The cacao flower. Just cause I made up a cocoa fact in this post.
So. This is a real email I received last week from a reader/fan. I love getting these types of emails, and this one was particularly good. And long!
I asked Susannah if I could share it with everyone because a) I think it’s a lovely email and b) because she addresses many of the concerns that we’ve all gone through in this route to natural beauty that truly, truly works for us. Her response? “Rad!” A lady after my own heart, this one.
Her words are in black, mine are in turquoise. Yes, it’s long, and totally, totally worth it. Also, I want your 2 cents! Leave a comment with your own advice and experiences!
Dear Jessica,
Much to my pleasure, I recently discovered your blog and skincare line. I have been browsing the blog over the last week and I just read your ebook after subscribing to your newsletter. [Yay! This makes me smile. I have some new resources coming up, too!] I just have one bone to pick with you about the argument you make for natural cosmetics: chemicals are in everything, you know. Kidding! I kid. [Ha! you actually had me there for a sec.] Seriously, your ebook totally sealed the deal for me and I just had to connect with you! So much of what you write about completely resonates with me. I’ve learned new things from you and you’ve also validated a lot of my changing perspective on the beauty industry. Thank you thank you! [You're more than welcome...actually, thank YOU for saying that! It makes all this writing worth while to know there are a few people listening, and actually getting something out of it. Ah, validation!]
I have always been pretty health conscious and completely obsessed with skincare, but until this last year I was pretty ignorant about the cosmetics industry. I even thought I was doing more for my skin than most women by using cosmetic lines that were supposedly natural or organic. [I know...we're all lied to so often, and despite our best intentions we still fall into that trap. That's why reading ingredients lists is SO important, even when we are conscious consumers in every way.] Since educating myself about the harmful chemicals that pervade the industry, I have been on a mission to overhaul my skincare routine, with a strong slant toward DIY. [Bravo and, if I may say so, sweet!] I’m shocked by how much misinformation is out there and how few people are actually talking about this issue! [I know, right? I'm still shocked when
when someone close to me is like "look! This shampoo is natural, there's a kiwi picture on it!" and I'm like "really? ughh...."] That’s why I have been gobbling up your blog. I really like the way you write, too. [ Gee, thanks!] I could gush on; clearly I’m a fan. [I think I'm becoming a big fan of you, too!] By the way, I heard about Stark Skincare from one of the discussions on the NMDL blog. You linked to a great post on manuka honey – my new favorite ingredient! I’ve been “treating” my husband and dog with it, or to it, too. They humor me. [What good sports! Willing victims test subjects are always a good thing to have on hand when you want to try out some kitchen alchemy!]
Your products sound so lovely! I am really interested in the gf cleanse balm, but worry about how compatible it is with my skin. Here’s the thing, I’m one of those unfortunate people who clogs up like crazy in response to coconut oil and cocoa seed butter. I’ve tried using both as single oil moisturizers. Virgin organic coconut oil made my face erupt. Maybe it was a purging process that would have come to an end, but I couldn’t hang around to find out. Whitehead central! [ I'm glad you were using the virgin organic kind.The refined stuff might as well be Vaseline. However, if that was your reaction, then I'm afraid the GF balm might have a similar effect. Darn, I really hate saying that. BUT you are right on the money by suspecting that the whiteheads were part of the purging process, as your skin adjusts to the amount of sebum it needs to produce and creates comedones, or whiteheads. Redness would indicate inflammation and irritation, whiteheads are an unpleasant but good sign.] Raw organic cocoa butter even gave me zits on my legs, bum, and other weird places. What?! Oh hell no! [Well, zits could be a problem. Was it rash-like? I will have to check my facts, but I know that Shea butter is actually related to latex, and so people with latex sensitivities also have Shea sensitivities. I'm wondering if cocoa is similar or if I just made that up. I'll have to look into that for you.] So I’ve been sticking to good old jojoba and other oils that are low on the comedogenic chart. [Good choice! I approve.] The gf balm sounds so dreamy, though. [It really is! 
] Do you have any thoughts on whether these oils, when diluted by other ingredients, would be more pore-friendly? [Well, for most the GF is very pore-friendly, but allergies or sensitivities, if that's what you're experiencing, could be a particular issue for you. Of all the GF's that have left my door, I know of only one instance that someone had a breakout, and she was suffering from sensitivities to all kinds of ingredients before that. So, it's not common but certainly not impossible. Check our return policy...it's pretty well risk-free if you want to give it a whirl! However, it does sound like all our other products are a great fit for you!]
