How Gluten affects our bodies

Most people now think of Gluten-Free as the newest fad, like Atkins or Fat-Free or even the Paleo diet.

Unfortunately, there's more to being Gluten-Free than just a diet fad.

Gluten is actually very harmful to us and research is starting to show more and more studies that are PROVING Gluten is the cause of many of the Auto-immune, Skin and most Health-related diseases.  

Gluten is a protein found in grains, such as wheat, barley, and rye.  Gluten is a good source of protein, but many people are either sensitive or completely intolerant to it.

For those that are either sensitive or intolerant, Gluten can create what's called, Leaky Gut.  In sensitive people, Gluten causes the gut cells to release a protein which breaks apart the tight junctions that hold your intestines together.

Once these tight junctions break apart, the gut becomes leaky, which allows microbes, toxins and undigested food particles to escape from the intestines and travel through your body through the blood stream.

Here's some Gluten facts:

* 99% of people who are Gluten intolerant or have Celiac disease are NEVER diagnosed!

* About 15% of the US population are Gluten intolerant

The following symptoms are linked to Gluten:

1) Gas, Bloating, Diarrhea and Constipation 

2) Hormonal imbalances, such as PCOS, PMS or even infertility

3) Inflammation, joint pain or swelling

4) Anxiety, Depression or Mood swings and even ADD

5) Migraines

6) Hashimoto'syndrome, Rhumatoid arthritis, Ulcerative colitis, Lupus, Psoriasis, Eczema, Scleroderma or MS

7) Keratosis Pilaris (chicken skin on the backs of arms) or white bumps on the backs of arms

Now that we understand what Gluten intolerance or sensitivities cause in our bodies, how do we know if we are??

The best way is to implement an elimination diet.  This
means COMPLETELY eliminate Gluten for a minimum of 2-3 weeks!  

Gluten is a large protein, it may take more than 3 weeks for Gluten to completely be removed from your system.  If you can, try going longer than 3 weeks.

Here's the tricky part, even if you're not eating breads, pastas, or grains that contain gluten, sometimes there are still traces of Gluten hidden in these foods.  

When eating out, always ask for a Gluten-Free menu, because these items are NOT made with any gluten and if you tell the waiter you have a sensitivity, the chef will not contaminate the food.

Keep a food diary of not only the foods you're eating but also the way your body is feeling during this elimination period.

Once you've eliminated Gluten from your diet, slowly add in gluten.  For example on day 1, eat a small bowl of pasta for lunch.  See how you feel throughout the afternoon and evening. 

Again, keep notes in your food diary and note any changes or signs that you notice.  For example, do you feel better without eating Gluten??  More energy, no headaches, less fatigue, etc.

Or do you feel worse once re-introducing Gluten??  Bloated, gassy, stomach pains, headaches, fatigue, etc.

If you are still unsure, you can always have testing done from your doctor to see if you are sensitive or intolerant.

Any other questions, please feel free to email me: samanthaspagirl@yahoo.com

When was your last Skin Cancer check??

By now, most of us have seen the photograph of 27 year old Tawny Willoughby, the girl who's Facebook post went viral because of her Skin Cancer selfie.

Tawny was a typical teenager who went tanning (like most teens) to get a base tan before a trip, during the winter months (to avoid looking pasty-white) and before Prom's, Homecoming's and Weddings.  Willoughby said it was "normal to tan 4-5 days a week without thinking about the future or skin cancer then".

Unfortunately, at the age of 21, she was diagnosed with skin cancer and continues to get checks every 6-12months and each visit, she has at least 1 skin cancer lesion removed.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.  Exposure to tanning beds increases the risk of Melanoma, the deadliest form of Skin Cancer, according to the AAD.  The AAD also reports that more than 419,000 skin cancer cases diagnosed each year are linked to indoor tanning beds.

Read the rest of the CNN article

Now my question to you is when was YOUR last Dermatology appointment for a Skin Cancer check??

If you've never scheduled an appointment, do so immediately!!  There are hundreds in your area and I'm happy to pass my local Dermatologist info to you.  

I finally went this past summer for my first checkup.  Growing up in Chicago, my family frequently went to Florida over Thanksgiving, Mexico for Spring Breaks and spent the summers at my grandparents pool.

Sunscreen was NOT an option then and because I have olive skin, I rarely burned, so my mother never worried about applying sunscreen on me.

I will never forget the smell of Hawaiian Tropic Oil (with an SPF 2) that my mother swore by.  When I see it in her sunscreen bag, I yell at her.

Lastly, how old is your sunscreen??  Do you have bottles in your closet or pool/beach bag from last summer or even longer??  If so, throw it away!!!  The sunscreen ingredients are no longer effective or worse yet, can cause irritation or skin inflammation if you use these expired products.

As always, please feel free to email me with any questions or check out my website to know more about my facial services and how I work with clients internally to improve the way they look and feel on inside as well as outside.

Meet my Zits - Bob and Fred...

So it's true, I have 2 Zits and they are so ugly and nasty that I decided to have a little fun while they annoy me and I named them.  

The big nasty one on the bottom that is SOOO painful is Fred.  The smaller, less annoying, but more visible one, right above Fred, is Bob.

Bob and Fred came up because I was a bad girl and ate both Gluten AND Dairy over the weekend!!!!  

How do I know that food is my Acne trigger??

Because when I'm good and avoid both foods, my skin is clear and literally 2-3 days after eating something I'm not supposed to (because who wants to live a boring life??) I get new nasty friends pop up on my face!

Being an Esthetician, I do have the tools to minimize them, get rid of them and even hide them, but I'm human and do expose them to the world to see.

My point is this...

Do you have Acne or Rosacea???

Here are 3 steps to help you control your skin's inflammation...

Step 1:  Start a food diary and write down all your foods for 2 weeks straight.  Then at the bottom of each day, make a note of your skin.  Is your Acne or Rosacea flared up??  What foods did you eat.

With both Acne and Rosacea, the inflammation can come up as early as 2 days and as long as 1 week, depending on how sensitive you are to certain foods.

Step 2:  Go through your Food diary and see if you can find common foods that make you feel yucky or even are showing up regularly and can help you pin-point the inflammation.

Step 3: Once you find the culprit, do an elimination diet and for the next 2 weeks completely avoid the trigger food.  Also, keep a diary and make note of how your skin looks and feels.

What do I do if I don't know my trigger??

Start with Gluten (because gluten is highly inflammatory) and completely eliminate from your diet for 2 weeks.  It's hard for a few days, but you will find easy alternatives and you really won't miss it.

Then the following 2 weeks completely eliminate dairy from your diet and again, make note of any changes or improvements in your skin.

Some other common foods that trigger inflammation in the skin:
1) Peanuts
2) Eggs
3) Soy
4) SUGAR

Some great foods to substitute your diet:
1) Fresh fruit and veggies
2) Grass-fed beef and Organic chicken
3) Chia seeds

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me samanthaspagirl@yahoo.com

Also for more information about my services or to schedule a FREE consultation, visit my website.