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

Five Hidden Causes of Yeast Infections

This may not be an ordinary blog post by Kasia, but as you know - our passion is to INFORM bueaties!  Yeast infections are insidious, and with my health coaching experience, a MASS majority of woman have existing yeast levels that go un-addressed and are fed daily through our nutritional choices. 

From periods to pantyliners, we reveal the hidden causes of these itchy and annoying infections.

 

Yeast grows naturally all over your body, but it especially loves dark, damp nooks and crannies, so it’s often found in fat folds, armpits and, of course, vaginas. “Wherever there is sugar or carbohydrates (which the body has), the yeast will feed on that.

It’s actually a myth (or a pipe dream) that we can stamp out the yeast forever. “We don’t ever entirely rid our bodies of yeast,” explains Dr. Booth. “What we do is we keep it in check.”

That’s done with probacteria, especially acidophilus, which creates an acidic environment that yeast doesn’t like. When acidophilus is running low or sugars are running high, the yeast gets a leg up and starts to multiply.

Three out of four women get at least one yeast infection in their lives; nearly half have two or more; and about five percent of women get four or more in a single year. “When it keeps coming back, it’s almost always that something is wrong with the [body’s] defense,” says Booth. “There’s not enough acidophilus, too much sugar or a resistant variety of yeast infection.”

Most women can tick off the well-known causes of yeast infections: antibiotics, douches, weak immune systems or tight clothes made from barely breathable fabrics. But there are other, hidden causes that can also be common culprits:

1. Your estrogen is low. When you go through puberty, estrogen plumps up your vaginal tissues using a starch known as glycogen. Yeast loves glycogen, and without estrogen, they’d be all over it. But fortunately for us, estrogen feeds acidophilus, keeping the yeast at bay. Right before your period, though, your estrogen levels dip, and while they’re low, the yeast starts to grow. Symptoms tend to crop up right before your period shows up, but estrogen spikes again post-period to help even the score. “A lot of women will say that they get symptoms right around their period that later go away,” notes Booth.

If you tend to get hormonal yeast infections, then in the week before your period, Booth suggests doubling up on probiotic supplements, avoiding sugar or extra carbs and eating more yogurt or unsweetened kefir (a liquid European yogurt with plenty of acidophilus). “I think prevention is best, rather than treatment,” says Booth. “We need to think of keeping ourselves in balance so we’re not symptomatic.”

2. You eat too much sugar. Remember Booth’s mantra: “Wherever there’s sugar, there’s yeast.” Blood sugar spikes mean that a lot of glucose is running around in your system, which is like a dinner invitation to yeast. Sweets are one culprit, but plenty of healthy-seeming diets can be sugary traps. Eating a lot of fruit, juice or high-carb foods can cause blood sugar spikes, especially in the morning when your blood sugar is low. “The kind of morning diet that causes a jump in blood sugar can stimulate the yeast to take over,” says Booth.

Adding coffee to a sugary breakfast just makes matters worse. The caffeine causes blood sugar to surge even faster, which makes for some really happy yeast. “When you combine caffeine with sugar, the yeast basically has a party and takes over,” says Booth. Instead, she recommends starting your day with plain yogurt sprinkled with almonds, cinnamon and a dash of vanilla extract. “Anything to stabilize blood sugar so as not to feed the yeast,” she says.

3. You wear pantyliners. If you don pantyliners to keep your undies pristine, your efforts are probably backfiring. “Pantyliners cause a low-grade irritation that can decrease the skin’s immunity,” explains Booth. “When our defenses go down, we get more symptomatic.” Yeast also loves environments with little air, so the synthetic fibers in pantyliners that block airflow make yeast feel right at home. Cotton panties with no liners are a much better bet. By the same token, scented or synthetic tampons can also irritate some women’s ultra-delicate tissue, so try an unscented, cotton tampon if you tend to get frequent infections.

4. You have vaginal eczema. When we think of eczema’s scaly, itchy rashes, we usually think of it cropping up on our arms or legs, but it can show up on the vulva and vaginal tissues, too. “That causes chronic inflammation and irritation, so some people can develop yeast infections,” says Booth. If that’s the case, talk to your gynecologist about treating the vaginal eczema and the yeast issue should clear up.

