Beauty, Skin

Erin the Aesthetician: Tips For Healthy And Flawless Skin

by Positively PosieLeave a Comment on Erin the Aesthetician: Tips For Healthy And Flawless Skin

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Erin and I connected through Instagram(of course)!  She works at Restore SD Plastic Surgery, so naturally we connected over skin and skincare.

She was nice enough to share her tips for Healthy And Flawless Skin, which now I get to share with you all. AND she also  gave me one of these amazing Blue Stone Sun Shields — GUYS how can I be from Arizona and not already have one of these … yes yes it’s a little over the top but seriously it’s the best.

Erin the Aesthetician Here- – I’m sure we can all agree that the sun is a wonderful thing, but it also has the potential to do serious damage to the skin.

The sun emits UV waves which can cause up to 80% of aging in the skin. Because of that we often see skin cancers, wrinkles, brown spots and age spot. The first places this damage shows up is on our face, neck, and décolleté.

This premature wrinkling and damage from sun exposure is called photo-aging.  Obviously guys– prevention is easier than reversal. However, there are plenty of options out there to treat your already damaged skin.

Okay let’s get into the fun stuff…

 SUNSCREEN

Sun damage is cumulative, which means it builds up over time starting when you were just a baby.  The Skin Cancer Foundation suggests that your skin has already experienced almost half of its UV exposure by the time you’re 40!  Basically it’s never too late to start wearing sunscreen.

+ Reminders

  • Dime size amount to your face, rain or shine, and re-apply every two hours if you’re going to be out in the sun. Shot glass size amount when spending a day at the beach or by the pool.
  • On my face I prefer to use a physical sunscreen which contains Zinc or Titanium Dioxide. This REFLECTS the UV waves instead of absorbing and scattering them in your body.

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 EXFOLIATION

When we exfoliate we’re clearing off the dead skin that builds up on the top layer of skin called the Stratum Corneum.

+ Reminders

  • Removing those old cells helps to brighten the skin, minimize fine lines and wrinkles, and give you a radiant glow.
  •  Don’t over exfoliate, it will damage the protective layer in your skin. Use facial scrub or enzyme/acid peel 1-3 times a week.

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 DARK SPOTS

There are several ways to do this and it all depends on what you’re comfortable with.

  • Topical products that contain natural lightening agents such as kojic acid, vitamin c, mandelic acid and mulberry extracts.
  • Prescription products like Hydroquinone and Retinol will work quickly. Make sure to track your usage of RX strength with your aesthetician or doctor as they can injure the skin if used incorrectly.

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 LASER TREATMENTS

 Sun damage laser treatments have made huge advancements in the last couple of years. Any laser treatment will require a consultation before treatment and are not always suitable for darker skin tones.

+ Check Out

  • Ablative Laser Skin Resurfacing which high-energy light to burn away damaged skin. It also treats pigmentation, wrinkles and scars. Ablative laser treatments can generally be performed once every couple of years and carry 7-10 days worth of down time.
  • Non-ablative lasers which do not burn away or remove the top layers of the skin.  Non-ablative lasers can be performed as often as once a month and no down time.

 ANTIOXIDANTS

UV radiation causes free radical damage in our skin, which are responsible for breaking down collagen & elastin. This results in sagging, lines, and wrinkles. Look to topical cream or serums containing Vitamin C or Green Tea to help. Antioxidants are the powerhouse that block the effects of free radicals and help to repair the damage. Consume at least one food a day high in antioxidants like blueberries or oranges.

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RESTORE HYDRATION

Moisturizers will often “glue” the dead skin cells you try to exfoliate away back onto your skin. Moisturizers attempts to hydrate the skin from outside to inside.  Look for serums that contain Hyaluronic Acid, which binds water in the skin allowing you to truly hydrate the skin.

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None of this will matter if you don’t wear sunscreen, so be sure to wear it every day, and see a board certified dermatologist annually for skin and mole checks!  We all have busy lives, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.- – ERIN

Thanks for all these awesome tips Erin and I love love love like every product she recommended!