I’m also wondering, as one clean user to another, if you can suggest a daily tinted moisturizer and a daily facial SPF. [Yes! Coola and 100% Pure. Also, Physician's Formula Organics is easy to find and inexpensive, but there's no SPF. Also, Vive San I hear is great.] nb: I edited out a part here where she talked about some bad experiences with some natural brands…hey, it happens but I don’t want to talk about it publicly for the sake of my colleagues.
Finally, while I’ve been rocking mostly bare skin [woot!] with some help from RMS un-cover up, I would like to have a tinted moisturizer or something that will help even out my skin tone a bit. It helps me feel a little more polished in a professional setting, and self-confidence is half the battle! So if you have discovered any holy grail products in your own search for a clean beauty regime, I would love to hear about them. [ I highly approve of RMS! Have you tried mineral powders? Alima Pure is amazing. Personally, I don't like powders because I'm oily, and I don't try to fight it. Why? Well, powders look hideous on me. They cake, they don't blend at all, and they make me look like a corpse. Not hot. I'm also into having a little shine and glow....not sweaty mess, but like a well-hydrated, dewy sheen. It looks natural and healthy, and I hate all this matte business, as if we all need to have skin the texture of office paper. Anyhow, that's just my personal preference! I'm a BIG fan of Vapour Organics, because I loooooooooove balm-y makeup, anything that is blendable and layerable works so much better for my oily skin and lack of makeup-application skills. Oh, and I have not tried them yet, but W3LL People make some great-looking prods, and the CEO used to work for NARS, so you know she's up to something great. But yeah, having said all that, mineral powders often contain an SPF, offer good but light coverage and are really good for your skin....unless you're too oily for them. ]
One last question/comment. I just watched the video you emailed out about how diet affects skin. What a great video and I could not agree more! [Well, you're very welcome and thanks for having signed up for my newsletters! Shouldn't everyone? Yes, yes they should.] I’ve learned firsthand how the food I eat has a distinct affect on my skin. Apart from splurging a few times a week on something sugary or a bit of cheese, I have a seriously clean diet. I do green smoothies every morning with so much spinach you could call me Popeye, [ heart! ] and my meals are nearly all vegetables with a bit of protein here and there (usually chicken or eggs). I mostly gave up dairy, which was formerly a huge part of my diet, but occasionally I have ice cream, cheese, or butter (1-3x per week). Still eat some gluten here and there, but when I do it’s a slice of whole wheat toast or a very small serving of whole wheat pasta. I drink a cup or two of black coffee in the morning. I guess the one real naughty thing I consistently do is have a square of dark chocolate every day. [No way...some dark chocolate isn't naughty at all! Great antioxidants in there. ] But seriously, I’m eating a ton of whole organic vegetables and fruits daily, plus other detoxifiers like lemon juice, green tea, manuka honey, etc. [This is such a perfect diet!!! Kudos to you, Susannah! Everyone: this woman is an example for us all!] Despite it all, I struggle to achieve clear, acne-free back and shoulders. My face is consistently clear, as is my chest (use to break out there, too). With my clean diet and beauty routine (no dirty products at all!), I just can’t understand why I struggle with this. It is particularly frustrating in the summer when I want to bare my back and shoulders to the world. Help please! Does anything strike you as off in what I’ve described? Do I need to go even more strict with my diet? [Two thing comes to mind regarding your shoulder/backne...laundry detergent and shampoo/conditioner. Are these products clean as well? It sounds to me that you have sensitive skin and you could very well be reacting to either/or of these. I would try switching to natural, unscented detergent --or try Soap Nuts! They're amazing- and go for some very mild, detergent-free shampoo and clean conditioner. I love Aubrey's, personally.]
Wow, l’m looking back over this super long email and laughing about how much I’ve gone on and on! Really, all I wanted to say is that I’m very inspired by your blog, business, and passion for clean skincare. [Thank you so, so, so much for having said this.] I’ve been ginning up the nerve to launch my own blog on the subject, [Yes! You should do it!!!] and I’m also drawn to the idea of working in the clean skincare industry. More people need to shake things up, rock that industry boat, ya know? [Completely. I'd really like to scare the crap out of the mainstream cosmetics industry. Muah ha ha ha!* evil laughter.] I’m so happy to know there are others like yourself out there. [The feeling is oh-so-very much mutual.]
