Now that we've addressed the magical things that helped me speed up my skin healing externally (as I simultaneously worked on healing the root of the problem), it's time to chat about what effectively helped me detox from The Pill and get my body back into balance.

Skin problems are a reflection of things being off internally, and the fact that my skin had changed into something completely foreign to me overnight was a sure sign that I had LOTS of wacky stuff going on inside.

As I mentioned in Part 1 of this post, not only did I start getting constant breakouts after I ditched The Pill, I started experiencing strong PMS symptoms each month (which I never dealt with before), and I felt like I was completely out of control of my emotions. To the point that I was crying for no reason and feeling intense bursts of frustration at nothing - I was a blast to be around!

So for the sake of my sanity and the well-being of peeps around me - I needed to get my hormones back in check - and quick. "Quick" of course being a relative term as there's no quick-fix for this type of thing - "efficiently" is probably more appropriate.

The other not-fun thing about hormone imbalance (besides these obvious symptoms I was experiencing) is that, if unaddressed, it can result in some serious health problems on a deeper level. I can't tell you how many women I've encountered over the past few years who are struggling from some version of a hormone-related condition that affects their everyday lives in huge ways.

Seriously, if you're experiencing mysterious health issues - get your hormone levels checked.Hormones (produced by our endocrine glands) are incredibly powerful chemical messengers that allow parts of the body to communicate. In short, an endocrine gland will release a hormone, which will then circulate throughout the bloodstream until it reaches it's destination - a hormone receptor.

Once it reaches the receptor it starts a chain reaction - regulating so many important functions within the body like mood, brain performance, cell and tissue growth, skin health, metabolism, energy, sex drive, sleep, weight, fertility, hunger/thirst, body temperature, the list goes on.Before I jump into the top 5 things that worked for me, I want to quickly highlight a couple of things that are super important for everyone across the board - whether you're experiencing hormone imbalance issues or not: consistently supporting your gut health, and removing toxic products from your life.

The health of our gut is intimately linked to the health of the rest of our body - meaning that if our digestive system is imbalanced, it's impossible to achieve optimal wellness. It's all about learning to love up your gut on a daily basis. Some of my favorite ways to do this: daily ACV shots, digestive enzymes + probiotics, fermented drinks/foods, herbs (like triphala), bone broth, and healthy fats (I'll highlight some of my fav fats below).

As for toxic products (more info here) - pretty much all commercial cosmetics, cleaning products, air fresheners/candles, etc. are full of harmful chemicals and absolutely wreak havoc on our endocrine system (not to mention the rest of our body), and it's so important to replace them with non-toxic alternatives whenever possible.

For more info, check out this post on endocrine disruptors by EWG, because, as they mention, "There is no end to the tricks that endocrine disruptors can play on our bodies: increasing production of certain hormones; decreasing production of others; imitating hormones; turning one hormone into another; interfering with hormone signaling; telling cells to die prematurely; competing with essential nutrients; binding to essential hormones; accumulating in organs that produce hormones."Anywho, pulling myself back from going on a toxin tangent! My criteria when deciding what to try on my hormone-balancing quest - everything had to be something that I could sustainably integrate into my lifestyle and was completely non-toxic. Simplification and detoxification at its essence.I wanted to ensure I gave my body the proper tools to achieve balance on its own (as it's meant to do) - and I didn't want to try too many things at once because I wanted to be able to pinpoint exactly what was working.I recently had my first appointment with a new holistic doctor, and after describing my journey over the past year and the progress I've made she just looked at me, surprised, and told me it sounds like I figured out a way to rebalance my hormones on my own. We had blood tests done to confirm - and yup, my hormone levels are back to normal.

Now, onto the good stuff!

1. Acupuncture

Weekly acupuncture appointments for about 2 months were essential in this whole process - it was the best (non-invasive, non-toxic) way I could get a pulse on the imbalances throughout my whole body and address them all at once. Not only was my acupuncturist able to work directly on my endocrine system, but he also worked on balancing everything else that was out of whack (liver, kidneys, blood, etc.) - including decreasing my stress levels, which is huge in terms of overall health.If you live south of Boston and need an amazing acupuncturist, shoot me an email and I'll connect you with him. He is the bomb.

2. Ashwagandha

This jar of magic is filled with ashwagandha, an adaptogenic herb widely used in Ayurveda. Adaptogens help the body adapt to stress and bring harmony to the body's systems and processes. This herb in particular is incredible for balancing hormones because it improves thyroid + adrenal function. I blend this up with a few other herbs, virgin coconut oil, coconut milk, and hot water every morning and drink it as a tea (or a "potion", if you will). When I started this a few months ago it really kicked my healing into high-gear.

3. Clary Calm

Even though I apply this essential oil blend externally, it's absorbed into the bloodstream within 30 seconds and services every cell of the body within 30 minutes - so it's really more of an internal solution. Clary Calm is a blend of Clary Sage, Lavender, Bergamot, Roman Chamomile, Cedarwood, Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Fennel, Carrot, Palmarosa, and Vitex essential oils. It's geared towards supporting women with balancing hormones (and their resulting monthly concerns), and it comes in a roller bottle so it's easy to apply a swipe each morning and night.

4. Healthy Fats

Oh fats, how I love you so. Healthy fats are the building blocks for hormone production, so they're incredibly important. This past year I have majorly upped my fat intake and it's made a world of difference. I want to note that not all fats are created equal, and it's crucial to focus on consuming the ones that are beneficial. My fav's include virgin coconut oil, avocados, EVOO, chia seeds, and grass-fed ghee + butter - and I include them in my meals whenever possible (make sure to avoid the gross stuff like canola oil, soy oil, vegetable oil, peanut oil, margarine, etc.). The best part is you can sneak these healthy fats into pretty much every meal - they really mesh with everything - so it's super easy to integrate them into your daily life.

5. Mindful Self-Care

When it comes to any wellness journey, self-care is the name of the freakin' game - and balancing hormones is no exception. Consistent meditation, sleep (8 hours or more), yoga, walking, and rebounding are all essential parts of my life. They're so important that I actually put them in my calendar as non-negotiable self-care time so I make them a priority. Having a steady self-care practice allows me to get in touch with my body + intuition, stay more mindful throughout my days, stimulate my lymphatic system + detoxification channels, allow my body to rest + renew itself, decrease stress, improve my mood, and increase energy. All of these things contribute positively to hormone balance (and a happy life in general). Lots of hormones are actually generated and released while you sleep - so that's a biggie!

Questions about essential oils? Drop me a line via the "Let's Connect" button at the bottom of this page.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. The information contained on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease.

Healing Hormonal Acne - Part 2