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I haven’t yet filmed the 3rd in the series on Dehydrated Skin…but will get there! However, I found an interesting article from Jenny of Coconut Magic with relation to dry & dehydrated skin. She writes “free radicals are toxic byproducts that can have the most harmful affect on your health, beauty and longevity. Especially found in heated, rancid and unsaturated oils, free radicals can damage proteins, fats, cell membranes, and vital DNA. They can also help accelerate the ageing process.”

It is so true that the type of fats we consume have an impact on our skin. I have discussed this many times with relation to the fatty membrane of skin skin cells. If the fats in the membrane are comprised predominantly of pro-inflammatory fats, then the skin cell is likely to experience greater damage from free radical production and cellular nutrition and hydration will be compromised. However, if you supply the skin with good fat sources, the fatty membrane will incorporate these and both inflammation and free radical damage will reduce. Cellular nutrition and hydration will also improve significantly.

Topically there are many beneficial oils that can help improve cellular health (for specifics read this article) however, the fats we eat will also have a huge impact. More from Jenny: Coconut oil is a saturated fat (it’s true – not all saturated fats are bad but that is a topic for another blog) that is made up of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA’s). The MCFA’s in coconut oil possess incredible health giving properties. They provide natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, ant-viral and detox benefits. Coconut oil is cleansing, nourishing and helps with the body’s absorption of vitamin E and omega 3’s, which further enhances its beautifying effects.

Coconut oil reverses the free radical tissue-damaging process by displacing the rancid, pro-inflammatory oils from the tissues and providing fat-soluble vitamins, minerals and super nutrition factors directly to the damaged tissue.

In his book The Coconut Oil Miracle, Bruce Fife, ND, details: “Studies show that dry skin contains a higher content of unsaturated fatty acids (60%) compared to normal skin (49%). The best oil to use is one that doesn’t create free radicals. Saturated fat fits that requirement.”

For those with dry and dehydrated skin, the protection that good fat affords is critical for skin recovery. Taking up to 4 teaspoons of coconut oil per day it wont take very long to start seeing the major benefits that coconut oil will have on your health and the way that you look and feel.

I am having a bit of a love affair with the concept of “food as medicine” at the moment. It may have started with the onset of slightly cooler weather and a return to porridge in the mornings. Porridge is one of those breakfast meals that as a child I forced down but as an adult I have learned to love. Having said that, these days I make porridge a tasty dish…see my version below:

Rolled oats (the real kind, not instant or microwave oats) and filtered water with 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon cooked on a low heat. While cooking grate an apple or slice up a pear and add to your bowl. Serve warm cinnamon porridge over the grated fruit and top with LSA (Linseed, Almond & Sunflower meal), Pure Magic Coconut Oil and a dash of honey. Add rice milk as desired.

This is the recipe I love at the moment but to stave off the boredom of having the same thing everyday throughout winter I add gogi berries while cooking, some natural yoghurt on top or sprinkle with frozen blueberries. Sometimes I even substitute the apple with banana for something different. You can also include Quinoa when cooking the porridge as it brings more texture to the dish is also a rich protein source. For those who are gluten intolerant try a millet based porridge.

For me this meal not only tastes good, but is it also a nutritious way to start the day. I feel good about what I am eating and I think that has an impact on how our bodies respond to food. Conscious food consumption is an often underrated aspect of eating. What I mean is that by taking a moment to enjoy and appreciate the food we not only feel better emotionally about what we are eating but also allow the digestive processes to occur in a relaxed environment which ensures better digestion and assimilation of the nutrients. Jenny from Coconut Magic writes that “Radiant health embodies right thinking, conscious eating and energetic flow. There is no separation and therefore radiant health is a state of being and living with optimal energy, health and beauty.” Sounds good to me!

I love hearing alternative breakfast ideas so please post yours.

