation^[19].  They all feed on each other in a vicious cycle that looks like this:

The only way to begin treating Celiac Disease is to break this inflammation-leaky gut cycle… and the first step is to recognize that gluten-free isn’t enough.  There’s a better way to eat that can begin to halt this process.

So what can a Celiac eat to feel better?

The answer is: eat easy-to-digest, low-toxin, real foods.  Foods that don’’t feed bad bacteria or promote inflammation… but at the same time provide adequate nutrition and improve intestinal permeability.

In other words the ideal Celiac Disease diet:

• Doesn’t contain processed foods filled with added sugars, vegetable oils, additives, or dyes that damage health
• Eliminates disaccharides and polysaccharides to starve out overgrown bad bacteria (SIBO)
• Eliminates the most toxic food groups: cereal grains and soy
• Encourages consumption of low-toxin whole foods in their natural state
• Encourages plenty of nutrient dense animal products filled with protein and healthy fats
• Encourages plenty of good bugs (probiotics) through fermented foods or supplements

The gluten-free diet doesn’t fit the bill…

Simply eliminating cereal grains that promote inflammation and leaky gut is a step in the right direction.  But if you remove the other 3 toxic foods I mentioned above (soy, industrial seed oils, and sugar) you’ll be one step closer to recovery.  At that point, you’ll be eating a whole food, non-processed diet – which is ideal for optimal health based on what we know.

Is that the same thing as a Paleo or Primal diet?

The SCD diet is a form of low-carb paleo/primal that removes common irritants that are problematic in the gluten-free diet, but it also limits the availability of carbohydrates as a food source for bad bacteria and starves them out over time.  As the small intestine improves, Celiacs can begin to properly absorb nutrients again.  The volume of sugars that are allowed to ferment in the digestive tract becomes less and the symptoms of bloating, gas, and diarrhea start to go away.

About the author

Jordan Reasoner is a health engineer and author. He was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2007 and almost gave up hope when a gluten-free diet didn’t work. Since then, he transformed his health using the SCD Diet and started SCDLifestyle.com to help others naturally heal stomach problems.

90% of Women with Fatigue are Deficient in Iron

Iron is the most deficient mineral in the world.  And even today, most supplements do not contain iron.  Iron has gotten a bad rap due to one small inconclusive study that iron may cause heart disease.

• 50% of all pregnant women are deficient in iron.
• One out of every five menstruating women is deficient in iron.
• Highly active people and athletes may be deficient in iron.
• A combination of iron, magnesium, zinc and copper produce a substance in the body called EPO (erythropoietin).Our bodies, with the right nutrients, will produce EPO which creates oxygen rich red blood cells.  This is one of the dirty secrets of some athletes and bikers who inject EPO or have a blood transfusion because it increases oxygen rich red blood cells.  Due to strenuous exercise and loss of iron and other nutrients, red blood cells are lost and those that remain carry less oxygen.  By injecting EPO, it dramatically increases endurance and stamina.  For anyone who is less active but wants to feel fantastic, these nutrients when taken orally can provide the body with our own extra EPO, not artificially or synthetically injected, but healthy nutrients that can give renewed vitality.

Beautiful Health Recommends..

ErythroPro®: is a premier quality blood support formula featuring live-source iron (beet and rice bran-derived).

Natural-Source Iron for Healthy Blood* Iron is Essential For Healthy Blood. Iron is the mineral found in the largest amounts in the blood. It is essential for the production of many enzymes, for cell growth and for healthy red blood cells. Sufficient amounts of iron are required for a healthy immune system and for energy production. Many individuals become deficient in iron at some time in their lives, especially menstruating women and the elderly. Research shows that large segments of the U.S. population are deficient in iron. Insufficient intake of iron can cause iron deficiency. However, iron deficiency may also result from poor digestion, excessive coffee or tea consumption, prolonged use of antacids, strenuous exercise and heavy perspiration.Iron Deficiency Symptoms.Symptoms of iron deficiency include anemia, digestive disturbances, fatigue, listlessness, fragile bones, brittle hair and nails, dizziness, irritability, pallor, low tolerance to cold, impaired antibody production and reduced red and white blood cells. Excessive amounts of zinc and vitamin E can interfere with iron absorption. Insufficient iron may also contribute to high levels of fat in the blood and liver, and may have a negative effect on learning ability and endurance. In fact, research studies show that iron supplementation of iron-deficient children improves their ability to learn. A classic symptom of iron deficiency is a craving for ice. The Best Source of Natural Iron. The human body is able to assimilate iron from the beet root more easily than any other known food - unlike manmade sources of iron, especially ferrous fumarate which should be avoided (see chart below). In addition to iron, beets contain many other natural minerals such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, calcium, sulfur and iodine, as well as soluble fiber and a full spectrum of naturally occurring vitamins, especially vitamins A, C, niacin, folic acid and biotin. Beets not only supply iron, but also the broad spectrum nutrients listed above (and much more) to help build healthy red blood cells and other blood factors. Beets also supply many other critical factors including nucleic acids which help nourish cells. Beets also contain betaine and folic acid, which are methyl donors. Methyl donors combat homocysteine, produced by our bodies from the demethylation of methionine. Elevated levels of homocysteine are now recognized as a risk factor in heart disease.

Premier Ingredients:  South American Beets Premier Blood Max is a potent, concentrated, nutritional product. It takes 20 tons of beets to make 1 ton of beet powder, so all of the beet’s natural nutrients are present at 20 times the normal amounts. The beets used in this product are premier-state nonhybrid South American beets, low-temperature, air-dried to retain maximum content of living enzymes, vitamins and mineral factors. Beets also support healthy gallbladder function and ideal fat metabolism.In addition to the key nutrients listed, Premier Blood Max also contains a wide spectrum of synergistic nutrients to support healthy blood factors and the organs that interface with optimal blood production and regulation, including the liver, thyroid, kidneys and spleen. Pink Urine: The red-colored beet pigment, betacyanin, is excreted by the kidneys, and may color the urine so that it looks pink to deep red (called beeturia). Approximately 14% of normal people may develop visible beeturia after ingesting beets. The red color should not be mistaken for blood and is not medically significant.Kelp Organic Iodine and Minerals. Premier Blood Max contains unheated kelp (two varieties) which is one of the highest sources of natural minerals and vitamins. Kelp contains many vitamins, essential amino acids and chelated minerals. (“Chelated” means the mineral is bound with an acid such as an amino acid, the building block of protein, and can be easily absorbed by the body). Kelp is especially high in natural iodine which supports healthy thyroid function. Iodine is a key mineral element, and is essential for the production of the hormones, thyroxine and triiodothyronine, which are required for the maintenance of metabolic rate, cellular metabolism, and the integrity of connective tissue. Kelp’s minerals and enzymes also support the nervous system and immune system, and promote normal weight by stimulating the metabolism to burn excess calories. The micronutrient values of kelp greatly exceed those in typical soil based crops. More importantly, the trace minerals in kelp are in organic forms which the body can readily absorb and use. Young Barley Grass Premier Blood Max contains young green shoots of barley grass (picked at 12 to 14 inches high) which are so rich in nutritional factors that they can supply sole nutritional support from birth to old age. Barley grass contains all the vitamins, minerals, and proteins necessary for the human diet, plus rich amounts of chlorophyll. These naturally occurring nutrients are highly alkalinizing and are easily assimilated throughout the digestive tract. Barley grass’s leaf proteins contain polypeptides, which are short chains of proteins that can be directly absorbed by the blood where they promote ideal cellular metabolism and neutralize toxic substances. Barley grass contains 18 amino acids, including the 8 essential ones - that is, amino acids that we must obtain from our diets because the body cannot produce them itself. The precious barley grass also contains a multitude of enzymes, the body’s spark plugs. Enzymes supply the spark that starts the essential chemical reactions our bodies need to maintain life. Astounding amounts of vitamins and minerals are found in green barley leaves, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, beta carotene, vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, folic acid, and pantothenic acid. A new antioxidant, 2-0-GIV, has been isolated from barley grass which has been shown to have antioxidant activity equal to or superior to vitamin E. Wild Blue-Green Algae Blue-green algae is included for its powerful, broad-spectrum nutrients, including natural vitamin B12, 60% high quality protein, the highest beta-carotene content per gram of any food, the richest known source of chlorophyll (for cellular rejuvenation and blood purification), fatty acids and nucleic acids to supply RNA/DNA blood factors. Aloe Vera Concentrate(200:1) Scientists have identified over 75 phytonutrients in Aloe Vera that act as active, immune-stimulating compounds in the body. The synergy of these complex nutrients is what has made aloe so famous throughout the centuries as premier support for the intestines, immune system and blood purification. Aloe is especially rich in acemannan, a mucopolysaccharide proven by research to stimulate the body’s macrophages to produce interferon and interleukin, which helps the immune system stop internal invaders. Other special compounds in aloe called anthraquinones boost immune system function. Aloe cleanses and detoxifies the digestive system, helps lower stomach acidity, alkalinizes the blood and body, helps raise energy levels and promotes a sense of well being. South American Irish Moss Irish Moss is a highly alkalinizing sea vegetable which contains significant amounts of iodine, essential for healthy thyroid and glandular function, including blood production. It also contains a broad range of minerals, including potassium chloride which helps to dissolve mucus; polysaccharides and carrageenans which soothe the intestines and digestive system; and sulphate esters which support superior immune system function. Synergistic Nutrients Premier ErythroPro also contains Wild Mountain-Grown Asian Reishi (the fermented mycelial extract) which supports the immune system and protects the liver. European Bilberry is a rich source of anthocyanidins, powerful antioxidant phytonutrients which support healthy liver and blood factors. South American Lycopene is a powerful carotenoid antioxidant that increases potent antioxidant values in the blood; it has also shown protective benefits for the immune system. Stabilized Rice Bran (SRB) contains over 100 different antioxidants including Coenzyme Q-10, ferulic acid, etc. SRB also contains phosphatidylcholine for healthy blood factors and blood production. Highly Purified Plant Enzymes (protease, lipase, amylase, cellulase, invertase, lactase, maltase) support the body’s efficient digestion and assimilation of all the above phytonutrients.

