Category: Health

All About Acne

Why you have acne

There are a million reasons why you could have acne and skin problems. Most people fall under one or more of these categories.

Dairy protein intolerance and breakouts

Researchers found a high correlation between dairy consumption, especially skim milk, and teenage acne. One reason why is that conventional dairy products contain enough hormones to have an effect on your body. You can see the effects of excess hormones on your skin.

Skin inflammation from insulin resistance

Insulin sensitivity or resistance describes how efficiently your body is able to get energy out of sugar and carbs. Sensitivity is good, insulin resistance means that  the cell fuel delivery guy knocks on the door and nobody answers. Your cells do not open up to receive glucose, so sugar stays in the bloodstream, causing inflammation.

If you’re insulin resistant, you’re probably carrying excess weight and having negative effects from blood sugar fluctuations. Other signs of insulin resistance include increased thirst, feeling cranky in between meals, fatigue, even blurred vision.

Researchers have connected the dots between acne and insulin resistance, though there’s plenty of room for more research on the topic to fully understand it. Since there are so many benefits to cutting sugar and lowering your carb intake, you may as well see if those things improve your acne.

Irritation from harsh skincare

If this is your first experience with acne, you might be tempted to go nuclear on it, and wind up buying the most drying, highest-strength stuff on the shelf. Though intuitively it feels like the right move, there are a few problems with that strategy.

First, your skin has its own microbiome, an ecosystem of microscopic organisms living on its surface. A healthy level of oil on your skin helps support beneficial microorganisms that keep your skin clear, calm, and happy.

Second, when your skin oils are in balance, your skin’s oil production is a supply and demand system. If it’s dry, you make more oil. Oily, you make less. Things like hormones, insulin, and toxins can disrupt the balance. If you intentionally dry out your skin, thinking that removing oil is good for you, your skin will respond by ramping up oil production. Then you get more acne. If you’ve ever broken out after a really intense exfoliation regimen, you likely went too hard on your skin. That’s your complexion trying to restore order after disrupting the skin’s lipid barrier.

Same goes for harsh chemicals. Your skin may react to products you use, giving you acne, or something that looks like acne but is actually irritation. Avoid heavy fragrances, strong astringents, allergens, and other irritants to keep skin smooth.

How do dermatologists diagnose acne?

If you have acne, a dermatologist can diagnose you by looking at your breakouts. During your appointment, a dermatologist will also note what types of acne you have and where the breakouts appear on your skin. This helps your dermatologist create an effective treatment plan.

Sometimes what looks like acne isn’t acne. While rare, what looks like acne can be another condition. For example, some people mistake hidradenitis suppurativa, also called acne inversa, for everyday acne. Treatment for this condition differs from that for acne.

Another condition that can be mistaken for acne is perioral dermatitis. It often causes breakouts that look like acne around the mouth.

Seeing a board-certified dermatologist can be reassuring. Whether you have stubborn acne or another condition, a board-certified dermatologist can diagnose you and create a treatment plan tailored to your needs.

How do dermatologists treat acne?

The acne treatment plan that’s right for you depends on many considerations, including:

• What type of acne (i.e., blackheads, pimples, etc.) you have
• Where the acne appears on your skin
• What treatments you’ve already tried
• When the breakouts started
• Your age
• Whether the acne has left you with dark spots or scars

Procedures to treat acne

Though not prescribed as commonly as medication, a few medical procedures may be used to treat severe acne. These procedures can all typically be performed in your doctor’s office. They may be painful and in some cases cause scarring. Health insurance plans don’t always cover them, either. You should confirm that your health insurance will cover these procedures before you schedule them.

Drainage and extraction

During drainage and extraction, your doctor manually drains large cysts that form under your skin. They remove fluids, dirt, pus, and dead skin inside the cyst to reduce infection and pain. Your doctor may inject antibiotics or a steroid into the cyst to speed healing and reduce the risk of scarring.

Laser therapy

Laser therapy may also help improve acne infection. Laser light helps reduce the amount of bacteria on your skin that causes acne.

Chemical peels and microdermabrasion

Chemical peels and microdermabrasion remove the top layer of your skin. In the process, whiteheads and blackheads are also removed.

Treating acne from the inside out

Fix your gut

One of the big root causes behind acne has to do with the gut, the gut microbiome. She advocates addressing gut imbalances that create problems in your whole body, the most noticeable place being the skin.

Diet

There’s a lot of research linking dairy protein consumption and acne. Another big one is sugar.

If you eat a lot of sugar or foods that turn to sugar, things that are high on the glycemic index, they’re going to increase your blood sugar, which causes a spike in the hormone, insulin. That increase actually triggers excess sebum production, the oils in our skin, plus it increases androgen activity. That combination is one of the big triggers for acne.

Aside from insulin, too much sugar wrecks your gut, and a lot of skin problems originate in the gut. There’s no shortage of reasons to stop eating sugar.

