I am not sure what exactly caused this reaction; wether it was dietary related, my skin reacting to something that had been used on my face, hormonal, or just my body cleansing as a result of some diet/lifestyle changes I had made recently. What I did know was that my body was trying to communicate something to me, and what it was communicating was: INFLAMMATION....
Initially when my skin broke out, I felt mildly distraught, I was frustrated at my body thinking it made me appear unhealthy, which in turn made me feel self conscious considering I am in a career which is guiding others to improve their health and wellbeing.
So I decided to put myself into my clients shoes, many of whom come to me complaining of chronic skin conditions, my new teen-face development inspired me to get creative with treatment methods, which in turn will help me guide clients.
Due to a bit of care and consistency, in just 7 days my skin had returned to almost normal! Below is a list of exactly what I did:
- Hydrated like a maniac: our skin is our biggest organ, meaning toxicity from the outside can enter through our skin, and likewise toxicity from inside of us expels through our skin. To keep this pathway flowing and to avoid any toxins becoming stagnant we need to be hydrated to keep things moving. I knew that due to cooler weather my water had slipped slightly, so I pushed it back up to the 2.5 litres, and included more with exercise.
- Cut out irritants: I am sensitive to certain foods, and while I enjoy them on the odd occasion I know that when anything in my body is out of balance I MUST cut them out exclusively to aid healing. For me this meant no gluten, dairy or sugar – (NOTE: your intolerances may be different from mine, we all have a beautifully unique blueprint. Ask me if you would like scientific testing to indicate your intolerances)
- Kept coffee to weekends only: In earlier years I was actually a full time Barista in a very busy Subiaco café, I LOVE coffee!! However, overtime I have developed a slight sensitivity to it, noticing with regular consumption it reduced my stress tolerance, increased bloating and I had a sneaking suspicion it was impacting on my skin (coffee unfortunately is something that can load our liver, therefore reducing general detox ability). So more herbal teas entered, and coffee is now a weekend treat.
- Supplement Support: there are specific nutrients that are particularly helpful for skin structure and function, the supplements I included in my regime were:
- Made a Food Face Mask: admittedly, I know next to nothing about beauty products and skin care, I am at basic level when it comes to this kind of knowledge. What I do know obviously, is how food affects the body at a cellular level, therefore I thought I would use that knowledge on the exterior of my body to see what would happen. I created a face mask using Honey + Turmeric + Cinnamon, turned it into a thick paste and spread it across my face and left it for 10 minutes, I did this twice during the week. Each of these ingredients are very antibacterial and anti-inflammatory (and also quite tasty if you happen to get some on your lips!).
- Apple Cider Vinegar Toner: What cant this ingredient do right?! again it has great antibacterial properties, as well as regulating pH, I thought the pH of my skin may have been out of balance hence letting bacteria grow, so on the face it went. I diluted it with water and using a cotton pad wiped it across my face each day after cleansing. Ensure you keep it well away from your eyes and delicate skin surrounding your eyes.
- Extra pointers: other important factors that you may need to assess in yourself to help the structure and function of your skin include; adequate sleep both quantity and quality, regular exercise, regular fresh air, sunshine and minimise toxins you apply to your skin e.g. your beauty and cleansing regime.
Here’s to healthy glowing skin – good luck! Xx