Yes, I have bad skin. And no, you don't need to point it out to me.
Skin irritation has become a normal symptom of modern society. It starts early with pubertal acne at a young age. It is part of growing up. It is not questioned further. Only when the form of acne breaks out very intensively, lasts longer or returns, we deal with this topic a little more in depth. Other skin irritations such as itchy skin, neurodermatitis, psoriasis, rosacea, etc. are typically treated in medicine as symptom relief. Only very rarely illnesses are being investigated to find the root cause. The various skin diseases require an individual approach and a close look. In this respect, I focus today on the most common form of skin irritation, acne. However, the majority of the different skin diseases have something in common:
Overstrained detoxification process. Detoxification is finally carried out through the skin, because kidney, liver and intestine can no longer keep up with detoxification.
Psyche. The skin represents a border between the outside and the inside. Also in the figurative sense. Not being able to set boundaries and learn to say no is often related to skin problems.
Are you aware that the skin is our largest organ? On average it measures 2 square meters! It's worth taking a closer look and taking care of this organ, don't you think?
There are many kind of skin irritations, but in this blog I focus on acne. Of course, acne is part of puberty to a certain extent. The whole hormonal balance changes and plays itself in. If one is affected by severe acne, whether in or out of puberty, then it is worth reading this article and trying to test out a couple of symptom relieving measures.
In this article, we would like to better understand acne, how it develops physiologically and what should be taken into account when trying to cure it. This is very general information. In order to strive for the best possible cure, an all-around and individual consideration in a one-on-one coaching session is a prerequisite.
Overview
THE SKIN THE ACNE & TREATMENT APPROACHES COACHING
The Skin
Our largest organ is divided into the following layers:
Epidermis
Scaling
Nerve fibers
Pigment bidders & defense cells
Dermis
Sweat glands
Sebaceous glands
Scent glands
Pores
Collagen & Elastin
Subcutis (lower skin)
Our skin is the outermost organ and protects us from external environmental influences. Unfortunately, nowadays this is a relentlessly stressful process due to many pollutants in the environment. We find those everywhere; exhaust fumes in the air, pesticide resistant plant sprays, polluting body care, sprays on and in food, microplastics, etc, etc, etc.
Through our mucous membranes in the nose, mouth and genitals, the skin protects us from pathogens.
Nerves and sweat in the skin support the thermoregulation of the whole body. The body excretes acids and toxins through the skin, contributing greatly to detoxification (sweating is supporting this process even further).
But the skin is also receptive to senses (touch, pain and pressure sensation, temperature perception) and an expression of emotions. The following reactions do not just come from somewhere and can be observed in life:
when we blush
when we turn pale
we get goose bumps
in extreme situations we sweat
And emotions should have no influence on our physical well-being?
About Acne
Acne is one of many skin diseases. Typically, an overacidified organism and/or a faulty colonization in the intestine, as well as emotional stresses are causal factors. If the body fails to neutralize the acids in the organism, it deposits the acids and other residues in the body. These must then be eliminated through the skin. Up to a certain degree, this is normal. Only when it is too much, it becomes stressful for the skin.
The intestinal environment becomes stressful for the skin if there is a leaky gut syndrome or if the intestine is excessively colonized with yeasts.
The psychological aspects should not be underestimated. Stress is very central. Combined with a weakened immune system, skin disease tends to break out.
Especially with a skin disease like acne, understanding about sebaceous glands becomes important. Sebaceous glands are located in the dermis and produce lipids (fats) that are carried to the skin surface as sebum. In this respect, we observe acne exactly where a densely populated group of sebaceous glands is found: the face, neck, chest, back and upper arms.
Typical and possible causes of acne are:
Sebaceous gland hyperfunction
Hormone disorder
blockages in the sebaceous gland duct
Bacterial overgrowth
Inflammations in the body
Psychological factors
stressful body care
Lack of nutrients
Excessive contact with harmful environmental substances
Wrong diet (overacidified, low in nutrients, high in sugar...)
In my coaching sessions, I deal with the various causes in depth. In today's article I will focus on body care, diet/nutrients, exercise, as well as the use of essential oils.
Mission body care
A natural body care can be very relieving for the body but especially for our skin. Today's body care products promise supportive and caring measures, but due to their harmful ingredients they are more harmful than stated. It is worthwhile to take a close look at body care products and to select the ones that are good for you personally. Here it probably requires a test phase and this may and can take time until you have found the ideal product for you, but it is worth it. Not only for your health, but also for your wallet. Because ideally, we limit our body care to a few manageable products. As a general rule, "less is more." For example, good old aloe vera is suitable for external as well as internal use with a noticeable effect. Or simply an organic jojoba oil (cold pressed) can be used as a body lotion. But especially interesting for people with acne is an alkaline bath. An alkaline bath supports the elimination of acids and deposited substances from the skin.