Address hormone imbalances

Acne is a hallmark of hormone imbalance. Since there are so many causes of estrogen dominance and other endocrine imbalances, you’ll want to work with a functional medicine doctor on this one. Functional medicine aims to uncover the root cause of a problem, while conventional medicine most often treats symptoms.

Hormones are complicated business, so you should dig as deep as you and your doctor can to address the chain reaction that leads to hormone problems and hormonal acne.

Hydrate, then hydrate more

Drink as much water as you think you need, then double that. Your urinary system is a detox machine that runs constantly as long as it has enough water to flow freely, picking up impurities along the way. Water also leaves your body as sweat, which will sweep toxins away much more efficiently the more you dilute them. While you’re at it, exercise and sauna help you sweat nasty things out, too.

What not to do for acne

Don’t take antibiotics as a first line of action

If you’re looking into prescriptions, you’re probably pretty frustrated with your acne at this point. When you consider antibiotics, you have to weigh the pros with the cons to see if antibiotics are worth it. Is it a short-term solution, and will you have to keep repeating antibiotics? Is it worth wrecking your gut, knowing that there’s an intricate relationship between your skin and your gut?

You can opt for topical antibiotics, which are certainly better than pills, but keep in mind that your skin has a microbiome that antibiotics will disrupt.

It takes patience, but it might be a better option to support your immune system and address imbalances first.

Don’t take an isotretinoin prescription without trying everything else first (everything)

Sure, desperate times call for desperate measures. But medicines containing isotretinoin not only mask the true issue — they can cause serious lifelong side effects like:

• Crohn’s disease
• Depression and suicide
• Anxiety
• Severe birth defects if you take it while pregnant

The most well-known isotretinoin brand, Accutane®, is no longer available, but doctors still prescribe other isotretinoin brands with the same set of risks.

Isotretinoin permanently affects the communication lines in your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis[20] which is “mission control” for your stress response, among countless other functions.

This is one of those times when even if your doctor extensively counsels you on this medication, you probably still will not cover the magnitude of long-term damage it can cause. Tread lightly. Get a second, third, and fourth opinion if you have to.

Don’t treat only pimples

Pimples aren’t simply a skin condition. They’re a signal that something else is going on in your body. Keep asking your doctor, “what caused that?” until you have a handle on the root cause. If you treat acne without treating the source, it won’t go away. Sure, use what makes sense to get your skin looking better, but keep digging for the true reason.

You’re not vain for wanting clear skin. Your appearance affects your job, your interactions, and your confidence. More importantly, your skin indicates how your body is working. Look at your skin as a main line of communication between the inside and the outside of your body.

The Best Chiropractic Care Tips for Optimal Spine Health

A healthy spine allows us to move freely in our lives and do fun things like run and jump and dance. Forgetting about spine health can lead to permanent injuries that prevent you from doing the things you love.

Seeing a chiropractor when you experience back or neck pain, like 35 million other people in the U.S. do, prevents issues before they happen. You can also get advice on how to care for your spine properly.

Exercise Regularly

One of the best things you can do for spine health is to exercise regularly. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily. This means doing something within the moderate to intense range like brisk walking, jogging, swimming, mowing the lawn, aerobic dancing, strength training, or rock climbing.

Work on Core Strength

Concentrate on strengthening your core muscles when exercising. Your core is made of more than just your abdominal muscles. It also includes those in your lower to middle back.

Pay Attention to Your Posture

Poor posture is a major contributor to chronic back problems and spinal issues. Sitting up straight while watching television, working at a desk, or sitting at the table for a meal can eliminate many back and neck issues.

You See a Chiropractor Because it’s a Healthy Thing to Do

Whenever people hear that I am a chiropractor, they will either do one of two things. They will usually grab their neck or back and say something like, “Man, I really need to see you,” or, “I’ve never had to see a chiropractor but if I had the need I would definitely try it.”

Like brushing your teeth, seeing a chiropractor for periodic checkups is a healthy thing to do. We don’t eat well for one day and expect to be healthy our whole lives. Similarly, we also don’t exercise a couple times and expect to be physically fit

The optimal movement of our spine and that impact on our nervous system and global health represents one of the key secrets to experiencing optimal health and function.

In a previous article I went into how important structure is to function. Every scientist, contractor and engineer recognizes that structure necessarily affects function. When our structure (spinal column) becomes misaligned, it causes irritation of the delicate nerve fibers that travel through it.

determined that, “Subluxation is very real. We have documented it to the extent that no one can dispute its existence. Vertebral subluxations change the entire health of the body by causing structural dysfunction of the spine and nerve interference. The weight of a dime on a spinal nerve will reduce nerve transmission by as much as 60%.”