Best,
Susannah
So there we have it! Some Starky lovin’ I couldn’t help but share, some product rec’s and a backne mystery, that I would seriously doubt is diet related.
Has anybody here had similar issues? What has or hasn’t worked for you?
Maya August 1, 2012 at 4:53 pm
I have had some of these same issues…. Coconut oil is usually too heavy for my skin, but I haven’t had any problems with the GF. I use this mainly as a makeup remover (it dissolves makeup so easily), and as a primary cleanser when my skin feels dry. Also had the same problem with mild breakouts on my upper back and neck. I realized that this was related to my shampoo (was using Aveda at the time), and I haven’t had a problem since eliminating sulfates. Exfoliating the area gently with a skin brush or washcloth may also be worth trying.
I second the recommendation for 100% Pure tinted moisturizer. I use a light touch of this over the Stark cypress oil in the morning and it provides sheer even coverage that looks really natural. And their ingredient list is great.
Jess August 1, 2012 at 5:13 pm
Thanks for this nice comment, Maya! I like hearing how you use Stark prods. I always find it so funny and interesting, thinking about all the vanities and bathroom shelves that have Stark sitting on them, and how they are used day to day!
Alright, so 2 votes for 100% Pure! Susannah had mentioned that it does sell out quickly…the regular non-tinted stuff seems to be available on the Canadian site right now (even a sweet duo at a great price….hmmm, I’m tempted by it!)
One trick I forgot to mention: to create a tinted moisturizer, mix your lotion/cream/sunscreen/oil/whatever with a mineral foundation. Just create a little muddy pocket in your palm or back of your hand, as you would mix the TE mask. I always made way too much when I tried doing this (I seem to think I have a gigantic face?) so mix sparingly. You can create anything from a tinted moisturizer to full-on foundation/cover up! Especially great if you have one of those mineral sunscreens with an annoying white sheen, because you can actually create a nice looking highlighter/cover-up this way. It works well for oilier skin as the application is smooth.
fern August 1, 2012 at 10:15 pm
My backne was actually folliculitis, which is kinda like a yeast overgrowth. It unfortunately required a prescription to get rid of…tea tree oil wasn’t enough. It could be worth going to a dermatologist to see.
Eva August 1, 2012 at 10:45 pm
Regarding bacne..that really used to dog me too, and now that I think about it, it’s become immensely better since I quit sulfates. I really like Acure’s shampoos – they’re still foamy but very clean and they smell great. Seventh Generation’s unscented laundry detergent works great for me. I’d also take a look at my sheets and pillow cases – maybe try to wash them more frequently and make sure that they’re nice and smooth – dirt and grime will adhere more easily to a rougher surface, if your sheets are old or coarse (mine totally are..). IF you live in a very hot climate, try taking a shower at night, before you hit your clean, crisp sheets so that the dirt of the day isn’t rubbed into your back all night. Consider your nightie – bamboo or silk are very breathable and nice. My grandmother swore by silk pillowcases, to avoid skin issues, I can only imagine the same would go for silk sheets, or even better and more affordable, bamboo sheets. Bamboo is also supposed to be a little anti-bacterial. At any rate it’s crazy soft, I use bamboo blankets for my baby and I’m jealous each time I swaddle him.
It can be difficult to actually treat the skin on your back, a spray bottle with a witch hazel dilution or whatever you want to use will reach those places your hands can’t.
IF all this doesn’t work, perhaps it could be hormonal? I know my skin is a total slave to my hormones…Since I had a baby it’s been mysteriously wonderful, I’m sort of dreading the inevitable return to normal when I’m done nursing…
I know some people swear by yoga to balance their hormones out, that has personally never worked for me, but quitting diet soda and really, really helped. However, it seems like you already has a pretty perfect diet so the only suggestion I could give would be to seriously amp up my omega 3 and DHA intake (I combine supplements and Chia seeds which I put in everything, much to my husband’s frustration). Brewer’s yeast has also been really helpful to me, it’s good for the hair and skin (and milk production..). I bake it in cookies and put it in smoothies but it’s a challenge to get down because the taste is not easily masked. Do not add it to oatmeal, it’s revolting btw.
This is anecdotal, but I have heard several places that drinking a small cup of diluted Apple Cider Vinegar every day is a great way to help your digestion and also clear up your skin – I haven’t tried it myself, but I *can* vouch for the efficiency of taking 500 mg of DHA and eating about 2 table spoons of soaked chia seeds daily.
