** I’m going to start with a disclaimer – I’m not a doctor. I’m not a nutritionist. I’m not a professional. I’m just stubborn. I knew that I could find what worked best for my body and my skin once I came off the pill with sheer determination and grit. I tried lots of different things, but this is what I found that works best for me. You’re obviously welcome to try anything that I did or ask any questions that you have, but I can’t guarantee the same results. We are all so unique, which also makes us all so different. So without further ado...
A little backstory to start us off. I had a very regular period from when I first started in middle school all the way through college. I was an athlete and was very active, and the worst symptoms I ever had with some minor cramping and small breakouts. I started birth-control not long after I got engaged as a preventative measure for pregnancy. Nobody really talked to me about birth control – including options beyond the pill or side effects from going on and off of it. I didn’t know I wanted something that was low hormone dosage, so I asked my dad, the pharmacist, for advice & chose one from there.
I was on the pill for just under four years altogether. I want to pause right here and say that I am in no way, shape, or form against birth-control. It has a purpose. Do your research, talk to you doctor & choose the option that is best for you. I just got to a point where I was eliminating toxins from my home (through choosing plant based cleaners & hygiene products), and I started to take stock of what I was putting in my body, not just on it. I did a little research on the pill I was taking & just decided it wasn’t benefiting my body in any way except keeping me from getting pregnant. Since there are other ways to prevent pregnancy, I talked to my husband & stopped taking it.
Now this is where the fun starts — I went through some hormonal changes during the transition off of the pill, but the one that stuck around longer than a month or two was cystic acne. All down the sides of my chin I was breaking out pretty much all the time. I started doing some research on what could be causing this and that is when I realized it was due to coming off the pill.
I tried lots of different things including very expensive skin care routine’s, but I’m going to share the few things that I found worked best for me long-term. These are the things that I truly believe made people start commenting on how clear my skin is.
Eat More Plants — Do not get me wrong here, I don’t really love vegetables, but I love chocolate and chips and salsa. I’m not saying that your whole diet has to be vegetables, but definitely add some more in. One easy way that I get two servings of vegetables to start out my morning is by adding two large handfuls of spinach to my morning protein smoothie.
Less Processed Foods — Again, this is not always possible at all times – that is why I just said less and not avoid. When possible, choose fresh/frozen produce, nuts, meat, etc.
Drink More Water — You have to wean yourself into this one, but you should be drinking at least half your body weight in ounces of water every day. I usually aim for about 3/4 of my body weight, but start with at least half. If you hate water, add some drops of oils or fresh fruit or BCAAs to help it go down a little easier. Your skin & your body will thank you.
Supplements — you’ll notice that I always say “as necessary.” Supplements are really only to be used in addition to a healthy diet (see above statements). But I have found that taking a women’s multivitamin and a probiotic are really great for me. During high times like flu season, I also work in some vitamin C and elderberry.
Non-toxic skin care/make up — I spent so much money on skin care products that were sent to clear up your skin. One day I took a step back and realize that if I was taking toxic chemicals out of all of my cleaning supplies and hygiene items while also trying to choose healthy foods, then why was I using face wash and toner full of chemicals & fragrance?! So I added the ART line from Young Living to my next ER order and I’m never going back. I wasn’t immediately satisfied but I’m pretty sure that it was my body detoxing all of the chemicals. After about a month, my face has never been clearer.
Gut Health — Got health is so important and is one of the main reasons that I take a probiotic each day. I also try to drink kombucha, or eight other fermented foods which help with gut health. If you’ve never done any research on how to have a healthy gut, I encourage you to take a few minutes and do that. You will be amazed at what your gut health effects with your overall health.
** Along with this, I also started drinking Ningxia daily, which is a drink rich in antioxidants!
Bottom line, I changed the six things over the period of about six months. I am two months into these being a part of my daily routine and my skin has never looked better. Like I said before, no guarantee this works for you, but I can almost guarantee it isn’t going to hurt. If you have any questions, please let me know below in the comments.
Xoxo,
Marc
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