Health Clues

Health Clues in Your Skin #3

Liz James · February 9, 2021 ·

“To know a person’s experiences from the past, examine the body now.” ~ Ancient Anon.

(Here are links to skin clues in this chapter of the ‘Becoming Your Own Health Detective’ series)
Skin Part I: https://goodmedicine.info/blog/health-clues-in-our-skin-1
Skin Part II: https://goodmedicine.info/blog/health-clues-in-your-skin-part-2

Dry itchy skin is common in the winter, so this is probably a fairly hot topic right about now thanks to the winter climate❄️. Often easier said than remembered…… drink more water if dry skin is your current nemesis! People tend to consume less water in the winter, so be vigilant and conscientious of how much water you are actively consuming daily. If plain water isn’t your cuppa, add in YL’s Vitality Drops (Regular….. Grapefruit Bergamot & Lavender Lemon or for a little extra pep in your step, Energy….. Jade Lemon & Spearmint Tangerine). YL’s Coconut Lime Body Butter is a great tool for combating winter dry skin from the outside, and its smell makes me feel like it’s summer on the beach with a little umbrella adorned drink in my hand!

Beyond dehydration, there is a wide variety of other reasons for dry skin. If fairly localized (or patchy) consider the skin care products you are using. Harsh chemicals in standard skincare products are commonplace, and your skin will recognize the difference! We are blessed by Young Living’s skin care line, Thieves products, and Savvy Minerals makeup and these “clean” products are important tools for healthy skin.

Contact dermatitis is another localized type of dry or irritated skin. As its name suggests, it is inflammation 🔥resulting from contact to a trigger irritant or allergen. It usually clears up on its own over time as long as exposure to the trigger is halted.
Eczema (aka: atopic dermatitis) is a catch-all term for a group of conditions that make skin inflamed🔥 or irritated….. A bigger chronic problem. An estimated 10% of people in the USA have some form of eczema. Research suggests that eczema falls into the autoimmune condition category, and may have a genetic component (as do many autoimmune disorders). The good news is that, thanks to epigenetics (our environment is an enormous influencer of gene expression), WE ALL have a great deal of control of our environment, and can do quite a lot to keep the problematic genes from expressing themselves.

The term eczema comes from the Greek word ‘ekzein’ which means ‘to boil over’….. In this case, it’s an external sign that trouble is brewing in the gut. Keeping skin inflammation🔥 down ultimately lies in healing your digestive tract and avoiding food triggers such as sugar, gluten, and processed foods….. remembering that we are all uniquely made and one man’s trigger may not be another’s! It can be tricky to identify your trigger, but stick with it… it typically takes 6-8 weeks of avoiding a trigger for true healing to reveal itself.

Autoimmune disorders are like cats…. You may start out with one🐈, but people rarely typically end with just one🐈🐈🐈🐈, so it’s best to get eczema under control before it “boils over” into other body system dysfunctions. Sulfurzyme, Life 9 probiotic, and Essentialzyme4 are just a few of the amazing supportive tools we have available to us as Young Living members! #nobodywantstocollectAutoimmunedisorders

“Sallow skin” is another rather broad term for a general unhealthy skin tone that tends towards dullish, yellowish, or pale. Do not misinterpret this. There are very healthy people with a natural bent towards pale or olive complexion…… but if you walk into an oncologist’s waiting room, you’ll immediately know what this skin tone looks like. Sallow skin is very identifiable, and there are varying degrees of “sallow”. Regardless of the degree, it is definitely a clue to perk up and make some health and habit changes!

Common causes of sallow skin include:
👉Smoking
👉Vitamin Deficiency (esp Vit A, Vit B12, Vit C, Vit D, Vit E) #haveyoutriedMasterFormula
👉Serious chronic stress (long term “heavy” emotional stress)
👉Lack of Sleep
👉Poor skin care
👉An underlying chronic health condition
👉Certain medications

Rosacea, a red or “ruddy” complexion is also a branch of the autoimmune family tree, so it behooves the bearer of chronic rosy cheeks to support their immune and digestive systems.

