Scarlett Beauty

I thought I would make a dedicated update on my skin regime.  I last posted about it in 2013, ages ago. The methods and products I used back then hadn't really changed until April this year, when I started seeing Sue Guild, at Advanced skin clinic . Sue started me using Rosacure products from Skin Med. So my regime was much simplified by her products. Something like this: CLEANSE - remove make-up, with Avene Micellar lotion. This is a relic of my old routine, but it clears my skin of make up. MASK - I do this once a week. Dermaquest Derma Clear Mask. I leave it on for a maximum of 5 minutes, and it really stings, because it contains Salicylic acid, which works on the acne spots. It makes my skin a bit dry, but clears the spots. I just need to make sure I keep my skin hydrated after using it. I've only added this in recently, since my skin has become stronger following the light treatments I have had. WASH - Rosacure Gentle Cleansing Gel. This is a simple face was...

What to do when you eat out? Its a topic covered by most food writers, especially those with restrictive diets. How does one navigate a tempting food and drink menu and make good choices? This weekend has been a food challenge, after I have managed to turn things around and get back on track, the last thing I want is for a couple of meals out to stop my progress. Friday night was Date Night with MrV. I love going out together, something we don't do enough. This week I chose a recommended Chinese restaurant. Luckily Rice being the main carbohydrate means avoiding Wheat is easy (admittedly - white rice - but its better than wheat) We started with drinks, so I indulged and had a Kir royale, it was waaaay too sweet, and felt very bad., but I drank it nonetheless. We ate ribs and dumplings to start. Main course was Chicken crockpot, with garlic and basil (I figured this would be a nice anti fungal boost) Then seafood with broccoli, and Lotus root with Asparagus on the side. Pla...

Where to start? Time to check in with an update on my progress in the last 4 months. The journey I started in April 2015 with the candida diet is on going. It has its ups and downs, and I really struggle to stay sugar free. I have had a tough time over the summer, what with holidays, feeding a family, and working part time, the planning and cooking of special food can be a challenge sometimes. There are days when I really get upset with it all and just want to give up and run away. I think that's pretty normal. One element that helps me to keep going is a monthly Skype chat with Sandra Boehner , which I've had going on since June. My handwritten food journal has moved onto an app called My symptoms, which I find brilliant to use, I can chart all my food, symptoms, add my own recipes, and add more details as I wish. My skincare regime has been easy to maintain, and I have kept regular appointments with Sue, for light treatment. The flushing has really lessened, which is a...

Stage 2 of the Diet 20th April -3rd May 2015 Following the fast, I have eased myself back into eating the restricted foods that are recommended for stage 2 in Sandra's book. It's amazing how inventive you can get with foods when you have such limitations. I am still full of enthusiasm for the regime, making it easy for me to deny myself the old favourites, such as fruit, and my favourite GRANOLA. I have given away my beautiful box of home made 'healthy' Granola to my friend Louise, because I know she loves it, and it is just too tempting to have it in the cupboard. David won't eat it, he is a dedicated Shredded Wheat muncher. I am also encouraged by connecting to Sandra via email, initially I wrote to her because her website was down, and I was desperate for some recipe inspiration, but she has been very helpful and positive, which is a real bonus. Most people think I am a bit crazy and daft to attempt such drastic measures with my diet. Most people don't...

18-19th April 2015 The real kick starter to the Candida Diet I'm now dedicated to, is a fast, not just a vague '500 calories' fast, but a serious fast where you eat as little as possible from a very limited choice of foods, for 48 hours. I have prepared a Bone broth and Sandra's ginger tea to drink, and stocked up on herbal teas, avocados, brown rice, cucumber, celery and Houmus.  Day 1 of the fast was a Saturday, so being busy with Saturday things (Ballet class, housework, laundry etc.) made it quite easy to miss out the food and keep going. Preparing food for Scarlett, David and visiting Alex was a bit of a chore, especially when I sat down to nibble on some cucumber and celery for lunch. I also discoverd that The bone broth I have made, following a recipe I found online, was totally vile, and really made me want to throw up. Not the greatest result there. Day 2 started badly, I awoke feeling really hungry, and actually thought I would pass out if I tried to...