I hope all this helps! I really think the best you can do is not to go crazy with harsh exfoliation yourself but perhaps invest in a body treatment in spa you trust, to get the process kickstarted, and then take it from there yourself! Good luck!
Jess August 3, 2012 at 4:29 pm
I’m such a noob when it comes to Apple Cider vinegar (as a food…although I love it in my hair.) I really need to get on that. Also, I second your love of bamboo fabric. Its simply amazing and just doesn’t age/pile!!! I have a black wrap dress in bamboo that is about a thousand years old and even got attacked/chewed by my cats (they have problems, those cats) and it still looks good! “Like new!” I was recently told.
Also, CHIA!!!! Yes. Freaking LOVE IT. Oh, and I do nutritional yeast on my brown-paper-bag popped popcorn, with a little virgin olive oil, sea salt and rainbow pepper. My fave snack.
Oh, and I also take Omegas….from wild fish (I have to look up the brand…it was a highly recommended one) and I swear my brains love ‘em.
Katy August 15, 2012 at 11:23 pm
I’d love to know the brand!
Susannah August 2, 2012 at 12:35 am
I am so happy you could turn this into a blog post! Thank you for your candid thoughts about the GF cleanser and skin like mine. I don’t tend to think of my skin as sensitive. I don’t break into rashes easily, for example. Except once after months of going clean, I smeared some old chemical-laden, synthetic-fragrance-having lotion on my neck and broke out into instant hives. Talk about validation! I’m never going back to those dirty potions! Anyhow, it was nice to Maya’s experience with GF and I still love the idea of smearing it on my face.
Thanks so much for the SPF recommendations. I am on my second tube of Vive San. I use it when I swim and I adore it, but it is too emollient for everyday chillin. Guess I’m gonna stalk 100% Pure’s site for availability. I got a teeny tiny sample of Vapour Organics foundation. From what I could tell, it’s just as you described and a girl could never be mistaken for office paper with it on. I need another sample to really see how it performs and probably in another color. This is the difficulty with clean beauty – it can be so challenging to explore colors and products when your only option is online. Don’t get me wrong, I love sample programs like Spirit Beauty Lounge’s, but it is a little unrealistic financially sometimes, especially for experiments with color matching foundations. Sigh. Funny I should be saying that, since I just received a ton of samples from Alima Pure in the mail this very day! Yes! Today! I love it that you recommended Alima and then poof! It’s in my hands. I’ll let you know how I like it. I may be too oily for minerals, too. :/
Laundry detergent! I just checked and mine is sooooo dirty. Wow that was a total blind spot. I have been making my own housecleaning supplies, too and it never occurred to me to check my laundry supplies. My shampoo is clean (intelligent nutrients) but that was a good idea. Also, I just remembered that I stopped taking birth control pills about a year ago after ten years of use. There could be some weird hormone thing going on now that I think about it. Recently, most of my back/shoulder breakouts have been deep under the skin, painful, and red. It’s a new development for me… Gasp, is this what they call cystic acne?! I must do more research. Thanks for all your lovely suggestions!
Rebecca August 3, 2012 at 4:08 pm
I use Juice Beauty’s daily tinted moisturizer and absolutely love it! It may be heavy on the oils, though, so check the ingredients.
And it can take up to a year for your body to balance once you stop taking contraception. The med. info provided by the pharmacist says it takes 3-4 months to balance out (when you START taking it) but that’s BS because I’ve had issues start after 6 months, and no one talks about what to expect when you stop.
Changing laundry detergent might help but my understanding of cystic acne is that it’s usually a deeper (can’t be treated on the surface) type of problem. :/
P.S. see my other post below.
Jess August 3, 2012 at 4:33 pm
Haha! Magic intervention from the skincare gods makes products appear in your mailbox!
I hope your bacne isn’t anything more than irritation from laundry soap, and isn’t something tougher to deal with/figure out, like hormonal. But like I said in that video, that’s the “cool thing about acne/rashes”. At least it could indicate that something needs to be looked after, before anything more serious happens. Not that acne isn’t a pain as-is!
Keep us posted.
Jess August 3, 2012 at 4:33 pm
Yes, I totally just replied to the wrong comment. I’m so profesh!
Susannah August 3, 2012 at 5:18 pm
Well I’m the dork that didn’t realize you could apply to individual posts rather than starting a new comment!
