Desperate for Clear Skin? Discover the Secret to Clearing Acne with Functional Medicine Testing

If you've ever been frustrated by your blood work not explaining your acne struggles, functional medicine testing can come to your rescue! Functional medicine testing is a more detailed and informative type of testing that can help you discover the root issues of your acne. It can be a bit of a financial investment and is often not covered by insurance, but the results will be twice as fast, and you'll be able to find out exactly what's causing your acne.

In our clinical field, we say, "Test and don't guess." The results will help you know what to do and what you should prioritize. I've worked with so many clients who were told by their doctor that they're relatively healthy, but when we discovered the underlying issues of their acne, they were blown away by all the information.

Functional medicine testing is what REALLY helped me get to the bottom of my acne. I honestly wish I knew about it earlier; it would have saved me so much money and time. 😩

Here are my favorite functional medicine tests that I use a lot in my clinical practice. I'll share some symptoms, so it can help you decide what you should do first.

Here are my favorite functional medicine tests that I use a lot in my clinical practice. I’ll share some symptoms so it can help you decide what you should do first. 

DUTCH (The Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones Test (Hormone Testing) 

DUTCH testing evaluates hormonal patterns that may be linked to reproductive disorders, infertility, hormonal acne, and non-specific symptoms of a hormonal imbalance, like fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog. 

Here are the symptoms that might indicate a need for this test:

• Irregular, heavy and painful periods

• Loss of periods

• Mood swings + Anxiety

• Acne

• Facial hair growth

• Low sex drive

• Headaches + bloating

• Abnormal weight gain + tender breasts

• Post birth control 

Cost: Self-pay 

Nutr Eval by Genova (Overall Health) – it’s an amazing in-depth test that gives great insight into your whole health. 

Nutr Eval is an advanced test that evaluates nutritional deficiencies. It evaluates all vitamins, minerals, amino acids, organic acids, key digestive and detoxification markers, essential fatty acids (such as omega-3 fatty acids), probiotics, digestive enzymes and so much more. 

It’s one of my favorite testing tools for determining the underlying issues of acne. I often see many acne sufferers are deficient in numerous vitamins and minerals and especially antioxidants. 

The most common nutritional deficiencies related to acne are vitamin C, zinc, alpha-lipoic acid, glutathione, magnesium and B vitamins, probiotics and digestive enzymes. 

Symptoms:

• Acne

• Digestive issues

• Mood disorders

• Anxiety

• Fatigue

• Chronic inflammation

• Migraines

• Weight issues

Cost: Self-pay $399 

Food Sensitivities (IgG Testing)
The Food Sensitivity Test (FIT) detects both IgG antibody and Immune Complexes together to find out the reactivity of foods. 

Food sensitivity is caused by foods that you eat a lot. It’s a delayed hypersensitivity reaction which can take more than 24 hours and sometimes even up to seven days which makes it extremely hard to pinpoint. Food sensitivity can often be developed later in life. You can even have sensitivity to a healthy food. These are the foods that you often crave or say that you can’t live without it.

Before I did the test, I noticed more breakouts and even small rashes and rough patches on my arms. I couldn’t figure out what’s going on. My dermatologist friend recommended to use a moisturizer. I’ve tried it and it didn’t help. I knew there must be a reason for these rough red patches on my arms.

I found out through the food sensitivity testing that I was sensitive to eggs. It all disappeared in a few weeks after I removed the eggs completely from my diet and followed an elimination diet.

The most common food sensitivities that can contribute to acne are eggs, corn, soy, dairy and gluten, but can be any foods that you eat a lot. 

Symptoms: 

• Bloating and digestive issues (diarrhea, constipation)

• Migraines and headaches

• Acne and redness 

• Inflammation

• Fatigue and sleep issues

• Allergies and food sensitivities 

Cost: varies from $100 and to $400 depends on the specialty and how many foods are measured. 

Comprehensive Stool Test (GI Effects from Genova)

The stool test is one of my favorite tools to determine the underlying issues of acne. I use it 90% of the time. The more I worked with my clients, the more I discovered that almost all of the acne suffers (including me in the past) have gut issues. 

When you optimize your gut, your skin starts to improve. You’ll be able to clear your acne and get your confidence back. 

Here are the most common issues that I see on the stool test that’s linked to acne:dysbiosis, H.pylori, candida overgrowth, leaky gut, SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), low levels of healthy probiotics and prebiotics and digestive enzymes.

Symptoms: 

• Autoimmune condition

• Acne

• Mood disorders: anxiety and depression

• IBS and IBD

• Digestive issues: bloating, acid reflux, stomach pain, constipation and or diarrhea

• Frequent urinary yeast infection

Comprehensive Iron and Thyroid Panel (TSH, Free T4, Free T3, rT3, TPO + TG Abs

Most doctors don’t run the complete thyroid and iron panels. The tests they usually order show up normal such as iron or TSH. Thyroid issues can go undiagnosed for many years. If your thyroid is not functioning optimally, it can be one of the underlying issues of your acne. Iron and thyroid are tightly connected as well. 

