The 10 Most Unwanted Ingredients In Everyday Beauty Products
Are you aware that most of the shampoos and personal care products used today have cancer-causing agents? Here is an overview of the Top 10 Unwanted Ingredients commonly found in shampoos and skin care products and their possible side effects.
1. Isopropyl Alcohol This is a solvent and denaturant (poisonous substance that changes another substance's natural qualities). Isopropyl alcohol is found in hair color rinses, body rubs, hand lotions, after-shave lotions, fragrances and many other cosmetics. This petroleum-derived substance is also used in antifreeze and as a solvent in shellac. According to A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, inhalation or ingestion of the vapor may cause headaches, flushing, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomiting, narcosis and coma.
2. Mineral Oil Baby This is 100% mineral oil. This derived substance is commonly used petroleum ingredient coats the skin just like also used in plastic wrap. The skin's natural immune barrier is disrupted as this plastic coating inhibits its ability to breathe and absorb and as a the Natural Moisture Factor (moisture and nutrition). The solvent in firm skin's ability to release toxins is impeded by this "plastic wrap,"which can promote acne and other disorders. This process slows down skin function and normal cell development causing the skin to prematurely age.
3. PEG This is an abbreviation for polyethylene glycol that is used in making cleansers to dissolve oil and grease as well as thicken products. Because of their effectiveness, Pegs are often used in caustic spray-on oven cleaners and yet are found in many personal care products. Pegs contribute to stripping the Natural Moisture Factor, leaving the immune system vulnerable. They are also potentially carcinogenic.
4. Propylene Glycol (PG) As a "surfactant"or wetting agent and solvent, this ingredient is actually the active component in antifreeze. There is no difference between the PG used in industry and the PG used in personal care products. It is used in industry to break down protein and cellular structure (what the skin is made of) yet is found in most forms of make-up, hair products, lotions, after-shave, deodorants, mouthwashes and toothpaste. It is also used in food processing. Because of its ability to quickly penetrate the skin, the EPA requires workers to wear protective gloves, clothing and goggles when working with this toxic substance. The Material Safety Data Sheets warn against skin contact, as PG has systemic consequences such as brain, liver and kidney abnormalities. Consumers are not protected nor is there a warning label on products such as stick deodorants, where the concentration is greater than that in most industrial applications.
5. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) Used as detergents and surfactants, these closely related compounds are found in car wash soaps, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers. Yet both SLS and SLES are used more widely as one of the major ingredients in cosmetics, toothpaste, hair conditioner and about 90% of all shampoos and products that foam. Mark Fearer in an article, Dangerous Beauty, says "... in tests, animals that were exposed to SLS experienced -eye damage, along with depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation and corrosion and death." According to the American College of Toxicology states both SLS and SLES can cause malformation in children's eyes. Other research has indicated SLS may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin. Skin layers may separate and inflame due to its protein denaturing properties.
It is possibly the most dangerous of all ingredients in personal care products. Research has shown that SLS when combined with other chemicals can be transformed into nitrosamines, a potent class of carcinogens, which cause the body to absorb nitrates at higher levels than eating nitrate-contaminated food." According to the American College of Toxicity report,"SLS stays in the body for up to five days..." Other studies have indicated that SLS easily penetrates through the skin and enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, the liver, the lungs and the brain. This poses serious questions regarding its potential health threat through its use in shampoos, cleansers and toothpaste."
6. Chlorine According to Doris J. Rapp, M.D., author of Is This Your Child's World? exposure to chlorine in tap water, showers, pool, laundry products, cleaning agents, food processing, sewage systems and many others, can effect health by contributing to asthma, hay fever, anemia, bronchitis, circulatory collapse, confusion, delirium diabetes, dizziness, irritation of the eye, mouth, nose throat, lung, skin and stomach, heart disease, high blood pressure and nausea. It is also a possible cause of cancer. Even though you will not see Chlorine on personal care product labels, it is important for you to be aware of the need to protect your skin when bathing and washing your hair.