Susannah August 3, 2012 at 5:20 pm
*reply, not apply :/
sallie August 30, 2012 at 5:13 pm
I also adore the samples from Spirit Beauty Lounge – and also found out about Stark from NMDLs (p.s I have acne prone skin and had mixed results with using coconut oil myself – but my skin really likes the GF balm. It doesn’t irritate or clog it and since I live in a very humid climate I sometimes don’t even need to moisturize after using it. Its been great! Also weirdly enough when my skin does start to go crazy from hormones or the humid weather or whatever I found that a generous application of the Cypress oil does wonders. I have no idea why this is – I just tried it out of desperation one day and was amazed by how much my skin drank up this oil and it just seemed to calm everything down. Okay… ps done…) However I share your frustration that there isn’t an easier way to access these products to test color and texture etc.
Also – I never had ANY skin problems – ever, not even as a teen – until I quit birth control over a year ago. Then it was like my skin became totally unrecognizable. I experienced the dreaded cystic acne, my skin texture totally changed and some of my pores enlarged. It was really traumatic, I’m not gonna lie! My diet was already pretty clean but I did cut out white sugar and flour (although I ate both VERY rarely) and I started practicing some meditative breathing (mostly to help with the stress of having bad skin and to try and stop myself from attacking my face with my grubby little fingers!) My advice for your bacne (which sounds hormonal to me) would be to not touch it and try taking a really high quality Cod Liver Oil. Not just Omega’s. Obviously if your vegan this may not be your cup of tea – but I swear that once I switched from just regular omega’s to a high quality cod liver oil my hormonal acne improved tremendously. I use the butter/CLO blend from Green Pastures. Its kind of pricey – but I think its worth it. I would say my CLO and gentle products like Stark have made a world of difference. And change that laundry detergent!
Sorry for the long comment – I just love talking about this stuff too!! Obvs…
Jess September 10, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Never apologize for a long comment, Sallie! Especially when you’re giving us all great info! I think with skincare, gentle consistency is key. Well, it is for me, but I guess I’m pretty lucky when it comes to my skin, especially in the past 4-5 years.
Also, I agree about makeup samples. I’ve really been wanting to get some new fall/winter makeup, but ordering colours online is so hard. Thankfully many of the green makeup co’s do samples, like W3LL People and Alima Pure.
Susannah August 2, 2012 at 1:40 am
@Fern, hmmm I may have to check in with my dermatologist if I can’t kick this to see if it’s something more, possibly the “f” word you mentioned. In the past, my derm gave me benzaclin – a combo of benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin. It was harsh as hell and bleached my clothes and sheets, but it worked! However, I wouldn’t dare use it again given my switch in regime. That’s kinda why I’ve avoided the dermatologist, too.
@Eva, wow some really helpful suggestions! I love the idea of rolling around in silk sheets and nighties. Way Madonna. I am definitely looking into bamboo sheets, too. Didn’t realize all that great stuff about bamboo as a fabric! I may also ramp up my omega intake (I am also hooked on chia, btw. I put chia seeds in my smoothies, yum!) Haha – I will NOT put brewer’s yeast in oatmeal. Funny you should mention apple cider vinegar. A few months ago I went really nuts over it – drank it daily (you’ll start to crave it, I swear) and was dousing myself in it before bed until after a a week or so my husband begged me to stop. He said, “you used to smell so good” and the next morning on the way to work I realized I really did smell pickled. Embarrassing. That being said, over the last week I decided to revisit ACV. (Gotta get the raw, unfiltered kind like Bragg’s or it won’t have the health benefits.) Since raw ACV has a high malic acid content, it will exfoliate skin like lactic or glycolic acid and is supposed to be really good for acne. It can burn, though, so sensitive skins beware. To help tone it down a bit, I do a 1:1 ratio of ACV and water and wipe down my back. I think it is helping some, but it’s barely been a week. Husband hasn’t pinched his nose yet, but he’s fallen asleep on the sofa watching Olympics every night this week so it hasn’t really been tested out.
Rebecca August 3, 2012 at 4:00 pm
Note: I only use clean/safe naturals in every aspect of my life, so shampoo/bodywash/detergent is a non-issue. Oh, and I use soapnuts and swear by them.
