Skin Beautiful Check your hormones

Is your skin a mess? Are you blaming it on that chocolate? Don't! It could be your hormones…

Hormones change our skin as we age and Andrea Hepner from Period Pain.com.au has provided advice about keeping our skin beautiful by managing our hormones.

To find out more about your hormones and the vital role they play in your body as well as to find a professional complementary healthcare practitioner visit www.tellmeabouthormones.com.au. The website contains credible, easy to read information to help educate you about hormones, the role they play in our health and the importance of consulting a professional complementary healthcare practitioner who can assess your hormone health and advise of a suitable complementary treatment plan.

Interview with Andrea Hepner

The Period Pain Guru and Naturopath, Andrea Hepner has been helping women who experience period pain and related symptoms for many years. She is also a specialist in hormonal imbalance and fertility issues. To contact Andrea Hepner for treatment call 1300 21 44 25 or go to www.periodpain.com.au

In general, how do our hormones affect our skin?

Andrea Hepner: Our skin is the largest organ of our body. Often our skin is a reflection of what is happening on the inside of our body and there can be many different causes of skin problems. Hormone imbalances are one of the possible causes.

Lower than normal progesterone levels can be linked with acne around the jaw line, especially before your period. If you experience cystic acne around the jaw line, you may need to do a detox with your naturopath, as well as looking at your hormone levels. It is important to see a fully qualified naturopath to do a detox, so that it can be specifically aimed at your problem.


How Do I know if I Have Lower Than Normal Progesterone Levels?

Andrea Hepner: It is important to do a Saliva Hormone Test to find out exactly where your hormone levels are. A Saliva Hormone Test differs from a blood test because it shows mild and moderate symptoms that may not be seen in a blood test. Ask your naturopath about doing a Saliva Hormone Test.

If your progesterone levels are lower than normal, herbs in a blend of vitex, and perilla can help to improve progesterone levels. Vitex agnus-castus can help to stimulate the body to make more progesterone, while Petroselinum crispum, commonly known as parsley and Perilla frutescens help to prevent the breakdown of progesterone that is already made. If you bleed heavily during your period, you need to be careful with parsley.

Vitamin A, which is naturally found in carrots, is important to make not only progesterone, but all hormones. Often we don't eat enough carrots, so make sure you eat carrot a couple of times a week. It will help to improve hormone production.

Oestrogen also plays a role in the elasticity of your skin. If you become low in oestrogen, your collagen levels lower. Collagen is a substance that gives your skin plumpness and that healthy look. Women going through menopause, or are post menopausal, are usually low in oestrogen. Adipose tissue increase oestrogen production, so being underweight can also lead to lower levels of oestrogen.


How does diet affect our skin and how can we use food to improve our skin?

Andrea Hepner: For women who are underweight, it is important to have more good fat in their diet- Nuts and Seeds, Avocado, Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Flaxseed oil (but don't heat flaxseed oil- keep it in the fridge).

Having good oil's in your diet will help your skin to glow, as well as help you to make hormones. People who have been on low fat diets for many years tend to have less collagen and more wrinkles.

For menopausal women, it may be worth trying some phytoestrogens, although it is best to talk to your naturopath, as each person is different.

Other nutrients that can help to produce collagen include lysine, proline, glycine, zinc, copper and Vitamin C. It is important to take these nutrients in the right amounts for the right amount of time.


How can naturopaths help with our skin issues?

Andrea Hepner: No matter what your skin issues are, your naturopath can tailor a skin care plan to your needs. This means that you won't have to have a 'hit and miss' approach like at the healthfood store. Practitioner-Only formulas are a lot more balanced and absorbed a lot better than ones you will find in a health food shop.

There is now an understanding that organic food has more nutrients in it than supermarket food. The same goes for supplements. A supplement in a health food shop is not as well absorbed as one given to you by your naturopath.

See your naturopath, and have the most amazing looking skin today!


Interview by Brooke Hunter