High Cortisol and it's Destructive Effects

 

Make no mistake — cortisol is a lifesaving hormone. When you are under stress it comes to your rescue, mobilizing carbohydrates and fat for instant energy. It also keeps our blood sugar steady while we’re sleeping and helps us wake up in the morning.

But when this “helpful” hormone is over-produced, our bodies suffer.

Cortisol runs unnaturally high as a result of our stress-filled lives, and that causes all kinds of symptoms and long-term health problems down the road. High cortisol levels can be deceiving — they allow you to be ultra productive, but at the same time they rob you of much needed sleep and keep you feeling wired too much of the time.

Sustained high cortisol levels have been associated with Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, insulin resistance, obesity and type 2 diabetes. We can now say very clearly: normalizing cortisol levels is crucial to lifelong health.

Cortisol’s natural rhythm gone wrong!

Cortisol has a natural rhythm that is tightly connected to your daily cycle, which is called your circadian rhythm. Cortisol is usually lowest between midnight and 4:00 AM and then gradually increases until around 8:00 AM, in time for you to wake up and start the day. After 8:00 AM, cortisol declines incrementally throughout the day to gradually prepare you for sleep. This daily rhythm is the norm unless you encounter a stressful event. Your body should increase cortisol and adrenaline temporarily to handle the stressful event and then return to normal.

That’s the way it’s supposed to work. Yet when we live in a constant high-alert state, our cortisol levels remain unnaturally high and can cause all kinds of health problems, including:

• Impaired healing and cell regeneration
• Disrupted digestion, mental function and metabolism
• Weakened ability to fight infection
• Imbalances in other important hormones such as DHEA, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone
• Loss of muscle and bone
• Mood swings and depression
• Hair and skin problems
• Thyroid imbalances
• Low sex drive
• Sleeplessness
• Weight gain (especially around the belly)

How to know if your cortisol is too high

Unfortunately standard tests of adrenal function aren’t very helpful. If your primary care practitioner calls for a typical laboratory cortisol test, it will be difficult to see anything more than the most severe cases of adrenal dysfunction, such as Addison’s disease or Cushing’s syndrome. We recommend finding a practitioner who is willing to do salivary cortisol testing, which measures cortisol levels and a hormone called DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) throughout the day. This kind of test provides a more accurate assessment of cortisol levels and whether they have become imbalanced. We typically suggest testing between 6:00 and 8:00 AM (within an hour of waking), between 11:00 and Noon, between 4:00 and 6:00 PM, and then again between 10:00 PM and Midnight. This should give you a good overview of how your cortisol levels vary throughout the day.

But a lab test isn’t necessary to determine if you have adrenal fatigue or high cortisol. You can simply check in with how you feel. If your energy level is very low in the morning but seems to increase right around the time everyone else is getting ready for bed, your cortisol cycle is probably out of whack. It’s a good indication that you will reap huge benefits by taking steps to rebalance your adrenal glands.

