Guest author by Toni Baker, a Functional Medicine Practitioner, Naturopath, Herbalist, Nutritionist and Homeopath at Balanced Living Asia & Hotties.
Learn more or book a session with Toni Baker, here.
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It is with great pleasure that we can share this space with like-minded professionals to illuminate some of our most curious topics. This April, we invite Toni Baker to share her professional opinion on all things skin!
Originally from the UK, Toni is an Australian trained Functional Medicine Practitioner, Naturopath, Herbalist, Nutritionist and Homeopath and has been practising for over 20 years in some of Sydney's top naturopathic clinics and also within her own business in Australia, Path Naturopathy. Toni has now been practising at Balanced Living here in Singapore for over a year and is seeing clients both in-clinic and virtually.
Toni spent a great deal of her clinical experience in one of Sydney’s top clinics, which specialises in thyroid, adrenal and hormonal health, which has naturally led to becoming a speciality for her. She also has a vast interest in gut health and believes that the gut is the support for the rest of the body, including your skin!
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So, what does your skin say about your overall health?
Let’s face it, we all want that beautiful, healthy, glowing skin, no matter what age we are, so what we put onto our skin is as important as what we put into our bodies!
Just one look at someone can often tell you their age, habits and overall health! Our skin is our largest organ, vital for protecting us from the sun’s rays and any harmful substances you may come into contact with. It also helps us with temperature control, vitamin production (hello Vitamin D) and immune defence.
In a world where we are bombarded with an over-exposure to toxins such as alcohol, prescription drugs and environmental pollutants, it’s no surprise that we are all becoming increasingly aware of the vast role detoxification plays in our skin health and well-being.
The Mind-Body Connection & Organs of Detoxification
Our main organs of detoxification include the lungs, the skin, and the digestive tract, but also essential organs to our well-being are the liver and kidneys. If our detoxification pathways are not working well, our skin will start to suffer and, as a result, activate common symptoms such as acne, dull and dry skin, itchy skin and conditions like eczema and psoriasis. It becomes crucial to work on our overall health whilst using a beautiful clean skincare range for support.
On top of that, have you ever thought about how your mental and emotional well-being can affect your skin -- and vice versa? The mind-body connection or mind-skin connection is real. If we can use beautiful and naturally gentle products on our skin and surroundings that have a real connection to our senses, we are much more likely to sleep better and wake up looking refreshed. For this, I would look to OSEA’s Vagus Nerve Pillow Mist – a beautiful blend of herbs and oils, including Rosemary and Lavender, which will give you your best beauty sleep.
Stress plays a significant role in our skin and cell regeneration. High cortisol levels can cause increased sebum production leading to blocked pores and acne breakouts. – a great product to pair with the mist is OSEA’s Vagus Nerve Oil. A gentle but effective oil that activates the body’s relaxation response and helps regulate stress. Gently put a couple of drops of Vagus Nerve Oil into your hands, rub them together, and breathe in. Lightly massage in a circular motion along both sides of your neck and behind your earlobes.
Not to mention, that Victoria Beckam as well as Helen, founder of Pure Tincture and her clients swear by the Vagus Nerve Oil!
If you prefer something to consume internally, you can try The Organic Pharmacy Relax Tincture, which has a gorgeous blend of adaptogenic herbs such as Ashwagandha, Holy Basil and Siberian Ginseng. Known to restore your nervous system, helping your body cope better with stress – just take 10–15 drops in water daily whenever you need the extra support. You can be assured that it is there to support you gently, rather than it being something you need to heavily rely on! In other words, it is a non-addictive support to your night time rituals!
My Top Tips For Skin Health
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Stay hydrated – start by drinking clean filtered water and lots of it!
- Avoid too much sun, coffee and alcohol as these can dehydrate the skin.
- Eat plenty of good fats to get your Omega 3 levels up – think oily fish, avocado, nuts and seeds, and bone broth. Plus, your skin loves leafy greens! Look at removing inflammatory foods such as sugar, gluten and dairy as much as possible!
- Look at supporting your skin health with supplements such as Vitamins D, A, C and E plus a good B-Complex containing Biotin. A multi-vitamin is excellent to get all your essential vitamins and skin-loving minerals such as zinc and selenium. If you’re not getting enough in your diet, take an Omega 3/6 supplement and a good collagen supplement.
- Support your sleep with a Magnesium Glycinate taken at night combined with a good sleep hygiene routine.
- Support your stress levels, meditate, pray, take a yoga class, go for a walk in nature and look at supporting with some adrenal nourishing adaptogenic herbs.
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If you are struggling with skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, or any rashes, take a closer look at your gut health to get to the root. Maybe look at doing an intensive stool test to look for any pathogens in your gut. You can book a session with me, here.
- Support your liver with an anti-inflammatory supplement such as turmeric and a liver regenerating herb like St Mary’s Thistle.
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Use clean natural skincare that is free of chemicals and sustainably produced. Conventional skincare products can be damaging throughout their entire life cycles, from the way they are made and used by consumers to the methods of their disposal, generating a largely negative impact on the environment. Harsh chemicals in skincare brands can also cause serious gut issues such as ‘leaky gut’. Use clean natural skincare that is free of chemicals and sustainably produced.
By becoming more educated and mindful of what we put in our bodies and on our skin, we should all be able to achieve that much-desired gorgeous skin and be glowing inside and out!
Seeking some guidance on how to improve your skincare rituals, or unsure if what you are using is all that beneficial for you? Fret not; the Pure Tincture team are here to help you make the switch with their new initiative — Clean Beauty Swap.
Just bring in some of your conventional must-haves, and their trained therapists will work with you one-on-one to find the perfect clean alternatives suited to your skin!
Recommended Products for Deep Rest & Great Skin:
