If you’ve found it frustrating that no one can tell you why you have chronic urticaria hives (including chronic spontaneous urticaria, dermatographia, and even angioedema), I feel you. Especially when IgE allergies are ruled out (testing is negative) or even avoiding what you’re allergic to isn’t helpful. At that point, most doctors will say that there is no answer or clear trigger to what causes urticaria, basically leaving you with an increasing number of medications that may or may not...

If you have psoriasis, you have a 30% chance of developing psoriatic arthritis symptoms! This type of psoriasis is notoriously difficult to diagnose because, unlike rheumatoid arthritis, there are no blood tests to easily confirm it. Psoriatic arthritis can be triggered at any age, but its onset is most commonly between 35 and 55 years old. One of the early signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis is joint pain that gets worse over time until the joints become swollen and inflamed. It might...

When you’re dealing with rashed skin, you can’t just slather on any moisturizer, cream, or the latest miracle potion promoted by beauty influencers. You’ve got to make sure the ingredients in your skincare formulas are clean, free of questionable ingredients, promote a healthy skin barrier, and soothe instead of potentially irritate your skin. And that’s why today I want to talk about one of my favorite skincare ingredients: black cumin seed oil. Black cumin seed oil’s skin benefits run deep...

Did you know that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common type of liver disease? (And it absolutely is tied to skin issues too!) Fatty liver disease, also now referred to as metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease, is the result of inflammation. It is associated with other common health issues like high lipids, high blood sugar, metabolic syndrome, and autoimmune disease. The good news is, in the early stages, when you’re just starting to show fatty liver signs...

If you’ve ever wondered if it’s possible to unravel the frustrating symptoms of scalp psoriasis with a more natural or integrative approach, you’re in for a treat. I’m sharing a case study from one of my real-life psoriasis clients who has lived with both scalp psoriasis and guttate psoriasis on her body for nearly 30 years. When my client first found me, she was pretty sick – struggling with more than just her skin. And I find that many psoriasis warriors don’t know about the deep...

Struggling with SIBO symptoms like bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, gas, and diarrhea, can be very frustrating. SIBO (short for small intestine bacterial overgrowth) is basically what it sounds like: Bacteria overgrow in the small intestine leading to many symptoms that impact the gut and other body systems. The presence of SIBO can trigger IBS, SIBO malabsorption (where you don’t absorb the nutrients from food and end up with nutrient deficiencies), and even anxiety due to...

Did you know that the severity of eczema symptoms + skin color have a unique relationship? That certain eczema symptoms can be WORSE for skin of color versus white or lighter skin tones? While practitioners are typically taught about the “classic eczema patient” who has itchy eczema, there is huge variation in how atopic dermatitis (eczema) manifests on different skin tones. Eczema on black skin, for instance, often presents as itchy skin bumps in areas not usually associated with atopic...

If you have a dairy allergy, it probably doesn’t surprise you that it’s one of the more complex common food allergies. While there are 25 proteins in milk (yes, you read that right!), only a handful have been shown to trigger antibody production against them. Now, remember that a dairy allergy is different from being lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance is considered a non-allergic reaction to milk products that can lead to uncomfortable GI symptoms like bloating, gas, and diarrhea. ...

If you struggle with eyelid inflammation (aka. blepharitis), crusty eyes in the AM or ocular rosacea, Demodex mites treatment might be in your future thanks to an overgrowth of these little critters! Demodex mites are a common, naturally-occurring commensal skin parasite that live, feed, poop, and die on your skin and on eyelashes and eyebrow hairs. While that may sound (really) gross, they are usually not an issue…unless the Demodex mites overgrow. Eyelid inflammation, irritated eyes,...

If you’ve ever wanted a sneak peak behind some of the eczema cases that I work on, I’m sharing a fascinating healing journey of a client with severe eczema on feet + her body! This client was excited to be a part of this new case study series I’m bringing to the podcast to help inspire other eczema warriors out there. It’s easy to give up especially if you start to feel like there are no answers or causes of eczema – that it’s just a mystery! But I hope that this journey for my real-life...

Spotting food allergy signs quickly can be tricky, especially since they don’t manifest in everyone in the same way. But it’s so important to be able to identify the symptoms of food allergies, because a whopping 1 in 13 kids have at least ONE food allergy. And that number is surprisingly high for adults, too. Food allergies are an IgE immune-mediated reaction. Essentially, your body sees a particular food as an invader, so it goes on attack by releasing chemicals like histamine. So if...

Tempted to try a bleach bath for eczema skin rashes? Did your doctor recommend them? Before you go dumping Clorox into your bath water — you need to hear this. Because honestly, the science doesn’t support bleach baths which was highlighted by Dr. Peter Lio at the Eczema Expo 2023 meeting. Turns out that the research on this outdated practice isn’t as helpful as everyone thought, which is why I recommend a mineral bath over a bleach bath for rashes every single time. Now, I know that there’s...