As you may have read in a previous blog I have had an ambivalent relationship with coconut oil – that was until I found Coconut Magic. However, despite liking the taste (or lack thereof) of Coconut Magic Oil, I still hadn’t really found the motivation to take it regularly…until now. I went to the Coconut Magic site and was doing a bit of reading and came across a video blog that Jenni from Coconut Magic did about the benefits of coconut oil which includes teeth whitening. Now this peaked my interest. I may just have to take up the challenge…and I would love to hear of any experiences of teeth whitening or oil pulling (see video for more info on this) – please comment if you have given either of these a go using coconut oil.

Watch Jenni’s video blog below:

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has just released its guide to safer shopping. They looked at pesticide residue on fruit and vegetables and have come up with the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15. A little statistic from them makes one realise how big an impact choosing “cleaner” food can make. From EWG: Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day from the Clean 15 list rather than from the Dirty Dozen can lower your pesticide intake by up to 92 percent! What a huge impact.

This link outlines the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/

There are other ways to reduce your pesticide intake (please comment and add any ideas you have as well):

• Going organic where you can. While this can seem like a stretch on the budget, if you at least choose some organic produce you will be making a difference.
• Washing your fruit & vegetables with a mild unscented Castile soap. Pesticides are fat soluble and so more residue will be washed away if you use soap and water rather than just water.
• Grow your own – even if it is just some herbs, rocket and cherry tomatoes – this is the start of a lovely summer salad

Please comment if you have any other ideas for reducing pesticide intake from foods.

While New Year is the traditional time for giving up habits and setting goals, I decided to start early and once again gave up my daily coffee. This has been an ongoing issue for me for many reasons. Firstly I have a dairy intolerance so after 10 years of drinking milky lattes, I finally gave up dairy and my hormonal breakouts magically cleared up (my recent icecream indulgence has seen new breakouts so I have backed off again). This saw me drinking soy lattes for all of one week until I declared that there was nothing so disgusting that soy milk – for me anyway. So to black coffee and my addiction switched from mid strength lattes to super strength long black coffee with sugar. I found myself needing my daily cup and getting irritable if I didn’t have it. Sometimes I didn’t even want coffee at all but drank it anyway. Finally one day recently when I found myself forcing down a coffee I didn’t want out of habit, I decided to give it a miss entirely – well for a while at least.

So I did for exactly 4 brain-fog filled days. On day 5 my brain felt so foggy, I had not one but two mega strength coffees and drove home from the coffee shop with hands shaking and vision blurring. Not only was my heart racing but much to my dismay my skin went all blotchy. From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective this is due to the heating effect of coffee and if heat builds up in the body (from too many coffees) or isn’t eliminated effectively (poor digestion) it held in the body and can result in red, blotchy skin. Other foods that have this effect include alcohol, spicy foods and hot drinks. This is one of the reasons that those with rosacea tend to react to these foods so badly. This is not to say that coffee is bad, just that for most people having it in moderation is a good idea and for those with rosacea or those adversely affected by “heating” foods, going without it better.

And so for the sake of my skin, which is a refection of my inner health, I have come to the point now that I can have coffee occasionally rather than every day. When I do have it I REALLY enjoy it, when I don’t I don’t miss it too much! Black and herbal teas are a thirst quenching replacement.

What we eat can certainly have an effect on the appearance of our skin. In my case firstly dairy and then “heating” foods or drinks. However, knowing what affects your skin in these ways can be the hardest thing to work out. A full elimination diet is a comprehensive way of finding out which foods affect you and how but can take a long time and are often quite difficult to sustain. You can shortcut this process. If you suspect you may be reacting to a particular food, it is worth testing your theory by taking the food group out of your diet completely for at least 3 days. Then test yourself by having a serve of the food and noting how you feel. Any number of symptoms may arise including: digestive issues, mood swings, irritability, energy drops, headaches and many more. A good rule of thumb is that if you feel rotten after eating the food it is worth minimising its inclusion in your everyday diet.