Symptoms:

• Allergies

• Irritability

• Hair loss

• Infertility

• Acne

• Anemia

• Weakness

• Nutrition imbalances

• Constipation

• Irregular, heavy and painful periods

• Headaches/migraines

• Rough and dry skin

• Weight gain or weight loss

• Depression and anxiety

• Anxiety and panic attacks

• Insomnia

Cost: All these blood work tests can be run through the insurance to help you save money

Vitamins and Minerals (D, A, B12, Vitamin E and C, Folate, Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium) 

Unfortunately, a fast-paced lifestyle, stress, sleep deprivation and highly refined and processed foods often lead to multiple nutrient deficiencies. Also, a lot of clients have issues with their gut and can’t absorb the foods they are eating further leading to more deficiencies. 

The following vitamins and mineral deficiencies can contribute to acne: 

• Vitamin D

• Vitamin A

• Magnesium

• Zinc (zinc is a big one. Birth control and other medications often deplete zinc. Zinc is super important for healthy skin and immune system)

• Selenium

• Glutathione

Cost: All these blood work tests can be run through the insurance to help you save money

So, if you're struggling with acne, it might be worth getting some blood work done to check for these underlying issues. Plus, many of these tests can be covered by insurance, so you can save some money!

Food Sensitivities and Acne

I was getting super frustrated as I felt that I did all the right things from the functional medicine prospective to heal my skin from inside out and not seeing the results I wanted.

Something was still not right. There was a missing piece in the puzzle of my skin breakouts. I knew it had to be something else that could be causing my blemishes. I felt frustrated because I’ve tried almost everything and was running out of the options.

I’ve spent almost five years to get my Master’s Degree in Nutrition and I was determined to find the answer. That’s why I love functional medicine nutrition because it looks for the root causes of any health issues including acne.

I later found out through food sensitivity testing that I was very sensitive to egg whites. I wish I had done that test earlier. I always recommended it to many of my clients. The food sensitivity testing helps to determine many underlying health issues and not just acne.

What is food sensitivity? How is it different from food intolerance and food allergies? Let’s break it down.

Food Allergies
Food allergies are immediate and severe in nature. For example, you have an allergy to peanut butter. You eat it and got an allergic reaction right away. Food allergies are mediated by food-triggered basophil or mast cell histamine release.

Food Intolerance
Food intolerance refers to a non-immunological mechanism of adverse food response. For example, lactose intolerance and MSG sensitivity. Many people don’t produce enough or adequate lactase enzymes to properly digest dairy foods.

Food Sensitivity
Food sensitivity is caused by foods that you eat a lot. It’s a delayed hypersensitivity reaction which can take more than 24 hours and sometimes even up to seven days which makes it extremely hard to pinpoint. Food sensitivity can often be developed later in life. You can even have sensitivity to a healthy food. These are the foods that you often crave or say that you can’t live without it.

From my personal experience, I grew up eating fresh, pasture-eggs from our chickens in Ukraine. It’s always been my go to breakfast meal ideas. I did this test and it was no surprise that it showed high sensitivity to egg whites. Everything else looked good.

Before I did the test, I noticed more breakouts and even small rashes and rough patches on my arms. I couldn’t figure out what’s going on. My dermatologist friend recommended to use a moisturizer. I’ve tried it and it didn’t help. I knew there must be a reason for these rough red patches on my arms.

It all disappeared in a few weeks after I removed the eggs completely from my diet and followed an elimination diet.

The most common food sensitivities that can contribute to acne are eggs, corn, soy, dairy and gluten.

The Solution:
What can you do to determine whether you have food sensitivities?
You don’t need to start with a food sensitivity test. You can try an elimination diet for 21 days and then introduce foods back and see how you feel. The elimination diet often removes the most common food triggers, such as corn, soy, gluten, dairy and eggs.

Food Sensitivity Test:
The Food Sensitivity Test (FIT) detects both IgG antibody and Immune Complexes together to find out the reactivity of foods. It’s a functional medicine test that can be ordered through functional doctors and nutritionists.

Cost: varies from $100 and to $400 depends on the specialty and how many foods are measured.

I often recommend to start with a 21-day Elimination Diet first. When you introduce foods after 21 days, you want to do it one food at a time. Pay close attention to how you feel. If you get bloated, digestive discomfort, rashes, headaches or any other symptoms, it’s often a sign that you are sensitive to a particular food.

Long-Term Solution
The best ways to avoid food sensitivities is to eat a variety of foods. If you eat almonds all the time because you love them, make sure you also include other nuts, such as walnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, etc. Just like we don’t like eating the same meal every day, our body loves variety too. Try to rotate all your foods. That’s the best way to avoid developing food sensitivities. Just remember that your body loves variety of foods.

Have you tried an elimination diet or a food sensitivity testing for your acne?

