If you know my story, you know the whole reason I got into the more holistic, integrative lifestyle is because of my skin. I suffered from severe cystic acne for YEARS! The dermatologist failed to cure my acne with typical acne drugs and he insisted that diet had nothing to do with it.
I’m not saying all dermatologists are like this, but at the time, he was one of the top dermatologists in the Washington DC area! I knew there had to be more to my acne than bacteria or a “dirty” face.
Dermatologists are great for diagnosing and treating skin cancer, they’re great for laser treatments and chemical treatments to improve skin texture, they’re handy if you have an unbearable skin condition and they can prescribe medication to relieve symptoms temporarily. But they are not trained in finding the root cause of skin problems and treating the problem from the source.
I remember when my dermatologist handed me the Accutane pamphlet after the antibiotics did nothing for my acne and they destroyed my gut.
I was reading through and it said I couldn’t wear contact lenses (I have awful vision…I need to wear contacts), you can’t wear tampons, your skin will get extremely dry, you’ll be more susceptible to nose bleeds, etc. This is because Accutane works by stopping your body’s oil production. This wreaks havoc not only on your skin by completely drying it out, but on all of your joints and organs. You can’t even do intense exercising when you’re on Accutane to help prevent joint damage.
I understand why people would want to take Accutane as dermatologists tout it as a cure all for acne! And I know the feeling of wanting to do anything that would make my acne go away. That used to be the case about 25-30 years ago, but now, Accutane doesn’t work for a LOT of people! That’s because their acne isn’t normal teenage acne that’s caused by teenage hormones and excessive oil production due to those hormones…it’s because most acne now is caused by an internal issue which dermatologists never address.
That’s where health coaches come in!
Health coaches are trained to help you figure out what’s causing your skin problems and heal your body from the inside out! We dig deep and address all aspects of life that could be causing your health to not be at its best. Are you stressed at work? Is your relationship having some trouble? Does your gut need healing? Are you using products that have toxic chemicals that are irritating your skin? Health coaches address every area of wellness and help you implement a plan to heal and we offer continuous support.
My acne was actually caused by a sensitivity to gluten.
I still haven’t mustered up the courage to reach out to my old dermatologist and tell him that…maybe one day. I couldn’t bring myself to destroy my body anymore by going on Accutane. So I researched the heck out of acne, causes of acne, acne treatments, acne diets, etc. That’s when I came across food sensitivities. Gluten and dairy are very common food sensitivities (along with corn, soy, and eggs.)I did my own elimination diet just to see. First I cut out dairy. That didn’t make a difference. Then I cut out gluten for 2 weeks and my acne was gone!
I still stay away from gluten for the most part. Elimination diets can take up to 6 weeks to see results, so if that’s the path you’re on, be patient! The results are soooo worth it! Now, I eat gluten every once in a while, but I was completely gluten free for about 2 years while I worked on healing my gut before I incorporated it back into my diet. Gluten is a treat…it’s not a staple. I eat it about 3 times a week now vs. every snack and meal every day while my skin was bad.
How Health Coaches Can Help You
It’s easy for a doctor to tell a diabetic to stop eating sugar, but once that patient leaves the office, they’re on their own and a lot of times, they fail to implement the doctor’s advice. It’s not because they don’t want to…it’s because they don’t know how to and doctors are too busy to help them implement a plan and support them through it. That’s why health coaches are so necessary. A health coach would sit down with that patient and help them implement a plan to not eat sugar and help them figure out what they should eat instead. A health coach would also help them address their emotional attachment to certain foods and work with them to create better habits.
If you want to get healthy and treat the root cause of your symptoms, a health coach can help you! When you have no idea how to stick to a diet plan, or if it’s not even diet that’s causing you symptoms, a health coach can help you get to the bottom of it, come up with a plan, and help you stick with it. We offer continuous support and give you all the tools you need to get you to look and feel your best!
If you’re interested in working with me, click here to schedule your FREE consultation! And if you’d like to learn more about the services I offer, click here.
XOXO Sarena
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