Are there any experiences that you have had with diet and skin issues. Please share them and what you did about it with our readers as it may be the very thing that helps someone else.

I received this question below about dry rosacea via e-mail the other day and was reminded that skin hydration is so important. Dehydrated skin is more sensitive, more likely to scar and more open to the elements which leads to more skin damage and moisture loss. With any skin condition the first thing I look at doing is increasing skin moisture content and reducing inflammation. While many skin care products multi-task, it is important that these issues are addressed otherwise it takes that much longer to see any improvements.

Q: I am in my 40′s so lines are a problem, but my biggest concern, is my DRY ROSACEA, winter is the worst season for me. Besides that I have an oily T Zone, and my skin is red and blotchy [mostly marks I guess
from past breakouts] a lot of the time, any suggestions?

A: Thanks for your e-mail. From what you have said it seems to me that the acid mantle (protective barrier) of your skin is disrupted which is why your skin is dry, red and blotchy. This also explains why you have an oily T-zone. Skin cells that are deficient in good fats (essential fatty acids) and moisture will react by over producing sebum in some areas and then be overly dry in others. Then the rosacea compounds the issue but also indicates there is inflammation and possibly underlying digestive issues. First things first, a light oil based serum will help with repair the acid mantle and the moisture content of your skin. I recommend the following:

Remedica Clair Visage

Remedica Clair Visage – will helps to repair the acid mantle, reduce inflammation and redness and increase the skin’s moisture content. It is not congesting or overly rich so won’t make the rosacea or the oily T-zone worse. I recommend use for at least 3 months. Then we can re-evaluate and if necessary go to a slightly richer serum such as Remedica Sensitive Visage.

Minerelle Centella Gel – will help to strengthen the blood vessels and reduce the hyper-reactivity of capillaries. It is a light gel so won’t be enough to counteract the dryness. You couldn’t use this by itself but in combination with the Clair Visage it will be useful.

In your case, with dry rosacea, it is important that you avoid any AHA or salicylic acid type products which are commonly used to manage rosacea.

Internal moisture is essential where skin is dry and inflamed. I have put some dietary suggestions below but please in particular think about the Lemon Detox Drink even if just as a trial for 7 days. It does amazing things for the skin by repairing the essential fatty acid levels of the skin cells and allowing them to hold onto moisture.

From a dietary perspective a high fat, high sugar (processed foods) diet will contribute to inflammation. Avoiding foods high in saturated and trans fats and simple sugars will help to reduce this effect which will also minimise localised skin inflammation. Foods that commonly contain trans or saturated fats include milk, milk products, margarine, shortening and other synthetically hydrogenated oils as well as fried foods. For rosacea specifically it is also advisable to avoid the foods that are likely to directly cause flushing such as alcohol, coffee, hot beverages and spicy foods. Avoiding simple sugars and highly processed foods also helps avoid the over-secretion of insulin, which occurs in response to raised blood sugar levels and is linked with systemic inflammation.

There is some research to suggest that low gastric acid levels in people with rosacea may contribute to the development or progression of the condition. Some rosacea patients have responded well to hydrochloric acid supplementation. Low stomach acid is also more likely to be associated with Helicobactor pylori (H. pylori). Supporting this theory is the finding that levels of H. pylori have been found to be higher in rosacea sufferers. A trip to the naturopath would be a good idea if you can identify any digestive issues such as bloating or irregularity.

Essential fatty acids are important in the treatment and management of rosacea and sensitive skin. They work to reduce skin inflammation as well as improving skin moisture and appearance. Good sources of essential fatty acids include deep sea fish such as tuna, salmon and mackerel as well as nuts and seeds. Flax oil and fish oil capsules are suitable alternatives if dietary intake is insufficient (or see Lemon Detox Drink recipe below). Zinc is also important for skin repair and inflammation control. Good dietary sources of zinc include lean beef, whole grains, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

Lemon Detox Drink

This drink is fantastic for anyone with sensitive, dry or inflammed skin. The lemon has an astringent effect which means it stimulates the liver to release bile into the digestive tract to be eliminated. The bile contains stored toxins so effectively you are dumping waste from your liver. The lecithin and flax oil prime your digestive system for the day, particularly your fat digestion so again supporting the liver. And of course water is just plain good for you and helps flush out daily waste particularly via your kidneys.

