Me being a master esthetician has brought hundreds of individuals into my practice struggling with acne & many other skin conditions. Acne is the number one skin issue I'm seeing & I know how detrimental it is for our confidence. In my opinion acne is not "normal" so long as our bodies aren't filled with toxins & our skin's protective barrier isn't destroyed. Through my countless studies & helping my clients struggling with acne, I have came up with a protocol that will not only heal your acne, but will heal many other skin diseases, liver issues and many autoimmune diseases. By incorporating these dietary changes & my skin care routine you WILL heal & have the beautiful skin you desire.
Beautiful skin first begins within the body:
Healthy diet is essential. Have you ever heard that Diet makes up 75% of a healthy body & working out makes up the rest?? Well I believe that's the same thing with our skin. Having better skin is making sure you have a clean diet, healthy lifestyle & proper skin care. The most important component in having clear skin is having a clean diet, skin care comes last. You really don't need to be spending lots of money on skin care products if you are giving the body what it needs to function properly. Our skin is designed on its own to give a protective barrier which moistens and balances bacteria.
Causes of acne:
Most skin conditions are directly related to the liver & lymph system. The bodies detoxification system happens through the liver & lymph. If they are sluggish due to pathogens in the body, heavy metals and bad food then your skin will show problems. These culprits cause toxic build up in our bodies leaving us feeling fatigue, with skin issues & eventually disease. Rid the toxins, rid the acne & many other skin issues. By cutting out bad food & detoxifying from heavy metals we stop feeding these pathogens(viruses, parasites & bad bacteria) in our bodies and then we can finally heal. Hormonal acne- usually at the time when you are hitting puberty or around your period you'll break out because the immune system isn't as strong. By having a clean diet you'll boost your immune system & chances of a break out around your period will be slim to non.
Begins with diet:
Many people have a misconception that healthy eating is hard, time consuming & doesn't satisfy their cravings. I want to show you why that's wrong and how eating healthy is not as hard as you think. Below I've created a meal plan for anyone struggling with skin issues. Again skin issues are related to a sluggish liver, so we must include the best foods that will fuel our livers. High fat causes the liver to over work increasing high levels of bile and even adding fat to your lymph system, causing a decrease in your immune system so it can't fight off bacteria as well as we need it too. The keto craze- low carb high fat/protein may cause a spike in energy & quick weight loss, but your liver will age therefore speeding up your aging process & resulting in fatty liver. Taking care of your liver with the foods it thrives off of will not only give you radiant skin, but also a clear mentality, longevity and increase in energy. Don't be afraid of fruit glucose it's the liver energy source & gives it what it needs to help the entire body thrive, plus your skin will show. Give your liver what it needs so it can go to war on the pathogens (viruses & bacteria) & not the breakdown of the fat, gluten & dairy you're consuming. If your skin means that much to you then simple healthy food choices should sound exciting.
Morning
Hydration is key when you first wake up, your liver has been detoxifying all night and needs liquid.
16 oz. of water with 1 lemon or lime at room temp. 30 mins later I have my celery only juice. This is probably the most crucial thing on the plan. By doing this alone you will see huge improvements regarding your health in all aspects.
8-16 oz. of celery juice by it self on an empty stomach (about 1 stalk). You can make this with a juicer or blender & strainer. Do not combine any other fruits, vegs. water with it. Must be drank alone. This is a master cleanse for your body to help clear out any toxins. Check out Medical medium, he was the one who introduced this & now millions of people (including Kim Kardashian & many other celebrities) are being healed through the power of celery juice.
**Focus on eating fruits & veggies the first half of your day, & try to eat fats & protein late afternoon or evening staying under 15 grams each day. This gives your liver a break & gives it the ability to truly detoxify**
Breakfast
Start your day with a powerful smoothie, pulling out heavy metals & toxins in the body.