5. You use spermicidal condoms. The active ingredient in most spermicides is nonoxynol-9, which is not the gentlest substance. “If the spermicide is irritating for the woman, then that will disturb her vaginal immunity and allow [yeast] to take advantage,” says Booth. That means spermicide creams, jellies, foams, gels, films and suppositories can all be problematic, along with diaphragms, which are usually paired with spermicidal creams, jelly or gels that can cause irritation. If you suspect that spermicide is behind your yeast infections, talk to your gynecologist about spermicide-free protection options.

Contact Kassandra for questions about how changes in diet and added supplements can help.  

Reference: YouBeauty Read more: http://www.youbeauty.com/health/four-hidden-causes-of-yeast-infections#ixzz2Qdp9DaoH

Having an 'Old' Hair Day: The New Anti-aging Complex

  As women, we are aware of the mighty combat of aging when it comes to our skin, but are we aware of those same effects in our hair?    At Kasia Organic Salon, we offer custom products that include various anti-aging creams, serums,  and treatments for your skin, but we are also well aware of the "hairy" needs of our Informed Beauties.  Have you started to experience "aging hair" symptoms?  Stick around and learn more about the importance of preventative care for healthy hair.

The Telling Signs and Symptoms

Going gray isn’t the only sign that women are wanting to address, there are many more such as addressing lack-luster hair, hair loss, and looking young and youthful.   For a younger women's perspective, it is highly advised to start and maintain a routine that prevents premature hair aging by taking the necessary steps to protecting it in its youth.

The biggest complaints older women have about their hair is that it feels thinner. People with severe hair loss typically turn to dermatologists for medicinal treatments for hair regrowth.

"Do No Harm"

Unfortunatly  your hair will age as you do. Working behind the salon chair has given me perspecitve to the many signs of aging hair.  At Kasia, we find it incredibly important to use a "DO NO HARM" hair color that is rich with fatty acids, an even pH, and nourishing botanicals to keep the color from fading, keeping it on tone, and absolutely rich and shiny.  We use a professional grade Ammonia FREE, PPD, Gluten Free, hair color to achieve this.  BUYER BEWARE: Not all "ammonia free" hair colors are the same.  Read the fine print for any sneaky ingredients to substitute what the company has removed.

Decreasing Follicle Diameter

Starting in a person's late-30s and early-40s, the strand diameter decreases creating a thinner overall appearance.  (Dr. Thomas - P&G's)

There are steps you can take to protect your hair without products.  Remove catalysts that cause repeated tension like wearing your ponytails super tight. We also suggest staying out of the sun and its damaging UV rays as well as nourishing yourself by  eating a nutrient rich diet.

Age Defying Hair

Starting in a person's late-30s and early-40s, the strand diameter decreases creating a thinner overall appearance.

Layered on top of this, the hair  becomes more brittle and fragile. Most women immedicately notice their hair getting thinner.   The decrease in the number of active hair follicles and a narrowing of the diameter of each individual hair takes it's tole.   

Aging Defying Tips

At Kasia, our knowledgeable staff and our natural products are centered towards assisting the growing demands of our guests haircare in all stages of their life. For example, women over the age of 40 tend to wash their hair much less.  They also color more often, which leaves the cuticle dry and brittle.  We help our guests with their hair and skin needs  in a personalized way with professional grade color and every day product maintenance.  

For more on aging hair in a recent Wall Street Journal  in-depth article - link to the source link below.

Are You Having an Old Hair Day? [Wall Street Journal]

Kassandra Kuehl is the founder of Kasia Organic Salon. Kasia Organic Salon is the pioneer of healthy beauty that delivers results to fit your lifestyle, because only Kasia is the authority in 100% natural products & services.  Visit www.kasiaorganicsalon.com and become an "Informed Beauty."   

Face the Facts About Aging and Sugar

The surprising reason eating too much can cause wrinkles—and 5 steps to ensure that it won't

If the promise of a slimmer waistline hasn't curbed your sweet tooth, maybe the desire for smooth skin will. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but experts now believe that a lifetime of overeating sugar can make skin dull and wrinkled.

At blame is a natural process that's known as glycation, in which the sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins to form harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products (or, appropriately, AGEs for short). The more sugar you eat, the more AGEs you develop. "As AGEs accumulate, they damage adjacent proteins in a domino-like fashion," explains Fredric Brandt, MD, a dermatologist in private practice in Miami and New York City and author of 10 Minutes 10 Years. Most vulnerable to damage: collagen and elastin, the protein fibers that keep skin firm and elastic. In fact, collagen is the most prevalent protein in the body. Once damaged, springy and resilient collagen and elastin become dry and brittle, leading to wrinkles and sagging. These aging effects start at about age 35 and increase rapidly after that, according to a study published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

Besides damaging collagen, a high-sugar diet also affects what type of collagen you have—another factor in how resistant skin is to wrinkling, says Brandt. The most abundant collagens in the skin are types I, II, and III, with type III being the most stable and longest lasting. Glycation transforms type III collagen into type I, which is more fragile. "When that happens, the skin looks and feels less supple," says Brandt. The final blow: AGEs deactivate your body's natural antioxidant enzymes, leaving you more vulnerable to sun damage—still the main cause of skin aging.