7. DEA (diethanolamine) MEA (momoethanolamine) TEA (triethanolamine)
DEA and MEA are usually fisted on the ingredient label in conjunction with the compound being neutralized. Thus look for names like Cocamide DEA or MEA, Lauramide DEA, etc. These are hormone disrupting chemicals and are known to form cancer causing nitrates and nitrosamines. These are commonly found in most personal care products that foam, including bubble baths, body washes, shampoos, soaps and facial cleansers. On the show, CBS This Morning, Roberta Baskin revealed that a recent government report shows DEA and MEA are readily absorbed in the skin. Dr. Samuel Epstein, Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Illinois said, "repeated skin applications of DEA-based detergents resulted in a major increase in the incidence of two cancers - liver and kidney cancers." John Bailey, who oversees the cosmetic division for the FDA said the new study is especially important since "the risk equation changes significantly for children."
8. FD & C Color Pigments Many color pigments cause skin sensitivity and irritation. Absorption of certain colors can cause depletion of oxygen in the body and even death. Debra Lynn Dadd says M Home Safe Home:"Colors that can be used in foods, drugs, and cosmetics are made from coal tar. There is a great deal of controversy about their use, because animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic."
9. Fragrance Fragrance is present in most deodorants, shampoos, sunscreens, skin care body care and baby products. Many of the compounds in fragrance are carcinogenic or otherwise toxic. "Fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to 4,000 separate ingredients. Most or all of them are synthetic. Symptoms reported to the FDA have included headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and allergic skin irritation. Clinical observation by medical doctors have shown that exposure to fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioral changes," Home Safe Home.
10. Imidazolidinyl Urea and DMDM Hydantoin These are just two of the many preservatives that release formaldehyde (formaldehyde-donors). According to the Mayo Clinic, formaldehyde can irritate the respiratory system, cause skin reactions and trigger heart palpitations. Exposure to formaldehyde may cause joint pain, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness and loss of sleep. It can also aggravate coughs and colds and trigger asthma. Serious side effects include weakening of the immune system and cancer. Nearly all brands of skin, body and hair care, antiperspirants and nail polish found in stores contain formaldehyde-releasing ingredients.
The Kasia Organics “Informed Beauty” Promise:
We always use: the finest, all-natural ingredients that not only nourish the body but awaken the senses and promote healthy, safe living through informed beauty. The result: radiant, restored skin and hair.
We never use: parabans, petro-chemicals, phthalates, artificial preservatives, lauryl sulfates, artificial colors or dyes, synthetic fragrances, wasteful fillers or animal testing—unhealthy junk your body doesn’t need!
Is Johnson & Johnson "Going Green?" Not quite - but coming along...
In 1943 when Johnson & Johnson was about to go public Robert Wood Johnson established a credo to guide his ever growing company through the years ahead. His credo is still in use today.
In one section it states:We must maintain in good order the property we are privileged to use, protecting the environment and natural resources.
What a pure and simple sentiment. However, that simple statement seems like an almost impossible task to fulfill in today’s consumer economy and culture.
Janet Nudelman, cofounder of Campaign for Safe Cosmetics coalition (and fans of natural cosmetics), blew the whistle on Johnson & Johnson four years ago when the nonprofit watchdog’s testing revealed that the company’s gentle, mild No More Tears baby shampoo actually released the carcinogen formaldehyde. The coalition includes more than one and a half million members, from the Environmental Working Group, American Nurses Association, Friends of the Earth, and the Physicians for Social Responsibility.
In 2012, Johnson & Johnson pledged to remove all carcinogenic chemicals and other harmful ingredients from “almost” all of its adult products worldwide by the end of 2015. And baby products, including that carcinogenic shampoo, would be reformulated with safer ingredients by the end of 2013.
Susan Nettesheim, vice president of product stewardship and toxicology for Johnson & Johnson’s consumer health brands, said, “We want people to have complete peace of mind when they use our products.”
These products include Johnson’s baby lotion and bath products, as well as Desitin for diaper rash, and adult skin care brands like Aveeno, Neutrogena, RoC, Clean & Clear, and Lubriderm. J&J also manufacture medical devices and prescription drugs.
