Teenage Health – Puberty & Pimples

Puberty is exciting and becoming aware of your bodies changes – physical and emotions is a wonderful time to celebrate really taking care of your body naturally.

With the hormonal changes, you may experience teenage pimples (acne), mood swings, weight gain, cravings, sleep changes, stresses from the extra high school study and maybe a pressure to fit! Adopting a naturally healthy way of eating and a healthy, active lifestyle helps prevent many of these symptoms. Communication and surrounding yourself with strong, motivational mentors (sports, school, community) and embracing your parents, family and a nice support network of genuine friends this time of your life can be a wonderful fun ride! Feeling comfortable and positive in your body is what you should feel and aiming to be as healthy and active as you can to grow a strong healthy body mentally and physically is your reward when adopting a wellness program in your everyday life. I look forward to helping you!

Include these vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, zinc and magnesium. Also include the good fats (olives, olive oil, avocado, avocado oil, coconut, coconut oil) and essential fatty acid, Omega 3 in your diet. These nutrients may help improve and minimize the eruption of pimples and acne.

Nutritionally you need to adopt a clean way of eating (unprocessed foods). Include lots of fruit and seasonal vegetables, nuts and seeds into your diet. Vegetable juices are an excellent way to keep your body clean from the inside and promote glowing skin. See my ‘Energy Plus Nutritional Guide‘ for more information.

Have fun with trying new healthy recipes and cooking different things introducing new healthy foods into your diet. IThere are so many excellent cookbooks available to purchase or online. Search for paleo or keto and food as medicine to give you some ideas. Try adding a food prep morning once a week. Everyone can get involved in cooking up a storm of healthy meals and snacks that are ready for your school week! Don't allow junk food to creep into your way of eating! Be prepared and eat yummy healthy food. I look forward to hearing what works for you and your family and what you enjoy!

Great sleep hygiene – at this time often when your body is growing you crave more sleep. Don't be tempted to get out of routine. Keep a journal and create a timetable to make enough time for 8 – 10 hours sleep. Create a lovely wind-down routing before bed! Reading, listening to music etc. Turn off your devices and sleep in a dark room.

Hydration 2 – 3 litres of naturally filtered water is one of the best ways to give you clean glowing skin as it flushes out the body and protects your kidneys.

Remove all forms of sugar from your diet and starchy heavy carbohydrates foods.

Exercise every day ( 30 – 60 mins minimum) doing some cardiovascular activity. Get your heart rate up to your training heart rate range and sweat! It is important that you aim to be in the healthy and not overweight. Aim for a healthy BMI range as if you are carrying extra fat this may affect a healthy hormone production.

You should aim to be fit and healthy enjoying every aspect of being a teenager and having fun with your friends and family! Studying hard and trying lots of new adventures, activities and being safe at all times.

For girls starting menstruation enjoy learning to chart (use an app if convenient) as this will help you see what your hormones are doing and what extra nutrition to include in your diet. Notice your cravings and what healthy choices you can substitute! For more information view our Natural Fertility Management Page.

Embrace your hormones and enjoy being a teenager! Listen to your body and always choose healthily!

More and more research is linking chemicals in a child's diet and environment to early development!

Keep your children away from endocrine disrupting chemicals
Caffeine, aspartame, sugar-sweetened beverages, and salt are not the only endocrine disrupting chemicals that cause girls to enter puberty early. Chemical additives, genetically modified foods, and hormone and antibiotic-induced meat proteins are also contributors. Even environmental pollutants play their parts.
Therefore, it is important that you protect your children by limiting their intake of harmful chemicals and feeding them a healthy organic diet, probiotic foods and supplements, as well as vitamin C. It’s never too late to start.[1]

We use various naturopathic principles to treat the cause and look for the disharmony in your body and mind to bring your body back to balance. Please see below a brief treatment (Rx) protocol and reference guide, with choices to help improve your health and wellbeing. Click on the headings and links within for more treatment information.

If you are experiencing these conditions, I can guide you into wellness – BOOK NOW for a Naturopathic Consultation.

Tissue Salt Rx

If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.

Vincent Van Gogh

These tissue salts below singular or in combination may help with this condition.