References:

1. Lord R, Bralley J. Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine.
Revised 2 nd  ed. Duluth GE; Metametrix Institute. 2012
2. Pizzorno JE, Katzinger J. Clinical Pathophysiology: A Functional Medicine
Perspective. Coquitlam, BC Canada: Mind Publishing; 2012.

Healing Hormonal Acne

“How do I balance my hormones and naturally?” “I can’t deal with my hormonal acne any longer! I am so stressed and depressed!”

I used to struggle with hormonal acne for a long time. I didn’t know at first that I had hormonal acne. I often felt so frustrated and depressed just by looking in the mirror at my face.

My hormonal acne took over my life. I didn’t have any desire to meet new people. All I wanted to do is to hide my face. Every time I would see a beautiful picture of someone with perfect skin, I would get even more depressed. My skin would never look like the picture online or in the magazine, or so I thought!

I would get even more discouraged and depressed. I was SO desperate and tried to do whatever it took to clear my skin. I spent a ridiculous amount of money to try to clear my acne. Nothing really worked. 

Who wants to take the pictures when you feel so depressed and hate looking in the mirror? 

Hormones play an essential role in your health.  So, Let’s start with some of the symptoms and signs of imbalanced hormones: 

Signs and Symptoms of Imbalanced Hormones

 ·      Mood swings

·      Premenstrual syndrome

·      Painful periods

·      Heavy bleeding

·      Irregular or light bleeding  

·      Anxiety or depression 

·      Premenstrual food cravings (sugar and salt) 

·      Hair loss 

·      Fertility issues

·      Hair loss

·      Abnormal weight gain

·      Sleep issues

·      Fatigue 

·      Migraines and headaches

·      Hormonal acne is often concentrated in the lower third of the face along the chin and jaw lines

Some of the health disorders associated with female hormonal imbalances are ovarian cysts and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). I definitely had some of the symptoms listed above. My biggest ones were mood swings, heavy bleeding, depression and painful periods. If you struggle with hormonal acne, it’s super important to get to the root issues of your hormonal imbalances.

You won’t see the results you want by just treating the symptoms. 

 Many health care providers prescribe oral contraceptives for treating hormonal acne. Oral contraceptives have numerous side effects and health risks. It’s important to learn about it and educate yourself. 

My doctor in Ukraine recommended birth control for my acne. It didn’t help and it made it worse. I also had some serious side effects from it and I stopped taking it right away. 

Proven Steps to Balance Your Hormones Naturally

Here are some proven steps for balancing your hormones naturally without dangerous side effects. The best part is when you balance your hormones naturally, you’ll be able to not just improve your skin, but your health, energy and so much more! The benefits are numerous. 

·      Address your stress and anxiety first 

I usually include this one the last on my list. I decided to include it first. Stress is often a major contributor to imbalanced hormones. As it wreaks havoc on your hormones. It’s really hard to balance hormones if you don’t address stress and anxiety first. Psychological stress induces the production of proinflammatory cytokines (IFN-gamma, IL-6 and TNF-alfa)

Stress and anxiety have been the main contributors to hormonal acne for me. I spent many years worrying about the opinions of others often sacrificing my own well-being. I am also a hard worker and type A personality which are great qualities for achieving things in life. But the issue for me was taking these qualities to the extreme. I would work so hard and try to achieve so much that I would barely rest or take time to practice some self-care. It’s a great recipe for burnout.  I had experienced burn out twice or three times in my life. At one point, I was so stressed, anxious and worn out that I felt depressed and hopeless. Nothing was bringing me joy anymore. I knew I had to change my life and start prioritizing my health and well-being or I was going to end up in the hospital or with some major health issues. 

Beautiful soul, please don’t make my mistakes. Make sure you take the time to rest and do the things that make your soul sing. Life is too short! 

  Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.

Please don’t neglect your emotional health. Your body can handle it for a little bit, but at some point, it’s going to burn out causing many health and emotional issues. Your health is your greatest wealth. I encourage you to evaluate your life and see where you need to put your emotional health first. When you prioritize your health, your skin and hormones will improve. 

Don’t believe every crazy thought you have!

·      Anti-inflammatory diet 

I heard this so many times that what you eat doesn’t matter and doesn’t affect your acne. If you hear it from someone, please run away. It’s very outdated information that totally ignores all the scientific discoveries and studies showing the health benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet for helping with acne and balancing hormones. 

Some of the foods that contribute to increased inflammation, imbalanced hormones and more breakouts are high sugary and processed foods, fried foods, alcohol, conventional dairy, soy and corn and caffeine.  When you eat foods high in sugar, it causes insulin spikes and blood sugar issues which leads to hormonal imbalances, abnormal weight gain and insulin resistance. If you have sugar cravings or get hangry, that’s often the symptoms of blood sugar imbalances. 

An anti-inflammatory diet consists of low-glycemic foods, sustainably-raised animal foods and healthy fats to help you naturally balance your hormones. 

 ·      Caffeine 

A quick note on caffeine, I love a cup of coffee! There is nothing wrong with coffee, but some people have certain genetic predispositions and mutations that make it harder for your body to clear/detox caffeine from your system.  

