Category: Skin Glow Up

Week 3, Whole30/Gut Protocol for Autoimmune Health

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It’s the night time snacking that’s hard to get away from.

I “started” this round strong, but it’s been up and down ever since. I feel “on” again currently. I get into these mind frames like, “who cares I can have a little extra sugar today.” And every time it ends up in my skin flaring. So then my brain goes, “well is it the sugar alone that makes me flare or is it dairy and gluten too?” I *think* gluten or carbs or whatever can act like sugar in the gut? And maybe dairy is the same? I could Google it I guess. *Plz hold*

Okay here’s what I learned 😆: Dairy has lactose which breaks down into glucose during digestion. So yes, lactose being a natural sugar, it causes blood sugar spikes. Like processed sugar. Carbs are broken down into glucose too. This is different from processed sugars, but it’s all in the same family, I think?

With this Googling I also learned this is a known connection, between autoimmune disorders and glucose. Here’s what I learned from my search, word for word, from the AI Overview, pulled from NIH.gov:

“High glucose intake can exacerbate autoimmunity by increasing Th17 cell responses and disrupting glucose metabolism, which can impact the gut microbiome and immune system function. This can lead to excessive immune cell activation, inflammation, and tissue damage, as seen in autoimmune diseases“

I’ve looked into autoimmune info before, but there is so much of it and I have a short attention span (ADD) so I don’t ever get very far. I have an appointment with my dermatologist in a couple weeks, but up until this point I haven’t had any medical intervention for my flare ups, it’s all been trial and error with the way I eat. I think if I could be consistent in my efforts for longer than 30 days, or in this current round’s case longer than 10 days, I would see REAL significant improvement, I feel like I could be totally clear if I stick to the course. That’s the hardest part.

Even in the rounds I have completed I get to the 30 day mark and get so excited to eat different kinds of foods that I dive in head first, no looking back. After 30 days you’re supposed to start slowly adding foods from the “no” list back into your diet, one at a time, to see if any old symptoms come back. I usually rush this process thinking I know exactly how things will turn out. But this time I’m wondering, what happens if I keep going? I don’t feel deprived while eating this buttoned up way, I just get to a point where I’ve watched my family eat all kinds of fun foods and I get tired of saying, “I can’t have that delightful ice cream/pizza/candy right now.” So I eat whatever I want, but that moment of joy doesn’t last very long before I start feeling regret because my skin flares.

I know I’m going to get some kind of magic pill when I see my dermatologist, and frankly, I’m ready to try it after years of yo-yo-ing with this way of eating. I want to be the healthiest version of myself, but if my recent ovary surgery has taught me anything it’s that sometimes we need help from professionals; we can’t always do everything on our own! I couldn’t have learned about the mass on my ovary without seeing a doc. I can help my symptoms regarding my skin through diet, but I don’t really know what’s happening on the inside until I learn from every angle. I believe Western & Eastern medicine should work hand in hand!

So going forward, I’m doing my best! Slip ups will happen, but I always see positive changes in the first few days of being back on track which makes great motivation. As I learned in week 1 and 2, planning and prep is very important. Without it, it’s really hard to stay on track.

There is a part of me that wants to start living like a French person, meaning, going to a market every day to buy fresh foods for the current day of meals – but I don’t live within walking distance of a market or store, and I hate driving. I do have a small farm stand about a mile away from my house that I could take the time to walk to during the summer, and would possibly enjoy doing in the morning sun, but I have one hang-up preventing me from going all in: No Sidewalks. I live in the middle of nowhere and we have no sidewalks on our long country road. Not only that, but it’s also a semi-main road that a lot of people use to get to various neighborhoods around us. It’s not super busy, but the cars drive fast and there are a couple hills that obstruct the view. Then, the farm stand is on the State Route connected to my street. More fast cars. I’m hoping one day sidewalks will be built since we do have a park on our street, but no plans as of yet. A mile doesn’t seem too bad, and Maps says it will take me 27 minutes to walk there, so a little over an hour with veg picking time total to get what I need. This is probably the same amount of time it would take for me to drive to and shop my nearest Aldi, so this is something I’m really going to consider doing this summer! Thanks for helping me talk it out 😂

Anywho – I’m working my way to live a simple straight-forward life, full of health and wellness and vitality. I work hard to live in a way that brings me joy and hope to influence others to find joy in their life! It all starts with self care ❤

What kinds of little things do you do during the day that makes you feel healthy?

Week 2, Whole30 + Gut Protocol

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Find the week 1 recap of my current round of food sensitivity elimination here.

