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If you read my blogs regularly you will likely know that I have sensitive skin. In recent years, this hasn’t been such a big problem for me but I am regularly asked how to manage sensitive skin. In this video I review why sensitive skin occurs, how you can help minimise skin reactions using topical ingredients and what dietary and lifestyle changes you can make to help improve your skin. I have also previously written a Sensitive Skin Information Page about sensitive skin which you can review here.

Sensitive Skin Solutions

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.

Yes its that time of year again – cool weather equals drier skin. The question that has been most asked is “what can I do about my dry skin?”. As always I like to give you a complete answer so I will outline below internal and lifestyle solutions as well as the topical products you can use to improve skin dryness and dehydration.

Firstly a short explaination about why your skin is feel dry and tight. Basically, with the cooler weather the humidity decreases and moisture evaporates out of your skin. This reduces the skin’s ability to protect from the external environment and so it reacts more readily to wind, cold weather and topical irritants. You may find that as well as feeling dry, your skin is also more sensitive during winter. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to reduce moisture evaporation and increase skin protection and resiliance.

Environmental Factors

Sun, wind, cold air and hot water all increase water loss. You can reduce evaporation by making a few changes to your routine:

• Have short showers – long hot showers and swimming in heated pools opens up the pores and increases water loss from your skin.
• If you are in airconditioning, make sure you keep hydrated. To increase the fluid uptake into your cells add a squeeze of lemon or orange juice to your water bottle.
• When out in the wind or cold apply a lip balm to help minimise moisture loss from your lips.
• If you know you are going to be exposed to the elements, wear a richer moisturiser or a thicker sunscreen to help avoid sun and wind damage.

Editor's Pick for cream cleansers

Topical Solutions

• Synthetic foaming agents such as sodium or ammonium laurel sulphate are a significant cause of acid mantle disruption and coupled with cooler weather can lead to issues such as dehydration, roughness, infection, redness and irritation. Switch to a cream cleanser over winter. You can go back to a gel or foaming cleanser as soon as the weather starts to get warmer again. Our cream cleanser picks include:
  • For very dry, dehydrated or sensitive skin choose the Haven Scent Coconut Cream Cleanser. This is almost like using a cold cream to remove make up as it is very rich and creamy. You can use a moist flannel to wipe the cleanser off.
  • For combination skin, where congestion and dryness occur choose the AUM Brightening Cream Cleanser instead. This includes enzymes to help clear congestion but is gentle on skin at the same time.
  • For normal skin types, the Mukti Cleansing Lotion is ideal.
• Use an oil serum at night to help improve the moisture holding capacity of the skin cells. You can apply the serum under your moisturiser (only use half a pump) or instead of a night cream. Any serum you use should sink into the skin completely within 5 minutes. Our product picks are:
  • Remedica Regenerate Visage or VitaleVisage – either of these lovely serums will nourish the skin deeply and more than that, help improve the skin cell health. (Ed note: I love Vitale Visage and it is the key product that got me through the onset of the dry weather).
• Choose a richer moisturiser. This may seem like a simple solution but it is a very effective way of preventing moisture loss from the skin. You don’t have to jump from a light lotion up to a rich cream, just choose the next moisturiser up from your current one. eg. I have gone from Devita Solar Protect which is quite light up to Devita Rx Ultrahydrate. Alternatively, try using your night cream during the day. If it sinks in without a greasy feel, then it is suitable for day use. Our picks include:
  • Devita Rx Ultrahydrate - a rich cream with hyaluronic acid to increase skin moisture holding capacity
  • AUM Regenerating Night Cream – great for moisture depleted skin
  • Mukti Nourishing Cream – a lighter lotion that has a lovely moisturising effect.

Nutritional Help

• Drink enough water as adequate water intake is required to maintain cellular fluid.
• Essential fatty acids from good fats help maintain the fatty membrane surrounding the cell, holding in moisture and nutrition. Good fat sources include deep sea fish, olive oil, nuts & seeds, avocado and flax seeds.
• If your skin is really dry, try the Lemon Detox drink for 7 days. The difference this will make is truly astounding.

If you have any additional winter skin tips, please write in and let me know. I would love to hear about them.

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.

Do you ever wonder why no matter how much sleep you get, the dark circles under your eyes never seem to get any better? Or why your cheeks are flushed even in winter? Or even why you seem to get blackheads on your nose and can’t get rid of them no matter what topical creams you use? These issues are actually signs that your body is giving you, and using facial analysis, you can work out what the root cause of your dark circles and flushed cheeks and finally do something about it.

