This article just popped up when I logged in this morning, and I thought you all might find it interesting. I know from my website that skin and appearance issues are among the top concerns of"cysters"…
What's interesting about this, is that the very same foods that promote fertility, can promote healthy skin.
A short note about fish oil and skin. About 15 years ago I took a vacation to Costa Rica. I used sunscreen…but my German-WASPy skin just didn't tolerate the intensity of the latitude. I ended up with a second degree burn, and scarring on my chest that I had resigned myself to having as a lifelong lesson about sun and skin.
In the last few years I've been changing my own diet based on what I've learned in studying PCOS, and I've begun to do some work for omega-3 companies. Dennis, my friend at Nordic Naturals kept sending me bottles of flavored cod liver oil, which I kept putting in the refrigerator or trying to pass off on my cats.
Finally, I decided to try it. And a few months later, I noticed, the scarring looked a whole lot less worse. It's probably a combination of a better diet and supplements, but it really reinforced with me, being here in Arizona, that my skin deserves the best possible diet and care I can give it.
I've recently been helping clients with skin issues such as psoriasis and eczema. These problems are annoying both cosmetically and comfort-wise, so it's super important to me, that my advice helps increase their comfort.
What we do is work from the inside out as well as outside in.
From the inside, the same diet you see me write about here, for infertility, is excellent for reducing the inflammatory process that is the root cause of these diagnoses. In fact, it was because women who were both infertile and suffering from eczema and psoriasis started telling me their redness and itchiness was gradually relieving after implementing dietary changes, that I realized there was a connection.
From the outside in, and this is important because no one wants to be red and itchy for a few months while they wait to feel better, simple oils from your kitchen can be very healing. If you've got olive oil, try that.
I'm partial to virgin coconut oil. It's already in many of your skin products and has a lot of healing properties. It moisturizes and heals and doesn't seem to cause acne like other products I've tried on my own skin.
Your skin tells you a lot about your internal inflammatory process. Hang in there! If you're making positive changes, you should soon experience positive feedback for the effort.
I recently purchased a Clarisonic and it seems to be helping my acne. What do you think about Clarisonic for PCOS-related acne?
Dr. Van Dyke's answer:
It would be great, it doesn't spin so you don't get"abraded". It oscillates causing vibration that drives the cleanser into the pores to clean them out. I like using a glycolic cleanser with it (Vivite is good).
Dr. Van Dyke
************************************************************************************ If you're not familiar with Clarisonic, cllick here for more information.
Have a skin question? Send it along and we'll get Dr. Van Dyke's perspective!
One of my goals in the near future is to pay more attention to skin problems associated with PCOS. They are many, and we have a great resource in our network, Dr. Susan Van Dyke. If you have any skin questions at all, please post them here and I'll forward them to her for answers to post.
The most widely recognized PCOS-related skin problems are acne, hirsutism, and melasmas. However, I've worked with quite a few women also struggling with problems like eczema and psoriasis, both related to diet, in particular, omega-3 fatty acid balance.
This past week I had a new client who wanted help for her eczema. I brought her samples of an Australian homeopathic remedy from the Expo, and she absolutely loves one of them. She shared that this product reduces the itching almost immediately, something the prescription creams she'd tried were not able to do. She also felt the redness started to go away quickly as well.
That's a pretty great testimonial!
I shared the product information with Dr. Van Dyke and she noticed that one of the ingredients in this product listed as"inactive", in Western (non-homeopathic) medicine, gamma-linolenic acid (aka borage oil) has been shown to help eczema. She suggested that it wasn't as"inactive" as the company realized!
Apparently some people with eczema do not convert omega-6 fatty acids well to the gamma-linolenic by-product that the skin needs. So the omega-6's build up and never get into the form that the skin needs.
My client is increasing the omega-3 content of her diet, reducing the omega-6 content, and using the cream…and if that doesn't correct the imbalance, we'll consider supplementing with GLA. We'll keep you posted!
