Clear Skin Foundations: Unveiling the Hydration-Skin Connection with Dr. Stacey Shillington ND

Are you tired of relentless acne treatments that never seem to work? Let me, Dr. Stacey Shillington ND, introduce you to a holistic strategy that could be your skin's salvation. My own acne journey propelled me into the realm of naturopathic medicine, and now I'm sharing those insights with you. We'll start at the foundation of well-being—hydration. But I'm not just talking about chugging water; it's about understanding the symbiotic relationship between hydration, your lymphatic system, and your skin. Prepare to be enlightened on how to keep your skin nourished and clear, and why that glass of water isn't always the cure-all we've been led to believe.

In our latest episode, I unveil the secrets behind my personal morning hydration tonic—a power-packed potion that blends warm filtered water, a pinch of high-quality sea salt, and a splash of citrus. It's not just about what you drink, though; I explore the importance of electrolyte balance, the perils of dehydrating beverages, and the power of fresh organic produce and targeted mineral supplementation. By focusing on the often overlooked element of potassium, and with a touch of dedication to your new routine, you'll notice a transformation not just in your complexion, but in your overall vitality. Join us as we guide you on a journey to clearer, more radiant skin with practical hydration hacks that go beyond the basic advice.

Interested in my new Clear Skin Group Program? Click here to learn more!

Click here to watch my FREE Clear Skin Masterclass and learn more about the 4 pillars of clear skin and my top tips to heal acne for good.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to Naturopathic Beauty's Clear Skin Sessions, where we heal your acne from the inside out. Hello, beauties, and welcome. I'm Dr Stacey Shillington, naturopathic Doctor, and it is my complete pleasure to be able to guide you on your clear skin journey. I know, when most of us first start to experience acne, the first thing that we do is we go on Google, we go on social media trying to figure out what to do to get rid of the acne, and often it's overwhelming. There's so much information out there it's impossible to know where to start. I'm a naturopathic doctor. I've been helping women and people from all around the world heal their acne for over 18 years, so I really understand acne. I know how to solve it. I've pretty much seen everything, and this podcast is designed to help you on your clear skin journey. I want to share with you what I know so that this journey doesn't seem quite as overwhelming for you, because acne can be healed. There's no reason in this day and age why anybody has to suffer from acne, but it does involve healing your body from the inside out, and I want to show you how to do that, simply, step by step, one thing at a time, and that's what this podcast is designed to do so.

Speaker 1: 1:22

My story I've personally suffered with acne. I didn't really, you know, experience really deep, inflamed cystic acne until my late twenties when I went off the pill my skin exploded in acne and you know, it really changed my personality. I went from being confident and outgoing to somebody that just wanted to curl up in the fetal position and not see anybody at all because I was so embarrassed about my skin. But my journey led me to become a naturopathic doctor, specifically so I could learn how to heal my skin and consequently, I've been able to help thousands of people do the same throughout my career and I'm so grateful for my acne in the end because of where it led me.

Speaker 1: 2:08

So where do you start? Where do you start on your clear skin journey? And I know it seems complicated at the outset, and that's because acne is complicated. It's a complex medical condition and it's not something that can be solved with a single supplement, a single medication or even a simple skincare product. If it was simple to solve, we'd all be walking around with clear, glowing skin. But the fact is there are different steps that are involved in solving acne completely. So you don't have to deal with it anymore and you know, by incorporating one thing at a time, you will get there. Now, often you do have to work with a healthcare professional, because there can be deep infections that need to be addressed, there can be difficulties detoxifying, there can be nutritional imbalances and difficulties with digestion and hormonal imbalances. I mean, all of these things can contribute to a picture of acne. All of these things can contribute to a picture of acne.

Speaker 1: 3:04

So I do suggest that you work with somebody, but while you're doing that, let's start with the basics. Let's start with hydration, with exercise, with nutritious food and with great sleep. We want to lay a foundation for health and optimal healing. So one of the things that I really want to address is hydration. I'm going to dedicate this podcast episode to hydration. I'm going to tell you what dehydration is, why most of us are dehydrated, and I'm going to share my recipe with you for my morning tonic that helps keep me hydrated all day, and it's not just plain water, because we now know plain water is often not enough to hydrate us optimally, because most of us are dehydrated. Even if you are spending every day drinking your 1.5 to 2 liters of water and you are really, really dedicated to it, chances are you could still be dehydrated. So why is hydration important?