The chemicals that J&J plan to remove include triclosan, phthalates, and some parabens, though they will keep methylparaben,ethylparaben, and propylparaben. It will also remove those fragrance ingredients which are not disclosed on the label.
While these changes are promising, the company has stated that it will, however, allow chemicals that release formaldehyde when no other safe alternative will work.
But consumers are still applauding the effort. In February, Johnson & Johnson executives were offered a document with 30,000 consumer signatures, thanking the company for the products they have so far reformulated.
Johnson & Johnson has so far eliminated parabens, which serve as preservatives (but only in baby products; they have no answer as to why parabens continue to be used in other products). It also says it has removed DEP, the phthalate most commonly used in fragrance and other cosmetics, and other phthalates from all products. They’ve further announced that their fragrances wouldn’t contain animal-derived ingredients, nitromusks and polycyclic musks, tagetes, rose crystal and diacetyl. Triclosan, once added as an anti-bacterial ingredient, also has been eliminated.
Most importantly, Johnson & Johnson claims it has reformulated about 70 percent of its baby products with new formulations that reduce 1,4-dioxane, linked with cancer. According to its website, it has pressured suppliers to reduce the compound in materials it continues to search for ways to eliminate it altogether.
But it’s not just Johnson & Johnson that need to change its policies. Research done by the Environmental Working Group shows that most personal care products sold by large companies contain potentially dangerous chemicals.
Do you think Johnson & Johnson is doing enough to make its products safe?
The Kasia Organics “Informed Beauty” Promise:
We always use: the finest, all-natural ingredients that not only nourish the body but awaken the senses and promote healthy, safe living through informed beauty. The result: radiant, restored skin and hair.
We never use: parabans, petro-chemicals, phthalates, artificial preservatives, lauryl sulfates, artificial colors or dyes, synthetic fragrances, wasteful fillers or animal testing—unhealthy junk your body doesn’t need!
Reference Guest Blog - Salon Naturals
Get Infused for Summer - Kasia Skindeep Organic Medi-Peel
Warm weather and sun rays are upon us, and facial ‘peel’ lovers need an alternative for the summer months due to the reaction of the skin with the exposure to UV rays. Ladies you are in luck! At Kasia we offer a facial peel with the newest technology that delivers a non-chemical peel like no other called the Medi-Facial Peel.
- No downtime involved
- Dermal therapy peel will nourish the skin while bringing results
- Allowing you the ability to get right back out into the sun (with Kasia "Good Day Sunshine protection, of course!).
- We customize each treatment to meet your needs with an added personal touch.
The Kasia Skindeep Organic Medi-Peel and/or Facial have a 2.0% Retinaldehyde, making it the only non-acid peel that will infuse the dermis with fibroblast stimulators, immune boosters, antioxidants, pigment lighteners, and calming anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial ingredients. Expect results with this powerful synergy that rejuvenates the skin by increasing collagen production, fighting free radical damage, scavenging scar tissue and helping reduce hyperpigmentation making it an amazing treatment for any skin type or condition.
To learn more about the facial protocol and Before & After results, visit here!
How does it work?
This facial treatment
- Increases nourishment to the skin
- Encourages a gentle and natural cellular turnover
- Effectively resurfaces the epidermis
- Resurfacing of the epidermis. Deep wrinkles will begin to diminish and elasticity and firmness will increase as your skin is infused with essential proven ingredients to help reverse aging and improve the health of your skin.
To learn more about the facial protocol and Before & After results, visit here!
To book an appointment with our Skin Specialist, call 612 824 7611.
Stop Weight Gain from Thyroid Complications and Get Your Body Back
Guest Post from Womentowomen.com
Most of us still blame our weight gain on lack of willpower, eating too much and not exercising enough. Unfortunately, magazines, the internet and even many well-meaning practitioners continue to perpetuate the blame game. But when your thyroid is imbalanced, you’re likely fighting an uphill battle with your weight that simply isn’t your fault. And you can do something to stop it.