AND- – – as always I wanna hear from you guys! Do you wear visors or crazy hats to stay away from the sun. I mean girl’s gotta do, what a girl’s gotta do to avoid the sun, right!

xo- WhitneyFacetune-18-05-2018-16-03-54.jpg

Wellness

We’re Friends Right? So Lets Talk About Anxiety

by Positively PosieLeave a Comment on We’re Friends Right? So Lets Talk About Anxiety

friends 2.jpgANXIETY– Can literally control someone’s life. That is such a sad statement, but guys that is the truth. I am not ashamed to talk about this and say ya.. I have anxiety.

Let me just say anxiety is no JOKE. We need to take care of our mental health just like we take care of skin or our physical health. I think it’s an important topic to talk about and shed some light on. So I wanted to share with you the things I do to calm my anxiety and take back control of my thoughts.

Don’t you think everyone experiences anxiety at some point in their life? Well they do.. Anxiety is highly subjective to each person, obviously worse for some than others. Something that helped me right away is just saying. I need some help- – like I’m at a point that I need some guidance on how to manage my anxiety. Just SAYING that right there was life changing for me.

So here is what I have done over the last few years of my life to help manage my anxiety.

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▴ Take a moment and breath. When I consciously focus on calming my thoughts and calming breaths, I can feel my body start to relax. Honestly, there are tons of different breathing exercises for anxiety, so try out several to see what works best for you. What I do is I close my eyes, and start to relax every muscle group from my toes up to my head.  I then take 6 deep breaths through my nose and hold for 5 seconds. “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” — Amit Raz

▴ Adrenal Support- So I’ve talked about the importance of  adrenal support before and I’ll say it again if you have anxiety you need to study up on the connection between the two. I support my adrenals with proper supplementation and I notice a huge difference when I am not on them. Someone like a naturopathic doctor is going to be able to guide best, let me know if you have any questions about this.

▴ Lay off the coffee--This is a very sad truth! I have now limited my caffeine intake to one cup a day and I notice a big difference. Period End of Story.

▴ Meditation. I have been trying to incorporate meditation into my life for awhile now. I am trying try train myself to be mindful. Meditation is helping me take unproductive worries and look at them in a totally different way. I found Melissa Wood  through a favorite blogger of mine. Her free 10 minute meditation is a great place to start if you are wanting to get into meditation.

▴ Have a person. Guys–I am all about going to therapy when you need too.  There is still such a stigma around therapy, which is so sad.  People need to freaking GET OVER IT! Therapy for is a place to learn about yourself and how to handle all of our feelings.

So many times I just hear people say, “Oh I’m just working through it myself.” That might work for some people but for me my mom couldn’t be my therapist FOREVER (love you mom). I guess at the end of the day it is just important to talk to someone when you need to talk. Talk, Learn, Grow and fill your mind with positivity — I recently introduced to Susan David who talks about emotional agility, which is eye opening & mind blowing at the same time. Listen to her over on the podcast, The Robcast,

These are a few tips that really have worked for me and help me handle the day to day anxiety most of us have.

I’m pretty much trying to just trying to become a MASTER of my emotions– no big deal!

Let me know if you have any questions. AND of course I want to know how you deal with your anxiety. Share your tips me, I love hearing them!

XO- Whitney

 

Skin

What Skin Care In Your 30’s Looks Like

by Positively Posie7 Comments on What Skin Care In Your 30’s Looks Like

unnamed-6Well here I am.. in my 30’s I would like to say I made it here quite gracefully–HA!

