Adaptogens: The Missing Link To Your Skin Health
About two years ago I was introduced to the idea of adding supplemental support to my every day routine. I was always the girl who would buy a multi vitamin and take two before I gave up on it all. I never felt different or experienced positive results. The multi vitamins would make me sick to my stomach and the whole concept turned me off. I felt like I was getting enough nutrients from food and didn’t think much else about it. After I started diving into the world of green skincare products I quickly began to realize the efficacy of these products are only a reflection of the internal work you put in as well. That’s how my whole view on my practice and caring for skin changed. I have been able to maintain a healthy diet for the majority of my adulthood by slowly educating myself on the nourishment of each ingredient. What always struck me was that the consistency in my diet had to be 100% or else I would suffer. From digestion issues, to hormonal flares to the dreaded breakouts, if I wasn’t “perfect” I would soon regret it. Now this isn’t a life that is sustainable for me. I needed support and I needed to know that a life of suffering was not the only answer. That is when Adaptogens were introduced to me and my fears started to melt away.
What is an adaptogen? The definition is a natural substance considered to help the body adapt to stress and to exert a normalizing effect upon bodily processes. In other words, it will help maintain a homeostasis in the body. If you imagine a PH scale it starts with the lowest acidity of 1 and goes all the way up to the super alkaline 14. Water being neutral at a 7 and a healthy skin tends to fall around the 5.5 region. In order to maintain the 5.5 on our skin we need to have a more alkaline PH internally. So any acidic foods you intake start to tamper with this scale and leave your skin with a more alkaline base and creates the possibility of inflammation which is the root of all skincare evil. You need that equilibrium to feel healthy and happy.
How do adaptogens work? These herbs are adaptable to any natural environment so they can hold that in your system and work according to how your body needs them. A natural way to balance without fear of overdoing it! So brilliant!
Why I use them? With endocrine disruptors in everything from our foods, skincare to house hold cleaning items it can be hard to maintain proper hormonal and adrenal balance. For years, I would struggle with chronic fatigue and low immunity regardless of diet and exercise. My cortisol levels were not regulated quickly enough that I would get startled by the smallest things. I started my adaptogen game with Moon Juice’s spirit dust. The blend of ingredients called to me for their anti-inflammatory effect as I struggle with joint point and migraines on occasion. The inflammation tamer was an after thought to the calming effects I felt it brought me immediately. As someone who has tried pharmaceutical anti-anxiety medication I had never felt this sort of calm. My senses weren’t being shut off, it’s like they were being fine tuned to what makes sense for me. A little energy yet not a nervousness, a little calm yet not a fatigue. I WAS HOOKED!
Other adaptogens and how they help the skin? I make a lot of suggestions for my clients as I want them to understand that there is not way to fully change the skin with topicals. It’s a great maintenance tool but the real work comes from within. A lot of my clients experience the same struggle with food as I have where they can’t lead the perfect balance. I get it, perfection is just a facade to create guilt. No one is perfect! We all have our moments when we need something fast and it’s okay. Mindfulness is key in terms of choosing your foods and how it will nutritionally benefit you. If you travel or work a lot, you can have all the mindfulness in the world but may not be able to care for yourself to your standards. This is when adaptogens can make the world of a difference. Some of my favorite blends for skin health are Moon Juice’s Beauty Dust and Pure Potion’s Beauty blend. These beauty blends are meant to help restore your skin’s functions on a cellular level by creating an oxygenation of the cells and triggering a collagen response. I add a little to my morning coffee with a dash of coconut oil to enhance my favorite morning ritual.
How to start? So many brands make it easy to experience a sample size of their product which I love. Pure potion has a great intro kit to their 3 blends: beauty, longevity and brilliance. Moon Juice has different bundling options with clear description of how it will support you. I started by cherry picking the ones that resonated most with me and introduced each one at a time. With the help of my friend and holistic nutritionist, Tara Curran, she helped educate me on the benefits of each one so I mindfully add in the adaptogens that are suited for me in the moment.
Favorite brands? I love Sun Potion, Moon Juice and Pure Potions. All three of these companies have transparency in terms of their sourcing which is incredibly important to me. I can also speak from experience in terms of their efficacy.
So to wrap up, we can all use a little help in our day to day lives. The key let go of the expectations that we can do it all ourselves. There are tons of different support systems out there to help you balance out in times of needs. Adaptogens are just one way to help keep you feeling your best. When you feel your best you will shine through and your skin will reflect that glow.
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