When thyroid hormones are low, it causes physical changes in your body and brain that increase weight gain. Even with minimally low thyroid hormone, the centers of the brain that control appetite are altered and the chemical “messengers” that regulate how and when we eat get mixed up. These messengers include serotonin, beta endorphin, and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which perhaps not coincidentally, are also tightly connected to moods. If that wasn’t enough, the hormone leptin — which stimulates weight loss, decreases hunger, and increases fullness — can also become inefficient when thyroid hormone is low.
These changes often lead to sharp carbohydrate cravings, weight gain, distressing changes in body shape, as well as low energy, and depressed mood. But you have the opportunity to nip this weight gain in the bud. And the sooner you do, the less likely you’ll be continuing on the path toward worsening thyroid imbalance and even more weight gain.
4 “ingredients” to stop thyroid weight gain:
1. Herbs. Several helpful herbs are known to boost thyroid function and halt thyroid-related weight gain.
Bacopa monnieri is an ayurvedic herb that can increase T4 hormones. (T4 and T3 are the thyroid hormones made and used by your body.)
Hops (yes, the same plant they use in beer!) benefit your thyroid by allowing thyroid hormones to enter cells more accessibly.
Sage contains phytochemicals (plant chemicals) that promote better hormone reception in cells as well as boost mood, memory and healthy blood sugar balance. Irregular blood sugar is often a major player in weight gain.
Ashwagandha is another ayurvedic herb that supports thyroid hormone production while also working to balance the endocrine system.
Coleus forskohlii contains an important plant chemical known as forskolin, which mimics thyroid-stimulating hormone and supports healthy body weight and mood.
All of these herbs together in a combination support the healthy signaling between your thyroid and the rest of your body. This signaling is essential to staying at your best weight. If you’re already taking thyroid medication, we always suggest discussing new supplements with your practitioner.
2. Nutrients. Many vitamins and minerals play roles in thyroid health, but by far the two most important are iodine and selenium. Iodine is the most basic building block your body needs to make the key thyroid hormones T3 and T4. Iodine can be found in sea vegetables, seafood and iodized sea salt. Selenium helps to convert T4 into T3, which is the most useful hormone form. Selenium can also regulate thyroid hormone synthesis and metabolism. Brazil nuts, mushrooms, beef and sunflower seeds are all healthy sources of selenium. To cover these and other bases, we recommend taking a daily high-quality multivitamin/mineral complex for Thyroid Support.
3. Food choices. Obviously, seafood, sea vegetables sunflower seeds, and Brazil nuts are part of a thyroid-healthy diet. But there are other important food choices you can make to support your thyroid and healthy weight.
Eliminate gluten. The first and most important recommendation is to cut back on or completely eliminate gluten from your diet. We understand this is difficult, but it can make an enormous difference in how you look and feel. Research shows that gluten has been connected to a very common form of hypothyroidism known as Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism or autoimmune hypothyroidism. Many foods that contain gluten (pasta, bread, cakes, pastries, etc.) are also generally high in carbohydrates that can disrupt blood sugar balance and shift your body toward weight gain.
Limit soy. Soy is another food that may disrupt thyroid function. However, if you have enough iodine in your body, the effects of soy are generally minimal. If you are taking a good multivitamin or supplement that includes iodine, cooked soy is not harmful to your thyroid.
Add protein, fiber and fat. We also recommend eating protein, fiber, and/or healthy fats with every meal. These foods minimize blood sugar highs and lows and help keep insulin levels steadier. This will not only help with your thyroid function, but also limit extra weight gain.
Eat fresh, whole foods cooked in non-plastic cookware. When you eat and drink, try to limit your exposure to bisphenol-A, found in plastic water bottles, the lining of aluminum cans and some non-stick cookware. According to the National Academy of Hypothyroidism, BPA can significantly block thyroid activity.
4. Exercise. It may be hard to get up and exercise when your thyroid function is sluggish, but research is showing that increasing your heart rate through exercise can increase your thyroid hormones. You can start by simply taking a walk around the block, renting a gentle yoga DVD from the library, or taking a swim at your local pool.