I came out of week 1 feeling pretty amazing; regular 💩, bloat-free, ready for more positive feelings surrounding my health and how I’m feeling physically! I was a little unprepared in the day to day because I didn’t prep any food ahead of time – which is really a game changer for completing this entire program with little stress! So let’s talk about week 2…

I strayed from my path 😶

I ate ice cream with my family. Throughout the week I ate sour gummies, chocolate, and too much gluten free bread – which technically isn’t against the rules, but for the amount of bread I ate I have to tattle on myself. It’s definitely not recommended on Gut Protocol, and even if Whole 30th basically says you can eat as much as you want I’m sure they would frown up on consuming a loaf of bread in just a couple of days. But I’m moving on…

I’m not beating myself up for getting off track. Not even a little. This is a big switch to make, from eating lots of low-nutrition foods to eating lots of nutritious foods – the mind and body will crave the sugar and caffeine for a little while, especially if you regularly consume a lot, but the switch will happen and you will begin to feel amazing in a relatively short amount of time! And I’m talking to myself here 😅 I have to remind myself that if I just stick with it for a little longer I will feel great for a long long time! And feeling good feels good. I want to always choose feeling good over falling back into old habits again and again.

So here’s my plan for this week.

Today is Memorial Day, meaning a day off of school for my kid. I know she’ll sleep in so it’s a typical morning for me: pack my husbands lunch (because he doesn’t have the day off), mix some preworkout, walk on the treadmill (currently), stretch + Pilates, then breakfast. Luckily, I have leftover food from preparing husbands lunch this morning so I will just have to warm it up and add some greens and a dressing of some kind. It came together quickly this morning: (frozen) riced cauliflower, tofu, bell peppers, onion, tomato. It smelled great, even at 5:30 am 😆 I don’t usually have an appetite first thing in the morning (I like to start my day with this) and I don’t always make extra so I’m happy to have food ready for after my workout today!

From there, I want to prep some food. Like for real this time. I have ideas for meals (just like week 1), but this time I will make some rice and quinoa, chop the veggies I have in the fridge (zucchini, bell peppers), I already washed the grapes and put them into a bowl for easy access, and I will press a couple blocks of tofu so they are ready to go for meals quickly. I used to LOVE cooking and couldn’t wait to make meals every day – until I hit burnout. Now, I get motivated to cook by serving myself a beverage (usually just La Croix, I’ve been sober since 2018), I put in an earbud that’s connected to my laptop, and I watch (or mostly just listen to) Sex and the City. This is the one show I know by heart and can be entertained by the content without really having to watch the screen. Do you have a show like that? Background noise that also brings a little joy to your heart at the same time? (Currently working through season 6, the last one, but I will inevitably start all over again from the beginning once I reach the final episode. There is something about the first season that gives me great nostalgia for a pre-internet era).

So it all comes down to the planning and preparation again. I had my fun last week with sweet treats (maybe I can blame hormones?), but this week I’m back on track. I saw the beginning of some results already in week 1, and I want those back!! Things are okay at the moment, but I really saw a difference in the way my skin looks and feels (remember: psoriasis) in week 1, and now regressing in week 2 with the extra sugar intake. Am I allowed to say diet can affect autoimmune disease yet? I see a difference, but let’s see what happens in the next few weeks as I WILL DEFINITELY stay on track (I hope 🤞).

PS the Plant-Based Reese’s Cups? Fan-freaking-tastic 😋😋😋😋😋 I ate them all so I won’t have any to tempt me this week 😆😆😅😅 an obvious tip for during your food sensitivity elimination? Don’t keep tempting junk food in the house 🙅‍♀️ or at least keep it out of sight, if you have family who still wants to eat it 😆

Camera Ready Skin, Naturally

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Heal Your Tummy, Heal Your Skin: How Essential Nutrients Can Help You Shine From the Inside

Feel like you’re constantly battling breakouts, headaches, and that icky bloated feeling? 😩 You’re not alone! Many women struggle with these issues, and they can take a major toll on our confidence and content creation flow.

But what if I told you there’s a way to heal your body from the inside out and show up as your most radiant self? ✨ The answer might lie in your gut health!

Did you know that a significant portion of your immune system is actually located in your gut? When your gut microbiome is out of balance, it can lead to a cascade of issues, including skin problems, headaches, and digestive discomfort.

