Rocking out with the Hormone Train
February 12, 2010 by mrsgojigirl
Filed under Happenings, Nourishment, Questions and Consult
Woooeeeeee!!!!! Feeling super inspired today! Yay!
After my last post about hormonal issues and working through them, I’ve had quite a few emails with questions about skin and hormones on a raw diet.
I first want to address the raw food diet. My acne started at the age of 12, when I started menstruating. The skin issues have pretty much always been hormonal. When I was on a strict raw-vegan diet for 4 whole years, my skin did not improve, in fact mostly it got much worse. Last year it started improving bit by bit, as I was adding some animal products and cooked food into my diet. When I say cooked food, I am not talking about going out to Whole Foods and getting a pizza, or eating a loaf of bread, or eating a bowl of pasta, or a bag of chips. No way. When I say cooked food, I’m talking about whole nutritious local organically grown goodness that undergoes a little heat – only to enhance it.
In the winter time, our vegetable intake looks something like this – Franky’s fresh homemade sauerkraut (make from mostly cabbage) and/or kimchi, root veggies from local farmers – such as carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips, rutabega, celery root, potatoes (purple are our favorite), some butternut squash, and yams. Sometimes we’ll get some kale or collards too, but those are mostly done at this time. To prepare my food, I will usually either steam some of these lovely veggies, or put into a soup, and once in a while I will saute in ghee or coconut oil. I like using the ghee, because we made our own out of a local butter. I also cook my eggs in some form, but try to usually leave the yolk a bit less-cooked. These styles can be sunny side up or soft-boiled. However, hard-boiled eggs are super delicious and easy to travel with. I’m not a huge fan of raw meat either, we usually sear any fresh wild game or fish, bake it in the oven, or add to a soup. If we get super fresh yummy looking fish, we’ll make a ceviche with it. You can find more information and recipe ideas here:
My darling husband Chef Franky
The live food intake I receive at this time of year – is from fermented foods, and dairy products. I call dairy products a live food, because the milk and cream are full of probiotics, that just multiply more and more as days go on. Sometimes we make kefir from our milk, so that is even more rich with healthy flora.
Ok, well back to the skin challenges. I get emails daily from females asking why the raw food diet isn’t working for them and that their skin is still the biggest challenge. These are women that have consistently done all sorts of cleansing, liver flushing, and have been raw vegan for anywhere from less than 1 year to over 6 years. These skin issues are not caused by junk food if they are still not cleared up after a few months of eating a fresh clean organic diet, they are hormonal issues. Especially when cyclical breakouts are happening, meaning breaking out before or during your moon cycle. But sometimes even hormonal acne can last indefinitely without any breaks, as mine did for years.
I even hear from women all the time who had beautiful skin growing up and as an adult, but after transitioning to an all raw diet, they began to have hormonal skin issues. But, for whatever reason 99% of the people I know on a raw food diet, get completely closed off to any other lifestyles being healing. I did it for years. As much as I refused to believe that any amount of cooked food or animal fat or protein could be in any possible way good for me, my skin progressively got worse. Not only was my skin getting worse, but I had gained weight around my mid-section, I was tired a lot, and the “raw-bliss-glow” had disappeared. Even as I transitioned my diet to a whole food traditional diet, I was still experiencing some fatigue and actually depression, because I still had an excess of estrogen in my body.
I am in no way trying to diminish the raw food diet, because it has definitely brought about huge and amazing changes to my life, and I will forever be grateful for that. I recommend finding a balance with your diet, and experimenting to find what works for you.
I am still coming into a more complete balance with my body and my diet, and I am actually feeling great. No depression, no acne, no PMS (this one is more recent, but freaking exciting), I am the thinnest I’ve been in a long time, and more. The PMS/cramps was a more recent one, because in all honestly, I had started drinking coffee again… I know, I know… But when I’m depressed, the first thing I want to comfort me is a hot cup of coffee. I don’t go out and get like Starbucks or anything, I make my own coffee with my glass tea kettle, glass french press, local spring water, and organic locally roasted coffee beans. Well, anywho, that was the one estrogen-encouraging thing left in my diet to remove. So, I have. In doing a bit more research, I found that coffee actually mimics estrogen in the body. Dang. Oh well, I’d rather be happy and healthy!
