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Acne testing plays a crucial role in diagnosing the specific causes of acne because the causes can vary significantly from one person to another. By identifying the underlying factors, such as hormonal imbalances, bacterial overgrowth, inflammation, gut dysbiosis, or compromised detoxification, acne treatment plans can be individually tailored so as to address these root causes rather than just their symptoms. …
There is much discussion about how certain dietary interventions affect hormonal acne. Hormonal acne is primarily influenced by fluctuations in hormones, including testosterone, androgens, estrogen, and progesterone. These hormones play a role in increasing oil production in the skin, leading to inflammation and acne. High-glycemic foods and dairy products can spike insulin and other hormones that may exacerbate acne. While …
When it comes to skin health the number one principle is balance… balanced skin pH… balanced sebum production… balanced hormones… balanced skin microbiome. But one area that is often overlooked is a balanced skincare routine. We often find our acne patients using a boxful of skincare products as they try desperately to fix their acne. And this isn’t surprising because …
Sleep is crucial for overall health, particularly in weight management, hormone balance, and general wellbeing. Adequate sleep regulates appetite-controlling hormones like leptin and ghrelin, reducing overeating and aiding weight management. It supports insulin sensitivity, lowering diabetes risk. Sleep also balances stress hormones such as cortisol, preventing weight gain. Additionally, quality sleep enhances immune function, mood, and cognitive performance. From a …
Menopause has been a part of women’s life cycle since humans started reproducing but for many modern women this natural event has now become a time of immense suffering. Weight gain, hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, irritability, memory and recall lapses, loss of libido, vaginal dryness and bladder weakness appear on the scene and can hang around as unwanted guests …
Hormones are the biological signals that keep our bodies running smoothly to maintain our health and well-being. They control our metabolic rate (thyroid hormones), help us adapt to stress (stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline), regulate our blood sugars (insulin), regulate our sleep patterns (melatonin) and keep us fertile (reproductive hormones oestrogen and testosterone). And so for these reasons, if you …
Hormonal acne (acne vulgaris) is influenced by hormonal fluctuations in the body. This can occur in women and men during puberty, and women during the menstruation years, pregnancy and menopause. The primary cause of hormonal acne is androgen hormones such as testosterone, which stimulate the sebaceous glands in the skin to produce excess sebum. This leads to inflammation and breakouts. …
The thyroid gland sits in the throat just below the Adam’s Apple. It has two lobes, a left and a right, and it produces hormones that control your metabolic rate. The more thyroid hormone your thyroid gland produces, the faster your metabolic rate. The less thyroid hormone produced, the lower your metabolic rate. Thus, your weight, energy, digestion, bowel regularity, …
You may have heard the saying “The best things in life are free” and this is more than true when it comes to taking a daily walk. The benefits of walking are immeasurable, and we think it must be close to the best form of self-care there is. Walking reduces stress hormones, strengthens the immune system, boosts serotonin levels to …
Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers and are made by the various glands (pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, ovaries or testicles and pancreas) in your body and direct how it functions. Stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, speed up your heart rate, raise your blood pressure and mobilise stored energy to help you adapt to a stress. This hormone response enables you to …
Isotretinoin, aka Accutane and Roaccutane, is a vitamin A medication and a favoured acne treatment of dermatologists. But it is a strong hormonal acne medication with many possible side effects and its acne-clearing effects are often not permanent. Because of this we have found that many hormonal acne sufferers now want something less toxic, with fewer side effects (headaches, depression, …
Wouldn’t it be fantastic if chronic fatigue could be fixed with one lifestyle change, one dietary change, or one supplement? However, as anyone with chronic fatigue has discovered, there is no one solution. The treatment for chronic fatigue needs to be holistic. Optimising your lifestyle is the secret sauce for boosting energy. Factors that must be addressed are: Do you …
The birth control pill is the go-to acne treatment favoured by doctors, especially GPs, primary care physicians, and dermatologists. And without a doubt, it is effective at eliminating all types of pimples from whiteheads to inflamed cystic acne. But there is a catch. Once you stop, your acne usually returns, often worse than it was before. But it’s probably because …
Hormonal imbalances can impact you physically in many different ways. These include acne, PMS, period problems, peri-menopause symptoms, fatigue, anxiety, and weight gain. Mentally, hormone imbalances can affect mood and overall well-being. Imbalances in cortisol levels (stress hormone) can lead to anxiety, depression, and difficulty coping with stress management. Hormonal imbalances relating to estrogen and progesterone can cause mood changes …
The link between gut health and skin health has been understood in naturopathic medicine for centuries and can be traced right back to the ancient Greek doctor Hippocrates, who reportedly said… “All disease begins in the gut”. Modern-day science is now validating what those in the natural medicine field have long known and what I was taught during my naturopathic …
