This interview was recorded a few months ago, and you can hear my boy making very cute little chirps in the background (I was nursing him on my lap while I was being interviewed).

In this podcast you will learn:

• Why gut health is so important
• The connection between gut health and acne/skin
• Why & how gut health and anxiety (and depression) can be linked
• Common symptoms of poor gut health
• The difference between IBS and leaky gut (intestinal permeability) syndrome
• What your tongue and nails can tell you about your gut health
• How you can eat and breakdown food, but not absorb it so well (and what to do about it)
• What a healthy gut diet plan looks like (which might be different to what you think!
• What to do when you feel certain foods upset your gut
• The difference between prebiotics and probiotics and why you need both and where to find them
• Whether it’s necessary to buy probiotics
• What to look for in a probiotic if you’re going to buy them
• Gut health supplements demystified 
• How to restore healthy gut flora if it’s out of whack
• Why and how colonic irrigation can destroy your gut forever
• Naturopath’s top tips for good gut health

So far I’ve had great feedback on this, so have a listen and tell me what you think in the comment box below!

You can find the original post here.

The post Gut Health Explained – Podcast appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Health & Wellbeing Podcast #19 with guest Hayley Stockbridge

Acne can be very troubling, affecting your self confidence and at times rather painful. It’s synonymous with the teenage years and often with PMS as well, but it doesn’t have to be. There is so much that can be done to help your skin if you are experiencing acne, including nutritional medicine, diet support and herbal medicine.

A lot of people believe that the only solutions for acne are medications such as the oral contraceptive pill, roaccutane or antibiotics, but all of these have their potential side effects and certainly aren’t for everyone. If you’re looking for a different solution to your skin complaints, naturopathy may be your answer.

In this episode Hayley and I chat about a naturopathic approach to acne, the underlying causes of acne, how to improve your skin with your diet, and more.

Hayley practices at Manly on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and in Stanmore in Sydney’s Inner West. Her major focus is always educating her patients to live healthier and happier lives. She treats women, men and children of all ages and a wide variety of health issues such as weight loss, digestive problems, anxiety/stress, fertility, hormone imbalances, food intolerances and headaches.

You can also connect with Hayley on Facebook and Instagram.

Want to subscribe to get podcasts automatically? You can do that here: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/health-wellbeing-podcast/id1006574743

Podcast Breakdown:

0:00 Intro and disclaimer
0:40 Meet Hayley
1:24 What’s going on in someone who has acne?
2:40 Why do some people get acne and some don’t?
3:52 Hormonal acne
6:43 Adult onset acne
7:34 The meaning behind the location of acne
8:55 Keratosis pilaris
9:20 Foods that can cause acne
13:20 Conventional treatments for acne and some issues with them
16:40 Naturopathic treatment for acne when coming off the pill
18:25 Topical treatment that Hayley recommends for acne.
MooGoo Acne Cleansing Cream – https://moogoo.com.au/acne-cleansing-…
19:35 Essential oils for acne
20:30 Clay masks
21:00 Moisturisers and oils
22:40 Scar treatment
22:55 Nutrients for acne
25:26 Herbs for acne
28:45 The benefit of a wholefood, plant heavy diet for acne
29:30 Anti-inflammatory foods for acne
30:33 How to get in contact with Hayley and Alison

The post A Naturopathic Approach to Acne appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

The good folks at Casa de Karma have featured some more of my articles in their Spring Into Wellbeing collection.
I talk about how to improve your skin from the inside and share some DIY skin care recipes, include masks and scrubs.

Here’s a sneak preview

5 Tips To Get Healthy Skin From The Inside Out

We all want that clear, dewy complexion that some seem to be bestowed with; the glow that seems to radiant from within. Luckily, beautiful skin is obtainable for us all, here are 5 tips to get great skin from the inside out…

1. Hydrate

The top layer of your skin is about 80% water and if you’re not drinking enough fluids, this can be quickly reflected in the health of your skin. Sweating is one of our bodies natural detoxification systems, and we need to be properly hydrated for this to work properly. Find water a tad boring? Try freezing some berries, herbs or lemon wedges in ice cube trays and adding to your water for a bit of pizzazz. Alternatively, make your own flavoured water by steeping some fruit slices and herbs in water overnight.

