Anti-aging and mitochondrial health is all the rage right now. The truth is, aging is a natural part of being alive. Of course, there are a variety of unwanted ‘signs’ of aging.. let’s call them the by-products of aging. From weight gain or graying of the hair, to wrinkling of skin, to fatigue, arthritis, cognitive delay… It’s no wonder ‘anti-aging’ has become a main focus in my clinical practice with my patients.

The way each of us show signs of aging physically depends on a plethora of factors. One such factor that comes into play when it comes to how fast a person ages is the health of the mitochondria. But what exactly are mitochondria, and what’s their connection to aging?

What are Mitochondria? 

Do you remember back in school when they’d talk about the powerhouse of the cell? Well, that’s mitochondria. More technically speaking, the mitochondria are membrane-bound cell organelles. You can think of the mitochondria as one of the tiny little organs of each cell (yes our tiny cells have even tinier organs of their own!).

The function of the Mitochondria is largely to generate the necessary energy needed for each cell to perform biochemical reactions. The energy produced is stored in an even smaller molecule known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

That isn’t the only thing that mitochondria do, though. They also play a role in:

• Metabolic regulation and cell death through the control of calcium in and out of cells
• Regulation of the innate immune system, which is the non-specific aspect of the immune system that everyone is born with
• Controlling the programming of cell death
• Regulating stem cells, which are the cells in the body that produce all other specialized cells 

How do Mitochondria Get Damaged? 

One of the main ways mitochondria get damaged is through oxidative stress, which occurs when the body has too many free radicals. Research has found that these reactive oxygen species end up:

• Causing mutations in mitochondrial DNA
• Hindering the mitochondria’s ability to perform the tasks needed to form ATP
• Altering the membranes ability to allow substances to flow through it
• Changing how effective the mitochondria’s defense systems are

These changes in the mitochondria driven by oxidative stress have been shown to trigger the development of several diseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS. Metabolic disorders, cardiac disease, and cancer are also driven by mitochondrial dysfunction.

Other causes of mitochondrial damage include:

• Pathogens such as viruses or bacteria
• Parasites
• Heavy metal toxicity
• Medications

Mitochondrial Damage and Aging 

As you know now, anti-aging is largely rooted in our mitochondrial health. The interesting piece here is that aging itself can actually cause mitochondrial damage, which although is unavoidable, can be mitigated with the right support. The DNA volume, function, and integrity of mitochondria in the body decrease as the years wane by. As this occurs, the body has limited ability to create ATP, a lowered capacity for proper oxidation, and compromised antioxidant defences.

In simpler terms, mitochondrial damage as you age can lead you to become more susceptible to oxidative stress and thus chronic illness and disease and accelerated whole-body aging. Now you might be wondering.. “Well isn’t there anything I can do to prevent this?!” This is where naturopathic medicine comes in.

Mitochondrial Restoration and Anti-Aging

Recent research surrounding the restoration of mitochondria and anti-aging has found that if we improve the health of the mitochondria, we can mitigate the unwanted physical signs effects of mitochondrial damage and hold off age-related complaints.

When looking at whether or not it is possible to restore mitochondria function, this one research paper investigated a specific signalling pathway that plays a role in initiating the downfall of mitochondria based on age. What was promising in the study was that this pathway is reversible, potentially carving a path towards anti-aging therapies when it comes to age-related degeneration and disease.

Another study published in 2020 looked at how restoring mitochondria to their formal glory could affect skin health, aging, and skin diseases.   

It found that by targeting mitochondria to boost energy production or removing free radicals, they could essentially restore skin, reduce the signs of aging, and effectively fix age-related and UV-induced skin damage. 

Final Thoughts

So, it is possible to restore and protect the health of mitochondria in the body to boost anti-aging? The science shows us YES! If you are concerned about your overall health and think that mitochondria might have something to do with it, you are in the right place. Book your first naturopathic intake with me so we can discuss symptoms, possible causes, and what you can do to improve your health on a cellular level.

The post Natural Anti-Aging & Mitochondrial Health first appeared on Femina Health.

The post Natural Anti-Aging & Mitochondrial Health appeared first on Femina Health.

When we initially get on the birth control pill (BCP), we are told it’s a miracle drug. It is thought to ‘regulate’ your periods, get rid of your menstrual cramps, clear your skin. Best of all… stop you from getting pregnant when you don’t wish to have a child. What we are not told is that these effects are typically temporary, and that post-birth control acne is very common.