You can find more insights into the world of body care in my other blog article (German only).
Mission diet and nutrients
An alkaline diet is central to relieving the skin. This is because an over-acidified body places an additional burden on the skin to eliminate acids. If we eat more base-forming minerals instead of acid-forming minerals, the body can keep the acid-base ratio in balance and the skin is not relieved.
Base-forming minerals are:
Calcium (poppy seeds, black sesame seeds, sesame seeds, nettle, spirulina...).
Magnesium (black sesame seeds, alfalfa sprouts, chlorella/spirulina, pumpkin seeds...)
Sodium (black olives, salted nuts, sauerkraut juice, goji berries...)
Potassium (dried apricots and plums, cocoa, legumes...)
Iron (chlorella/spirulina, wheatgrass powder, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds...).
In summary, this concerns for example foods in organic or Demeter quality such as leafy salads, vegetables, wild herbs, sprouts, seeds & nuts especially almonds (ideally sprouted), herbs, spices, potatoes and ripe fruits.
IMPORTAN MINERALS
Silicon is a trace element that strengthens our skin, hair, nails and connective tissue. An intake of it in sufficient quantity is therefore significant for healthy skin. Just 2g of oats or millet will meet an adult's daily silicon requirement. Other top silicon foods are potatoes, asparagus, spinach, beans or nettles.
Zinc. The basis of our connective tissue is collagen. Collagen is a component of the dermis and zinc is partly responsible for its formation. Besides that, it also promotes our wound healing. Foods with high zinc content are nettles, poppy seeds, parsley, legumes, sesame and hemp seeds as well as pumpkin seeds and flax seeds.
Sulfur has strong detoxifying properties. Thus, it supports our kidney, liver and intestines in their detoxification function. In a natural way we cover sulfur with garlic, radishes, cabbage vegetables, radish and onions. However, good experience is also shown with the supplementation of MSM (methylsulfonylmethane).
SUGAR
Sugar is known to cause the release of insuiln, which in turn activates hormone production (the androgen). One of the causes mentioned above was hormonal imbalance. This is because increased production of androgens leads to hyperactivity of the sebaceous glands. The sebaceous gland hyperactivity is a typical cause of skin problems such as acne.
DAIRY PRODUCTS
Yes, unfortunately. Proven in many studies, but not yet scientifically proven. The assumption is that growth hormones in milk are responsible for acne.
In addition, animal dairy products burden our organism with their acid-forming ingredients. For healthy skin, an alkaline diet is our goal. The renunciation of animal dairy products is a challenge and is controversially discussed. I like to recommend a test phase of a few weeks to 3 months of renunciation to experience for yourself whether it has led to relief. There are very many alternatives on the market today. Maybe not all of them are of health advantage, but for a test phase it is absolutely ok to consume more. The subsequent change may then be introduced step by step, it is important to find out the optimal amount for yourself.
Mission essential oils
Adults usually tolerate the essential oils undiluted. For children, this is absolutely not recommended, because they are too strong. The quality of essential oils is crucial for its effect. Thus, it requires a sensitive manufacturing process with the correct harvest time and professional distillation procedures where the right temperature and vapor pressure is crucial for the effectiveness of the essential oil.
Possible mixtures for the treatment of acne:
The topical mixture
Sage (clary sage)
Juniper berry
Lavender
Tea tree
Apply these oils individually or in combination with 2-4 drops each diluted* on a cotton ball and apply externally to the affected area.
*For example, diluted means mixed with, for example, a fractionated coconut oil, or another colorless and odorless carrier oil or a natural wash lotion.
Infused Water mixture
Grapefruit
Lemon
Lime
Add one drop of one of the oils to a large glass of drinking water daily in the morning.
Mission Exercise
Exercise is as important an aspect as nutrition and personal hygiene. In particular, we are talking about physical exercise, which makes us breathe and sweat. This type of physical exercise supports the detoxification process and oxygenation of the body. The increased breathing that occurs supports the exhalation of acidic carbon dioxide and relieves the skin of the burden of acid neutralization.
Further above, we learned that sweating is essential for temperature regulation, but sweating also promotes acid elimination through the skin.
COACHING
For a customized consultation, please feel free to contact me.
xoxo your good-live coach Claudia 💋
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