Kasia Organic Salon provides hair and skin care products and services that do not include any form of chemicals that may cause havoc on the average women's hormonal cascade/health. We exclusively sell Premier Research Labs supplemental products that help thyroid and weight loss support to every women. Contact us today!
DIY Easy Summer Slaw Recipe - Sweet & Tangy
Hey Informed Beauty! Enjoy this great recipe for a light summer meal or side! Delic!
Here are the links to the fancy tools in the Summer Slaw Recipe! Mandoline (for shredding chunks of cabbage is found): find it here.
Salad Shooter (for making your shredding a whole lot faster and easier): find it here.
Easy Summer Slaw - Sweet & Tangy
INGREDIENTS - Produce and mix together:
-Fresh carrots - shredded (in Salad Shooter)
-1 small head of red cabbage, shredded (with mandoline)
-1 small head of green cabbage, shredded (with mandoline)
-1 tart green apple, large (or 2 small), chopped, shredded or sliced
-1 fresh mango (instead of, or in addition to, apple), chopped, shredded or sliced
-A few beets, if you have ‘em, for fun color. Shred (with Salad Shooter)
Sauce: combine...
-1/2 cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar
-1/2 cup raw, unfiltered honey -For a little creaminess: a dollop of Golden Star Trading coconut milk (refrigerate for maximum creaminess)!-A squeeze of lime juice
Toss the sauce with produce mix until coated. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Then, enjoy!
Reference: Cave Girl Paleo Eats
IT’S CONFIRMED. DAIRY PRODUCTS AND SUGAR CAUSE ACNE.
DO DAIRY PRODUCTS AND SUGAR CAUSE ACNE?
The following article is a guest post form Mark Hyman. I have followed Dr. Hyman since the start of my Functional Medicine pursuits back in 2007. He sharp, clear, and helps the reader understand at a ground level of how nutrition, hormones, and every day choices inhibit our "beautiful health."
When I was in my 20's, I had cystic acne, and after removing dairy for 2 months, my acnes was almost completely gone. Food allergies, milk, wheat, etc may be the missing link for many - whether in teenage years, or the return of the pimple in the later stages of life. Enjoy the article.
As our sugar and dairy consumption has increased over the last 100 years so has the number of people with acne. We now have over 17 million acne sufferers, costing our health care system $1 billion a year. Eighty to ninety percent of teenagers suffer acne to varying degrees.
The pimply millions rely on infomercial products hawked by celebrities or over-the-counter lotions, cleansers, and topical remedies. Recent research suggests that it’s not what we slather on our skin that matters most but what we put in our mouth.
Many have suggested a diet-acne link, but until recently it has not been proven in large clinical studies. Instead dermatologists prescribe long-term antibiotics and Accutane, both of which may cause long-term harmful effects. In 2009, a systematic review of 21 observational studies and six clinical trials found clear links.
Two large controlled trials found that cow’s milk increased both the number of people who got acne and its severity. Other large randomized prospective controlled trials (the gold standard of medical research) found that people who had higher sugar intake and a high glycemic load diet (more bread, rice, cereal, pasta, sugar, and flour products of all kinds) had significantly more acne. The good news is that chocolate (dark chocolate that is) didn’t seem to cause acne.
The dietary pimple producing culprits – diary and sugar (in all its blood sugar raising forms) – both cause spikes in certain pimple producing hormones. Dairy boosts male sex hormones (various forms of testosterone or androgens), increases insulin levels, just as foods that quickly raise blood sugar, (sugar and starchy carbs) and spikes insulin.
Androgens and insulin both stimulate your skin to make those nasty, embarrassing pimples. One patient recently told me he would give a million dollars for a pill to cure acne. He doesn’t need to. It seems that for many the cure to acne is at the end of their fork, not in a prescription pad.
While pimples are not as simple as too much milk or sugar in your diet, both have a significant impact. Nutritional deficiencies as well as excesses can worsen acne. Correcting common deficiencies including low levels of healthy omega-3 anti-inflammatory fats, low levels of antioxidants such as vitamin E, zinc, and vitamin A, and including an important anti-inflammatory omega-6 fat called evening primrose oil may all be helpful in preventing and treating unwanted pimples.
