If you’re dealing with breakouts, I’m almost sure you’ve tried everything on the face of the earth to find a permanent solution. And I get how frustrating it’s to wake up in the morning with a new blemish.

Over 10 years ago, I was in your shoes.

Nothing seemed to give me clear skin PERMANENTLY. I tried antibiotics, topical creams and even diuretics. Until I gave birth control pills a change and voila! My skin began to get clear up. – The problem was that I had to depend on the pill to prevent breakouts and few years after my skin got worse. – The relief was only temporary.

So after being on the pill for years and dealing with constipation, bloating, lack  of energy, massive sugar cravings, problems managing my weight and low self-esteem, I decided to take matters into my own hands and take control of my body and health. 

When I began to heal from within (meaning focusing on my gut health), getting off the pill was a MUST.

The pill affects the immune system making us more problem to disease. It also feeds opportunistic organisms in the gut, and when there’s imbalance in the gut flora, we can start seeing its effects on the skin.

REMEMBER: The skin is simply a reflection of your gut health .

Although going off the pill was necessary, I was worried I was going to start breaking out again. But I had to give nature a chance because at this point I had nothing to lose.

So I began to wean off the pill and supporting my gut health at the same time. 

To my surprise, my skin remained clear even after I was completely off the pill.

It’s been almost a decade since acne became part of my past and if you’re suffering with your skin, I want you to know that YOU CAN also heal naturally. Trust your body!

This is the same protocol I followed & used with clients, but it’s important to support the gut before, during and after the protocol to avoid breakouts.

THE PROTOCOL

Before getting off the pill 

Two (or more) weeks before you wean off of the pill, start supporting the gut:

• Probiotics will help repopulate the gut with healthy bacteria. Remember that the gut and the skin are intimately related. Click here to see the probiotics I recommend. The quality of the probiotics is a MUST! Also add probiotic rich foods such as kefir and kombucha to your daily nutrition.
• If you’re dealing with acne, I’m sure you’re familiar with Accutane, but if you aren’t, it’s a synthetic form of vitamin A prescribed for acne sufferers which can cause liver damage, depression, mood changes and muscle pain. Cod Liver Oil is a natural source of Vitamin A without nasty side effects. Just make sure you CLO is of good quality.
• Magnesium is an essential mineral for many functions in the body and for healthy skin. Unfortunately, due to our soils being so depleted of nutrients, it’s hard to obtain optimum amounts of this important mineral from food alone. So supplementing is important. Make sure your supplements are of good quality.
• Bone broth: This abundant source of collagen will support the health of the skin and gut while helping reduce inflammation. Read my “Miraculous Food For the Skin” to learn how to make bone broth at home.  As an alternative you can use collagen powder which you can mix in teas, smoothies and water.

Keep in mind that this goes along with a nutrient diet, which includes:

• Reducing sugars
• Adding healthy fats
• Adding probiotic rich foods – kombucha (learn to make it here or buy it at your local grocery stores) and raw kefir . Check this yummy recipe using kefir.
• Eliminating vegetable oils – Instead use butter, coconut oil or ghee for cooking.
• Staying hydrated – at least 8 glasses of water a day.

While Getting Off the Pill 

• After two weeks you’ve started taking the recommended supplements, start taking only 2/3 of the pill for two weeks.
• Two weeks after that take 1/3 of the pill continue supporting your gut with supplements and clean nutrition.

After Completely Off the Pill

Make sure to continue supporting your gut and continue with a healthy nutrition.  If you’re wondering what to eat, sign up to my upcoming free online class check my recipes , get a copy of my book “Healthy Gut Happy You” ,  join my newsletter or follow me on facebook / instagram

Become aware of what you put on your body every single day

Consider switching to safer skincare and cosmetics.

Most beauty products in the market contain harmful and harsh substances such as phthalates, fragrance, heavy metals that directly affect hormonal balance and gut health. (Watch this video)

I encourage you to try clean beauty so your products don’t interfere with your healing process.

My clients who are treating acne by healing their gut also find Countercontrol to be a great addition. It’s a powerful regimen for oily and blemish-prone skin that mattifies and clears without dryness and irritation. – I wish I had this available when I was healing my skin. Instead, I only had access to retin A, Benzoyl peroxide and other harmful ingredients that have left my skin feeling very thin and more prone to aging.

Another favorite, which is a great addition to Countercontrol is the Balancing Facial Mask – Made with charcoal to purify and balance the skin, absorbs excess oil, draws out impurities and detoxifies pores and purified skin. Use it 2-3 times a week for 10 minutes.

And last but not least, Countersun, it’s a great sunscreen free of hormone-disrupting substances, doesn’t clog pores and applies nicely without leaving your skin feeling greasy.

I recommend exposing yourself to the sun at least 15-20 minutes a day to help your body produce Vitamin D – essential for healthy skin. But because of the damaged I caused my skin with so many harmful chemicals, I have to be careful with UVB rays aka aging rays which penetrate clouds and glass and Bluelight from cellphones and laptops which also have damaging effects on the skin.

No matter how you feel today, have the certainty that YOU HAVE THE POWER to heal. Your body is always trying to help, you just need to listen.

I’m here for you if you have questions.

With so much love and gratitude,