Hair in unwanted places is a sure sign of a hormonal imbalance for women. Traditionally, we’ve been led to believe that unwanted hair growth is likely related to excess testosterone, and that is only partially true. The bigger picture is that our hormonal system is a finely tuned instrument and it only takes a fraction of an imbalance to cause significant problems. The balance between circulating testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone is important, as is insulin sensitivity.
Insulin (a hormone too!) resistance is typically caused by years of a diet high in sugar and refined carbs. In the insulin resistant individual, the body is losing its ability to respond to glucose and to properly metabolize food. Someone who is insulin resistant will have a hard time balancing sex hormones without addressing the insulin resistance component first. Insulin resistance is often seen in tandem with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Diet and exercise are absolutely critical tools to use when addressing the root cause. Advanced labwork is also a key tool. Simply measuring basic glucose is not enough. You’ll also want HbA1c and fasting insulin tested (as well as a hormone panel). Find your favorite holistic or integrative health provider to help walk you thru hormone balancing, and listen to you body! Insulin resistance will ultimately lead to Insulin injections if not addressed properly, and nobody wants that! We farmgirls call this “fish or cut bait time.” As the CEO of your own body, important decisions need to be made for your VIP company’s health.

As a reminder: I am not a doctor, and cannot diagnose, treat, or offer to cure you. The goal of this series is to provide thought provoking clues so that you can manage your own health a little more effectively and efficiently! I CAN help you learn to navigate how to do this in a way that honors your unique body and life.
That said, tried and true beginner thru advanced steps geared to improved health will ALWAYS include:
✅Getting rid of toxins
✅Cleaning up your diet
✅Staying well hydrated with “clean” water
✅Exercising regularly
✅Getting 7-8 hr of sleep
✅Managing stress properly
✅Working on decreasing inflammation
Have a beautiful day friends!
xoxo~ liz

#caringissharing
#pharmacistandfarmacist
#applicationofknowledgeispower
#skininthegame
#goodmedicine
#goodmedicineisknowingthyselfwell
#yourskinisamirrortoyourhealth
#ThanksYL

Health Clues in Your Skin # 2

Liz James · February 2, 2021 ·

Acne Face Mapping….. Have you heard of it?

We tend to look at acne as an unpleasant teenage memory, but blemishes, whether adolescent or adult, contains valuable health clues! There are some incredibly toxic prescription medications for acne, and if they can be avoided they should be. Young Living has a Maximum Strength Acne Treatment cream (item #23795) and the Charcoal Bar Soap (item #23799) that are both incredible tools in defeating acne from the outside. However, acne is representative of an imbalance within the body that should be addressed if a chronic situation is to be overcome in a healthy manner.

Clues can be found knowing the location of the blemish breakout, the “style” of the breakout, and the “type” of the breakout, and the frequency of the breakout.

Clue Type: Frequency
A chronic blemish problem on a specific area of the face is a strong indicator of which body system is lacking support. If the root cause goes unaddressed, there may eventually be spillover to other parts of the face or body.

Clue Type: Acne Appearance
Red Inflamed Skin in combination with acne- usually due to poor detoxification, so there is a buildup of toxins the body cannot get rid of fast enough. This is a key indicator that lifestyle changes must happen and that the liver is in need of supportive tender loving care.. Most often, a processed food diet and/or toxic skincare products are causative culprits. Genetically, we are all very different, and some people process toxins better than others, even within families. #MTHFRgenevarianceisagoodstudytopic

Painful red cystic acne- poor liver detoxification and a sluggish lymphatic system. (Note to self: are you supporting your lymphatic system with gentle lymphatic massage you can do yourself? #YouTubeisyourfriend Are you adding YL’s Lemon Vitality essential oil to your water on the regular for lymphatic system support?)
Acne closely surrounding the mouth: may indicate digestive system inflammation, food intolerances, underactive liver function, and too little hydrochloric acid in the stomach….. A quite common thing! There are other health clues indicating low stomach acid out #tobecoveredlater…. And EssentialZyme (regular EZyme, not the EZyme4) is an excellent product Young Living has which supports healthy stomach acid production as well as digestive enzymes. #haveyouhadyourdigestiveenzymestoday