I will explain how you can correct and incorporate all of these nutritional elements of your diet and outlines some supplements that will help you fight acne in a moment. But first it is worth taking a deeper look at milk and sugar.
It appears that anabolic or sex hormones in milk contribute to acne …
Stay Away from Dairy and Avoid Acne
One scientist referred to milk as a “complex aqueous, suspended fat, liposomal, suspended protein emulsion”. What we do know is that milk is designed to grow things – namely, babies – and in the case of cow’s milk, calves. It is naturally full of what we call anabolic hormones (the same ones that body builders and A Rod use to grow big muscles, and which cause bad acne).
These are mostly androgens (like testosterone) and growth hormones including insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). There is no such thing as hormone-free milk.
Here’s a short list of the 60-some hormones in your average glass of milk – even the organic, raw, and bovine growth hormone free milk:
- 20α-dihydropregnenolone
- progesterone (from pregnenolone)
- 5α-pregnanedione
- 5α-pregnan-3β-ol-20-one, 20α- and 20β-dihydroprogesterone (from progesterone)
- 5α-androstene-3β17β-diol
- 5α-androstanedione
- 5α-androstan-3β-ol-17-one
- androstenedione
- testosterone
- dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate acyl ester
- insulin like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF-1 and IGF-2)
- insulin
This is what our government suggests we drink in high doses—at least 3 glasses a day for me, a healthy adult male, according to the mypyramid.gov website. Those guidelines have been strongly criticized by many including leading nutrition scientists from Harvard such as Walter Willett and David Ludwig.
The famous Nurse’s Health Study examining health habits of 47,000 nurses found that those who drank more milk as teenagers had much higher rates of severe acne than those who had little or no milk as teenagers. If you think it is the fat in milk, think again.
It was actually the skim milk that had the strongest risk for acne. In other studies of over 10,000 boys and girls from 9 to 15 years old, there was a direct link between the amount of milk consumed and the severity of acne.
It appears that it is not just the anabolic or sex hormones in milk that causes problem but milk’s ability to stimulate insulin production. It actually may be the lactose or milk sugar in milk that acts more like a soft drink than an egg. Drinking a glass of milk can spike insulin levels 300 percent.
Not only does that cause pimples, but it also may contribute to prediabetes. This is true despite studies funded by the dairy council showing that milk helps with weight loss. The question is compared to WHAT diet – a diet of bagels and Coke, or a healthy phytonutrient, antioxidant-rich, plant-based diet with lean animal protein?
Stay Away from Sugar, Refined Carbs, and Pimples
If a glass of milk causes pimples, that may drive you back to your Pepsi. But not so fast. Recent studies also show that sugar and refined carbs (a high-glycemic diet) cause acne. More importantly, taking kids off sugar and putting them on a healthy, whole foods, low-glycemic load diet resulted in significant improvements in acne compared to a control group eating a regular, high-sugar American diet.
In addition to less pimples, the participants lost weight, became more sensitive to the effects of insulin (resulting in less pimple-producing insulin circulating around the blood). They also had less of the sex hormones floating around their blood that drive pimples. We know that women who have too much sugar and insulin resistance get acne, hair growth on their face, hair loss on the head, and infertility. This is caused by high levels of circulating male hormones and is called polycystic ovarian syndrome but is a nutritional, not gynecologic disease.
But the dietary influences don’t stop there. It is not just sugar, but the bad fats we eat that may also contribute to acne.
Get an Oil Change
Our typical Western diet is full of inflammatory fats – saturated fats, trans fats, too many omega-6, inflammatory, processed vegetable oils like soy and corn oils. These increase IGF-1 and stimulate pimple follicles. Inflammation has been linked to acne, and anti-inflammatoryomega-3 fats (from fish oil) may help improve acne and help with many skin disorders.