*Heavy metals are pathogens favorite food. Remember by starving the pathogens in the body you will eliminate toxins in the body. No toxins means clear skin. A smoothie is a great way to get all the key ingredients that'll eliminate the pathogens main food supply.
Smoothie
*the ingredients with a *star try to incorporate in each smoothie. Smoothie ingredients mix & match: Nut/plant milk, coconut water, *1/2-1 C.wild blueberries or 1-3 tsp. wild blueberry powder, *1 frozen banana, frozen fruit of any kind, leafy greens such as kales, spinach, *cilantro, * 1 tsp. barley grass juice powder, *1 tsp. Hawaiian or Vimergy spirulina, Hemp seeds, dates, stevia or a healthy sweetener (listed below), cinnamon, maca powder, acai or berry powder, licorice root powder.
*Create a smoothie/acai bowl by doing less liquid& adding toppings. Be sure to incorporate the wild blueberries, cilantro, barley powder & spirulina every time you make a smoothie, these key ingredients are key for the detox plan. If you don't like the taste of these in your smoothies just combine them separately in 1/2 c. of water & stevia in the blender before and chug that down right before your delicious sweet smoothie. You could also wait to have the cilantro at lunch or dinner time, just be sure to get 1/2 C. in everyday(1/4 c. parsley also works) *Find smoothie recipes here
Fat in our diet
*We all know to stay away from sugar, dairy & gluten but staying under 15% (daily calories)of fat is also important. Staying low fat is ideal until late lunch/early dinner time, so that your liver can focus on healing & removing toxins. When we eat foods high in fat the liver's main focus is now on producing bile & breaking down that fat. High fat diets will also result in a sluggish lymphatic system, making it difficult to have clear skin. Too much fat also gets in the way of our main fuel source which is glucose. Our liver's need glucose to run properly. When consuming fat I choose to do so after 4pm so that my liver can focus on detoxing throughout the day.
*Plant based EPA's & DHA's are essential omega fats, be sure to include these into your diet (in the evening). You will feel an increase in energy levels by consuming more fruit the beginning part of your day. Be sure you're choosing healthy fats to eat such as coconut oil, grass-fed butter, avocado. nuts & seeds, nut butter & grass-fed animal meat.
*Click on high lighted recipes to pull up recipe in a new tab*
Breakfasts / Lunchs
Meal ideas *all recipes are gluten free & vegan
Oat bread, Oatmeal cookies, Soaked oats recipe (This is so quick & no cooking is involved), Juice consisting of carrot, pineapple, kale, apple, lime & cucumber. Chopped up fruit bowl sprinkled with hemp or chia seeds. Pancakes. Wild blueberry Muffins.
Lunchs / Dinners
Hearty Salad, Creamy cilantro salad, Detox salad, (recipes at the bottom of blog).
Veggie stir fry cooked on low heat with coconut oil, Veggie soup- throw all your veggies such as tomatoes, spinach, basil, cucumber, onion, garlic, avocado, veggie broth, sea salt & seasonings into a blender & then warm up on low heat.
*Get a meal in that'll not cause us daytime fatigue, these meals will help us feel full, but light enough to make it through the rest of the day. Theses meals are loaded with veggies giving our bodies lots of antioxidants & nutrients.
Baked potato or mashed.(sweet potato or Reg.) with lightly steamed veggies, such as Brussel sprouts, broccoli, asparagus.. For mashed potatoes- boil potatoes until soft(check with a fork). Mix potatoes with an electric mixer add coconut oil, Himalayan salt & nut milk. Zucchini pasta.
Snacks
Try to eat 1-2 apples a day...apples have a great hydration effect for the body & helps to clear out dirty blood. Apples are also great for destroying pathogens in your intestinal tract. Try to eat red apples, the redder the better. Bananas...They provide quick energy for our livers, the fructose being one of the liver's favorite foods. Kale chips...wash and cut kale, season with sea salt, garlic / onion powder & coconut oil. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 mins. Mixing in between. Vegan Chocolate, celery or carrot sticks with creamy cilantro green sauce, Oatmeal cookies, Seaweed(watch out for toxic oils)
Skin care:
I've came to realize the more aggressive we are to our skin the more it reacts to breakouts, that's because we don't want to destroy the beneficial bacteria or break down the acid mantle on our faces by over washing and over exfoliating. Your skin is made to prevent any kind of infection such as acne as long as we're not destroying it's natural protective barrier.
