Skin issues are so so common in our generation, affecting those from the ages of just weeks old to later in life into 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. One highly persistent issue so many women struggle with is acne. It’s honestly SUCH a debilitating issue and can really affect your confidence. Before I made changes in my life and really committed to living a healthy lifestyle all around, one of my biggest struggles was acne. Cutting out meat and dairy was key in healing my acne (but we’ll talk more about that later!). The *good* news about acne is that it is highly respondent to diet, lifestyle, and medical interventions and there is a LOT you can try. *This is not medical advice. Always do your research and work with your doctor when implementing anything new. Acne has numerous causes and getting to the root cause is really important. There’s a lot you can do on your own for acne that doesn’t require medications or prescriptions. Acne occurs when hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells, leading to white heads, black heads, pimples, redness, and inflammation. It’s most common in younger people, teenagers specifically, but can occur at all ages. Many think of acne as always being an oil issue—like producing too much oil or having “oily” skin automatically leads to acne. This leads people to use harsh chemicals and actives like benzoyl peroxide, AHA, BHA, and other exfoliants in an effort to reduce the oil. What’s most important when it comes to treating acne is finding your personal “root cause” rather than attacking the skin with harsh exfoliants and stripping the skin barrier. There are a wide variety of root causes of acne outside of oily skin. The number one thing that moved the needle for me in healing my skin was eliminating dairy from my diet in college. When I cut out dairy and meat, it immediately helped to clear my skin. Dairy contains inflammatory proteins like whey and casein, along with added hormones and antibiotics because of the factory farming practices used today. Dairy can contribute to acne because it increases hormone levels, insulin, and IGF-1 (insulin growth factor), all of which can contribute to oil production and inflammation. A diet high in ultra-processed foods—specifically foods filled with seed oils, refined sugar, and refined flour and starch—are highly inflammatory and associated with acne. Hormonal imbalance is a very common root-cause of acne. The hormonal changes impact your body’s oil production. It’s important to work with a doctor and ensure you have healthy, balanced hormones for your age. There’s a lot you can do to balance and support healthy hormones naturally. Finally, one that’s thought about much less is the gut microbiome. All external issues tend to have an internal connection. If you’re struggling with acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, etc., the first place to look is within. The gut-skin axis describes the relationship between the gut microbiome and skin. Dysbiosis, imbalances in the gut microbiome like infections, SIBO, and candida, can lead to systemic inflammation, weakened immune function and an impaired gut lining. Work with a physician or functional medicine practitioner to get microbiome testing and identify any imbalances. My biggest tips when dealing with acne are: Work with a functional medicine practitioner who will help you identify the ROOT CAUSE of your skin concerns. Cut out dairy, ultra-processed foods, and any “trigger” foods that could be worsening your acne. Eat a whole-foods, nutrient-dense colorful diet filled with fruits, veggies, legumes, etc. I have hundreds of skin-friendly recipes on my blog. Use non-toxic products on your skin. I like to scan all of my products in the EWG and Yuka apps which give products a grade. Be positive & present. It’s so hard struggling with skin issues but try to be positive and keep a loving, kind mindset. Nothing affects your health more than chronic stress and high cortisol. What to Make for Father’s Day This Sunday 🏈
SURVIVING FATHER’S DAY FREE ZOOM CALL SUNDAY JUN 21 830-9:00 AM Register here For most parents, holidays are markers of family life. They’re the days we imagine gathering around a table, opening gifts, sharing meals, taking photos, and watching our children grow into adulthood. For estranged parents, those same days can become painful reminders of what has been lost. Father’s Day can be especially difficult. A dad may spend weeks wondering whether he’ll receive a text, a card, a phone call—or nothing at all. He may tell himself not to get his hopes up, only to find himself checking his phone throughout the day anyway. What makes these occasions so hard is that they don’t simply mark the passage of time. They remind us of the family life we expected to have and the one we no longer do. If you’re an estranged parent this Father’s Day, try to remember that your worth as a parent isn’t determined by whether your phone rings today. The love you gave, the sacrifices you made, and the hopes you still carry for your child remain real whether they’re acknowledged or not. And if the day is painful, let it be painful. You don’t need to pretend otherwise. Grief is the price we pay for loving deeply. And join us this Sunday. It helps to be around others who understand. SURVIVING FATHER’S DAY FREE ZOOM CALL SUNDAY JUN 21 830-9:00 AM Register here
Life is stressful enough without fighting your junk drawer, untangling charging cables, or losing things underneath the furniture. But don’t worry, the solutions to those problems and many more don’t have to be an entire life overhaul. Sometimes it’s the smallest things — ways to freshen up your makeup or skin care on the go, or hacks to make yourself more comfortable literally anywhere — that pack the biggest punch.
There’s a quick, five‑question quiz that asks you to guess a few surprising education statistics. The numbers you’ll see include a 56 percent figure, a single‑digit answer of seven, and a “less than five percent” fact. Each question is meant to test how well you know the data behind schools, teaching methods, and student outcomes, and the format is just a simple pop‑up you can click through.
It’s a playful way to see whether the facts you’ve heard line up with what research actually shows. If you’re curious, give the five questions a go and see how many you nail. The piece is part of a series that encourages readers to think about education through numbers rather than anecdotes. It’s short, free to try, and you can keep coming back for new editions.
Morven feels like a little spell tucked into a name. It’s a Scottish favorite—just inside the top 400 last year—and shows up in classic poetry and on two mountains, which gives it that earthy, mystical vibe.
The sound blends the lyrical charm of Elowen and Arwen with the clean simplicity of Sloane and Mirren. You’ll hear the crisp “V” of Maeve, the gentle “‑en” ending you find in Seren, and the Scottish roots that echo Sholto, all of which make it a name that feels both magical and grounded.
Because it’s rare outside Scotland, Morven doesn’t get much attention, but its mix of poetic history and modern style makes it worth considering if you like names that carry a touch of enchantment.
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