If you've been disappointed by keratosis pilaris treatment options + natural remedies -- you're not alone! Keratosis Pilaris (aka. Chicken skin)  is a complex, poorly understood skin problem that can make you feel really insecure (because of how it looks). It can also make your skin texture feel unpleasant + rough (potentially triggering skin picking). The most common keratosis pilaris treatment includes scrubbing off the involved areas of rough skin, but beyond that – you’re probably...

Whether you’re considering a plant-based diet or you’re wondering if there’s ANOTHER option to better, healthier farm practices – we need to talk about regenerative farming. Never heard of regenerative farming or regenerative agriculture before? Don’t worry – you’re not alone because most people think their options are only conventionally farmed produce and animal products, or organic. But that’s NOT true. So if you care deeply about the quality of the produce you eat AND the welfare of...

Women are very poorly educated on perimenopause and perimenopause symptoms! So much so that we often assume that the subtle, annoying signs of perimenopause are the result of something else. You probably know some signs of menopause like hot flashes or night sweats. But as you hit your late thirties to early forties, things start to change that your doctor might tell you are “normal” and nothing to worry about. Even though they don’t seem normal. Things like midsection weight gain, skin...

Are you ready to rebuild healthy skin? Join me on Tuesday, January 9th at 7pm ET / 4pm PT for a free webinar on the SEVEN biggest mistakes people make when trying to fix their chronic skin rashes. Get access by registering at www.RebuildHealthySkin.com to join me live (or to get the replay)!

If you’re on the fence about collagen (as well as how to build more of it), I’m excited to share that research now demonstrates the many collagen benefits that exist. Collagen for skin health is crucial, along with the many ways it supports your gut and joint health too! I talked about collagen benefits as well as collagen peptides + collagen protein supplements, but I’ve never really shared about other factors to build collagen. And it’s that piece about building collagen that’s such a big...

Before you buy food sensitivity testing, you need to hear this because so many people are harmed by these tests. For one thing, food sensitivity testing is touted as a miracle, cure-all answer for skin rashes. So when you take the test, cut out the foods, and your rash is still flaring up — it can leave you feeling really lost and even hopeless that things will ever change. AND for many, food sensitivity tests trigger food fear that drives unnecessary diet restrictions that do more harm than...

Many health experts swear that to be truly healthy, you’ve got to “move the lymph” using some sort of lymphatic drainage routine – often with expensive tools or techniques. The hope is that you’ll somehow clear infections, lose the bloat, and clean out toxins. While yes, lymphatic drainage is important, it’s not a miraculous solution. The type of lymphatic drainage routine you choose and when you do it is pretty important (especially if you’re dealing with chronic illness, active rashes, or...

Have you ever heard of mast cell activation syndrome but thought it was the same thing as histamine intolerance? It’s not… MCAS or mast cell activation disorder is much more serious! Today’s guest dives into what are mast cells and will show you how mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is distinctly different and more complex than histamine intolerance. Though I have spoken about histamine intolerance before (I do see a lot of clients who struggle with this along with chronic hives and...

Did you know that the inflammation that drives your eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, etc., could be triggered by your oral microbiome? That's right... Inflammation that shows up on your skin is often triggered elsewhere! And one often overlooked spot in the body is your mouth. Like your gut microbiome (which I've talked a lot about on the show), your oral microbiome is also incredibly diverse and can, due to a variety of factors, become dysbiotic or imbalanced. The resulting immune response...

Can you get a rash from thyroid disease? Yes, yes you can. And in this episode, I’m connecting the dots between autoimmune thyroid disease and chronic hives. Today, we’re digging into how your thyroid can affect your skin, and how you can determine if yours is part of your rash trigger. If you’ve been struggling with a rash that just won’t disappear and you feel like you’re running out of options (and hope!) be sure to download the Stop My Rash Guide here so you can figure out your root...

Elimination diets can be therapeutic tools to support your health. But they also have the power to trigger disordered eating patterns + food fear. Except for a few instances, elimination diets aren't meant to be long-term health solutions — even when it comes to chronic skin problems like eczema or psoriasis or any of the other skin conditions I talk about here. Health books + wellness influencers who declare otherwise have unfortunately helped perpetuate a state of deep confusion, fear,...

If you've ever wondered, "what is contact dermatitis?" -- you're in for a treat because this episode is going to blow your mind! My guest Dr. JiaDe (Jeff) Yu lectured on contact allergic dermatitis at the Eczema Expo 2023 hosted by the National Eczema Association, and I found his presentation so valuable that I invited him here to share the ins + outs on the topic. We covered a ton of information, but what I can say is that contact dermatitis is complex! Allergic contact dermatitis isn't...