One group that knows all too well sugar's ravaging effects: people with diabetes, who—because they can suffer from years of undetected high blood sugar—often show early signs of skin aging. "Depending on how well their disease is controlled, diabetics can have up to 50 times the number of AGEs in their skin as those who don't have diabetes," says Karyn Grossman, MD, a dermatologist in New York City and Santa Monica, CA, and chief of the division of dermatology at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica.

The good news about sugar-damaged skin: It's never too late to turn back the clock. One way is to build new collagen with products that contain retinoids—look for retinol in OTC serums and lotions or prescription creams such as Renova, Avage, and Differin. To keep this new collagen supple, prevent AGEs from forming by taking steps to minimize the damage sugar causes to your skin.

Here, five steps to eat right and keep your skin looking its youngest:

1. Cut back on the sweet stuff in your diet. It's not easy to eliminate sugar completely. Even whole grains, fruits, and vegetables turn to glucose—the type of sugar that fuels glycation—when digested. But limiting added sugar can help. Some guidelines: Keep added sugar to no more than 10% of total calories. If you're a 45-year-old woman of average height (5-foot-4), that's 160 calories (or 10 teaspoons) from added sugar—about the number in one 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola or six Hershey's Kisses. By comparison, the average American consumes 31 teaspoons per day of added sugar, or the equivalent of 465 calories.

Watch for hidden sugar in food. Many prepared foods contain hefty amounts of sugar—but it's hidden under aliases—including barley malt, corn syrup, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, and turbinado—on ingredient panels. The key is determining how many teaspoons of sugar each serving contains. Doing this is easy: Check the nutrition label for sugars, which are listed in grams under total carbohydrates, and then divide that number by four (each teaspoon of sugar is equal to 4g) to convert it to teaspoons. For example, if sugars are listed as 12g, you're getting three teaspoons of sugar per serving.

Avoid high fructose corn syrup. This type of sweetener, which is made by changing the sugar in cornstarch to fructose (another form of sugar), is believed to produce more AGEs than other types. Because HFCS extends the shelf life of foods and is sweeter and cheaper than other sugars, it's a popular ingredient in soda, fruit-flavored drinks, and packaged foods such as breads, crackers, and other snacks. You can spot it in ingredient lists on nutrition labels.

2. Supplement your diet with at least 1 mg of vitamins B1 and B6 a day. These vitamins proved to be potent AGE inhibitors in a number of published studies, says David J. Goldberg, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist and a clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. B1 and B6 are plentiful in food, but taking a multivitamin—most of which deliver at least 1 mg of both Bs—ensures you're getting the daily value of 1.1 mg for B1 and 1.3 mg for B6 (1.5 mg after age 50).

3. Wear broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen every day. Significantly more AGEs occur in sun-exposed skin than in protected skin, according to the British Journal of Dermatology study.

4. Employ an inside-outside approach to antioxidants. These free-radical fighters help keep sugar from attaching to proteins, so replenishing their supply—both by eating more antioxidant-rich fruits, nuts, and vegetables, such as cranberries, walnuts, and red bell peppers, and by applying topical antioxidants such as green tea and vitamins C and E—is a real skin saver. "It seems to be the best way to ensure that they reach the dermal layer of skin, where collagen and elastin are located," says Goldberg.

5. Use new ingredients that protect skin from sugar. A growing number of products contain compounds like aminoguanidine and alistin, which have been shown to block the formation of AGEs (see at left). "Aminoguanidine attaches to molecules that start the glycation process and prevents them from binding to collagen and elastin," explains Grossman. "Alistin acts as a decoy, so it gets damaged instead of the proteins in your skin." In a study on Prescriptives Anti-AGE Advanced Protection Lotion SPF 25, which contains both ingredients, skin treated with the product had 21% fewer AGEs after 8 weeks than untreated skin. Sweet!