If I have too much coffee, I get jittery, anxious and can’t fall asleep or relax. If you struggle with the same symptoms, it can be super helpful to decrease or eliminate your caffeine intake to help balance your hormones and improve your acne - as too much caffeine can lead to increased cortisol and also negatively affect your hormones. Listen to your body. 

·      Dairy ( I wrote a detailed post on dairy here) 

Dairy is one of the biggest triggers of hormonal imbalances. Milk contains precursors to dihodrytestosterone (DHT) which stimulates an increase in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). The highest concentration of this IGF-1 elevation was found in women with acne. One of the biggest systematic reviews (reviewed over 78,529 children and adults) found that any intake of dairy, milk, full-fat dairy, low-fat, skim milk, cheese and yogurt are associated with a higher rate of acne – any of it. There are a lot more research studies that came to the same conclusion. 

For me personally, I noticed a great improvement in my skin when I eliminated all dairy foods from my diet. It wasn’t easy at first because I LOVE dairy and grew up eating it every day with every meal. But it was worth it because I noticed some amazing results. 

·      Decrease and avoid hormone-disrupting chemicals 

Endocrine disruptors can lead to numerous health issues as they interfere with hormone production and affect our reproduction. 

It’s impossible to avoid all chemicals in our environment and food, but decreasing them helps balance hormones naturally and prevent fertility issues down the road. Environmental Working Group (EWG) is an amazing online resource for determining the safety of many body, hair and cosmetic products. 

What We Did to Decrease our Toxin Exposure

Here are some of the things my family did in the last few years to decrease the exposure to environmental toxins: 

 ·     Install a water filter and stop buying bottled water 

·      Switched from plastic to glass storage containers

·      Use reusable silicone Stasher bags

·      Use natural cleaning and body products

·      Switched to natural and organic skin products (I’ll write a separate post on my favorite products) 

·      Use healthier cookware (My two favorite brands are Caraway and From Our Place) #Not Sponsored 

·      Going to an organic/natural hair and nail salon 

·      Regularly changing air filters

It’s often helpful to work with a functional medicine doctor or clinical nutritionist (like me) to identify the root issues of your hormonal imbalances. There are specialty hormonal testing that can help evaluate your levels of hormones and determine the underlying issues. 

Supplements that Naturally Balance Female Hormones

Here are some helpful supplements that help naturally balance female hormones: 

·      A multivitamin supplement to help provide overall support

·      Magnesium glycinate is very helpful to support healthy mood, sleep, muscle relaxation. It helps decrease muscle spasms and pain during painful periods. Magnesium citrate is great for constipation. 

·      Fish oil is a great supplement to support overall health as we don’t often consume enough high-quality seafood rich in healthy fats. Omega-3 fatty acids help lower inflammation and support a healthy heart. Make sure your fish oil contains both EPA and DHA. 

·      Vitex (Chaste Berry) its honestly one of my favorite supplements that I took before. It helps naturally balance hormones. My clients were able to get regular periods and clear their acne with this supplement. In addition, it also helps alleviate premenstrual syndrome symptoms. Many research studies found that women that took this supplement had improvements in their PMS symptoms, premenstrual headaches, nervousness, anxiety, depression and bloating. If you are struggling with getting pregnant, several studies showed that taking this supplement once a day for three months has improved fertility and some participants got pregnant during the trial. 

·      Vitamin D. I rarely see anyone with optimal levels of vitamin D. I live in the sunshine state and still see a lot of clients deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D is very important for our bones, but it also plays an important role in our immune health. 

 Do you have any signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalance? 

References:

1.     https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6360964/

2.     https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015761/

3.     https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3408989/

Is Dairy Your Friend or Foe?

Eating dairy three times a day, I grew up hooked on dairy in Ukraine in Eastern Europe. Who can blame me? Its SO tasty! We had milk, butter to cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream and more - yes more! Every dish had it in it. Dairy was my comfort food!

When I started doing research about dairy consumption while getting my graduate degree in nutrition, I was surprised to find out that dairy products are often problematic for people suffering from acne. What’s up with dairy? I grew up eating healthy, organic, pasture-raised dairy products!

There are a lot of conflicting information regarding dairy online. I want to clarify some of the confusion for you, so you can make the best decision to help clear your skin from the inside out!

The Truth Finally Comes Out!

Milk contains precursors to dihodrytestosterone (DHT) which stimulates an increase in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). (What this means in English is that scientific studies show that the more milk was consumed, sebum production was elevated and acne was increased. So, more milk means more acne.) The highest concentration of this IGF-1 elevation was found in women with acne. One of the biggest systematic reviews (reviewed over 78,529 children and adults) found that any intake of dairy, milk, full-fat dairy, low-fat, skim milk, cheese and yogurt are associated with a higher rate of acne – any of it. There are a lot more research studies that came to the same conclusion.

For me personally, I noticed a great improvement in my skin when I eliminated all dairy foods from my diet. It wasn’t easy at first because I LOVE dairy and grew up eating it every day with every meal. But it was worth it  because I noticed some amazing results.

