THE 10 BEST Natural Supplements for CLEAR SKIN
Clear Acne and Increase Radiance with the Transformative Power of Supplements
Celestyna Brozek 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction...... 3 Listening to the Body...... 5 Vitamin A...... 12 DIM (Estroblock)...... 21 Spirulina...... 29 Probiotics...... 36 Zinc...... 43 Reishi...... 52 Berberine...... 63 Saw Palmetto...... 70 Vitamin C/Camu Camu.....74 Vitex/Chasteberry...... 81 My Supplement Journey...88
2 INTRODUCTION
When I decided I wanted to write books about healing acne, I knew immediately the first one I wanted to write would be about supplements. No one else wants to write about supplements - or at least no one else has. But for me supplements were the key to clearing my acne. Yes, supplements. Two other things that really helped were managing my diet and stress, but the credit for the #1 most helpful thing STILL goes to supplements.
This is for a few reasons:
• Supplements buy you time with the difficult stuff. Changing diet and lifestyle is really friggin’ hard. It takes time, it takes experimentation, it takes self-knowledge. During that (often long and not entirely painless) transition, supplements can get and keep your skin clear, even if you’re still eating a little bit more unhealthily than you should and you’re still pretty sure that there is absolutely no way to reduce or manage your stress (There is).
• Supplements give you (pretty) fast results, which gives you the strength and motivation to keep making diet and lifestyle changes (especially if you are doubtful of a holistic approach ever working). They keep your morale and motivation much higher than if you were JUST making diet and lifestyle changes alone.
I used supplements to bring and keep my body in balance while I worked on changing things that took a little bit more thought, effort and time. Sometimes, your body is so out of balance that you MUST use a supplement - food is simply not strong enough.
I want to take a moment to state explicitly that you WILL have to eventually make lasting and sustainable diet and lifestyle changes. There is no way around it. Supplements (even though they are natural) are not to be used indefinitely. In fact, the upper limit on the supplements mentioned herein ranges from as little as 2 weeks to the absolute maximum of 18 months.
The risk of writing this book is that some of you may read it and begin to use supplements incorrectly - you will use them as a long-term band-aid for your poor diet and lifestyle instead of as a temporary springboard to greater health.
3 Supplements are more powerful than food, and can cause adverse symptoms if used incorrectly or if you happen to have a sensitivity. You must approach all supplements with common sense and caution.
We have come to the part where I tell you I am not a doctor or a medical professional and have absolutely zero qualifications for handing out any sort of information or advice. So why am I doing it? Because just because I have no official qualifications does not mean that I have no knowledge or expertise to share. I do, and I feel like it is my obligation to share it with those whom it may help.
That being said, you cannot sue me if something goes terribly wrong. Use any and all information in this book at your own risk, and when in doubt, ask someone who knows more than you do, like a doctor or naturopath. It may cost more than the amazingly tiny investment of this book, but it is worth it. Your health is truly your greatest asset and your bliss is a close second. If you can spend money to become happier or healthier than for gosh sakes, do it.
There are 10 supplements covered in this book and each supplement has all of these questions addressed:
What is it? How does it work? Who will benefit from it? What is the best form to take? How to find your dosage Contraindications When will you see results? Guidelines for finding products Tips and tricks Final thoughts
4 LISTENING TO THE BODY
Supplements are dangerous when you come from a typical Western mindset. We are a culture of instant gratification, of “more is more,” of near-complete disembodiment and of total disempowerment in the areas of self-help and health. This is the perfect storm for not being able to “hear” what the body is saying about a supplement.
While it takes time to develop a relationship with the body, so you can begin to listen to and trust what it is saying, here are some things that may help you with figuring out your supplemental regimen and dosages in the near-term.
1) Move
Get into your body. Take a yoga class, go for a run, dance in your bedroom. Notice how you feel before and after you do the activity. Notice how you feel during the activity. Put words to this in a journal.
After you have been moving your body with mindfulness and awareness for some time, you may try the sway test for determining dosage. Please keep in mind the sway test is by no means the only way to determine dosage, and if your intuition or gut overrides the results of the sway test, by all means listen.
Here’s how it works:
A Self-Testing Method for Vitamins, Supplements and Food
(adapted from tapintoheaven.com)
Stand with your feet no more than shoulder width apart. Either test barefoot or in flat shoes such as sneakers. Heels are not recommended.
Place the substance you are testing in one hand and close your fist over it. Hold
5 State: “This is good for my body.”
Become still, centered, close your eyes, take a deep breath, release it and let go.
After a few moments you become aware of your body either being pulled forward or falling backwards.
If you feel yourself falling forward, your body is embracing the substance in a positive reaction. If you feel yourself going backward, away from what you are testing, your body is repelling it in a negative reaction.
Sometimes we don’t get a reaction or are not sure what answer our body is giving us. If you feel you are not getting a true reading, take the following steps:
• Perform the test again. Make sure to take a deep breath and clear your head. • Drink water —your energy system may be dehydrated. • If you can, take the vitamins or supplements out of the plastic container and place one pill or tablet in your hand. • Program your body to go forward for a positive answer and backward for a negative answer. Simple tell your body “Go forward for a yes answer,” and “Go backward for a no answer.” Then test your body by saying “yes” and waiting for a response, then saying “no” and waiting for a response. Once your body continually sways forward for “yes” and backward for “no” you can be more assured of a true reading.
Remember that since the body is electrical, energetic, physical and metabolic, it is always in a state of flux. What is good for us one day may not be as beneficial the next. And we may overload on certain foods or vitamins, creating a toxic, or allergic, reaction to our energy system. Therefore, it is best to test before you ingest at various times.
Test your vitamins, supplements and other products on a regular basis, or at least when you buy a new supply.
Although you can learn the Sway Test in a few minutes, it may take some practice before you feel comfortable using it. Since this method is always available, day or night, requires no instruments, and is free, you can practice it regularly with almost
6 any product or food. The more you practice, the more instinctive it becomes.
Using The Sway Test To Determine Dosage
Hold one capsule or tablet in your hand and state, “This is good for my body.” If you sway forward, add another capsule and state again, “This is good for my body.” Keep adding capsules, one by one, until you sway backward. Then you have exceeded the optimum dosage by one. Also ask the body, “I take this dose once a day.” If you go forward, state, “I take this dose twice a day.” When you go backward, the previous statement that tested positive is best for your body.
REMEMBER: Your body is constantly changing, so your optimum dosage may also change. If you use this method with prescription medications, use the results to open a dialogue with your doctor. DO NOT change prescription medications without first talking with your physician.
2) Use a journal
Having to write about it will force you to start to notice things like how you feel, when you get acne, what it looks like, etc. By journaling, you can discover patterns and insights that were previously invisible to you. Journal your journey into supplements - write down when you add a new supplement - what dosage, what brand, etc.
Write about your health - how you feel, how your body feels, how the particular symptom or body part in question feels.
I mentally journal my acne - I notice and analyze each and every single blemish I get. But I tell my clients to actually do it on paper. Don’t go overboard, but make it part of your daily routine.
Writing down information about your body and health will teach your brain to start paying attention to subtle feelings and signs and you will be able to catch any sort of bodily illness or distress earlier, especially since you’ll have a written record to refer to in order to make comparisons. Keeping a health journal is one of the most empowering and life changing things you can do when it comes to healing yourself and taking control of your wellness.
7 With all the information and insights in your journal, you will be able to communicate with doctors better, but will also have to see doctors less, because you will have developed a great deal of intuition and knowledge about your own body. We truly are our own best doctor, and no one knows our body like we do - once we start to pay attention.
3) Chart
Kind of the same thing as journaling, but simpler. Use this to make sure you stay on track with any supplement plan you start out with, especially ones that require patience to see results or ones that require a ramp-up in the beginning.
Basically, you will either use a calendar or a habit tracking app to make sure you are taking your supplements on a consistent schedule. You’ll check off every time you take a supplement.
When you feel like nothing’s working or like giving up, you can check your chart and see, oh yeah. It’s only been 2 weeks and I have to wait 3 months to see results. The chart will help you keep the time frame in perspective. Likewise, you might use the chart to decide something’s not working - but you can only make this decision if you truly have been using the supplement as recommended (not here and there, just when you remember) and if you know exactly when you started using it. The chart will be the place you keep this record.
A chart is crucial to helping you stay committed, organized and on track. Another example is: Maybe you’ve taken the wise path and decided to ramp up on a particular supplement slowly. The chart can help you plan ahead with this, and can keep you from cheating or short-cutting once you’ve started your extremely sensible but patience-testing ramp up plan.
Finally, keeping a chart will help let you know beyond a shadow of a doubt, when you’ve been on a supplement long enough and it’s time to cut yourself off completely, lower dosage or start cycling.
4) Introduce slowly
When in doubt, do LESS. Take less. We love the whole “more is more” attitude. Try harder, do better, push more, hustle more. For healing ourselves holistically, the exact opposite is true. In fact, I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve heard the story where someone, usually due to a much larger injury or due to some incredibly rustic experience like camping or a missionary trip, stops taking care of their skin completely and it just clears right up.
8 Like completely. And they are dumbfounded because they’ve tried everything in the book!
Why does this happen? The body has an INCREDIBLE intrinsic wisdom that NOTHING can shake. If we leave it COMPLETELY and I mean full-on hands-off, to its own devices, it will heal. End of story. Cross my heart and swear to god. Most of the time our well meaning efforts do far more harm than good.
Well, when I say completely, I mean our MIND too. Just leaving your skin alone is NOT enough if the mind is still fretting, worrying, saying “this can’t possibly be right”, wondering, etc. That is why it often takes the ultimate distraction of some other huge pain like a broken bone or surgery OR the intense physical and mental exertion of planning and executing a backpacking trip or other adventure where creature comforts like running water and mirrors are non-existent to get our mind off our skin.
And that is when the magic happens. Which is why I swear I am planning a moss beauty retreat soon - because I think that will heal just about anyone.
Anyhow, the point is, less is really more. As you read, you’ll see that some supplements actually respond best with a perfectly calibrated middle dose, and lose efficacy if the dose is too high.
Many supplements elicit quite strong detox symptoms from the body if the initial dose is too high. Do not think that you can keep the dose and just “power through” the symptoms. If you are really going to heal your skin, it is not enough just to listen. You must learn to respond - with wisdom and compassion.
What kind of a response is it if your body is screaming - this is too much! I’m detoxing too fast! I feel awful! and you say: Tough sh*t? Well, no wonder you have acne! This response is the response of someone who has no room to listen and adjust their actions based on what they hear. If you get detox symptoms, please lower your dose. If you get any adverse reaction, stop taking the supplement.
5) Always understand that supplements are temporary
When the body is healthy, it needs no supplements. When the body is healthy, it doesn’t need help being healthy beyond a good diet and a good lifestyle routine. However, if the body comes out of balance enough, illness and severe symptoms can occur that require the strength of supplements to remedy.
9 Once the supplements have done their work (2 weeks to 1 year), they are no longer necessary PROVIDING we have ALSO remedied the diet and lifestyle issues that caused the initial imbalance.
So as we embark on a supplementation regimen, we must at the same time embark upon a course correction with diet and lifestyle. There is no other way.
That being said, there may be instances where we cannot eradicate or change a particular diet or lifestyle problem, or even if we do, the imbalance nonetheless persists. In this case, luckily, most supplements are gentle enough to be taken continuously via a strategy called cycling.
6) Cycling
If you are planning on taking a supplement for longer than is recommended, you MUST give your body breaks from it. Taking periods of time off from the supplement in between the periods of time that you are actively taking the supplement is called cycling.
Cycling can range from 6 days on/1 day off to an active maintenance course of just one month out of the year. You can also cycle more naturally via listening to your body - take the supplement till you improve then stop. Only return to the supplement when and if your symptoms return. And once back on it, be ready to stop the minute you are totally improved.
7) Do what feels good
There are certain things that always “break” a supplement habit I’m trying to form. I have a really hard time dissolving powders in water and drinking that. So whenever I try to add a powder supplement, I usually fail. I also have a hard time taking supplements with meals. I have a hard time taking supplements 3 times a day (ok, even 2x a day). So I have created a supplementation routine that doesn’t fight those tendencies. It allows them.
Whatever you do, do NOT set yourself up to fail. Start really easy. Know yourself. Start with something you feel pretty confident you can succeed at. If you hate capsules, go the tincture route. Do what feels good, because then there is a much greater chance you’ll keep doing it.
8) Always consult with doctor or naturopath if you are unsure 10 You do not HAVE to come up with a supplementation regimen on your own. If after reading this book you feel overwhelmed, invest in a consult with a specialist or a naturopath. It is well worth it.
9) Start small
On that note, if you feel overwhelmed, force yourself to pick MAXIMALLY 2 supplements - or even better just one. Just one supplement. Then just try that one supplement for the recommended amount of time at the recommended dosage.
This will give you enough experience, information and confidence to help you decide on a more complicated supplementation regimen - if you decide to. It may be that this very simple regimen is what does it for you. Remember, less is really, really, truly more. You can learn more about my supplementation journey in the final chapter of this book as an example, as well.
Happy reading and learning!
11 VITAMIN A
What is it?
Vitamin A is actually more complicated than taking a pill that says “Vitamin A.” There are multiple forms of Vitamin A, but there are only two kinds of Vitamin A that are bioavailable (ie useful to the body) - they are:
Retinoids and Carotenoids.
Retinoids – which include retinol, retinal and retinoic acid – are the forms of vitamin A that are biologically active (ie, useful) in the body. Retinol is found in animal foods, especially liver, but also eggs and dairy products.
Carotenoids (you might be familiar with the form called “beta-carotene”) are actually yellow-orange pigments, which are found in many fruit and vegetable sources. Three of the carotenoids, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin, are called pro- vitamin A carotenoids because your body can convert them into retinol.
A good rule of thumb is that if the fruit or vegetable is bright yellow-orange (ie carrots or squash) it is a good source of carotenoids. Other dietary sources of provitamin A carotenoids include dark green veggies.
Which do you need: retinoids or carotenoids?
Provitamin A carotenoids are excellent antioxidants, but to combat acne beta-carotene must be absorbed and converted to retinol in the small intestine.
However, the body doesn’t absorb and convert carotenes nearly as efficiently as retinol. On average, your body only gets 1/12 of the vitamin A activity from carotenes (and some sources say only 3%!!) as from the same quantity of retinol!
But unfortunately, the more beta-carotene you consume, the less efficiently your body
12 absorbs it, so just consuming more beta-carotene, especially in supplement form, is not the whole answer.
The truth is, especially to get the amount of Vitamin A recommended to have an effect on reducing acne, it is difficult to meet your total vitamin A needs from plant sources alone. That’s why it’s important to include plentiful preformed vitamin A – retinol – in your diet. More on this in a sec.
How does it work?
Retinoids combat acne in the following ways:
• Help dead skin cells to slough off completely and at a good pace to prevent dead skin cell buildup and clogged pores • Cause the sebaceous glands to reduce the amount of oil produced, which also reduces pore-clogging • Suppress androgen formation (androgens are testosterones that encourage and increase sebum production and dead skin cell buildup) • Protect fats from oxidation (which keeps cell damage and inflammation at bay)
Who will benefit from it?
Vitamin A can play an effective role in controlling hormonal acne, but it does not typically address the ROOT CAUSE, which might be a progesterone deficiency, estrogen dominance, insulin resistance or androgen sensitivity.
It is best used for a finite period of time (4-7 months), while making the necessary dietary and lifestyle adjustments.
Vitamin A supplementation can be good if you have excess androgen activity, ie, if your skin is oily, and your breakouts are painful, inflamed, large and frequent.
Here are some other ways to tell if you might be Vitamin A DEFICIENT and need to beef up your intake not just due to your acne, but due to your overall health needs. Do any items on this list resonate with you?
• Night blindness (reduced ability to see in low light) • Impaired immunity, susceptibility to infections • Rough, dry skin, including hyperkeratosis pilaris (rough bumps on the backs of the
13 arms) • Gut damage (which many acne sufferers have - see “Probiotic” for another supplement that might be useful) Strenuous exercise and other stressors (ie lots of stress) • Alcohol consumption • Zinc deficiency • Consumption of polyunsaturated fats (vegetable oils such as canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, peanut oil. Olive oil is fine!) • Consistently low dietary fat intake
If you have cystic breakouts that are large and deep, but not painful and inflamed, or if you have mild congestion, dry blackheads or milia, or dry skin acne, then there are better supplements out there for you than hyper-dosing Vitamin A.
