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Stress And AcneThere is a connection between stress and acne, but it is only one contributing factor.Acne develops as a result of blockages in skin follicles. Who can’t remember the good ole high school days when, at least for girls, we were very self conscious about the acne showing too much. Gosh, I am glad those hard times are over. Teenage acneTypically, acne presents itself during puberty.It is interesting to know that it is the increase in testosterone that may develop acne in most teens. Both girls and boys experience an increase in testosterone levels as teenagers. Besides testosterone, here are some other causes of acne:
Stress and acneOver the years, it has been debated whether stress really creates acne or not.There have been many clinical studies recently that have shown that stress can worsen acne. There was a small study conducted in 2002 by the Stanford University School of Medicine. According to their findings, the subjects who had the greatest increases in stress during examination periods also had the greatest exacerbation in acne severity. They also noted that worsening of diet during stressful period contributed significantly in flare-ups of acne in these students.
How does stress make acne worse?Stress causes worsening of acne in two ways:
It has also been established that psychological stress decreases immune system functioning and that decreases one’s wound healing capacity by up to 40%. This factor doubles the impact of stress on acne. Stress not only has a negative effect on developing acne, but it can also have a negative impact on overall skin condition. One of the main stress hormones, cortisol is that because it is a steroid, it makes the sebaceous glands produce more oil and this causes the skin to be extra oily. It is the extra production of oil that can create more whiteheads or blackheads. Treatment options for acneFor most people, acne will usually improve by the time they are 20 years old, but for some it may persist into adulthood. Regardless of what age you are dealing with acne, you want “something” that will effectively treat it. Here are some traditional treatment options for you to consider:
And, for those of you that are more holistically minded, here are some additional options for treating acne:
Treatment options for stress and acneIf you suspect that your acne flare-ups are due more to the stress in your life, then coping with stress differently is important.As a starting point, learn how stress may be impacting your life, take this free 5 minute stress management survey . The body responds to the stress response being triggered by releasing stress hormones. The intention of those hormones is to help the body adapt to a short term, or acute stressor. The problem with those stress hormones is when the acute stressors become chronic stress. To help you manage your stress and acne, here are some stress relaxation techniques for you to integrate into your life: And, there are some proven holistic practices that are very effective in reducing stress and promoting the healing process:
Unlike when you were a teenager and had to mostly just wait for your hormones to level off before your acne would go away, you don’t have to wait to manage your stress and acne. Stress is ONE factor that you do have the ability to control. Let's talk! Contact me to get your FREE 1/2 hour stress consultation. For more information, please see: Return From Stress And Acne To How Does Stress Affect Health Return From Stress And Acne To Coping With Stress Home Pay it forward!There a lot of people who have become overwhelmed by stress and how to get rid of it. I can understand this feeling. But it does not mean that good information is NOT out there. It is.Please help a friend or loved one by sharing this information with them. Email this link to them or submit this page to your Tweet account, or Facebook or your favorite social bookmarking or networking site. Use the links below to pay it forward. |
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Control My Stress
stress management tools!
Abbie K. – Minneapolis
K., age 45, is a long term chronically PTSD disabled patient. She has had daily headaches for 20 years. Two weeks ago she reported that she had had 4 days of pain free time, and was having the exceedingly odd sensation of "smiling all the time". She and Cathi have made extraordinary fast progress together.
Dr. Cole
I referred C.L., age mid-forties, to see Cathi after a life of suffering the post traumatic stress disorder of parental sexual abuse over many years of her childhood, with major dysfunctions of alcohol and drug abuse, and with the disabling symptoms of migraine that have for more than twenty years become chronic.
She has lived with daily headaches that have not responded to any of the several drugs which have benefited many such suffering patients. She has needed chronic opiate treatment of her chronic pain syndrome.
In the few weeks that Cathi has worked with her, C.L. has begun to experience days without pain, periods of happiness, and a reduction in her opiate dosage requirements that represent a breakthrough in her stalled-out life as a single mom raising a teen-age daughter with only social security income resources.
Dr. Racer
“I first met Cathi Churchill eight years ago when she effectively helped my work unit through the stress of a hospital-wide layoff. I was impressed with her clear-minded approach and willingness to listen.”
Andy R.
N., age 60, is a hard driving attorney twenty year patient of mine who hit the wall with chronic fatigue four years ago, and began to realize she had to learn to rest. She recovered enough to return to her workaholic lifestyle when she was stopped by a herniated cervical disc and resumption of her chronic colitis.
Working with Cathi, she is discovering "the way she does life" and learning to make choices about it. She came in last week, having "danced until dawn". She is learning to dialogue with her body in effective ways.
Dr. Cole
“I stumbled upon Cathi after my recent heart attack that was brought on by stress. I was scared of having another one, and didn’t know what to do. I had lost hope. Working with her has changed my life. I’m so grateful."
Debbie – Canada
M.S., a woman in her late forties with progressively more and more disabling rheumatoid arthritis since childhood, whose most recent problems have arisen over the last two to three years as complications of immunosuppressive therapy for her disease. The complications have been associated with the severely disabling chronic pain of recurrent herpes neuralgia for more than three years, and for the past 15 months, recurrent osteomyelitis in her right lower mandible.
The second, more alarming (even life-threatening) problem has caused months of diagnostic and therapy confusion among her many consultants, three successive resections of the bone over the last six to eight months, and the still ongoing threat of more relapses of the smoldering bone infection and chronic pain only made bearable by chronic, massive doses of opiates.