It’s important to find the root issue of acne and not just chase the symptoms, but heal your skin from inside out.

Dairy Sensitivities (Immune System-Mediated Response)

Food sensitivities are delayed reactions to foods that we develop overtime. These sensitivities cause inflammation in the body, like acne. If you like certain foods and eat them very often, your body can develop a sensitivity to that food. Therefore, if you eat a lot of dairy, chances are this dairy is triggering your breakouts. It’s can be challenging to determine which food sensitivity you have as these reactions tend to be delayed – from hours to 7 days after you eat a certain food.  But dairy is a good place to start! 

This Dairy is Not the Same Dairy That Used to Be Dairy

Dairy is not the same as it was when I was a kid. My grandmother had a cow and our happy cow went grazing the grass ALL day long producing delicious, creamy, naturally organic happy milk. Fast forward to today where dairy often contains added hormones and antibiotics. If you do eat dairy, it’s best to opt for organic, grass-fed when feasible. I always encourage my clients who aren’t lactose intolerant to purchase their dairy foods from local farmers because it's healthier for them and it supports local businesses.

Lactose Intolerance

You can also have an intolerance to dairy. As we age, our bodies don’t produce enough enzymes called lactase to break down lactose found in dairy products. This is often why you can experience bloating, gas, digestive discomfort, nausea and diarrhea when you eat dairy foods.

What should I do?

If you love dairy and think it might be causing your acne breakouts, here’s what you can do:

·       Listen to your body and nourish your skin from inside out

Nobody knows you better than you. Every person is unique and you should listen to how you feel after you eat dairy. If notice digestive discomfort every time you eat or more breakouts on your skin, it might be a sign that your body is communicating to you that you need to make some changes and avoid what you are eating. Dairy might not completely eliminate your acne, but it's great place to start. The goal is not to develop a food fear that dairy is bad. Again, listen to your body and decide for yourself.

·       Elimination Diet

If you are wondering if you are sensitivity to dairy, you can do a 21-day Elimination Diet. You strictly eliminate all dairy foods, see how you feel and pay close attention to your skin. Then, introduce dairy after 21 days and see how you feel. If your body gets a break from dairy for 21 days, you can usually tell if you are sensitive to it when you introduce it back into your diet.

·       Food Sensitivity Testing

You can do a food sensitivity test to determine if you are sensitive to dairy foods. If the test confirms that you are sensitive to dairy, you might need to remove it from your diet for 3-6 months and then reevaluate.

I don’t want to leave you hanging when you need a massive dairy fix, like me. So, here’s some quick health substitutions for dairy foods:

Butter – ghee

Regular milk – any plant-based milks, preferably unsweetened (coconut, cashew, almond, flax milk, oat milk, macadamia, walnut, hazelnut, etc.) I am not a big fan of soy milk.

Coffee creamers – lots of plant-based options are now available (choose organic, unsweetened or low added sugar when possible)

Cheese – nutritional yeast (great source of B12 and has nice flavor). Also, there are many plant-based cheese options now. My two favorite companies with clean ingredients are: Myoko’s creamer and Kitehill.

Cream cheese – Myoko’s and Kitehill have some amazing plant-based cream cheeses. Give them a try. You won’t be disappointed. They are AMAZINGLY YUMMY!

Salad dressings – lots of salad dressings now offer dairy-free options. My favorite salad dressings are from Primal Kitchen. They are so yummy and nutritious!

The next step is to give it a go! Now that you know that dairy could be your best friend(read: enemy), are you willing to do what it takes to get the clean skin you always wanted? Try some of those substitution products.  Acne free skin could be just around the corner.

Does Stress Cause Acne?

Stress plays a huge role in your health and well-being. When I look back at my life, I had the worst skin breakouts of my whole life when I had the most stress in my life. I was super stressed when I lived in Vancouver, Canada. I went to college every day and also worked three jobs to be able to pay for my living expenses.

Vancouver is a beautiful place to live, but really expensive - especially for a foreign student like me. I was super stressed as I had to work a lot, didn’t have any time to hardly sleep, exercise or eat healthy. My friends and I ate a lot of carbs and fast food as it was quick and easy and also very cheap. We also worked at McDonald’s. Guess where we got our free lunches and dinners? And my skin clearly showed all the stress with more redness, breakouts and inflammation.

Does stress really contribute to acne and skin issues? Yes, and it happens through different mechanisms and pathways in your body.

Acne, Stress and Inflammation

Research studies show that psychological stress triggers the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-gamma, IL-6 and TNF-alpha). What are pro-inflammatory cytokines? In simple words, they are the type of cells that are secreted from immune cells and other cells that increase inflammation in the body. More stress contributes to increased sebum production and more breakouts. One study found that stressful life events were strongly associated with the severity of acne breakouts. Stress also increases substance P which causes higher lipogenesis in sebocytes and also increases inflammation. Increased inflammation can mean increased acne.