HOWEVER, if you do struggle with the “drier” forms of acne mentioned above, that means that your whole system is probably dehydrated. In which case it is never a bad idea to INCREASE intake of healthy fats, and your most viable Vitamin A supplement (revealed below) is just such a thing: a very healthy fat.
Nevertheless, everyone can benefit from the forms of Vitamin A recommended below, since Vitamin A is necessary for overall health.
What is the best form to take?
As previously mentioned, beta-carotene is a less efficient means of getting enough retinol, even in capsule form. Keep eating your orange veggies (especially if you WEREN’T eating any till you read this), but also add (if possible) a retinoid from a sustainably and safely sourced animal. Spirulina actually contains more carotenoids than any other whole food.
Liver – from beef, lamb, goat, pork, chicken, or fish – is the absolute best source of preformed, highly absorbable vitamin A (animals store vitamin A in their livers, just like we do). Consider eating 1/4 to 1/2 pound of liver once per week (1/4 pound of beef liver contains about 30,000 IU of retinol).
(If you do not like the taste (like me) you can either attempt to hide it in other richly flavored foods like stews, meatballs or casseroles, or pre-cook the liver once a week, then eat it JUST LIKE MEDICINE (gulp and grimace) before a pleasurable meal. Sorry, but there you go!)
Lamb and goat liver tend to be a little milder than beef liver, so they can be a good way to
14 ease into eating liver. When it comes to liver, always go grass-fed! The liver stores toxins and antibiotics that can result from animals raised in feedlots. Also, liver is naturally pretty lean, so eat your liver with some fat (I love grass-fed ghee or olive oil) because Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin and NEEDS to be consumed with fat to be absorbed.
Pastured eggs, dairy products and shrimp also contain retinol (although dairy can be tricky and often cause or exacerbate acne, especially, the amount you’d need to consume to get adequate retinoid intake) so if possible stick with organic, cage-free eggs and shrimp. Well, and liver.
Just FYI, just ONE three ounce serving of beef liver has FIFTY-TWO (52) times more retinol than 1 large egg. And one large egg has almost double the amount of retinol as a 3 ounce serving of shrimp.
However. Let’s do the math on eating one sweet potato vs. eating one 3 ounce serving of beef liver vs eating 2 eggs. We’ll use IUs of retinol as our unit of measurement and assume our small intestine does a good job converting the beta carotene into retinol.
One sweet potato has about 28,000 IU of beta-carotene, which we just learned gets absorbed inefficiently, BUT 1/12 SHOULD still become the highly desired retinol. So 28,000/12 gives us 2,300 IU. Not too shabby. What about 3%? Well, we still get 840 IU. Let’s split the difference and say 1,500 IU. Comparing, we see:
Sweet potato = 1,500 IU 3 ounce beef liver = 22,000 IU 2 eggs = 600 IU
So...liver. Is there ANY alternative?
Getting 2,000 - 5,000 IU (the recommended dose for an average human) of Vitamin A a day is totally doable through optimizing diet - and you don’t have to include liver. But for 10,000 IU (the recommended dose for mitigating acne), it’s either liver or…. luckily there are some supplements that you can consider if you seriously do not like (or do not have access to) grass-fed liver.
Fermented Cod Liver Oil (FCLO)
One-half teaspoon a day of FCLO gives you about 4,600 IU of retinol, or half of your daily vitamin A needs, in a very natural form. If you are consuming no other animal products,
15 you might take up to a full teaspoon each day.
Why fermented and not regular cod liver oil?
Fermented cod liver oil is made when cod livers are fermented as opposed to heat processed. This allows the fat soluble vitamins and beneficial oils to separate from the rest of the liver without damaging the fat soluble vitamins (unlike in some methods like heat processing where the vitamins are damaged). This cool temperature fermentation process allows the cod liver oil to maintain its Omega-3, Vitamin D and Vitamin A content. This also makes the nutrients more absorbable to the body.
Dessicated Liver
You can also get your (hormone, pesticide free + grass fed) beef liver dried up and in capsule/powder form. I was not aware of this option till I started writing this article, but what I love about this is that you get more than just Vitamin A - you get all your B vitamins, iron and trace minerals as well!
The serving size suggested gets you about 2,200 IU of Vitamin A.
Here is the product: http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/radiant-life-desiccated-liver/superfoods- supplements#tab-row
For carotenoids, see supplement Spirulina.
How to find your dosage
The recommended dose is 2,000 - 5,000 IU per day for a normal human. If you are taking Vitamin A to see a reduction in acne, it is recommended you take 10,000 IU a day. BE CAREFUL - Retinoids at this daily dosage can be toxic, if not taken in the proper conditions. See below for more info. Carotenoids are not toxic, and fine to take in any (reasonable) amount.
Veggies
With veggies (cartenoids), aim for 1-2 serving of FRESH (not frozen or canned) beta- carotene rich veggies a day (carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, kale and dark greens are all
16 options.) Unfortunately, while there ARE beta-carotene supplements, they do not absorb effectively, so they are not super helpful. Eat them with a little healthy fat, since Vitamin A needs to be consumed with fat to be properly absorbed.
Spirulina
1,000 - 4,000 mg per day will get you between 50% and 200% of the recommended dose - but of carotenoids, not retinoids.
Liver
With liver, consider eating 1/4 to 1/2 pound of liver per week (1/4 pound of beef liver contains about 30,000 IU of retinol). Keep in mind as well that vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, so our bodies can store it up for when it’s needed. That means that you can get your vitamin A in spurts – a big dose one day a week can supply you with enough vitamin A to last you until next week! So you can either eat all your liver at one meal, or choke it down daily in smaller portions.
Fermented Cod Liver Oil
Start with ½ a teaspoon a day, especially if you are also eating eggs, shrimp, liver and beta- carotene rich fruits/veggies (I prefer you eat veggies because fruits have lots of fructose, ie, sugar). If you do not see results after 2 months, go up to 1 teaspoon. Make sure you take the necessary steps to prevent retinoid toxicity. If you are taking the FCLO and butter blend, you can alternate between 1 tsp and 1 ½ tsp daily.
Dessicated Beef Liver
3 - 9 grams daily. 3 grams is about 2,200 IU. And 3 grams is about 1.5 teaspoons of liver powder.
Contraindications
Do not take above average doses of Vitamin A while pregnant.
Make sure you get an adequate amount of Vitamin K2 and D3 to prevent retinoid toxicity.
You can get your D from daily sun exposure (About 10-15 minutes 3-4 times per week. You don’t have to do it all at once. Do NOT wear sunscreen for the first 10 minutes you
17 are outside - this prevents the chemical reaction from occurring on your skin and inhibits vitamin D production.)
You can also get a vitamin D supplement - about 5,000 IU per day.
K2 is found in fermented foods and in high vitamin butter oil. Supplementation in pill form is also an option.
You can also take a supplement that provides K and D - see the notes below.
When will you see results?
Results will vary greatly from individual to individual, especially because who knows what else you are eating or doing that could continue to exacerbate your acne? BUT. BE PATIENT. Give yourself 3 months before you decide to call it quits. If there is no noticeable change after 3 months, then either up the dose (do NOT go higher than 10,000 IU per day) or call it.
Guidelines for finding products
Whole Foods or your local butcher is your best bet for grass-fed, organic liver. My Whole Foods has both beef and chicken liver, but not the other animals. It is not that expensive, especially if you eat just ½ pound per week. (PS Liver is also a really great supplement for dogs!)
You can get Fermented Cod Liver Oil on Amazon. The only company I know of that makes it is called Green Pastures. You can get it in capsule or liquid form. You can also get it as a FCLO and high vitamin butter oil blend - this helps ensure you’re getting enough Vitamin K2, since the butter oil supplies it. http://www.greenpasture.org/public/Home/index.cfm http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field- keywords=+fermented+cod+liver
Here is where I found the dessicated beef liver: http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/radiant-life-desiccated-liver/superfoods- supplements#tab-row
18 Vitamin K/D supplement: http://www.amazon.com/Thorne-Research-Vitamin-Liquid-Fl/dp/B0038NF8MG/
Tips and tricks
Fat helps Vitamin A absorb better
You MUST eat Vitamin A rich foods and supplements with fat so they get fully absorbed since vitamin A is ONLY fat soluble! So cook the liver with oil or ghee and same thing goes for the veggies. Eat them with oil, ghee, avocado or nuts. Good fats only, please!
Make the liver into medicine
As I mentioned, I really do not like the taste of liver, and find it difficult to mask the taste in other stuff, so this is how I eat it. I cook it with LOADS of garlic and ghee. Then I chop it into tiny bite-size or even swallow-size pieces. Then I portion that into 7 portions and eat one portion every day as medicine. Yep, kind of gross. Or...just get the powder form….
Get the FCLO and butter blend for a more nutritious supplement
Instead of buying just Fermented Cod Liver Oil, get the FCLO mixed with high vitamin butter to get the needed Vitamin K. This is a mix of ⅔ CLO and ⅓ butter so you may want to alternate between taking 1 and 1 ½ teaspoons per day.
Avoid Vitamin A toxicity
Make sure if you’re eating 10,000 IUs of Vitamin A per day, you are getting enough Vitamins D3 and K2, to avoid Vitamin A toxicity.
Vitamin A Stores Well
Because Vitamin A is fat soluble, our livers can store it for later use. So don’t worry if you skip a dose or a day here or there - you can double your dose the next day. Many people simply eat ¼ pound of liver once a week, and that is all they need. The liver metes out the Vitamin as needed.
Final Thoughts
19 Hyper-dosing with Vitamin A became popular as the “natural” alternative to drugs that came out in the 90s that were synthetic and dangerous forms of retinol like Accutane and Tretinoin. (NEVER take these drugs - they are so harmful and their side effects harm the body for a lifetime.)
Unfortunately, as I mentioned previously, while this protocol may minimize sebaceous gland activity while you are on it, it is not addressing the root cause: why areyour sebaceous glands overactive in the first place?
Hyper-dosing Vitamin A also requires - for many people - serious dietary changes. The problem with eating so much liver and orange veggies means you are crowding other good stuff off your plate. Everything in moderation.
Now, you do have the option of taking the fermented cod liver + butter oil or the liver powder. Only a teaspoon to a few teaspoons a day is not too bad and that gets you close to the required 10,000 IU. Yet, this is not without its downsides, namely the risk of Vitamin A toxicity and also the cost. It’s about $40-$70 for about a month’s supply with these supplements.
Here’s what I ultimately think: both FCLO and dessicated liver sound great for overall health - the dessicated liver sounds especially awesome if you are B vitamin or iron deficient as well - and many, many people are. BUT - take them at a dose of 2,000 - 4,000 IU a day, NOT 10,000.
20 DIM (ESTROBLOCK)
What is it?
Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a phytonutrient (plant nutrient) found in cruciferous vegetables. These include cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, rutabaga, and turnip. These plants have been cultivated for thousands of years and were initially used for their medicinal benefits.
It can also be formed in the body under acidic conditions (like the stomach) from a precursor substance also found in cruciferous veggies called Indole 3-Carbinol (I3C).
Estroblock is a popular DIM supplement - and is the one I recommend because it has been tested by many individuals and found to be the highest quality, the most absorbable and the most effective.
How does it work?
DIM helps promote healthier estrogen metabolism.
When estrogen is metabolized, it turns out that the liver can metabolize estrogen through 2 different pathways. A healthy liver with efficient estrogen metabolization will mostly convert the estrogen into beneficial estrogen metabolites.
These good metabolites are intentionally released back into the blood, and account for many of the benefits of estrogen, including the prevention of heart disease and strong, healthy bones. They also have the power to get rid of damaged or cancerous cells throughout the body.
However, the second metabolic pathway, creates bad estrogen metabolites that result in estrogen dominance and are linked to many health problems, most notably oxidation, DNA damage, cancer, and as we know, hormonal acne.
DIM is not an estrogen or a hormone but like estrogen, DIM can be metabolized only by a
21 special class of enzymes. It turns out that DIM, when consumed in food or in absorbable formulations, stimulates its own metabolism. This special metabolic pathway for DIM, and the enzymes involved, precisely overlap with the pathway needed for healthy estrogen metabolism.
Put another way, having DIM in your system increases healthy estrogen metabolism because it activates the enzymes and opens up the metabolic pathway necessary for estrogen to be converted into the good metabolites.
Stated even more simply, supplementing the diet with DIM specifically promotes beneficial estrogen metabolism and helps restore a healthy hormonal balance.
If estrogen is not getting metabolized properly, it can lead to estrogen dominance, which unbalances the hormones. If the levels of estrogen get unnaturally high in the body, then all of our other hormones will try to compensate to bring the proper hormone ratios about again.
This means androgens go up. And androgens are what cause all of the mayhem on our skin that leads to acne, like sebum overproduction, sticky sebum, sticky dead skin cells, and increased inflammation.
So if we get our estrogen levels down, androgen levels go down, and acne goes down!
Who will benefit from it?
Most female hormonal acne is due to estrogen dominance, and if you are an adult woman suffering from classic hormonal acne, then this might be the magic bullet for you. It was for me. DIM is also safe to use for men.
If you are on ANY form of hormonal therapy, including hormonal birth control, it is a very good idea to take a DIM supplement. It will not make the birth control less effective, but it may help with the negative side effects.
How can you tell if you have hormonal acne?
• You have other hormonal symptoms along with the acne. • Typical hormonal symptoms can include but are not limited to: • Painful periods • Irregular periods
22 • Sore breasts • Fatigue • Depression and anxiety • Weight gain or loss; stubborn fat • Loss of libido • Digestive symptoms • Infertility • Hirsutism • Hair loss • Cystic ovaries • Headaches; aches and pains
• The acne is around the mouth, chin, and jawline. Hormonal acne almost always appears first and foremost around this area. As it gets worse it can spread to the rest of the face and other locations on the body. • It comes and goes (or lessens and worsens) throughout your cycle. Popular times for breakouts are during ovulation and before menstruation, although some women find it’s the reverse. As long as there is a noticeable pattern of any sort that correlates with your cycle, then check yes here. Caveat: if you have a severe imbalance, the acne can persist all time. • The acne is cystic. This is definitely not a necessity, but itʼs something highly correlated with hormonal acne. Cysts and nodules are the big, hard acne bumps that take forever to go away. Hormonal acne can definitely be less severe though, and present itself as papules, pustules, clogged pores, and also uneven, blotchy skin tone. • It’s really darn stubborn! By stubborn I mean that it is the least likely to completely respond to common acne treatments, like lifestyle changes and external skin care. It can also take longer than other blemishes to heal and go away.
DIM also helps to detox the liver, helps you lose stubborn weight that may be hanging on due to a hormonal imbalance, and because bad estrogen metabolites have been linked to cancer, DIM may help prevent breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.
DIM is also recommended for women who have adult onset acne as a result of childbirth, menopause, or perimenopause.
Finally, if you have high exposure to xenoestrogens (chemicals that fool our bodies into treating them like estrogens) in your diet or life, DIM is a really good idea. Xenoestrogens can be found in many plastics, including bottled water.
23 Parabens and sulfates (present in basically every conventional skincare, hair care or soap/ hygiene product) also act as xenoestrogens, which is why it is important to switch not only your skincare to natural but EVERYTHING else as well….at least do your best. And if you cannot, then take Estroblock! :)
Finally, the worst offenders are pesticides, so it is incredibly important to try to eat organic.
What is the best form to take?
Some forms of DIM are better absorbed by the body than others. There is one brand in particular that I can vouch for, it is the brand I use myself, and it is called Estroblock. It uses a patented form of DIM called Bio-Response DIM (BR DIM) which has at least 150% better bioavailability than normal DIM.
While it’s true that BR DIM has better bioavailability it doesn’t mean that other DIM supplements would be useless. You may just have to take more of them to get a dosage that is adequate.
If you do go with another brand, be careful if you see any creative terms like DIM “blend,” which most likely means a diluted DIM product.
Make sure that the formula also includes vitamin E or BioPerine or other ingredients that help the body absorb DIM.
How to find your dosage
It depends on what form you are taking of DIM - some forms are better absorbed by the body than others.