If I am being honest my 20’s were good to me, when we are talking about the world of skin. My 20’s was all about PREVENTION and SIMPLICITY! I did my best to prevent fine lines from getting deeper with botox and a good skincare routine. I don’t know about you but when I hit 30 and all of the sudden I was seeing slower cell turnover rate slows, major dryness, dullness and discoloration. It freaking sucked and I was using facetune way more than I needed to be #truthbomb

Life now is totally different than in my 20’s —babies, stress, just not having the time to care. But it kind made me fall even more in love with the world of beauty, more importantly my skin. I’ve been watching my mom proactively take care of her skin for years, so I said to myself  it’s time to get serious about your own skin.

I guess this would be an overall skin care routine I am going to share with you. I’m not going into major details, like this is AM or what I use in the PM. That is a whole different post and maybe I’ll work on that next. I really just want to share what I am using and why I use them.IMG-3010 2

▴ Hydrating Toner– Okay guys lets talk toner, there is nothing better than lathering on a bunch of toner in the AM. I literally can feel my skin drinking it up. I naturally have super dry skin, that plus being in your 30’s talk about DRY.  Recently I have jumped on the Korean skin care train and I am obsessed with this toner by Hanskin, it’s just so soothing so after I wash my face AM and PM, I use a huge cotton pad and basically soak my face in this an essence toner 7 times. When I jumped on the K-beauty bandwagon I  went full force doing the “7 Skin Method,” a multi-application toner technique. Guys- this sounds a little crazy but its fantastic, you are just putting layer upon layer (7 to be exact) of hydration on your skin. So if you are like me and have super dry skin, try this method and let me know what you think.

▴ Exfoliation will become your best friend! This has been the biggest game changer for my skin, it’s about boosting cell turnover to have that fresh and glowy skin. I have three different exfoliation methods I have tried over the last 6 months and I really love them all, don’t make me choose what one is my favorite! First Dr Lancer’s the method, Dr Gross Alpha Beta Universal Peel Pads and lastly Exfolikate by Kate Somerville. All of these will wonders for your skins texture, I promise.

▴Brighteners are now a must have in my daily routine. Unfortunately, the melasma train hit me hard when I was pregnant. I’m just constantly battling the build up of pigment under my eyes and on my forehead. I’m all about a good concentrated serum for this issue, serums are the best because your gonna get a higher concentration of active ingredients on your face– and after you put on a serum you can build on top of it with other products.

▴ Retinol- I’m fighting the good fight of fine lines with a retinol and lots of collagen too. I’m all about retinol because it helps with pigmentation, dullness and yes fine lines– I mean who doesn’t want that. I’m currently out of my favorite and that shows you how often I use it, it really is a winner. And of course I can’t forget my favorite collagen right now, which I throw in my HUGE pill case every morning.

▴ Sunscreen + Supplements– talk about something that is crucial to your daily routine. Random side note, I wish I could go back in time and be that girl that was just way to cool to sit out in the sun with the rest of the crew. We all remember that friend and if your like me, you would totally kill for her skin now! Okay back to it, the main thing you should think about is the sunscreen formula. Get a physical sunscreen which contains minerals ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. I like a physical sunscreen because they deflect and scatter UV rays away from the skin, there are just so many pros the list could go on and on.

Also, don’t forget that you can help your skin by supplementing with products like Arctic Repair and Red Carpet from HUM Nutrition. I’ve was given some products to try a month ago and I am totally sold on them. They are packed with things like antioxidants, vitamin E, lingonberry seed oil– all the good stuff to really give your skin a boost. I personally take Arctic repair everyday, plus their Raw Beauty Green Superfood powder, man what a combo I love them.

▴HANSKIN- Hyaluron Skin Essence

▴Dr Lancer’s- The method

▴Dr Gross – Alpha Beta Universal Peel Pads 

▴ Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment

▴ SkinMedica Lytera 2.0 Pigment Correcting Serum

▴Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Ferulic Acid + Retinol Brightening Solution

▴ COSRX- Triple C Lightning Liquid

▴ Biossance-SQUALANE + VITAMIN C ROSE OIL

▴Drunk Elephant – T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum

▴Replenix- Antioxidant Sunscreen Moisturizer SPF 50 

▴SUPERGOOP! Antioxidant-Infused Sunscreen Mist With Vitamin C  SPF 50

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Okay guys I know this was a long post but there was a ton of info to tell you. Let me know what products you like from my list or if there are any I should try out– I’m always up for that. Have a fabulous week!

xo- Whitney

Beauty, Skin

5 Things You Can Do To Minimize Your Stretch Marks

by Positively PosieLeave a Comment on 5 Things You Can Do To Minimize Your Stretch Marks

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As you guys know from my previous post I have stretch marks!