You can’t restore healthy adrenal function without balancing cortisol

Cortisol levels that remain high often lead to a downward health spiral, where you go from feeling wired to feeling tired and wired, and then ultimately to feeling exhausted. This final stage of adrenal imbalance is known as adrenal exhaustion. Restoring your cortisol to its natural levels is the only way to regain adrenal health.

We’ve worked with women at our clinic and in our Personal Program to help normalize their cortisol levels naturally. Doing so will eliminate symptoms, increase energy (without feeling “wired”) and encourage better sleep. And you can balance cortisol in several ways, including taking adrenal-supportive herbs and nutrients, and making dietary changes and lifestyle modifications to calm the stress response.

Food and lifestyle choices matter too for adrenal health

Most women with stress issues simply don’t have the energy to face multiple changes to their diet and lifestyle all at once. That’s another reason why starting with the supplements is a good idea.

But the truth is, if your symptoms are severe, making a few key diet and lifestyle changes will really help your supplements heal your adrenals.

Supplement Support

I've found the following herbs in PRL's ADAPTOGEN to be the most effective in resolving adrenal imbalance:  

Premier Research Labs Adaptogen-R3 

• Maximum performance
• Increased energy
• Endurance
• Enhanced oxygen & nutrient uptake
• Enhanced fat loss when used with a balanced diet
• Supports healthy adrenal function
• Optimal neurotransmitter
• Improved Memory & Mental function
• Broad spectrum endocrine rejuvenator, especially the pituitary-adrenal axis

Premier Adaptogen-R3 is not a “jolt product,” loaded with stimulants that rev up weak adrenals such as high dose guarana or ephedra. Instead, its unique, adaptogenic botanicals are synergistically combined to focus on nourishing the glands and organs, including the adrenals, as well as creating maximal oxygen and nutrient transport to the muscles and connective tissue to ensure optimal support, detoxification and immune function. Higher levels of energy and strength can be yours. It can produce profound improvements across the full spectrum of fitness: from the competition athlete looking for better running times – to the couch potato who wants to get rid of the flab.  Contact Kassandra @ Kasia Organic Salon for adaptogen support. 

Here's our four-step diet and lifestyle checklist, plus examples of the changes that are easiest to make:

Eat for energy. Focus on eating choices and patterns that allow you to achieve more stable energy levels throughout the day. Don’t skip meals or starve yourself — that’s too stressful for your adrenals. We recommend eating at regular times — ideally three balanced meals and two snacks a day. Start making changes to your diet by including protein at every meal and fewer carbohydrates, especially sugary snacks.

Focus on stress reduction and make emotional wellness a priority. One simple change is to practice regular deep breathing. Practice breathing in through your nose so that your lungs fill and your belly rises and then exhale slowly through your nose. Repeat for a few breaths, ideally for several minutes. As you move forward, try to find other ways for “self-care,” especially by identifying and focusing on meeting your own needs. You’ll find this will help change your attitude towards stress, which research shows, can actually lessen the negative effects of stress!

Assess your exercise routine: “chill out” vs “work out.” When your adrenals are imbalanced, high-intensity exercise only adds to the stress load you’re already bearing. We recommend that you choose an activity you enjoy, and be sure to pace yourself. If you feel invigorated after your exercise, it’s probably fine.

Make it a priority to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. If possible, go to bed by 10:00 PM. Sounds incredible, doesn’t it? But you need the rest to break your patterns. A good night’s sleep is one of the best ways to restore your adrenal glands, and the greatest adrenal healing occurs hours between 7:00 PM and 9:00 AM. If you describe yourself as “wired” or “tired and wired,” try a phytotherapy option to reduce cortisol levels that cause stress-induced sleeplessness.

Resource:  Womentowomen.com and Premier Research Labs

Hormonal Balance for Gorgeous Skin: TC Natural Awakenings Magazine Feature

Hormonal Balance for Gorgeous Skin

Kassandra Kuehl

When hormones are balanced, the result is a clear, radiant complexion. Many of us, however, are plagued by dull, dry and sagging skin and conspicuous skin markings, or wonder why we suddenly have more acne than we did as teens. When this happens, there’s a good chance that we are grappling with some type of hormonal issue. To better understand what the skin says about hormonal health, read on.

Acne

Testosterone dominance is usually the culprit in those pesky blemishes that haunt us well into adulthood. The role of testosterone in acne is twofold: it increases sebum production and skin-cell turnover rate, making it easier for blockages to form around the follicle opening. To combat acne, choose a gentle cleanser that won’t strip the skin.