If you are taking the name brand Estroblock (which is made from a special form of DIM that is very well absorbed by the body), which is what I recommend, it comes in 2 options - regular or triple strength. Now, before you go reaching for the triple strength, more is not better at all. In fact, too much DIM may cause your acne to worsen and may stress your liver.
Start with taking 2 regular strength a day, spaced 12 hours apart. Give it six weeks. If nothing has changed, you can go up to 3 regular, or 1 triple strength. Give it six more weeks. You can keep increasing dosage like this up to 2 triple strength or 6 regular per day.
24 If you go up to the max dosage, ONLY stay on it for 1-2 months, then you can go down to 1-3 regular. 1-2 months is all you need to detox an especially high level of bad estrogen out of the body, and after it is out, you do NOT need such a high dose any longer. Not to mention, Estroblock is a rather expensive supplement.
If you are a male or an athlete, start with 3 regular strength per day.
If you are taking any other DIM supplement, start with 200 mg of DIM 2x per day. You can incrementally adjust every 6 weeks up to 1,600 mg per day.
If you are taking too much DIM, your body will tell you with traditional detox symptoms like nausea, lethargy, headaches and worsening of acne. Immediately decrease dosage, take the necessary precautions to support your liver discussed below, or discontinue use.
Contraindications
Pregnancy:
Based on some research, it seems as though Estroblock is safe to use while pregnant, although it is best to keep the dosage very low. I would try coming off DIM altogether and only reintroducing it if necessary. Definitely double check with your doc.
Liver Detox Support:
Estroblock helps with the initial stage of liver detox. There are 3 stages. If the initial stage all of a sudden gets more efficient, then Stage 2 or Stage 3 may be caught off guard or not have the resources (proper nutrition and health) to keep up. So stage 2 or stage 3 liver overwhelm issues may occur, and are fairly common amongst those who:
• begin taking Estroblock at too high a dose • have a diet high in alcohol, processed foods, sugar, carbs, unhealthy fats • do not have good elimination (ie, go #2 less than once a day) • do not get enough high quality protein • eat large meals • eat late night meals
If you take Estroblock, and especially if you begin to experience traditional detox symptoms like nausea, lethargy, headaches and worsening of acne, it is a really good idea to take other measures to support the liver, namely:
25 • take a liver support herb or blend of herbs (see supplement Reishi) • get enough high quality protein (contains necessary compounds for liver health). Quinoa is great for both vegetarians and meat eaters alike. • make sure you are eliminating at least once a day. Some things that will help in this area are: • lots of roughage and naturally fiber rich foods • a fiber dietary supplement • increasing water intake (by a lot) • increasing healthy fat intake • making sure your gut is healthy • getting more exercise • decreasing and managing stress levels (this actually has a HUGE effect on bowel health) • oleation therapy (taking castor oil at night to help bowels move)
When in doubt, start with a small dose.
When will you see results?
While this varies from individual to individual, you may start seeing a calming in acne after 4 weeks. 2-3 months will definitely show improvement, best results may be around 4-5 months after use, and after 6-7 months you can play with decreasing your dose.
If you are not seeing results or if your acne is getting worse, you have some options:
• If you are not experiencing detox symptoms, try to increase the dose • If it has only been a month, give it another month, and add in liver support measures • If it has been 3 months, with no results, you can book a consult so we can troubleshoot, or this may not be the right supplement for you. No big deal, there are others.
Guidelines for finding products
There are 3 places I get Estroblock. Firstly, I look on Amazon. If they’re out, then I look on the Delgado Protocol. Finally, there is the Estroblock website. http://estroblock.com/buy-now/ http://www.delgadonaturals.com/all-products-1/
26 Here is another DIM supplement that seems fine: Source Naturals http://www.herbsdirect.com/product_info.php?products_id=1594&gclid=CMyDo8L3j8c CFU9ffgodZ-MPQA
Tips and tricks
Find the proper dosage
The biggest tip here is that dosage is going to be a large factor in getting the most out of your DIM supplement. While all my other supplements, I take at a consistent dose, I vary my DIM triple strength from one tablet every other day to one tablet twice a day.
Decrease your dose if you feel detox symptoms. Increase your dose if your acne starts coming back after the DIM has worked and made it go away or decrease. Decrease your dose if the supplement is working, your acne is gone BUT you’ve been on the same dose for 6 months or more. You may be able to go down or even stop taking DIM altogether.
Support the liver
The second biggest tip is you will get the best results out of your DIM supplement if you ALSO take measures to ensure your liver is healthy. These include:
• Cutting foods that are bad for the liver: sugar, coffee, alcohol, processed foods, preservatives/chemicals, large meals • Taking a liver support herb like Reishi or Milk Thistle • Making sure you have healthy bowls and are pooping at least once a day (drinking plenty of water, eating more fiber, and eating more healthy fats are all advantageous to do)
Start small and take your time
Finally, many people start really slow and work up to a proper dose. Some people start with just taking 1 dose every 3 days. This is up to you and your body, but please listen, and be honest about what you hear - you may need to be more patient and go more slowly than your mind is happy with, but there is no fighting your body.
27 Final thoughts
Like I said, this was my magic bullet and was the one thing that most significantly decreased my acne. Is this a replacement for fixing up your diet and your life? No. Does it give you a little wiggle room to fail and be a real person who is not perfect all the time? It does for me, but I do have my limits. Too much sugar, and not even Estroblock can help. So please use this like a supplement, and not like a cure. :) Good luck!
28 SPIRULINA
What is it?
Spirulina is a form of blue-green algae that springs from warm, fresh water bodies. Spirulina is a simple, one-celled organism that got its name from the Latin word for ‘helix’ or ‘spiral’ because of its spring-like physical characteristic. It belongs to the cyanobacteria family.
How does it work?
With over 100 nutrients, Spirulina is often described as the most complete food source in the world. The American National Aeronautical and Space Agency includes it in their astronauts’ diet.
Spirulina shows significant immune-boosting properties, which is great if your acne is due to gut or digestive issues.
Spirulina has also been shown to encourage and support the growth of healthy bacterial flora in your gut, which can help keep candida overgrowth under control.
Spirulina is rich in chlorophyll, and this makes it an incredibly effective blood cleansing agent. In fact, this microalgae contains more than ten times the amount of chlorophyll per volume than what’s found in traditional garden-variety vegetables. The chlorophyll in spirulina helps build red blood cells in the body, while also offering the body a more easily absorbable form of magnesium, a mineral crucial to keeping hormones balanced. This combination of chlorophyll and magnesium helps to remove toxins from the bloodstream while oxygenating the blood.
The blue coloring in spirulina is actually formed by phycocyanin and allophycocyanin, as well as other anthocyanins. These phytonutrients have been shown to help increase the number of white blood cells in the body. In addition, the polysaccharides found in spirulina have also been shown to increase immunity, provide anti-viral activity, help in the removal of radiation and heavy metals from the body, and improve the functional productivity of bone marrow, the thymus, and spleen cells.
29 Here are some particular specifics:
• High in GLA (gamma linolenic acid - very anti-inflammatory) • High in omega-3s (so important for healthy skin) • Extremely high in proteins (65%) • High in Chlorophyll - very detoxifying • High in iron - great during pregnancy • High in B vitamins - great for energy • High in trace minerals • High in Calcium • High in Carotenoids (vit A)
Spirulina’s Unique Properties (vs. Chlorella)
• Spirulina differs from chlorella in the type of plant protein it contains, called biliprotein. Biliprotein is a predigested protein that provides the body with antioxidants. • Spirulina is a blue-green algae, that has nourishing properties to help build the blood. • With a smaller amount of chlorophyll than chlorella, spirulina is considered to be more of a “builder” rather than a “cleanser”, although it still has the ability to mildly cleanse the organs of detoxification. • While chlorella is high in omega 3’s, spirulina is one of the richest sources of gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an omega 6 essential fatty acid that fights against inflammation. GLA is not to be confused with the linoleic acid (LA), the form of omega 6’s found in vegetable oils, corn and other animal products that promote inflammation.
Who will benefit from it?
Even without acne considerations, adding spirulina to the diet is extremely beneficial for balancing numerous issues our modern cultures suffers, such as the SAD (Standard American Diet) and unavoidable environmental toxicity.
From an acne perspective, if your acne is due to digestive or gut inflammation or candida overgrowth or food sensitivities, then spirulina is definitely recommended for you, since it can help rebalance and regrow the healthy bacteria in your gut and reduce allergic response.
Also, if the acne is caused or aggravated by systemic toxicity, Spirulina is a powerful detoxifier and blood purifier, and is recommended for you.
30 Finally, if you suspect your diet does not have enough high quality protein, amino acids and beneficial minerals (vegans and vegetarians are at a greater risk here), then this algae is definitely a good thing for you. Getting a complete protein and amino acid spectrum in the diet is important for liver health, which is crucial for clear skin.
Also: for those of you eating low quality meat (ie meat that is not ORGANIC | GRASS FED | HORMONE FREE | ANTIBIOTIC FREE) spirulina is a great way to get your protein while removing these harmful meats, and replacing them with a higher quality, more expensive meat consumed LESS OFTEN.
(Allow me to digress for a moment here, speaking of systemic issues that contribute to acne. Too much meat in the diet creates a very acidic and inflammatory state in the body, which has definitely been shown to aggravate acne. The best diet for acne uses high quality meats in moderation - definitely no more than one serving per day, and preferably only 1-3 servings a week. Ok, digression over.)
Spirulina ALSO helps with:
• Normalizing high blood pressure • Lowering cholesterol • Improving immune function and reducing allergies • Lowering the risk of stroke and cancer • Stress and mood • Weight loss
How can you tell if your acne is due to candida overgrowth or yeast?
• The skintone is very uneven and the acne has a rash like appearance • The skin is shiny and oily in problem areas • The pimples are small and usually do not break the skin • Possible rashes on other areas of the body • Breakouts on the cheeks
How can you tell if your acne is due to systemic toxicity?
• red, inflamed skin • painful, inflamed acne • painful, red, cystic acne • breakouts under the jaw and ears
31 How can you tell if your acne is due to gut troubles or food sensitivities?
• blemishes around the mouth and nose • eczema in addition to acne • other symptoms like: • loose diarrhea-like stools OR conversely constipation and poor elimination • asthma or other autoimmune flare-ups • frequent infections in other parts of the body, like ear or bladder • cramps, bloating • heartburn • chronic fatigue
What is the best form to take?
Spirulina comes in tablets, capsules and powder form. It’s up to you what form you decide to take, but the powder is the purest form usually (some of the tablets are simply compressed powder and just as pure as the powder form, but some use additional ingredients like clays as binders - always check the ingredients to make sure the only one is spirulina).
Some feel powder is the best form because it is more easily digested, begins to work immediately and can be added to food, and is totally unadulterated with fillers. It is also the most economical and easiest to adjust dosage. However, it is messier and “harder” to take, so I tend to fall out of the habit.
Capsules: you would need to take 20 capsules (of some brands) to equal 1 tbsp of powder, plus capsules take longer to dissolve, so I’m not a fan.
My personal preference tablets that are 100% pure compressed spirulina (no binders). Tablets aren’t as messy as powder, and are easily taken anywhere, but don’t have the casing of capsules.
How to find your dosage
With powder - ½ tsp. a day to start, increasing to 1 tsp. Many people take 2 tbsp per day or more.
With tablets/capsules, start by taking the recommended dosage on the container, but feel free to go up. A good range is 1,000 to 4,000 mg daily.
32 Since Spirulina is very detoxifying, you may want to start small and increase slowly, going up by ½ teaspoon or 500mg every few days. Definitely do this if you experience detox symptoms like headaches, fatigue, increased breakouts (only temporary).
Contraindications
Be careful - some Spirulina supplements may contain lead and other heavy metals. The state of CA requires these supplements to explicitly state this, but for those of you in other states - do your research into how the spirulina was manufactured or just shop my picks.
Those with PKU (Phenylketonuria) should consult with a doctor before taking, as it does contain that amino acid.
Those on any type of anti-coagulation medicine should consult with a doctor before beginning (or stopping) taking Spirulina.
Some people with autoimmune disease do not do well with Spirulina.
You should not take spirulina if you have a severe seafood or iodine allergy.
And, if you are pregnant or nursing or have hyperthyroidism, consult your healthcare provider before taking spirulina.
Spirulina may be a risk for for Mercury contamination, depending on how it is grown.
Spirulina is a safe source of protein, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that has been used for centuries. Though there are no known side effects associated with spirulina, your body may react to it based on your current state of health. Let’s take a look at some of those reactions, what they mean, and what you can do to alleviate them.
The most prominent reactions you may experience are:
• Slight Fever -- The high protein content in spirulina increases metabolism, which may elevate body temperature. • Dark Green Waste Matter -- Spirulina can remove accumulated waste product in your colon, which may cause darker stool. Also, spirulina is high in chlorophyll. This will also turn waste matter green. • Excessive Passing of Gas -- This may indicate that your digestive system is not
33 functioning properly or you have an extreme build-up of gas. • Feelings of Excitement -- Your body is converting protein into heat energy, which may cause temporary feelings of restlessness. • Breakouts and Itchy Skin -- This is caused by colon cleansing process and is only temporary. • Sleepiness -- This is caused by the detoxification process and may indicate your body is exhausted and needs better rest.
Remember, your body may go through an adjustment period with spirulina, and your best bet to reduce reaction is to dose gradually to see how your body will react. Increase your water intake, reduce your stress levels, eat well, and get plenty of rest.
When will you see results?
Some people see results and feel better within a week (especially in terms of increased energy levels). For others it may take up to 6 weeks.
Guidelines for finding products
Make sure the company has farmed it responsibly, away from potential pollutants and toxins. The label may say organic, but if it does not, all is not lost. The reason may be because in organic spirulina aquaculture, inorganic nitrogen sources are a natural part of the growth process and this does not meet agricultural requirements for organic certification. When in doubt, check with the company.
Otherwise, you are taking a supplement that has absorbed environmental pollutants and toxins.
Make sure the powder is a dark green to blue green in color and tastes like seaweed.
Here are three reputable sources for good spirulina: http://www.nutrex-hawaii.com/ (has a very credible rep and lots of great reviews) https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/spirulina-powder/profile
Trader Joe’s spirulina tablets (what I take)
Tips and tricks 34 Spirulina is best taken with an Omega-3 source like fermented cod liver oil - this helps the nutrients in it absorb.
Best if taken with cold or warm water (not juice, soft drinks, coffee or tea) prior to a meal.
After taking Spirulina, avoid alcohol, soft drinks or coffee for 30 minutes as these drinks can destroy some of the Spirulina nutrients and enzymes.
Drink lots of water - take in at least an extra half liter of water a day - this is necessary for proper detoxification.
It doesn’t matter if you take it once a day or twice a day, so long as you take enough for a day.
Start slow and build up over the course of a week or two.
Final thoughts
At first this Chapter was supposed to be about Spirulina and Chlorella. I personally take just Spirulina, but thought I should include Chlorella because they are supposedly very similar.
However, after reading about Chlorella, it seems like the benefits of using it over Spirulina (more Omega 3s and more Chlorophyll mostly) are out-weighed by the risks: harmful manufacturing processes, damaged nutrients, more risk of contamination by toxins, more expensive, harder to source.
I don’t want to confuse you, and I don’t want to recommend a supplement that I haven’t personally tried. I highly recommend Spirulina, but cannot offer any guidelines regarding Chlorella, nor can I wholeheartedly recommend it, especially not instead of Spirulina.
35 PROBIOTICS
What is it?
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. We usually think of bacteria as something that causes diseases. But your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called “good” or “helpful” bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy.
Probiotics are naturally found in your body. You can also find them in some foods (fermented foods such as yogurt, miso, tempeh, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, even pickles) and supplements.
How does it work?
The microbiome is the term that is used to describe the estimated 100 trillion bacteria that we have living in and on our bodies. It has just recently come to light that nearly every biological system in our body is in some way influenced by this bacterial community. It represents three to five pounds of our mass. It includes our skin; it includes our airway; and it includes our gastrointestinal system.
This bacterial community plays an important part in regulating our health: the way we deal with infections, the way we process our nutrition, and the way our immune system develops. All three of these factors influence how, if and when acne shows up on our body.
Every time we take in antibiotics or food, or suffer from any illness, we are influencing our microbiome. Digestive illness and antibiotics in particular can seriously and negatively affect the balance and health of the microbiome.