Yes- I’m saying it loud and proud, listen most women do— it’s nothing to feel ashamed about. I mean of course I don’t LOVE them, and I’m all about improving one’s self.

So why not treat those stretch marks, to help them fade. I hate to say this but there is no magic solution to make them completely disappear, but I got you covered with a few ways to minimize them. Here’s the thing: I’ve tried a few of these so I can definitely say there are ways to fade them, they aren’t completely gone but they are way better. OKAY, with that lets get into it, 5 Things You Can Do To Minimize Your Stretch Marks.

 ▴ Retinol Cream to save the day. I’m sure you guys have heard of retinol to treat acne, but it’s gaining more popularity because it’s treats stretch marks as well. It is filled with vitamin A that stimulates collagen- which the more collagen the better! The trick with retinol is it works the best on the fresh, red stretch marks, that is the key! So if you have fresh stretch marks talk to your doctor ASAP if a prescription would be right for you.

▴ Microneedling with PRP is gonna sound really intense but don’t let it scare you. Basically mirconeedling is punching little holes on both the outer epidermis and the inner dermis layer of the skin. The whole goal with this is to trigger the healing response on those stretch marks.

But the kicker is adding in PRP- let me explain PRP. Platelet Rich Plasma are the elements of the blood that initiate the healing process, they have all the good stuff, the growth factors. The process is really cool- they basically paint the platelets on your skin and then do the mirconeedling. This method then drives those healing growth factors in through the hole and into the deeper layers of the stretch marked skin. With this process you have new collagen being formed plus your platelets adding in growth factors, it’s a winning combo!

▴ Fraxel laser will zap those stretch mark almost right off your body. Okay-so right now the AMA says using a combination of lasers to treat the new and old stretch marks will give you the best results.

One of them being the fractionated Co2 lasers  which resurfaces the skin, and helps boost new collagen which then fills in the stretch mark. The wonderful thing about this laser is it works on all skin colors and on new or old stretch marks (50% better).

▴ Self Tanner-– Yes, you’ve heard it before, this is my weekly way of minimizing my stretch marks. Slathering on a bunch of my fave- St. Tropez Self Tan Express really helps fade those annoying little white lines. And if your a babe on a budget, like me this is the easiest and most affordable option.

▴ Rosehip oil for my all natural beauties, here is an option for you. So I was recently introduced to this rosehip oil and it’s like the Mother of All oils. I have been all about coconut oil and rose oil for years, but I have a new favorite!  Rose hip oil is packed with trans-retinoic acid, a natural form of vitamin A plus omegas that encourages the skin to regenerate faster. I’m also trying right now this Noni glow body oil ( I’m in total prevention mode), it’s filled with organic noni extract, rosehip and sunflower seed oil.  I’ll let you know what I think of this combination oil on IG stories later this month.
I’m all about prevention or in this case for me minimizing the damage that is already done, these are all great options. Let me know if you have tried any of these and your thoughts on them, I love all your feed back!
xo- Whitney
▴ if you liked this post checkout my post, how to prevent stretch marks while pregnant.
Beauty, Skin

Yes, I’ve Tried Laser Hair Removal, Lets Talk About It

by Positively Posie2 Comments on Yes, I’ve Tried Laser Hair Removal, Lets Talk About It

Smooth sexy hairless skin is in, okay it is if you are me! I wanted to do laser hair removal for years because I FREAKING hate hair and no matter what razor I used I would end up with razor burn.  I was that girl that with rashes all over my legs and even my lady business. YES – That’s right ya’ll it wasn’t fun, so I finally said enough is enough I needed to get laser hair removal ASAP.