The product I'm referring to is called Natralia. I did not see it in my local Sprouts store, and I did not see a store locator on their website. But I did find it on amazon.com. Here is the link to all of the Natralia products. (The products I'm sharing from the Expo are so new many of them can only be found online for now. Be sure to ask for them at your favorite store so they are more convenient to buy locally.)
Henz BM, Jablonska S, van de Kerkhof PC, Stingl G, Blaszczyk M, Vandervalk PG, Veenhuizen R, Muggli R, Raederstorff D. Double-blind, multicentre analysis of the efficacy of borage oil in patients with atopic eczema. Br J Dermatol. 1999 Apr;140(4):685-8.
Have you noticed that the skin under your arms, on the back of your neck, and/or in your groin area is darker than it is elsewhere? Does it seem a little dirtier than the rest of your skin…but no amount of scrubbing or skin lightening products seems to help lighten it?
You may have a condition called acanthosis nigricans. It is caused by insulin resistance. It isn't something you may connect to your PCOS, and if you haven't had to take your clothes off for a medical exam, it may have been sitting there unnoticed, telling you something very important about how your insulin is (not) functioning.
I had a friend I had known for several years, who knew I specialized in PCOS, who was always dieting…but who always wore a lab coat for work whenever I saw her. It wasn't until A hot summer afternoon, at a social gathering, when she wore a tank top,that I noticed her acanthosis
This condition will resolve, but only when you correct the source of the problem.
If you have groin, armpit, or back of the neck skin that looks anything like what you see in these photos, be sure to let your PCOS caregiver know.
Our own Dr. Susan Van Dyke, in this video, demonstrates Fraxel, a type of laser treatment that is helpful for acne scars and skin discoloration, issues many of you readers face with your PCOS.
Dr. Van Dyke's office is located in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
In my part of the world, winter is citrus time. The trees in my neighborhood are loaded down with grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, limes, and lemons…to the point where people give them away because they simply cannot use them all.
Family and friends have filled an entire shelf of my refrigerator with lemons, which of all of the above, is the hardest to use in large quantities.
So I started Googling to see what I could do with lemon juice. Turns out, it is really great for skin! It is especially helpful for acne scars and helping to fade discolored skin. It's high in glycolic acid, which is a key ingredient in many facial peel products.
I've simply been putting the lemon juice on my skin for about an hour in the morning…a few times, after reading more, I've even gone to sleep with it still on my face. You'll feel a tingle at first, and it's best to keep it away from your eyes.
I've been doing this for about two weeks and am noticing a healthier glow to my skin and even a little bit of reduction of fine lines. I'm not promising miracles, and I don't think it's going to completely erase the marks of time, but I do feel it's doing something invigorating on several different levels.
For those of you whose PCOS has affected your skin's appearance, it's another inexpensive and simple tool for you to have to help you feel and look better.
Hello from beautiful Vermont! I'm here at Green Mountain at Fox Run Resort for their first-ever PCOS program. Today we discussed healthy skin. I used Carmina McGee's recent interview on PCOS Challenge for the basis of our discussion. You can listen to the entire interview at PCOS Challenge…but for starters, here are her top tips for improving your skin from the inside out.
1. Get enough sleep. 2. Reduce your stress. 3. Eat regularly--don't skip meals. 4. Limit your intake of processed foods. 5. Moderate your alcohol intake. 6. Don't smoke. 7. Get plenty of physical activity. 8. Be sure to make time for yourself that does not include taking care of others. 9. Be part of some kind of community to decrease your sense of aloneness. 10. Have some sort of spiritual path.
Marsha Hudnall, owner of Green Mountain at Fox Run, added this one to the list:
11. Laugh!
We've been so busy, I haven't posted much about what we're doing. I have been taking photos, though, so check back for more details.