In the few months since M. began to work with Cathi with several modalities: stress management, therapeutic touch, guided imaging, and others, her life has become more livable, as she has become able to bear the pain and the discouragement of unresolved disease.
She has relied on many of the methods for maintaining hope and getting through overwhelming discouragement by using the inner resources she has learned with Cathi.
My hope as her primary physician, is that Cathi and M. will be able to continue to work together to maintain that inner strength and hope as she faces yet more months of pain, and further repeated surgery.
Thank you for the healing guidance you've been able to give her thus far.
Dr. Racer
“I sought out the help of Cathi during my divorce, and found her to be an insightful and compassionate coach. Her ability to see deep into the heart of an emotionally stressful problem is, I believe, unique and I would highly recommend her service to anyone.”
P.R. – Brooklyn Center
S., age 48, is a Laotian patient of mine with 15 years of chronic abdominal pain. She has had an extensive medical worked up, and nothing ever worked. Cathi saw her over several months.
S. has improved! Cathi established a trusting relationship with her, and helped her to effectively break through her wall of silence and grief about her son's mental illness, and taught her how to "change her thinking".
S. now comes in smiling, notes some unusual continued symptoms, but no longer has chronic abdominal disabling pain.
Dr. Cole
“Control My Stress is so amazing. I want to thank you, again, for such a valuable resource.”
Tony.
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Control My Stress
stress management tools!
Testimonials
“Ms. Churchill is the unique health care worker everyone hopes to encounter, but rarely does. She has an extraordinary gift that allows her to do much more than diagnose and treat.”Abbie K. – Minneapolis
K., age 45, is a long term chronically PTSD disabled patient. She has had daily headaches for 20 years. Two weeks ago she reported that she had had 4 days of pain free time, and was having the exceedingly odd sensation of "smiling all the time". She and Cathi have made extraordinary fast progress together.
Dr. Cole
I referred C.L., age mid-forties, to see Cathi after a life of suffering the post traumatic stress disorder of parental sexual abuse over many years of her childhood, with major dysfunctions of alcohol and drug abuse, and with the disabling symptoms of migraine that have for more than twenty years become chronic.
She has lived with daily headaches that have not responded to any of the several drugs which have benefited many such suffering patients. She has needed chronic opiate treatment of her chronic pain syndrome.
In the few weeks that Cathi has worked with her, C.L. has begun to experience days without pain, periods of happiness, and a reduction in her opiate dosage requirements that represent a breakthrough in her stalled-out life as a single mom raising a teen-age daughter with only social security income resources.
Dr. Racer
“I first met Cathi Churchill eight years ago when she effectively helped my work unit through the stress of a hospital-wide layoff. I was impressed with her clear-minded approach and willingness to listen.”
Andy R.
N., age 60, is a hard driving attorney twenty year patient of mine who hit the wall with chronic fatigue four years ago, and began to realize she had to learn to rest. She recovered enough to return to her workaholic lifestyle when she was stopped by a herniated cervical disc and resumption of her chronic colitis.
Working with Cathi, she is discovering "the way she does life" and learning to make choices about it. She came in last week, having "danced until dawn". She is learning to dialogue with her body in effective ways.
Dr. Cole
“I stumbled upon Cathi after my recent heart attack that was brought on by stress. I was scared of having another one, and didn’t know what to do. I had lost hope. Working with her has changed my life. I’m so grateful."
Debbie – Canada
M.S., a woman in her late forties with progressively more and more disabling rheumatoid arthritis since childhood, whose most recent problems have arisen over the last two to three years as complications of immunosuppressive therapy for her disease. The complications have been associated with the severely disabling chronic pain of recurrent herpes neuralgia for more than three years, and for the past 15 months, recurrent osteomyelitis in her right lower mandible.
The second, more alarming (even life-threatening) problem has caused months of diagnostic and therapy confusion among her many consultants, three successive resections of the bone over the last six to eight months, and the still ongoing threat of more relapses of the smoldering bone infection and chronic pain only made bearable by chronic, massive doses of opiates.
In the few months since M. began to work with Cathi with several modalities: stress management, therapeutic touch, guided imaging, and others, her life has become more livable, as she has become able to bear the pain and the discouragement of unresolved disease.
She has relied on many of the methods for maintaining hope and getting through overwhelming discouragement by using the inner resources she has learned with Cathi.
My hope as her primary physician, is that Cathi and M. will be able to continue to work together to maintain that inner strength and hope as she faces yet more months of pain, and further repeated surgery.
Thank you for the healing guidance you've been able to give her thus far.
Dr. Racer
“I sought out the help of Cathi during my divorce, and found her to be an insightful and compassionate coach. Her ability to see deep into the heart of an emotionally stressful problem is, I believe, unique and I would highly recommend her service to anyone.”
P.R. – Brooklyn Center
S., age 48, is a Laotian patient of mine with 15 years of chronic abdominal pain. She has had an extensive medical worked up, and nothing ever worked. Cathi saw her over several months.
S. has improved! Cathi established a trusting relationship with her, and helped her to effectively break through her wall of silence and grief about her son's mental illness, and taught her how to "change her thinking".
S. now comes in smiling, notes some unusual continued symptoms, but no longer has chronic abdominal disabling pain.
Dr. Cole
“Control My Stress is so amazing. I want to thank you, again, for such a valuable resource.”
Tony.