Updates on any products I’ve been trying:
Vitex Oil from Living Libations – smells amazing, feels good, haven’t noticed any huge difference, but I’m enjoying it just the same (also using LL’s underarm charm with vitex in it, this I LOVE!)
Progestelle Oil – found a new Progesterone oil/cream, that I prefer. It is just the Progesterone extract in Coconut Oil. The last one (from Organic Excellence) I was using had other ingredients that I was hesitant about – rosemary extract (estrogenic), vegetable glycerin, and stearic acid – even though they were mostly Organic ingredients. So anywho, I have switched to the new Progestelle Oil – which is also in a glass bottle (not plastic), and I feel much better about that.
Products that are on the way:
Xeno-Detox, DHEA, and Estro-Complex – all from Premier Research Labs. I’m really excited to try these, I think it will be the next-level in my healing process. I’ll definitely update any minor or major changes from trying those out on here.
Otherwise, I’m still loving up my raw grass-fed butter and cream intake!
Here are some pictures of me. I had to really search to find these, but I’m happy I did.
Nearly 2 years ago:
(I know, I know… I look super happy in this picture, but you get the idea)
1 year ago:
Today:
Bless,
Goji
PS – I find this article super interesting and informative – you might too!
http://www.westonaprice.org/Caveman-Cuisine.html
Wow!
Thanks for the continued inspiration, Goji!
Mel.
I totally resonate with what you wrote!! I went through VERY similar situation and now my skin and weight is finally manageable after adding in wholesome cooked meals back in to my daily diet. I’m really happy you are on the right track and sharing your experience with us!
Very interesting. For many years I ate just about the way you do now, minus the raw dairy and my skin was perfect…I’ve never had issues. After being on a raw diet for 3 years and eliminating all meat and animal products my skin is now being diagnosed as rosacea…yikes! what the heck? So I am back on the train of experimentation with what is missing. This is why I have enjoyed your husbands recipe videos so much, it gives me inspiration in another direction. Thanks so much for your post and being so honest and true to what your body needs.
Wow Goji,
I am thrilled you have shared your story! It will inspire so many. I also enjoy reading the posts of Mel, Alexis, and Andrea. Thank you!
I had flawless skin as a teenager, and then got sever cystic acne in my early twenties. I learned to heal my skin and spirit. I’m now 38 and my skin has been clear and healthy for the past 18 years. One of the reasons I started a skin care company, was so I and other woman could have access to natural skin care that helps keeps the skin flawless. Of course, it goes deeper.
The first healing for me was to stop obsessing about ‘healing acne’. It’s what I thought about night and day, and so guess what I would manifest more of? I began to learn to relax more into the essence of my being, and my true value.
The second thing that cleared my skin, was taking Accutane in my early twenties. I know many think of it as a evil drug, but I believe in God’s abundance to provide many paths of healing. It was a big leap for me at the time, as I was against medical drugs. I learned a lesson in balance. I had to decide what was more damaging, the drug, or the constant negative thoughts about my acne and self esteem.
The third healing, was eating healthy- not just on a molecular level, but an emotional one as well. I found I was being too restrictive of my beliefs about food. For years now, I have enjoyed a beautiful fluid ever changing balance. Although, I have always very much liked raw food retreats and fresh raw cuisine, my intuition gravitates to MANY delicious traditions.
Like the Italian Sardinians, some of the longest lived people, I will from time to time enjoy their traditional meal of dark red wine, omega-3 rich goat chease, and bread. How beautiful! I also enjoy vegetable rich soups, and Indian food (like spinach based palak paneer)- these are heavily cooked in the raw food world. In my world they are more ways that God loves and nourishes us.