If you follow the blog, you have seen me mention a product called Nightly Beauty by Beauty Foods. It wasn't made for PCOS, and it has not been clinically tested on PCOS. However, if poor sleep is plaguing you, it is formulated in a way that makes it worthy of your consideration. I recently filmed a testimonial for the product for friend, CEO, and inCYST supporter Jacque Gibson (Jacque was a sponsor for our first walk-a-thon). Because the name implies that it is primarily a beauty aid, I wanted to explain some of the biochemistry behind its other potential. If you're interested, Beauty Foods is available in our eMarket.
Jacque is in New York today, getting ready to introduce her product at Shecky's Beauty Night Out. If you're going to that event, please stop by, say hello, and taste it for yourself!
Last week a good friend was in town for his annual medical conference. I wanted to show him real Mexican food, so I took him to a grocery store/restaurant in South Phoenix called Ranch Market/Tradiciones. We spent about a half hour in the grocery store, taking in the various aguas frescas, ceviches, peppers, and other exotic Latin produce. Then we headed over to the restaurant for dinner.
I hate Tex-Mex, but I love real Mexican food. I had chicken mole enchiladas, and my friend had carne asada. And what I really enjoyed…was the cucumber-jicama margarita! It was crisp, refreshing, and the perfect complement to a wonderful dinner.
And that got me thinking about cucumbers. They don't really get much credit as a food, they're mostly water, not many calories…tend to be something dieters overdo when they're overly restrictive. I used to belong to a community supported agriculture group and during the two weeks when cucumbers were in season I got so many in my bag that I ended up living on cucumber sandwiches.
Curious, I decided to learn more. And, delightfully, I learned that for PCOS, especially if it's affecting your skin, they may actually have some therapeutic benefit! The following excerpt comes from one of my favorite websites, www.whfoods.com:
The silica in cucumber is an essential component of healthy connective tissue, which includes muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bone. Cucumber juice is often recommended as a source of silica to improve the complexion and health of the skin, plus cucumber's high water content makes it naturally hydrating—a must for glowing skin. Cucumbers are also used topically for various types of skin problems, including swelling under the eyes and sunburn. Two compounds in cucumbers, ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, prevent water retention, which may explain why cucumbers applied topically are often helpful for swollen eyes, burns and dermatitis.
I did look for a cucumber margarita recipe to share, but was not successful. Apparently they are available in other restaurants, so keep an eye out. If you're juicing at home, why not throw a cucumber in with your other fruits and vegetables? Add them here and there in salads, and sandwiches.
Hopefully your skin will give this blog post a glowing review…
As a skin care therapist I would often be the first one to recognize a serious hormonal imbalance based on the acne that a client might be struggling with. As nutritionist it’s clear that it’s an “inside-out” problem.
Women with PCOS often have elevated levels of free-testosterone, which is one of the markers of PCOS. When the body breaks down the testosterone, one of the by-products that can occur is DHT (Dihydrotestosterone). There are areas on our bodies that are particularly sensitive to the signals from DHT which are the face, neck, chest and back. The message is “make more oil!”.
We do need some oil on the skin in order to keep it protected and supple, but when it goes on overdrive, it literally backs up in the pore. The oil (sebum) we produce is very sticky so it doesn’t allow the dead skin cells to exfoliate easily so it becomes like have a tight lid on a pressure cooker.
The naturally occurring bacteria on the skin, along with dead skin cells and the oil end up creating a pretty nasty “stew” resulting in reddened, painful and pustular acne. If this material cannot get out of the skin, it can break the pore wall underneath the skin causing more acne (you might notice a little “family” of breakouts that always groups together). Most people, (men get it too for the same reason), focus only on trying to treat the skin externally — but the goal is to get the body back in balance.
Some basic strategies are as follows:
1. Try to eat organic and hormone free as much as possible, especially when it comes to dairy products. The hormones that the cows receive to keep them lactating as long as possible go right into the milk and it’s by-products (cheese, ice-cream etc.) which go right into you — creating a further hormonal imbalance.