Try these delicious naturally flavoured water combos:

• Mint, cucumber and lime
• Raspberry and mint
• Lemon and blueberries
• Blackberry and sage…

Read the rest here: http://casadekarma.com.au/heathy-skin-from-the-inside-out/

5 Naturopath-Approved DIY Skin Care Recipes

http://casadekarma.com.au/5-diy-skin-care-recipes/

Suitable for all skin types and perfect if your skin is itchy or inflamed.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of dried oats, ground
• 2 teaspoons of water, witch hazel, or chamomile tea

Method

1. Grind oats (if not already ground) and mix with desired liquid until a paste forms.
2. Apply to the face in gentle circular motions, avoiding the eyes. (For the rest of the body, make a larger quantity and apply in the same manner.)
3. Rinse off with warm water.

Read the rest here: http://casadekarma.com.au/5-diy-skin-care-recipes/

The post Spring Skin appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

EDIT 11/3/15 Due to some unavoidable circumstances the talk has been postponed for a fortnight, apologies for any inconvenience this has caused. The new date is 26th March.

Do you have children aged 11-19? This can be a challenging time for most parents, and understanding what is happening in this time for the teenager, as learning some ways you can smooth the process can make yours and your kid’s life a bit easier.

In this talk you will learn some that you can positively influence your teenagers health through food, as well as gaining an understanding of the changes that they are going through.

Some of the topics that will be covered include:

• The Teenage Brain
• Minimising acne
• Keep mood and energy stable (as much as possible)
• Supporting hormonal changes and puberty
• Eating for study and exam cramming

This will be a casual talk with the content targeted to you, with time for Q & A.

Yummy food will be served (lovingly prepared by Glenda from SOLB) and you will receive recipes and handouts on the night.

Details:

Thursday 26th March 2015

5:30pm – 6:30pm

Short Order Long Black Cafe, Windsor. Shop 7, 266 George St, Windsor, NSW 2756 (02) 4587 9222

Tickets are $25 (plus booking fee) and can be purchased via the form below.

Note: Ticket cost is to cover the food and therefore are non-refundable

The post Navigating the Teenage Years: Talk appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Guest Post by Hayley Stockbridge

Acne vulgaris is a disease that affects the skin’s oil glands. The small holes in your skin (pores) connect to oil glands under the skin. These glands make an oily substance called sebum. The pores connect to the glands by a canal called a follicle. Inside the follicles, oil carries dead skin cells to the surface of the skin. A thin hair also grows through the follicle and out to the skin. When the follicle of a skin gland clogs up, a pimple grows.

Pimple prone skin and breakouts can be hard to control and often limited relief is seen with topical treatments alone. Unfortunately medical treatments are also limited and not ideal long term strategies. The oral contraceptive pill is often prescribed to women with hormonal acne which can have many long term side effects such as increased risk of some cancers, clotting disorders and hormonal problems once the pill is stopped. Daily antibiotics are another common medical treatment which can have huge ramifications on long term microbial balance and gut health. The last resort is roaccutane, a drug that has been linked to depression and causes a huge drying effect on the skin to the point of having flaky and dry lips, eyes and hands.

The key to successfully controlling acne is to determine what is causing it in the first. For some this can be obvious (such as a poor diet or hormonal acne) while for others there may be a combination of contributing factors. The following list documents some of the most common causes of acne from a Naturopathic perspective:

1.  Acne on the chin and jaw line is often hormonally driven; particularly in females however can be present in these areas in males as well. Acne that gets worse premenstrually or at ovulation will also have a hormonal influence.