If your gut flora is unhealthy, your gut lining begins to deteriorate, since it is actively maintained by our gut flora. (The beneficial bacteria in your gut make sure the cells that line your entire digestive tract are healthy, well-fed, and protected from chemical or microbial attacks.) As your gut lining deteriorates, the junctions between the cells open up, causing your gut to become porous, or “leaky.”
36 It becomes like a sieve, and foods don’t get the chance to be digested properly before they are absorbed. They’re absorbed in this mal-digested or partially broken down form. When the immune system and the bloodstream finds them and looks at them, it doesn’t recognize them as food and it reacts to them. It creates immune complexes, which attack these partially digested proteins. As a result, we get all sorts of symptoms in the body.
Interestingly, some experts are of the opinion that the key to resolving your health issues is NOT to determine which foods you’re reacting to in order to avoid them. Rather you need to focus on healing your gut lining, because this is the most likely root of your problem. This will also be your most cost-effective strategy, as allergy testing can be quite expensive, and to a certain extent, we react to everything we eat.
The majority of practitioners who are experienced in this area give up on testing and recommend focusing on healing and sealing your gut lining instead. Then food allergies and intolerances disappear, as do other autoimmune and psychological disorders (ideally).
Probiotics are thought to help rebalance and restore a healthy gastrointestinal bacteria colony, which heals your gut, which can help to increase immunity, decrease inflammation and help with emotional and psychological disorders.
Who will benefit from it?
A probiotic supplement will be beneficial if the gut could use some support, or if you suspect your acne is due to digestive issues or candida overgrowth. It can also be beneficial in cases of eczema.
If you suffer from depression or any other type of emotional imbalance, surprising that could be linked to gut health. In Chinese Medicine, when our Spleen (which governs digestion) Qi (our vital energy) is weak, it can produce feelings of worry and obsession. Plus a catalyst of reactions happen to other organ functions and the emotions they’re associated with.
Also, strangely enough, if you are having trouble kicking your sugar or carb addiction due to intense cravings and you know that’s what’s aggravating your acne, rebalancing your gut flora can actually help those cravings go away.
How can you tell if your acne is due to candida overgrowth or yeast?
• The skintone is very uneven and the acne has a rash like appearance
37 • The skin is shiny and oily in problem areas • The pimples are small and usually do not break the skin • Possible rashes on other areas of the body • Breakouts on the cheeks
How can you tell if your acne is due to gut troubles or food sensitivities?
• blemishes around the mouth and nose • eczema in addition to acne • other symptoms like: • loose diarrhea-like stools OR conversely constipation and poor elimination • asthma or other autoimmune flare-ups • frequent infections in other parts of the body, like ear or bladder • cramps, bloating • heartburn • chronic fatigue
What is the best form to take?
This is the MOST important section for this particular supplement so listen carefully. There is a TON of conflicting literature out there on whether or not probiotics are important and whether or not they work. I know very well respected and savvy practitioners that swear by them and others that think they are useless. I am convinced this discrepancy of opinion is due to the quality of the probiotics tested.
Not all probiotics are created equal AT ALL.
Here are some common myths:
The more strains of bacteria the better. The opposite is true actually. The more strains there are, the more they will try to destroy each other. Seriously. So try to find a single strain, or a brand that keeps the strains separated via some technology like an oil matrix (Natren).
The higher the number of organisms the better. This would be true if all the organisms were all alive. But probiotics are actually quite fragile, and most manufacturers buy their probiotics from ANOTHER bulk source, and there is NO WAY to know how many of these little guys are surviving this long journey after being handed over so many times. One thing is for sure - WAY less than 25 billion.
38 The thing that will actually tell you how many live (therefore useful) cultures you are getting is the letters CFU. It stands for Colony Forming Units, which means guaranteed living cultures. Some manufacturers will even tell you whether the CFUs are calculated for time of manufacture or time of expiration. Now, if there are multiple strains, look for CFU next to EACH individual strain.
There is ONE brand I was able to find and verify. It is pretty expensive - like $70 for a bottle, but they do everything in their power to keep their cultures alive. They will even ship them to you on dry ice or in a climate control sleeve to protect them from the heat. This brand must be refrigerated. It is a Canadian company called Natren and you can find a link to them in the Guidelines for finding products.
I have heard the Europe has much higher standards than the US for probiotic manufacture, so if you live in Europe or shop European you might find a broader selection.
Here’s the kicker though. Usually, we think that taking something in supplement form is like taking a super concentrated dose of something we can get through diet. And a lot of times that is true. But perhaps not in the case of probiotics.
Check it out: probiotic supplements are SO fragile and it’s quite difficult to preserve the quality (what are you supposed to do if you travel? Pack your fridge too?). Yet, one study showed that a single serving of fermented veggies had 10 trillion CFUs. You would be hard pressed to find a probiotic that could even come close to that number (remember we’re talking CFUs, not just “organisms”).
So this is one case where you hopefully are not a picky eater and can incorporate some fermented foods into your diet (even one serving once a week!) because the food definitely outperforms the supplement.
It’s even quite easy (and inexpensive) to make your own fermented foods. And there’s added benefits to eating fermented foods (this is why I use fermented green tea in my skincare). Fermentation does more than add beneficial bacteria and preserve food. It also makes the nutrients inside the food more bioavailable.
For example, the amount of bioavailable vitamin C in sauerkraut is 20 times higher than in the same helping of fresh cabbage! This is because in the fresh cabbage, vitamin C is bound in the cellulose structure and various other molecules, and our digestive system is just not able to cleave it off and absorb it. Lots of it goes undigested and come out right out of you. So despite the fact that cabbage may be very rich in vitamin C, a lot of it you
39 will not be able to absorb. But if you fermented that cabbage and made sauerkraut, all the vitamin C becomes bioavailable.
How to find your dosage
If taking a pill, aim to get between 5 and 30 billion CFUs per day. If eating fermented foods, go to town - or not. Even one serving of fermented food has 100 times more live cultures than a pill, so eating just one serving of fermented foods once a week is extremely beneficial.
There is a lot of room for experimentation here, so you can eat as much fermented foods as you like (avoid ones containing dairy and sugar) and as long as you do not experience a “healing crisis” (explained below), you can continue to increase until you find a dose that works for you.
Contraindications
There is the potential for a so-called healing crisis, or a die-off reaction, provoked by the massive die-off of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other harmful pathogens by the reintroduction of massive quantities of probiotics. It can significantly worsen whatever health problem you’re experiencing, before you get better.
The reason for this is because when the probiotics kill off the pathogens, those pathogenic microbes release toxins. These toxins are what’s causing your problem to begin with; be it depression, panic attacks, acne, or any other symptom. When a large amount of toxin is suddenly released, your symptoms will also suddenly increase.
If you’ve never had fermented foods in your life, you need to start very carefully and very gradually. One expert recommends starting off with just ONE TEASPOON of fermented vegetable, such as sauerkraut, with ONE of your meals, and then wait for a couple of days to see how you react. If it’s manageable, you can have another helping, and gradually increase your portion.
If the die off is too much, stop. Let the die off subside, and then have a tiny amount of sauerkraut, or even just a teaspoon of juice from it first; not the cabbage itself. Then very gradually increase.
Probiotics may interact with certain medications, so you should talk with your doctor before taking supplements.
40 If you have a condition that affects your immune system, your doctor may not recommend probiotics.
People who have artificial heart valves have an increased risk of bacterial infections when taking probiotics.
If your gut is healthy, then introducing a probiotic supplement may do more harm than good - stick with fermented foods.
When will you see results?
Anywhere from 2-3 weeks to 3-4 months.
Guidelines for finding products
As I mentioned earlier, Natren has a good reputation. But be careful - if you get it through a 3rd party distributor, such as Amazon, make sure they ship it expedited and with a cooling mechanism or refrigeration. http://www.amazon.com/Natren-Healthy-Trinity-Probiotics-Capules/dp/B000FVM5RU/
You can also experiment with fermenting you own foods - you don’t even need a fancy starter culture or anything - in fact, to make sauerkraut, all you need is cabbage, water and salt.
Check it out:
“Mother Nature is extremely wise and extremely kind. It populated all organic fruit and vegetables, the dust on our soils, and all plant matter with Lactobacilli. The fresh cabbage leaves, if it’s organically grown (not the one from chemical farming), will be covered in Lactobacilli — lacto-fermenting bacteria. You don’t need to add anything. You just chop it up. Add some salt in the initial stages.” - Dr. Natasha McBride
There are also LOTS of gourmet and delicious recipes out there, and also products in stores. I personally love fermented ginger carrots.
Tips and tricks
With supplements, make sure you’re buying LIVE CULTURES, otherwise it’s useless (look
41 for CFU next to EACH strain).
If you’re getting a high quality supplement, chances are it’s going to need to be refrigerated, and SHIPPED refrigerated as well.
If you’re buying fermented foods, watch out for added sugar (kombucha) or dairy products (yogurt, kefir). Eat these in extreme moderation, since the sugar and dairy will aggravate your acne, and undo all the good the probiotics are doing!
WHEN TO TAKE: It is really important WHEN and HOW you take your probiotic supplement (does not apply to fermented foods) and there is a lot of controversial advice out there. However, one team of scientists recreated a digestive tract specifically so they could study this issue. Results showed that probiotic bacterial survival was best when provided within 30 minutes before or simultaneously with a meal or beverage that contained some fat content.
Final thoughts
I personally love the taste of fermented foods and am stoked on the idea that fermentation opens up access to nutrients, so that’s the route I take.
I do want to emphasize the importance, not necessarily of taking a probiotic, but of digestive health and healthy gut flora for healing acne. There is something called the gut- brain-skin axis and without going into too much detail (since this is not the topic of this book) research has shown a connection between psychological disorders, skin disorders and gut disorders.
Basically, if you have a mental condition like depression or anxiety, or even autism, you are statistically more likely to also have a skin condition like acne. And if you have a skin condition, you are much more likely to have some sort of gut distress. As more and more research comes out, it is becoming increasingly likely that these 3 things are connected to and influence each other.
So a healthy gut is proving to be critical, not just for your digestive health, or for your skin, but also for your mental health.
42 ZINC
What is it?
Zinc is an essential trace mineral (metal) contributing to our total physical and mental well-being.
It is needed for the proper growth and maintenance of the human body. It is an important element involved in basic cellular function and helps stimulate the functioning of many of the body’s most basic chemical processes.
Just a few examples:
It is an important component in skin, bones, hair, nails and eyes. It also plays a functional role in many bodily processes such as cell reproduction, protein synthesis, and hormonal balance.
It is a key player in the optimal functioning of the reproductive organs, and aids to strengthen the human immune system and deter common skin conditions.
It also supports wound healing, blood clotting, thyroid function, testosterone metabolism, antioxidant activity, connective tissue health, eye health and genetic expression, cell division, and growth.
How does it work?
Zinc acts as a cofactor (a helper molecule that is necessary for some biological activity to occur) with more than 300 different enzymes, ensuring the healthy function of many of the body’s most basic chemical processes. It exists in high amounts within the skin and especially the epidermis.
It also play an important role in balancing hormones, specifically testosterone, which are the primary cause of both teen and adult acne. Zinc balances testosterone, thereby normalizing oil production.
43 In one study, a zinc deficient diet resulted in lower amounts of both estrogen and testosterone in the system, yet a significantly increased conversion of testosterone into estrogen, which is the perfect storm for creating the most common cause of female adult hormonal acne - estrogen dominance.
Zinc reduces inflammatory response to bacteria. When bacteria invade a blocked pore they can cause severe irritation in the area, this is one reason pimples turn red and painful. Studies have shown that acne-prone skin reacts far more strongly to bacteria than normal skin. Zinc can temper this inflammatory response and reduce the effect bacteria have on the skin.
Zinc reduces keratinocyte activation. Keratinocytes are cells that produce keratin, a tough protein that binds skin cells together. Too much keratin prevents cells from separating and leads to blocked pores, as is the case in acne. By reducing keratin, zinc helps to keep skin pores open.
Zinc helps block DHT (the mega-androgen that causes our sebum production to increase and become sticky). It has been shown that testosterone (another, less powerful androgen) converts mostly into DHT with the help of the reductase enzyme. Zinc inhibits the reductase enzyme.
Zinc is crucial for “retinol binding protein” (RBP) synthesis and secretion in the liver. RBP is important because it enables the transport of vitamin A (see the Chapter on Vitamin A for why Vitamin A is crucial to healing acne) to the tissues and its serum level (the amount in our blood) reflects the levels of vitamin A in target organs. Zinc is thought to influence vitamin A transport and utilization and prevent keratinization (overproduction of keratin, the substance that our hair and nails are made of. When the skin produces too much keratin, a rough and horny texture can occur, and normal cellular turnover becomes slowed because keratin acts as a glue, binding our skin cells together. This in turn creates a build-up of dead skin cells, which are just the thing for clogging pores. No bueno.) and follicular obstruction (aka clogged pores). A study found significantly lower RBP levels in patients with severe acne, than in those without acne.
Zinc is a powerful antioxidant. Inflammatory damage to sebum is one of the root causes of acne and some studies show taking antioxidants can reduce acne.
Zinc deficiency can cause intestinal issues as well, which themselves can be a powerful cause of acne.
44 Who will benefit from it?
Zinc deficiency is not uncommon worldwide, but is rarer in the US. Nevertheless, it is becoming more and more common - most likely related to inadequate and unbalanced nutrition.
Specifically, if you eat a high grain or vegetarian diet, you are at a risk for zinc deficiency. Not because you are not getting enough dietary zinc, but because you are constantly eating foods high in phytate, a substance which strongly inhibits the body’s absorption of zinc.
Significantly, several studies have shown a correlation between statistically low serum (blood) and epidermal (skin) zinc levels and acne. Why is this the case? Perhaps because acnegenic skin “uses” zinc faster (due to the need for more healing and inflammation suppressing).
Symptoms of zinc deficiency include:
• slowed growth • low insulin levels • loss of appetite • irritability • generalized hair loss • rough and dry skin • slow wound healing • poor sense of taste and smell • diarrhea • nausea • psoriasis • eczema
Moderate zinc deficiency is associated with disorders of the intestine which interfere with food absorption (malabsorption syndromes), alcoholism, chronic kidney failure, and chronic debilitating diseases.
Zinc plays a key role in maintaining vision, and it is present in high concentrations in the eye. Zinc deficiency can alter vision, and severe deficiency can cause changes in the retina (the back of the eye where an image is focused).
45 Acne specific signs of Zinc deficiency include:
• flaky and scabby skin (especially around blemishes) • trouble applying foundation smoothly because of skin roughness and texture • inflamed acne • blemishes that heal very slowly, even if they are not inflamed • a rough texture to skin • congested skin, clogged pores • skin that looks prematurely aged and dull • psoriasis • eczema
Zinc helps most cases of acne. Studies show zinc supplementation can on average reduce acne by 50%.
What is the best form to take?
Meats, seafood, dairy products, nuts, legumes, and whole grains (nuts, legumes and grains MUST go through soaking, sprouting and/or cooking to minimize phytate interference) offer relatively high levels of zinc.
Zinc is not easily absorbed in the body unless first attached to another substance. For this reason, many zinc manufacturers have “chelated” zinc to organic and amino acids. There is much debate as to whether the process actually increases absorption.
Here are the best forms to take internally:
Zinc Orotate (best)
Zinc that has been chelated to orotic acid. The human body’s cellular membranes most readily absorb this type of zinc. Research from Dr. Hans Nieper has found that orotate forms of zinc were more neutrally charged, as compared to other types of zinc. This allowed them to pass through the membranes of cells easily, and thus offered the highest amounts of accompanying mineral atoms into the cells, leading to higher tissue concentrations of zinc. Zinc orotates contain many antioxidant properties that can help protect your health, while offering your cells the most readily-absorbable form of zinc on the market today.
Zinc Picolinate
46 A form of zinc that has been chelated to picolinic amino acids and is also readily absorbable. (second best - this is what I take.)
Zinc Methionine
Same as above - decent absorbability.
Zinc gluconate, Zinc citrate and Zinc sulphate have the lowest bioavailability.
How to find your dosage
If you’re not sure whether you’re zinc deficient get some zinc tally first - this is a simple test you can do to test whether you’re deficient.
For the test to work most effectively, it is best not to eat or drink for at least 1 hour prior taking it. This makes it a great test to do first thing in the morning.