2. Stress is a huge trigger for increasing DHT — it is critical to create your own menu of"stress-busters" that can be used throughout the day and work for you! A simple one is to just stop for one to two minutes and do deep breathing. This short-circuits the stress hormone release response.
3. Acne in all forms is primarily an inflammatory disease. Fish oils, which are also beneficial for neurotransmitter balance, do double duty since they help tremendously with inflammation.
4. Eat inflammation quenching foods, rich in antioxidants — fruits and vegetables. Remember when fried foods were believed to cause acne? They may not do it directly, but indirectly they are highly inflammatory.
5. Getting hormones especially your estrogen to testosterone ratio back in balance is the key to getting to the source of the problem. Work closely with your In-Cyst trained expert toward this goal.
Next blog I’ll share information on strategies for dealing with the skin from the outside in.
Carmina McGee, MS, RD, LE Registered Dietitian/ Licensed Esthetician 805.816-1629 / Ventura, California www.CarminaMcGee.com Carmina@CarminaMcGee.com
Over the past few years, oxygen facials have gained popularity, particularly with celebrities, as the path to more youthful skin. In a nutshell, these facials entail forcing oxygen that contains skin-healthy nutrients using compressed air.
When I first heard of these facials, working so much in the area of antioxidants, free radicals, and inflammation, which all accelerate the aging process, I couldn't help but wonder what adding all of that oxygen might have the potential to do. (There is a reason oxygen and oxidize sound so similar…oxidation is the damage done to tissues when deteriorating oxygen molecules are allowed to run loose in the body.)
My concern with this procedure has always been that since oxygen is natural, and we need it to survive, that people would buy these facials not understanding that too much oxygen may actually be harmful.
My second thought was that the force of the compressed air, applied continuously over time, may actually do more damage to fragile facial tissue, than the potential help all of the compounds it delivers, might provide.
The procedure has not been FDA-tested, so no one really knows for sure. So because there is immediate effect, and no one is going to report negative effects of such a profitable procedure unless legally required to, it's a very popular service in high-end beauty salons.
These are not inexpensive treatments, either. One California salon, on its website, advertises this service at $250 a visit. And since the recommended protocol is once a week for 6 weeks, then once a month thereafter, the first year of facials is going to cost $3600 annually.
Turns out, I wasn't the only skeptic. Apparently, the"proven effective" clinical testing often used to market these procedures refers to hyperbaric oxygen treatment, which these treatments are not (even though their marketing often says they are.)
In the words of beautymagonline.com, "why would we want to force the oxygen past the lipid bi-layers under pressure to an area where we really need to control any oxidation? As mentioned previously, oxygen as an energy providing fuel is delivered to the dermal cells via the microcirculation along with other vital nutrients. It is a critical balance. The fact that other topical oxygen bearing applications (such as hydrogen peroxide and oxygenated purified water) have lost favour with skin professionals due to free radical issues makes one wonder why less knowledgeable aestheticians and therapists have not made the connection between the similarity of the two modalities."
The FDA actually has a warning on its website stating that dispensing oxygen in medical concentrations, without a prescription, is not in FDA compliance.
That's the bad news. The good news? There is a new product on the market that delivers some of the same nutrients in a much kindler, gentler way…and it comes in chocolate cinnamon, chai, and vanilla flavors.: )
Nightly beauty by Beauty Foods, a nutricosmetic, that you can drink just before bedtime, contains BioCell Collagen, a patented combination of collagen and hyaluronic acid that has GRAS status (FDA Generally Regarded As Safe) actually has been clinically tested, and has been proven effective for enhancing skin quality. And not just for better, younger looking skin…for arthritis too! And daily use of this supplement, over a year, costs about $800 plus shipping.
So switching from oxygen facials to Nightly Beauty, alone, would save you about $2800.
Well, that is, if you don't calculate in the potential $325 you'll not be spending on Methotrexate (which has the nasty side effect of interfering with skin cell regeneration!)
Oh! And if the Alpha Calming waves and l-theanine help you to pitch your Ambien prescription as well, that is an extra ~ $230 you'll be saving.
