One of the most common questions I receive on a day-to-day basis is this: Why do so many of us still suffer from breakouts as adults? And what foods should we avoid to prevent acne?

I get it. Because nothing wreaks havoc on our confidence quite like having bad skin.

While hormones and stress are certainly the top factors that throw off the normal balance of your skin, the food we eat, and our diet can also have a massive impact on the appearance of acne. After all, as the saying goes – true beauty begins from the inside, out.

So in this blog, I’m going to dive into the 4 foods that are most likely to aggravate your skin and clear up the ever-muddy waters related to what we put in our bodies and highlight how you can best align your diet with the overall health of your skin.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common health condition experienced by up to 75% of women of reproductive age. PMS is a group of symptoms, both physical and emotional, experienced by a woman in the two weeks leading up to menstruation, also known as the luteal phase. With symptoms usually subsiding shortly after menstruation begins.  

In some cases PMS can develop into premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). PMDD is a more severe form of PMS, effecting about 3-6 % of women. PMDD be so debilitating that it impacts one's quality of life. Women who have had major depression are more at risk than others to experience PMDD.

You might be surprised to learn that there is more than just one type of oestrogen.

Oestrogens are a group of steroid hormones produced in various organs (not just the ovaries) and the level of these oestrogens change throughout life and in physiological and pathological conditions.

While oestrogen is typically thought of as a female hormone, it is produced by males also. In women, this group of sex hormones are responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sexual characteristics such as breasts, endometrium, and regulation of the menstrual cycle.

Within the oestrogen hormone family, there are three main forms to focus on:

It’s the beginning of the year and as we all settling back into work and life the pressures and stress can begin to creep up again. 

Female reproductive health is an area I work a lot with in clinic and a very common theme with many of my clients is the impact stress has on the female reproductive system.

Before we get into how stress impacts sex hormones I really want to get to the core of what stress is and how it can present itself.

 Stress is defined as “a state in which homeostasis is threatened or perceived to be threatened.”