My 3 Year Struggle to Clear Skin and Optimum Health

This is a deeply personal topic I am about to discuss. Discoveries I have made over these last few years came with many struggles, tears and even depression that lead to suicidal thoughts. The journey was something I believe I was mentally prepared for and had developed the willpower to endure, but I am forever grateful the struggle is over. In early 2012 I decided to come off birth control. As my body chemistry began to change so did my skin. The breakouts began and the sensitivity of my skin was unreal. I took it in stride, kept a positive attitude, and searched for healthy ways to clear it up. Half way through the year after missing several periods, my hormones went haywire. It all happened very quickly. Before I knew it my cheeks, jawline and chin were covered in acne. I did everything I could using various tools and techniques to stay in a good level headed place and hoped and prayed it would pass. It did not. I couldn’t even look in the mirror. At one point I remember thinking nobody would ever want to be with me again, I thought I looked like a monster. I wouldn’t wear my hair back in hopes that it would help me hide from the world in some way as my esteem spiraled to the ground and I hit rock bottom. By that point suicidal thoughts crept in and I knew I needed to do something drastic to change this. At the same time, my heart opened for all of the women who endure hormonal imbalances especially after giving birth or losing a pregnancy as well as the hormonal acne associated with those dreaded teenage years. I knew for sure that if I were to become pregnant in the future I did not want to go through this again. I wasn’t going to settle for a bandaid either. I was not going back on birth control or seeking a dermatologist. My body was screaming at me to hear the message and I was determined to decode it in a natural way that aligned with my holistic beliefs. So my long, arduous journey began. My goal was to balance my hormones with supplements and heal my body with the right foods. I spent countless hours on google researching supplements, herbs and tonics for hormonal imbalance and acne. I read stories, consulted trusted estheticians and frequented the whole foods supplement aisle. Throughout this process I used vitex, ashwagandha, adrenal supplements, black cohosh, omega 3’s, saw palmetto, zinc, wild yam root, maca root, probiotics, turmeric, apple cider vinegar, milk thistle and many more. You name it, I tried it! Not all at once of course because I needed at least 2-4 weeks to see what each one did for my skin. I incorporated therapeutic grade essential oils into my routine to help me stay calm while enduring the process. Lavendar was my go-to mood stabilizer and several drops of Lemon to detoxify my body each day. I also purchased a high quality greens powder which became a staple in my diet. With that change alone I noticed a difference. I even began making a mask out of aloe and greens that I would use nightly to help nourish my skin. This helped but I was far from out of the water. I spent months on end eliminating and adding different food groups. No more soy, no more wheat, no more gluten, no more dairy, no more meat, no more fish. I watched my skin closely as it would heal then break out again, always letting me know what was working and what was not. My skin was at its worst with soy in my diet. Soy is a non-negotiable for me now. Occasionally at a restaurant I will have a piece of bread but wheat and gluten are a rarity as well. Dairy and I remained aquiantences, not best friends. Although I had read a lot about dairy and acne, it was a smaller contributor in my case. After two long years of clearing up my skin and aligning with my body, I began corrective skin care. Thankfully I have minimal scarring using mostly natural, quality products, but none the less, this journey left it’s marks both on my skin and on my heart. I wish I had before and after pictures to show you but I was not brave enough to take any. My former appearance is forever etched in my memory, I did not need the photographs to remind me. To me this is one of my strongest examples of time, effort, patience, endurance and dedication to a healthy goal I have experienced. My body and I are now in alignment and work as a team. When it speaks, I hear, listen and answer. Although I was reluctant to write this story, I know helping even one person suffering with hormone imbalance and acne is worth the vulnerability. I sincerely wish for you effortless internal beauty that radiates externally.

SUPPLEMENTS:

Juice Plus Garden Blend-2 capsules

Juice Plus Orchard Blend-2 capsules

Juice Plus Vineyard Blend-2 capsules

Zinc 30mg daily

Milk Thistle 300mg daily

SKIN CARE:

Cleanse: Peter Thomas Roth ant-aging cleanser

Exfoliate: Derma-e Microdermabrasion Scrub

Treat: Peter Thomas Roth Max Correction Peel Pads

Moisturize: Derma-e Vitamin C Moisturizer

Eye cream: Derma-e collagen peptide eye cream




2 Comments

Beautiful, inspiring and VERY well written! So proud A’s happy for you. Keep going and shine your light!

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Thank you Noreen <3!

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