Did you know that our skin is our largest organ in the body?
The health of your skin externally is a clear reflection of the health of your internal cells and organs. Tackling skin health solely on the outside with special creams and lotions will not get you far if you neglect to tackle your health on the inside.
If you are struggling with adult acne, breakouts around your period or aging skin, this can be an indication of hormonal imbalance, poor detoxification or dietary triggers that you should be mindful of.
Much unlike what many of us think, hormonal acne is not just for the pre-teen gal who is starting her journey into becoming a woman, or for the mom who’s just given birth; it’s actually common among many of the women who experience hormonal imbalances.
There are many reasons that you may be experiencing acne or accelerated aging, such as:
1: Hormonal imbalances
- These hormonal imbalances may be part of a larger picture, such as a diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS. PCOS is a condition in which a woman experiences increased levels of androgens or male hormones, and various other metabolic concerns such as insulin resistance. PCOS has many symptoms including trouble losing weight, increased facial or body hair and irregular periods. Read more on the topic HERE.
- Excess testosterone often occurs with a PCOS diagnosis but on it’s own can also lead to skin changes — most notably an increase in breakouts / acne throughout the month (rather than just around the start of your period). -.While women do require small amounts of androgens, such as testosterone or DHT, having increased levels throughout the month can lead to acne and breakouts.
- Estrogen imbalances can also be a common cause of hormonal acne. This type of acne often occurs just before your period, during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. In this phase, the estrogen levels drop and if the change is significant, such as in the case of high estrogen or testosterone levels, the delicate balance of hormones can be thrown off, leading to breakouts. This is also the case for patients who are going through perimenopause. The declining levels of estrogen in the female body during this transition period can lead to changes in the way your skin looks and feels.
Hormone imbalances are often apparent when the appropriate tests are performed. At the Hormone Rebalance Centre, we use blood tests as well as DUTCH urine tests (Dried Urine Testing for Comprehensive Hormones).
The DUTCH urine tests look at your hormone levels over a 24 hour period in a specific time of your cycle. This gives us a wide -angle picture rather than a quick snapshot of your hormone health and allows us to see what imbalances could be contributing to your symptoms.
2: Poor Detoxification
The liver is the body’s built in detoxifier and is responsible for detoxifying almost everything that the body takes in. This means food, drinks, particles that may come in with the food or drink, the breakdown products of other body processes, as well as medications and supplements.
When the liver is done its job of metabolizing and detoxifying, it sends its “garbage” out for elimination. Along with urination and defecation, your body actually uses your skin to eliminate and get rid of its toxins.
Any changes in your skin, can be an indication of inflammation and toxin building up on the inside. If your liver is constantly working hard detoxifying the things that go into your body, it can become sluggish and essentially that all shows in your skin.
3: Crappy Diet
The third cause of poor skin health is eating a poor diet. Much like discussed above, what you eat can make a major difference in the quality of your skin. Your skin is a clear reflection of what is going on inside your body. So, if you notice over a period of time that breakouts and acne are getting worse, or you are seeing more fine lines than usual, have a look at your diet- it might just be the cause of your skin changes!
Now that you know the major causes of breakouts, acne and accelerated aging, what can you do about it?
Tips to help keep your skin healthy and breakout free:
A. Remove sugar.
This will help to tackle imbalances such as PCOS, excess testosterone and blood sugar imbalance.
Try eliminating sugar for a set amount of time, rather than telling yourself it needs to be gone for good! You may find that when you feel better without sugar, it becomes easier to choose low-sugar options
Low sugar or low -carbohydrate diets should include healthy fats. Healthy fats like olive oil, avocados and avocado oil, along with coconut oil can really be of benefit to both overall health and skin health.
B. Eliminate dairy.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine dairy is inflammatory and produces phlegm within the body.
Try going dairy free for 1-3 months and assess changes in your skin. Alternatively, you can also consider food sensitivity testing to assess what foods are generally causing inflammation in your body, triggering your acne along with other symptoms such as digestive upset, headaches and even weight gain.
C. Consider a liver detox.
Generally speaking, at our Center we recommend a liver detox for our patients every 6 months, along with starting many of our treatment plans with a liver detox.
While many products are sold for liver detoxes, it can be as simple as eating a low sugar, anti-inflammatory diet with lots of green vegetables and healthy fats for 2-3 weeks. We may also recommend a supplement for liver support based on your individual needs.
D. Add in antioxidant support.
Antioxidants support healthy cellular aging by reducing free radicals. Having high levels of free radicals can lead to faster aging, DNA damage and poor overall health.
Glutathione is an antioxidant that is highly concentrated in the lungs, liver and skin and is one of our all time favourites! You may have heard of it being used by celebrities to get the so-called “gluta glow!” Along with its benefits for skin health and it’s estrogen detoxification properties, glutathione is also a potent immune supporter.
Vitamin C is also a widely used antioxidant, and for good reason. Here at the Hormone Rebalance Centre, Vitamin C is a foundational antioxidant! It works hand in hand with glutathione to increase its staying power within the body.
E. Add in fish oils / Omega 3’s.
Fish oils are a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids and can be very beneficial for skin health. They are also anti inflammatory and can help to promote cellular health!
Overall, there can be many resources for poor skin health and covering it up on the outside and doing nothing for it on the inside, does nothing to address the underlying causes and will not result in long-term resolution.
If you would like to test for potential hormonal imbalances, antioxidant status and inflammatory markers in your body, consider our Hormone Rebalance Advantage Program!
We can coach you through a liver detox, correct hormonal imbalances and work with you to find the best combination of antioxidants to support your health! Once you optimize your health on the inside, it will show in every area of your life beyond just your skin. Health and beauty is an inside job.
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