Category: Skin

Posted by Christine Pope on in Ageing, Detoxification, Environment, Health Care, Healthy Ageing, Skin

How does chronic inflammation affect your skin?

A key factor in accelerating ageing is long term inflammation and it can be damaging both to our bodies and in particular to our skin. Inflammation is a complex defence mechanism in which white blood cells move from from the circulation into damaged tissues to destroy the agents that potentially may cause tissue injury. Acute inflammation is a helpful response, particularly during an infection, whereas chronic inflammation is persistent and can lead to tissue damage. 

What are the usual indicators of chronic inflammation? Markers such as C Reactive Protein or Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (EDR) are often used as indicators and will commonly be checked on blood tests. CRP is often raised in the acute stages of inflammation and may continue to be elevated in the chronic stages as well. It is often used to monitor how people respond to a particular treatment.

Common sources of inflammation include the following;

  • Chronic infections
  • Lack of exercise
  • Diet
  • Isolation and chronic stress
  • Disturbed sleep
  • Obesity
  • Environmental exposures and toxins
  • Injuries

The body reacts to these triggers by increasing the flow of nutrients to the area to enable it to resolve however in some cases the trigger persists and you develop chronic inflammation. In the skin the chronic inflammation results in a layer of the skin thickening and may cause the lymphatic vessels in the area to increase in size and number.

Skin inflammation longer term can also result in senescent cells. Senescent skin cells, which accumulate over time, play a crucial role in the response to chronic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation arises when the immune system responds to persistent or recurring stimuli, such as infections, environmental factors, or cellular damage. In the case of skin, chronic inflammation can also be triggered by factors like UV radiation, pollution, or even chronic skin conditions. When the skin is subjected to such insults, it activates an immune response that recruits immune cells, including macrophages and T cells, to the affected area.

The Effects of Chronic Inflammation on Aging Skin:

  1. Inflammatory Molecules: Aging skin cells, known as senescent cells, release various substances like pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and enzymes that break down the skin’s structure. These molecules attract immune cells and contribute to more inflammation in the affected area. This ongoing inflammatory environment can worsen skin damage and disrupt the natural healing processes.
  2. Impaired Function: Senescent skin cells have reduced functionality and struggle to perform essential tasks like wound healing and tissue regeneration. This impairment occurs due to changes in the way genes are activated and signaling pathways operate. Consequently, the skin’s ability to repair itself becomes compromised, leading to slower healing and an increased risk of chronic wounds.
  3. DNA Damage: Chronic inflammation generates oxidative stress, which can cause DNA damage in aging skin cells. This damage can result in genetic mutations that further contribute to the cells’ dysfunctional behavior. Over time, the accumulation of these genetic abnormalities can potentially raise the risk of skin diseases, including cancer.

Chronic inflammation poses a significant challenge to the health and appearance of aging skin. The release of inflammatory molecules by senescent cells, their impaired functionality, and the accumulation of DNA damage can lead to a decline in skin health and an increased risk of skin diseases. Understanding the impact of chronic inflammation on aging skin cells is crucial for developing strategies to mitigate its harmful effects and promote healthier skin aging. By adopting lifestyle practices that reduce inflammation, such as maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in regular exercise and managing stress levels you can assist in maintaining healthier skin.

For more assistance in managing lifestyle factors and making the changes that will support healthier skin (and a healthier you) have a look at my resources including my free webinar 6 Tips for Ageing Outrageously .

Posted by Christine Pope on in Allergies, Health Care, Nutrition, Skin

How to look after frequently washed hands

Frequent hand washing and use of hand sanitiser does seem to be doing an excellent job of reducing infection rates but it also come at a cost for many people’s skin.

So what are your options? Well conventional wisdom would suggest that moisturising is the solution however most creams really only provide a barrier. Its also not really practical to moisturise every time you wash your hands and it may remove some of the benefits.

Focussing on skin quality needs to be addressed from two perspectives topical and internal. Topical options can include lotions, creams, ointments or oils. There are advantages and disadvantages to each however first up make sure that the ingredients include water, glycerol and natural oils amongst the first five ingredients. Glycerol or glycerin is important to keep the moisture in the skin.

The major difference between each of these different types of cream is the water content. Lotions have a high percentage of water with a base that helps it emulisfy. Creams are a lower percentage of water, ointments much less and oils usually just contain an oil in an appropriate base. People with oilier skins benefit from lighter lotions or creams, however in the case of cracked dry skin ideally you need to start with a more dense cream or an ointment or oil.

