HOW MEGAN OVERCAME ACNE, CHRONIC SINUS INFECTIONS & ASTHMA
I began fighting acne from the day I started my period, 13 years old or was it birth? It was not pretty. Cystic acne, small tiny bump acne, back-ne, chest acne, everywhere. My dermatologist put me on years worth of antibiotics, and for the longest time, they worked wonders. When they didn't work anymore, he told me it was time for Acutane. That lasted all of three days until I developed bloody stool and he told me to stop immediately. Ummm...why? Aren't bleeding intestines normal? What about my acne? Am I going to look like this forever? Enter in birth control pills. Ahhh... the magic pill. It gave me flawless skin, regular periods, and zero cramps. What could possibly go wrong? After 11 years on it...something.
Lets backtrack to my freshman year of high school-new school, new friends, same acne, and now chronic sinus infections. At least one a month. Real cool, self. The doctors couldn't figure it out. They gave me every pill under the sun and nothing worked. I just sucked it up...literally. These infections also exacerbated by asthma, which I developed as a 10 year old and struggled with for years.
This went on until age 26. I developed an autoimmune disease, Sjogren's syndrome (characterized by an attack on my mucous membranes). I was in pain. I would've done anything to lessen the inflammation. I decided to get off all meds, so I discharged the contraceptives...and after three months, half of my hair fell out, I went into mild depression and the acne came back with a vengeance.
I heard others had some relief from a vegan diet. Determined, I did it for 4 years. At first, I felt on top of the world. My AI symptoms diminished greatly and my asthma and sinus infections practically vanished! Looking back, I believe it was the lack of dairy in my diet that stopped the sinus troubles. With all these wonderful changes, my acne was still going strong, like a pubescent boy, but a woman, at 26.
After four years, my Sjogren's symptoms got worse after a bad stomach bug. I decided to try a Ketogenic/low carb diet this time, which may be the most difficult diet in the world. After one week on this, my acne completely went away. Gone. It only took me a lifetime to figure this out and all it took was me cutting sugar? Thank you, Jesus!
I'm still working on the AI disease and probably will be for quite a while, due to years of damage. I cannot wait to share my progress with you.
SKIN
Natalie Conquered PCOS and Adult Acne
"I was about 25 and things just started to shift for me physically. The most apparent was on my face! I know, so sad! I broke out with the worst adult acne. It started slow and then came full on and covered most of my cheeks. I also hit a wall with my energy around 3 PM every single day! Not just the usual, I need a cup of coffee tired, no! I was full on falling asleep at my desk, behind the wheel of a car, it didn't matter... I was a very certain kind of tired. I went to an endocrinologist and asked for blood work to be done. Everything looked fine on paper "supposedly" and he gave me the diagnose of PCOS stating that it's kind of undefinable but basically a cluster of symptoms that gets terms PCOS. Facial hair on women, irregular periods, the fatigue, adult acne... I fit "most" of the criteria and so he gave me some meds and sent me home. Up to that point in life I had only been on a medication for anxiety after both my parents had passed (when I was 20) and couldn't be around social situations without wanting to run and hide. SO, to commit to any type of medicine was a big deal for me but I knew I needed something. When your face looks like a pepperoni pizza, you will try anything. Soo, I started the Metformin. You will love it he said. You will lose extra pounds on it he said... NO! Within the first couple of days I threw up or went home to lay in bed because it made me feel a special kind of awful. I made an appt to go see the Doctor again... I asked him if I could change my diet to help with this insulin resistance I was supposedly having or take a supplement. He looked me dead in the face and said, "if that's what you want to do I am not the doctor for you". And that was the day I took my health into my own hands. If a "doctor" didn't want to help me line up a protocol that worked for his patient then I needed to find a new doctor. Which I ended up doing.
In the meantime I researched everything I could on PCOS and Insulin Resistance. I immediately did everything I read about-- eating small frequent meals instead of skipping breakfast and then eating a big lunch and having a crash. I combined every carb food with a fat or protein to help my body utilize it better and slower. I took a supplement blend that was made for PCOS sufferers. I started exercising more regularly and I lessened, not omitted, dairy from my diet. It took about 3 months to start feeling better but honestly, it came and has never come back! I literally watched my face clear up to no pimples or redness. I lost extra weight effortlessly. It's as if my body was running the way it should have been all those years. I felt like a new person. All because I changed the way I ate, lived and some supplements that helped with my hormones. (Insulin is a hormone so they are all interconnected) I was so thankful and I haven't regretted taking my health into my own hands."