Take 1 tablespoon of the tally, and swish it around in your mouth…but don’t swallow yet. What you are looking for is, the “type of flavor” you experience while the tally is in your mouth.
No flavor (water-like) = typical zinc deficiency No flavor to start with, but a “mineral” type flavor starts to appear = zinc deficiency Strong flavor, but not enough to make you want to spit it out = minimal zinc deficiency Extremely unpleasant flavor that you taste immediately = zinc status is good, nozinc deficiency
In most cases, if you are going to taste some sort of “flavor”, it will happen within 5 – 10 seconds.
So, any taste that develops after 10 – 15 seconds would be considered a deficiency.
Because the tally is simply zinc sulfate in a base of distilled water, it is safe to swallow after the test, or you can simply spit it out.
If you take too much Zinc you may experience side effects like nausea or stomach cramps - if so, just lower your dose. You’re only trying to get your Zinc levels up to normal (based on the theory that they are probably low and this might be doing little favors for your acne).
47 I only take zinc once a week, and I only take 1 50mg capsule. This is 333% the RDI (recommended daily intake).
Several studies showing good results have used 30mg/day of elemental zinc.
(Note that the amount of elemental zinc in a supplement is not the same as the amount of bound zinc. For example, a supplement may contain 200mg of zinc gluconate, but this doesn’t mean all the 200mg are zinc.
Most labels list the amount of elemental zinc, you just have to be careful not to confuse the amount of chelated substance with the amount of elemental zinc. The label will say something like: Zinc (from Zinc Picolinate): 50mg. Then you know it’s elemental zinc.)
If you do buy a higher dose of Zinc, then simply take it every other day. You are NOT trying to hyperdose here, just get Zinc levels back up to normal, and the slower and more gently you do this, the better for your body.
Contraindications
Do not take zinc if you are NOT zinc deficient - then you put yourself at a high risk for becoming copper deficient - the balance in the body is subtle and delicate
Too much zinc can cause nausea and cramping
Taking zinc supplements regularly is both recommended and not recommended - conflicting advice in the literature.
Here’s my take: often you only need to take zinc for 3-12 months to get your levels back to good. Then taking a dose once a week or even once every 2 weeks might be enough to keep you there. You can also try to add more foods to your diet that contain high levels of Zinc, like some grass-fed meat, and seafood.
The thing to keep in mind is you DON’T want to hyperdose zinc, but you do want to keep your levels from getting low. For some, this may look like supplementing for a year, then simply continuing with a diet modified to increase zinc and zinc absorption. For others this may look like a carefully calibrated dose once a day.
Good news - your body will tell you if you’re over-doing and also, if you’re under-doing it. Listen.
48 Taking zinc with foods high in phytic acid will decrease the absorption of zinc. Soy and legumes are very high in phytic acid as are nuts (sprouting the beans and nuts helps a little). Phytate (aka phytic acid) is also ample in staple foods like cereals, corn and rice and many other grains. Yet another reason (sigh…) to think about ditching the carbs (even the whole grains - more on this in a sec) ...
Taking an iron supplement at the same time will decrease absorption of zinc, as the two compete for absorption in the body.
When will you see results?
Treatment of mild or moderate zinc depletion can take months to complete. Some cases of severe zinc depletion require a year or more to resolve. Achievement of a proper zinc balance is slowed by growth spurts, injury, illness, or severe stress. In addition, persons with malabsorption or Type A blood respond to treatment more slowly.
Guidelines for finding products
I recommend Zinc Orotate or Zinc Picolinate (what I currently take). I get mine from Piping Rock. (I would definitely not get all your supplements here - I cannot vouch for quality - but price is good! But the Zinc is ok and has been working for me.)
Other brands to check out: http://www.amazon.com/Nutrient-Carriers-Advanced-Research-Orotate-Tablets/dp/ B00126EJ2G/ zinc tally for testing deficiency: http://www.metagenics.com/mp/products/zinc-tally
Tips and tricks
Take zinc with a decent sized meal - this can help with nausea
Make sure you do NOT take with zinc inhibiting foods that contain phytic acid like grains, legumes or nuts. So what is left you ask? Veggies and fruits high in vitamin C, potatoes, sweet potatoes (but not yams), raw dairy, meats, eggs, processed carbs (yep, getting rid of the germ and bran also gets rid of the phytic acid - in addition to all the nutrients. I do not
49 recommend this particular option - at least not all the time.)
Take with Vitamin C - can help with absorption by counteracting phytate inhibition
Final thoughts
OK, so first off, zinc rocks. Take some. It’s easy. Don’t worry too much about how and when to take it or you never will. Even if you eat it with a giant bowl of rice, it will be better than not taking it at all. SOME of that zinc is bound to get through!
Totally off topic (but this is my book and I can say what I want!): in researching this chapter on zinc, I discovered what a little devil phytic acid can be and how vegetarian diets are full of it! All grains, especially brown rice, and not excluding pseudograins like quinoa, have it. Beans and nuts have it - what’s a girl to eat, especially if large quantities of meat and protein are contraindicated for acne (due to the omega 6s and hormones they contain and their acid-producing nature)? Sigh. Damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. I guess it all comes back to everything in moderation.
Not only does phytic acid inhibit absorption of calcium, iron, zinc and other trace minerals (leading to a bajillion problems associated with mineral deficiency) it also interferes with enzymes we need to digest our food, including pepsin, which is needed for the breakdown of proteins in the stomach, and amylase, which is required for the breakdown of starch. Phytic acid also inhibits the enzyme trypsin, which is needed for protein digestion in the small intestine. So too much phytic acid can lead to all kinds of gut issues as well.
The good news is we can decrease phytic acid by soaking both beans and grains before cooking, and by sprouting legumes and seeds. The bad news is this is a hassle. The other bad news is that whole grains (what we thought were healthy) are usually higher in this stuff than refined grains.
However, the other good news is we can handle a small amount of phytic acid, so do not need to get rid of all grains, nuts and beans, just keep them to a dull roar.
An excess of 800 mg phytic acid per day is probably not a good idea. Interestingly, the average phytate intake in the U.S. and the U.K. ranges between 631 and 746 mg per day; the average in Finland is 370 mg; in Italy it is 219 mg; and in Sweden a mere 180 mg per day.
What is the Swedish diet?!? Meatballs and lingonberries? Seriously, though, the
50 mediterranean diet, something I’m very naturally drawn to, is looking better and better - check out Italy’s stats. Lots of veggies and healthy fats, lemons and herbs, lots of seafood and fatty fish, a little cheese and pasta (low in phytic acid since it is refined).
Some things to do to manage your phytic acid intake:
Get a diet rich in calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin C, good fats and lacto-fermented foods.
Try to properly prepare phytate containing foods (soaking, cooking, fermenting, sprouting, etc)
Restricting consumption of phytate-rich foods to two or three servings per day. Daily consumption of one or two slices of genuine sourdough bread, a handful of nuts, and one serving of properly prepared oatmeal, pancakes, brown rice, quinoa or beans should not pose any problems in the context of a nutrient-dense diet. Problems arise when whole grains and beans become the major dietary sources of calories— when every meal contains more than one whole grain product or when over-reliance is placed on nuts or legumes.
Unfermented soy products, extruded whole grain cereals, rice cakes, baked granola, raw muesli and other high-phytate foods should be avoided. Bye, bye granola!
The end of that digression.
51 REISHI
What is it?
Reishi is a mushroom that naturally grows in the forests of Asia.
The name “Reishi” generally refers to one of several species of woody mushroom, including Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma sinensis, Ganoderma tsugae and a few other closely related species. So just be warned - when you are buying Reishi, this is one thing to look out for. More on this later.
Reishi is arguably the most important and most revered herb used by Asian people throughout history to promote radiant health, longevity and a more centered state of mind. It is known to be among the most protective herbs in the world.
Reishi has been studied for over 2,000 years and it’s impressive list of benefits keeps getting longer.
Over the past several decades, scientific research has intensified and focused on analyzing the hundreds of unique bio-active compounds found in the medicinal Reishi Mushroom. In 2013 alone, three new compounds were discovered. With each new finding, intriguing medical applications for Reishi have emerged.
Reishi is what is know as an herbal adaptogen. Adaptogens are a class of plant that work very holistically within the body, balancing what is out of balance, and decreasing overall stress and illness.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are three concepts: jing, chi, and shen. Jing is the essence or juices of life. Chi is the energy, breath, or life force. Shen is the spirit or the “heartmind.” Reishi is one of the rarer, most powerful and “superior-class” herbs and is able to powerfully tonify all three, but perhaps most notably Shen.
As a Jing tonic, Reishi is believed to have major life lengthening effects when consumed
52 over a long period of time. It is believed to build primal power and to replenish energy spent handling stressful situations.
As a Chi tonic, Reishi is used to build energy, although it is calming when taken. Reishi is believed by Japanese and Chinese researchers to have a regulatory effect on the immune system, bringing up immune functions in cases of immunodeficiency and reducing the excesses associated with auto-immune conditions. Reishi is a superb tonic for people who suffer from chronic allergies.
As a Shen tonic, it is known to burn karma - to help to help us release psychic baggage or any kind of negativity that we may be carrying around with us. It helps us open our heart and connect to ourselves, to our higher selves, to our higher consciousness. It helps us relax our brain more from beta and more into alpha state, making a meditative state not only more attainable, but also more constant.
Here’s one interpretation of how it works as a Shen tonic:
“Here’s how I believe it works: When we consume the herb it begins quickly to strengthen and fortify our general immunity. When one’s immunity to pathogenic/environmental factors is enhanced, one begins to feel safer. The more we take herbs like reishi, the more we feel we have built a “wall of safety” around ourselves.
Reishi has been shown to activate cytokines, agents that aid the body in increasing large white blood cells governed by our immune systems, which represent our first line of defense against microbial and carcinogenic invaders. Those big macrophages (giant white blood cells) are in there chewing up the bad guys, and our subconscious neurotransmitters are aware of this.
We feel we can take on more in life and gain confidence that we are less susceptible to being knocked down by limiting and harmful factors. By taking herbs like reishi, we empower ourselves. When this empowerment starts to unfold, we let down some of the guards we’ve built up, easing fear-related stress. This winds up taking a big load of pressure off our adrenals, which sit right on top of the kidneys.
Luckily for us, the adrenals—once relieved of stress– and fear–related burdens—can actually replenish rather quickly. When the adrenals recuperate, the healthy energy resonates right down to the kidneys; our life force begins to get stronger, replenishing jing. Our light gets brighter.”
53 How does it work?
The amount of ways in which Reishi supports the body is stupendous - and the list just keeps getting longer. It is beyond the scope of this book to go into the vast amounts of detail that a thorough account would require. Following are some cliff notes.
I assume you, the reader, are most interested in its ability to clear acne, and it does that mainly through two of its benefits. Reishi is an incredible liver supporter, and acne is very often caused by some amount of liver stagnation or sluggishness or toxicity. If the liver cannot properly detoxify the body those toxins get re-released into our system and it is up to our skin to detoxify them. Also, since hormones are not getting process as they should, our hormones can become unbalanced. It is crucial to make sure our liver is functioning healthily in any sort of skin disorder or acne treatment plan.
Promising research shows that Reishi helps not only support but actually regenerate the liver. In one study, mice were given a lethal dose of the pain-killer, Indomethacin. In the control group, which received no Reishi, 90% of the mice died. In the second group which received Reishi, 100% lived! Sorry for sharing details about animal testing, but that study has such an astounding result that I wanted to share it with you.
Long story short, Reishi helps accelerate the clearance of drugs and chemicals from the body, thus helping the liver to detoxify faster. Reishi is the ultimate Phase I and Phase II liver detoxification tonic.
Reishi’s second acne-reducing benefit is its unequivocal ability to reduce stress and especially feelings of anxiety and fear. Most cases of chronic acne, especially in adult women, have a significant stress-induced component. Stress affects acne by upsetting our hormonal balance and by depleting the adrenals.
In a nutshell, what happens with excessive stress is that the body is continually producing cortisol, the stress hormone. The rate of cortisol production is much higher than normal, and the body begins to steal a very important and very hard to create hormone to convert into cortisol.
This hormone is called progesterone - many women are deficient in it, and the only way to produce it is through healthy ovulation (or supplementing).
The glands responsible for creating stress-regulating hormones - not meant to sustain
54 such a heavy and incessant workload - also get fatigued and begin to underperform. With adrenal fatigue your adrenal glands function, but not well enough to maintain optimal homeostasis because their output of regulatory hormones has been diminished - usually by over-stimulation. Overstimulation of your adrenals can be caused either by avery intense single stress, or by chronic or repeated stresses that have a cumulative effect.
Adrenal fatigue can affect thyroid performance and both these conditions can cause acne. Meanwhile, low progesterone leads to estrogen dominance, which also causes very stubborn hormonal acne. We will discuss signs of each later on.
However, Reishi’s benefits extend far beyond stress mitigation and liver support. Here are some other amazing things Reishi helps heal.
One of the unique uses of Reishi is for altitude sickness. Reishi appears to reduce altitude sickness by oxygenating the blood. This benefit was studied in Asian mountain climbers that ascended mountains as high as 17,000 feet with minimal reaction.
Reishi is commonly used for its hepatoprotective (liver protective) action. One study of patients with hepatitis B and elevated liver enzymes (SGOT/SGPT) and bilirubin were given reishi for three months. Significant reduction in SGOT and SGPT were noticed within one month. After three months all values were within normal range.
Reishi is a powerful antioxidant, possessing ganodermic acids A, B, C, and D, lucidenic acid B, and ganodermanontriol. These are all extremely powerful antioxidants, counteracting the damaging effects of free radicals on the body, and in other words, eliminating a considerable amount of work from the long list of your liver’s jobs. One study found that 50 milligrams of reishi powder had comparable effects to 5 milligrams of hydrocortisone.
Studies have shown Reishi to have a blood sugar lowering effect. Much of this activity appears to be due to polysaccharides known as Ganoderans A, B, and C. It appears there are three main mechanisms behind this hypoglycemic effect. This includes Reishi’s ability to elevate plasma insulin levels, to enhance tissue utilization of glucose, and to enhance liver metabolism of glucose.
You’ll notice a lot of what we just mentioned does help with acne as well - anti-inflammation and lower blood sugar are also really useful benefits. As if that weren’t enough, Reishi has also been shown to be a mild DHT blocker.
And the list goes on: it also has cardiovascular benefits, strengthening the heart and
55 lowering cholesterol.
Research shows that the polysaccharide beta-1,3-D-glucan in reishi boosts the immune system by raising the amount of macrophages T-cells, which has major implications for people suffering from AIDS and other immune system disorders like leaky-gut syndrome and chronic bronchitis.
This immune-boosting action also works wonders in the prevention and treatment of cancer, as the T-cells are then able to fight cancer cells more effectively.
However, reishi may help the body defeat cancer in not just one, but four ways. In addition to boosting the immune system, the glucan in reishi helps immune cells bind to tumor cells. Many experts believe that it also actually reduces the number of cancerous cells, making it easier for T-cells and macrophages to rid the body of them. Another substance in reishi, called canthaxanthin, slows down the growth of tumors. As a result of these amazing anti-cancer abilities, laboratory research and traditional medicinal usage of reishi to fight cancer is so positive that the Japanese government officially recognizes it as a cancer treatment.
Researchers have identified three specific compounds that are essential to Reishi’s powerful antioxidant and antiaging effects:
Polysaccharides have anticancer effects based on their ability to prevent abnormal blood vessel formation, and to boost immune system function.
Triterpenes protect the liver, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent platelet clumping that leads to heart attack and stroke, fight allergic responses triggered by histamine, and also possess anticancer activity.
Ganoderma lucidum peptide is a unique protein that has remarkably potent antioxidant characteristics that are still being unraveled.
Who will benefit from it?
Just about everyone. Seriously. Liver issues, adrenal fatigue and stress are literally the three most notorious causes in acne and simultaneously three of the absolute hardest things to treat.