2.  Acne on the chest and back is thought to be due to generalized toxicity. This is often seen with a poor diet. This may include a diet high in sugars, processed foods or junk foods. This type of acne can be addressed by undertaking a simple detoxification program to clean out the body and lymphatic system.

3.  If present on the cheeks, this is often due to a sluggish digestive system or colon toxicity. These patients often have a history of digestive issues and may suffer from constipation, gas or bloating. This acne can be reduced by improving digestive function, regulating the bowels and following a high fibre diet.

4.  High sugar diet or high glycaemic index diet can cause acne by increasing circulation levels of insulin. This then causes an imbalance in androgen levels, which triggers an increase in sebum production under the skin. The best way of dealing with acne is balancing blood sugar levels and reducing circulating insulin. This is particularly prevalent in women with PCOS. A low sugar diet has been well researched to improve acne and is one of the best ways to control breakouts in the long term.

5.  A high dairy diet has also been linked to acne. Dairy products are acidic and inflammatory and many of my patients have been able to control their breakouts by reducing dairy intake.

6.  An infection with the bacteria Propionibacterium on the skin will also make any current acne or breakouts worse. This can be controlled by improving the immune response using either nutritional or herbal medicines. Topical application of tea tree oil diluted with some warm water also helps to keep this bacteria at bay. Start by applying each night before bed and after washing your face.

7.  A Zinc deficiency can lead to poor skin health and acne. Zinc is essential for skin healing as well as immune regulation. Supplementing with zinc helps to ensure scarring does not take place as the skin improves.

8.  A Vitamin A deficiency can also contribute to acne. Vitamin A supplementation helps to reduce sebum production under the skin and therefore goes a long way to improve skin health.

9.  Poor liver function can contribute as our liver is our major detoxification organ responsible for flushing toxins out of the body. If your liver is sluggish, toxins and waste products are not effectively cleared from the body and need to escape somewhere- this is often through the skin. A healthy liver makes a huge difference for health skin.

Hayley Stockbridge, Naturopath

B. App. Sc (Nat Stud) Post Grad Dip Nat

Hayley is a Naturopath at Better Health Practice in Stanmore, and Sydney Health and Fertility, Manly NSW. A passion for a healthy lifestyle lead her to become a Naturopath. With over 6 years of experience in the industry, a passion for a healthy lifestyle lead her to become a Naturopath.  Her major focus is always educating her patients to live healthier and happier lives. She treats women, men and children of all ages and a wide variety of health issues such as weight loss, digestive problems, anxiety/stress, food intolerances and headaches.

Check out her website for more information www.hayleystockbridge.com.au

Related Posts:

A Naturopathic Approach to Acne – Podcast
Surviving the Teenage Years, Acne
Busting the PCOS Myths

The post What’s causing your acne? appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

 When the skin becomes stressed, it secretes cortisol which inhibits the anti-microbial and protective functions of the skin barrier. This barrier is also weakened by psychological stress-induced production of system stress hormones.

A 2007 study on mice showed that stress increased the severity of a bacterial skin infection. This was accompanied by increased production of systemic anti-inflammatory chemicals which damaged skin integrity.

37 patients with psoriasis about to undergo 3 weeks of ultravoilet phototherapy were randomly assigned a meditation stress reduction technique guided by audio taped instructions during light treatment or a control. The results showed that the rate of skin clearing in patients was accelerated in those that engaged in stress reduction techniques during their sessions.

Slominski A. A nervous breakdown in the skin: stress and the epidermal barrier. J Clin Invest. 2001 Nov:117(11):3166-9

Aberg KM, et al. Psychological stress downregulates epidermal antimicrobial peptide expression and increases severity of cutaneous infections in mice. J Clin Invest. 2007 Nov; 117(11):3339-49

Kabat-Zinn J,et al. Influence of a mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction intervention on rates of skin clearing in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis undergoing phototherapy (UVB) and photochemotherapy (PUVA). Psychosom Med. 1998 Sep-Oct;60(5):625-32
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When we consider the adage “more than skin deep” we think of the truism that beauty is more than what we can see on the outside.  As a naturopath, I apply this philosophy to the treatment of skin conditions as naturopaths consider the skin to be a representation of not just the body’s external, but also internal milieu.