I'm not even going to try to calculate the potential for improved insulin resistance and weight management, which happens in people who control their inflammation and stress, get adequate sleep, and consume a little bit of protein at bedtime.
All I know is, when I used the product for a month, I loved what it did for my skin, my eyes, my sleep…and I've really hated the washout period (not taking any of the product to see if the changes reverse). They did reverse, and now that I'm done being a guinea pig I'm ready to get back on the program.
Of course, we have to be sure the attorneys reading this post know we're not advising you to stop taking medications you've been prescribed. But when you look at a simple nutritional answer to a bunch of inflammation-related problems that the drug company would have you thinking is far more complicated — if it can't hurt and it may actually help, physically, mentally, and financially, why not try it and see if your physician can be convinced to write a few less scripts with your name on them?
If you'd like to try Beauty Foods for yourself, we're now offering it in our eMarket, where until Labor Day, 100% of proceeds go to our research institute, where we eventually can work to scientifically evaluate products just like this.
Such exciting developments on the skin care front! You've likely seen Carmina McGee's posts here at inCYST. Carmina is a registered dietitian as well as a licensed esthetician, and she loves to teach about skin care from inside out. If you haven't heard her interview on PCOS Challenge, and you want to know more about everything from acne to acanthosis nigricans to skin tags…I highly recommend it.
Speaking of skin, we're soon to have a new inCYST member with some great new information for you! Dr. Susan Van Dyke is a board certified dermatologist in Paradise Valley (near Phoenix), Arizona, who has a special interest in PCOS. She's got a great new laser technique called Duet LightSheer Laser, which is only available in select locations in the United States. You can read about Dr. Van Dyke and her procedure at this link, and you can join her Facebook group at"Van Dyke Laser and Skin".
I am learning from all of you how important it is to understand the emotional issues surrounding the appearance changes PCOS induces, and it's important to me that we provide support for you in those areas as well as in areas where we're currently very actively discussing.
I love what Carmina is doing and I'm absolutely thrilled Dr. Van Dyke is joining our group. I hope it's only the beginning of new, helpful information and services we at inCYST can offer to our readers.
Yesterday I introduced you to Nightly Beauty by Beauty Foods, a nutricosmetic primarily designed for improving skin health and appearance. I shared my own experience with this product while investigating its potential for PCOS. Hopefully my photos got your attention enough to want to read more! Today I'd like to share some of the science behind my thoughts.
Women with PCOS are struggling with inflammation. It hits everywhere, not just the ovaries. It causes diabetes, heart disease, depression. That much you know. It also ages skin more quickly than it should be aging. So other body tissues break down and aren't readily replaced. Your most important strategy, of course, is to reduce the inflammatory process with the kinds of choices we encourage here on this blog.
Nightly Beauty enhances that process with a few additional ingredients, BioCollagen and hyaluronic acid that aren't easy to correct with simple dietary changes.
Collagen
Collagen is one of the major components of skin. It's only been recently that it's been confirmed through research that supplementing the diet with collagen actually helps skin collagen. Right as we were preparing to post these blog entries, BioCell Technology, maker of the collagen in Nightly Beauty, distributed a press release announcing that the first human study of their collagen supplement confirmed that it actually does increase collagen levels in skin (types I and III). In their words,"results of the study showed that a majority of the participants experienced a remarkable improvement in skin texture, together with hydration, reduced scaling, and improved blood microcirculation".
Of course, since I've had the opportunity to experience this myself as I reported yesterday, I love this! However, this is just the wonderful side effect. There's something even more important for PCOS. Another inflammatory disorder many of you struggle with is arthritis. And when your joints hurt, you can't exercise. BioCell Collagen supplementation has also been proven to increase collagen type II, which is the type of collagen found in joints. They report that joint discomfort and stiffness in research subjects reduced by as much as 40% in 8 weeks.