W/C 13 April 2015 When Sue Guild spoke to me last week about supporting gut health, she also mentioned a condition called 'leaky gut' I did some digging about on the internet, and found out more. While I don't suffer from many of the conditions that are characteristic of leaky gut, or Candida, Rosacea is cited as a possible sign of infection. Candida is a naturally occurring yeast, that resides in the gut. If it overgrows and is fed with sugars and yeasts, it can cause problems, and lead to leaky gut syndrome, where it attacks the gut lining, and causes toxins to leak into the bloodstream. The toxins have to go somewhere - and via the skin is not unheard of, others suffer with eczema and Psoriasis. I got a book about it, called "The Candida Diet Solution", by Sandra Boehner. It arrived while we were away visiting family, and having a wonderful sunny weekend with all the kids. As soon as we had unpacked the car I literally devoured the book, and read with gr...

Week 2 - w/c 6th April 2015 I have started my skincare regime with great enthusiasm. Perhaps too much, because my skin has flared up terribly. its red and burning, and really spotty! I'm not in a massive panic about it, because this has happened before, when I subjected my skin to a change in routine. I rang Sue, who gave me another treatment on the Thursday, to help the skin recover. She recommended alternating the new products with my old regime, to give my face time to adjust. Now I am using the Rosacure just in the morning, and in the evening, I use Avene cleanser and wash with Neals Yard Frankinsense Hydrating cream. No more Oils, I have dropped those altogether. A recommendation from Sue. I was worried that my skin would become really dry, but it hasn't, its fine. Sue also gave me a sample last week of some make up called Oxygenetics, apparently its used on patients after laser treatment, to cover the marks and bruising, as well as promote healing, as it contains s...

Week 1. w/c 30th March 2015 My first treatment was a Lira Light facial. I had my skin cleansed and some product put on it, and was then put under the light for 20 minutes. I had to wear goggles and keep my eye closed. It wasn't hot at all, just very quiet and still, while the practitioner left the room for a bit. Initially my skin became a bit red but it faded really fast.  I have also got new skincare products to start using. Rosacure facial wash and cream. Sue, the practitioner also started to talk about gut and digestive health, stating that a lot of her clients find benefits in taking L-Glutamine, and amino acid, and Probiotics. so there will be some big changes for my skin now, I hope.

I have always been very cautious about getting treatment for my skin. I avoid beauty salons and 'facials' like the plague, for fear of a bad reaction. I have had practitioners recommend I try IPL (intense pulsed light) treatment on my skin. I have had the IPL or 'laser' treatment for hair removal, and it really hurts, so the idea of doing it on my face is frightening, and makes me run for the hills. I have read and heard that it can have a negative effect on sensitive skin, so I'm resolute to avoid it. A friend recently suggested I visit 'her lady' who is an 'advanced skincare' practitioner, Who treated her rosacea with some success. I wasn't clear from the recomendation what the treatment actually entailed, so I just nodded, thanked her for the information, and filed under 'hmmm - whatever is advanced skincare?' in the back of my mind. I kept coming back to the idea though, and while my skin is still generally bad, and never impro...

I'm having a clean out in more ways than one.  My diet regime has been in turmoil of late, so it's getting a big review. I've fallen off the alkaline wagon, so that needs addressing. Too much coffee, tea, biscuits and cake has left me feeling bloated, depressed and lacking in energy. This is always reflected in my skin and I seem to have constant fresh spots and frequent red flushes. I've also contracted a cold, something I have avoided for months, while others around have been suffering. My go to book for a mental refresher is Honestly Healthy. It's a great reminder tool, and has a non preachy and practical approach. Perhaps there's a bit of self editing in there though. In the past I might   Have felt I'd failed if I couldn't manage the 'cleanse' phase that these books always advocate. These days I'm much more "meh" when it comes to all that. Incorporate a few recipes and stick to the right ingredients, and I should be alright. I...