Love the Skin You're In

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It protects and gives you signals from the environment, and regulates temperature and water. We often don’t think about the functions of our skin until it starts to cause us problems – itching, rashes, acne, discoloration, premature aging, etc – all of which can be a signal of something deeper going on in our body. The skin is also a great absorptive surface, for better or for worse. We can use this effect to our benefit for absorbing certain medications or nutrients applied topically (eg. estrogen, testosterone, magnesium), though the absorptive nature of skin also makes us susceptible to adverse effects from environmental exposures that may be allergic or irritant in nature.

ouTSIDE IN VS AND INSIDE OUT

Whether it’s limiting exposures to harmful substances, or increasing exposure to therapeutic agents, both internal and external approaches can, and should, be used in conjunction to promote optimal skin health.

outside in

Skin & The Immune System —> Allergies

An allergic response occurs when the immune system reacts abnormally to a substance found in the environment. The substance that provokes the reaction is called an allergen.

3 Categories of Allergens:

• Ingested allergens - reactions to food or things consumed orally

• Inhaled allergens - reactions to substances we breathe in

• Contact allergens - reactions to substances applied on skin or mucus membranes (lips, mouth, groin)

Skin Allergies

1. Allergic reactions tend to happen after repeated exposure to a substance. The reaction never happens to the first exposure because the immune system must first become sensitized to the chemical.

2. Once you have been sensitizes, you will always be allergic to it.

3. Sudden development of allergies is possible.

4. Even small amounts of allergen can trigger a reaction that can last for several weeks.

5. With each new exposure, the reaction becomes stronger.

6. The reaction can spread beyond the exposure site.

7. A reaction need not happen immediately - it can take hours or days to present.

Allergy Testing

• Prick testing - for allergens ingested or inhaled

• Patch testing - for contact allergens

Top Allergens in Personal Care Products

1. Fragrances

2. Preservatives

3. Hair dyes

4. Lanolin

5. Synthetic detergents

6. Botanicals

7. Nail cosmetics

8. Sunscreens

Skin and The Immune System —> Irritants & Intolerances

Skin irritants elicit non-allergy reactions, that may be immediate, dose-dependent, and/or cumulative.

Irritant Reactions

• Irritation is dose-dependent - the more you are exposed, the more severe the reaction.

• Irritation is cumulative - multiple exposures, multiple chemicals.

• Irritation can happen after a single exposure.

• Irritation does not necessarily happen after every exposure (cumulative exposures impact the outcome).

• An irritant reaction can happen immediately after exposures and can resolve quickly after exposure ends.

Top Irritants in Personal Care Products

1. Water

2. Soap and detergents

3. Fragrances

4. Botanicals

5. Alcohol

6. Abrasive scrubs

7. Vitamin A derivatives and Alpha-Hydroxy Acid (AHA)

8. Shampoos and conditioners

inside out

Your skin is also reflective of what is going on within your body. We see this often with certain conditions that have dermatologic manifestations, such as Celiac disease (dermatitis herpetiformis), systemic lupus erythematosus (malar erythema), PCOS (acne) and many others. Aside from diagnosable pathologies, functional imbalances and other factors can also impact the quality and health of our skin. These may include:

• Inflammation

• Hormonal imbalances

• Diet

• Digestive issues

• Food sensitivities

• Sun exposure

• Stress

• Nutrient deficiencies

• Immune dysfunction

• Medications or supplements

• Smoking

• Infections

Skin problems are often multifactorial, and as such often require a multi-factorial approach. Whether you are addressing the symptoms of chronic disease or looking to improve the appearance and health of your skin overall, optimizing and correcting any one or several of these factors may be necessary to achieve desired results.

THE FIRST STEP TO TREATMENT IS A PROPER ASSESSMENT.

Deciding where to start can be overwhelming. With no shortage of information online, many times patients are confronted with information and option overload. A detailed history taking with a health professional can help to narrow down areas to focus on and get you started on a treatment plan tailored to your individual needs to help you love the skin you’re in.

In health,

Dr. Jacalyn Sieben, ND

PS - for more information about a holistic Outside-In approach I highly recommend the book referenced below.

Reference:

Skotnicki, S. (2018). Beyond soap: The real truth about what you are doing to your skin and how to fix it for a beautiful, healthy glow. Penguin Random House.

Save Our Supplements!