Stress and Oxidative Stress

Stress contributes to higher levels of cortisol. High cortisol levels lead to oxidative stress. What is oxidative stress? Oxidative stress means an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your body which causes increased inflammation and depletion of antioxidants. This can further lead to DNA damage. Again, increased inflammation can mean increased acne.

What I often see in clinical nutrition is that clients that are stressed out and went through major stressful events are often deficient in many nutrients, especially glutathione (master antioxidant), vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin D, zinc and N-acetyl cysteine) and many others. It’s super important for your optimal health to have healthy levels of these nutrients as they not only help to provide what your skin needs from the inside out, but they also protect your body from harmful toxins, bacteria and help prevent serious health issues.

Stress and Blood Sugar Imbalance

Increased stress can lead to insulin resistance, weight gain and blood sugar imbalances. For example, many clients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) have blood sugar imbalances. They are more likely to struggle with acne. Some large randomized controlled trials have also found a strong connection with increased acne in people who ate more sugar and high-glycemic foods (flour, bread, cereal, pasta, soda).

It’s another link that we can’t ignore. It does matter what you eat and what lifestyle you lead. Everything is connected in our body.

Stress and Gut Microbiome

There have been a lot of research recently in the importance of healthy gut microbiome and its connection to skin health. If you have a lot of good bacteria (good guys in your gut), they help support your immune system and make sure that the bad guys don’t take over in your gut.

Research studies have also found that stress, especially depression and anxiety, cause changes in the gut microbiota and leads to increased inflammation and intestinal permeability (leaky gut) which can contribute to skin inflammation. There is also a strong gut-brain-skin axis that connects gut microbes, diet, oral probiotics and acne severity. It means that physiological stress plays a huge role in the health of your gut. More research studies are needed to confirm the exact mechanism behind gut-brain-skin connection, but it looks very promising.

How to apply this research to your everyday life? All this points out to the fact that if you can decrease stress and support your body with probiotic-rich foods and probiotic supplements to help restore healthy gut bacteria, you’ll see improvements in the health of your skin. More studies are still needed to determine if the topical application of probiotics are helpful for reducing acne. But it doesn’t hurt to try.

I truly believe in finding the root issue of your skin breakouts. I have seen that many of my clients often have underlying gut imbalances, candida, leaky gut or yeast overgrowth. If you address these issues, you won’t just improve your skin, but also improve your digestion and overall health.

I went through a very stressful time in my life, and found later that I had candida overgrowth and low levels of healthy gut bacteria.

Now, I want to share some of my favorite ways to lower stress. Give them a try:

·       Physical Movement

Physical movements change your emotions! I am sure I don’t need to tell you all the health benefits of exercise. You already know it. It is the best tool to lower stress and anxiety. I always say that you should find a workout or movement that you enjoy. Then, you’ll stick with it long term. If you hate it, you won’t do it long term. I love going to the gym a few times per week to do some cardio and to lift weights. I also love yoga. It helps me to relax and be more mindful and present. On the weekends, my family loves to swim on the beach or play tennis. If the weather is bad and I don’t feel like leaving home, my hubby and I would do YouTube workouts from Rebecca Louise. Check her out. She has some amazing videos. If you travel a lot, you can do her workout videos in your hotel room. No equipment needed.

·       Deep Breathing Exercises & Meditations

I started doing deep breathing exercises and meditations about a year and a half ago when I was finishing my graduate degree. I was really tired, stressed and almost burnt out. I would meditate for 10-15 minutes every day after work before I hit the books. It was a life saver! Many research studies show that meditations can help: lower stress, lower blood pressure, increase your body’s resilience to stress and improve your mood and well-being. It can also help you stay more present and calm during stressful times in your life, lower inflammation and pain and so much more. My favorite app for meditations is Insight Timer. It’s free and it has more than 1,000 different meditations. Check it out. I also tried and liked Calm and Headspace.

·       Gratitude Journal

References:

1.      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5722010/

2.      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30406964

Amazing Energy Drinks

Was today stressful? You didn’t sleep well. A little one kept you up at night. You have a huge to do list. And you need some energy to go through the day. I'm here to help you create awesome energy drinks at home or even on the go. There are a lot of drinks that offer a boost of energy. And they do, but most of them are loaded with sugar and other preservatives that you don’t want to put in your  body. And the energy is not going to last, it will only spike your sugar level and make you tired afterward. You want to stay away from those bad guys especially if you trying to lose weight and boost your metabolism. Why not try healthy energy drinks? Drinks that will give you a boost of energy and will keep you energized. The drinks that are loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and all the good stuff. 

I’m sure you’ve heard of this one - Green Tea

Green Tea

Green tea is my go-to drink every day. Not a day goes by without it by my side:) Green tea gives me a kick of energy I need in the morning and is my pick me up drink in the afternoon.  

Green tea is full of antioxidants. It also contains the amino acid L-theanine which improves your brain function. Also, help your body detoxify and reduces bad cholesterol. You can use loose tea. I love green tea with jasmine and peppermint. 