It also has the effect of super-saturating your body with essential fatty acids. So in addition to the excellent detox effect, flax seed oil supports the moisture holding capacity of your skin cells and has a anti-inflammatory effect thereby supporting your skin’s health. Feedback from client is that skin is generally less red and much more even toned since being on the Lemon Detox Drink.

The recipe is as follows:

1/2 lemon (wash the outside)
1 tablespoon of soy lecithin (German is better than US variety)
1 tablespoon of flax oil (organic)
300mls of filtered water

Method: finely grate the rind of the lemon into the blender then squeeze in the lemon juice. Add the lecithin, flax oil and water. Blend for 1 minute until frothy. Pour and drink.

Give the milk a break and improve your breakouts

For a long time experts stated that there was no correlation between diet and acne however more and more research is popping up discounting this assumption. In this blog I look at the association between dairy, in particular milk and the incidence of acne.

The studies showing a correlation between milk consumption and acne cross a wide age group, from teenage boys and girls to adult women and while the dairy industry claim skewed data there is enough evidence to show a definite link.

Firstly though I want to be clear about what the research does and doesn’t show; milk consumption alone doesn’t cause acne but it seems that those that drink milk develop more severe acne than non-milk drinkers. Furthermore, the more milk consumed, the worse the acne tended to be.

While the link between the severity of acne and milk is strongest, other dairy products have shown similar effects including cottage cheese, chocolate milk and skim milk. From personal experience one of the worst offenders apart from milk is yoghurt. I had to cut out dairy completely for 3 months and until my breakouts cleared up completely, then I was able to reintroduce some dairy but only butter, occasionally hard cheese such as parmesan and very occasionally some icecream (just because I find it hard to resist). If I start back on dairy regularly, my system doesn’t like it and I start to break out.

One of the interesting things that emerged from the research is that skim milk induced more breakouts than whole fat milk indicating that fat is not the issue. Other research has shown that while high saturated and animal fat foods aren’t ideal from a health perspective, they do not necessary cause or worsen acne. High sugar foods on the other hand are another story completely and do show a strong correlation with breakouts.

So if not the fat, what is the culprit? While not conclusively proved, the hormones in milk may well be the driver. Milk contains androgen hormones, the most notably testosterone. The body converts some testosterone to di-hydrotestosterone (DHT) which has a simulating effect on the skin’s sebaceous glands promoting the production of sebum. The result is oilier skin, more pore congestion and therefore more pimples. The more milk consumed, the more hormones, which may explain the proportional effect of higher milk consumption and more severe acne. Genetics also play a role according to researchers with people who are genetically predisposed to acne breakouts having a stronger reaction to the hormones in milk.

It is common practice with the commercial production of milk for dairy farmers to give cows additional hormones as this stimulates a higher milk yield. One of the side effects of this is milk with a high IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor-1) concentration and again the more consumed, the higher the blood concentration of IGF-1 found. Like DHT, IGF-1 drives sebum production which can trigger acne breakouts.

The other issue that may be linked to dairy, keep in mind there is no specific research about this, is the protein in dairy. Skim milk is believed to be worse than full cream milk due to the whey protein which is added to give a creamier taste. There are many different proteins in milk and IGF-1 is only one that may cause issues. If your digestive system is not performing as optimally as it could, the proteins in milk may eventually lead to internal inflammation of the gut and poor detoxification of waste. There is a strong link between poor digestive detoxification and acne. I will address this topic in more depth in another blog very soon.

