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Skin - Is there a quick fix to problematic, aging skin?

As someone who suffered from eczema, psoriasis, hyper-pigmentation and acne for years, I understand how frustrating it is to have no control over your skin. We aggressively cleanse, over medicate, and apply too many products that really don’t remedy the problem as part of the fear response, the fear that if we do not do something it will get worse. Often times we strip the skin or apply so many barriers that our skin can’t even breathe. If the placebo or subtle change of it improving begins, its never to last indefinitely, only for the cycle of skin stuff to start again with any sort of stress, change in lifestyle, change in temperature or even change in soap. 

Let me tell you, my skin journey has included everything from top of the line skin care, laser treatments, facials, chemical peels, at home masks, blu-U light therapy, steroids, antibiotics (topical and internal) and even Accutane in my teens. After each treatment, new antibiotics or anything else, I would have hope, that my skin would improve, and stay better. It never did.

Today, I go for facials occasionally, take a plethora of supplements, hydrate appropriately, eat well and use very basic skin care. My skin is great, and I often wear little to no makeup, finally being able to show off my skin after envying people for years, who had great bare clean skin. So you might be thinking, is it what I was using that has made this change? Am I seeing a new aesthetician? Was it puberty causing this? (No, this does not last 12 years!) Its none of the above. 

I believe that superficial facial treatments can enhance your skin and improve your skin, but they cannot change your skin. 

We spend tons of money on these treatments, expecting a full change in our skin. Some of the more aggressive treatments can definitely “change”your skin, by resurfacing or tightening it, but fundamentally, your body supplies the building blocks for this so your final lasting outcome is dependent on you. You cannot achieve good skin if you are toxic, inflamed, don’t drink enough water and have a poor diet or the wrong diet for you (unless you have strong genetics, but trust me that doesn’t last forever.) 

There is no quick fix to changing your skin.

There are many quick fixes to improvingyour skin, but when your body is producing new cells daily, what you have available and the internal environment of your body will determine what shows up outside. Your internal environment is everything from genetics, other conditions such as PCOS, asthma, food allergies, hormones and more; but it is most importantly your diet. Antiglycation endpoints also known as AGE’s aren’t great for your cardiovascular health, and they show up in the skin as hyper-pigmentation and uneven tone. High aerobic activity and clean eating but not consuming the right type of fat might show up as thin skin, sunken temples, and hard face that looks dehydrated and aged. Consuming high mucus forming foods might be making you puffy, your features undefined, and having the appearance of poor bone structure. Chronic acne can be due to so many things not limited but including, poor gut health, toxic overload from heavy metals, parasites, too much heat in your body (from a TCM perspective), food sensitivities, chronic inflammation or more.  

The approach you take to skin is dependent on you. 

Sometimes we need conventional therapies such as accutane, steroids and antibiotics to get things under control, but the burden this puts on the body requires us to also replace, replenish and support what these treatments alter. This can include our liver metabolism, our gut micro biome, nutrient status, and skin thickness and sensitivity to light. Its a double edged sword, where there is no one size fits all approach because the cause of the problem is different for everyone. 

I have used a a lifestyle approach to skin, and it works. The benefit of this approach is not only that I no longer have acne, hyper-pigmentation, eczema or psoriasis, but my skin texture has improved, I look radiant, my hair and nails are healthier, my gut is happy and I feel good. On my journey to improve my skin, I improved my overall health. There is no perfect, it takes self awareness and when I burden my body too long, things will start to show up, but its not often, its easier to control, and it doesn’t last long. 

So I am not saying don’t use good skin care, or not to have enhancement treatments, but what I am saying is that these are the accessories to your skin. 

Anything that you do that is causing skin cell turnover, micro-inflammation, using your own blood products (PRP), or influencing tightening through collagen formation will benefit from supporting your body first. 

Ensure you have the right building blocks and co-factors to not only form great skin, but that your body can eliminate waste appropriately so that you look healthy, young and radiant. Take a holistic approach to your appearance, its not a quick fix, and it can take some time depending on the concern,

but in my experience its absolutely worth it.

 

Written by: Dr. Mashael Mawji, ND BSc. FNH (Hon)

Pregnancy cravings explained

There are a lot of theories why pregnancy cravings occur including hormonal changes, altered sense of smell, and nutrient deficiencies. In reality it’s likely that all three factors play a role and these cravings are trying to tell you something about what’s going on in your body. Some of the more common cravings include: 

• Sweets and chocolate:
  • Sugar cravings may partly be related to the increased caloric requirements that occur with pregnancy.  You’re growing a human being and keeping yourself going so more calories will be needed. The other reason for sugar cravings is the changes in insulin sensitivity. Blood sugar levels can become erratic and this can influence your desire for sweet foods. 
  • Chocolate cravings in particular may be related to magnesium deficiencies. During pregnancy magnesium contributes to fetal development (Bone, nerves, muscle) and prevention of leg cramps and pre-eclampsia. Alternative food sources of magnesium include oats, quinoa, brown rice, spinach, kale, nuts, and seeds. 
• Salty foods:
  • During pregnancy there is 40-50% increase in blood volume. This means that you gradually produce more blood throughout pregnancy to make sure your baby is receiving all of the oxygen and nutrients that it needs. Salt is an important component of blood so it makes sense that this is a common craving. Unfortunately salty foods are often unhealthy ones such as chips, fast food, and condiments. 
• Meat:
  • Sometimes cravings come in the form of steak and burgers. This can possibly be pointing towards the body’s need for more protein or iron. Requirements for both nutrients are higher in pregnancy to help the growth of the baby. 
• Ice and non-food items:
  • This might sound shocking but it isn’t uncommon to hear about women craving ice, sand, gravel, and other non-food items. The medical term for craving non-food substances is pica and can mean nutrient deficiencies are occurring, specifically iron, zinc, and calcium. If this is occurring it is important to discuss these cravings with your doctor so that appropriate testing and supplementation can be done. 

Usually cravings aren’t concerning (Unless it is pica) but can contribute to unintended weight gain. During a normal pregnancy 25-35 pounds of weight gain should be expected although this will vary from person to person. If too much weight is gained gestational diabetes, high birth weights, and higher rates of cesarean sections can be seen. Because of this it is important to eat nutritious foods that may help prevent cravings from happening in the first place. 

Healthy foods for pregnancy:

• Nutrient dense foods: Dark leafy greens, berries
• Healthy fats: Nuts, seeds, avocados, fish
• High quality protein: Organic meats, fish, eggs, lentils, 
• Complex carbohydrates and fiber: Various fruits and vegetables, flax, chia