Balance the Hormones that Cause Skin Problems
The link is clear - hormonal imbalances caused by our diet trigger acne. Our diet influences sex hormones like testosterone, IGF-1, and insulin, which promote acne. The biggest factors affecting your hormones is the glycemic load of your diet (which is determined by how quickly the food you eat increases your blood sugar and insulin levels), and the amount of dairy products you eat. The good news is that eating a healthy diet and taking a few supplements can balance those hormones. Exercise also helps improve insulin function.
How to Prevent and Treat Acne
Eight simple steps to help most overcome their acne problems:
- Stay away from milk. It is nature’s perfect food – but only if you are a calf.
- Eat a low glycemic load, low sugar diet. Sugar, liquid calories, and flour products all drive up insulin and cause pimples.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables. People who eat more veggies (containing more antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds) have less acne. Make sure you get your 5–9 servings of colorful fruits and vegetables every day.
- Get more healthy anti-inflammatory fats. Make sure to get omega-3 fats (fish oil) and anti-inflammatory omega-6 fats (evening primrose oil). You will need supplements to get adequate amounts (more on that in a moment).
- Include foods that correct acne problems. Certain foods have been linked to improvements in many of the underlying causes of acne and can help correct it. These include fish oil, turmeric, ginger, green tea, nuts, dark purple and red foods such as berries, green foods like dark green leafy vegetables, and omega 3-eggs.
- Take acne-fighting supplements.Some supplements are critical for skin health. Antioxidant levels have been shown to be low in acne sufferers. And healthy fats can make a big difference. Here are the supplements I recommend:
- Evening primrose oil: Take 1,000 to 1,500mg twice a day.
- Zinc citrate: Take 30 mg a day.
- Vitamin A: Take 25,000 IU a day. Only do this for three months. Do not do this if you are pregnant.
- Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols, not alpha tocopherol): Take 400 IU a day.
- Try probiotics. Probiotics also help reduce inflammation in the gut that may be linked to acne. Taking probiotics (lactobacillus, etc.) can improve acne.
- Avoid foods you are sensitive to. Delayed food allergies are among the most common causes of acne—foods like gluten, dairy, yeast, and eggs are common culprits and can be a problem if you have a leaky gut.
Following these simple tips will help you eliminate acne and have that glowing skin you have always dreamed of. And it’s much cheaper (and safer) than expensive medications and dermatologist visits. Improve your diet and take acne-fighting supplements and you will watch your pimples disappear.
For more information on how to optimize your nutrition and improve your skin, seewww.drhyman.com.
Now I’d like to hear from you.
Have you struggled with an acne or skin problem? Have you noticed any link between your skin? What seems to be a problem for you?
Why do you think we are encouraged to consume so much dairy when the risks to our health (and our skin) are so high?
What other steps have you taken to fight acne? What has worked? What hasn’t?
Please leave your thoughts by adding a comment below – but remember, we can’t offer personal medical advice online, so be sure to limit your comments to those about taking back our health!
To your good health,
Mark Hyman, MD
References
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- Kaymak Y, Adisen E, Ilter N, et al. Dietary glycemic index and glucose, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3, and leptin levels in patients with acne. J Am Acad atol 57(5):819-23 (2007 Nov). Cordain L, Lindeberg S, Hurtado M, et al. Acne vulgaris: a disease of Western civilization. Arch Dermatol 138(12):1584-90 (2002 Dec).
- Smith RN, Mann NJ, Braue A, et al. A low-glycemic-load diet improves symptoms in acne vulgaris patients: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 86(1):107-15 (2007 Jul).
- Smith RN, Mann NJ, Braue A, et al. The effect of a high- protein, low glycemic-load diet versus a conventional, high glycemic-load diet on biochemical parameters associated with acne vulgaris: a randomized, investigator-masked, controlled trial. J Am Acad Dermatol 57(2):247-56 (2007 Aug).
- Smith RN, Braue A, Varigos GA, et al. The effect of a low glycemic load diet on acne vulgaris and the fatty acid composition of skin surface triglycerides. J Dermatol Sci 50(1):41-52 (2008 Apr).