Speaker 1: 4:02

So think about this 78, 78 of the body is water. That's a huge amount. That means most of our body is water. So we are not constantly replenishing our body with water. Then what's happening is the water that's in our body is going to be stagnant. There's going to be congestion, and if you visualize the water in a swamp, in a place where water does not move, that water is not fresh, it's not clear. That's not the type of water that you want building your body. You don't want your body to be that type of water. We want it to be clean and fresh. We want there to be a constant fresh source of water and we also want to be eliminating the wastewater properly. So think about this Our brain and our heart are 73% water and we also want to be eliminating the wastewater properly. So think about this Our brain and our heart are 73% water.

Speaker 1: 4:49

If we're chronically dehydrated, there's no way that we're thinking clearly, there's no way that our heart is working optimally, and the skin is 64% water. So if you're chronically dehydrated, there's absolutely no way that you are going to get that glow, nor are you going to be able to resolve congestion that may happen in the skin and that's often present when acne is present, when there's acne, especially when acne reappears in the same place over and over again that's a sign that there's congestion, and often dehydration is the root cause of congestion. So I talk a lot about that in my program, a lot about stimulating the lymphatic system, because when we're dehydrated, the lymph is not going to work well. And lymph is not an organ system that we talk about a lot, but it is crucial and it is central to so much of our health, for our immune system, for our ability to drain, for our ability to detoxify. So if our lymph is not working properly, our body is not working properly. So the takeaway is that we are mostly water and if we're dehydrated, our bodies are congested. And that's because water does so many things it aids in digestion, it gets rid of waste, it lubricates our joints, it makes saliva, it balances our body's chemicals. The brain needs water to make hormones and neurotransmitters. Water delivers oxygen to the body, it cushions our bone, it regulates our body temperature. So if we're dehydrated, there's so many functions that our body is not going to be able to perform optimally.

Speaker 1: 6:29

So what are some signs of being dehydrated, and there are so many signs. Many of them are nonspecific, but if you have a few of these signs, then chances are, yes, you are dehydrated. So let's go over a few of the signs that you're dehydrated. One is a stagnant lymph. Now, if you're suffering with acne and chances are if you're listening to this, you are skin congestion is a sign of stagnant lymph, especially if you have cystic acne and it keeps coming back in the same place over and over again. Or if your acne is around your ears or down your neck. That tends to be lymphatic acne. So if you have stagnant lymph, it's definitely going to contribute to acne and we have to move this lymph in order to clear the congestion, to get immune cells to the areas of our face that need healing and also to drain toxins so that we can properly heal Dark circles under your eyes. So whether you have dark circles under your eyes or bags under your eyes either can be a sign that you're dehydrated and your lymph is not moving adequately.

Speaker 1: 7:33

Dull skin You're not going to be able to have vibrant, glowing skin. If you're dehydrating, it's pretty much impossible, and you can slather on as much hyaluronic acid as you want, but without that deep hydration you are never going to get that glow that we all truly desire. Thirst If you're thirsty, you're dehydrated. There's absolutely no question about it. Headaches Many headaches are partially due to dehydration. So once you start to hydrate your body properly, you may notice that headaches that you used to experience start to go away.

Speaker 1: 8:08

Dry skin, fatigue, constipation that's a really big one. Dizziness low blood pressure I see a lot of women come to see me and they have very low blood pressure. They're very dizzy, and this can be a sign of adrenal fatigue, of stress and of dehydration. Loss of appetite, muscle cramps, swollen feet. So if any of these signs seem familiar to you, they seem like your experience, chances are you could be dehydrated.

Speaker 1: 8:39

So why are most of us dehydrated? So, in order to fully absorb water into ourselves, we must have adequate minerals to facilitate proper absorption. If you don't have enough minerals, water is going to pass right through our body without absorption. So, like I said, for those of us that are diligently drinking our two liters of water but yet we're mineral deficient, we're going to remain dehydrated. And what we really need to focus on is we need to focus on getting enough electrolytes.

Speaker 1: 9:12

So electrolytes are minerals that conduct electricity. When they're dissolved in water, they're distributed through the fluid in your body and they use their electrical energy to facilitate important functions in our body. They're essential for controlling our fluid balance, for regulating our blood pressure, for helping our muscles contract, including our heart, and for maintaining the correct acidity of the blood. Electrolytes are essential for our bodies to be balanced and work optimally. Now, electrolytes on their own are probably not going to clear your skin, but if you're deficient in electrolytes and thus if you're dehydrated, it's going to be very difficult to clear your skin, no matter what you do. That is why ensuring that you're hydrated is a foundational essential on your clear skin journey.

