Why You're Still Breaking Out

I like to keep these short, sweet, and to the point, but also informative. Next to meal prepping I always hear "I'm breaking out! why?" Here are a couple things that could be causing your breakouts. 1. Dairy. It seems so insignificant but if you're consuming even small amounts of it everyday, it can add up. Dairy contains casein which is really difficult for the majority of the population to digest. If you aren't digesting what you're consuming properly, it can show up in all different ways. One of the ways being breakouts. There are so many good substitutes for dairy that it shouldn't be too hard to replace it with something you like. You can sub cow's milk with coconut, almond, cashew, or oat milk. Butter can be replaced with ghee and you wont even taste a difference. Cheese is a tricky one but I have found that nutritional yeast mimics the taste of cheese pretty closely and has added nutritional benefits. 2. Using pore clogging ingredients. I can never stress this enough to people. I know how exciting it is to buy new skincare and new make up especially when we see people raving about it all over the internet. However, when you struggle with acne, what you're putting on your skin is of utmost importance in getting you the clear skin you want. There are so many brands that say they are for acne prone skin but due to the fact that the FDA doesn't regulate those products, companies are allowed to market their products however they want. Typically this means however companies feel their products will sell best, even if it isn't beneficial for acne. Even the creams you are getting at the dermatologist are something you need to be aware of. The retinol they commonly prescribe you usually comes in a cream based form and contains Isopropyl Myristate which is one of the top pore clogging ingredients. The only two skin care companies I have found who truly understand and follow the acne safe philosophy are Face Reality and Clearstem Skincare, it's what I use personally and recommend to all my clients and friends who want clear skin. Make up is another essential thing you need to be aware of since it's sitting on your skin all day and usually every day. Finding acne safe make up is super tricky. The only make up company I use and trust as I know they keep their products free of pore cloggers is Priia Cosmetics. 3. Lack Of Fiber. Most of us use multiple skin care products, hair products, cleaning products and antibiotics per day. We are bombarded with toxic chemicals without even being aware of it. Toxicity has to come out somewhere and if it's not being excreted properly, it can show up in your skin. Fiber is what grabs onto toxicity in our bodies and helps to excrete it from your system. Beans are a great source of soluble fiber, which is something most people aren't getting enough of. Here's the catch with beans though, you want to make sure you're eating them without any of the good stuff on them such as butter or oil. If you consume beans with fat, it will absorb the fat instead of the toxins. Plain beans and salt eaten about an hour and a half before or after a meal that contains fat is when they work their best magic. I typically soak my beans in a bowl of water overnight before I cook them as this helps release some of the phytic acid which can make them hard to digest. 4. Leaky Gut. Most Americans follow the standard American diet which leaves a lot of us walking around with a gut that isn't functioning optimally and can show up in an assortment of different ways. Basically leaky gut is when bacteria and toxins leak through the intestinal wall. Leaky gut can come from a variety of things such as gluten, dairy, soy, and a high sugar intake. When we have leaky gut it's harder for our bodies to truly digest and absorb the nutrients we need. Taking a digestive enzyme can help our bodies break down difficult to digest protein, starches and fats. This can lead to better skin as it will increase the option for your body to absorb the antioxidants it needs from your food and decrease inflammation. I like this supplement from Now Foods or this one from Nuzest. Another issue commonly associated with gut dysfunction is acid reflux. People have the misconception that this means they are producing too much acid when in reality they aren't producing enough. This can lead to chronic inflammation. Drinking a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar with water 20 minutes before you eat helps to increase hydrochloric acid. Another option and what I do personally is using apple cider digestive bitters before each meal. 5. Birth Control. Typically the number one thing prescribed for women struggling with acne. This can be helpful aside from the fact that it takes a band aid approach and doesn't treat the root cause. Birth control is divided up as estrogen or progestin dominant and has different degrees of androgenic (testosterone) affects. As someone who struggles with acne it is typically best to talk to your doctor about choosing a birth control that is higher in estrogen and lower in androgen potency. A couple examples of low androgen birth control pill options are Sprintec, Ortho Tricyclen, Tri-Sprintec, and Zovia. Okay kids, that's all I have. Stay cool. XOXO, Kaila