Specifically, if you have these symptoms, your acne is quite probably due to liver
56 underperformance:
• Lots of blackheads and congested pores • Often dry skin • Breakouts appear anywhere on the face and easily come to the surface with a head • Surface pimples are very red • Surface pimples can be sore to touch • Breakout around the eyebrows and center of the T-zone • Cystic acne
If you have these symptoms then adrenal fatigue or the thyroid is to be suspected:
• milia (tiny bumps with or without a white head) around the eyes • tiny bumps on the forehead and temples • acne on the forehead and temples • inexplicable fatigue • low energy • trouble focusing or concentrating • craving salty and sweet snacks • difficulty bouncing back after stress or illness • feel more awake and energetic after 6pm than you do all day • trouble getting up in the morning even if you got plenty of sleep
Progesterone deficiency may be helped indirectly by taking Reishi, but usually involves a more robust approach that is focused on making sure that a woman’s reproductive system is healthy, and is beyond the scope of this herb. If you suspect you are deficient in progesterone (google “signs of progesterone deficiency”), then meet with with a doctor or a respected, experienced naturopath to decide on the right course of action.
What is the best form to take?
As previously mentioned, there are many different types of Reishi, and some are more potent than others. Generally, red, mature, organically grown reishi is the best.
Make sure you get bioavailable reishi. If reishi is not extracted, you will be left with all of its food (I explain more below), and the protective shell we know as chitin - which is indigestible.
It is common in the field of medicinal mushrooms to use the immature bodies of the
57 mycelium, which is the stage of the mushroom between the spore and the mature adult body. In most cases, these mushrooms are cultivated in grain slurry, in a box, with a small growing period. It costs considerably less money to produce mycelium, and when you get the final product, it is half minimally potent mushroom and half the grain slurry the mushroom was not able to digest.
I personally take Hyperion Herbs reishi because of all the Reishi I researched, it alone offers a single-origin mushroom (Duanwood red reishi) and it alone tells me the concentration of the extract (10:1).
Hyperion Herbs explains that Duanwood reishi is grown on hardwood in nutrient-rich soil, where the mushroom is able to obtain the essential phytonutrients it needs for its powerful health benefits. The Chinese government strictly regulates Duanwood reishi, and it is forbidden to use chemicals or pesticides in the growing process, so you can be assured that you are also getting a one hundred percent organic product.
Hyperion Herbs is also unique in that they offer either the powder extract or (and I think they are the only ones to do this) a capsule containing Reishi spore oil, which is a little more concentrated than the extract.
Either form works, the capsules are more expensive, and the main point to get across here is to make sure you’re taking a potent, mature Reishi that has not been mixed with its food or shell.
How to find your dosage
Dosage is up to you on this one, and the reports on using Reishi indicate it is overwhelmingly safe outside of extremely long term high dosage use.
As always, listen to your body and pick a place to start. I think I started at ½ a teaspoon per day and now vary between a teaspoon and 1 ½ teaspoons.
Since Reishi is an herb that will stimulate detox, if you feel any typical detox symptoms, simply reduce your dosage and build up slowly.
It is always best to start small and build, than to go too high and have to reduce dosage, even though as humans we REALLY prefer method 2 over method 1. If you can find the patience, that really is best.
58 Here are some general guidelines:
Of the 10:1 extract: ½ to 1 teaspoon per day.
Reishi in general: 100 - 1000mg per day (each spore oil capsule is 500mg of extremely pure reishi so I would treat those as higher doses than 500mg).
I do think, when treating acne, and especially if you are on DIM or Estroblock simultaneously, a slightly higher dose is better - but be sure to work up to it if that is what your body needs.
Contraindications
Ask your doctor before taking while pregnant. There have been no official studies done on whether or not reishi is safe while pregnant or breastfeeding, but anecdotal stories like this indicate it is probably safe in a carefully considered dose and doctor-approved regimen: “In Asia, pregnant women also seek the herb as an immune builder for themselves and the fetus. Master Teeguarden spoke of “reishi babies,” as he called them, babies whose mothers took reishi throughout pregnancy. I saw some of these children, older and newborn, and they appeared uniformly calm and focused. The infants had little or no inflammations on their face or hands, cried little, and appeared to take in their surroundings with incredible acuity.”
Reishi may have some side effects, including abdominal upset, dizziness, nose bleeds and dry mouth and throat, and bloody stools.
Bleeding disorder: High doses of reishi mushroom might increase the risk of bleeding in some people with certain bleeding disorders.
Low blood pressure: Reishi mushroom seems to be able to lower blood pressure. There is a concern that it might make low blood pressure worse and could interfere with treatment. If your blood pressure is too low, it is best to avoid reishi mushroom.
A clotting disorder called thrombocytopenia: High doses of reishi mushroom might increase the risk of bleeding in people with thrombocytopenia. If you have this condition, do not use reishi mushroom.
Surgery: High doses of reishi mushroom might increase the risk of bleeding in some people if used before or during surgery. Stop using reishi mushroom at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
59 After a year of continuous use, it is best to take a break from reishi for amonthand evaluate your skin. If it continues to be healthy, then discontinue use of reishi. Ifyou find that your skin was doing better with reishi, adopt a ½ on, ½ off regimen, where you intermittently take the herb, giving your body a break from it regularly.
Overall, the herb is very safe; side effects are rare.
When will you see results?
A sense of focus and calm after taking Reishi may be immediate and present itself within minutes or hours after taking the herb.
For improvement in acne, give it 2-3 months. If you have very congested skin and lots of blackheads, it may take up to 6 months for to clear, although you may see results in as little as a month. Blackheads and clogged pores can take up to 6 months to be expelled.
For liver health and healing, 1- 4 months is recommended.
Guidelines for finding products
As I mentioned earlier I get my reishi from Hyperion Herbs and can attest to the quality. They are very transparent about what kind of reishi they use and their reishi is grown on actual hardwood, the way reishi naturally grows in nature.
Most other reishi companies grow their reishi in boxes and feed them with a grain slurry.
I think of the difference as “grass-fed” vs “grain-fed” and I definitely think the reishi growing on wood gets a much broader nutritive spectrum.
Hyperion Herbs
Hyperion Herbs uses mature Duanwood red reishi for their extract. It has been grown on specific types of hardwood indigenous to specific areas of China. It is the fruiting bodies of the red reishi mushroom, while other varieties of reishi include black, blue, white, yellow and purple. There are actually over two thousand different varieties of reishi found in nature, while only a small number have been shown to have potent medical benefits. According to Hyperion, Duanwood reishi has the highest concentration of phytonutrients. https://www.hyperionherbs.com/shop/organic-duanwood-reishi-extract-4-oz/
60 Sunpotion
According to SunPotion:
SunPotion uses a “full-spectrum” Reishi product. Cultivated under strict, Organic protocols in USA, Sun Potion Reishi uses a blend of different Reishi species to create a full-spectrum mycoproduct.
This sounds less exciting, but this is a well-respected brand, so you can try them. They are slightly more expensive than Hyperion. http://www.sunpotion.com/collections/tonic-herbs/products/organic-reishi-mushroom- powder
Real Mushrooms
A new brand that just came out - they do not give any info on where and how and what. Although they do explicitly say there is no added mycelium or starch. They say that the powder has 4% or more triterpenes, while Hyperion Herbs reishi spore oil capsules are 32% triterpenes...not trying to play favorites, just sayin’... http://www.realmushrooms.com/#reishi
Tips and tricks
I especially love Reishi because it has helped me to cut down a lot on coffee (which in large amounts can be quite taxing on the liver). I now drink a highly diluted coffee blend which has reishi in it. This makes it super easy to make sure I get my reishi daily, as I wouldn’t dream of skipping coffee.
Or if the powder form of reishi is too hard to “fit in” to your life/diet, consider the Hyperion Herbs capsule form. You can easily take 1 every other day to stretch your dollar, and still get the benefits.
Japanese research suggests taking vitamin C along with it may enhance reishi’s medicinal effects.
Final thoughts
61 I (obviously) love reishi, but there are plenty of other liver support herbs out there, so don’t be afraid to check them out. Milk thistle is a very popular one, and I’ve heard Thorne SAT liver supplement mentioned often (it contains a proprietary blend of liver supporting herbs).
Regardless of whether you take reishi or another herb, I do think that supporting the liver is one of the very best things you can do to heal both skin and body.
A little bit more info on how the liver works, so you can understand how to best support it: The liver has 3 detox stages, and it is important to support all three. Phase 1 takes fat soluble toxins and turns them into less harmful chemicals, via various chemical reactions (such as oxidation, reduction and hydrolysis).
(During this process free radicals are produced which, if excessive, can damage the liver cells. Antioxidants (such as vitamin C (see chapter on Vitamin C) and E and natural carotenoids (see chapter on Vitamin A)) reduce the damage caused by these free radicals. If antioxidants are lacking and toxin exposure is high, toxic chemicals become far more dangerous.)
Phase 2 is called the conjugation pathway, whereby the liver adds another substance (eg. cysteine, glycine or a sulphur molecule) to a toxic chemical or drug, both rendering it less harmful and most importantly, making it water-soluble, so it can then be excreted from the body via watery fluids such as bile or urine.
Phase 3 is the actual excretion process, where the toxins get moved to the kidneys (for elimination via urine) or to the large intestine/colon for elimination via poop.
DIM/Estroblock supports phase 1, while Reishi helps support 1 and 2. Phase 3 is best supported by eating lots of fiber and good fats and drinking lots of water.
62 BERBERINE
What is it?
Berberine is an alkaloid compound that is isolated from plants such as Barberry, Goldenseal and Oregon Grape. It’s been used in traditional Chinese medicine going back centuries and is currently making a resurgence as an herbal treatment for type-II diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), high cholesterol and acne.
Berberine has anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory effects and is able to reduce glucose production in the liver.
How does it work?
Berberine targets a very basic and ancient regulator of metabolism present in all animals and plants called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). AMPK stimulates the uptake of glucose into the cells, improves insulin sensitivity, and reduces glucose production in the liver, which is in overdrive in patients with diabetes.
It slows the release of free fatty acids, which lowers lipid levels and prevents harmful fat deposition, and boosts fat burning in the mitochondria. It also stimulates the release of nitric oxide (NO), a signaling molecule that relaxes the arteries, increases blood flow and lowers blood pressure, and protects against atherosclerosis.
Berberine is anti-inflammatory. It improves intestinal permeability (and thereby reduces inflammation) and inhibits the expression of inflammatory cytokines (cell signalling molecules that aid cell to cell communication in immune responses and stimulate the movement of cells towards sites of inflammation, infection and trauma).
Berberine is a natural antibiotic. Berberine has antimicrobial properties so it reduces the number of bacteria that contribute to acne.
Berberine is androgen-inhibiting. It reduces testosterone in women by blocking the production of testosterone by ovarian thecal cells.This reduces the activity of skin-cell processes that form comedones, such as sebum production and makes berberine a
63 particularly good choice for PCOS-sufferers with acne.
Berberine improves sensitivity to insulin, thereby lowering insulin and IGF-1. It also directly inhibits mTOR. This is important because high insulin is a key driving factor behind acne. Insulin triggers the release of a hormone called IGF-1 and an enzyme called mTOR. Both IGF-1 and mTor are a perfect storm for acne because they promote excessive production of sebum, keratin and inflammation. (Berberine lowers insulin, but it’s important to combine it with an insulin-lowering diet for best (or any) results, which means reducing or eliminating concentrated sugar and dairy products.)
One clinical study has shown a 45% reduction in acne following one month of treatment.
Who will benefit from it?
If you suspect your acne is due to insulin resistance or even PCOS, then berberine is suggested.
If your acne is highly inflamed and painful, then berberine is also a good choice due to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.
Finally, if your acne is due to intestinal issues, especially infection, then berberine will help. Tests of the antiseptic action of berberine against bacteria, yeasts, viruses, and amoebas have shown a range of activity levels from apparent potent action to mild suppression. Inhibition of giardia and of candida have been areas of considerable interest and initial positive research results have led to development of berberine containing products for those applications.
How do you know if your acne is due to insulin resistance? Here are some signs and indications:
• a diet high in sugar, grains, starches, breads, cereals, rice, fruit, dairy • apple shape • weight gain around waist and middle • abnormal glucose tolerance (show on a test you can ask your doctor to give you) • overweight, although you may be normal weight. Normal-weight insulin-resistance can occur in the years following dieting or eating disorder • other symptoms of immune-dysfunction such as recurring infections, headaches, joint pain • hirsutism (excess hairiness where there shouldn’t be, such as in the beard area)
64 • male pattern balding • abnormal periods and infertility • masculine personality traits • depression • emotional instability
I almost don’t want to mention this, since I don’t want you using supplements (especially berberine - and you’ll see why in a second) as a crutch. However, here is one account of someone who has used berberine to help with acne: “It helps me stay fairly clear even if I don’t follow a strict blood-sugar regulating diet. However, berberine + insulin regulating diet gives me 100% clear skin.”
What is the best form to take?
There are a number of herbs that contain Berberine. You may take an herbal supplement or you may take a berberine extract supplement.
Among Chinese herbs, the primary sources are phellodendron and coptis.
Several Western herbs also contain berberine, such as barberry root bark (Berberis vulgaris), Oregon grape root (Berberis aquifolium), and goldenseal root (Hydrastis canadensis).
If you use goldenseal, then please choose a sustainably sourced product, as goldenseal is endangered in the wild. I suggest you take a standardized berberine extract, because then you know exactly how much you are taking, as opposed to with an herb, you don’t know what percentage of the herb is berberine, and even if you did, it varies from source to souce and batch to batch, often considerably.
How to find your dosage
Here is another herb that will tell your body in no uncertain terms if you are taking too much. You will experience detox symptoms like nausea, sluggishness and headaches if your dose is too high.
On the higher end, some naturopaths prescribe 1,000 mg twice daily, so 2,000 mg total per day.
On the lower end, some people take only 500 mg once a day.
65 Most accounts I’ve read of people taking more than 1,000mg total per day end with the person experiencing detox symptoms that forced them to lower the dose and ramp up more slowly.
A good place where a lot of people seem to end up is 500mg 2x/day, so 1,000mg per day total. There is one major factor to take into account with berberine - initially, it is healthy for your gut, as it kills off bad bacteria and pathogens. In the short term, Berberine has been shown to improve bowel health and repair intestinal permeability. However, in the long term, its antimicrobial effects can cause serious microbiome unbalance.
Some naturopaths recommend that berberine not be used for more than 8 weeks continuous, others allow up to 4 months continuous use.
It is extremely important that you modify your diet when on berberine to omit sugars and dairy, while eating healthy carbs and whole grains alongside fat and protein to mitigate their insulin production. Otherwise, you are submitting your body to a pretty serious supplement without holding up the bargain on your end, and it will end up being a waste of time, effort and money.
Once you have taken your first 2-4 month cycle of berberine, you must take a break of one month. You can then assess whether you need to remain on berberine. Usually, you have healed your gut, insulin resistance and acne by this time, so the answer is usually no.
If you do decide to continue, you can cycle on/off. Here are some suggested cycles:
5 days on/2 days off.
Take for the first two weeks of your cycle and then take a two week break.
Take for 1 month then take 2 months off.
Contraindications
Due to it’s intense anti-microbial properties, you should also up your probiotic intake, and not take the herb for more than 2-4 months at a time. If you are taking berberine morning and evening, take the probiotic with your midday meal or try to get in some fermented foods with lunch.
66 It should also be avoided by pregnant and breastfeeding women as it is toxic to the fetus and breastfeeding infant.
It should be used with caution when combined with prescription medication such as antidepressants, beta-blockers or immunosuppressants, because it can alter the blood levels of those medications.
When will you see results?
Most people report some improvement (30 or 40%) within 6 weeks of starting berberine. It works best in combination with diet and other acne supplements such as zinc.
Full improvement of acne (with any treatment) can take up to six months or longer. (That’s because it takes that long for the pore to expel the sebum plug.)
Guidelines for finding products
Here is the product recommended by many naturopaths. It is the Thorne Research Berberine. http://www.amazon.com/Thorne-Research-Berberine-500-vegetarian-capsules/dp/ B009LI7VRC/
Tips and tricks
Due to it’s intense anti-microbial properties, you should also up your probiotic intake, and not take the herb for more than 4 months at a time.
Another option is to cycle it on/off.
Berberine will get you MUCH better results if you completely eliminate dairy and sugar AT LEAST while you are doing a round of it (challenge yourself for just one month). You should also be careful to eat high glycemic index foods with plenty of protein, fiber and fat to slow their insulin spiking capabilities. Once you have come off the berberine, you can play with reintroducing some dairy and sugar.
Final thoughts
This supplement definitely shows best results when the diet is modified as well to decrease
67 insulin production in the body.