From Greek medicine to Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), facial analysis has been used as an indication of the health of the organs or to provide useful clues as to the systems involved in any health issue. In particular TCM has a detailed map of the face including lines, organ zones and colour indications. Using TCM facial analysis principles with relation to skin conditions, the map and colours of the face can help indicate the underlying causes and support the choice of treatment.

Skin conditions that affect the face such as eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and acne don’t usually affect the entire surface of the face. The affected areas are often confined to particular areas or zones so just by looking at your face you can find out more about the underlying cause of any skin condition. This technique is not confined to skin conditions. It can also be used as a tool to assess wellbeing or to improve skin tone in general.

Face - Organ Map

As a guide, go over each zone of the face and look for any changes in colour (from your normal skin tone), deep lines (that aren’t part of the normal aging process), congestion (pimples, blackheads, milia, whiteheads) or puffiness. Below is a guide to the key areas of the face and their associated organs. Included are key indications about lines and colours that provide additional information.

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.

Related Articles:

Improve your blood alkalinity and detoxification with Chlorophyll

Aging – does diet really make a difference?

Lemon Meringue Detox

Our first Blog!! The healthy skin diet

After a weekend of hot pizza and red wine followed by cold pizza and coffee the next morning, I felt pretty bad (for those of you wondering, yes I really did eat that. I have no excuse except to say that my partner is away so I am eating rubbish). So I decided to do another skin detox and so got out my copy of The Healthy Skin Diet by Karen Fischer. One concept from the book I really like is the idea that acidic systems create health problems, including of course skin issues. This is neatly explained by this excerpt from Karen’s book in which she explains why acidosis is so detrimental.

Chapter 3 from “The Healthy Skin Diet” by Karen Fischer (printed with permission from Karen and Exsile Publishing)

Think green and friendly

‘Think green and friendly’ is not a mantra for a hippy commune; it is an essential step for beautiful skin, involving ‘friendly’ gut flora and ‘green’ foods and drinks that have an alkalising effect on the body. Technically speaking, some parts of your body should be acidic, such as your stomach when it produces digestive acids and your outer layer of skin with its protective acid mantle. However in general, your body’s tissues and blood should be slightly alkaline.

For years I ignored the concept of balancing the body’s pH with alkalising foods. Now when I look back I feel so silly. This guideline is really simple and you quickly see and feel your health improving so you know it’s working!

What happens if your body is too acidic?

The Healthy Skin Diet

According to Dr Guerrero, acidosis can damage cells in your body. An acid-producing lifestyle can also reduce the amount and quality of collagen and elastin being produced so you can end up with premature ageing and wrinkles. Good quality collagen and elastin is essential for youthful-looking skin. Too many acids in the body can also cause demineralisation, which can lead to dry and cracked skin, fingernails that split easily and thin, brittle hair. According to Dr Guerrero, having an overly acidic system can also do damage to your red blood cells so they alter in shape, clump together and they can die prematurely. Your red blood cells should look like round, flat discs — a bit like red frisbees or a throat lozenge — floating freely through your blood plasma. They should also have a negative charge on the outside and a positive charge on the inside. When your red blood cells are negatively charged on the outside as they should be, they cannot clump together. They repel. Unfortunately, when acid strips some of your red blood cells of their negative charge they start attracting each other and they form clumps. Your red blood cells should not clump together unless you’ve cut yourself and the blood flow needs to be stopped from escaping. Otherwise your blood needs to flow without clotting.

Your skin is usually the first thing to suffer when red blood cell health is poor. Your red blood cells carry oxygen to your skin but when they are sticky and bulky they cannot give your outer layer a quick and efficient supply of oxygen. Your skin may also look dull and possibly even pasty or greyish from low oxygen supply. You can also feel very lethargic if your blood is sluggish with damaged red blood cells that aren’t supplying enough oxygen. No wonder people often wake up tired after eight hours’ sleep and need a coffee pick-me-up! Fill out the following questionnaire to see if your body is showing any signs of acidosis. Circle any symptoms you experience on a regular basis (three or more times a week):

Common symptoms of acidosis

• fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome
• fatigue or weakness after eating meals
• frequent colds and flu, low immunity
• poor circulation, cold hands/feet
• low blood pressure
• burning sensation during urination
• kidney stones
• excessive urination
• headaches
• pallor, dull complexion
• gastrointestinal problems: abdominal pains, cramps, acid reflux, diarrhoea, gas, ulcers
• agitation, nervousness, anxiety,
• depression, lack of ambition, lack of joy
• dental problems: bleeding or inflamed gums, cavities, cracked lips, loose teeth, tooth sensitivity
• muscle cramps or spasms, tension in neck and shoulders
• joint pain, arthritis-like pain
• nail and hair problems: brittle hair, hair loss, split nails
• allergies, runny nose, chronic bronchitis
• vaginal discharge, candida albicans
• skin problems: dry skin, eczema, acne, hives, itchy skin, red and patchy skin
• osteoporosis, brittle bones
• insomnia, restless sleep.