Laser hair removal has been life changing, yes that sounds cheesy but that is how BAD my razor burn got! If you have hair that grows thick and fast like me, and constantly get razor burn and can take a little bit of pain- – plus the whole process of it. Then guys you’ll really never have to shave much again!!

But you guys if you are fine with your body hair and razor burn, of course — that decision is completely up to you. Okay enough already, lets dive into the world of laser hair removal.

WHAT IS LASER HAIR REMOVAL 

Laser hair removal targets hair follicles that are about to enter the (active) phase of hair growth, with the goal of destroying the follicle itself which will end hair growth to a specific area. The goal is to hit the different growth cycles of your hair, because not every follicle goes through each cycle at the same time and speed. Which leads us into the next question…

HOW MANY SESSIONS DO I NEED

On average most people need 10-12 sessions. The length between sessions will depend on the body part your lasering. Facial hair sessions are spread to every 2-3 weeks, and then body hair like legs is every 6-8 weeks depending on how fast your hair grows.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE TREATMENT

Because the goal is to hit the different growth cycles of your hair. You’re looking at a few months to complete treatment. It is important to remember that with each session your hair is going to become less dense and more fine.With each session you will notice that shaving becomes much easier with less razor burn and ingrown hairs. For me I have crazyyy hair, unlike any hair they seen or so they say. Basically my hair is really stubborn and I had to get more treatments than the average person. YAY ME. But again I didn’t care the razor burn was so bad, I would do 1,000 treatments to get rid of my body hair.

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR MY TREATMENTS

Okay so it is really important to prepare your skin prior to each treatment. Make sure to shave prior to each treatment, and it helps if you NOT super tan prior to your session. Sorry guys no spray tan a week or two prior to treatment, you’ll survive. Why you ask, well to avoid chances of the laser targeting the skin pigment and not the hair.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST

The price is going to vary based on the size of the treatment area, as well the med spa you choose to go to. Most places will have a package deal of 5-6 treatments for X $ amount and then a smaller fee for yearly touch ups. But before you spend the money make sure that you are a good candidate for laser hair removal. If you have blonde, gray or red hair ALL laser hair removal treatments WILL NOT respond the way you want because the laser targets melanin, the pigment in the hair follicle. JUST a friendly reminder to do your research before trying any beauty treatment.

Have any of you tried laser hair removal? Are you thinking of getting it, I would love to know your thoughts and your experiences.

Have a great week guys!

Xo- Whitney

 

 

Lifestyle, Wellness

How I Curbed My Sweet Tooth

by Positively Posie2 Comments on How I Curbed My Sweet Tooth

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Recently I asked on Instagram what ya’ll wanted to hear more of and the people spoke….drumroll please… Health and Wellness! So today I really want to share with you my journey with sugar! Before we begin, can I just preface this post by saying, I need a sweet treat sometimes. I am not here to tell you to NEVER have a sweet treat ever again. I am here to say (because I know personally) that sugar can control your life, because it is addicting. I saved this article forever ago because I loved what it asks, are you high? High off of sugar that is, don’t worry most of us are buzzed off of sugar these days. We eat on average, as American’s nearly 66 pounds of added sugar every year, when I read this and my jaw dropped. I’m sure that a few years ago I was consuming 66 lbs of sugar a year too but not since curbed that sweet tooth. So moving right along & back to the point: How I Curbed My Sweet Tooth! Well I came up with game plan that’s fairly easy to manage, with this anyone can say PEACE OUT to sugar controlling their life.

+ I’m starting this off with a harsh dose of reality. Sugar is addicting. Truly to curb your sweet tooth I believe you have to cut it completely out before slowly reintroducing those little treats. When I say cut it completely out I mean cut out what I like to call ” THE BIG THREE” the soda, candy, desserts. There is sugar in everything but those three things are where I started.

