I regularly hear women with acne say “everything gets worse around my cycle. I dread that time of the month’. Breakouts, deeper cystic acne, oily skin, redness and congestion can all be part of this picture. If you feel this way, you aren’t alone, close to ¾ of women experience worse acne breakouts in the lead up to the period. However it is highly likely that out of balance hormones aren’t actually the issue. Certainly they might be part of the problem but focusing on hormones alone rarely leads to lasting improvements in acne. And as experienced by many women who want clear skin there comes a time when being on the oral contraceptive pill or more serious acne medications such as roaccutane no longer helps. So if the cause isn’t hormones then what is? Continue reading “A Path to Better, Clearer Skin”
Is Stress Making You Sick?
You work long, tiring days trying to meet deadlines, keeping your social life active, making sure you’re a conscientious member of your community and making sure your family’s needs are being met, only to go on a well-deserved holiday and spend most of the time in bed with the flu! Why is it that you managed to hold everything together and the moment you relax and take a holiday, you get sick?
The answer may lie with Psychoneuroimmunology – the study of the interactions between psychological process, the nervous system and immunity. Research has found that when we are stressed, whether it be for only a few minutes (acute stress) or for days or longer (chronic stress), our immune system experiences a complex array of chemical and hormonal changes. The immune system forms part of our bodies defence system. It provides response to internal dangers such as tissue damage and the threat of infection and disease and providing our body with this defence takes a lot of energy. When we are fighting infection or disease, our desire to engage in other activities such as socialising, eating and engaging in hobbies is diminished. Continue reading “Is Stress Making You Sick?”