For healing dry and cracked skin you want to choose a product that has a reasonable oil content as well as having therapeutic ingredients. Weleda make a range of creams based on Calendula and the research shows that at abou 0.9% content it can reduce redness and cracking. It will also assist in wound healing and can be invaluable in replacing the natural protective barriers in the skin. The only caution with Calendula topically would be if you are sensitive to the Asteracae plant family. To minimise the risk I would always recommend patch testing a small spot before widespread use.

Very dry skin might really benefit from the therapeutic use of plant oils such as Carrot or Sesame which are naturally high in Carotenoids and Vitamin E. The oil will assist in holding moisture in the skin and it would be ideal to use it at the end of the day to maximise the benefit.

The other critical aspect is the support of the skin membrane. Ideally you need to ensure that to repair good quality skin your diet is rich in essential fatty acids and you maintain water intake. Each cell is composed of a bi-layer of essential fatty acids and without adequate intake of fats its not possible to repair already damaged skin. Look at your diet including good quality fish, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado and nuts and seeds. If your skin is very dry chances are you are not consuming enough or you are not breaking it down effectively. People with low bile acids often have difficulty with absorbing fats and there are several ways to support digestion to address this.

Christine Pope is a Naturopath and Nutritionist based at Elemental Health at St Ives. Currently available in person at the clinic or by audiovisual means if you are self-isolating. You can make appointments on (02) 8084 0081 or online at the clinic website at www.elementalhealth.net.au .

Posted by Christine Pope on in Allergies, Detoxification, Health Care, Skin, stress

Why is my skin like this?

skin problems

For many years skin problems were one of the more difficult conditions that I saw in clinic. Whether it was tinea, rashes, acne or excema often treatment can be lengthy and involve significant dietary change. Also I find it can often flare up as you are detoxing and this requires careful management.

Skin is the largest organ of the body and performs an important role in detoxification, so if you are eating badly it will show up on the skin. Even when you improve your eating patterns it may take 4-6 weeks to show changes as it takes time to work through your system, to reduce inflammation and ultimately to heal.

So what you say, I have a really good diet but I still have skin problems ? Well fabulous that you have sorted out diet but ideally this comes down to identifying the underlying triggers for your skin issues. Usually I find it comes down to one of the following ;

  1. “My excema is always bad when I am stressed ” In this case stress hormones are hijacking your system and simply addressing the skin isn’t going to be enough. Often the strategy here is to use lifestyle interventions to manage the stress – yoga, meditation, reframing exercises as well as using appropriate supplements to support the adrenals and manage the skin. People who are stressed are usually more acidic so alkalising nutrients such as lots of vegetables work well or supplements with magnesium and potassium.shutterstock_553662235
  2. My skin it so itchy but I really don’t know why? It doesn’t seem to matter what I eat or what products I use on it! Two big areas here – one in exposure to foods or external triggers which are incompatible with your system. In this case I usually look at the Intolerance testing to identify potential triggers and determine what is causing the reaction for that person.
  3. The skin problems only seem to happen at a certain time of year ??? Yes it could be a particular stressor (like a big family Christmas) but in this case its important to be an environmental detective. Even in dry winters its possible that the house has underlying damp and mould and this can create havoc for people who are sensitive. However it could also be a seasonal intolerance to a particular plant – apparently although wattle gets blamed for a lot of hayfever its not usually the suspect as the particles are too big. Apparently grass and dust are more common allergens. If mould is the underlying issue its important that it be treated appropriately and there are specialists in its detection and removal.
  4. My tinea flares up whenever I drink a lot! This is often related to an underlying candida overgrowth which feeds off sugar – alcohol is literally liquid sugar in many cases. Apart from sticking to spirits with lime and soda and not lemonade or coke (which is not very good naturopathic advice but it does help) its important to treat the underlying fungal picture. Foods which are good sources of anti-fungal compounds include coconut oil and garlic, however I usually find a combination of approriate herbs and essential oils is faster at cleaning up the tinea.Coconut oil and fresh coconut
  5. Not only do I have rashes constantly but I am also really anxious or down. This can be related to an excess of copper in relation to zinc which reduces your ability to break down histamine and mount an appropriate immune response. In my first consultation I always include my inhouse minerals analysis tool – Oligoscan – and this can detect these imbalances. The other option is hair tissue minerals analysis which does take a little time.img_0543
  6. My baby is completely breast fed and yet he still has excema? Well unfortunately this means Mum is probably consuming something that doesn’t agree with her system and bubs is reacting.  It probably started with a colicky whiny baby and has now progressed. If this is the case its essential for Mum to eliminate any foods she reacts to and monitoring the impact this has on bubs. Usually within 2-4 weeks you can expect good resolution if you know what your triggers are. Occassionally it may be the baby care products that could be causing a reaction but its much more common that it’s Mum’s diet. Its always a bit tough since a new breastfeeding mother has a large appetite and probably not a lot of energy for lots of cooking as well as all the other chores she now gets to enjoy, however longer term it makes for a much happier baby and Mum!