+ Clean out the fridge and pantry. I literally had a trash full of items that were loaded with sugar. Out of sight out of mind, right! Even the kids treats, if you don’t think you can control yourself until you are detoxed then get rid of those treats too!

+ Eat breakfast. 90% of the time I have eggs and avocado for breakfast. I keep it simple folks, protein with some healthy fats. I swear that when I eat breakfast I find myself not snacking later in the night, which is when most of us tend to grab the sweets.

+ Reduced Stress. Truth! So many people are stress sugar eaters and when we are stressed our bodies produce more cortisol. Cortisol increases our appetite and motivation to eat. By reducing stress through prayer, yoga, drinking decaff coffee and adrenal support supplements I have drastically reduced my stress and my night time sugar cravings.

+ Staying Hydrated. Towards the end of the night I often grab a La Croix or some hot tea. Just something to hold in my hands and sip, really helps. It’s about an hour before bed that those sugary cravings pop up. I encourage you to ask yourself , am I needing something sweet or would some water/ tea do the trick. I bet it will do the trick!!

Anyways– my friends. It took me completely cutting out sugar to beat that addiction. Now I feel like sugar doesn’t control me, and I can 100% have a healthier sweet treat when I want… I’m in control! I hope these tips help and encourage you to curb that sweet tooth too!

xo- Whitney

Beauty, Skin

3 Beauty Essentials Products for Spring and Summer

by Positively Posie1 Comment on 3 Beauty Essentials Products for Spring and Summer

IMG-0942.jpgI quickly wanted to share 3 beauty essentials products that are a must for spring and summer. I can’t go anywhere without these 3 things items. I am so in love with these because they have helped change my skin for the better. Okay- lets get into it!!

+ Dr Lancer’s the Method  is a game changer for skin texture. The polish is life changing and unlike any product I have ever used. I literally have my husband and sister using the method too! My pores are smaller and my makeup goes on so much better because it changes the texture of your skin to this creamy smooth texture (it’s hard to explain the difference). Try the travel size collection if you don’t want to commit right away, that is what I did at first and later bought the full sizes.

+ Caffeinated Sunscreen. I’m a huge fan of the Skinny Confidential she the QUEEN of skin and I totally appreciate her love for her skincare. She is obsessed with caffeinated sunscreen and after looking into it I had to try it. Guys, it really is as good as she says it is, it’s the best base under my makeup. Also thanks to a study at Rutgers University, it shows that caffeine promotes the destruction of cells damaged by sunlight before they have a chance to to mutate into anything. Try it out, I know you are gonna thank me!

+SkinMedica Lytera 2.0 Pigment correcting serum. While pregnant with Blakely mama got melasma AKA not so cute brown patches all over my forehead and under my eyes. Which I think gave me weird little raccoon eyes, not cute guys!!!  Over the last 6 months I have religiously been putting this serum on AM/PM and it has made a world of a difference. My only tip is you have to do this everyday AM/PM to see those spots fade, I wasn’t being consist at the beginning and so my raccoon eyes stayed around longer than they should have. Consistency is key!

Okay loves that it, I’m addicted to loving and taking care of my skin (I wish I was like this when I was 20) BUT better late than never! THREE products you won’t be disappointed in I can promise you that, they haven’t disappointed me yet!

xoxo- Whitney

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Wellness

5 Things To Know If Diagnosed With Hashimoto’s Disease

by Positively PosieLeave a Comment on 5 Things To Know If Diagnosed With Hashimoto’s Disease