So while milk and dairy are not a direct cause of acne, cutting it out of your diet can help to reduce acne severity. Reducing dairy may help but giving your body a rest from it all together is going to get a better initial result. One way to test your response to dairy is to start with 3 weeks complete removal and monitor your skin’s response. Look for a decrease in overall breakouts and well as less redness (inflammation). If you find that it doesn’t seem to make a difference at all reintroduce dairy slowly, again still monitoring the response to see if there are any worsening effects. If it does make a difference, it is best to stay off or only have limited quantities (and can I just say, a latte a day is a lot, not a little bit of milk).

A note of caution, often when people give up cow’s milk, they move over to soy milk. While this may seem like a sensible substitute, soy contains phytoestrogens, which may also be problematic for acne sufferers. It is best just to see how you go without cow’s milk first before using a dairy substitute.

This is the first in a series of blogs I am going to do about acne, its underlying causes and triggers. Please let me know if there are any topics in particular you would like me to cover.

I mentioned in a previous blog that I was going to do a review about the latest fad diet, Raw Food. I say fad diet because like many other diets I have seen over my 15 years as a naturopath, the Raw Food Diet will have a boom in popularity followed by a slump with only the “true-believers” continuing on. Do I sound cynical already? Well I don’t mean to – I am writing this article primarily to stimulate comment.  But first, just a little bit of cynicism, a list of the fad diets I have lived through, either via my own experience or vicariously through students and patients over the years:

1. The Pritikin Diet – eliminated all fats from the diet including good sources such as nuts & avocado. Can I just say that Pritikin himself had a severe essential fatty acid deficiency later in life and suffered depression as a result. Later
   

   No fish - no good fats!

   versions of this diet include good fats – thank goodness (fat tastes so delicious!)

2. Anti-Candida Diet – do you remember when EVERYONE had candida, when every symptom of tiredness was due to an overgrowth of yeast in your body? So out the window went all foods that could feed this yeast overgrowth – all sugars, fruit, vinegar, yeast, bread, biscuits etc. Yes this is one I suffered through in the 90′s for many months only to come out the other side still tired (sleep may have helped) and with a dislike of fruit juice (I still hate it) and fruit (I only eat in limited amounts). Scarred? Yes I am!
3. The Zone Diet – I didn’t try this one mainly because just reading the book made me tired and overwhelmed. It was so militant and my attitude to food is that, yes it should be healthy but also enjoyable. Nonetheless, I did learn some great tips from this diet one of which is the palm measurement for protein portions: eat only the size and thickness of the palm of your hand (chicken, tofu, fish or red meat) at any one sitting. This does exclude 500g T-bone steaks but that was no loss for me.
4. High Protein Diets (including Atkins) – yes I did try this one as well including the chocolate coated peanut butter protein bars that looked so good and tasted sooooooo much like dried cardboard. I also had problems going to the toilet
   

   They may look delicious but they taste like cardboard!

   for the entire 3 weeks of the diet (I know, too much information). The problem with this diet is that it is too open to interpretation e.g. a friend of mine interpreted a high protein diet as follows: breakfast – scrambled cheesy eggs, lunch – 2 x lamb chops, dinner – cheese platter….and so on. With such a lack of anything resembling a vegetable, I am not surprised it didn’t work for him. While this diet may be useful for short term weight loss, it may not be so good for bowel health in the long term.

5. Sally Fallon’s Whole Food Diet – I actually LOVED this one. It is based on eating a wide variety of whole (ie food that hasn’t been processed) and fermented foods. It also included butter (organic & unsalted but still butter) – in moderation of course! The whole food trend is growing along with Slow Food and so I don’t think we have seen the last of this type of diet. This trend is certainly aligned with my way of thinking so I will state my bias up-front!

I could probably live on berries - for at least 2 days anyway!