Rash like pimples and uneven skin tone – may indicate candida (a yeast) overgrowth in the body. You may also find a rash in warm moist areas of the body such as armpits, groin, folds of skin on the torso, and on the feet. Investigate what a “candida diet” might mean for you. If you are not taking Young Living’s Life 9 probiotic, now would also be a good time to start in addition to changing eating habits. Candida overgrowth is a VERY common problem, especially for those whose diet is high in sugar and processed foods.

Breakouts along the jawline- these tend to wax and wane in a cyclic nature and are usually related to a hormonal imbalance. (Ex: Poly cystic ovarian syndrome, androgen dominance, or estrogen dominance are frequent offenders here). Be patient!! These can sometimes take awhile to get under control once you’ve begun addressing the problem. As many of you ladies already know, Progessence Plus can be a game changer for this type of acne as it supports healthy hormones (note: not recommended to be used in combination with Birth Control Pills containing progesterone. I’m not a fan of Birth Control Pills as a pharmacist…… they really do a number on your body, including adversely affecting your thyroid function. Many young women are put on BCP’s to control acne (not realizing they will be trading one problem for a host of others ) when all they usually need to do is clean up their diet and skincare and learn to detoxify properly.

Whiteheads or Blackheads- often due to the use of chemically “dirty” skincare or makeup, or failure to clean the skin properly with healthy skincare options (Have you tried Young Living’s ART , Bloom, or Orange Blossom skincare lines? YL’s Charcoal bar soap is a must have for anyone who need to up their skincare game.
Breakouts on the cheeks- often the result of a high fat and mucus forming diet, and also ….. This would be a diet high in “bad” fats, commercial dairy (not raw), refined sugar, and processed foods. Cheek acne, when paired with gum disease, tooth sensitivity, or tooth pain may also indicate a subclinical infection somewhere within the mouth.

Breakouts on the line from the outside corner of the nostril to the corner of the mouth- the colon!!!! I speak from personal experience on this one…. Whenever my personal “house” is out of order, I occasionally get a really interesting rash in this very location. Young Living’s Juvatone is very much one of my best friends, and I use it to support my liver which in turn supports my colon health!
Internal and External Factors Causing Acne: This list is not comprehensive, but it’s a great place to start! With nearly all of these factors, the root cause lies within the realm of “things we can control” if we choose to do the work.

🔥Candida, fungus and molds – usually will cause “shiny” skin that will be oilier than normal, most often affecting the T-Zone. Fungus and molds can hide quite easily in a home or office building, and it’s worth the effort to track it down and clean it up, especially if you have other health clues indicating that fungus/mold may indeed be amongst you and your loved ones.

🔥Congested Liver- lots of blackheads and clogged pores that are red and sore to the touch.

🔥PCOS, childbirth, menopause, estrogen dominance, breast feeding (all hormonal imbalance events)- acne most often sits just below the skin and is often tender to the touch. Women most often experience most of this type of acne along their jawline. Do not underestimate the power of a good friend like Progessence Plus in times such as these.

🔥Blemishes along the very edges of the hairline only are often a reaction to chemicals in skincare, makeup, or shampoo. #haveyoutriedtoxinfreeYLSavvyMinerals

Acne face mapping is quite revealing in terms of health clues as is face mapping in general! I could write for weeks on this particular topic, so hopefully this brief overview has given you the spark to do a little more digging on your own. Ultimately, inflammation, hormones, and/or an overtaxed liver are the three main causative agents of acne. Now it’s your turn…. What products have you found to be helpful in managing your skin’s health?
We have much more to cover on skin health clues……stay tuned!
xoxo~ liz

My goal is to teach you how to discerningly care for yourself! 😘

#caringissharing
#pharmacistandfarmacist
#applicationofknowledgeispower
#skininthegame
#goodmedicine
#goodmedicineisknowingthyselfwell
#yourfaceisamirrortoyourhealth
#ThanksYL

Health Clues in Your Skin #1

Liz James · January 26, 2021 ·

We’ve moved on to new terrain! Skin holds sooo many clues friends. Please continue to be mindful of the difference between a singular clue and a diagnosis! A clue by itself may mean next to nothing, but if you can pair multiple clues together, the savvy personal health detective can often head off big health concerns by being proactive and using the right tools and lifestyle habits to get back on track!

Bags and Circles around the eyes👀 are separate clues, but often paired together. Common causes of dark circles include stress, anemia, dehydration, fatigue, allergies, nasal congestion, a parasite load, chronic eye strain, thinning of skin, and unhealthy habits.

Chronic stress and fatigue often (and usually) go hand in hand. It’s awfully hard to get a good night’s sleep if you are under a great deal of stress. Conversely, if you are missing out on sleep for whatever reason, a chronically stressed body will ultimately result. We, in the Young Living community, have an arsenal of tools to help us sleep and keep our bodies and minds balanced even during stressful seasons. My bedtime regimen always includes oils (Tranquil or Rutavala are my go to!) to support healthy sleeping habits, and my nightly pre-bedtime ImmuPro supports both sleep and immune system function. I also mitigate stress with regular exercise, plenty of time outdoors, prayerful meditation time and faith based yoga.

Thinning of the skin happens naturally as we age simply because collagen production begins decreasing after about the age of 25…….the older we get the less our body produces! A couple of key ingredients that our body needs for collagen production include Vitamin C complex (hint: Super C Chewables for the win!) and elemental sulfur (hint: Sulfurzyme ). Pair this clue with a quick look at your fingernails and make note of any evidence of pitting!

Perhaps you are feeling your dark circles might be clues related to allergies or chronic congestion? Allergies always have a digestive dysfunction component, and it may behoove you to look into Young Living’s AllerZyme capsules for digestive enzyme support. I’ve personally also found several essential oils that work quite well in our home for seasonal respiratory support when used topically, diffused, or taken internally (in vitality form)….. What have you found that works for you?

As we discussed over in the fingernails section, parasites are not an uncommon first world problem. Check your fingernails for Beau’s lines for an additional clue!
Puffiness under the eyes is often a sign of inflammation or water retention. How might you pair puffiness with other signs of inflammation in the body?
Xanthelasma is the formation of cholesterol deposits around the eyes. While it can occasionally be hereditary, most often it is a clue that cholesterol levels are high. Recent research has also linked xanthelasma to type II diabetes. If you have found this clue around your eyes, I suggest reaching out to your favorite healthcare provider to schedule labwork to evaluate both cholesterol and blood sugar levels. (If you don’t have a healthcare provider handy, message me, and I can walk you thru setting up labwork analysis!) Both high cholesterol and type II diabetes are largely correctable with changes to lifestyle and eating habits….. So be encouraged! You are the CEO of your own body, and that gives you the power to make healthy changes!

Are you starting to put clues together? It’s kinda fun, isn’t it? Agatha Christie would be proud!
Stay tuned for more skin clues coming your way…..
xoxo~ liz

(holler if you need labwork or are interested in any of the above mentioned products. I’d love to help you help yourself!)

#caringissharing
#applicationofknowledgeispower
#skininthegame
#goodmedicine
#goodmedicineisknowingthyselfwell
#ThanksYL

Health Clues in Your Fingernails #4

Liz James · January 19, 2021 ·

Let’s wrap up nails today, shall we?

I am grouping “half and half” nails and “Terry’s” Nails into the same group, although they mean different things. Nails that exhibit lunulas that extends halfway up the nail (whiteness) while the upper half remains a darker tone are very specific for significant kidney malfunction. Terry’s nails look similar to “half and half nails” except that there will be a reddish brown band separating the extended lunula from the upper portion of the finger nail. Terry’s nails are associated with diabetes, liver dysfunction, hyperthyroidism, or congestive heart failure. In both cases, it’s time to have a medical professional involved and extensive lab work if both have not happened already!

