Q & A: Natural Acne Solutions

Q: Do you have any ideas for a natural acne solution? I have been on medication for the past 3 years and I think it's starting to take a toll on my body and I would like to stop taking it.

A: Treating acne naturally is a very tricky thing and somewhat "trial and error". There are so many underlying cause of acne such as hormonal imbalance, food sensitivities, nutrient deficiencies, etc., and it can be hard to really get to the bottom of why acne develops in certain individuals, especially those with adult onset acne (typically around the mouth and jaw line and upper back). If you really want to get to the bottom of it, I recommend you see a natural health care practitioner such as a Nutritionist or Naturopathic Doctor for a complete health assessment so that they can make recommendations based on your symptomatology and health history. But here's a few things to start with:
(Note: always check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting on any supplement regime to ensure there are no interactions with your medications)

• There are several nutrients that have been found to be helpful for acne, they include Vitamin A (most acne medications are actually very high doses of a synthetic form of Vitamin A), B-complex vitamins, Chromium and Zinc. If you're not on a good quality multivitamin-mineral, this would be a good place to start.

• Essential fatty acids (fish or flax oil) are extremely important for the health of the skin, for proper hormonal function and have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. In my opinion, most of the general population, acne or not, should be supplementing their diets with a good quality EFA oil.

• Keeping the body hydrated is very important in the management of acne in order to keep the cells of the body hydrated and to eliminate toxins from the body. A general rule of thumb for water intake is to take your weight in pounds, divide it in half, and drink that many ounces of water each day.

• Vitamin D is also very important for tissue healing and repair and going into the dark, winter months, supplementing your diet with 1,000-2,000 IU daily is not only helpful for the skin, but also supports the immune system and can help to lessen the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder in those that are prone to getting the winter blues. However, some individuals can store an adequate amount of Vitamin D from sun exposure in the summer, so it's important to check serum Vitamin D levels before beginning supplementation. If you tend to wear a lot of sunscreen or try to stay out of the sun in the summer, it's fairly likely that supplementation during the winter would be helpful.
  

• While not always a cause of acne, food sensitivities or allergies can sometimes contribute to breakouts in susceptible individuals. There is testing available through a Naturopathic Doctor that can assess food sensitivities and allergies (a popular method is Vega testing or a serum IgG blood test may be used), or you can contact a Nutritionist in your area to administer an elimination diet with you (a method of removing common allergens from the diet and re-introducing them one at a time). I would begin by eliminating dairy and gluten as these two often tend to be the biggest problem for people.

Acne can be a frustrating, nagging issue that can cause a lot of stress and discomfort but it is important to try to relax, and relieve stress whenever possible. There is often a mental/emotional component to our ailments, yet that side of things is often neglected in conventional medical treatment. Having an outlet for your emotions, be it through journaling, listening to music, or chatting with friends and family, can be a very important and sometimes crucial step in the healing process. You don’t have to live with acne forever, just start listening to your body and be conscious about lifestyle and dietary choices and you’ll start to experience some level of healing.

Simple Solutions for Healthy Weight Loss

With spring approaching us we're all ready to shed those extra pounds we've accumulated over the holiday and winter season. This can be a frustrating and even confusing time for some of us, as there are a bevy of diet programs, so-called fat-burning supplements, and rigid exercise regimes that claim to help you lose weight fast. The problem with many of these options is that they are often difficult to comply with, do not provide lasting results, or can even be unsafe!

Our bodies are resilient machines that can adapt to even the slightest changes in diet, exercise and lifestyle, so why not work with it to make some small changes that can have a lasting impact while reducing body fat, increasing lean muscle mass, increasing energy levels and stabilizing mood? I've outlined a few simple, easy steps that have been proven to achieve those results in just a few short weeks.

1. Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day
Eating every two to three hours throughout the day will help to increase your metabolism and stabilize blood sugar levels. It also provides you with more satiety so that you are not ravenous at dinner time and therefore, not tempted to overeat. Another important thing to remember: EAT YOUR BREAKFAST! If too little time in the morning is an issue, try putting together the ingredients for a fruit and protein smoothie (see recipe below) in a blender before you go to bed in the evening, leaving the blender in the fridge overnight so that it's ready to mix up quickly in the morning. Pour it in a cup with a lid and a handle and you've got your breakfast on the go to take on your morning commute (be it car, bus, bicycle, etc.)!

2. Drink 1-2 litres of water daily
Drinking water helps to cleanse the body and stimulate elimination through the bowels and urine and is absolutely essential for optimal health. Many people find that simply by drinking more water, they experience fewer headaches, feel less sluggish, have better digestion and more energy. It is especially beneficial for weight loss to drink a large glass of room temperature water with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice first thing in the morning about 20-30 minutes before breakfast. This is a sure-fire method to get the bowels going and a nice and gentle clease for your liver. Remember to drink water 20-30 minutes away from your meals so as not to dilute the stomach acid needed for proper digestion.

