If you’re curious to try a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), this episode is a must-watch!

Blood sugar regulation and metabolic health are HOT topics right now, and considering that some skin issues (like psoriasis) make you prone towards having issues, I frequently have these conversations with clients.

Being that I’m perimenopause with a family history of diabetes, I thought it would be a good idea to try a over the counter CGM monitor purely to gain insight into my blood sugar balance and metabolic health.

The most frequent question is “is trying a continous glucose monitor worth it?”

While using a CGM monitor is quite straightforward, I can see why someone might wonder about this. And while I went into my two-week experiment with a bit of skepticism, I discovered a few crazy important things that I couldn’t have figured out any other way.

So let’s dive into why I do believe that a continuous glucose monitor can be a useful tool, who should (and shouln’t) use this type of device, what the experience was like putting on and removing the CMG monitor, and what I wish I knew before I tried it the first time.

Let’s dive in!

In This Episode:

• Who should (and shouldn’t) try a continuous glucose monitor
• How to use a CGM monitor
• What I learned about my blood sugar from using an over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor
• What NOT to do with a continous glucose monitor (I wish I knew this when I tried it the first time)
• How often should you use a CGM (if you’re not diabetic)?
• CGM monitor tips: What’s actually stuck to your arm?
• The over the counter continuous glucose monitor I tried

Quotes

“And the group of people who I think…should probably work with a nutrition or medical professional while using a CGM would be somebody who has a history of eating disorders…and those who have significant disordered eating patterns. If you feel like knowing that a particular meal or food is going to make you terrified to eat that food, don't do this on your own.”

“The other thing that did seem to spike my blood sugar was when I didn't eat soon enough…if I just pushed through the hunger and pushed off eating in a window of time, that's when I would start to see my blood sugar spike on its own.”

Links

Use THIS LINK to save $50 off of your first month on Nutrisense

Healthy Skin Show ep. 217: Health Concerns Linked to Psoriasis (You SHOULD Know About)

Healthy Skin Show ep. 347: Adult Hormonal Acne + Blood Sugar Dysfunction: What’s The Connection?

Before you try yet another skin cream, diet or supplement to fix your skin…

I’m hosting a free workshop series on Wed, January 8th at 7pm ET / 4pm PT to help you identify your skin rash root causes AND create a plan to beat the hidden inflammation driving your skin nuts.

Save your seat at www.RebuildHealthySkin.com

There is power in having a positive mindset, even if you have a negative perspective right now.

No, I’m not talking about toxic positivity, which encourages people to always look on the bright side (often ignoring or glossing over loss, pain, grief, etc.).

I’m talking about practical optimism, a concept I learned about from the book Practical Optimism by Dr. Sue Varma.

Practical optimism is a way to change your mindset that holds space for negative feelings and experiences, while equipping you with skills to deal with what you are facing and even possibly turn your challenges into opportunities.

This may seem impossible, especially if you are dealing with mental health challenges as a result of debilitating chronic skin rashes. But I encourage you to give this episode a listen with an open mind!

Joining me to discuss this concept and how to develop a positive mindset is Dr. Sue Varma who is a distinguished psychiatrist and cognitive behavioral therapist based in New York City. With over two decades of private practice experience, she has made significant contributions to the field of mental health, including serving as the pioneering Medical Director and Psychiatrist for the esteemed 9/11 mental health program at NYU for which she was awarded the Mayoral Proclamation. She’s also the author of the book Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being.

In This Episode:

• The devastating situation where Dr. Varma discovered optimism
• Are optimism and a positive mindset genetic?
• Toxic positivity practical optimism
• Pessimism vs skepticism: what's the difference?
• Which personality type are you?
• The eight pillars of practical optimism
• How to change your mindset even if you feel like you are “broken”
• How to know if you're emotionally dysregulated
• Benefits of committing to therapy

Quotes

“A lot of times people dismiss optimism as a variety of things. It's woo-woo thinking, it's pollyannaish, it's very naive, it's toxic positivity, or it's something you're either born with or not. So why do we bother studying it? And what I found instead was that optimism, yes, there is a genetic component, but the reality is that only 25% of it is genetic. Seventy-five percent of it is learned.”

“Practical optimism…says, ‘I invite space for your loss and your grief, but I'm also going to equip you with skills that will help you deal with what you're facing right now, but also in the future, and help you prevent some of the bad things that might be coming your way.’”

Links

Find Dr. Varma online | Instagram

Get Dr. Varma’s book Practical Optimism HERE!

Healthy Skin Show ep. 131: Mindset: What To Do When Nothing Seems To Help Your Rashes

Healthy Skin Show ep. 361: How To Change Your Mindset (So Your Skin Doesn’t Control Your Mood) w/ Brad Bizjack

Before you try yet another skin cream, diet or supplement to fix your skin…

I’m hosting a free workshop series on Wed, January 8th at 7pm ET / 4pm PT to help you identify your skin rash root causes AND create a plan to beat the hidden inflammation driving your skin nuts.

Save your seat at www.RebuildHealthySkin.com

Wondering if you have a skin rash from mold? This episode is for you!

If you or your child has a skin rash and you can’t figure out the cause, you may start to look at mold illness or mold toxicity as a possible trigger.

And if you suspect that you live or spend time in “fungally” environments with a high likelihood of mold, perhaps doing a mold test has crossed your mind.

I’m often asked if mold testing is necessary or if a chronic skin rash (and other health issues) could be caused by mold. So in this episode, we’ll discuss mold illness vs mold allergy, sneaky places mold likes to hide, signs of mold exposure, and much more.

Joining me to talk about whether you’ve got a skin rash from mold is Jennifer Brand, MS, MPH, CNS. She’s a clinical nutritionist who helps babies and children with chronic rashes navigate the journey to healthy skin so they can enjoy a childhood free from disruptive skin symptoms. As one of the most trusted pediatric skin-focused nutritionists, Jen is passionate about helping families get to the root causes of the problem through her unique method called Conquer Your Child’s Rashes™.

So let’s dive in!

In This Episode:

• Is your skin rash from mold (and how could you know for sure)?
• What is mold (and what’s its relationship with candida)?
• How common are mold problems?
• Current mold exposure vs previous mold exposure (which matters more?)
• Crazy client stories with sneaky mold symptoms
• Mold toxicity vs mold allergy (and what does mold testing show?)
• Surprising places mold hides

Quotes

“I think one of the things that gets chased nowadays, and it's popular to go down this rabbit hole, is mold. Now, yes, it absolutely can be a problem and I have seen it be a problem. However, what I tell parents is that it really isn't the place to start.”

“When it comes to mold testing, we are talking more about a mold toxicity, where the mold is in the person's body. That's what that's detecting, versus a mold allergy, which is like another environmental allergy. So you could be allergic to mold that's in the grass outside of your home.”

Links

Find Jennifer Brand online | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

GOT RASHY KIDS? Register for Jennifer Brand’s free training – http://www.ConquerYourChildsRashes.com

Healthy Skin Show ep. 166: Mold + Histamine Connection w/ Dr. Jill Crista

Healthy Skin Show ep. 164: Mold Illness vs. Mold Allergy w/ Dr. Kasey Holland

Healthy Skin Show ep. 208: Surprising Sources Of Mold You Haven't Thought Of w/ Brian Karr

Before you try yet another skin cream, diet or supplement to fix your skin…

I’m hosting a free workshop series on Wed, January 8th at 7pm ET / 4pm PT to help you identify your skin rash root causes AND create a plan to beat the hidden inflammation driving your skin nuts.

Save your seat at www.RebuildHealthySkin.com