********Growth, Development, Growing Pains, Skin, Bones, Teeth, Nerves, Dermatitis, Acné, Eczema.

Calcium Flouride:
Calcarea Fluor is also present in the enamel of the bones, in the surface cells of the skin as well as the teeth. So it is always included when it involves treatment for the teeth, bones and skin.

Calcium Phosphate:
Calc Phos works wonders as a pick-me-up and is often prescribed as a broad-spectrum nutrition supplement. It aids digestion and growth, reduces fatigue, joint pains, numbness, and cramps, ameliorates painful menstruation, throat infections, dental and skin problems, usually indicative of inadequate nutrition. Excellent remedy for growing pains combined with Mag Phos and including zinc in your diet and maybe a zinc supplement may be required.

Since this bone cell salt helps with calcium absorption, it is vital for dentition, puberty, and growth phases in young children and for defence against arthritis and osteoporosis among the elderly. As the primary cellular builder, Calc Phos gives essential support towards healing stressed cells whether fractured or diseased bone, decayed teeth, or soft tissues like blood cells.

Calcium Sulphate:
It helps to cleanse out all the waste matter that has collected in various parts of the body. It is a vital component of the liver where the toxins are eliminated. A lack of this salt can be seen in swollen glands and problems with the teeth and the skin. General indications could be apathy and a certain negative view of life.

Kali Mur:
Potassium Chloride also is known as Kalium Muriaticum or Kali Mur is the blood’s cleanser and conditioner. This tissue salt is found in blood corpuscles, muscle cells, nerve cells, saliva and in the intercellular fluids and is chiefly instrumental in dissolving the secretions of mucous tissues. The salt works with the body's chemistry to maintain cellular balance and health. Closely related to common salt, it is essential for new brain cell formation and good blood circulation.

Kali Sulph:
Kali Sulph or Potassium Sulphate works along with Phosphate of Iron and is a carrier of oxygen. When used in combination with Ferrum Phos, it improves respiration and circulation of blood.

The oxygen absorbed by iron in the blood corpuscles is conveyed to every cell by the joint action of Kali Sulph and iron. Life itself depends on the energizing effect of oxygen to grow and mature. This salt helps improve oxygen intake by the blood, by opening skin pores and bringing blood vessels to the skin surface, it facilitates perspiration and cooling of temperature.

The biochemical tissue remedy helps in the nurture of healthy skin, hair and mucous membranes and maintenance of the kidneys.

A deficiency of Kali Sulph reveals itself as pigmentation marks on the face and a yellow coating on the tongue. It results in inadequate uptake of oxygen in the blood. This, in turn, manifests itself in bouts of chilliness, acute rheumatic pains, heat flashes, and shifting pains in the extremities.

Fever, especially when it rises in the evenings, responds well to it when used in alternation with Ferrum Phos.

Mag Phos:
Mag. Phos or Magnesium Phosphate is the panacea for nerve and muscular ailments. This nerve and muscle fibre nutrient is a vital mineral found in the cells of the brain, nerves, muscle, blood, bones, and teeth. Along with water and albumen, it constitutes the clear liquid that nurtures the white fibres of nerves and muscles.

Lack of this biochemic tissue salt may cause the fibres to constrict and produce cramps, seizures, tremors, and related symptoms.

Mag Phos in tandem with Calc.Phos.acts as a nerve and muscle relaxant and can successfully treat many neuralgic disorders. These are seizures, spasmodic palpitations, epilepsy, facial twitches, involuntary contractions, and unmanageable tremors of limbs.

Excellent remedy for growing pains combined with Calc Phos and including zinc in your diet and maybe a zinc supplement may be required.

The palliative properties of the salt alleviate spasmodic and neuralgic pains varying from sciatica, headache, toothache, to twinges of pain in the face, ear, or abdomen. This cell salt may also treat reflex afflictions such as hiccups.

Mag Phos is the prime anti-spasmodic, analgesic biochemic salt and the automatic choice for mothers dealing with baby colic, hiccups and digestive cramps and wind. It may be used in place of aspirin to relieve aches and pains. This cell salt if dissolved in warm water and sipped frequently relieves all kinds of cramps. These may range from cramps due to menstruation, angina pectoris, or leg and foot cramps, to those due to mechanical, sporting injuries such as tennis elbow, writers’ cramp etc.