3. Do not eat past 8pm!
We all know that the munchies come a-callin' at night when we're only a few hours away from going to bed, but one of the easiest ways to drop a bit of extra weight is by satiating ourselves with a healthy, macronutrient balanced snack (such as apple slices with almond butter, or a cup of plain yogurt with home-made granola and flaxseeds) three to four hours before going to sleep. One week of implementing this practice will show how quickly it can help to lose excess weight and improve sleep. Keep on hand fresh fruits and veggies to snack on if desperation takes hold and you just have to have something to nibble on before bed.

Implementing these simple practices can make a world of a difference when it comes to successful weight loss. But be patient! Your goal should focus on feeling more energetic and improving your lifestyle habit one step at a time, don't worry about what the scale tells you. In due time, your body will heal itself, and the pounds will drop in a healthy, sustainable way!

Elizabeth's Morning Smoothie
1 cup of frozen of fresh fruit (I like trying different combinations, but my favourite is mango and blueberry!)
1 cup of unsweetened soy or rice milk
1 cup of water (if you like a sweeter smoothie, try using pineapple or orange juice)
1 tbsp flax or fish oil
1 scoop hemp or whey protein

Note: Get creative with your smoothie by adding spirulina powder, plain yogurt, liquid or powder supplements like vitamin D!

Confused About Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin. Also known as cobalamin, it contains an atom of cobalt at the center of it's molecule giving it a red colour which has led it to occasionally be referred to as the "red vitamin". It's the only nutrient known to contain cobalt and the biggest and most complicated of all the vitamins. First isolated in 1947, it was the last vitamin to be discovered.

Major Functions:
It is needed for normal nerve cell activity, as it is vital in maintaining the health of the myelin sheath, a sort of insulation that surround nerve cells. B12, along with folic acid, is necessary for the synthesis of DNA, and the production and regeneration of red blood cells. It works synergistically with folic acid in lowering homocysteine levels, an amino acid that can contribute to cardiovascular disease in high levels. It is also known to promote growth, increase appetite, improve concentration, memory, and balance, and decreases irritability.

Food Sources:
B12 is synthesized by bacteria. The only reliable food sources of B12 are found in animal products as the animals obtain the vitamin through bacteria present in the soil on unwashed feed. It is particularly high in fish and shellfish. If we never washed our vegetables, we would be able to obtain B12 through the soil present on them, however, today, through chemical farming, even the soil is lacking in B12.
Bacteria in the large intestine are able to make B12, and some people think that they can obtain their B12 from these bacteria, however research shows that the bacteria produce B12 too far down the intestine for proper absorption.
This poses a challenge for vegans, who don't consume any animal products, and have to obtain B12 from fortified foods such as soy milk, tofu, nutritional yeast, and even most breakfast cereals are fortified with B12. Research into possible plant sources, as in fermented soy products such as tempeh, seaweeds such as nori, or algae such as spirulina, has shown that they contain significant amounts of compounds similar to B12, called B12 analogues, that can compete with and even inhibit absorption of the vitamin.
The amount of B12 actually needed by the body is around 2 mcg (micrograms)/day, but it is not absorbed very well, so much larger amounts need to be taken in. For example, 500 mcg can result in absorption of as little as 1.8 mcg. Absorption is also aided by calcium and iron.

Deficiency Symptoms:
Unlike other water-soluble vitamins, B12 isn't excreted quickly in the urine, but can be stored in the liver, kidneys, and other body tissues, 80% of it being stored in the liver. So deficiency symptoms sometimes don't show up for 5 or 6 years. Deficiency is more likely the result of poor absorption than of inadequate dietary intake. Absorption relies on an "intrinsic factor", which is a secretion from the lining of the stomach of a glycoprotein. Some people are unable to produce this intrinsic factor, and as we age, we produce less of it, making the elderly, or people with digestive disorders such as Celiac Disease or Crohn's Disease more susceptible to deficiency.
Some symptoms of deficiency can include: loss of appetite, diarrhea, numbness and tingling of hands and feet, paleness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, fatigue, weakness, sore mouth and tongue, depression, irritability, hallucinations, headaches and ringing in the ears.
In cases of severe deficiency, pernicious anaemia can occur as the production of red blood cells is reduced, resulting in low levels of hemoglobin, thereby decreasing oxygen transportation in the blood.
Megaloblastic anaemia can occur also with B12 deficiency as it traps folate in a form that is not usable by the body, resulting in folate deficiency even when folate is present in sufficient quantities in the diet. When there is deficiency of B12 and folate, the synthesis of DNA is harmed. This is turn causes the red blood cells to form earlier than they are supposed to making them big, misshapen, and nucleated. Mature red blood cells have no nucleus. The hemoglobin content of these immature cells is poor.
Neurological damage can occur with B12 deficiency resulting in tingling of the arms and legs, difficulty walking, memory loss, disorientation, and dementia. When there is a deficiency, the myelin sheath that covers nerves is compromised. Many Alzheimer's patients are found to have low levels of B12, and symptoms often improve with supplementation.