If you have circled four or more symptoms then you may have too much acid in your body. In the next blog (a few days from now) Karen discusses how to test for acidosis and what you can actually do to change this state for yourself. Hint: chlorophyll and green leafies help. And I should know, after the weekend, I am focusing on a largely plant based diet to give my body a break!
Related Articles:

Improve your blood alkalinity and detoxification with Chlorophyll

Aging – does diet really make a difference?

Lemon Meringue Detox

Our first Blog!! The healthy skin diet

This blog is unrelated to skin health and more about total body health. I have had the flu and so have been using the principle of  “food as medicine” particularly with grated ginger, hot water, lemon and honey. The other reason I thought of these ingredients is that a friend dropped around some food for me (bless!) and he used cinnamon sticks in a savory meal. It was fantastic. So below are some tips about some common kitchen spices and their medicinal benefits. I have also put one of my favorite winter dishes at the end.

Ginger
This spice comes from the underground rhizome of the ginger plant. Traditionally, ginger has been used to remedy symptoms arising from

Warming for the digestion

gastrointestinal issues. It works primarily by relaxing and soothing the intestinal tract. Ginger is also warming to the digestive system so useful for sluggish digestion.

Research has shown that ginger effectively reduces all symptoms associated with motion sickness including dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweating. This action is also helps to safely reduce nausea in pregnancy. The good thing is that ginger is extremely safe, and only a small dose is required.

Ginger has also shown a reduction of inflammation and swelling in trials for arthritis. Regular cooking with ginger will help reduce generalised inflammation within the body.

Cooking Tips
Fresh Ginger contains more of the anti-inflammatory gingerol compounds than dried so use fresh ginger in cooking rather than dried ginger. Used in tea, mixing the ginger with honey and lemon juice, its pungent effect may help to relieve sinus congestion and assist with digestion.

Tumeric
From the root of the Curcuma longa plant comes Tumeric. Traditionally called “Indian saffron” because of its deep colour Tumeric has a history of use as a spice, therapeutic remedy and clothes dye.

The deep yellow or orange flesh of Tumeric are largely responsible for its

Tumeric - a powerful antioxidant

therapeutic effects. The active constituent in Tumeric is known as curcumin and it has shown in many studies to have a powerful antiinflammatory effect. When compared to drugs such as hydrocortisone and phenylbutazone, curcumin has exerted similar anti-inflammatory activity without the same risk of side effects.

Recent research Curcumin has shown to be a safe and effective treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. This effect has been seen in doses as low as the amount required for a good curry!

Another great benefit of including Tumeric in cooking regularly is that it has a powerful detoxifying effect. It works by enhancing the liver’s ability to detoxify chemicals.

Cooking Tips
Keep fresh Tumeric in the fridge and the powdered form in a cool, dark cupboard. Use it for soups, curries and bean dishes such as Kedgeree (see recipe below). Be warned, Tumeric will stain if it comes into contact with your hands or clothes.

Black Pepper
The berries of the pepper plant (Piper nigrum) are picked when half ripe and dried to create Black Peppercorns. Pepper has a stimulating effect on the

Hot and tasty

digestive system which is why it is often added as a spice to foods. It works by stimulating the taste buds which has the effect of increasing hydrochloric acid (HCl) secretion in the stomach. An increase in HCl leads to more effective breakdown of foods and therefore increased bioavailability of nutrients. For this reason, pepper has been used in some traditional Ayurvedic herbal combinations to increase the absorption of the other herbs.

Black pepper also acts to reduce pain and gas build up in the gut which is likely also a result of increased HCl production. The hot taste of pepper has the effect of increasing sweating which promotes toxic elimination through the skin.

Pepper used to add flavour to food however, as with everything, too much of a good thing can be detrimental. A good guide is that you can taste the heat of added pepper but your mouth doesn’t feel hot or burnt.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a well known spice with an extensive history of use as a pungent and sweet flavouring agent as well as a medicine. It is the inner brown bark of the cinnamon tree, which is available as a form known as a quill or as ground powder.

Health Benefits
New research has shown that cinnamon may significantly help people with

Sweet tasting but good for you

type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes improve their ability to regulate their blood sugar.