Reverence: Prevention for Women:  By Karyn Repinski Read more: http://www.prevention.com/print/23567#ixzz2QSBB2oXZ

Rosacea Signs and Supportive Lifestyle Tips

April is National Rosacea Awareness Month and we find it appropriate to take the opportunity to explore this very common skin condition with our readers.

The Facts:

According to the National Rosacea Society, rosacea.org, over 16 million Americans suffer from rosacea, many without even knowing they have it.  It is most common in people age 30-50 and individuals with fair skin.  Those who tend to flush or blush easily are believed to be at greatest risk.

Even though this disorder is more frequently diagnosed in women it can be more severe in men. The most common signs of rosacea include: flushing, persistent redness, bumps, pimples, and visible capillaries. Other less prevalent signs range anywhere from burning or stinging, dry skin, plaques, skin thickening, swelling, and eye irritation.

There are 4 types of rosacea (AAD): 

  erythematotelangiectatic rosacea which is flushing, persistent redness, and visible capillaries

papulopustular rosacea which has persistent facial redness with bumps or acne-like breakouts

phymatous rosacea described as skin thickening and enlargement bumpy texture

ocular rosacea affecting with symptoms of watering, bloodshot appearance, irritation, itching, gritty feeling, burning or stinging

Symptoms can have such an effect on self esteem that 41 percent of rosacea sufferers reported it had caused them to avoid public contact or cancel social engagements (National Rosacea Society).

Common treatments include antibiotics, azelaic acid, isotretinoin, lasers, dermabrasion, and in severe cases electrocautery and surgery. Kasia Organic Salon's skin specialist uses professional  products that deliver  great results in treating rosacea with a more holistic approach instead of just treating the symptom on the surface.

We recommend healing and calming inflammation both internally and in the skin.  When we increase the skin's ability to heal using ingredients that partner with the skin instead of having potentially harmful side effects, we see redness disappear, capillaries become less visible, thickening of a thinned dermis, and all over improvement in skin tone.

Doctors are still trying to determine the etiology of rosacea but according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

The Determining Genetic Factors Include:

1. Rosacea tends to run in families, and found in individuals with an over active immune system.
2. H pylori, since it is commonly found in rosacea sufferers but not all individuals with H pylori have rosacea
3. The demodex mite which lives on everyone's skin but is found in larger quantities in rosacea.
4. A protein called cathelicidin which normally protects the skin from infection but causes the inflammation seen in rosacea.

Though the medical community does not yet know the direct cause of rosacea they are starting to recognize intestinal influences.

Rosacea Inspired Diet

It is best to emphasizes on anti-inflammatory foods that work to reduce vascular flushing. Anti-inflammatory foods are generally plant-based, mineral dense, and minimally processed. Fruits and vegetables, especially dark and leafy greens, help to reduce inflammation. A rosacea inspired diet is an alkaline diet that includes cleansing vegetables, low-sugar fruits, low to NO grains or dairy,

rich bone broth soups, juices, salads and omega oils.

• Mineral water spritzers can be made from still or effervescent mineral waters (like San Pelegrino or San Faustino). These mineral waters can be combined with a few drops to a couple of ounces of any juice. Pomegranate, apple cider, lemon, lime and acai juices are suggested here. Mineral waters offer an easy way to boost dietary mineral intake.

• Emphasize anti-inflammatory foods that work to reduce vascular flushing. Anti-inflammatory foods are generally plant-based, mineral dense, and minimally processed. Fruits and vegetables, especially dark and leafy greens, are particularly anti-inflammatory.

• Limit hot and stimulating foods that dilate blood vessels. Allow food and beverages to cool slightly before consuming them. Limit intake of coffee to one cup per day. Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, spicy foods with tomatoes and peppers, and sodas and sweets that can aggravate vascular inflammation.

• Eliminate fried and fast foods along with artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors. In general, opt for whole foods found complete in nature.

• A vegetarian diet is not required. But it is important to strongly emphasize anti-inflammatory, plant-based foods like beans and nuts, complete whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and quality oils like olive oil.

• Limit meat, saturated fats, dairy that contribute to inflammatory pathways. When consuming animal products, select organic or wild or grass-fed varieties to avoid genetic engineering, supplemental hormones, and antibiotics that can leave these foods far from what nature originally intended them to be. Opt for lean, organic meats and organic eggs when consuming them. You may want to strictly exclude dairy from your diet for six months to observe the impact it has on your body and rosacea symptoms.