Speaker 1: 10:05

So common electrolytes include sodium chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium. Electrolytes include sodium chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium. So most water does include electrolytes, but the electrolytes are at very low levels, and many of us are deficient in minerals to begin with. So when we're deficient in minerals and our water has very, very low levels of electrolytes, it's not enough. We need to supplement, we need to add minerals to our bodies, and there's statistics like get this.

Speaker 1: 10:37

So, according to the CDC and the US Department of Agriculture, nine out of 10 Americans are deficient in potassium. So it's really not even a question as to whether or not we're deficient, it's a fact. It's a fact we are deficient in minerals. Potassium is an incredibly important electrolyte, and the fact that 90% of us are deficient in potassium says that 90% of us are dehydrated. This is shocking and it's really important that we pay attention to this and take some really simple steps. You know correct that dehydration. Seven out of 10 people are deficient in calcium. Eight out of 10 are deficient in vitamin E. 50% of Americans are deficient in vitamin A, vitamin C and magnesium, and more than 50% of the population is vitamin D deficient, regardless of age. So this is a problem we know in North America.

Speaker 1: 11:34

Many of us are very ill, we are not in great health and deficient minerals is probably one of the key things that's underlying our health. So why are we deficient in minerals? And this is the big question how, in a world that's designed to provide us with homeostasis and nourishment and with all the food that we eat, all the foods that we have to choose from, why are we so deficient in minerals? There's three main reasons. Number one depleted soil. The soil that our food actually grows in does not have the minerals in it that it needs, and this is the result of deficient farming practices. Over the years we have not taken care of our farmland the way that it needs to be taken care of, and we've also overused a lot of pesticides and a lot of fertilizers that have created an imbalance in our soils. Number two is processed foods. So when you take a look at the grocery store, most of that grocery store is full of processed foods, and these processed foods are going to be void of the minerals that we require to optimize our health. Many people are not eating the foods they need to get the minerals that they need. And the third one is poor gut health and absorption. As a naturopathic doctor, I do a lot of testing. I run a lot of GI mapping tests. I investigate a lot of people that have acne and I see deficiency all the time. It's very rare that I see a test where the gut health looks great, and when the gut health is not great, it means we're not going to be absorbing the nutrients that we require.

Speaker 1: 13:14

So how do we improve hydration? We add electrolytes into our daily water. This is the easiest way to do it. This is how you're going to get the fastest, most direct results. Now, this is not the Gatorade beverage that you find at your local convenience store, but these are really well-designed electrolytes. Now you want to watch out that you don't purchase electrolytes that have too much sugar in them. In the show notes, I'm going to share an electrolyte formula that I really like to use, so you can check that out.

Speaker 1: 13:44

Number two start each day with a hydration tonic. That's what I do all the time. Hydration tonics can be incredibly inexpensive and easy to make. I'm going to share my recipe, so just hold tight for a second. Number three avoid dehydrating beverages. So quite a few years ago, I stopped coffee completely I've never really been a big black tea drinker and 10 years ago I completely stopped alcohol. By stopping these three beverages which excrete water from your body, by avoiding these dehydrating beverages and drinking more hydrating beverages, there's been a huge shift in my health. So as much as we want to increase our hydration, we also want to decrease things that dehydrate us.

Speaker 1: 14:30

Number four is eating plenty of fresh, organic produce. So organic produce is going to be grown in soil that has more minerals in it. The soil is going to be better taken care of. The farming practices are going to be more traditional and they're going to focus more on preserving the health of the soil. So, as much as you can, eat fresh organic produce.

Speaker 1: 14:54

And number five, take a daily mineral supplement. When I read that nine out of 10 people are deficient in potassium, we're at a point where we need to supplement with minerals. We don't have a choice. My favorite mineral supplement is CT Minerals by Cellcor. I'll put the link to that in my show notes. Check that out. But please be sure that you're re-nourishing your body, because so many of us are so deficient and we don't. When we don't have the nutrients that we need, we're not going to be able to optimize our health. It's going to be very, very difficult for you to clear your acne. Okay.