One of the main healings was for me to lighten up. It is simple. If it feels restrictive, then I am going against the flow of God’s love, and if it feel loving, joyous, and free, I am in the flow! For example, I do not like refined sugar on a vibrational level- does not feel right. However, if I’m with my niece and she shares her cookie with me, I will enjoy it with her in giggles and a free spirit. That is true nourishment. We are more than physical beings, we are vibrational. It would go against the flow of love for me, to preach to her mom not to give her child refined sugar, or to refuse an sweet offering from my niece. This is one example of the art of balance in life.
With peace and great love!,
Elizabeth
Rosa y Fruta
You are looking HOT these days! It’s all about building up the good guys. Cleansing out the old ways is great, but after that, we MUST build up with REAL food (cooked, raw, fermented, and fatty). We build the body and the good guys inside. Love the new web site—very professional—and all the creations going on with the videos. You guys are awesome!
You Rock…I am glad I found your word press. Glad you have a wonderful partner to share life with and absolutely love your honesty.
You look beautiful in all the pictures! Love and Light. Dodee
Goj! Was just re-reading this and wanted to comment on the fact that in your latest photo you look like a beautiful, mountainous, wild Woman! LOVE YOU!
You’ve really got me fascinated now; I feel I should have my hormone levels checked immediately, as I have a lot of the symptoms that could be associated with battling hormones. I was wondering about the Vitex oil; how exactly do you use it? Topically or ingest it? I love Living Libations, but I couldn’t find the oil on their site?
I have found a mix of a raw food lifestyle and Ayurvedic cooking – you should look into it. I prefer higher percentage raw food in summer and similarly cooked food in winter
Hi, I have been high raw for many years, at times fully raw for extended periods, have done many extended cleanses, and always had a clean diet, but through it all i had acne that never cleared up. recently I added raw goat dairy into my diet after 12 years of being vegan because i was having intense tooth pain and was trying some self-healing methods i researched rather than getting a toxic root canal. The dairy (raw kefir and cheese) really helped my tooth and first seemed to also really improve my skin, which after 10 years of acne was really exciting, but now after 2 weeks of eating it every day my skin is breaking out and inflamed again, as well as bumps beginning on my upper arms. I am wondering if I am having too much, too often. I often do things in extremes, it is hard for me to have balance. i really would love clear skin, but for my own peace of mind feel that i have to give up hoping because it seems nothing helps. in your journey with animal products did your skin still fluctuate? do you think i should add eggs, fish? i am scared to try meat after 15 years without, but i am willing to do anything to really take care of my body. your story is very inspiring. Thanks!!
Thank you for the informative blog here! I’ll be putting in some more raw butter into my diet! Yeah! Love!
Hello! I’m curious . . .have you had your thyroid checked? Like you, life-long severe acne problems began at around age 12 and continued through all my life, until I turned age 40. Through my twenties and thirties, I had a series of hormone-related problems (endometriosis, fibrocystic disease, which are ‘lumpy breasts’, and polycystic disease–which involved growths on my ovaries). I was prone to gaining weight easily, especially in my mid-section. At age 40 I was finally diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I was put on Synthroid medication. Many of my symptoms cleared up, including the chronic acne! I still struggle with the hypothyroidism . . .it seems I can barely eat anything without putting on weight, but Weight Watchers is helping to keep me in check and I have recently begun receiving chiropractic care. While adjusting my spine, they are also unpinching nerves . . . and one of these pinched nerves very well might be causing troubles with my thyroid. At any rate, your symptoms remind me of myself and I highly recommend you get your thyroid checked.
Keep up the good work! I’m actively trying to clean up my diet, too. I’ve been an ovo-lacto vegetarian for about 10 years and hope to eventually move more towards veganism.
Hey! I was wondering if you could update us on the supplements you’ve been taking and how your acne / hormone balance is now. I’m a mess, and, like you, the more strict I became with my diet, the worse and WORSE my acne became. I’m on accutane now, but want to be as balanced and healthy as possible.
Thank you!