Some more notes on insulin resistance, just so you know berberine isn’t your only option (or if you are trying to get preggers):
Other ways to reverse insulin resistance:
1) Stop Eating Dessert. Stop Drinking Soda. Stop Juicing.
High-dose fructose impairs insulin sensitivity more profoundly than any other food. That is why giving up sugar does more for insulin resistance than any other diet change. No desserts. No cakes. No fruit juice. No sweetened yogurts. No granola bars. No dried fruit. No dates. No agave. No honey. No ‘natural fruit sugar’ Paleo desserts.
You can have whole fresh fruit because low-dose fructose improves insulin sensitivity. You can have starch in moderation. In fact, you need some starch to maintain insulin sensitivity.
2) Supplement Magnesium.
Magnesium deficiency causes insulin resistance. A high-magnesium diet has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. You can get some magnesium from food (green leafy vegetables, legumes and nuts), but you probably need to supplement because magnesium is depleted by stress and exercise. Magnesium is a truly powerful tool in reversing insulin resistance, which is why it is #2 on this list.
The best magnesium supplement is magnesium glycinate at a dose of 300 or 400mg with food. Your body also absorbs magnesium very well topically, so epsom salt baths (magnesium sulfate) are also actually very effective.
3) Sleep.
Just four nights of bad sleep (4.5 hours) is enough to reduce insulin sensitivity by 30%. Imagine what happens after months or even years of bad sleep. You need 7 or 8 hours of sleep each and every night.
68 4) Increase your Muscle Mass.
The more muscle you have, the more sensitive it will be to insulin. You increase your muscle mass by using your muscles. Just a few weeks of strength exercise increases insulin sensitivity by 24%. You can increase any type of exercise though, and still see improvement. Walk around the block. Climb stairs. Carry some gentle hand-weights.
5) Other nutritional supplements.
The best ones are magnesium and berberine (see above). You can also look into taurine, myo-inositol, chromium, N-acetyl cysteine, and alpha-lipoic acid.
6) Intermittent fasting.
IF works well to improve insulin sensitivity. Most people do the 14/10 fast where they fast for 14 hours and allow food for 10 hours every day. The most common way to do this is to skip breakfast. Other people fast one whole day out of every week or month. (Be sure if you are doing IF to keep your scheduling and meal times consistent so your hormones don’t get thrown out of whack.)
69 SAW PALMETTO
What is it?
Saw palmetto is a health supplement that is the extract of the fruit from the serenoa repens plant. This is a hardy bush that grows naturally in certain states in the southern USA, particularly the ones that have warm climates. It has long been regarded as a rather special plant; the plant itself is extremely tough and can survive for an estimated 500 years.
Native Americans ued it for treating reproductive problems. Herbalists also find it useful as a nerve sedative.
The primary active compounds in saw palmetto are a combination of flavonoids, plant sterols and fatty acids. Saw Palmetto contains a high concentration of polysaccharides, which work in your body as an anti-inflammatory agent and an immune system booster.
How does it work?
Saw Palmetto’s primary benefits are DHT inhibition and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Researchers believe saw palmetto directly alters testosterone levels in your body by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, the most powerful androgen in your body.
It is so notorious for this that saw palmetto is widely used by doctors as a treatment for an enlarged prostate. (FYI, traditional medicine believes that a huge prostate is due to too much DHT.) Its ability to reduce DHT has been confirmed by several studies.
Here’s how it works: all the DHT in your body is manufactured from your existing testosterone, and there’s a specific enzyme in charge of this, which is called 5-alpha reductase. The studies show saw palmetto is one of the best inhibitors of this enzyme and
70 thus reduces the amount of DHT produced.
Androgenic hormones are usually blamed for acne, but it is actually only DHT that does this. Testosterone is an androgen as well but it’s only real functions are to help you build muscle mass, and to create DHT. DHT on the other hand stimulates your sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, which thus blocks your pores and creates acne. It also increases keratinization of your skin (ie, the “stickiness” of dead skin cells). Finally, it increases inflammation and slows wound healing.
Who will benefit from it?
If your acne is moderate to severe, you have a higher chance of success with saw palmetto.
If you believe that your acne is primarily due to excessive sebum production then it could have a very strong effect. Keeping androgens low is very important for reducing acne and saw palmetto is one of the best ways to achieve that; few other supplements have such a proven track record of reducing DHT. it is contraindicated for men - at least for acne healing purposes - because having good levels of DHT is absolutely vital for the rest of their health. A man relies on DHT for his sex drive, his mental health, his energy levels, and just about every masculine attribute he has.
I will say that increased testosterone is the most common cause of increased DHT, and usually the high testosterone is a result of another hormonal issue, like estrogen dominance or PCOS.
So much like Vitamin A, this is a supplement that treats symptoms more so than root cause, and the minute you stop taking it, your acne will reappear, because you haven’t dug deep enough to understand the true reason it is occurring. I recommend using saw palmetto to get your acne under control WHILE you are ALSO using diet and lifestyle to balance hormones and body for a more sustainable, long-lasting approach to healing your acne.
What is the best form to take?
As always, the quality of the herb REALLY matters, so be sure to go with a higher-end trusted brand. When in doubt, ask a naturopath or consult the internet.
Make sure to get a standardized extract, so you know exactly what percentage of the herb
71 you are getting. This brand also adds in zinc, B-6 and pumpkin for additional acne fighting benefits: http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Bounty-Strength-Palmetto-Softgels/dp/ B002Y27KFU/
How to find your dosage
A good place to begin is 160 milligrams once to twice a day.
Contraindications
Side effects are rare. There have been reports of vomiting, nausea, and dizziness but they only occurred at high doses and have not been commonly reported. It is possible that you could have an adverse reaction to it, but that’s possible for just about anything.
Men should use with caution and with a doctor’s advice.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Saw palmetto is LIKELY UNSAFE when used during pregnancy or breast-feeding. It acts like a hormone, and this could be dangerous to the pregnancy. Don’t use during pregnancy or breast-feeding.
When will you see results?
Be patient and use it for several months, as the studies showing a fall in DHT were all long term. It is possible that it takes effect very quickly but even if it does it will take at least a few weeks for your skin to noticeably improve.
Guidelines for finding products
Make sure the saw palmetto supplement contains 85 to 95 percent fatty acids and plant sterols for maximum effectiveness.
Here are two good options: http://www.amazon.com/Saw-Palmetto-Berry-Powder-Organic/dp/B00LNCWJGM http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Bounty-Strength-Palmetto-Softgels/dp/ B002Y27KFU/
72 Tips and tricks
One account on the internet cited this as a potent combo for eliminating acne: stinging nettle (leaf, not root) + zinc + saw palmetto. For the benefits of zinc, read the chapter in this book. Saw Palmetto we just talked about.
Stinging Nettle is a great remedy where toxicity and/or over-acidity of the blood are the source of the problem, including rheumatism and arthritis. Given its ability to dissolve and flush waste, nettle juice is also a “natural” for weight reduction. Stinging nettle also stimulates gland secretion, particularly of the digestive tract, helping with the digestive side of various eczemas and acne.
Final thoughts
If men do want to try treating acne by suppressing DHT, another supplement to try might be Nettle Root (not to be confused with nettle leaf). Nettle Root blocks DHT binding to receptors (slightly different mechanism than Saw Palmetto) but does so selectively. Intake of nettle root can intercept the harmful binds of DHT. This not only allows DHT to be used where it is most needed in the body, but also can prevent the subsequent hormonal balding and enlarged prostate issues.
73 VITAMIN C/ CAMU CAMU
What is it?
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that supports normal growth and development. Vitamin C also helps your body absorb iron. Because your body doesn’t produce or store vitamin C, it’s important to include vitamin C in your diet.
How does it work?
Eliminates redness.
Redness is partially the result of inflammation. The immune system releases inflammatory chemicals known as leukotrienes to destroy acne bacteria, but the bacteria have a “decoy” system that redirect those chemicals toward the skin itself. Vitamin C in large doses doesn’t stimulate the immune system. It “tones it down.” That’s a good thing, however, when the immune system is misfiring and destroying healthy skin rather than the acne bacteria in pores.
The other way vitamin C helps take the red out of acne is by strengthening the linings of capillaries. These are microscopic blood vessels that provide oxygen and nutrients to the basal layer of the skin, about the thickness of 25 cells deep. The basal layer generates new skin cells that keep pushing outward to the stratum corneum, where they die and rupture to form a solid protective layer of protein and ceramides over the skin. The redness we see in pimples is mostly generated at this lower layer, but it is minimized when vitamin C with its cofactors helps stop leaks of bright red blood.
High antioxidant activity.
Vitamin C protects your body from free radical damage and is an essential nutrient for 74 healthy vision. It also helps normalize and strengthen the immune system.
Mitigates Effects of Stress (and reduces oily skin).
Vitamin C has been shown to reduce the amount of the stress hormone, cortisol, in your bloodstream. Cortisol increases in response to any mental stress you experience, and when it does, it leads to an increase in the oiliness of your skin (through the indirect method of causing insulin resistance).
Here’s a brief blow by blow of the process:
1. An individual is faced with a stressor. 2. A complex hormonal cascade ensues, and the adrenals secrete cortisol. 3. Cortisol prepares the body for a fight-or-flight response by flooding it with glucose, supplying an immediate energy source to large muscles. 4. Cortisol inhibits insulin production in an attempt to prevent glucose from being stored, favoring its immediate use. 5. Cortisol narrows the arteries while the epinephrine increases heart rate, both of which force blood to pump harder and faster. 6. The individual addresses and resolves the situation. 7. Hormone levels return to normal.
However, many of us are chronically stressed and we never accomplish steps 6 and 7, which leads to a chronic state of insulin resistance.
Since a principal function of cortisol is to thwart the effect of insulin—essentially rendering the cells insulin resistant—the body remains in a general insulin-resistant state when cortisol levels are chronically elevated.
Insulin resistance is a condition in which the cells of the body become resistant to the effects of insulin, that is, the normal response to a given amount of insulin is reduced. As a result, higher levels of insulin are needed in order for insulin to have its effects.
So higher levels of insulin are secreted, and this condition triggers a hormonal cascade triggering unregulated growth and keratinization of epithelial cells (Epithelial cells line the major cavities of the body + make up the outer surface of the body), as well as hormonally (androgen) mediated sebum secretion.
If you are chronically stressed out then cortisol will be chronically high and your skin will
75 be chronically subjected to prime breakout-creating conditions. Vitamin C is an excellent way to deal with this problem because the human body uses it to remove excessive levels of cortisol.
Boosts Collagen Production
Vitamin C is needed for the human body to manufacture collagen, a key structural component of your skin.
Speeds Wound Healing
Vitamin C is absolutely vital for wound healing. Getting more than the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C will greatly accelerate the speed at which your old acne clears up and that will make your skin much clearer overall.
Who will benefit from it?
If you suffer from hormonal acne that is especially stubborn (ie cysts that last for weeks or even months), hyperpigmentation or scarring or dull, devitalized, prematurely aged skin, then Vitamin C cannot hurt and will most likely help. I personally notice my skin looks undeniably healthier when I have been taking Vitamin C consistently.
What is the best form to take?
Vitamin C is the nutrient most people get from orange juice or by taking capsules, gummies or chewies. However, it turns out that neither orange juice nor synthetic ascorbic acid is the best way to get vitamin C for fighting acne.
Natural sources of vitamin C are far more effective than synthetic sources of vitamin C. Synthetic vitamins are very poorly absorbed by the body. Synthetic vitamin C, for example, typically contains just ascorbic acid, which is a significant part of natural vitamin C, but not the only part. Natural vitamin C contains this but also tons of enzymes, compounds and citrus bioflavonoids.
Enter Camu Camu. The Camu Camu Berry is the highest source of vitamin C of any known botanical. It’s actually 3 percent pure vitamin C by weight. To give you a comparison, that is about 30 to 60 times more vitamin C than oranges!
Not only is Camu Camu a rich source of vitamin C, it’s also loaded with phytonutrients,
76 essential vitamins and mineral, amino acids, and enzymes.
I love Camu Camu because it is SUCH a potent source of vitamin C, but there are other ways to get more Vitamin C into the diet.
Guava fruit has almost as much vitamin C as Camu Camu (but can be hard to come by). Adding lemon (from organic lemons) to water and tea can also be a great way to get Vitamin C. Bell peppers, strawberries and cabbage (raw, as exposing Vitamin C to heat damages it) are also high in Vitamin C.
How to find your dosage
For adults, the recommended dietary reference intake for vitamin C is 65 to 90 milligrams (mg) a day, and the upper limit is 2,000 mg a day.
Camu Camu is one of the most potent superfoods on the planet, so a little goes a long way. Just one fourth of a teaspoon and you are far surpassing the RDA.
As a general average, you can assume that 5 grams of Camu Camu Powder will contain roughly 750 milligrams of vitamin C. That’s roughly a teaspoon of powder.
For intense healing, aim to get 10 grams of Camu Camu every day (that’s about 1500mg of vitamin C or 2 teaspoons of Camu Camu). I recommend not continuing such a high dose course for longer than a month, otherwise you will tax the liver (it has to process all of the Vitamin C you are taking in).
Cutting that dose in half is probably better, so I recommend 5 grams a day of Camu Camu or 750mg per day of natural, bioavailable vitamin C.
However, you’ll still get plenty of benefits just from taking one gram of Camu Camu. This will provide you with 250% of the daily allowance of vitamin C, and this is recommended for long term use. One gram is approximately ⅕ of a teaspoon. To make it easier, you could round up to ¼ teaspoon. For long term use, I would not go higher than this dose.
Another idea is to get vitamin C from diet most days, and then go on a high dose of Camu Camu for just a month once or twice a year.
Contraindications
77 Megadoses of vitamin C supplements may cause: • Diarrhea • Nausea • Vomiting • Heartburn • Abdominal bloating and cramps • Headache • Insomnia • Kidney stones
Remember, for most people, a healthy diet provides an adequate amount of vitamin C. For healing acne, it is ok to go higher, but watch for signs from your body and don’t do a hyperdose for longer than 4 weeks.
When will you see results?
Waiting for three weeks will allow time to see the benefits of vitamin C. It may take longer to see results with a smaller dose than 750mg/ 1 tsp. Overall though, your skin should simply seem healthier and more radiant.
Guidelines for finding products
Be sure that you’re getting low-temperature processed or freeze-dried Camu Camu powder, because the valuable vitamin C in it is extremely heat sensitive.
Here’s one good source recommended by a famous health coach:
Raw Food World Camu Camu Powder http://www.therawfoodworld.com/organicwildcraftedcamucamupowder4oz- pi1008102#.Vc9gEJNVhBc
I personally use what I can get on Amazon and have tried both these brands and been happy with them:
Navitas Naturals Organic Raw Camu Camu Powder http://www.amazon.com/Navitas-Naturals-Organic-3-Ounce-Pouches/dp/B003VT26C2
78 Terrasoul Superfoods Camu Camu Powder http://www.amazon.com/Terrasoul-Superfoods-Powder-Organic-Ounce/dp/ B00EHLRMOK
Tips and tricks
If you take a teaspoon and mix it in with a glass of water, then you have a very simple way to take Camu Camu. Mix it into the water with a spoon, and keep mixing until the moment you drink it. If you don’t keep mixing then the powder tends to clump together and that makes it harder to drink. You can also add it to smoothies.
Vitamin C also helps with iron, zinc, reishi and vitex absorption, so that’s a bonus! In fact, it boosts the absorption of A LOT of nutrients consumed alongside it.
Always eat camu camu powder RAW - never cook or bake with it because that damages the Vitamin C (its extremely sensitive to heat) and renders it impotent and useless, and then you are basically eating very expensive tangy powder.
Same thing goes for other fruits or vegetables - eat them either raw or fermented to get the actual benefits of the vitamin C. Which, if you are going the lemon route, means buying actual fresh lemons, instead of pre-squeezed lemon juice in a bottle.
Final thoughts
While some people think Camu Camu has a very strong, not entirely pleasant taste, others think it tastes yummy - tangy and perfume-y. I fall into the second camp. And mixing powders into waters is a habit that I never seem to form easily, so I look for other ways to incorporate powdered supplements into my life.
Reishi goes into my mushroom coffee morning tonic, maca (see Chapter on Vitex) goes into things I cook or bake, and camu camu goes into these lovely little dessert truffles I make called medicine truffles.
