Deep Moisturizing Treatment

Coconut oil is amazing for many reasons, but did you know it could be used for a deep conditioning hair treatment? It will make your hair so silky, smooth and it's great for dandruff suffer! All you need is coconut oil and a shower cap.

When your hair is dry, completely cover it from root to tip with melted coconut oil.  Make sure you massage it in the scalp, too.  Once your hair is all greased up, put on a shower cap for an hour or longer.

When you shower, make sure to put shampoo in your hair before you get it wet.  This step is VERY IMPORTANT.  You will have no problem getting the coconut oil out of your hair if you put shampoo on it before it's wet. 

This treatment will help your hair be silky smooth and even helped my split ends.  

Try it and see how it works for you!

Photo: Authority Nutrition

Homemade Face Wash + My Beauty Routine

Some of you may have heard of Bronner's Magic Soap, or seen in it in the store but have no idea what to do with it.  That used to be me too!

Bronner's is a castile soap which is made of natural oils and essential oils.  They make all different kinds ranging from peppermint to eucalyptus to lavender to unscented.  On the bottle is says it has 18 different uses, however one of my favorite uses is for face wash! It leaves my face feeling very clean and like there is no left over residue.  It lasts forever and you don't need to use very much at all.

I use a small squirt bottle and fill it half way up with the liquid Bronner's and half up with water.  I just need one pump for my face, so my mixture lasts forever!  It lathers up great and makes my face feel so clean.  It’s great for people with normal to oily skin, but may not be the best for those with dry skin.

Three times a week I use the exfoliating face wash by Beautycounter. I find that it makes my face super smooth and helps to get rid of the dead skin. You don’t have to use it every day, but it is a good addition to your weekly beauty routine. (P.S. all Beautycounter products are amazing!)

And don't forget to moisturize! Coconut oil is a great moisturizer, or Beautycounter has some great options as well.

The Truth About Acne

Acne oh acne. How I personally despise you and have struggled with you over the years.  I'm sure most of you can relate to this, too!  It's something we all have struggled with at some point in our life.  Want to know why and learn about my personal journey? Keep reading!

Acne is something that results from a toxicity issue, hormonal imbalances or food allergies.  If you come see us for an appointment, we sort through and figure out which of these (or all three) are causing your breakouts. I have found little things that help topically, but topical applications NEVER EVER address the real issue which stems from an internal issue mentioned above.

First we address toxicities to get the bad stuff out of your body safely and effectively. These toxicities are usually due to heavy metals, chemicals or candida.  All of which are tested at the office. If toxins aren’t being eliminated properly (via bowel movements, urine, lymphatic system and sweat) they have to come out somewhere. And that somewhere is the skin! Doing a good cleanse is key. I like to think of them as ‘oil changes’ that you do for your body just like you would for your car. Somehow most people take care of their cars better than their own body!

Secondly hormonal imbalances... This takes time to balance out, but YES it can be done safely, naturally and effectively with herbs and whole food supplementation.  (This is what was causing my breakouts.)  Women, for example, are typically estrogen dominate for a number of reasons.  One being that people's livers are sluggish and estrogen backs up, plus all the soy and phytoestrogens in our diet.  

Women can also be progesterone deficient.  This happens for 1 of 2 reasons.  You may be progesterone deficient because you aren't making enough OR because you have so much estrogen that the ratio between estrogen and progesterone is so off balance that it appears you are low in progesterone because of the high levels of estrogen.  Moral of the story -  we have to balance out the hormones. There are herbs to help us achieve this naturally!  This is exactly what made the biggest change in me.  Men also have hormonal imbalances typically due to testosterone levels and these hormonal levels can be balanced out by natural supplementation as well!

Third is food allergies.  This is typically due to an allergy such as dairy or high levels of simple carbohydrates (sugars) and processed food.  Cleaning up the diet and even adding in a digestive aid can really make all the difference in the world.

My personal journey

I have really struggled with acne as I have gotten older.  It has been a frustrating battle.  I have done so many cleanses, cleaned out heavy metals, chemicals, candida, etc.  I felt so much better, but it only changed my skin mildly. I eat really clean and have been on digestive support and still no change.  I have done different topical ointments, toners and there was no major change.  I have also been on different hormonal regulators and female support supplements but it wasn't until I got on one that specifically helped raise my progesterone levels naturally that I found the BIGGEST change.  It was crazy how quick it kicked in.  

So I did more research, progesterone levels decrease with high amounts of stress.  This is why my acne flared up significantly with undergrad, but even more so with chiropractic school where my stress levels were through the roof. It all made sense!

I had been working on decreasing my estrogen levels by detoxes and focusing on supporting my liver, but until my progesterone levels increased my skin didn't change at all.  I have never been confident about my skin, but when I finally connected all the dots I have noticed a huge change and feel confident!