Hashimoto's disease

Hey Everyone! I was overwhelmed with the number of people who reached out to me when I started talking about Hashimoto’s disease and my journey. I noticed THREE reoccurring themes from most of you who contacted me. First, it was you were diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, given medication and told to come back to recheck my levels in a few months. Basically here take this pill to fix it…. end of story. I also heard, well my doctor tested my thyroid except not my antibody levels. And finally I heard many people were struggling with weight gain due Hashimotos. So like I said on Instagram, over the last year I’ve put my nursing skills to use and have been studying Hashimoto’s. Here are 5 Things To Know If You Have Hashimoto’s Disease. (* please remember I am NOT nurse practitioner yet this is just what I have learned through studying and working with my doctor. I suggest seeing a naturopathic doctor they tend to see the whole picture when it comes to Hashimotos)

PROPER LABS

1. Do you have the right labs being drawn? Your practitioner will be looking at your TSH, Free T3, and Free T4, Reverse T3, Antibodies. It is important to know that Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease. This means that your immune system is attacking your own thyroid, which causes it to underproduce thyroid hormones [iii.] . Like I said in the intro many people told me they know they struggle with hypothyroidism but don’t know if their condition is autoimmune-related or not. This is totally unfortunate but very common and here is why. Most conventional doctors don’t routinely check for thyroid antibodies when testing thyroid blood levels. Which is mind blowing to me because you are not getting the “FULL” picture of your health. It’s just so unfair to you as the patien not to know this piece of information. So please make sure to ask your doctor to include checking your antibody levels (* be your own advocate people)

STRESS

2.  Stress plays a huge role in how your thyroid functions [i]. I was going to try to break down the medical side of things but it is hard to quote on quote “break it down” because this whole thing is so complex. But what we know is stress has a major impact on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Cortisol is regulated via the HPA axis, cortisol is the primary hormone responsible for stress response [v.]. Cortisol’s weakening effects on the immune response have also been well documented.  When you are stressed this axis is impacted, therefore your thyroid gland and immune system suffer too[ii].  Guys, reducing your stress level will help in the healing process, over the last year I have done everything in my power to reduce my stress levels. Some of those ways have been getting more sleep, just making an effort to get to bed by 9:00pm. A big one for me is to NOT watch the news.  Seeing how crazy the world is really gives me anxiety, so I monitor what I watch. And probably the hardest has been reducing my coffee (caffeine) intake, I only have one cup in the morning and often it is decaf.

BYE BYE GLUTEN

3. Eliminating Gluten is key and here is why. Studies from several different countries show Hashimoto’s is linked to gluten sensitivity. The protein structure in the gluten protein shares an amino acid sequence that resembles that of the thyroid. Therefore, when a gluten sensitive person reacts to gluten, the immune system may begin erroneously reacting to thyroid tissue too [iii.]. By cutting out gluten you are reducing an immune reaction that leads to thyroid tissue destruction. This whole process is known as  molecular mimicry, which I learned all about from Dr. Amy Meyers. Dairy’s molecular makeup is also similar to gluten which is why a lot of people eliminate this as well  (me included) [iii.]. Over the last 10 years I’ve cut out gluten, dairy, soy which I believe helped keep my Hashimoto’s symptoms almost unnoticeable. Probably why it took me so long to figure out that I even had it.

GUT HEALTH

4. Gut support, sounds weird right but it’s SO important when dealing with Hashimotos. This thing called leaky gut and gluten go hand in hand people. If you consume gluten and have a sensitivity to it what happens is the gluten will make its way to the small intestine. Inflammation then happens in your small intestine and creates abnormally large spaces between the cells of the gut wall which allow the entry of toxic “crap” to enter your bloodstream[iii.]. Lovely right?!  So to support and heal the gut is key with Hashimotos. First I cut out gluten (gone bye bye) and second I’ve added in a few things to my daily/weekly routine to help heal and protect my gut. Digestives enzymes, probiotics, bone broth (swapping our chicken broth in cooking),  fermented foods like kombucha a couple days a week, and I buy only organic meat and veggies. Guys, I encourage you to research leaky gut and try adding in some of these things to help heal your gut.

