Sometimes skin issues can be all we can think about and stress over. The ladies answer listener questions about keratosis pilaris, hormonal acne, milia, bacne + combination skin | Get in touch: theladiesdish@gmail.com
Welcome to the Ladies Dish! IN THIS EPISODE:
Updates (1:00)
DANA’S A MOM!! Whoo hoo! We recorded this episode before Baby A’s birth but we are super excited to confirm now that Mama Dana and baby are happy and well!
LAST CHANCE before our 21DSD launches to hop in now if you’re interesting in jumping OFF the sugar train with us. We have a couple spots still available - go to www.theladiesdish.com/21dsd to sign up!
Shoutout to Kate’s Mindfull Makeover ladies who finish up on Thursday – it’s been such a great group!
Interview Game Question (3:08) Now that fall has officially started… what’s your favorite thing about the season?
What’s Cookin’? (4:55) This week Joy shares a recipe for sweet potato hummus - like a traditional hummus with chickpeas and tahini but with sweet potato, too! Get the recipe here!
LDP's Sponsor - The Nutritional Therapy Association The NTA is an amazing organization that certified all three LDP co-hosts as Nutritional Therapy Consultants. We all highly recommend the NTC course or NTP (Nutritional Therapy Practitioner) course to anyone interested in pursuing an education in holistic health and learning how real, whole foods help heal the body from the inside out. Visit www.nutritionaltherapy.com for more information and to download a registration packet!
Listener Questions
1. I'm definitely interested in keratosis pilaris - any success stories for someone who wasn't cured by just taking some cod liver oil? (6:34)
Really common condition - in fact, 50% of adults have it.
Also called “chicken skin” because that’s what it kinda looks like - its the buildup of keratin around hair follicles.
Using anything acne related is actually going to dry out the area, which is the opposite of what you want to do!
Cod liver oil is commonly recommended because it’s pretty rich in vitamin A which is known to help lots of skin issues, especially acne. It helps keratosis pilaris because it regulates keratin production and helps to prevent follicles from getting plugged with dead cells. It’s also know that KP is caused by nutrient deficiencies in Vitamin A or at least an imbalance between Vitamin A and Vitamin D
Other things to consider:
-look into fat digestion or continuing to supplement -focus on digestive routines -consider if you are getting enough responsible sun exposure -removing all forms of gluten completely -using pure coconut oil as a moisturizer. -adding in omega-3s like oily fish, nuts -dry brushing -focus on hydration since KP is worsened by skin dryness.
2. I seem to get menstrual cycle induced pimples. (Is that what it's called? Is that a thing?) I hadn't for years but have started getting breakouts after going off birth control. I don't know if I'd call it "acne" so much as pimple break outs, but I'd like to know of ways to avoid the break outs or find a healthy remedy to treat it. It seems to clear up if I use strong zit treatments (proactiv, murad, etc...) but I'd like to avoid those chemicals and synthetic treatment if at all possible. (Sometimes I feel desperate to not look pimply like my students so I use the strong stuff.) (11:04)
Anytime you have acne or skin troubles around your period you have to think of the following:
• Hormones – ABSOLUTELY!
• Food choices and cravings - are you eating differently around your period and possibly foods you would have a reaction to?
You need to focus on rebalancing the hormones. The best way to do this is through blood sugar control and regulation. Why?
Insulin is a hormone that just overstimulates your system. Too much insulin = too much other hormones = oil gland overproduction = acne. Too much insulin also causes inflammation, which comes back to acne.
Another huge part is, can you guess? ….STRESS!
Supplementation with magnesium can also help your adrenal glands (importance in stress regulation and hormone production) and sugar handling.
3. I get white bumps on my face which I think are milia. I was told when I was getting a facial its from too much protein. But I don't think I eat too much protein. (15:12)
Interestingly enough, from the Mayo Clinic “you can’t prevent milia. And no treatment is needed because they usually disappear on their own in a few weeks or months”
Some things to try:
-Rose Water -Raw Honey or Raw Honey & Sugar Scrub -Pomegranate Peel Powder - you can actually make this yourself (or buy it) -Castor Oil -Lancing (have a professional do it!)
4. I have extreme combination skin. The oily spots are REALLY oily and the dry spots are almost eczema like. I break out in small red bumps . If I use lotion of any kind, even olive oil, coconut oil and every hypo-allergenic lotion possible, If I use any type of moisturizer a couple days in a row, I breakout with acne. I don't know what to do, and the older I get the oilier and dryer my face gets. (19:08)
Your food choices and gut integrity and gut health HUGELY impact what happens on your skin-- that needs to be cleared up first and foremost.
Acne (pimples, cysts, blackheads and whiteheads) are caused by hormones, bacterial overgrowth, diet, digestion, lifestyle, stress, a sleep...
Dry Skin: Be careful of what companies say are “moisturizing!” Water - of course essential for life - is NOT the best for dry skin. When it evaporates, it takes some of the skin’s natural oils too, which makes it worse.
Also, alcohol - which can be listed as many names - causes dehydration and can accelerate the rate at which skin ages
Nourishing oils to bring nutrition back to the skin: pomegranate, Pumpkin Seed, Emu, Hemp Seed, and Coconut Oils
Oily Skin: A lot of commercial products are very drying… but the oil on our face is a protective substance so sometimes your body produces MORE oil and appears oily because you are constantly stripping it away. Some people have said that when they stopped using drying, conventional, unnecessary chemicals, their acne vanished.
The Oil Cleansing Method, although maybe sounds counterintuitive, may be a helpful solution here. Try using Jojoba oil. Other essential oils that may help: grapefruit, lavender, and patchouli.
Remember – everyone is a “special snowflake” so what works for one person might not work for you. Experiment, take note and find out what’s right for you. Keep digging! Here’s another option to look into: Caveman Regime & a post from Joy’s friend Rachel that tells of her experience with this method!
5. Help! I have back acne right now and I have to wear a dress with an open back in the next few months. Do you have any suggestions? (26:24)
Some remedies:
• Oatmeal bath • Apple Cider Vinegar • Lemon Juice • Honey • Tea Tree Oil • Peppermint • Aloe Vera
Resource: http://naturalremedyideas.com/back-acne/
Sidenote: Make sure that it actually is acne and not something else… when Kate struggled with this issue, it actually ended up being a yeast infection.
Another big tip for all skin issues is not to touch it! Your body will do its best work at healing when you’re not picking at it and making your body back-step in the healing process. But think about this: when you pick at your face or your body - you are putting more bacteria on your face from your fingers and god knows where from whatever you’ve touched recently AND you are damaging the cells on your face too - so the more you pick a certain area, the more likely you are to having another breakout in that same spot.
Thank you for joining us this week for Episode 45. Remember to subscribe in iTunes so you don’t miss a future episode!
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