 However, preventing pregnancy in this way comes at a hefty price. As most of you know, the side effects of one day discontinuing birth control—can be downright excruciating to cope with.

 One such side effect is acne. So ,why does birth control cause acne to develop when you stop taking it, and what can you do about it?

Why do we get post-birth control acne?

 Birth control pills introduce synthetic hormones into the body, which naturally will shut off our own hormone production. In some cases this can help curb symptoms that come along with the natural fluctuations in our sex hormones. For example, taking the pill can temporarily  help with hormonal acne by increasing estrogen and decreasing testosterone.

The natural fluctuations in estrogen, progesterone and testosterone can cause the sebaceous glands under our skin to produce more sebum, the oily substance that lubricates the skin. When sebum builds up, it can clog your pores and leads to acne. Therefore taking the birth control pill can technically prevent these hormone fluctuations and prevent that sebum buildup. Many birth control pills also include an anti-androgen to help directly block androgenic hormones like testosterone, DHEA and androstenedione that also contribute to acne in some women. 

When you one day decide to stop taking the pill, you are no longer receiving synthetic hormones, and with time your own natural hormone production kicks back into gear. When you start making your own hormones again, there is this rebound effect – where testosterone tends to shoot up to levels that can wreak havoc on our skin, hair, mood and more. 

Essentially, once you come off the BCP, your hormones need time to rebalance themselves. This can be a shock to your body that leads to symptoms returning in full force. Other possible reasons acne makes a return after you stop taking the pill can include:

• Nutrient depletion: Going off the pill can cause your vitamin D levels to drop, and people with low vitamin D levels are more likely to develop acne.
• Effects on the microbiome: Using birth control changes the diversity in your gut, so when you stop taking it, that situation is rectified slowly over time. Since the microbiome also plays a role in sebum secretion, those changes can lead to more acne once you stop taking the pill and the diversity in your gut begins to restore itself.
• Liver congestion: Oral birth control pills are been shown to increase the risk of liver dysfunction. When the liver isn’t working as it should, it gets overwhelmed by excess hormones and other substances that can drive acne. 

How is post-birth control acne treated?

Many of my patients tell me they are terrified to get off the pill, for fear of acne. Many say they get off and just get right back on once they start breaking out. I want to reassure you that there are other avenues you can explore.

Ideally we want to target the temporary elevation in androgens to reduce the immediate acne. The truth is though, many women that get on the birth control pill start out with elevated androgens already. Therefore it is important to uncover the underlying cause of the original imbalance. Assisting liver detox can also help clear out any buildup of hormones that could contribute to this acne. Blood testing is an accurate, affordable and quick method I use in my practice to get us to the underlying cause of elevated androgens.

While we work to understand how to shift your hormones back into balance, some quick and easy natural treatments include:

• Tea tree oil: Tea tree oil doesn’t work by balancing your hormones, but it can decrease the inflammation that helps with acne development.
• Alpha hydroxy acid: Plant acids are great additions to a hormonal acne treatment plan because they remove any excess dead skin cells that can lead to clogged pores.
• Green tea: Drinking one or more cups of green tea every day can decrease systemic inflammation, which helps mitigate the stress on the body that comes with stopping the pill. 
• Diet: You want to include lots of antioxidant and omega-3-rich foods in your diet to help reduce inflammation for clear skin. Also, avoiding dairy, processed sugars, and refined carbs fights post-pill acne.

Balancing your hormones may take a while, but if you think it’s been long enough and there might still be something wrong, exploring other techniques to ensure your hormone levels are where they should be is a great way to manage acne after you stop taking the pill.

How can you tell if it’s post-pill acne and not something else?

It can be hard to tell if what you’re experiencing is post-birth control acne or something else. The truth is, many presentations of acne look similar, so it’s crucial to diagnose your specific type before treating.

The best thing you can do to figure out if your post-pill acne is hormone-related is booking a free 15-min discovery call. We can discuss your concerns, the possible causes, and aim for a treatment plan that will work for you.

PS: I am a big fan of testing hormones to avoid any guessing. However, once coming off any hormonal birth control, it is critical to wait a couple months before testing your hormones! You want to make sure the reading is accurate.

The post Post-Birth Control Acne + How to Clear it first appeared on Femina Health.

The post Post-Birth Control Acne + How to Clear it appeared first on Femina Health.