Nat Phos:
Nat. Phos or Sodium Phosphate is part of the Natrum family of biochemic remedies. Like the others, it maintains equilibrium in the body, specifically the acid-alkaline balance in the cells of the body.

It acts as an emulsifier of fatty acids. It also helps in preventing the formation of deposits of uric acid in the blood. As a catalyst, it breaks down excess lactic acid so that the carbonic acid and water can be expelled through the lungs. It thus helps purify the prime laboratory of the body, the liver.

Nat Phos has a beneficial role to play in digestion too. If the gastric juice lacks the requisite amount of this salt, it results in acid and sour belching. People prone to bouts of acidity and related problems like arthritis, gouty dyspepsia, gastric indigestion, heartburn, and rheumatism are likely to be prescribed this remedy by biochemic practitioners.

This tissue salt is good for children as it can remove excess sugar from the blood especially when they have indulged in too much candy followed by a bout of acidity or nausea. Cases of intestinal worms are also treatable by Nat Phos. It is the best remedy to treat cases of excess lactic acid.

Silica:
The biochemic cleanser and eliminator, Silicea or Silicon Oxide is part of all connective tissue cells in the body and thereby maintains healthy hair, skin, nails, and bones.

It is vital for the initial absorption of calcium in bones and plays a role in the prevention of osteoporosis and cardiovascular ailments. It helps the body to eject toxic waste material by assisting in the suppuration process. It hastens the curative process by breaking down the diseased matter e.g., skin eruptions, septicemia, abscesses, sties, and boils. Besides removing possible injurious matter, it assists the body to re-assimilate scar tissue. Its action is deep and long-lasting.

When treating inflammations, first Ferrum Phos and Kali Mur are generally recommended. Only when these have failed is Silicea prescribed by biochemic practitioners. Silicea ripens and brings the abscess to a head so that the body can rid itself of toxins. However, when dealing with deep-seated chronic acute abscesses and ulcerations, gouty joints, glandular swellings, tonsillitis and foot sweats, it is the primary remedy.

It is an important anti-stress tissue salt and insulates the nerves. It strengthens the collagen in brittle bones, nails, and hair and relieves impacted bowels. The salt also regulates perspiration, both effusive and blocked sweat glands. It is the best therapy against offensive perspiration of the feet and armpits.

Silicea deficiency manifests itself mainly in deteriorating skin and hair conditions and sunken eyes. Acute lack causes aversion to light and sound, involuntary tremors of the eye and facial muscles, hostile or irritable behaviour and vice-like headaches are common.

Homoeopathy Rx

Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.

Hippocrates

Indication

Below is a quick reference guide for low potency (1x – 30C) homoeopathic remedies safe for home prescribing. Make an appointment for a professional consultation and prescription for more information.

These homoeopathic remedies below cover some of the conditions associated with;

  • Emotional Health – stress, study, fear, anxiety, fright, panic, grief, worry
  • Skin Health – pimples, acne, boils, dry – flaky skin, cracked skin, itchy and unhealthy skin
  • Growing pains
  • Study concerns! Worry about the and stress of assignments, homework, exams causing anxiety, sleep disturbances and gut problems.
  • Eye strain and sore wrists from overuse with study and work (computer use and writing)

***INDIVIDUAL CONSULTATION FROM HOMOEOPATH GIVES THE BEST OUTCOME.

Aconite:
Acute, panicky fear and restlessness followed by a fright or shock

There is agitation, from a shock such as bad news, death, trauma, accident or shock. Restless and may fear death and being in the dark.

Argent nit:
Fear of heights and confined spaces. Nervous, impulsive, hurried and talkative. Diarrhoea and flatulence from anticipation. Trembling and palpitations.

Arsenicum:
Anxiety in high achievers who may become a perfectionist and very critical. Extreme mental and physical restlessness, particularly at night.

Belladonna:
First stages of an outbreak of pimples, acne, boils or eruptions when the area or individual spot is red, hot, sensitive and swollen. Acne rosacea. There may be pustules.