I like to brew green tea in a teapot. Use one teaspoon for per person + plus one teaspoon for the pot. Pour boiling water and let steep for 3-4 minutes. Add the sweetener of your choice or drink it plain. I like my green tea with raw honey.

Matcha Tea

Since we are talking green here. Meet matcha, amazing green tea! If you haven’t heard of it, you have to try it! I promise you’ll love it! Matcha is made from green tea leaves that are dried and stone-ground into a delicate powder. Because of the labor process required to produce matcha, it’s pricey. The health benefits are worth the price tag. It’s considered a superfood. Matcha tea gives you energy and loaded with antioxidants & vitamins. Also, it detoxifies your body. You actually ingest this tea not just brew it. 

The best matcha tea comes from the South of Japan. You mix the powder with water or any milk (coconut, soy, almond). Then, add a sweetener of your choice. To make matcha at home, combine one cup of hot or cold water or milk with a teaspoon of matcha and a sweetener of your choice. I like to add mine to the Vitamix for a couple of seconds and run it on high to produce a nice foam, just like green tea latte. 

Ginger Kicker/Ginger Tea – Non-Caffeinated

Ginger has amazing health benefits. It’s packed with soothing & anti-inflammatory benefits. Ginger tea will naturally give you energy and help you stay focused. It doesn’t contain any caffeine if you're trying to stay away from it. Also, it’s a great alternative to an energy drink for pregnant women. 

Here’s my recipe how to make it at home: 

Energy Booster Green Smoothie

I don’t know who decided to blend greens with fruit, but it’s a genius idea. Green smoothies provide you with an amazing energy kick especially in the morning when you just wake up. Plus, you get a boost of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. 

1 cup spinach

1 cup almond, coconut milk or water

1/2 cup of frozen blueberries

1/2 avocado

2 tablespoons of almonds, cashews or pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon hemp seeds 

Blend everything together and enjoy in the morning, before or after workouts. Or as quick pick-me-up. 

Mate Tea

Did I hear the sound of Argentina? Oh yes baby! Most of the mate tea comes from Argentina. I’ve tried this tea for the first time this year and absolutely love it! Thanks to my awesome friends Matt & Jesica. Why I love mate so much? It’s almost as strong as coffee with the health benefits of tea! It’s a great drink to boost your energy naturally. The leaves of mate trees naturally contain 15 amino acids, more than 20 vitamins and are loaded with antioxidants. 

Per my friend’s advice, having a French press is handy in preparing mate at home. A french press allows for leaves to fully expand and infuse while making sure that smaller particles won't end up in your cup. You can also add milk to mate or drink it cold in the summer months.

Red Beet Energy Booster Smoothie

I come from a country that likes to eat red beets all the time. They are a huge staple of Ukrainian dishes. 

Did you know beets are considered a superfood? They are great for exercising because they improve blood flow and help give you endurance. Also, beets are amazing in purifying blood and in cleansing the liver. They are high in fiber, Vitamin C, folic acid (for those of you trying to get pregnant), iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. I hope you are sold now to try my delicious Red Beet Energy Booster Smoothie! 

1 cup of water

1/2 cup ice

1 red beet

1 apple, cored

1 orange

Blend everything together and enjoy. 

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6099654/

2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3365247/

Mojito Smoothie

1/2 banana, peeled
1/3 cup of fresh or frozen pineapple
1 cup fresh or frozen kale or spinach
A handful of fresh mint leaves
1 cucumber
2 cups of water
Juice of one lime

If you have a powerful blender like a Vitamix, then place all the ingredients and process until smooth. If you don't own a powerful blender, blend the kale and water until smooth. Then, add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

Mean Green Juice

3 cucumbers
1 peeled lemon
1 apples 
4-5 stalks of celery 
1 bunch of kale

Blend in your favorite juicer.

3 Weight Loss Secrets

Are you eating healthy and exercising? Did you know that the weight loss starts in your head? The secret is your subconscious mind either working with you or against you.

First Reason - Your Story

Most of the time your mind is working against you because of the story that you keep telling yourself. You know that story that comes up when you are about to go to the gym or decide to lose weight. The story that you have tried it all, I can't lose weight, it runs in my family, I don't deserve it, my body is ugly, I can't look in the mirror without hating what I see, I never gonna find true love… Your story never comes up on a good day. It shows its ugly head when you are stressed, sleep-deprived, and things aren't going the way you planned. If deep inside your heart, you don’t believe it’s possible to lose weight, you are sabotaging your weight loss. Ask yourself, “Do I really believe I can do it? Or did I lose hope after trying and am not sure it’s possible anymore”.

To lose weight and get different results, you need to write a new, better story - a story of hope and courage - a story of self-care and respect. You wouldn't tell a friend that her body is ugly. But we say it to ourselves all the time. 

Take a challenge this week to reject negative self-talk and replace it with positive and kind words. 

Take a piece of paper and a pen or use your iPhone, I know you are saying I'll do it later. No, do it right now. You'll forget and get busy. Take a couple of minutes and write a new story. 

