Stress Archives - Dan's Blog at Acne.org

I’m always on the lookout for ways to combat stress. Stress can wreak havoc with hormone levels and, especially in women, can aggravate breakouts. This is because stress activates the adrenal gland. The adrenal gland is where we produce adrenaline, which the body pumps out in response to stress. Well, it just so happens that women make much of their testosterone in the adrenal gland as well. So, that means stress can alter testosterone levels in women more radically and inconsistently than in men. Voila…breakouts. Even though the stress/acne issue may be a larger issue for women than for men, I heavily suspect it is also of real concern for men.

So on comes Oprah talking about how she’s done with endless dieting and declares that her war with food is over. My interest was piqued, partly because I have so many women in my life with food issues (don’t we all…), and partly because I had a sneaking suspicion that the food/stress psychology that Oprah says was liberating her might be of interest to all of us, regardless of our stressors.

So I bought the book she was speaking about, Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth, and read it. At first I read it just keeping in mind women whom I care about who have food issues, and it rang true. Then I read it again, trying to imagine that Ms. Roth was speaking about stress in general. It made good sense again.

In a nutshell: Stress, and its subsequent outgrowths of overeating, overworking, overthinking, overdrinking, drug use, etc. is precipitated by “leaving ourselves” many times a day. She means this quite literally. We become so afraid that our emotions in our bodies will “kill us” that we escape into our chosen method of flight from what is happening inside our bodies. The remedy is to stay with whatever we’re feeling in our body, bringing curiosity to it, and giving it the time to expand and unwind. Feelings, Ms. Roth contends, simply want the attention and room to dissolve on their own. She urges the reader to practice living a new, embodied life in the moment through eating guidelines, and a process she calls “Inquiry”.

If you guys read this, let me know if it affects your stress levels. Thanks!

For years I’ve been hoping to find a natural way to cure acne from the root. While some things help (zinc for instance), I’m starting to think there may be no silver bullet. Instead, I wonder if a cocktail approach might prove more effective. Here’s my gut read on what a natural cocktail, if indeed there were one, might consist of:

Sun: Yes, this might be controversial, but I think we might not be getting enough sun. We make vitamin D through our skin, and as homo sapiens we are literally made to be in the sun. The darker the skin, the more we need it. I tend to think that limited exposure on a regular basis may be beneficial for a wide variety of conditions. My gut also tells me that responsible sun exposure is going to be more beneficial than vitamin D supplementation. I personally try to get some sun each day around lunch time–15 minutes front, 15 minutes back–and I feel generally healthier because of it. I keep my face covered, but if I weren’t so vain about wrinkles, I might expose my face as well and see how that affects acne. I am certain from personal experience that over-exposure will bite back with acne because a sun burn is skin damage, but light exposure on a daily basis intrigues me.

Oxygen: Each and every one of our cells need oxygen to live, and as land dwelling animals we obviously need oxygen to survive. I am looking into how oxygen specifically affects the causes of acne. I have a sneaking suspicion that oxygen, or the lack thereof, may play a part in acne formation. Could deep breathing or oxygen therapy help? We’ll see.

Greens/Food: Eating a natural diet makes sense. Emerging research hints toward a potential diet and acne link, but we simply do not have enough research to draw any conclusions. Common sense tells us that eating fruits, veggies, and perhaps real, organic meat in low quantities is the way to go.

Touch/Tribal Community: Stress and acne are related. Also, our hormone levels are intricately connected with acne formation. Touch and love mediate our stress levels and help keep our stress hormones in check. My gut tells me that if modern society valued touched more, we might see less acne. Also, we are tribal animals and are much happier when we are a valued part of a group. While modern society seems to have strayed from this way of living since the Industrial Revolution, perhaps there are still ways of getting that supportive feeling in our lives (choir, clubs, groups, practicing unconditional love).

Exercise: Our blood is what brings nutrients to all of our cells. Exercise gets the blood flowing and improves nutrient delivery. Exercise also is a giant part of keeping stress in check. It just makes common sense that we need to get the blood going on a regular basis.

Supplementation: We may be quite simply too far from our hunter/gatherer roots to get an appropriate amount of sun, non-contaminated food, and the sense of belonging that comes from living in close knit tribes. So, we may need to supplement with appropriate vitamins (Vitamin D and fish oil for example), and make a point to fit good food, touch, and community into our lives in convenient, modern ways.

So what do you guys think? Check in with your gut. Do you think if all of the above were dialed in, you’d have less of a battle with acne?

I’ve been reading acne related articles and studies from around the world, with topics ranging from genetics to Accutane flare risk factors. After reading them all I took a moment to see if there is a common thread linking them together. One thread I seem to keep finding is stress. Keep in mind that I am simply starting a discussion and not trying to draw any sort of scientific conclusion. Please present your own evidence as well.

1. A Canadian study I read found that living in urban areas was related to Accutane relapse. I know from personal experience that living in an urban area comes with added stressors. While I personally prefer the urban lifestyle, driving is more difficult, sirens wail, and crowds are common. You must stay more on guard to stay safe, even if that means staying more aware while crossing busy streets.

2. A Norwegian study showed a possible link between poor diet and acne in adolescents. While the conclusion was “too early to give evidence-based diet advice” it nonetheless once again shed light on the diet/acne connection. Researchers do not have a consensus about which type of diet is best or worst for acne sufferers, but if poor diet is related to acne, stress would be a factor here as well. A poor diet physically stresses the body. High glycemic (sugary) diets also cause mood swings and can affect mental stress levels.

3. An International Journal of Dermatology article focused on the impact of DHEA-S, an androgen (male sex hormone), on female adult-onset acne. Leutenizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), total testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and DHEA-S were all evaluated. DHEA-S was the only androgen that was significantly higher in women with acne. DHEA-S is produced in the adrenal gland, the same gland that is activated during times of stress.

So what if stress was more intricately related to acne than we previously theorized? Anything that helps mitigate stress would then help with acne symptoms. Eating a low glycemic diet, getting plenty of rest, exercising, and breathing or meditating, would be potentially beneficial options.

So the clocks turned back and we all got another hour of sleep. Guess what? That’s good for acne.

Lack of sleep is a huge physical stressor. It’s not just mental stress that can aggravate acne. Physical stress like overworking, overexercising, and undersleeping can also increase the symptoms of acne. Getting your eight hours, or however much sleep your body requires, is a great way to help keep your skin in check.

Working the night shift: Dr. Fulton, one of my big heroes in acne research has said in his classes, “I can get pretty much anyone cleared up, unless they work the night shift.” His comment has always stuck with me. While I have not had lots of experience with people who work the night shift, if his experience is correct, it is not just the amount of sleep that is important, but also when we sleep. Science has named our internal biological clock the “human circadian rhythm”. Melatonin levels rise sharply at night and fall during the day. Our hypothalmus and much of the rest of our bodies are hardwired to produce a natural rhythm of sleep and wakefulness.

So if you or someone you know works the night shift and can’t seem to clear up, this may be something to think about.

Category Archives: Stress

Combating stress: Women, Food and God

Multi-pronged natural approach? Getting the conversation started.

Is stress more important than we realize?

Ah, sweet sleep