Calc Sulph:
When the skin area won't heal and continues o suppurate long after it should have healed.

Gelsemium:
Physically and mentally exhausted from anxiety and overwork especially prior to exams, events, interviews or giving a presentation. Anticipatory anxiety and dread before the event.

Withdrawn, Dull, apathetic and wants to be left alone. Frequent urination, painless diarrhoea. Confused and drowsy.

Graphites:
Skin, thick, dry, unhealthy especially bends of limbs, creases, face, scalp and fingertips. Skin cracks, bleeds, itches and oozes sticky honey-like discharge.

Hepar sulph:
Unhealthy kin conditions – abscesses, acne, boils and suppurating sores that are red, painful and sensitive to touch. Pustules which may be slow to come to a head. Indicated when infections occur from little cause.

Ignatia:
Oversensitive with mood swings and sighing. Hysteria with loss of control. Sitting with bouts of sighing, crying and or laughter. Sleep and eating patterns disturbed.

The initial reaction is hysterical and the person goes to pieces. Feels unable to cope without help. Worse from sympathy.

Kali phos:
Nerve Tonic (see tissues salts above 6x potency) This remedy soothes and calms and supports the nervous system.

Anxious after stress. Mental and physical depression from excitement, worry or overwork.

Weak eyesight. Humming or buzzing in the ears.

Improves disturbed sleep patterns and relieves anxiety.

Lycopodium:
Exam anxiety with fear of failing. Craves sweets. Headaches from low blood sugar.

Digestive uneasiness, flatulence (lots of wind) and loose stool.

Nat mur:
Bottled up emotions. The grieving process has continued for a long time. This person can't cry in front of people and worse from sympathy. Wants to be alone.

Skin – dry and flaky. Eczema – along with the hairline and the bends of joints. Nat mur is also a remedy to consider for dry hair and flaky scalp – dandruff.

Nux vomica:
Emotionally – irritable, touchy and angry. Inclined to pick arguments.

Study and work, can't switch off! Craves stimulants – sugar, coffee (adults – cigarettes and alcohol) to get through the day and awake! Wakes 3-4.00 am with thoughts of study, work etc. Wakes tired and sluggish.

Lycopodium:
Terrified of public speaking but does well once started. Lacking confidence and indecisive. Social anxiety with insecurity. Wind in the abdomen (rumbling). Worse 4 – 8 pm.

Petroleum:
Skin – cracked, rough, split and red. Corners of mouth, hands and feet.

Pulsatilla:
Shy people who are better from constant company and sympathy. Very weepy, often uncontrollably and cry at all reminders, sad music etc. Changeable moods.

Rhus tox:
Restless temperament. Very itchy skin. blisters, vesicles, shingles, chicken pox and prickly heat.

Ruta grav:
Eye Health – red, hot, painful and strained eyes from overuse.

Ligament and tendon strain from overuse in the wrist from computer work and overwriting from work and study.

RSI – repetitive strain injury.

Silica:
Unhealthy skin with poor healing. Cracks on fingertips, worse in cold weather. Helps resolution after a pimple, splinter, boil or suppurating wound has discharged.

Sulphur:
Unhealthy skin which will not heal. The skin breaks out and festers. Worse from heat, hot water and warmth from the bed. Prickly heat and nappy rash. Skin red, dry and itching.

Nutritional Medicine Rx

Health is much more dependent on our Habits and Nutrition Than on Medicine.

John Lubbock

Use Food as Medicine! Nourish your body and mind with fresh seasonal, whole foods. Clean unprocessed & unadulterated foods like nature intended. Support a back to the basic natural approach to eating. Visit your local farmer markets and buy organic produce where possible. Go vegetable crazy! Love your greens.

Food Sensitivity Testing is an easy way to take the guess work out of what may be contributing to you feeling unwell, suffering digestive problems, inflammation, bloating, skin conditions, asthma etc. A whole food natural diet is excellent to follow but what some people don’t realise is one man's food can be another man’s poison. Give your digestive tract a break and feed your body with food that heals. A stressed and inflamed digestive tract (gut) suffering dysbiosis needs help to build up a good microbiome balance. It is not only important for your ability to absorb and utilise nutrients but your gut health and immune system are inextricably linked. Seventy to eighty percent of your immune tissue is located within your digestive system and ninety percent of serotonin is made in the digestive tract. Serotonin is a key player in mood, anxiety, fear, and the general sense of happiness and wellbeing.