Here's a couple of ideas to get you started: 

I am beautiful... I am going to lose ..... pounds by (date). I am unique and there is no one like me. I can do this... I love my body just the way it is. I don’t need to weight xxx pounds to be happy and get my dream job or find true love. 

Second Reason - Your Past

Let go of your past that seems to be haunting you know. You have been carrying this weight for a long time. That person that was so mean to you when you were a child at school, a parent, or a stranger that said you are fat and ugly. You have believed this lie for so long that it became your new normal. Don't let this hold you back. Your past keeps you from enjoying your present and dreaming about your future.

I remember when a boy at school called me ugly because I had acne. It deeply scarred my heart and my soul. I was afraid to speak in front of people because they would see my face. The acne is gone, but my heart still remembers the feeling of having it on my face. The feeling of everyone looking at my face, the feeling of fear to have my pictures taken. But I wasn't born that way. I was such a brave little girl that would organize a party for her neighbors, collect some money, and entertain a big crowd of people. That girl that wasn't afraid to talk to any strangers. This girl needed to come back and live her life and accept the words of affirmation when her husband says she is beautiful. What happened in the past that’s holding you back right now? Think about it. Pray about it and let it go. 

Third Reason - Your Emotions 

When you feel down and stressed, you have a bad day and you reach for a doughnut, cookie, or brownie that will satisfy you. Stop and deal with your emotions instead of hiding them in your heart. Take a deep breath and write down how you feel. The brownie will only mask the hurt, not take it away. Don't be too hard on yourself. You are a human being and it's ok to be stressed, upset, or disappointed. Acknowledge your feelings and validate them in your heart. By taking a minute to breathe deeply and acknowledge your feelings, you'll feel better and say to yourself, "This shall pass, the best is yet to come". Your emotions are telling you about something. Don’t ignore them, Do you need to talk to this person that’s been treating you poorly? Or take time to rest because you have been doing 10,000 things for everyone else? Our emotions display what’s on our heart, don’t ignore it. Emotional eating covers it up, but don’t resolve the true reason behind them. 

Oils Your Body Will Love

There is a good variety of cooking oils on your supermarket shelf. It's easy to get overwhelmed with all the different health claims coming from different directions. We all know that olive oil is really good for you, especially extra virgin olive oil. Then, you see coconut oil popping everywhere at Sam’s, Costco, and regular grocery stores - and everyone is talking about it. Which oil should you choose and which ones you should stay away from?

Stay Away From These - Danger Will Robinson, Danger!

Let me share super quickly about the oils that you want to stay away from. The following oils are very bad guys that are highly processed and quite often contain Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO.) They are highly processed with chemical solvents and neutralizers. Nobody wants those chemicals in their food, but advertising is so misleading today. To put it very simply - your body can’t really digest it. It causes all kinds of health issues.

- Soybean Oil

- Canola Oil

- Cottonseed Oil

 - Corn Oil

If you have the above cooking oil in your pantry, no judgment here. Sometimes it’s all your mom cooked with and that’s all you know and buy it more out of habit and because it has a cheaper price. We all learn something new every day.

You Gotta Try These - They do a body good!

Next time, go with one of the healthy options that I will list below. Just remember that we are going for better health and a better you not perfection. I am saying perfection because I am such a perfectionist myself and I drive myself crazy sometimes (and my husband who is editing this:). I am trying to recover from it and let some things go. It's hard...  If I could, I would buy everything healthy and organic, but it's not possible for our family's budget. So, I am doing my best with the money we have. And please remember you are doing better than you think!

Now, let’s talk about amazing cooking oils that you must have in your pantry:) Bring the good guys home from the store!

The first one is really easy - Olive Oil

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Olive Oil is high in antioxidants. It contains Vitamin E & K and high in fatty acids. I like to buy Olive Oil at Costco or buy Whole Foods brand 365.

Olive Oil is better for salads and low heat cooking. 

- Coconut Oil

The best one to buy is organic, unrefined, virgin coconut oil

This amazing oil boosts your immune system, promotes weight loss, and is easier to digest for your body.

Also, it’s a great skin moisturizer. 

Coconut oil is great for high heat cooking and baking. 

- Avocado Oil

Cold-pressed avocado oil retains its high-level Vitamin E, which is well known to improve your skin. Also, full of antioxidants.

Avocado oil has a high smoke point - in simple words it’s great for high cooking like frying, grilling and roasting. 

- Clarified Butter or Ghee

I know this one is like switching your brain. If you heard all your life that butter is bad for you. It’s actually really good for you. If it’s minimally processed and comes from grass-fed cows like Kerrygold butter. It contains Vitamin A, E and K2. 

It has a high smoke point. Great for grilling, searing, stir-frys and baking. 

- Walnut Oil

It has distinct nutty flavor goodness. It’s full of heart-healthy omega-3’s and Vitamin K.

It’s not suitable for cooking, but it’s great for salads.

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6724211/

2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29141571/

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6315336/