I currently have issues with bacne and, sadly, it’s the cystic sort. I haven’t been to a derm for a while (dont’ have one where I live) but I did see one (as well as other specialists/practitioners) a few years ago (although he didn’t look at my back) and apparently my bacne is a symptom of poly-cystic ovarian syndrome. Now, I don’t HAVE PCOS (yet) but I have 3 or 4 symptoms so the endocrinologist said I’m “genetically predisposed” to have PCOS. She prescribed me Spironolactone which totally cleared up my back! Unfortunately, I don’t believe in taking chemical drugs every. day., for. life., for SYMPTOMS. I believe in fixing the problem, not the symptom, so I stopped taking it…..= my present issue with bacne. I’m actively pursing diet/lifestyle changes as well as seeing a Chinese Med. practitioner to (hopefully) heal my body (liver) as a whole and not just take meds for symptoms. It’s slow going, and really discouraging sometimes, but (I feel) at least I’m not exacerbating the problem.
Jess August 3, 2012 at 4:34 pm
Oh, I’m so intrigued by your Chinese Med experiences! Tell us more as that develops…
Rebecca August 6, 2012 at 3:51 pm
It’s difficult to tell you guys about the progress of my chinese med. approach in terms of my bacne because it wasn’t the bacne that brought me there but, rather, a *probably* related issued called Vulvodynia. No one knows what causes it but I believe I developed it by combination of years of using oral contraceptives (hormone disruption) and an allergic reaction (horrible!) to a pad purchased in a college bathroom. (Have you ladies changed that aspect of your lifestyle?)
Anyway, it’s soooo hard not to digress here, my symptoms of VVD drastically improved when my chinese doc. said to stop diary. I was on the sprionolactone at the time, so my bacne was already under control, but I stopped taking that about a year after stopping dairy and my bacne only returned ~50% from what it was before.
To try and sum it up (and provide clarity), my VVD and bacne are better since pursuing chinese medecine therapy (in the form of acupuncture, cupping and chinese herbs). I’m not so good with my diet which I believe is why I’m not seeing even more results.
I’ll expand on any of the above if anyone’s interested.
Susannah August 3, 2012 at 5:41 pm
Thank you Rebecca! I am with you on not wanting to take medications long term. I admit I am woefully ignorant about the inner workings of my female body. Since this may be hormonal, I have begun to research what hormonal imbalances look like and what can be done, but I have no idea how you would tell whether you have too much estrogen or progesterone, and I’m sure it’s far more complex than that. There was a thread on NMDL recently that mentioned some books – one being the go-to guide on the female body. I need to dig up that post and do some reading.
Have you ever tried an herb called vitex (chaste berry)? I ran across it while looking into this hormone thing. It’s thought to treat acne by regulating hormones. It doesn’t contain hormones, but is supposed to increase progesterone and balance out pituitary gland. Again, I’m talking over my head here, but I’m intrigued! I read it is particulary helpful for women coming off birth control.
Jess August 3, 2012 at 5:44 pm
Ooh, yeah I want to read that book too, I know the one you’re talking about…I also forget the name. Siobhan posted about it and everyone raved how it’s like THE book.
Rebecca August 6, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Oh I so wish I could help with the hormonal/inner-workings thing but I honestly believe it’s even beyond Western Medicine.
In testing for PCOS: my hormone levels were normal, I had no weight-gain* and my cycle was within normal limits. I had no cysts on my ovaries. BUT, my hair was falling out (symptom 1), I had acne/bacne (2) which the derm said was hormonally-driven based on the pattern (chin/jaw/mouth), I had a extra/darker/longer hair in places women aren’t “supposed” to (3). So, in having 3 symptoms of PCOS, one of which was hormonally-driven, my hormone levels tested fine. They were/are very definitely not in balance but it didn’t show in a blood test.
I haven’t tried that herb, no, but I have tried other multi-vitamins/herbs/tinctures and only noticed mood swings (that one was st. john’s wort) if anything at all.
I want to read “the book” too, but also do research into the liver’s function in terms of hormones. My chinese doc. says my liver is at the heart of it all so that’s what we’re treating right now.
*I had gained 10 lbs over a few years but that wasn’t enough to be considered a symptom, despite the fact my weight has been constant my whole life and I’ve actually been UNABLE to gain weight (incidentally, I lost that 10 lbs 6-8 months after starting Spironolactone which is prescribed to treat the symptoms of PCOS).
Katy August 14, 2012 at 10:51 pm
Which brand of Omegas does your brain love? I’m looking for one…
Jess August 16, 2012 at 12:25 am
I use Carlsen! I love it.
Jess September 10, 2012 at 1:46 pm
And now I’m using the one by Greens +. For the price, I’m giving it a big “meh”.