The intestinal microbiota (gut flora) helps in proper development of the host immune system, which in turn regulates the homeostasis of the microbiota. Good nutrition promoting good gut health microbiome promotes a healthy immune system.

The gastrointestinal tract is also sensitive to emotion. A troubled intestine can send signals to the brain, just as a troubled brain can send signals to the gut. Therefore, a person's stomach or intestinal distress can be the cause or the product of anxiety, stress, or depression.

Don’t diet! Listen to your body. Eat mindfully in a relaxed environment and choose quality, not quantity. Enjoy fuelling your body and treating it well.

Flower Essence Rx

Healing with the clean, pure, beautiful agents of nature is surely the one method of all which appeals to most of us.

Dr Edward Bach
Listed below are some of the flower essence remedy ranges that we utilised to improve ‘Your Style of Life’ and help you treat various conditions.
  • Bach Flower Essences
  • Australian Flower Essences
  • Futurplex

Lifestyle Medicine Rx

To live is the rarest thing in the world.Most people just exist.

Oscar Wilde

Exercise and Fitness Management:

Select an exercise activity or sport you enjoy. Choose something that works for you and aim for the 80/20 % approach and always listen to your body.
  • Walking is a wonderful activity for all ages, shapes and sizes.
  • Build up slowly but aim for 10,000 steps a day.
  • I recommend investing in a motivational health monitor like ‘Fitbit’ and or an app like ‘MyFitnessPal’ to motivate you to have a go and strive to improve your fitness and maintain a healthy weight.

Hydration:

Aim for 2 – 4 litres of clean, filtered water a day. One of the easiest ways to improve your health is to stay hydrated as your body is made up of 60% water and it needed by every cell of the body. Sugar, Salt and Coffee is dehydrating for the body. Often if you feel thirsty this is an early sign of dehydration. Make it a habit and drink throughout the day. Benefits include:
  • Natural Detox – a naturally hydrated body purges the cells, eliminating stored toxins and bodily wastes.
  • Digestion and Elimination – eliminates constipation, boating and helps improve general digestive disorders.
  • Speeds Metabolism and helps with weight loss.
  • Combats Fatigue – water is an important source of energy for your body.
  • Reduces High Blood Pressure and Lowers Cholesterol.
  • Speeds up Joint and Cartilage repair.
  • Skin Health – improves Acne, Dermatitis, Eczema, Psoriasis and Premature Skin Ageing.
  • Slows the Ageing Process.

Sleep Hygiene:

  • Aim for 7 – 8 hours quality sleep.
  • Turn off all electronic devices and avoid technology and hour before bed as this allows your brain to switch off and make it easier to fall asleep.
  • Keep your bedroom just for sleeping & loving. Fresh Air – open a window. Light can make or break a good sleep cycle. Darken your room as much as possible.
  • Don’t eat late in the night. Avoid caffeine and stimulants.
  • Set your alarm to get to bed and wake at the same time every day.
  • Night Cap: – Drink a warm lemon drink, herbal green tea or Golden Milk (Almond & Coconut Milk with beneficial spices) – “Turmeric Latte”, before bed.
  • Create a nice environment with indoor plants, aromatherapy diffuser, soft relaxing music and anything that helps you promote a routine to wind yourself down to get much-needed sleep.

Fun:

Life is about balance and taking time out to play and enjoy activities you like with friends and family as it has a huge benefit on your health. Laughter is the best Medicine. Having fun and enjoying activities that you like has the benefit of reducing stress and lowering the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is known as the “stress hormone” and spikes to unhealthy levels when you are continually stressed with one of the side effects being weight gain. Having fun increases serotonin, which is the hormone that regulates sleep patterns, body temperature, memory and mood. When you do activities you enjoy, that help you to relax and connect with people the body will naturally increase serotonin levels. Research has proven that making time to relax, engaging in activities you enjoy, spending time with people that make you happy improves positive emotional, mental health and overall wellbeing.

Conditions We Treat

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