If you've been struggling with acne and your using harsh cleansers filled with Ahas or Salicylic acid, you should probably get a more gentle cleanser. I know that sounds shocking coming from an esthetician, but I've seen first hand that these cleansers aren't fixing our acne problems. They may be beneficial for anti-aging, but for people who suffer from acne they are only making matters worse. I decided to become a natural holistic esthetician while I was in school, I noticed almost every student had terrible skin.. that was confusing cause isn't this the place to learn how to take proper care of the skin?
Going into school I had almost perfect skin, besides the dreadful blackheads everyone seems to get on their nose. I received tons of spa grade skin care and was eager to start using these products just like every other one of my class mates. It took me 8 months to realize that these products were actually the cause of all my breakouts. I started getting acne soon after using them & it wasn't just one brand, I had tried three different ones. My teachers told me it was a detoxing process that my skin was going through, so I listened to their advice using spot treatments & getting monthly chemical peels. My skin looked the worse it had ever looked and nothing had changed besides my skin care.
Now being an esthetician I know everyone's skin type is different just like everyone's bodies. I believe these high grade skin cleansers should be used once you hit a certain age and you want to slow down the skin's aging process, but for young skin they are causing breakouts & inflammation. These cleansers I mentioned above are made to exfoliate the skin, this can be a good thing after you hit a certain age cause your skin starts to slow down it's natural ability to exfoliate on it's own. After I stopped manually exfoliating almost everyday (& that's what you're taught to do in school) & stopped the cleansers my acne disappeared. Now for my sister that wasn't the case, she suffered with it even after she started using more natural skin care products. So we knew that we had to fix her diet in order to see improvements.
Caring for your skin:
I choose to use natural skin care products on myself & many of my clients, because everything you apply to the skin the body absorbs. The chemicals in skin care products can become toxic to our bodies.
When washing my face I begin cleansing with an oil base cleanser, this helps break down all the makeup that's on my skin. Sometimes I'll cleanse with a second cleanse that leaves my skin feeling very clean, I always add a hydrating moisturizer right after I wash and pat dry my face. Good hydration is key for preventing wrinkles. About once a week I will exfoliate my skin by mixing brown sugar with an oil such as olive oil, jojoba or grape seed. I apply this all over my face and decollete (usually in the shower). I really love using my electric skin brush. Exfoliate once a week & always be sure you're being very gentle when rubbing your skin. After my exfoliation I like to do a clay mask such as a bentonite clay to help pull out toxins.
*Did you know your skin type can change with diet? Eating a well balanced diet like the one I listed above will change your skin type to a more normal & hydrated type. Be sure you're also drinking plenty of water. 1/2 your body weight in ounces is the minimum you should be drinking each day.
Supplements for acne:
Lemon balm glycerin tincture (1 dropperful twice a day). Barley grass juice powder, nettle leaf (2 dropperfuls or two capsules twice a day), zinc, vit. c, spirulina, Goldenseal (two dropperfuls twice a day, 2 weeks on weeks off), Chaga mushroom (1 tsp. 2x/daily), Cat's claw (1 dropperful 2x/daily). Broccoli & Brussel sprouts are great acne fighters.
*You can combine these herbs or just try out a couple at a time. Do your research & decide for yourself which ones seem best for you. When using herbal tinctures be sure to choose tinctures made with glycerin & not alcohol.
Supplements for eczema:
Cat's claw (1 dropperful 2x/daily), Chaga mushroom (1 tsp. 2x daily), Curcumin (1 capsule 2x daily), EPA & DHA (fish-free) 1 capsule 2x daily, be sure to stay very hydrated & eat lots of fruit.
