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In this episode, naturopathic clinician Angela Hywood returns to the show to talk with host Sara Le Brun-Blashka, MS, to talk about natural approaches to healthy skin, for aging, acne, inflammation, and the skin-gut connection. With herbs like gotu kola, stinging nettle, calendula, and more, you’ll hear all about how slowing down collagen degradation and managing a healthy inflammatory response can do wonders for the skin.
Slowing down collagen degradation is key to support healthy aging (03:13). Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the body and is important for the health of structural tissues like hair, skin, and nails as well as arteries, veins, and bone (03:26).
Lifestyle factors like smoking, sun exposure, and diet are important indicators of skin health with age (04:18). Nutrients of particular importance include vitamin C and zinc, with a special focus on the copper-zinc balance (05:57). A natural approach of boosting natural collagen synthesis with vitamins and minerals from whole food/natural sources is best when possible. Questions of absorption and assimilation efficacy come up with supplements made from non-whole food sources.
Acne is what Professor Kerry Bone calls “anemia of the skin” (20:35). Angela recommends chaste tree for hormonal acne (18:06), cleavers and echinacea for lymphatic drainage (19:12), and nettle leaf tea (20:10).
Chronic inflammation is the root of many issues in the body that arise from physiological imbalance. Skin is no exception, and supporting a healthy inflammatory response is vital for promoting healthy skin. Antioxidant phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables, fermented foods, adaptogenic herbs like rhodiola, rehmannia, eleuthero as well as other plants and herbs are important for regulating inflammation in the skin (23:01):
>> Audio bookmark: “We are spoiled for choice” when it comes to herbs for inflammation control (24:25)
Topical herbs for skin concerns include calendula cream and licorice, which Angela calls “mother nature’s natural steroid” (26:07). “Internally,” diet modification is key, focusing on plant-based foods. And for young ones, a low salicylate diet might be particularly helpful for addressing eczema (27:23).
Boosting gut health is important for whole-body health, skin included. Angela recommends herbs like slippery elm, a gut prebiotic (28:52). Additionally, diversity in the diet is vital for supporting a healthy microbiome, paired with good quality prebiotic and probiotic supplements (30:44). Supporting a healthy gut microbiome for healthy skin is especially true for autoimmune skin conditions.
Ashwagandha is commonly used in ayurvedic medicine as a general tonic for natural healing, and it is associated with a variety of clinical health benefits like blood sugar reduction, reduced cortisol levels, and stress relief to name a few.
Angela discusses the origins of Ashwagandha as a medicinal plant and how she uses Ashwagandha in her own practice. As a nervous system tonic, Ashwagandha is often associated with supporting healthy sleep. Angela reminds the listeners, though, that every herb isn’t for everyone. Ashwagandha can work for some people to calm the nervous system and help with sleep.
Have you ever questioned if your menstrual cycle was normal and what all those monthly symptoms could be telling you about your hormones? In today’s world, so many females are not in touch with their menstrual cycle and are given ‘the pill’ to control or eradicate unpleasant symptoms - but it may be worth listening to your body and using these symptoms as clues to uncover what support your body may need.
Find out what FIVE CLUES you can use today to know if your cycle is “normal”.