Natalie's protocol consisted of pregnenolone and a proprietary blend of herbs, vitamins and Myo-Inositol supplement, under the supervision of her physician. Natalie now has two beautiful baby boys (sometimes difficult to conceive with PCOS) and runs a photography business showcasing people living their best lives! Check out her work at nataliesmiller.com.
Hannah Takes on Psoriasis and Changes Lives
Hanna has had her share of skin issues throughout her life. Acne, eczema, psoriasis, enough to make her self conscious (This former pizza face can relate), in pain and mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. At 15, she began seeing doctors for Psoriasis, an autoimmune disease characterized by itchy, red, scaly patches on the skin, to which she was told there was no cure. She tried anything the doctor offered: Steroid creams, emollients, creams that burned, coal tar solutions. When those offered no relief, she experimented with acupuncture, Chinese medicine, and “miracle cure” creams she researched online. NOTHING. At the time, Hanna survived on a diet high in carbs and sugar, (detrimentally delicious) which her doctors assured her had nothing to do with her worsening condition.
Things eventually went from bad to worse when psoriasis covered Hanna’s entire body and eczema blanketed her eyelids. Desperate, Hanna went back to the doctor, where she was offered Methotrexate, a drug used for chemotherapy. She was scared to death of the side effects and decided something had to change (To those unaffected by autoimmune issues, THIS IS A COMMON PRACTICE! Crazy, right?).
To heal herself, Hanna focus on three aspects of daily life: FOOD, STRESS AND EXERCISE
Hanna began a diet of plant based, alkaline foods. She eliminated meat, wheat, dairy, refined sugar, nightshade vegetables, caffeine and alcohol. She incorporated in alkaline foods such as: healthy greens, vegetables (no nightshades-peppers, eggplant, white potatoes, tomatoes), fruit (she recommends excluding oranges and strawberries), beans, rice, oats, buckwheat, water, turmeric, herbs, nuts and seeds and fresh juices. She also touts the benefits of coconut oil (both ingested and on the skin) and dead sea salts (bathing and body brushing). She uses exfoliating mitts on her skin to remove dead skin cells and then proceeds with the oil and salts.
Hanna focused on reducing stress in her life. She recommends: more sleep, making “you” time (Ahem, women! This one is for you!), therapy, friends and family support, among other things.
Finally, she focused on the life changing benefits of exercise: better blood flow, reduced inflammation, stronger immune function and reducing stress.
Hanna is now symptom free, beautiful as ever and runs a web business where she helps others achieve optimal health and healing. She is the author of an Amazon best seller, RADIANT, and offers meal programs and coaching through her site: mygoodnessrecipes.com. She offers a FREE GUIDE on her site to help you get started on your healing journey. She’s doing amazing things, yall!
Carlie Eliminates Plantar Warts with Oils
Carlie was 9 when she got her first wart (oh the horror for a 9 year old!). They started on her knee, but soon they began popping up on her fingers and elbows and eventually even spread to her siblings. Her mother took her to the dermatologist, where they performed the standard treatment of Cryotherapy, using liquid nitrogen to “freeze” off the warts. This was not successful. After two weeks, Carlie’s mom, Rachel, brought her back to the dermatologist to treat the area again using the same method. This time, the wart went away at first. Shortly after, however, little baby warts came popping up in its place! They were multiplying! Ahhh! Not cool, warts!
Carlie’s mom took matters into her own hands and searched the internet for natural ways to treat plantar warts. She found that many people had success with applying apple cider vinegar to the infected area and then rubbing it with a pumice stone. She did this and saw no improvement. Rachel admits that finding time to do this technique with a hesitant 9 year old and 3 other children was very difficult, leading to inconsistency. This may be why it didn't work, she says.
Rachel wanted to try another method. She had seen firsthand, the effects of oregano oil on acne and other skin ailments so decided to try it on Carlie’s warts. She applied it to the infected area for two weeks straight, at least once per day. After two weeks, the warts began shrinking and shrinking and shrinking AND finally disappeared. Carlie no longer has to hide her warts from her friends, as they have yet to return months later. Carlie and her siblings are living it up as wart free children these days!
**Rachel insists that the oregano oil must be applied directly to the wart, and not the skin around it. Oregano oil can and WLL burn skin. Be very careful and seek guidance when using this product.