Speaker 1: 15:28

So I'm going to share my hydration tonic recipe. There are so many different variants to this recipe, so many different ways you can go. The easiest way is to get up in the morning before you eat anything on an empty stomach, hydrate yourself. So I take a mason jar. I fill it with filtered water that's warm or room temperature. Cold water first thing in the morning can be too jarring for the digestive system, and to this I will typically add a quarter teaspoon of good quality sea salt. I'm not talking about table salt that's been stripped of all its minerals and nutrition. I'm talking like a pink Himalayan salt or a Celtic sea salt, something that's raw and something that naturally has all the minerals inherent. And when you dissolve that sea salt into your water, you will be facilitating the absorption of the water into your cells. And then I usually add the juice of half a squeezed lemon or a lime. The thing that's really amazing about lemon is it contains a lot of potassium and, as we heard just a few moments ago, potassium is the main mineral that we are deficient in. So adding potassium to the water not only does it help replenish those lost nutrients, but it also tastes great. It also stimulates a bowel movement in the morning and it also stimulates bile production. So lemon is such a great food for clear skin.

Speaker 1: 16:51

Now some people they don't just put water in their hydration tonic, they can add some unsweetened coconut water. Coconut water is a fantastic electrolyte replacement beverages One of the best in the world. Some people find it too sweet. They find it can potentially make their acne worse. So caution with that. You can try a little bit, maybe even adding a half a cup or something into your hydration tonic can be helpful. I personally don't use unsweetened coconut water. And the other thing that you can do instead of just plain water, you can make it an herbal tea and you can add that to your mason jar. So often I'll make a holy basil tea, a spearmint tea, a chamomile tea, depending on my stress levels, and I will use that because it will just give me so many more benefits in addition to hydrating my body.

Speaker 1: 17:41

So starting your morning with a hydration tonic, it's going to shift the way your body functions because it's going to start rehydrating you Now. You're not going to notice results right away. It takes some time to fully rehydrate the body and to really notice the full benefit of it. But stick with it for two or three weeks, be very consistent with rehydrating your body every morning and you will start to feel a difference, I promise, and your skin will start to glow more. It will start to be a little plumper.

Speaker 1: 18:14

The best way to hydrate the skin is from the inside out. I mean, we can slather on hyaluronic acid, we can slather on so many great topicals that will help draw water into the skin, but it's temporary. Those formulas you have to reapply every single day to continually get benefit, whereas if you're truly hydrating from the inside out, it never leaves you. That hydration and that glow is with you all day, every day, regardless of what you put on your skin. So it's really very affordable to rehydrate yourself.

Speaker 1: 18:47

All you need is some lemon and some sea salt and some really good quality water. It's efficient. It benefits everything. There's not really any side effect to hydrating properly. Now, of course, you don't want to drink too much water, because too much water is going to put stress on your kidneys and that's not helpful. But usually about one and a half to two liters of water, it's all you need, along with a lot of produce in your diet, a lot of fruits, a lot of vegetables and avoiding beverages that are going to dehydrate your body. So it's a combination of all of the above, but the results really cannot be beat. I promise you this is such a basic, important thing to do and so many people miss this.

Speaker 1: 19:29

All right, so I hope that you've enjoyed this podcast. It's been quick. I just want to give you a little sound bites to help you improve your life, to help get you on your clear skin journey. If you want more clear skin tips. Be sure to watch my free clear skin masterclass. I share my four pillars of clear skin there. You need to know this. If you're struggling with acne, you have to watch this masterclass. You can click the link in my show notes.

Speaker 1: 19:53

If you're ready to start your clear skin journey, check out my new hormonal acne healing program. So I'm just launching this program and I've been thinking about it for a while. And what I know a lot of people need is they need support on their Clear Skin Journey. They need the support of a healthcare practitioner, somebody that can run tests for them, somebody that can help them put together a protocol. And this program is designed not only for self-study, not only for you to embark on your clear skin journey confidently, but also that you can share this information with your healthcare practitioner, because not all healthcare practitioners are fully versed in how to treat acne. It's just, you know, it's just a fact.

Speaker 1: 20:35

So many of my patients, I'm like they finally end up with me after cycling through many different practitioners, because acne patients are sensitive. You cannot treat somebody that has acne the same way as somebody that doesn't have acne. We're sensitive to herbs, we're sensitive to nutrients and we need to know what to look for in testing so you can understand the root cause and put together a really effective protocol. So my hormonal acne healing program is going to help you work with your healthcare practitioner, in addition to guiding you on your clear skin journey. So if you're interested in learning more, the link is in my show notes. Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. I am so happy to guide you on your clear skin journey. Stay in touch with me through Instagram. That's my main social media platform and I'm just sending you so much love today. I hope that you have a beautiful day and I will see you in the next episode.