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Skin Cancer on the Rise in Young Women
On a hot July day last summer, I was lying on the beach at Coney Island with my younger brother when he noticed a dark mole on the back of my arm. “You should really get that checked at the dermatologist,” he said in a worried tone.
It turned out that the mole on my arm was fine, but another one on my cheek was basal cell skin cancer. A few weeks later, I had surgery to remove it and left the plastic surgeon’s office with a 1.5-inch scar sloping down my right cheek.Friends and colleagues were surprised to see the scar because I was only 28. Even the medical resident who attended my operation said I was the youngest skin cancer patient she had met.But as I learned more about skin cancer, I discovered that it is becoming increasingly common, especially among young women. A recent study by the Mayo Clinic found that melanoma, the most serious type, had increased eightfold for women under 40 since 1970.
The author at Sandy Hook beach in New Jersey with her husband last summer, a few months before she was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma.
“There is this thought that, ‘It won’t happen to me because I’m young,’ but that’s not true anymore,” said Dr. Jerry Brewer, a dermatologist at the Mayo Clinic and an author of the study.
Experts say that tanning beds are a major factor behind the increase in all three types of skin cancer for young women. More than 20 million people use tanning beds each year, and 70 percent of customers are young white women, who are at increased risk of developing skin cancer. The lamps in tanning beds can give off 10 to 15 times the UVA radiation of normal sun exposure, accelerating the process of skin damage. Instead of getting skin cancer 30 or 40 years down the line, many young women are getting it 5 or 10 years later, Dr. Brewer said.
Though I have never used a tanning bed, my dermatologist said I had an unlucky trio of risk factors: fair skin and blue eyes, an upbringing in Texas, where I spent long days in the sun growing up, and a family history of skin cancer. My grandmother and aunt had melanoma and survived, and my mother had basal cell carcinoma too.
While more than three million cases of basal and squamous cell carcinoma are diagnosed each year, only about 2,000 people a year die from these non-melanoma skin cancers. Melanoma is a far more ominous diagnosis, causing about 9,400 deaths each year in the United States.
Dr. Darrell Rigel, a dermatology professor at NYU Langone Medical Center, says that every month at his New York practice, about two women in their 20s are found to have early melanoma, a dramatic rise from 20 years ago. Once melanoma is the size of a dime, there is a good chance that it has already spread and treatment may not work, Dr. Rigel said. “I know I’m looking at a death sentence on their arm, and they feel perfectly fine,” he said. “It’s absolutely awful.”
This year, the Food and Drug Administration proposed new regulations for tanning beds that require them to have labels warning that they are not recommended for people under 18. And in April, New Jersey joined several other states in passing a law to prohibit indoor tanning for those under 17.
Even children can get melanoma. A recent study in the journal Pediatrics found that the number of cases among children and adolescents has been increasing each year by about 2 percent.
Another recent study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, found that while young women are more likely to be given a diagnosis of melanoma, young men are more likely to die from it. Researchers said the disparity was probably a consequence of behavioral tendencies — men are less likely to see a doctor or perform a skin self-examination — and possibly biological differences as well.
My brush with skin cancer has certainly changed how I view the sun. I don’t want another scar — or worse, a diagnosis of melanoma. I wear a 30 SPF sunscreen on my face every day and bought several sun-protective long-sleeve shirts to wear outdoors this summer. I am visiting my dermatologist every three months for a full body scan. (One annual checkup is recommended for those without a previous diagnosis.)
I returned to Texas in April for a friend’s wedding at a resort in the woods. After a long winter in New York, my husband and I were excited to go swimming at a pool near our cabin. In the past, I would have grabbed a lounge chair in the sun, seeing it as the perfect opportunity to arrive at the ceremony with a sun-kissed glow. But this time, I picked a chair under a wide umbrella. It’s just not worth it anymore.
Even a few sunburns can significantly raise your risk of skin cancer, Dr. Brewer said.
“Deciding how much sun you want to get is like asking how much cyanide you want in your breakfast cereal,” he said. “There is no amount of tan that is healthy.”
Emma G. Fitzsimmons is a freelance reporter in New York and a news assistant at The New York Times.
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