And so this leads me to the dietary fad of the 2010′s – Raw Food. Firstly I want to say that there are many positive aspects about this diet. For a start, the diet is based on fruit, vegetables, sprouts, nuts, seeds, grains, legumes, seaweed, and dried fruit – foods that most Australian’s don’t eat enough of and certainly not over 75% of the diet as advocated by raw foodies. If you ate 2 serves of fruit and 5 of vegetables yesterday, which is considered the minimum daily intake, I bet you feel fabulous today. However, most of us didn’t. Raw Foodies also believe that heating above 116 degrees F. destroys the naturally occurring enzymes that assist with digestion and absorption of nutrients. In addition that cooking food can reduce certain vitamins such as vitamin C and B group.

The raw food diet is highly alkaline and very cleansing and so the health benefits can be extensive and include weight loss, detoxification and bowel cleansing. While this all sounds good, and don’t get me wrong, I think most of us could do with a good clean out, in the long term a raw food diet is not a good choice for all.

I see the biggest issue with a primarily raw food diet is the issue of absorption. Many nutrients need to be cooked to be absorbed effectively. One example is lycopene from tomatoes which is released when in the presence of oil and heat. More importantly is the strength or effectiveness of most people’s digestive systems. This varies from person to person however, many people do not have the necessary digestive enzymes to break down the nutrients in raw food.

To illustrate this point, if you imagine the gut is like a small campfire, burning (processing) firewood easily and generating heat as a result. If you pour petrol on the fire, it will turn into a raging inferno (petrol in food terms equates to

A healthy digestion is like a camp fire

excessive consumption of foods such as alcohol, coffee, fats and hot, spices). If you feed the fire leaves, it will burn quickly and then go out (leaves = processed, sugary foods which are full of energy but empty in nutrition). If you put green wood on the fire it will also eventually dampen down and die out (green leaves = cold foods such as those straight from the fridge, cold drinks, too many raw foods.). The gut is rich with capillaries that bring a supply of warm blood to the stomach so it can produce digestive enzymes. Too many cold and raw foods will constrict the blood supply and reduce the body’s own supply of digestive enzymes. And no matter how raw the food is, the enzymes supplied will never match the body’s own ability to produce its own enzymes.

So for those who have weak or poor digestion in any way (loose stools, IBS, bloating, indigestion etc), a raw food diet may be actually harder on the digestion that fresh, warm, cooked foods. You can consume the same types of foods that the raw food diet focuses on, veges, nuts, seeds etc but prepare them differently. Have a veg stir-fry, soups, stews, steamed veg or fresh fruit & veg juice instead. Warm foods are particularly important in Winter when our body is using a lot of energy to stay warm. Eating a raw salad mid-Winter means our body has to warm up the food to digest it properly as well as keeping our body warm. Summer is definitely the season for more raw foods and indeed the thought of eating hot vege soup on a hot day is not appealing.

Genetics play a role in how we digest and process food as well. If you come from a culture where cooked foods is the norm then it may be a shock to the system to suddenly change over to a raw food diet. Our body’s adapt to the food we eat and the way it is cooked so in this case, gradual inclusion of more raw foods is a good way to proceed.

Over time, a strict raw food diet may also lead to nutritional deficiencies such as protein, calcium, iron, B12 and zinc. These nutrients are commonly found in animal products and can be hard for the body to process from vegetable sources. While not impossible impossible to maintain good levels of these nutrients by any means it does require planning and deliberate inclusion of raw food sources that contain these nutrients.

My philosophy about food is one of moderation: good quality food, a majority whole foods – both raw & cooked, enjoyment of that food and the occasional treat. Maybe why I think the raw food diet will be another fad is that it is at the extreme end of the dietary spectrum. However, as with any diet, there will be some that absolutely thrive eating raw foods. I also stress that most people need to eat more fresh fruit & veg in general and if the raw food message is the way for this to occur then I for one will jump on the bandwagon. And I can’t stress enough how much people need to move away from processed, empty calorie foods, however, I suspect that like the other fad diets around, the raw food diet will have its day and I for one will stick to more moderate eating habits.