Rich Food Sources of Vitamin B12 - mcg per 100g
Pig's liver 25
Fatty fish 5
White fish 2
Beef 2
Eggs 2
Cheese 1
Chicken 0.5
Milk 0.3

Choosing the Right B12 Supplement:
Since the symptoms of deficiency can be quite broad, one way of assessing B12 levels is by asking your doctor to run a serum B12 test. If deficiency is determined, there are many supplements to choose from commercially, but I would recommend looking for a liquid, sublingual product in the form of methylcobalamin, which is an acitve form of B12 that is very bioavailable. The most common alternative, cyanocobalamin has bound to a cyanide molecule in the purification process and does not occur in nature normally, therefore is not well absorbed. If the cause of deficiency is lack of intrinsic factor however, B12 injections, by prescription from a medical doctor may have to be administered. B12 is best absorbed when there are stomach acid secretions, so it is best to take your supplement with food.

Essential Supplements for the Active Adult Vegetarian

As health conscious vegetarians, we do our best to eat a varied, balanced diet to supply us with all the nutrients we need to function at optimal performance. However, there are many contributing factors such as environmental pollutants, stress (both mental and physical), and sluggish digestion that can deplete our bodies of certain key nutrients. Stocking your cupboard and fridge with a few essential products can help to ensure that you are replacing these nutrients on a daily basis.

1. A good quality, high-potency multivitamin/mineral formula is a great “insurance policy” that should be taken daily. This should be regarded as an investment into your health and while frugality is something I can relate to, a multivitamin is not something you want to skimp on. Criteria to look for when choosing a multivitamin are dosage, bioavailability, and manufacturing processes. Your multivitamin should contain a high-potency B vitamin complex (25-50mg each), minerals that have been “chelated” (bound to hydrolyzed vegetable protein) for better absorption, and the supplement company should state that they follow the GMP (good manufacturing processes) standards set by Health Canada. There are many veg-friendly multivitamins available on the market, and most companies will state on the bottle if they are vegan.

2. While vegetarian diets are often plentiful in nuts and seeds which contain the essential fatty acids that our bodies need not only to thrive, but to survive, it can be quite difficult to convert vegetarian sources (such as flax oil) of omega-3 to it’s active forms of EPA and DHA. Thankfully, there are now products on the market that contain algae oil which provide a readily absorbed form of DHA with a small amount of EPA. These substances are so vital to almost every biochemical process in the body, a bottle of this stuff should occupy the refrigerator door of every vegetarian and vegan. A great product is Udo’s Choice Vegetarian DHA flax oil by Flora.

3. An increased activity level calls for a good, healthy supply of complete, digestible protein, such as hemp, brown rice, or yellow pea protein. Taken either as an energy-packed breakfast shake or to aid in post-workout recovery, a good quality protein powder should always be kept on hand to ensure amino acid intake is adequate and that our individual protein requirements are met. How much protein do you need? It varies quite a bit based on age, gender and activity level (and on who you ask), but a pretty standard recommendation for an adult vegan would be about half a gram of protein for each pound of body weight. However, if you pay close attention to the signals your body is giving you, you will be able to tell if you’re getting enough protein by assessing your energy levels, recovery time, immunity and mood. There is also testing that is available that can help you assess whether your amino acid levels are up to par. My current favourites are shakes made with Vega by Sequel Naturals for a complete meal replacement, or Living Harvest Hemp Protein (add some almond butter to your shake for an extra protein boost).

There is no substitute for a well-planned, balanced and varied diet, but with a few added supplements, we can ensure that we are getting the nutrients we need to perform and feel our best.

Information on General Health & Wellness Through Nutition

Welcome to the blog of Elizabeth Wolynsky, Registered Holistic Nutritionist. Here, you'll find information on how to use nutrition to overcome various health obstacles such as poor digestion, fatigue, difficulty sleeping and many others.

Elizabeth Wolynsky, RHN, is a recent graduate of the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition and an Ottawa-based Registered Holistic Nutritionist with more than 5 years of experience in natural health and nutrition. Her interest in learning how the foods that we eat can enhance or hinder our health and wellness began at a very young age at the influence of her Aunt Patty, who was studying nutrition and testing many a healthy and delicious vegetarian recipe on her and her family. Through the years she has built on her knowledge with the invaluable experience of working at various health food stores, consultations with clients, and through her studies at the CSNN, where she obtained a diploma in Natural Nutrition and her RHN professional designation and the Alive Academy of Natural Health where she also obtained a certificate in Applied Nutrition.

Watch for further posts containing nutritional information such as healthy weight loss, vegetarian/vegan nutrition, improving digestion, improving mental focus and cognitive abilities, hormonal health and many more!

For more information about consultations, public speaking engagements, and written contributions to print media, e-mail Elizabeth at wolynskynutrition@gmail.com