They’re basically a mixture of cooked quinoa (or another mild tasting whole grain), almond powder, camu camu powder, honey, ghee (or coconut oil), cinnamon (and/or other spices) with stevia (optional - you can add less honey if you do decide to supplement it with stevia. I would definitely NOT go with just stevia as my only sweetener since it has a weird bitter aftertaste and eating too much stevia can mess with your insulin levels and your 79 digestion. I use a balance of stevia and honey. You can also sub date paste.
You mix all these things together and if you get the texture just right (I’ll have a recipe on the blog soon) you can roll the mixture into 1” in diameter balls that have a nutty, tangy sweetness to them - the perfect little bite to squelch sugar and comfort food cravings while providing a huge boost of nutrition - including all your vitamin C!
I store them in the fridge to keep the texture firm - and these are a no-bake dessert/ snack! NEVER cook or bake with Camu camu - it destroys the vitamin C. Have I said that before? ;)
80 VITEX/CHASTEBERRY
What is it?
Vitex is a medicine prepared from the berries of a large Mediterranean tree (Vitex agnus- castus). In ancient times, it was purportedly used to suppress the libido of monks—hence the name. (Fortunately, it does not have that effect in women.) Vitex is referred to as Chasteberry by many - same thing.
Vitex is a medicinal plant that stimulates your hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis, and promotes ovulation. Vitex has performed well in clinical trials where it has been shown to increase progesterone and improve PMS.
How does it work?
Research indicates that vitex seems to correct a relative deficiency of progesterone, although none of the known constituents of vitex appears to have hormonal activity. Instead, vitex appears to correct the progesterone deficiency indirectly, by affecting the hormone production of the pituitary gland.
It also appears that vitex stimulates levels of dopamine, a key neurotransmitter. This, in turn, decreases levels of prolactin, a hormone important to milk production. Prolactin has an ovulation-inhibiting effect, so less prolactin=better ovulation.
Essentially, Vitex promotes progesterone by promoting ovulation. Vitex also contains opiate-like constituents, which calm your nervous system. That’s why it’s helpful for premenstrual anxiety and sleep problems.
Who will benefit from it?
This herb in particular is useful for women who get acne before their periods (and other PMS symptoms), or for women who are getting acne after coming off birth control pill.
81 Vitex relieves premenstrual symptoms such as irritability, fluid retention and breast pain. It has performed extremely well in clinical trials in Germany, where Vitex is routinely prescribed for PMS. If you have irregular periods, painful periods, or odd blood flow such as discoloration or granulation during your periods, Vitex is also recommended.
It can be extremely helpful for getting hormonal acne under control, particularly if the acne is due to a hormonal imbalance of either estrogen dominance or progesterone deficiency. You will see that the symptoms of each are very similar because these two hormones are very closely related and if one of them is off, so is the other.
Ie, high estrogen can result in symptoms of progesterone deficiency (even if our progesterone is normal but estrogen is high) and low progesterone can result in symptoms of estrogen dominance (even if our estrogen is normal and it is our progesterone that is too low). Yes, it is quite complicated, but Vitex is great because it restores not only healthy progesterone levels, but brings estrogen and progesterone back into a healthy balance. Basically, it has you covered.
Signs of estrogen dominance include:
• PMS-like symptoms all month round • crankiness • anxiety • cyclical headaches or migraines • depression • fuzzy thinking • irregular bleeding • water retention • weight gain • bloating • swelling and tenderness in the breasts • decreased sex drive • irregular menstrual periods • mood swings • fibrocystic developments in the breast • hair loss • cold hands or feet • feeling tired or lacking energy • difficulty with memory • trouble sleeping
82 • increased symptoms of premenstrual syndrome or PMS • acne that is especially stubborn • acne that is more frequent during certain times of the month
Signs of progesterone deficiency include:
• a luteal phase (This phase begins after ovulation. It lasts about 14 days(unless fertilization occurs) and ends just before a menstrual period. In this phase, the ruptured follicle closes after releasing the egg and forms a structure called a corpus luteum, which produces increasing quantities of progesterone.) less than 12 days • sugar cravings • ovarian cysts • low basal body temperatures • irregular periods • allergy symptoms • arthritis • spotting in the days before your period begins • blood clots during menstruation • cold hands and feet • brittle nails • cracked heels • decreased sex drive • menstrual cramps • depression or anxiety • acne • fatigue • fibrocystic breasts • PCOS • endometriosis • fibromyalgia • gallbladder issues • foggy thinking • headaches and migraines • infertility • vaginal dryness • slow metabolism • mood swings • weight gain, especially around the middle
83 What is the best form to take?
Most people take capsules or a liquid tincture.
A tincture is said to be more bioavailable.
I take capsules from Piping Rock and even though Piping Rock quality is not the best, they absolutely work for me - my periods are a lot less painful. I’ve also taken capsules that I’ve just bought in Whole Foods or other grocery stores. The quality was again probably not the best, yet the herb still worked fine.
The interesting thing about Vitex is it seems to work better at LOW doses, so “low quality” capsules might actually be better!
How to find your dosage
Interestingly at low dose (120mg per day) of chasteberry, prolactin production is stimulated, while at higher dose (240-480mg per day) prolactin production is decreased. We want to decrease prolactin production, so make sure you are taking at least 200mg of Vitex per day, but no more than 500mg because at too high a dose, the efficacy actually decreases.
500mg daily of a dry extract is also a common recommendation.
The German trials used a single dose of 200 mg dry extract in the morning so this is another good dose to try.
The exact quantity of the herb depends on the concentration in the formula. If in doubt, use less.
It is usually recommended by that Vitex be taken as a single daily dose first thing in the morning, because that is when the pituitary gland is the most active.
You can also try taking Vitex like this:
Take a five-day break from the herb every month. If you have regular periods, then take five days off from the first day of your period. If you don’t have regular periods, then dose 25 days on/5 days off, then take another five days off from the first day of your period. This pulsed-dosing prevents attenuation of the herb’s effect on the pituitary.
84 Contraindications
Vitex promotes ovulation, can help with PMS, fertility and progesterone and is generally very safe.
That said, it does not work for everyone, and if you have PCOS, it may actually worsen things. That’s because Vitex may raise LH (luteinizing hormone), a hormone that is already too high in some types of PCOS. Check with a naturopath - you might be better off using another herbal remedy such as Peony/Licorice.
Do not use Vitex immediately after coming off the pill, although it may be very tempting to do so. It’s scary to stop the Pill and understandable that you want to transition straight on to a natural alternative. But Vitex is too strong for that. When you first come off the Pill, your pituitary and your ovaries must communicate with each other for the first time in years. You want a gentle, slow start to that ovulation-communication. You don’t want to confuse things with a strong pituitary herb before you can even see what your ovaries can do.
Don’t combine with fertility drugs or IVF. Combining Vitex with ovulation-stimulating drugs can result in a serious condition called ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome.
Don’t take for too long. Vitex is most effective during the first three to six months of use. After that, its effect on the pituitary starts to diminish. It is probably safe to take Vitex for longer than six months, but you should not need to take it that long. If Vitex is the right treatment for you, it will work within the first three to six months. (It is pretty slow to show results though so on the other hand, be patient). You can then stop it, and still maintain your ovulations and healthy periods with diet and other supplements. After a month or two break, you can return to the herb, if you felt better on it.
Not for teenagers. With girls younger than 18, Vitex is contraindicated. That’s because their pituitary-ovarian communication is still developing, and is best left undisturbed. That said, if their pituitary-ovarian communication is already disturbed, say by Pill-use ata young age, then possibly consider Vitex as an option.
Post-menopausal Caution
Vitex may not be the best choice for post-menopausal women. Better to look at adaptogen herbs (such as ashwagandha, rehmannia, and rhodiola) to support adrenal steroid (estrogen,
85 DHEA, progesterone) production.
When will you see results?
Give it 4-6 months. It takes vitex a while to work. Also, sometimes in the first few months symptoms can actually appear worse before they begin to get better. Patience is key with this herb.
With its emphasis on long-term balancing of a woman’s hormonal system, vitex is not a fast-acting herb and won’t give immediate relief to either PMS or acne. For premenstrual syndrome, frequent or heavy periods, or progesterone deficiency, vitex can be used continuously for four to six months. For infertility or amenorrhea (lack of menstruation) wait for 12 to 18 months before discontinuing, unless pregnancy occurs during treatment.
Guidelines for finding products
Like I said earlier, I’ve had success with basic drugstore brands.
I think the most important thing to look for when buying Vitex, especially when buying dry extract or capsules, is that the AMOUNT per capsule is not HIGHER than 500mg.
With tinctures it is easier to adjust dosage than with capsules.
Tips and tricks
Cycle-dose Vitex to prevent the pituitary from becoming too used to it: Take a five-day break from the herb every month. If you have regular periods, then take five days off from the first day of your period. If you don’t have regular periods, then dose 25 days on/5 days off, then take another five days off from the first day of your period.
Take immediately upon waking - this is when the pituitary gland is the most active.
Take with Vitamin C for better absorption.
Final thoughts
Vitex is not a hormone itself and does not build hormones, it just helps your body to normalize your own hormones, so it’s quite safe. Vitex can be used and is quite effective alongside DIM/Estroblock.
86 Other supplements to explore in this arena include Peony, Peony and Licorice (a good blend for women with PCOS), and Maca.
87 M Y SUPPLEMENTATION JOURNEY
I never believed in supplements. I think when I first started trying to heal my own acne, after giving up on dermatologist prescribed bullsh*t, the first thing I tried was hyper- dosing vitamin A - this was a very popular method in the 90s and has lost favor (as you saw in the chapter on Vitamin A) since then.
I think I took a synthetic form of vitamin A sporadically for about a week or 2 and then just gave up. (Consistency is really the key - with both supplements and skincare. You have to show up. It takes two to tango. The supplement’s not going to take itself.)
I didn’t take anything else really for acne until I stumbled upon accounts of Estroblock helping acne. This was in my late 20s, I was a woman, and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out some component of my acne was hormonal.
I started taking 1 triple strength Estroblock pill per day. Luckily, my diet was pretty healthy at the time, so I didn’t experience detox symptoms and this helped A LOT in clearing up my acne. It was the first time ever - with ANY medicine, prescription included, that I had ever noticed such a profound difference. It was noticeable within the first month of taking the Estroblock and undeniable after 3 months on it. It was awesome.
I was still getting the odd cyst here and there though and every once in a while - it seemed quite random - my neck would become prone to blemishes. For a while, I went up to 2 triple strength estroblocks per day, but after a few months I didn’t notice any difference, did the sway test, and as a result went back down to 1.
It was around this time that I got fed up with my incredibly painful period. It was pretty
88 regular, but discolored and clotted, and the cramps during the first two days were debilitating. Then during the first 3 days. Then I was still getting unbearable cramps on the 4th day of my period. I HAD to take prescription strength ibuprofen to function. So for 4 days out of every month, I was bombarding my liver with ibuprofen. It made me really uncomfortable, because I knew it was unsustainable and I was headed for irreversible liver damage. So I researched what could and started taking Vitex.
I did it all wrong. At first, I decided it was making things worse, so I stopped. I thought it was somehow interfering with the efficacy of the Estroblock. It took a consult with a naturopath several months later to convince me that there was no way it could interfere with the Estroblock and the #1 thing with Vitex was patience.
Luckily, even though I was taking too high dose of Vitex at the wrong time (820mg at night), even after 1 month my period was looking a lot better. After 3 months of being on Vitex, I was able to stop taking ibuprofen on all except the first day of my period again. And after another few months, I stopped taking ibuprofen completely and while I still had cramps, they were not debilitating and I was able to distract myself from them by putting myself to work. My skin was for all intents and purposes clear, and life was good.
Then, I started working a stressful job, and as a result of it my diet and drinking habits really suffered. So did my supplementing habits - I started skipping days a lot. Iwas drinking a LOT of coffee with a decent amount of milk, and many days out of the week, my lunch was a mini snickers bar. Absolutely zero water or tea. Not only did the stress cause my diet to suffer, but the stress itself did a number on my skin.
I broke out with tiny bumps all over my forehead. On my temples sometimes they would get a little bigger and juicier, and turn into full-fledge white or black heads. My cheeks and jawline started getting blackheads. I would randomly get cysts at the heads of my eyebrows. Really deep, stubborn ones that were invisible - totally uninflamed but I could feel them - big, deep, hard bumps under my skin.
At the time, I was really getting into Ayurveda, so I started this supplement of 9 Ayurvedic herbs that was specially designed to support skin health. Well, after seeing such fantastic and obvious results with both Estroblock and Vitex, I jumped into this supplement gung- ho, taking the max dosage religiously. I had bought enough supply to last me 3 months, and I knew that when the bottles ran out, the time would be ripe to decide yes or no.
Well, while the supplement was from a reputable company, I honestly assessed my skin and there was no noticeable difference. So I ditched that supplement (see? Not all of them
89 work! There will be trial and error!) and did more research.
After really getting specific about the type of acne I had (dry skin but lots of blackheads. Also, cystic activity around the top of my nose and eyebrows) all signs pointed to liver issues. It was at this point that it became clear that I could find a supplement, but what was really going to be the deciding factor was fixing my diet. I drastically cut down on sugar, dairy and coffee. I started drinking way more water and took a break from alcohol.
And I started taking reishi. There were many liver support supplements I could have chosen. I think I chose reishi because all of the literature that mentioned it helped with stress as well.
Coffee was the hardest thing to let go of. I had tried many times before to quit coffee and not only could I not do it, I also could not keep my coffee consumption at a reasonable level. It was all or nothing, and I could NOT seem to do nothing. Coffee was my security blanket and what I used to combat stress. The more stress, the more coffee. I didn’t know it when I chose it, but Reishi was the best thing that ever could have happened.
It was very easy to start cutting a part of my coffee with reishi powder dissolved in hot water. Reishi is also dark and bitter and while the taste was slightly different I got myself used to it by making the change very gradually. At first it was ¾ coffee and ¼ reishi tonic, then half and half, and finally, I was drinking ¾ reishi and ¼ coffee, which drastically reduced my coffee consumption. I was still drinking lots of milk with all this supercoffee, but had cut sugar (not completely but enough to where I wasn’t eating just chocolate for lunch). Little by little.
And sure enough, the blackheads and bumps went away! I definitely think the reishi helped a ton. Later, I did eliminate dairy by replacing what was essentially ¼ cup of whole milk in every cup of coffee with 1 tablespoon of heavy cream (the heavy cream is basically just fat, which squeezes out all the bad components acne-triggering components of milk, like hormones, casein and whey).
Well, very long story short (and trust me - it could have been longer - I left out all the supplements I tried that didn’t really work) here is the overview of what I’ve taken and am taking:
Estroblock:
I’ve been taking this for about 4 years. I vary my dose from 1 triple strength per day to
90 1 regular strength every other day. I also have tried coming off the estroblock twice, but both times my acne has returned. I have a theory about this and will test it the next time I try to come off.
Vitex:
I took this for about a year and a half before I came off it. So far, so good.
Zinc:
I can’t say for sure I see a difference with or without this, but I take 1 - 2 50mg pills per week because zinc is just good for you.
Spirulina:
When I’m not eating at least one serving of dark leafy greens per day, I will take 2 tablets.
Camu Camu:
The only time I eat this is when I make the aforementioned medicine ball truffles, although there was a time I was trying to take a 1/2 teaspoon everyday - I just DO NOT do good with powder supplements (excluding reishi). I put enough Camu Camu into the recipe that I am definitely getting at least ¼ teaspoon per truffle ball. I do notice that my skin gets definitely gets more radiant and healthy when I am supplementing with the Camu Camu. When I have medicine balls made, I eat 1 - 4 of them per day. I did not notice the radiance when I was juicing half a lemon per day, so I do think you need a fairly high dosage of Vitamin C.
Reishi:
I drink about a teaspoon of this every day. I love it. I’ve only been taking it for a few months and I never want to stop taking it. It has really helped with stress and with my skin.
The other things that are truly crucial for keeping my skin clear are:
• Managing stress • Drinking enough water • Getting enough good fats • Eating well (for me this means getting enough veggies, and keeping meals small - big
91 meals tend to be harder on digestion, spike insulin more and are also harder on the liver).
Good luck to all of you - I deeply wish you will find the path that works for you and I hope I was able to help at least a little bit!
THE END
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