So, how can we heal our gut and achieve that content creator glow? Here are two key strategies:

  1. Essential Nutrients: Your body needs a variety of essential nutrients to function at its best. These include vitamins, minerals, protein, carbs, and healthy fats. When you’re deficient in certain nutrients, it can show up on your skin and in your overall well-being.
  • Focus on gut-friendly foods: Probiotics, found in yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut, can help replenish your gut with good bacteria.
  • Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables: These are packed with antioxidants and essential vitamins that support healthy skin and digestion.
  • Consider adding in high-quality supplements: Prebiotics feed good gut bacteria, probiotics are those beneficial bacteria, and digestive enzymes help break down food for better absorption and digestion.
  1. Food Sensitivity Elimination: Sometimes, certain foods can trigger an inflammatory response in the body, leading to acne, headaches, and bloating. Identifying and eliminating these food sensitivities can make a world of difference!
  • Keep a food journal: Track what you eat and how you feel afterwards. This can help you identify potential triggers.
  • Consider an elimination diet: This involves removing common food sensitivities like gluten, dairy, and eggs for a short period to see if your symptoms improve (see below).
  • Work with a nutritionist: A qualified professional can help you create a personalized plan to identify and address your food sensitivities.

By focusing on essential nutrients and food sensitivity elimination, you can take control of your health and show up as your best self, both on and off camera! Remember, consistency is key. Be patient with yourself, and celebrate your progress along the way.

Learn more about Food Sensitivity Elimination by clicking the {Heal w/ Food} tab on the menu at the top of the page. Don’t be nervous about the word elimination; I’ve never eaten more than when I was doing this elimination program!!!

Glowing skin, happy gut, and content creation magic – here’s to thriving, not just surviving! ✨

I hope this helps! Comment below if you have any other questions ❤

Glowing Skin in 4 Weeks

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It’s time to get real and share a little piece of my story with you. Growing up, I experienced a struggle that many of us face (get it?), but don’t always like to talk about: acne. From those awkward middle school years to adulthood, it seemed like my skin just couldn’t catch a break. I can even remember my very first zit: I was in 4th grade and a zit popped up right in the MIDDLE of the bridge of my nose. I remember my mom and sister telling me to use the Noxema pads we had stashed in the bathroom; ooooff I can still feel that burn when I think about it!! I’m not sure how long it took from that first zit to have a forehead, and then face, full of zits – but they stuck around for a long long time. I didn’t think they would ever go away!

Acne can take a toll on not just our complexion, but also our self-esteem. I vividly remember those moments of self-doubt and insecurity, constantly searching for quick fixes or magic potions to try to make it all vanish overnight. I tried products like Proactive – but as a middle schooler definitely didn’t have the kind of responsibility needed to stick with that kind of system. In high school I saw a dermatologist who prescribed Tazorac – it made my face sooo sensitive and red!! Then as an adult I found benzoyl peroxide, but was I really going to buy this little $5 tube forever? It all felt like defeat. It was a losing battle and I felt stuck.

Don’t worry – there’s a light at the end of this struggle tunnel. Through trial and error, and loads of patience, I discovered new lifestyle habits and a fresh perspective on self-care. But the real secret is – I didn’t know what was happening until it happened. Hindsight 20/20, right? I fell into the wellness world first through a gym and bodybuilding competitions, but it would take another four+ years to figure out the connection between what I was consuming and the way I felt overall, and the way my skin looked.

Once I figured out all the junk I was eating was causing my breakouts (not just sugar!), it made sticking to a plant based diet WAY easier! I knew if I continued to eat a well rounded diet (essential nutrients!!) I could have more control over the blemishes on my skin (it was not always just my face). BUT THEN – I got too confident. Cocky even. I was feeling amazing, skin glowing, so I started to dabble in some junk again. Some baked goods, some candy, a little here and there and I had no issues…but then I went overboard. Adding in frequent treats, like daily, and slowly cutting back on the amount of veggies I was eating. Then before I knew it I had zits popping up again. So I’m here to tell you I’m back to eating plant based to get my insides back on track, and I want to show you how it works.

I also want you to know you’re not alone and there is a way to clearer skin, without expensive creams and doctors visits. I’ll be offering tips, guidance, and a sprinkle of inspiration to help you break free from the constraints of acne and uncover your beautiful, confident self – through a complete, balanced diet – no special meds needed 🙅‍♀️ just A LOT of good food! This is your holistic way to clearer skin.

So, let’s connect and support each other on this incredible adventure. What skin concerns have you been battling? Share your experiences in the comments or DM me on Instagram @kateneeds_

Remember: true beauty lies in self-acceptance and the courage to embrace our unique stories. Let’s embrace confidence together! 💪💖

And if you’ve had ENOUGH of your own skin struggles, you can start the same program I used RIGHT NOW! Follow the link: HERE. This program is 4 weeks of food sensitivity elimination plus 2 weeks of reintroduction. Includes all program materials, guidance, recipes, meal planning ideas, tips, tricks, and more!