I would love to know what you think about raw food and if you have gone down this path, what your experience is.

Each fortnight a box of organic fruit and vegies is delivered to my door. I love this arrangement because a. it means I don’t have to go to the shops as regularly (I hate going to the supermarket and generally avoid it when possible) and b. it is organic! This fortnight the box contained peaches and nectarines, which I have been enjoying immensely. As I was eating my organic peach this morning I felt especially good because I remembered that peaches are on the Dirty Dozen List, a list of fruit & veg most affected by pesticide contamination. The other fruit & vegetables on this list include (most affected to least):

1. Peach
   

   Strawberries have the potential for a higher pesticide load

2. Apple
3. Capscicum
4. Celery
5. Nectarine
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Grapes
11. Carrot
12. Pear

While I momentarily felt ok because I was eating an organic peach I realised that my other favourite fruits are also on that list, namely cherries (cannot share them with anyone) and nectarines.  There are some alarming statistics and facts bandied around about pesticide contamination:

• If you eat the 12 most contaminated fruit & vegies, you consume an average of 10 pesticides a day
• Washing or peeling fresh produce reduces pesticide residue but it does not eliminate it.
• Conventionally grown produce contains less nutritional value than organically grown produce

Reading all of this I felt a bit glum so I did a search to find out if there was any produce that wasn’t unduly affected by pesticide residue. At one of the best resources I have come across, www.ewg.org, I found the answer which cheered me immensely. Eating from the list below minimises pesticide ingestion significantly (around 2 pesticides daily and less if washed).  So my new resolution is to ensure that when I buy conventionally grown produce, I will choose from the list below:

1. Onion (from least contaminated)
   
2. Avocado
3. Sweet corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet peas
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Papaya
12. Watermelon
13. Broccoli
14. Tomato
15. Sweet Potato

How does this relate to skin care? Well the pesticides, herbicides, synthetic chemicals, petrochemicals we eat, inhale

How & Why we choose our products

or absorb all contribute to our overall toxic burden. The more burdened our body’s are, the harder it is for them to get rid of all the toxins and waste byproducts which are either stored or eliminated via alternative pathways such as the skin. In those with skin conditions, reducing the overall toxic burden by eating whole foods, choosing organic where possible and using natural skin care & cleaning products can help improve the condition of the skin. For those that just want to improve their wellbeing, it is also a good idea.

Do you eat any organic produce and if so how important is it to you and your family. Is it as important as using organic skin care? I would love to hear your comments.

In part 2 of this topic, Karen Fischer from her book The Healthy Skin Diet discusses how to measure body acidity or alkalinity and importantly how to shift the balance from acid to a more alkaline system.

How is body acidity or alkalinity measured?

Your body has a natural acid and alkaline balance which is measured by the traditional pH scale (pH literally means ‘potential for hydrogen’). For example, a pH of 1.0 is completely acid and a pH of 14 is all alkaline, and 7.0 is neutral. The pH of a substance is determined by how many hydrogen ions are in a substance. All acids in the body give off hydrogen ions as they dissolve in water.

Now, for the body to remain alive and well the blood needs to be slightly alkaline — at a pH of 7.365 to be precise. If your blood pH becomes slightly acidic your blood would burn holes in your blood vessels. As you can imagine, you can’t feel healthy if you have holes in your veins. In fact, if the blood pH was to vary by about one-tenth, your body’s biomechanical function would fail and you’d die. However the body, being the wise thing that it is, has many back-up plans to ensure the blood’s pH balance is maintained:

1. The body uses its alkaline reserves such as alkaline minerals to keep the blood pH at the correct level. If you keep having an acid lifestyle, these stores run out and your body needs to go to back-up plan number 2 …

2. Back-up plan number 2 involves quickly removing excess acids from your blood and storing them safely in your fat cells. Unfortunately, overweight people who have heaps of acid stored in their fat usually have an incredibly difficult time losing weight because their body will do everything to avoid the influx of acid that would be released during weight-loss. An acidic body holds onto excess weight, making dieting extremely difficult.

