DIY Skincare and Hormone Updates

Hi just thought I’d share some more info that I have found.  Thanks to everyone who has left comments!  I learning about making my own skincare products at the moment.  I have bought some of the natural stuff and everything seems fine enough but a little bland.  For example I like Tesco’s Bnatural range but its quite plain.  Some of the paraben-free stuff costs a fortune too. I was intrigued by an article that I read about Jo Fairley who wrote the Beauty Bible which I love.  She has now written a book packed with recipes which sound really interesting. Here is the article that I found

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/the-diy-beauty-brand-1315569.html

Unfortunately the writer doesnt say what she thought of the stuff that she made. But I am really intrigued!  Has anyone else tried this approach? Any tips? 

On the candida side of things I thought I ought to explan further that my naturopath uses a combination of homeopathy, kineseology, acupunture and reflexology.  The first two are used to diagnose the cause of problems.  Its very impressive! But he also has medical knowledge which is essential.  My candida is now ‘low’ and the tests confirmed this but he stressed that the conditions within my body would mean that if I eat anything which will need the candida then it will immediately flourish.  He is right!  I have eaten tiny quantities of ‘bad’ food and straight away my symptoms are back (wind, bloating etc).  So I am sticking to the diet while trying to balance my hormones.  Interestingly Dr Mercola believes that to balance estrogen and progesterone you need to first balance the adrenal glands.  This can be done by reducing stress and having early nights. Whoops! I think he is right as I went for a whole year (on the pill) yet Candida-free and I ate anything I wanted.  But I was very relaxed, went to meditation classes and I was in bed by 10pm each night so I think that all helped.  I am trying to do the same again (failed miserably this week though).  Still its 9.45pm so I’m off to bed!

Good night, Katie x

Candida and Hormones

I have been doing more investigations into candida and with the help of my naturopath have realised that hormones are playing a large part in encouraging the candida. I have been the contraceptive pill for medical reasons for about 20 years and I am lactose intolerant so I have been drinking soya milk for about 10 years.  Last year my GP decided to change my Pill to Cilest. Goodness knows why now as I can practically pinpoint the date as my candida came back instantly and it has been difficult to shake off.   I was unaware that oestrogen (spelt estrogen in the US) and progesterone can promote candida growth.  Soya (spelt soy in the US) milk is also a complete no-no for candida sufferers apparently though this is new news to me.  I’m really shocked. I’ve been trying so hard to stick to the diet, destress, vary my anti-candida supplements and generally take stock of my whole life to see where I am going ‘wrong’ and it turns out its the soya milk and Pill!

So I am now considering a return to dairy milk (yuck!) but I’ll have to take lactase or the lacto-free version.  And I have to come off Cilest as soon as I can.  

I have found this interesting article from the National Candida Society concerning candida and hormones http://www.candida-society.org/ncs/digestv1i3.htm  It reminded me that Mandy Smith (then Bill Wyman’s wife) was the first UK public person reported in the press to be suffering from candida, which was attributed to her continuous use of the contraceptive pill from puberty.  I remember reading about her and I was shocked at how thin and ill she became.  Now I’m in the same situation and its quite shocking.  Anyway this page from the NCS has an important section called ‘Steps to Recovery’ which I recommend.

I’ll let you all know how I get on!