The skin is the largest organ of the human body, with a total surface area approximately 2m² and a total weight of 4.5-5kg.  The skin isn’t just a simple plastic bag that keeps out insides in and the outsides out – it is a sophisticated, semi-permeable barrier that is involved in many functions critical for good health, such as fluid regulation, detoxification and Vitamin D synthesis.

Dysfunction of the skin can occur in conditions such as acne vulgaris, eczema/dermatitis, psoriasis and acne rosacea.

There are many factors which influence the health of the skin.  I am going to discuss two of the most important ones:

Immune health – Allergies, Auto-Immunity and Infections

• Eczema/dermatitis is an allergic condition where the body reacts to an allergen (this can be a contact allergen or an internal allergen) and creates an inflammatory response in the skin.
• Psoriasis is considered to be an auto-immune conditions, where the body attacks the keratinocytes causing inflammation, as well as an unmediated over proliferation of keratinocytes.
• Infections are a common factor in most skin conditions.  Eczema is often associated with a Staphylococcus aureas infection, and we know that this bug creates inflammation and immune activation in the skin.
• Acne vulgaris is caused when the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes feeds from the excess sebum that is produced, thrives, and then causes inflammation in the pore.
• Acne rosacea is associated with an infestation of the mite Demodex folliculorum.  This causes inflammation of the follicles when it gets out of check.  Although a little disturbing to note, this mite is on everyone.  It is when our immune system is low and does not control them that problems arise.
• Conditions such as the cold sore virus and fungal infections have a direct connection with our immune system.  These conditions are obvious infections, and therefore our immune system needs to be strong and fit to keep these at bay.

Digestive Health – Bowel regularity, Microflora and “Leaky Gut”

• There is a strong connection between digestive conditions and skin conditions.  In a 2004 study analysing the correlation between skin and digestive health it was found that 14% of patients with ulcerative colitis, 24% of patients with crohns disease and 25% of patients with coeliac disease had a skin condition.
• The balance of bacteria in the digestive system, if disturbed can cause a large array of problems.  The good bacteria control our immune system, certain vitamin and enzyme synthesis and are important for regulating inflammation.  The gut microflora are disturbed by medications such as the pill, anti-biotics, by poor diet, alcohol or in conditions such as constipation.  An imbalance in the microflora can worsen or cause many skin conditions such as eczema and acne rosacea.
• Acne rosacea has a strong connection to infections of the small intestine.  A common cause of this is an overgrowth of Helicobactor pylori which stimulates inflammation and dilation of the blood vessels in the face.  This bug is famous for causing reflux, but it can also cause acne rosacea.  A 2002 study showed that eliminating H. pylori infections improved 51 out of 53 patients with rosacea.  The good news is that there are fantastic herbs and essential oils that kill this bug.
• According the Bernard Jensen, a famous iridologist and nutritionist: “When the bowel is underative, toxic wastes are more likely to be absorbed through the bowel wall and into the blood stream.  The blood then circulates these toxins to every part of the body and deposits some of them in tissues, with the greatest amount retained in the constitutionall weakest tissues.”  This is known as a condition called “leaky gut” and can be understood to mean that a slow, sluggish bowel can cause issues in other parts of the body because chemicals that were meant to be excreted have been re-assimilated into the body.  This phenomenen is also known as auto-intoxication.  Leaky gut occurs when the membranes in the bowel become inflammed and porous, usually due to long term constipation, food allergies or microbial imbalances.  You can be tested for leaky gut with a urine test, however this can often by picked up with iridology.

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