Your faces are precious, but your quality of life matters more to me. If you can move, you can help your PCOS. If you can help your PCOS, you're more likely to feel better about yourself. This is the main reason I picked up the phone and called Jacque in the first place, I saw its potential for all of you writing and telling me that your joints hurt and no one was connecting it to your primary problem — inflammation.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid, or HA, is known in the beauty world as the plumper. Many women take HA supplements to plump their lips. It also pulls water into skin, helping to plump and hydrate.
But did you know, HA is also a major component of the gelatinous fluid in your eyes? It's what helps to hold fluid in the eyeball. I didn't, until I started researching Nightly Beauty. Several months prior, I'd noticed my eyes were feeling dry, despite my faithful use of fish oils and upping my fluid intake. It didn't hit me until I started reading about HA and eyes that not long after I started taking this product my dry eyes started improving. Considerably. So I started reading more. Women with PCOS actually do experience more dry eye syndrome than women who don't.
There is considerable research into ways to deliver more hyaluronic acid to eyes, including eye drops and even controlled-release contact lenses. I'm having trouble finding any research either supporting or negating hyaluronic acid supplementation as a potential route of administration…but I'm not surprised. Nutrition is often an afterthought in research problem solving.
This product has not been researched specifically for dry eyes or for PCOS, but for women who are interested in trying something that has documented benefit for other PCOS-related symptoms and who also have dry eyes, it couldn't hurt to try it. I must state that Beauty Foods is NOT making health claims about this product. I am, in this blog post, reporting my personal experience and connecting research relevant to the product for my specific intended audience, independently of them.
If you do choose to try it, and you experience benefits, please let me know. I'd like to keep a running total of results and perhaps…include it as something we research at our new institute.
If you'd like to try Nightly Beauty for yourself, it's on sale this week at http://www.jpselects.com/. It's also available at http://www.beautyfoods.com/.
Let us know what you think!
Collagen-containing nutricosmetic shown to combat aging. http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/ http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Formulation-Science/Collagen-containing-nutricosmetic-shown-to-combat-aging
Bonini S, Mantelli F, Moretti C, Lambiase A, Bonini S, Micera A. Itchy-dry eye associated with polycystic ovary syndrome. Am J Ophthalmol. 2007 May;143(5):763-771. Epub 2007 Mar 23.
Coksuer H, Ozcura F, Oghan F, Haliloglu B, Karatas S. Effects of hyperandrogenism on tear function and tear drainage in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Reprod Med. 2011 Jan-Feb;56(1-2):65-70.
Ali M, Byrne ME. Controlled release of high molecular weight hyaluronic Acid from molecularly imprinted hydrogel contact lenses. Pharm Res. 2009 Mar;26(3):714-26. Epub 2009 Jan 21.
Liu L, Tiffany J, Dang Z, Dart JK, Watson SL, Daniels JT, Geerling G. Nourish and nurture: development of a nutrient ocular lubricant. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2009 Jun;50(6):2932-9. Epub 2008 Dec 13.
The last two clients I evaluated are struggling with acne. And recently, we were linked to an acne care website that is bringing in a whole new audience. So I thought it might be a good time to talk a little bit more about this topic.
First of all, thanks to Fran Kerr for linking to Susan Dopart's testimonial about flax and fish oil! It was a great way for our two organizations to become connected. I am going to put Fran's blog (http://www.highonhealth.org/) in our resource list because she has so much great information to offer. Not just on skin, but on living healthy in general.
Secondly, for those of you who are coming to us from Fran's blog/website, I'd like to ask you if you have ever heard about polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It's the focus of this website, and many women find out they have it when they seek help for their acne. And…many women don't get that assessment. I actually had a dermatologist tell me she'd rather just give her patients birth control pills and end the appointment rather than get into it because it's such a complicated diagnosis.
A very common scenario is just that. A young girl goes to the dermatologist for her acne, gets birth control pills, takes them for 10 years or so, goes off them, tries to get pregnant…and can't. What happened was that the birth control pills treated the symptom…but essentially shoved the problem under the rug…where it continued to fester and create havoc elsewhere in the body.