Dryness

Several hormonal factors can contribute to dry, flaky skin. One of the most common is a drop in thyroid hormone production, causing the epidermis to become thick and scaly. To keep skin moist, use pure, cold-pressed fatty acids and antioxidant-rich oils.

Sagging and Wrinkles

Several studies have highlighted estrogen’s anti-aging effect on the skin. Falling estrogen levels reduce the production of hyaluronic acid, which keeps skin supple and taut. Collagen synthesis also comes to a halt with reduced estrogen levels, further compounding the issue. To keep skin firm and wrinkle-free, use moisture-rich serums containing pure hyaluronic acid.

Melasma

Characterized by brown patches of skin on the face, melasma is common in women struggling with estrogen dominance. This is because an abundance of estrogen stimulates the production of melanin, the chemical that gives the skin its pigment. To combat melasma, it is important to wear a natural form of SPF every day and adopt a skin-care regimen designed to control hyperpigmentation.

Incorporating a skin-care routine that uses pure, gentle, natural ingredients is an essential element in combating hormonal skin issues. Yet, for a truly powerful approach, some skin-care specialists can combine proper skin care with functional lab tests to assess hormonal status and modify dietary and lifestyle choices accordingly.

Kassandra Kuehl is the founder of Kasia Organic Salon, located at 822 W. 50th St., Minneapolis. Kasia Organic Salon is a pioneer of healthy beauty and is an authority on 100-percent natural products and services. For more information, call 612-824-7611 or visit KasiaOrganicSalon.com.

This article appears in the May 2013 issue of Twin Cities Natural Awakenings

The MANY Benefits of Protein Pack Bee Pollen and Smoothie Recipe!

Smoothie Recipe Key Beauty Ingredient:  Bee Pollen Benefits of Bee Pollen:  With signs of spring buzzing all around, it seemed appropriate to introduce the natural beauty powers of bee pollen. Considered one of the richest and purest natural foods ever discovered, bee pollen has incredible nutritional and medicinal value.

The pollen is actually the food of the young bee and contains a whopping 40% protein. It also contains a complete spectrum of amino acids, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. A teaspoon a day will fill you with an extremely high amount of antioxidants which we love for beautiful and health skin, by preventing free radicals that are produced from stress, chemicals and toxins from our day to day lives. Local bee pollen is also known to prevent seasonal allergies—you can bet I’m taking my daily dose I picked up at the farmer’s market!

Buzzing Bee Pollen Smoothie Directions:

Fill blender with…

• 8 oz unsweetened almond milk
• 2-3 handfuls organic purple kale
• 1 tsp bee pollen
• ¾ c frozen organic blueberries
• ¼ avocado
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp ground flaxseed
• local raw honey to taste

Blend ingredients until smooth and enjoy your Buzzing Bee Pollen Smoothie.

Kasia's Seal of Approval:  Premier Research Labs Classic Pollen

Ancient Super Nutrition for Super Health & Longevity

• Support for endurance, strength, stamina*
• Support for mental clarity*
• Immune competence support*
• Reproductive system support*
• Advanced anti-aging support*
• Pure Vegan
• 100% Raw
• Manufactured in a GMP Registered facility for superior quality assurance

The outstanding benefits of pollen have been documented through centuries of use: endurance, strength, stamina, mental clarity, immune competence, reproductive system support and advanced anti-aging*

Bee Pollen contains 18 vitamins, carotenes, 56 minerals, all 22 essential amino acids, over 5,000 enzymes, polysaccharides and simple sugars, nucleic acids and 15% lecithin (different from soy lecithin) that is especially good for brain development.

This is an alkaline food that is considered by many to be one of the most complete food sources found in nature. Bee Pollen is loaded with antioxidants, it is a hormonal booster and increases strength, endurance, energy and speed. It reduces the presence of histamine, thus ameliorating many allergies. It is the most powerful ojas building food as it is the concentrated semen of the plant world. For all these reason, this superfood was known to the ancient Greeks as "the food of the gods".

In our opinion, this wild pollen source is unquestionably, the freshest, cleanest, most alive source of bee pollen:  it is a genuine Super Nutrition from the most remote northern Canadian territory (not the typical, rancid, pesticided, "off-tasting" pollen which can actually be a toxic stress).

 YUMMY!

Contact Kasia Organic Salon for the BEST Source of Bee Pollen on the market.  kassie@kasiaorganicsalon.com.

References:  organicbeautytalk.com and Premier Research Labs