Now it isn’t perfect all the time. Right now as I type this my skin is broken out from doing a liver cleanse, but I know why- and know it will clear up when I am done. It is my body’s way of purging out toxins and I am okay with that.

NO not everyone's skin issues are like mine.  They could be due to any one of the factors above.  I have seen people's skin clear up within a week by simply getting rid of toxins.  Every single person's journey is different.

DO NOT put your children on antibiotics for acne.  This may work but for all the wrong reasons.  It kills all good and bad bacteria in their digestive environment and sets them up for so many immune issues down the road.  

My husband was on antibiotics for over a month when he was a teenager for acne.  His family didn't know what else to do like most people (and he didn't know me at the time ;).  As a long term result he had a lot of fatigue and allergies because of candida which is directly related to antibiotic use.  Every year he would get a sinus infection or 2 and get on more antibiotics.  He has done multiple candida detoxes to reestablish balance after being on so many antibiotics and his immune system is so much better and energy levels too! (PS- he hasn’t had a sinus infection in over 4 years since doing his first candida cleanse.)  

Other popular acne medications out there make it mandatory for females to take pregnancy tests while they are on the medication.  This is because if they are on it while pregnant it causes extreme birth defects in the fetus.  Pregnant or not why would you want to put that in your body?! Safe and natural is the way to go, and even better there are no side effects! 

Please do not hesitate to call the office or email if you struggle with acne or know any teenagers that do and want help. Remember you skin is an external reflection of what is going on internally.

There are natural, safe and effective ways to combat acne and we want to help you do it!

DIY Dry Shampoo

The struggle is real with washing your hair all the time to combat the oil- especially after working out.  A patient gave me this recipe and it has been game changer!  I have used dry shampoo sprays before but can’t stand the smell (all sorts of chemical and toxic junk). This is so simple, natural and lasts longer than traditional dry shampoo!

Ingredients
1/4 cup Arrowroot powder
Optional: 5 drops of your favorite essential oil (I personally love Lavender or Juniper Berry)

I sprinkle a little on my scalp and use a brush to rub it in.  I have read where people dip an old makeup brush in the powder and use over the areas that need it.

Don't worry, brunettes, we have you covered too.  A lot of brunettes cannot use dry shampoo because it leaves a white residue in their hair.  Arrowroot powder is white and best for blonde or light hair, but add some cocoa powder to the mix and it is perfect for people with dark hair!  Add equal parts arrowroot and cocoa powder and your favorite essential oils.

Easy Homemade Deodorant (That really works!)

I get so many questions about what can be done at home to start cleaning out chemicals, whether it be in their home, in beauty products, cleaning products, etc.  Here's a simple way to start detoxing your body, starting with your deodorant!

We've all heard the arguments about antiperspirant.  Truth is, it's not good for you.  Most deodorant has aluminum in it.  To break it down for you, aluminum is a heavy metal that acts as the 'antiperspirant' portion of your deodorant.  The aluminum absorbs into your armpit where the lymphatic system sits.  The lymphatic system acts as kind of traveling highway for the immune system.  The next channels (‘highways’) of the lymphatic system travel right to the breasts… So why would you want to put a cell mutating toxin right by the area that is getting so much attention for having cancer?  You don't.

Also, aluminum is toxic to your nervous system and brain! So, if you are putting it on your skin, you are absorbing it.  So, let's change this!

I have tried most of the aluminum free deodorants out there: Toms (which they are now making some with aluminum! Sad but true. Read the ingredients!), Body Shoppe, Trader Joes and others. I have used plain coconut oil and plain tea tree oil which worked okay.  However, this recipe has been my saving grace!  I will even forget to put it on and never have problems with odor or sweat. And, usually with the other brand names I would have to apply twice a day. So bottom line, yes this stuff works and it's amazing!! And it only takes 2 minutes to make.

Ingredients
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup baking soda
5 to 6 tablespoons melted coconut oil
Optional: 5 to 6 drops of your favorite essential oil (Lavender is a personal favorite—I did tea tree oil before which worked great until I put it on right after I shaved my armpits… ouch!)

Mix together and that's it! I keep it in a glass jar with a lid in my bathroom.  A little bit of this mixture goes a long way.  Just get a little bit on the tips of your fingers. If the coconut oil isn’t soft you will have to rub it between your hands to soften it up and then apply. Easy as that. Enjoy!

NOTE:  Without having aluminum in your deodorant you will sweat.  That is a good thing!  One point of sweating is to get toxins out and if you block those channels, by absorbing aluminum in those cells, you are not getting the bad stuff out like you should. It can sometimes be a struggle though if you are switching to a non-aluminum deodorant.  You may have to alternate at first or apply the homemade deodorant twice a day.  If it is still not going well, then that means your body has a good amount of toxins in it.  So, detoxes or drinking things like Chlorophyll can help cleanse the body of toxins and deodorize it.  If you are struggling to switch, contact our office and we can help!