The first suggestion I would make is to ideally keep a food diary for a week and track your reactions to what you are eating. Record not only what you are eating and drinking but also whether you feel tired or energised afterwards. Keep note of what is happening with your stomach as well particularly if you have urgency or constipation after a particular meal or are suffering bloating or reflux. Note how your mood is impacted by what is happening as well. Over a week you should start to see patterns emerging that will help you detect which foods are a problem for you.

If that doesn’t shine any clarity on it for you take your food diary to a naturopath or nutritionist and ask them for help. My clinic is at St Ives in Sydney and you can make appointments on 8084 0081.

 

Posted by Christine Pope on in Dairy Free, Detoxification, Gluten Free, Nutrition, Skin

Bio-compatibility Hair 500- What’s Right for your Body?

allergen photoItchy skin, rashes, unhappy stomachs, headache, insomnia, fatigue.

Any of these sound familiar?

These symptoms can be really frustrating and options are often limited to managing symptoms, but they all have one thing in common.

They can all be caused by food intolerance/sensitivity!

So how can you get to the core of the problem and get REAL RESULTS?

Even if you have a healthy, balanced diet this doesn’t mean you will be symptom free as it may not necessarily be the right diet for you! That is why food compatibility testing can help you get results as it can help to explicitly identify what does and doesn’t work for you.

shutterstock_5227150661.jpgOver my 12 years in practice I have tried a number of approaches based on my training and subsequent study. Initially I would try and find the perfect homeopathic remedy which really didn’t work as much as I would have liked. Then I tried the Naturopathic detox approach – identify and remove allergens (usually through an IGG test) and then heal and seal the gut. Lots of products and a reasonable success rate but quite expensive from the point of view of the testing and the supplements.

It is also important to remember that particularly with skin cases it can often be external factors as much as the diet that can be triggers. Sometimes you need to be a bit of a detective . I always remember seeing a client who had puffy eyes for 10 days where nothing was helping. On questioning her the new curtains in her room from China had gone up 2 weeks earlier. Knowing that these materials are often packed with chemicals I simply got her to remove them for a few days and it cleared the problem.

In previous blogs I have covered the options available for different forms of testing however currently I am recommending the Bio-compatibility Hair 500 foods and household chemicals for six main reasons;

  1. Its SIMPLE AND EASY – It only requires a hair sample!
  2. It is MOST COMPREHENSIVE – It covers 500 household foods and household chemicals. Including all food groups, bathroom, laundry and kitchen products and even local brands found in supermarkets and health food stores!
  3. It is the BEST VALUE – $259 for 500 foods vs the same or higher cost for only 40-90 foods
  4. It’s NOT INVASIVE – No blood sacrifices required! (Trying to get a blood test from a toddler is not fun!)
  5. It is EASILY UNDERSTANDABLE – The results come like a shopping list so its easy for you to see what works and what doesn’t for your body.
  6. FREE INITIAL CONSULT – I am currently offering a free 15 minute consult to see if Bio compatability hair 500 is right for you!

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In the past skin cases were one of my groan cases – I knew it was a long process and most people want quick results and they often didn’t see them fast enough. Sometimes these cases even get worse before they get better. This process has really helped achieve some great results for clients where they have tried other options, particularly with eczema cases but also with some more complicated auto-immune conditions. In most cases clients who are compliant would see some reasonable progress in 4-6 weeks and sometimes earlier.

If you are interested in using it I do offer a FREE 15 minute consultation to see if it is suitable for you. This is not a quick fix but rather a focused process with some dietary changes required based on your individual results. You can call my clinic reception on 8084 0081 to set up a time or email me at christine@elementalhealth.net.au for more information.

If you are not based in or around St Ives then please email me at Christine@elementalhealth.net.au and I will find a local practitioner for you.