• If it's too difficult to transition to this entire diet overnight, transition meal by meal. Be patient and persistent. Be prepared to practice this diet at a minimum of 90% compliance for a minimum of three-to-six months to determine its potential impact on your rosacea.

• Wholesome snacks are included to avoid blood sugar spikes and crashes that can feed inflammation. Snacks are also included to avoid consumption of very large meals which may generate larger amounts of heat in the digestive process.

Supplements

There is also a lot more you can do about your diet besides discovering triggers. Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat, especially dark green vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, kale and asparagus. Look for foods high in vitamin A, beta-carotene, bioflavonoids and vitamin C and add them into your diet.

• B-vitamins: choose a good B-complex, with many different forms of B vitamins.
• Vitamin E: is both a great antioxidant and helps skin to heal.
• Vitamin A: is essential for skin health and healing. Be careful about dosage with vitamin A. High amounts of vitamin A (over 8,000 iu) are harmful to fetuses and should not be used by anyone who has the chance of becoming pregnant.
• Zinc: helps speed wound healing and has been used in acne.
• Essential Fatty Acids: fish and flax oil are great for the skin and the entire body.
• Selenium: is a great antioxidant and helps support skin health.

Kasia's skin specialist are here to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms to provide products that can help to alleviate discomfort, which  helps to change lives.    Whether you suffer from rosacea, or not -  a home care regimen will help the recovery process with an Kasia Anti-inflammatory Organic Facial specifically designed for our guests.

Call 612 824 7611 Today!

Reference:

Jamie Palmer/Osmosis.com dermaharmony.com

Are You Spring Breaking with Protection? Get the RIGHT UVA/UVB Coverage!

The sun is our vitality and source of energy that sustains life, but with excess exposure without proper protection, it has negative consequences. The three main types of rays that damage our skin are UVA, UVB, and infrared rays, all of which have the ability to penetrate skin and cause damage to cells and DNA. On the surface, this damage manifests as fine lines, wrinkles, laxity, and discoloration, but the most dangerous consequence beneath the surface is the risk of skin cancer. To adequately shield skin from the sun, sunscreen needs to be a part of every daily routine. Options include physical UV-reflecting ingredients, chemical UV-absorbing ingredients, or a combination of both.  The most important claim is a "broad spectrum" effect. This indicates full coverage from the entire spectrum of UVA and UVB radiation, whereas SPF only measures the length of time one is protected from the UVB rays responsible for sunburn.

Research has shown that sunscreen alone does not provide adequate protection from environmental damage. A key finding shows that .....

*The average consumer does not apply enough sunscreen, therefore only obtaining up to half the protection stated on the bottle. Second, sunscreens only block 55%* of the free radicals generated by UV exposure.

*UV filters do not provide protection from damaging infrared radiation. For broad range protection against all sources of environmental skin insults, it’s imperative to use a topical antioxidant in conjunction with a daily sunscreen.

Kasia  offers optimal protection from the damage caused by UV rays and other environmental factors.

Kasia Good Day Sunshine Sunshield

 Super-potent yet lightweight, this non-chemical sunscreen provides healing and moisturizing properties along with true broad-spectrum UAV/UVB protection and 5% zinc and titanium. Formulated for sensitive skin, it’s safe for the entire family and is PABA and fragrance-free. Perfect for wearing under makeup!

Safe:

• Formulated for sensitive skin and children
• Does not contain Oxtinoxate, Octisalate, Oxybenzone or Homosalate, like other sunscreens. These chemicals are toxic and have high absorption rates through the skin.  They act as irritants, allergens, hormone disruptors or carcinogens.

Non-Chemical:

• Contians zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which are the only ingredients that are both safe and effective for UVA and UVB protection and do not penetrate the skin but block or reflect the sun.

True Protection:

• Broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection
• Green tea helps protect your skin’s cells by providing antioxidant protection and helps repair skin damage

* Haywood, R., et al, J Invest Dermatol 2006;121:862-868

The Nontoxic Hormone Balancing Approach

The Optimal Hormone Balance Kit

Three World-Class Products That Really Work

1)  Multi-Pollen Extract 45 Vcaps/bottle Our best hormone-support product with a complete spectrum of hormone-balancing phytonutrients. 2) Fem Balance Vcap 60 Vcaps/bottle 15-herb phytohormone support formula, featuring grade 10 South American red clover, opuntia and dong quai. 3) Natural Gesterone Cream™ Bio-identical natural progesterone, lab-processed from wild yam in 100% nontoxic cream base, preserved with quantum resonance technology eliminating the need for toxic preservatives (an enormous breakthrough!)