Must Avoid
*Avoid drinking alcohol & smoking, both of these drugs are disastrous for your liver & skin's health. Foods the must be avoided: dairy, eggs, gluten, sugar. These foods will feed pathogens (viruses & bad bacteria). Starve out the pathogens by eliminating these foods along with their favorite food heavy metals
*With autoimmune diseases it's not the body attacking itself, but the pathogens attacking the body.
Milk Substitute
Milks to drink-avoid all milk that has added sugar & dairy. Choose milks such as oat milk, coconut milk, almond milk, flax milk, cashew milk.
Sugar Substitute
Who said you can't have sugar?? I LOVE sweets. There's so many better alternatives to white sugar, cane sugar or powdered sugar that isn't detrimental to your health
Sweeteners for baking or added to foods- Amber grade Maple syrup (doesn't raise blood sugar), Coconut sugar or nectar, stevia (an herb that tastes sweet & no calories), raw honey.
Get moving
Getting your lymph system moving is extremely important if you want great skin. Your lymph system flushes out toxins and if your living a sedentary lifestyle your lymph can become sluggish. Short bursts of movement through out your day is important for your overall energy levels & for your health. Jump roping, jumping jacks or jumping on the trampoline is amazing for the flow of lymph….so get moving!!
Lifestyle
Focus on positivity, if you're going through a hard time in life, take some time for yourself and focus on activities that bring you joy. If you don't know what those activities are I suggest writing a list of a few things you might be interested in and pick something new. Taking time for yourself by doing things you enjoy increases self confidence & brings positivity into your life. Enjoying new activities opens the door to meeting new people that enjoy the same activities as you. Be sure you are writing down attainable goals and reflecting on them daily, I have found this to be the most rewarding and confidence booster for me. Self love is so important & negative talk in your head is a lot more detrimental then you may think. I truly believe we are the ones manifesting our lives, so focus on what you want & focus on how you'd feel if you had already attained it. Meditate on this every morning & block out any doubts or negative thoughts that come through out the day. Focusing on doubts & what we don't want are only stopping the flow of great manifestation from occurring. Focus on improving yourself each day & not on others, because you can't change anyone but yourself. Being positive & optimistic in your own head will bring dramatic changes into your life. For me, having a clean diet increased my energy levels, therefore improving my mood.
Thanks for taking the time & reading . Please email me if you try this protocol & let me know how your journey goes. I love helping others feel confident in themselves & bringing awareness to others regarding health, because health is the ultimate wealth.
Creamy Cilantro Sauce
Perfect for salads, mashed potatoes, bean chips & meat
In a blender combine all ingredients together- Half C. cilantro, 1/4 C. Vegan mayo, 1 med. tomato, 2-3 green onions, 3 garlic cloves, 1/2 lime juice, 1/2 bell pepper, sea salt, garlic & onion powder. Optional-cucumber, avocado, jalapeno
Super-food Salad
Mix & chop all Ingredients together-Lightly steamed asparagus, apples, cilantro, greens, zucchini, carrot, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds. Citrus dressing: Blend all ingredients together- Juice of 1 orange, 2 tsp. honey, pinch of sea salt, pinch of paprika, 1/2 lemon juice Cut and steam potatoes, meanwhile chop & mix all ingredients- 1 medium carrot, 1 small onion, 1/2 c. peas, 2 green onions, 2 garlic cloves *optional: grass-fed grounded beef or chicken. Sauté chopped ingredients on medium-low heat for 10 mins. Veggies will still be slightly hard still. Mash potatoes with an electric mixer add coconut oil or butter, sea salt, onion & garlic powder
Hearty Salad
Mix all together-Lightly steamed broccoli, steamed sweet potato, cooked beans, chopped tomato, arugula, spinach, bell pepper. Serve with creamy cilantro sauce