3. After your body uses up its alkaline reserves and after it has stored acids in your fat, what happens next? Back-up plan number 3: your body takes

Alkalinising

alkaline minerals such as calcium from your bones. This is one of the reasons why people getosteoporosis and shrink as they get older. Their acid lifestyle is threatening to disrupt their blood pH and the body is protecting the blood by leeching calcium from their bones. Unfortunately the modern Western diet is excessively acidic. There are two ways you can find out how acidic you are.

Firstly (and this is the more accurate way), your doctor can test your blood pH with a simple blood test. You need to ask for this test specifically as it is not a routine blood test. A healthy pH reading for your blood is between 7.35 and 7.45; as you can see it’s a very narrow range.

Secondly, you can test your saliva or urine pH with pH strips that you can purchase from your local pharmacy. These pH strips are made of litmus paper, which changes colour when acidic or alkaline substances come into contact with it. Dr Guerrero, a famous American doctor who studied traditional Chinese medicine and is the author of In Balance for Life, recommends testing the urine rather than saliva as the kidneys are one of the body’s organs that eliminate acids. However the urine test is not as accurate as a blood test but it can reveal if you’re acidic and you can do the test daily. This is useful because acid and base (alkalinity) levels fluctuate daily. When your body’s pH is in balance, your urine pH will be between 7.0 and 7.5.5

Cross-check your results from the first blog by doing a pH urine test for five days in a row (to get a more accurate average). Do the urine test first thing in the morning, on rising.

What causes excess acidity in the body?

• acid-forming foods, poor diet
• stress (covered in Chapter 10)
• coffee and other products containing caffeine
• alcohol
• smoking
• chemicals
• dehydration/not enough water
• parasites (worms)
• candida albicans
• drugs, including prescriptive medications
• constipation/poor bowel health.

Acid-forming foods

There are many types of acid-producing foods and the most common ones come from animal produce. Now these foods don’t seem acidic before you

Acidic when cooked, alkaline when raw

pop them in your mouth — they contain some acids but they also form acids once they’re digested. Acid-forming foods are okay in moderation but when your body is continually trying to counteract an acidic state, acid can become poison to your system.

When you have an acidic system, your body will eventually tire of shunting calcium away from your bones and storing acid in your fat. And if you’re a thin person, with limited fat cells, then you’re in a worse predicament than an overweight person.

Where is your acid being stored? As you can imagine, skinny people can get sick very, very quickly. This means that Skinny-Minnies need to be extra healthy to feel great and have beautiful skin. You can probably guess most of the common acid-forming foods as they’re also the usual ‘offending’ foods that already have bad reputations, such as sugar, white flour products, foods high in saturated fats and damaged (trans) fats, meat, dairy, soft drinks, chips and alcohol. But what you may find surprising is that when you chomp on a piece of fruit, it creates acid during digestion. This is because most fruits have an extremely high sugar content. Yes, these are natural sugars but they promote acidity and they provide a quick and easy meal for thriving microbes.

Acid-forming foods — the worst offenders

Acid-forming foods — the milder ones

READER QUESTION

Q ‘I’ve heard that acid-forming foods are bad for me. Do I have to totally avoid them to be healthy?’

A No! The foods and liquids that exert the strongest acid-producing effect can be enjoyed in moderation. However, during the Healthy Skin Diet these substances will be strictly limited to no more than three serves per day. Two serves is two glasses of alcohol or one coffee and salmon or chickpeas for dinner. Keep your animal protein serves small — about the size of the palm of your hand — especially if you’re eating meat.

Keep it in balance aiming for a 50:50 ratio of acidic to alkaline forming foods.

Foods that are mildly alkalising:

Foods that are strongly alkalising:

Remember: keep it in balance aiming for a 50:50 ratio of acidic to alkaline forming foods.

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