If you’ve had a look at the success stories that we see on the farm, you’ll know that we get some pretty dramatic results with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and acne with our Good Skin Solution. (Stay tuned for the upcoming book, which is due to be published by Hay House in February 2017! ; )
In a nut shell, this is a combination of oral and topical immunotherapy. You both drink kefir, and apply it to the skin in the form of kefir soaps and lotions.
This one-two healing tango accomplishes terrific things, mostly because all these skin conditions are actually auto-immune disorders, that originate in the gut.
You must heal the gut, to heal the skin – and that’s what the Good Skin Solution accomplishes!
Your microbiome (the 2 kg of bacteria inside your gut that contains many living organisms, like the Amazon rain forest) can be damaged by antibiotics, stress, sugar and environmental toxins. This microbiome damage shows up on your skin, in your joints, in your tummy, in the behavioural centre of your brain and in your nervous system.
Over time, as we have worked closely with our clients, we have developed some real-world information about this process. We started to divide conditions up into levels of severity, which tend to work like this:
Level One: Gut issues, like IBS, diverticulitis, bloating, cramping and gastric problems, generally resolved fairly quickly with a daily kefir regime. Clients reported back that usually these issues took only one or two 21-day courses to resolve. These problems seemed to indicated a fairly mild level of microbiome damage.
Level Two: More severe issues, like eczema and psoriasis generally took at least three 21-day courses of the kefir to see a result. We noticed that a lot of people with this level of microbiome damage experienced a serious detox towards the end of their second course, and then rocketed onto great results by the end of the third course.
Level Three: We found that rosacea, which often didn’t appear as severe on the skin as moderate level eczema, psoriasis or acne – generally proved much more stubborn and difficult to shift. People with this level of damage almost always needed to do something additional to alter their diet, in addition to drinking the kefir, in order to see results. Often accompanied by fatigue, depression and food intolerance.
Level Four: This became a term we reserved for extremely severe cases of eczema, who often had suffered since birth. These clients generally took at least six months of continuous kefir and kefir skincare to see results. At this level of microbiome damage we tended to see sleeplessness, constant unbearable itch and possible emotional disorders, from the assault on the behavioural centre of the brain. These skin lesions can be so severe that sufferers avoid going outside, and don’t want to be seen. Being able to help people in this level of distress is one of the most satisfying things that I have ever done.
With all levels of microbiome damage, we found that at least 9 weeks of treatment tended to be needed before the condition was fully resolved. After that, it was beneficial for clients to return to take a booster course of kefir at least four times a year, when the seasons changed. The reason for this is that your microbiome is continuously being assaulted over time, by sugar, stress, antibiotics and environmental toxins, and needs topping up to stay strong.
On the farm, we drink kefir every day. We continue to do so, although none of us have any skin, gut or allergy issues anymore. On days that are particularly stressful or difficult, I sometimes treat myself to two doses! I love the energy boost I get from it, the feeling of calmness and happiness, and the freedom from sugar cravings. You can’t “over-do” kefir – you will never overdose on good probiotics.
Clients began to report that they were becoming “experts of their own wellness.” Once they reached a plateau of well-being, and their skin was looking good, they were feeling calm and happy and full of energy, they then would easily notice if their state began to slip downhill again, and they knew it was time for a top-up kefir course.
We use the language of growing plants, because kefir is not a drug: it is a way of re-seeding the microbiome. Those little seeds are delicate, and they take time to grow. A microbiome that has been out of balance for forty years of a person’s life is going to take some serious work before it comes into balance; that ecosystem platform is going to endure some serious wobbles before it stabilises into the new healthy pattern.
Nature takes time to work her magic. Work with her, and you will see results. We’ve been doing things that damage our microbiomes for a long time. The damage didn’t occur overnight, and it won’t be resolved overnight. But over time, the microbiome can be rehabilitated, and you will see that outcome on your skin.
So, how do you put the Good Skin Solution to work in your life?
It’s important that you make some lifestyle changes to support the healing of your gut and skin. But as I know from personal experience, trying to make changes can be overwhelming! So I’ve simplified this process into seven simple habits to make the process easier for you.
Be gentle with yourself as you institute these changes, to become more “biome-friendly.” Like a good parent, be firm but fair, instead of being harsh and critical. I like to think of my subconscious as a grumpy toddler, that needs to be lured along with the promise of little treats and rewards! Think baby steps, and make one small alteration at a time.
We’re big believers in the 80-20 rules on the farm. This means that you’re “good” for 80 percent of the time, and can have treats for 20 percent of the time. Anything harsher than this I simply find unrealistic. This is a marathon, not a sprint! Be practical about what you can accomplish. Overwhelm is the enemy.
We’re busy on the farm, and I can’t afford to feel hungry, grumpy or deprived. I need to feel full, happy and contented after I eat, because I need to bring my best self to my family and my work, every day.
So these habits are designed to first add things into your life plan as it exists, so that you will more easily be able to let go of the element that is damaging your microbiome. You may find that once you add something in – like stevia, for example – it will become easier to let go of something that is harming your microbiome, like sugar.
We talk in terms of 21-day courses of kefir, because 21 days is the length of time that it takes to put a new habit into place. This is not a fad diet; these are long-term positive changes to your eating patterns that will support the health of your entire system and reboot your microbiome. If you add in one new habit every three days, you will have added all seven habits by the end of your first 21-day course of kefir. You should be seeing results not only in your skin condition, but also in your general energy level, mood and overall sense of well-being.
Over the next period I’ll be posting one habit at a time, put the Good Skin Solution to work for you. Be faithful and patient, and this natural healing program will not only improve your skin, but give you more energy and relieve anxiety, depression and sugar cravings. You may even experience additional results including weight loss, improved mood, allergy reduction and a lessening of your IBS symptoms.
So stay tuned next week, for your first Good Skin Solution habit!