Studies have found that cinnamon improved the ability of fat cells in diabetics to respond to insulin and greatly increased glucose uptake by the cells.

In a human clinical trial published in Diabetes Care, 2003 volunteers with type 2 diabetes were given doses of cinnamon powder, in capsules after meals. All volunteers in the trial responded to the effects of cinnamon with an average blood sugar level of 20% less than the control placebo group, some even achieving normal blood sugar levels.

The results of this study demonstrate that intake of 1 (equivalent to ¼ – ½ teaspoon daily), 3, or 6 g of cinnamon per day reduces serum glucose, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes. The long term implications of this study suggest that regular inclusion of cinnamon in the diet of people with type 2 diabetes will reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Cinnamon research in a completely different area has also yielded positive results, this time for brain function. In one study chewing cinnamon flavoured gum or just smelling cinnamon enhanced study participants’ brain activity by improving cognitive processing. The specific outcomes were that tasks related to attention processes, virtual recognition memory, working memory, and visual-motor speed were all improved.

Cinnamon can be added to cereal, shakes, stewed apple and other sweets as well as savoury dishes such as lamb casseroles.

Cumin
Like Tumeric and Black pepper, cumin seeds have a beneficial effect on the digestion. Cumin works to stimulate the secretion of pancreatic enzymes,

Cumin seed - stimulating digestion

compounds essential for good digestion and nutrient absorption. It is no surprise that these three spices are so commonly used together to create delicious dishes that have the added benefit of supporting the digestion.

Add Cumin to curries, bean and lentil dishes, vegetables and dukkah.

Kedgeree Recipe
Kedgeree is a spicy flavoured lentil dish without the heat of a curry. It is light enough to eat in spring and summer and contains lots of delicious spices.

Ingredients:
• 1 cup of mung bean lentils
• 4-6 cups of water
• 1 onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 teaspoons coriander powder
• ¼ teaspoon astafoetida powder
• 1 teaspoon tumeric powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons of ghee
• 1 cup of chopped, mixed vegetables eg. broc, cauliflower, carrot, Brussel sprouts, zucchini, eggplant etc
• Salt and pepper to taste (usually a good dash of each)
• Fresh coriander as garnish & yoghurt

Directions:
• Soak mung bean lentils overnight in water. Scrunch them in the water before rinsing to get rid of the woody flavour.
• Put the lentils in 4-6 cups of water with the ginger, garlic, bay leaf and spice powders.
• Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the tomatoes and other vegies. Cook for half an hour.
• In the meantime chop the onions and fry in the ghee until almost soft and clear. Add the mustard and cumin seeds to the onion and ghee and fry for an additional 5 minutes on a low heat. Make sure the seeds don’t burn.
• Add the ghee mix to the lentil & vegie mix. Take care as the fat hitting the water may spit. Stir through.
• Serve into bowls. Top with yoghurt and fresh coriander leaves.

Herbal teas are a delicious way to start the day and to deliver health benefits. Gentle acting, herbal teas will achieve results if consistently used over time. The added benefit of an herbal tea is that you are getting at least a cup of liquid at the same time which helps to keep up hydration levels and flush toxins out of your body via your kidneys. Savory tasting, Tea Tonic’s Complexion Tea help support elimination via the kidneys, liver and lymphatics thereby reducing the toxic burden on the skin. Roechelle, one of the Vitale Team has been drinking Complexion Tea for the last 3 weeks and has this to say “combining this tea with chlorophyll on a daily basis I have seen real improvements in my skin – mainly less congestion which is great. I noticed the changes after about 2 weeks on this program”.

This video blog looks at the therapeutic benefits of the individual herb in Complexion Tea and a general review of the process of elimination.

Click here to see Complexion Tea.

The pH or acid and alkaline balance of the blood is a key factor in detoxification and inflammation. An acidic blood pH is more likely to be associated with increased inflammation throughout the body and with a greater incidence of skin conditions such as congestion and acne. By contrast alkaline blood is associated with reduced inflammation. Green foods such as chlorophyll can assist in balancing acid/alkaline balance, which may be helpful during detoxification. This video goes examines the acid/alkaline balance and the benefits of chlorophyll.

Grant’s Liquid Chlorophyll is a gentle, low dose product that assists with the acid/alkaline balance in the body. Recommended by Karen Fischer’s book “The Healthy Skin Diet“, chlorophyll is a useful supplement as part of an overall skin detoxification program. It also helps to reduce body odour – underarm, foot and bad breath.

Deodorise and detoxify