Looking For a Nontoxic Hormone Approach?

For the last 50 years, many women have unknowingly placed their trust in HRT. Since HRT has now been shown ineffective and dangerous (i.e. increasing the risk of heart attacks, ovarian and breast cancer and more), many disillusioned women are now searching for a safe, reliable means of achieving hormone balance and a way to reverse the potential damage from previous use of HRT. Fortunately, 100% natural hormone support is available as well as elegant nutraceutical products for DNA repair.

For quick results, I strongly recommend using all three products for the first 2-3 months of use.

These are synergistically designed to enhance each other and have been clinically proven to rapidly eliminate symptoms such as hot flashes, occasional sleeplessness, night sweats, brain fog and more. Especially if you are experiencing many of the symptoms listed in the Hormonal Imbalance pages and/or have been told you are Estrogen Dominant, you will achieve better results more quickly by utilizing these products together.

Depending upon your usage, the jar of cream will last longer than the bottles of capsules, so we are also offering reorder ability of the individual bottles so that you may maintain your program easily. Please read below for suggestions on use.

Premier Multi-Pollen Extract

This unique product contains 18 strains of European pollen, free of pesticide, chemical, and heavy metal residues (unlike most American pollen sources, which are heavily contaminated). The pollen is collected from hives that have not been treated with mercury fumigants and the mold spore has been removed so there is minimal possibility of any allergic reaction. Premier Multi-Pollen gives you a pristine delivery system - ideal for great health as well as great feminine balance.*

To start, you may take 2-3 caps up to three times daily. The more estrogen dominance in your system, the more you need of the Multi Pollen, especially in the beginning stages.

Quantum Fem Balance

This truly synergistic 15-herb formula supports optimal feminine balance for both menstruating and menopausal women.* It features key, grade 10 herbs, such as opuntia cactus, red clover, red raspberry leaf, dong quai, and squaw vine in clinically tested ratios for optimal support, as well as "assistant" herbs for immune system and detox (lymph drainage) support, including gardenia, citrus aurantium and golden thread and the critical co-factors and transporters that make this formula really work.*     Start with 2-4 caps with breakfast daily.

Premier Natural Gesterone Cream

This natural cream contains real, bio-identical natural progesterone processed in a lab from wild yam, in the exact amounts recommended by Dr. John Lee, the renowned medical expert on natural progesterone. In addition, the base of our cream is 100% natural, made from plant extracts, not toxic (and cheap) propylene glycol.

Start with 1/8 teaspoon at bedtime, and over the next 8 weeks, gradually increase daily dosage weekly until you reach 1/4 tsp both in the morning and before bed. Massage cream into body sites with little or no body hair or fat for best absorption, such as inner arms, behind your knees, chest (not breasts), neck, bottom of feet, and palms. To avoid oversaturation of one area, alternate areas of the body each time you apply the cream. If you start getting little “bumps” on your skin, you are oversaturating that area. Avoid that area for a while and use other parts of your body.

Achieving Hormone Balance and Keeping It

Please don’t expect dramatic results overnight. Your estrogen and progesterone imbalance may have been years or even decades in the making. In fact, your first 2-3 months on the program may seem to exacerbate your existing symptoms! Most women feel better within the first month, but some women experience occasional breakthrough bleeding, spotting between cycles, a cycle or two of irregular timing, or temporary water weight gain as estrogens begin to break down.

Usually, increasing the dosage of the Premier Multi Pollen will eliminate many of these temporary side effects. One of the most important things to remember is to be consistent with your program.

After being on the Optimal Female Balance Kit for 2 to 3 months, most women can discontinue the Natural Gesterone cream, and also reduce the amounts of Premier Multi-Pollen Extract (4 caps per day) and Quantum Fem Balance (2 caps in the morning). Once balance is achieved, these lower amounts are usually sufficient to keep it there. Some women stay on these two products for a year or more to achieve optimum results.

Contact Kassandra at 612.824.7611 to learn more about the Hormone Balancing Kit Today! 

If you are currently on prescription HRT, please talk with your doctor before beginning this program.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Information on this site is provided for informational purposes and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own health professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. You should read carefully all product packaging. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. As always, results will vary, even when clinical tests have displayed a large success rate.

Thank you: Reference Dr. Tenesha Wards and Quantum Nutrition Labs