Have you ever used supplements to:

• Help you sleep?

• Get your kids pooping?

• Navigate PMS symptoms?

• Accelerate healing after illness or surgery?

• Manage the unpleasant symptoms of GERD?

• Improve athletic performance?

If supplements have helped you improve your overall health or supported your specific health concerns, then keep reading…

71% of Canadians use Natural Health Products (NHPs) like vitamins and supplements toothpaste, sunscreen, deodorant, probiotics, and infant/children’s products as part of their proactive health and well-being.[1] As Canadians take a more active role in their health, the sector continues to grow - across the country, NHPs are available at pharmacies, naturopathic clinics, health food stores, grocery stores, and independent retailers, employing 54,000 Canadians in the sector.[2]

Health Canada is making significant regulatory changes to natural health products, leading to increased costs and fewer products in store shelves. These unnecessary changes will treat natural health products like pharmaceutical drugs. This over-regulation will negatively impact how these brands can do business in Canada and will ultimately have a negative effect on you, the consumer.

What happened:

Health Canada announced a public consultation regarding new fees which would raise the price of NHPs - this was to be open for 90 days, beginning on May 12, 2023.[3] However, on June 22, 2023 the government passed Bill C-47 - and the sections pertaining to NHPs (500-504) were well-hidden inside a lengthy budget bill.[4] This bill was passed much earlier than anticipated, was not reviewed by the Standing Committee on Health (since it was labelled as a budget bill), and Canadians were not made aware.

What should have happened:

Health Canada should have introduced a standalone bill to amend the Food and Drugs Act. The bill would have ended up at the Standing Committee on Health - a committee comprised of experts on the regulation of health products.[5] Public consultation should not have been cut short - brands, retailers, and consumers did not get a fair say. Ideally, discussion of proposed fees should have been pushed back until completion of the Self-Care Framework by the NNHPD (Natural and Non-Prescription Products Directorate).

For historical context - Health Canada first attempted to pass these regulations in 2008 with Bill C-51, but the pushback was so strong that the bill did not pass.[6]

Potential impact:

• 1 out 5 NHP brands say they are seriously considering leaving the Canadian market due to Health Canada’s new rules.[7] This could have serious consequences to our patient treatment plans and care - many small to medium-sized businesses will be forced to shut down Canadian operations. Prices will increase and product availability will suffer.

• Health Canada is adding additional fees for NHP developers, manufacturers, and distributors - all of whom will likely increase their individual prices before they even reach the customer.

• Healthcare practitioners will have limited ability to help their patients assess which NHPs are best suited to their particular needs. There will be less access to new and innovative products that offer a better clinical benefit than their dated versions.

• There will be an increased influx of unregulated products from international markets. As a clinic that recognizes the importance of high-quality products for our patients, this is a problematic, and potentially dangerous development.

• Strict labelling regulations will cause packaging sizes to double but for the same amount of product. This creates a dramatic increase in the use of plastic, fuel, glue, wood and water and will have serious implications on our environmental footprint.

TO BE CLEAR - as health care professionals, we are all for good regulation on NHPs to ensure accessibility to high-quality products. The regulatory changes outlined in Bill C-47 seem to be a BIG overreach in NHP regulation without proper consideration of the negative impact these changes will have.

We believe it is essential to have access to high-quality supplements at an affordable price.

We need your help in this advocacy effort if we are to succeed in getting Health Canada to reconsider its proposal.

1. Please reach out to your MP by clicking HERE and tell them to Save Our Supplements.

2. Please sign Petition e-4474 and request Health Canada suspend the proposed fees discussion until the Self-Care Framework has been completed and the NNHPD has cleared its current backlog.

3. Please print off this letter template and send a paper copy to your MPs office. Traditional letters get more attention and have more impact - letters let elected officials know the impact of their decisions.
   

[1] https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/natural-non-prescription/regulation/about-products.html

[2] Deloitte LLP. (May 2023). Economic Contribution Study of Canada’s Natural Health Product Sector.

[3] https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/programs/consultation-proposed-fees-natural-health-products/consultation-process.html

[4] https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/44-1/bill/C-47/royal-assent

[5] https://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/HESA/About

[6] https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/criticism-of-natural-health-products-bill-c-51-mounts-1.719529

[7] https://www.saveoursupplements.ca/changing-regulations