Happy Father's Day!
Saturday, June 16, 2012
HWTYLHMWLY
Happy Father's Day!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Acne and Diet Revisited
The literature shows that acne has clearly defined associations with consumption of Dairy (milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, etc.) and High glycemic index foods (refine sugars, simple carbohydrates). Here's why... Dairy products contain bovine hormones which increase your IGF-1 (a growth factor) which causes an increase in androgens (i.e. sex hormones like testosterone). Similarly, a rapid rise in blood sugar secondary to high glycemic index foods also increases IGF-1 and subsequently androgens. Androgens cause an increase in sebum production from the glands in your skin. This clogs your pores and allows for the acne bacteria to grow causing acne lesions. Many other foods have been studied in less detail.
Chocolate, or simply cocoa, has not shown to be associated with acne but perhaps the milk in milk chocolate or the sugar content could play a role in the activation of acne symptoms. Oily and fatty foods have not been studied in much detail and their role in acne is still uncertain.
So in summary, those who suffer from severe symptoms of acne should limit the intake of dairy, while supplementing with calcium and vitamin D, and refined sugars. Hope that helps! -B
Click here for Journal Article
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Warnings from the fine print.
For the party gals…
Acteaminophen (Tylenol and in some cold/flu meds)- no anti-inflammatory effects, just relief of pain and fever. This analgesic should not be used when drinking alcohol or for a hangover because it is metabolized through your liver and in the presence of alcohol can cause the build up of a toxic metabolite.
For the family planners…
NSAIDs- “Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs” – Naproxen (Aleve), Ibuprofen (Motrin), Aspirin, Meloxicam and Ketorolac. Used for fever, pain and inflammation. These are okay to use when drinking alcohol because they are metabolized through the kidneys. However… These should NOT be used in the last three months of pregnancy. All NSAIDs decrease prostaglandin levels that are important for the patency of a duct that shunts the blood away from the unformed lungs of a fetus.
For the hot mommas…
Aspirin (also an NSAID and a Salicylate) used for fever, pain and inflammation. This drug is most often used in a low dose for it’s anti-platelet effect for prevention of heart attacks and stroke. It can have negative effects in viral infections (i.e. the flu or chicken pox), especially in children. It can cause Reye’s syndrome (brain and liver dysfunction).
So…. Pay attention to the over-the-counter medicine labels, don’t mix drugs if you’re not sure about their side effects and try to remember these 3 things when it comes to OTC pain relievers.
1. Tylenol and alcohol don’t mix.
2. You can’t drink when you’re pregnant but you can use Tylenol. (Forget everything else).
3. Chicken pox and the childhood flu only get worse with Aspirin.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
It's all about the presentation!
I went over to my parents’ house the other day for a casual Sunday dinner … As I walk in the door I am greeted by an impeccable cheese tray (appe-teaser!) and a dining room table that looked like something from a magazine.
Just my parents and I, but the setting made an atmosphere and the atmosphere made dinner an occasion and the food, well it was delicious!
So here’s what you need to throw together a gorgeous cheese tray, no cooking required, and have your Sunday dinner guests talking about your mad hostess skills…
• Variety of cheeses. I like Smoked Gouda, Brie and Goat Cheese (or simply Cream Cheese if you prefer). It is nice to go ahead and slice the harder cheeses (Gouda) but the others you can simply toss on a decorative knife (less work, very chique).
• Fruit. Dried Figs (Sun-maid sells them in a red bag), sliced Apples (great with the Smoked Gouda), and/or Grapes.
• Nuts. Almonds I have found are pretty universally liked and a safe bet. Walnuts, cashews, etc. Really anything except peanuts (unless you’re at a ballpark).
• Meat. Prosciutto is lovely but hard to find and pricey. Hard Salami is a nice flavor but difficult to chew so be sure to make it into thin slices.
• Crackers. A water cracker with minimal flavor is ideal. Stay away from the sweet (Club or Wheat thins) and the salty (Saltines and Triscuits) that could take away from your other flavors. You can also substitute crackers for thinly sliced French bread (more work).
You can add, delete or change these items to suit your taste. I wouldn’t recommend anything that needs to be heated or cooked and nothing that creates juice (olives, etc.) or waste (i.e. strawberries unless you remove the leaves first).
Once you’ve got everything you need, find a nice tray or even a wooden cutting board to display it on. Step back and make sure you can see a little bit of everything. It’s okay to save some in the fridge to refill later because I’ll tell you if it looks good, it will be eaten!!!
More on how to set a gorgeous table later… perhaps I’ll let the queen-bee blog that one herself…
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
From the inside out...
I've been doing a little acne research for my summer internship and before I tell you what the experts say I want to tell you about my experience.
Through years of treatment with antibiotics, retinoic acid, proactive, Oxy10, salicylic acid… I finally had my acne situation under control, livable, no longer embarrassing.
Then I started medical school last fall and HELLO, PIZZAH FACE! I’m not kidding. I was feeding my stress with Diet Coke, lots and lots of Diet Coke, and candy, lots and lots of candy. But the zits kept coming and I was MORTIFIED!
So I tagged along with my mom to her “Women’s Health Doctor” who said she could help.Apparently, the artificial sweeteners (aspartame) in Diet Coke and the corn syrup & partial hydrogenated oils in the Laffy Taffy were feeding the normal flora in my intestine. The bad bacteria/yeasts were overgrowing the good bacteria in my gut and being absorbed into my blood stream… Well, who knows if that is true? It is still a theory of debate in the medical world because the organism of focus (Candida) is a yeast that typically only manifests symptoms in people would are severely immunocompromised (AIDS, cancer, & transplant patients). That being said, the following suggestions are not based on research (more to come on that) but rather my own personal experience.
I was desperate. I followed the doctors orders, got rid of the candy, chips, and diet coke (completely). I moved on to tea and water, lost the candy and a few lbs. She also told me to take 2 probiotic pills a day. Two weeks later I noticed a difference in my skin. After four weeks it was completely cleared up. Six weeks later I tapered myself off the probiotics and could have a diet coke every once in a while without any problem.
This past year I went back to drinking Diet Coke a lot more frequently and noticed the acne coming back (not as bad, Thank goodness!). Once again, I took probiotics and went back to drinking water… And my face is clear again!
Let me break it down for you…
1. DRINK LOTS OF WATER!
2. Stop Drinking Diet Drinks or anything with an artificial sweetener (including Splenda, Sweet’n’low, Equal, etc.)
3. Real Sugar is okay. (Sucrose, Dextrose, & Fructose in fruits)
4. No highly processed foods (chips, crackers, sugary-cereals, cookies, etc.)
5. No candy. Especially the fruity/sticky/gummy ones.
6. Dark chocolate is okay in moderation.
7. Choose the organic, natural and/or whole grain varieties of your breads, snacks, and cereals
8. If you think you might have a yeast allergy, consider cutting bread and beer out of your diet for a few weeks.
9. And probiotics, a couple capsules a day will keep the acne away!
So if you’ve tried everything and still can’t figure out your acne situation, try this. But you have to be serious to see results! Good Luck!