So I want to take a moment to list the symptoms of PCOS for those of you who might have had this experience but either didn't have a doctor who wanted to deal with it, or who had a doctor who thought if you just"got your act together" you wouldn't have the problem.
Symptoms of PCOS include: A family history of infertility, irregular periods, or diabetes Being of an ethnic heritage that tends to have a high rate of diabetes A history of early puberty (first period at 11 years or younger) A history of taking medication for depression, bipolar disorder, seizure disorder, epilepsy, or migraine? A history of gestational diabetes in any of your pregnancies. An android ("apple shaped") body type (measure your waist to hip ratio; greater than.8) Irregular periods (or none at all) Dark velvety patches of skin on you neck, groin, or in your armpits Hair loss or male balding spots Difficulty losing weight Intense cravings for carbohydrates or sweets Problems conceiving Decreased sex drive Excess hair growth on your face, like a mustache or beard Excess hair on your chest or back Acne on your face, chest or back
If you see yourself painted in this symptom set, please print this out with your symptoms marked and show them to your physician. Ten percent of all women who have this syndrome will be diabetic by age 40, and with diabetes comes a whole other list of problems.
And keep checking back here. There are lots of ways to manage PCOS that do not involve medication, and we'd love to help you learn about them. In fact, the list of practitioners at the right is a list of registered dietitians who have taken the time to complete a 20 hour course in the management of PCOS. They are just waiting to hear from you.
For more information, please visit my web page on the topic: http://www.afterthediet.com/polycystic.htm
Have a wonderful week, it's a short one with the upcoming holiday!
Back at Expo West in March, we learned a new word,"nutricosmetic", which means a functional food used for the purpose of improving appearance. This particular nutricosmetic, Nightly Beauty, caught my eye, because of how important good sleep is for insulin function, weight, mood, and fertility. This product is a flavored powder, designed to be mixed with milk and taken just before bed, to help enhance beauty, as CEO Jacque Gibson says, from the inside out.
This philosophy is woven throughout the entire company. The box in which this product is packaged, has a mirror inscribed with"You're Beautiful". Even the voice mail when you call Beauty Foods, begins with,"Well…Hello, Beautiful!" It's the perfect message for all of you coming to this blog.
For some reason the embed code on Jacque's promotional video is not working, so I can only link, but I strongly encourage you to watch it. You'll see her genuine desire to encourage inner beauty to shine through.
http://vimeo.com/25624555
Nightly Beauty by Beauty Foods is getting a lot of attention. It was named"best nutricosmetic" at Natural Products West. It was selected by JP Selects, created by the co-founder of Paul Mitchell, to be offered as one of their brands. And it will be included in this year's Emmy SWAG bags!
I'll get to the science behind the product in tomorrow's blog post. Today I just want to introduce the product and point you toward links with more information. And show you what it did to my skin in the 30 days I tested it.
My forehead before My forehead after
My eyes before My eyes after
My cheeks before My cheeks after
My chin before My chin after
Side view of my face before
Side view of my face after This product caught my eye because of its ingredients. And it caught my attention, because after a month of using it, three different people who didn't know I was in the middle of this experiment spontaneously asked what I was doing to make my skin look so healthy! I realize that's not very scientific, but since I'm not a person who's overly focused on her appearance, that is quite a reaction to get from close friends.
While Jacque designed this product to primarily be for skin, it has a lot of pertinence for women dealing with the effects of chronic inflammation…namely…YOU. I'm going to go into the science of Nightly Beauty and why it has so much relevance to PCOS tomorrow…but for now, if you want to learn more, check out the radio interview Jacque did for inCYST awhile back.
Tomorrow: the potential this product holds for women with PCOS.
…you've got to hear Carmina McGee's interview she did today! It's packed full of information on everything from acne to acanthosis nigricans to facial hair and what to do about it.
About a month ago, Dr. Susan Van Dyke did a great webinar for inCYST on the many aspects of PCOS that can be helped by working with a dermatologist. One of the conditions she spoke about was melasma, a skin patchiness/darkening that can be caused by hormonal changes and the use of birth control pills.
Coincidentally, a few days later, a friend casually mentioned that she had noticed the skin on her head was darkening even though she was diligent with sunscreen. What she showed me looked just like what I'd seen in Dr. Van Dyke's slides…and when I asked, she mentioned that the skin change actually did appear after she changed birth control pills about a year earlier.
I saw her last night, and she shared that she had been to see a dermatologist after we spoke and it turned out that she DID have melasma.
I had originally posted the photo you see in this post on our inCYST Facebook page and several women commented they had similar skin changes but had no idea they could be caused by birth control pills. I was very surprised these women did not know this, since so many women with PCOS have been prescribed them!
So I wanted to expand the audience that this message got to, to be sure that all women know, if you are on birth control pills, and your skin starts to look different, there may be a connection. And there are options for addressing it.
I'm really grateful to have Dr. Van Dyke on our team, she is just a wealth of information! I am working on editing a guest post she's done for us, it will be up later today. If you'd like to have a copy of her webinar (which includes Power Points), click here to order.
I don't have the skin issues common to PCOS, but I have lived most of my life in Arizona, much of it before we were educated about the importance of sunscreen. Being blue-eyed and fair-skinned, I'm more than a little paranoid about what that is eventually going to mean with regards to the condition of my skin.
One night I started researching what common natural ingredients I could use to help my skin be as healthy as I could be. My three favorites so far:
1. Fish oil. I know, you're sick of hearing about it! But healthy skin is dependent on healthy fats in the diet. Fish oil is great for skin health…I've noticed in the years since I've been taking it, some prominent scarring I got from a second degree sunburn on a Costa Rican vacation, has lessened.
2. Coconut oil. Coconut oil is a mild exfoliant, and it also encourages collagen growth. If you look at many of your skin care products they already contain coconut oil. Why not go to the source? I just use the virgin coconut oil most people buy for cooking. I've noticed that it has started to fade some of my sun spots in the 4 months I've been using it…here are before and after pics.
3. Camellia oil. This is also known as green tea seed oil, and that is exactly what it is. It is especially high in EGCG, the antioxidant green tea is famous for, and EGCG helps to prevent collagen breakdown. I will be writing more about this oil in a future blog post. I was provided a bottle of this oil to experiment with in both cooking and skin care. I figured with one item promoting collagen production and the other preventing its breakdown, I had a nice combination.
I notice that in the month that I've been using camellia oil, the wrinkles I've accumulated from years of laughing and assertively expressing myself (Ha! If you know me you're thinking that due to my personality I should look like a California raisin!) It's kind of fun to look in the mirror in the morning and see some of the new changes. It also seems to stimulate blood flow (which EGCG does in other parts of the body as well), as I get a nice rosy hue to my skin almost immediately on using it. These are before and after shots after just two weeks of using Camellia oil twice a day on my skin.
Speaking of coconut oil, my friend Denise recently rescued a Sharpei mix from the local animal shelter. Phillip Bruno was scheduled to be euthanized because his mange was so horribly out of control. After learning that coconut oil can be useful for mange as well, as it is a nontoxic oil that is absorbed by the skin and helps to suffocate the responsible mites that can make this disease very tough to eradicate, she decided to try coconut oil on PB as well. Here are pictures of him on his first day being rescued and a week after being treated with various medications and coconut oil. On day one his skin was so scabbed over he couldn't even open his eyes, now he's making eyes at the camera! (I told Denise if we're not careful it may work so well it will de-Sharpei him!)
By the way, PB is so popular he has his own Facebook fan page where you can watch his progress. He's a real charmer! If you're interested in camellia oil, here is the link where you can find it online. I'll post updates of both myself and PB as we have them!