Brittle nails are more easily managed on your own! Healthy nails require a regular diet of quality proteins, healthy fats, minerals and water. The protein and minerals (including trace minerals) add strength to your nails. Fatty acids and water lubricate nails and allow for a degree of flexibility. Dry skin and hair are additional signs that fatty acids are undersupplied in your diet. (This is where I personally would be reaching for OmegaGize or MindWise on a daily basis and making sure I stay well hydrated!).

Side note: if you are doing “all the things” to take care of your nails properly and you eat in a healthy manner, my next health clue would be to assess digestion. It will only be helpful to add in EssentialZyme4, EssentialZyme, AllerZyme, or DetoxZyme to maximize the absorption of the nutrients you ingest. Enzymes are our friends and they facilitate countless processes within our body.

Yellow nails….. But first!……rule out other reasons nails may be yellow tinged. Cigarette smoking or staining from fingernail polish/remover needs to be taken into consideration. True yellow nails may reflect impaired lymphatic drainage, low albumin levels, chronic sinusitis, an immunodeficiency or Reynaud’s disease. We should all want to support our lymphatic system regardless of nail color (Do you add a few drops of YL’s Lemon Vitality EO to your water on a daily basis?) Lymphatic massage, regular exercise and deep diaphragm breathing #ontheregular are additional ways to keep the lymphatic system moving!
Immune supportive measures (again, something we should all be doing as second nature! ) might include ImmuPro, ImmuPower (EO), Thieves on the feet, ditching as much daily exposure to toxins as possible, plenty of sleep, controlling stress, and eating in a healthy manner. Thankfully, Young Living has given us so many tools to help in all of these categories!

Raynaud’s is a condition which causes reduced blood flow to fingers and sometimes toes. Support of the circulatory system may be something to consider, in addition to increasing oxygenation opportunities within the circulatory system. Our favorite beverage, NingXia Red comes to mind as a supportive measure, as does CardioGize. Single oils that support a healthy blood flow include (but are not limited to) ginger, cypress, eucalyptus, coriander, wintergreen, juniper, black pepper, lavender, neroli, and cumin.

Beau’s lines are a visible indented line that goes from side to side on the nail. It actually looks like crosswise bumps and dips on the nails. Beau’s lines are usually associated with physical trauma (if just on one nail), parasitic infections, malnutrition (you may surprised that malnutrition is not an uncommon disorder here in the USA), zinc or iron deficiencies, Raynaud’s, or illnesses associated with high fevers. I would caution you also not to discount parasitic infections….. They are a very very common problem even in first world countries, and they are underdiagnosed in traditional medicine. Do a little digging on your own and know that Young Living has given us very functional tools for supporting an inhospitable environment for these little critters (Parafree and DiGize come to mind). I personally do a parasite cleanse 3-4 times a year!

Over the last 4 weeks you’ve gotten some great “hands on” clues to help get yourself situated as to which oils and supplements may best serve you and your body. Stay tuned…. Because we’re travelling to a new region next week as we continue to search for more revealing clues!
As always, give me a shout if you’d like to learn more about this topic or the mentioned products!
xoxo~ liz

#caringissharing
#applicationofknowledgeispower
#keepaneyeonyourfingernails
#goodmedicine
#goodmedicineisknowingthyselfwell
#ThanksYL

Health Clues in Your Fingernails #3

Liz James · January 12, 2021 ·

There’s Fungus Amongst Us! Nail fungus is one of the most common “n’ail-ments” among us in terms of overall population…. So check your fingers AND your toes for this bad boy. It is an important feature to note because it is indicative of a systemic fungal infection that needs to be addressed on the nutritional level (ie: root cause). As you will recall, it takes a solid 6 months to out grow a funky nail situation…… so anything you do to “fix the problem” will need to become a habit. Some simple suggestions might include increasing healthy fermented food to a diet ( sugared up grocery store yogurt is not what we’re talking here), restricting intake of refined carbs and sugars, and adding in a great probiotic (Life 9 immediately comes to mind!). Please note that as you are making your inner world “inhospitable to fungus” dieoff occurs, and you may feel that happen in the way of gas, bloating, belching, or even acne and/or other skin breakouts. Stick with it!