PROPER SUPPLEMENTS

5. There are common nutrient depletions with Hashimotos, I also did a blood test to get an even bigger picture of my deficiencies. The most common nutrient depletions that I’ve found in my studies are selenium, vitamin D, B12, ferritin (the iron storage protein), thiamine and magnesium [iv.]. I don’t actually take all of these, but working with my naturopathic doctor I’m taking the exact supplements that my body needs due to the Hashimotos. Find a practitioner that will work with you on this, it is crucial!! And in my opinion I was shocked how with the just the proper supplements I started to feel better… quickly.

Alright, so there are my 5 Things To Know If  You Have Hashimoto’s Disease. It’s life changing finding a doctor/nurse practitioner who doesn’t do things the conventional way. Conventional medicine is great but what I’ve realized is sometimes you need a little more than that. You need to think outside the box and try to look at other factors impacting your health. I hope this helps you see the full picture of what you can do to help conquer Hashimotos.

If you have any questions find me on Instagram and DM me or write me a comment here!!

xo – Whitney

 

 

References

[i] Stress and Your Thyroid. Thyroid Advisor. https://thyroidadvisor.com/stress-and-your-thyroid/#_ednref1

[ii] Smith SM, Vale WW. The role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in neuroendocrine responses to stress. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. 2006;8(4):383-395. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181830/

[iii.] Is Gluten to Blame for Your Hashimoto’s, AmyMyersmd.com https://www.amymyersmd.com/2017/12/gluten-blame-hashimotos/

[iv.] The 6 Most Important Nutrient Deficiencies in Hashimoto’s, Thyroidpharmacist.com., https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/6-important-nutrient-deficiencies-hashimotos/

[v.] Michael Randall ’12, The Physiology of Stress: Cortisol and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis, Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science, http://dujs.dartmouth.edu/2011/02/the-physiology-of-stress-cortisol-and-the-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis/#.WrUPktPwa8o

Motherhood

Embracing My Mom Bod

by Positively Posie1 Comment on Embracing My Mom Bod

unnamed-1Over the last few years I have really started to see my body as a piece of artwork. I only started to view it this way after I had my daughter. Watching my body carry and give birth to a baby allowed me to give myself some grace in the body image department.

A mother’s body, is beautifully and wonderfully made, I only wish I could have learned this type of grace when I was younger. The struggle to have positive body image has plagued my life since before I can remember. I was never thin enough or toned enough. I always had to many stretch marks and cellulite. This toxic thing called “PERFECTION” ate away at my soul little by little.

I recently shared a guest post on the website KNOW.BE.RAISE, about my journey to loving and accepting my ever changing body. Our bodies help shape our lives and tell our stories. I hope by sharing my story, it will encourage women everywhere to embrace their mom bod.  Head to KNOW. BE. RAISE to read the full post and interview questions.

xo- Whitney

Beauty

Four Easy Hairstyles For Long Hair

by Positively Posie2 Comments on Four Easy Hairstyles For Long Hair
If you have been around here awhile you know I love hair extensions but I rarely do anything fancy with my hair just simple beach waves. Well as of recent I have been branching out and trying new looks. Here are four of my favorite hairstyles to try and if I can do these styles ANYONE can do them!

Amber Fillerup inspired- WRAPPED LOW BRAID

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Khole Kardashion inspired- HALF UP PONYTAIL

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Amber Fillerup inspired- Bubble Braid or Bubble Pony

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Amber Fillerup inspired Beach Waves- My Everyday Look

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My Tips

  1. Not everyone has really thick extensions to make the braids look big and thick, so make sure to tease the base of your hair and all the way down, then just tame and smooth for extra volume. Then your ready to get started.
  2. On the wrapped braid I like to use a clear rubber band over the section wrapped around the base of my pony instead of a bobby pen. It sounds weird but it actually works to keep it in place better and it doesn’t show.
  3. The cheaper the curling iron the better, it’s true the curls are the beachest the cheaper the iron.
  4.  For those perfect beach waves hair spray is a must, I spray and brush each sections before I curl. The curls truly hold much longer!

Happy Hairstyling Friends!