I have wanted to write this blog post for a while, so let me start with a personal story. In 2016 I was working in Switzerland for a Family Office and my acne was probably at it's worst. I was studying for exams, working long hours at a really demanding job, in a long distance relationship, had just turned 26, moved to a new country where I had no friends or family around. I was essentially stressed to the max.
My boyfriend at the time would listen to me cry about how bad my skin was most days, and he would repeatedly say "This is all in your own head. Your skin isn't even that bad, but you focus on it, then obsess over it, then stress yourself out over it, then pick your spots then cry yourself to sleep. You need to break out of this cycle and realize you're actually creating this problem for yourself and stressing your skin out way more that it would be naturally".
I dismissed his opinion on my skin health as ludicrous (who actually listens to their boyfriend's skin advice, right?!) but I can now see that the man had a point.
My skin obsession led me to found Klarskin so no regrets - but if I had been a bit more chill I definitely wouldn't have struggled as much as I did. Once I began taking the OG Radiance Powder course and my skin started clearing up, I really addressed my stress levels and that's when everything changed for me. What helped me address the stress was understanding what it was really doing to my body. So here's my breakdown of everything I know, and a rare photo of me in Switzerland not crying about my skin:
We all know that stress is bad for us - but our bodies change when it's continuous. Our immune systems get very triggered by stress disrupting our hormones.
On top of this, there are plenty of endocrine (the glands which discrete our hormones into our bloodstream) disruptors in our natural environment today that can change the shape and function of our immune cells.
If you are continuously stressed out and don't take any steps to manage or 'let go' of this feeling, it can really wear on the body and overwhelm you over time.
Exhaustion is a big part of the hormonal disorders that we are seeing impact our immune system and responses too.
Ultimately chronic stress increases the amount of inflammation within the body, as this is the immune system's way of responding to this stress. As our bodies use micronutrients from food and supplements to create immune cells, these nutrients can directly cause changes in the functioning of immune cells thanks to their impact on the gut microbiome - where the majority of our immune system is regulated and found.
FIRST AND FOREMOST
Help the body recover from chronic stress by lowering inflammation and strengthening the immune system. The ultimate first step is a physical and proactive approach - take your time to actively calm your mind and body, focus on getting good quality sleep and take time out from regular life to heal.
Add some things into your every day that bring you peace, pleasure and calm. Walking, gardening, meditation, yoga can all reset your immune system physiologically.
Fuel your body with the right foods, focus on sleep, work on your mind, calm down and breathe.
THE NEXT STEPS
Stress is known to majorly deplete the levels of B vitamins in our bodies. Inflammation can cause an increase in our body's need for Folate (vitamin B9) and degrease Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (vitamin B6). Deficiencies in Vitamins B2 and B12 are known to cause hair loss, a symptom closely associated with stress. Upping your intake of a high quality B complex will support your body through these times. We always recommend the Radiance Powder as it contains Vitamins B1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12 in a potent dose, mixed with other raw materials meaning you are supplementing with a high quality and well absorbed B complex.
During times of extreme anxiety I use the Reforming Liquid alongside the Radiance Powder as it contains a bioavailable form of Vitamin C and Magnesium.
Nutrients such as Magnesium and Vitamin C support the heart, lungs, and muscles, and during infection nutrients will be quite literally directed to these areas and used up by the body to protect your tissues. You also have to consider that your Adrenal Glands will be working overtime to produce stress hormones such as Adrenalin and Cortisol so will be utilising Vitamin C to make sure this is getting done properly as part of that inflammatory response to infection. This is why I recommend taking both daily to support the body in the most sophisticated way.
Remember that time is a great healer, so don't expect your mentality and health to shift overnight. Small but consistent changes will make a big difference in as little as a week, but we suggest using the Journal to track your progress and set proper intentions in order to see exactly how much your body has changed over time, as it scientifically takes 28 days for your skin cells to regenerate.
