Your skin is talking to you! Listen up!!

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Food for Thought – Recipe – Help your skin glow!

An allergen-friendly plant-based recipe with key nutrients to help manage acne and eczema.

Important nutrients for skin health include zinc, antioxidants, and polyphenols. This recipe is high in fiber and low glycemic with no added sugars to help manage insulin levels. 

Crazy. Unhinged. Overemotional. Hormonal. Just plain nuts?

Anyone ever feel this way?? Anyone ever been called any of the above? I’m sure I’m not alone in saying YES to either of those questions.

Sad but true. And why you may ask yourself? It’s hormones is our answer much of the time. We say it sadly, with resignation, almost an anger. Why us we lament? It’s just part of being a woman some say while they shake their head sadly.

Well, I’m here to say – bullshit on that. Yes we have fluctuating hormones throughout the month – but they are a gift, a superpower. NOT a curse. And when managed properly, they bring us the vibrancy, the zest for life, the energy, the confidence, the beauty and the peace and happiness we seek. Unfortunately, we have been conditioned to view our hormones as something to be fought, to be subdued, to be controlled. In reality, our hormones are a gift. When we support them and work with them, we are unstoppable. When we understand them and nurture them, our hormones begin working for us, rather than being perceived as the enemy.

Each one of us has the power to take back the power and to get our hormones working in our favor. To get you started on this quest, here are the basic tenants that you should focus on:

1. Get your blood sugar under control

2. Nurture your adrenals

3. Support your organs of elimination

Each step should be done in order as they build upon each other.

Why is stable blood sugar important?
Unstable blood sugar is the most pervasive underlying cause of hornonal problems.
High blood sugar & low blood sugar both cause hormonal havoc within your body.
Your body works to keep itself level (in homeostasis). Your body sees mismanaged
blood sugar as a stressor. (Which is this step makes the second step easier).
When your blood sugars aren’t balanced it not only contributes to a host of illness,
disease, and weight gain – but it throws the communications with other hormones &
other endocrine system organs out of balance.
Remember: Blood sugar levels aren’t managed by accident!

Tips for Managing Blood Sugar:

1. Eat at regular intervals throughout the day. Don’t skip meals!
   Choose the right foods – include protein and a healthy fat with each snack or
   meal
2. Know how to course correct – for example when you’ve had too much, move your
   body to help use up the excess glucose floating around
3. Don’t cut out carbs altogether! Your brain needs glucose for fuel. Eat complex
   carbs in proper portions
4. Pay attention to how YOUR body responds to the foods and timing of what you
   are eating! When you notice – you can then respond

Your adrenals -the HPA axis (hypthalamic-pituitary-adrenal) – they matter!
The HPA axis is your body’s control center for your stress response (& all the
hormones associated – cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine etc.). Chronic stress (such as we often experience in today’s world) overworks and overloads this communication pathway. Leads to a hormonal mess going on within your body.
Adrenals also produce aldosterone (blood pressure regulation; electrolyte balance)
and DHEA (anti-aging hormone & precursor to estrogen and testosterone, boosts
libido & energy) among other important hormones.

Tips to support your adrenals:

1. Balance blood sugar (see tips above)
2. Improve your sleep and sleep patterns
3. Move your body throughout the day
4. Have an orgasm (it’s fun & your body gets a great cortisol flush to relieve stress)
5. Create calming rituals or experiences for yourself around everyday stressors – for
   example while paying bills, driving, or working through that email pile at work
   put on some calming music, light a candle, get a delicious cup of comforting
   tea
6. Meditate, Journal, Practice self-care daily
7. Figure out stress management tools that work for you
   Tips

Support your organs of elimination!
Your liver, large intestine, lymphatic system and skin work day-in and day-out to
remove toxins and excess hormones (or “used up” hormones) out of your body. They
work to prevent a 20-car pile up from occurring that would create havoc in your
world.

The liver is responsible for processing and moving hormones along once they’ve done their job. The large intestine then takes those packages and moves them on out.

1. Love your liver by eating good-quality proteins, lots of cruciferous veggies
2. Help your large intestines by consuming plenty of soluble fiber

Your skin is your body’s largest organ and handles whatever your liver and large
intestine are unable to eliminate via sweating. Care for your skin!

1. Occasional trips to steam rooms/saunas
2. Alternate the water temp from warm to very cold a few times in your shower
3. Exfoliate with a hot washcloth or sea-salt scrub
4. Dry brush

Your lymphatic system (a network of organs, nodes, ducts and vessels which
produce and transport lymph a fluid made up of white blood cells) is a major
component of your immune system. It sweeps up metabolic waste, dead cells and
excess fluids and deposits them into the bloodstream where they make their way to
the liver. It also sends white blood cells where they need to go. Help it stay
unclogged by:

1. Moving your body and exercising regularly
2. Gentle massage
3. Keep node dense areas toxin free (like your armpits) by using more natural care
   products

You have the power to takeback control – to have your hormones work FOR
you not against you. One small step at a time will create sustainable change that works for you in your everday busy life.

You’re worth it!

Looking for more? Try out these 2 amazing books:

1. “WomanCode” by Alissa Vitti
2. “Beyond the Pill” by Dr. Jolene Brighten

Food for Thought – hormone health