In terms of creating a local “inhospitable environment”, I might suggest FAITHFULLY applying Young Living’s Tea Tree and/or Eucalyptus essential oil twice a day to the nail and cuticle. Falling off the wagon will not hold in your favor if you treat this as a “come and go” action. Fungus is relentless and I find that only the faithful are successful. (PS: even prescription drugs require months to years of use when fighting fungus, and the liver often pays a high price for this type of chemical assault).

Koilonychia is commonly known as “spoon” nails for their scoop-like appearance. Spoon shaped nails are associated with blood iron disorders on both end of the spectrum (anemia or hemochromatosis… too much iron). Pair this up with another health clue…… consume beets or beet juice and then check your urine and see if it is tinted red. This clue, called “beeturia” is another sign of possible iron deficiency or hemochromatosis.

NOW…. this part is very important. One of the reasons we LOVE Young Living Super C Chewables is this: it is a “whole food” powder Vitamin C complex, not simply Ascorbic Acid (what is passed off cheaply as Vitamin C). Ascorbic Acid (I’m gonna call it “fake C” because truly, that’s what it is) increases the body’s ability to absorb iron in the intestines and can contribute to iron overload…. Not a good thing! We tend to believe that iron deficiency is the bigger problem, but the reality is that TOO MUCH iron is an epidemic in our country because of iron fortified processed foods. The body only needs 1mg of iron a day (in most cases) to replace what it loses daily in stools, urine, and sweating. For point of reference, one cup of glyphosate laden Cheerios has 17mg of iron per cup…. But I digress!

Back to Super C! Whole Vitamin C complex (like we get with Super C chewables) DOESN’T do what Ascorbic Acid does. God’s design is perfect and whole Vitamin C complex …… like what you get with Super C chewables …. ASSISTS in hemoglobin’s function of carrying iron in the blood. So, my suggestion as a pharmacist would be this: if someone is concerned that they may be anemic, focus on the vitamin C source first (instead of dumping iron into the body) AND in the meantime, get quality blood work to confirm that you are indeed anemic.

(PS: the body also needs the trace mineral copper to help the body utilize iron. No surprise, our super hero drink NingXia Red contains this trace mineral as do the YL dried wolfberries that are delicious to snack upon!)

Pitting of nails is interesting to me as I have seen it (as a farmgirl and amateur farrier) on some horse’s hooves. Horse people have a valid saying…. No hoof, no horse…. an astute horse owner looks at hooves just the way you are now learning to look at your nails!

This nail anomaly manifests itself as small dents or pits on the surface of the nail plate (not to be confused with the ridges we talked about in part II). Pitting may be associated with alopecia, psoriasis, and other connective tissue disorders. Essentially all of these are related to inflammation within the body. Key components to decreasing inflammation within the body are to eliminate foods and toxic chemicals which promote inflammation (gluten, processed foods, processed carbs and refined sugars immediately come to mind), and then to give the body the tools it needs so it can begin the supportive repair process. Omega 3’s ( OmegaGize3 comes to mind if your diet is not high in these), Vitamin D (Super D) and adequate sulfur (SulfurZyme) for supporting the health of connective tissue are quick and easy starter steps.
I probably have one more week on fingernails and then we’ll move on to another part of the body!

Hugs and love friends~ liz
(give me a shout if OmegGize, SulfurZyme, Super C and others are foreign words to you and I can walk you thru how to access them)

#caringissharing
#applicationofknowledgeispower
#keepaneyeonyourfingernails
#goodmedicine
#goodmedicineisknowingthyselfwell
#ThanksYL