TESTIMONIALS

I was in a level 10 of pain in my lower back for over a week. I had gone to my primary doctor to find out what was wrong and they prescribed me pain med’s. After a week of being in severe pain and on med’s I realized that a chiropractor could help me

got an adjustment the same day. Within 24 hours my pain level had gone from terrible pain from a level 10 to a 5. I then went and got adjusted again the next day and my back pain is extremely better. I can’t thank him enough. He helped me so much and while the pain med’s just numbed the pain, it didn’t solve my problem like the adjustment have been. If you are in pain and suffering like I did I would highly recommend calling this practice and making an appointment

I am an avid runner, so when I started getting numbness in my arms and hands I looked for a solution and thought a chiropractor would be a good possibility. I decided to because they are walking distance from my house and I’m very glad I did. Great doctors, very friendly staff, soothing environment.

They got me running again in just a few weeks without any pain at all and I’ve even set a PR in the last 1/2 marathon I ran. Much of the joy I’ve found in running has returned because I made the decision

My wife is 6 months pregnant and she too has started to go to ease the muscle and back pain that comes with toting around our next child. She also raves about them to me and all our friends. If you’re having back or muscle pain, give these folks a try.

Things People Don’t Know About Chiropractic Care.

Adjustments Don’t Hurt.

No, you’re not going to get your head ripped off, and your bones aren’t going to snap. It’s actually much gentler than you would imagine. Most patients who are new to the chiropractic route are pretty anxious about the thought of this. That sound you hear during the adjustment is called a “cavitation” and is only space being created within the joint causing gasses to be released from the joint capsule, which creates the popping noise.

“I heard you have to go forever” is a myth.

If you want to get adjusted forever, you can. When patients come in with pain, they are scheduled out for a month or two to make sure every stays balanced. Then occasionally they would come in, just to check up, like you could to get a check up at a dentist every six months.

Chiropractic care may help you get sick less.

Studies show that adjustments constantly reduce the production of pro-inflammatory mediators, associated with tissue damage and pain. Also, it may enhance the production of immunoregulatory complexes that are important to a healthy immune system.

Successful chiropractic patients accept responsibility.

In most cases, back pain doesn’t happen overnight, and even more importantly; the pain won’t go away over night. When someone says chiropractic didn’t work for them, 9/10 times the patient wasn’t fully dedicated to the regularly scheduled adjustment and advice the doctors gave.

We know about more than just your backbone!

Surprising right? Chiropractors will give advice on fitness, nutrition, ergonomics and lifestyle. The training is not much different than a medical doctor too. Chiropractors are also able to complete specialties such as pediatrics, sport rehabilitation, neurology, clinical nutrition and addictions and compulsive disorders.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions about chiropractors. Knowing the answers to these important questions will help you pick the best chiropractor

WHY CHIROPRACTIC FOR KIDS?  

Over the counter drugs are no longer under the radar since pediatric cough and cold medications perform no better than placebo (sugar pill)

Since 1985, all six randomized, placebo-controlled studies of the use of cough and cold preparations in children under 12 years of age have not shown any meaningful differences between the active drugs (robitussin, dimetapp, tylenol plus, pediacare, and triaminic) and placebo (sugar pill). A placebo is when a group of people thinks they are getting medication, but they actaully don’t, they get an inert substance, like a sugar pill. The bottom-line is that direct-to-consumer ads deem these medications safe and effective; however, 750,000 reports of concern to poison-control centers to cough and cold products were reported from 2000-2007.

WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC?             

Chiropractic is a healthcare that focuses on health, performance human potential.  There are 3 parts, a science, philosophy and art. The fundamental principle of chiropractic is that vertebral subluxations (spinal misalignments) produce pressure on nerves emitting from the spinal column, thus causing dis-ease or a lack of adaptation to stress. A subluxation is when the normal diameter of the holes the nerves go through in the body are impinged and/or narrowed, thus resulting in a decrease in function of the nerves. This is an important clinical observation because there are many symptoms that can arise from the impingement of the nerves emitting from the spinal column. The principles of chiropractic, form the philosophy and the science research informs more effective ways to improve the art of adjusting. Adjusting or an adjustment is given after the location of the nerve interference using chiropractic analysis, with the goal of releasing pressure on the nerves emitting from the spinal column.

WHAT TYPES OF PAIN DO CHIROPRACTOR’S TREAT?         

Chiropractors don’t treat pain, they treat the function, which often results in the pain someone is coming in with to decrease as their function increases. The great thing about pain management with chiropractic is that you can prevent it from happening with consistent care, just like you can prevent heart disease by diet and exercise. Some common symptoms and pain issues people come in with are headaches, indigestion, tension in muscles from depression/anxiety, bad posture, injuries from sports or sitting all day, low back pain, sciatica, tendonitis and stiffness in any joint of the body, hip pain, an injury from falling on an outstretched hand, stepping off the steps wrong, and many more. Chiropractic care statistically strengthens the functional integrity of the neurological muscular and skeletal system as they relate to each other. This truly strengthens the mind-body connection and brings back function, integrity and health to millions every year.