Rosacea Part I: Some Causes August 8, 2010

As one of those skin conditions that I am commonly asked about, this is the start of a multiple part blog post on rosacea.  I hope it sheds some light on this enigmatic condition, and we’ll be exploring in detail the causes and some treatment options for rosacea.  Stay tuned for the next post in this series.

Rosacea is characterized by erythema (redness) of the skin due to inflammation of the capillaries. But, what causes it? Well, as with most skin disorders, there’s no single cause. However, here are some likely culprits:

• Overgrowth of bacteria in small intestine (aka small intestine bacterial overgrowth or SIBO) – How do you know if you have SIBO?

1. Test positive for a hydrogen breath test – the antibiotic, rifaximin, was given to rosacea patients testing positive for the hydrogen breath test – over 70% of the patients involved in the study showed complete alleviation of rosacea1. Rosacea patients who did not test positive for the hydrogen breath test showed no improvement in this study by treatment with rifaximin indicating that not all cases of rosacea are attributable to SIBO¹.
2. Test positive for a methane breath test – the antibiotic, metronidazole, is used to treat rosacea patients testing positive in a methane breath test with greater than 95% of the patients responding to the antibiotic²

• Steroid induced rosacea – triggered by steroids taken for other conditions such as allergies (internally) or topically applied (commonly for seborrheic eczema) – if you experience steroid induced rosacea, you’ll want to talk with your doctor about slowly transitioning off steroids to avoid a flare-up of whatever condition you are using the steroids to control.

• Cathelicidin – an anti-microbial peptide (AMP) present at elevated levels on the skin of rosacea sufferers³ – while cathelicidin is very important to the body, its over-production on the skin is problematic for those with rosacea – Vitamin D upregulates cathelicidin production⁴. It is possible that Vitamin D’s role in cathelicidin production explains rosacea flare-ups in some patients whose rosacea is triggered by sun exposure and dairy products (since many dairy products are now fortified with Vitamin D).

I feel as though I need to make a quick comment on Vitamin D. I am not a medical doctor, but in my humble opinion, you do not want to try to totally avoid or limit your intake of Vitamin D. There are several new articles showing Vitamin D aids in preventing certain cancers.

At the same time, I wholeheartedly feel as though Vitamin D is one of those compounds that the medical authorities push too much as being good for you.  Too much Vitamin D can actually cause calcification of the arteries⁵ and other interstitial tissues and promotes decalcification of bone when taken in too large a quantity⁶.  So, once again, there’s a fine balancing act on Vitamin D intake (at least in my opinion, again, I’m no doctor, and I have no formal training in clinical medicine, so take my opinion with a grain of salt)⁶.

¹ A. Parodi, et al.  Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth in Rosacea: Clinical Effectiveness of Its Eradication.  Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.  Volume 6, Issue 7 , Pages 759-764, July 2008.  http://www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565%2808%2900155-9/abstract

² Parodi A, Paolino S, Greco A, Drago F, Mansi C, Rebora A, Parodi AU, Savarino V. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth in Rosacea: Clinical Effectiveness of ItsEradication.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2008 May 2.  & Scientific Programme & EACCME Poster Sessions: Upper GI 12:15 – 01:01   Hall Z.  P0584. Oct 21st, 2008.  HYDROGEN INSTEAD OF METHANE EXCRETION DURING GLUCOSE BREATH TEST ALLOW US TO PREDICT THE CLINICAL RESPONSE TO ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY WITH RIFAXIMIN IN PATIENTS WITH ROSACEA.  A. Parodi, et al.  http://uegw08.uegf.org/scienpro/abstract_detail.php?navId=139&ss=1814

³ Gallo, R. Increased serine protease activity and cathelicidin promotes skin inflammation in rosacea.  Nature Medicine 13, 975 – 980 (2007).  http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v13/n8/abs/nm1616.html.

⁴ Gombart, A, et al.  Human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) gene is a direct target of the vitamin D receptor and is strongly up-regulated in myeloid cells by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃.  The FASEB Journal. 2005; 19:  1067-1077.  http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/content/full/19/9/1067

⁵ Watson, K, et al.  Active serum vitamin D levels are inversely correlated with coronary calcification.  Circulation. 1997 Sep 16;96(6):1755-60.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9323058

⁶ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_D and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypervitaminosis_D#cite_note-20 Yes, I know, Wiki is not a source you want to see here, but these articles provide a comprehensive overview of Vitamin D in a straightforward manner and make you aware of the need to balance this vitamin in your diet.  I am not a medical doctor, and the intent of this article is to shed light on rosacea not to articulate my beliefs on Vitamin D supplements.

Talk to your own doctor, shaman, medical advisor, best friend(s), applicable family members (the ones you like and who like you), and/or holistic healer AND research Vitamin D’s effects on the body for yourself before making any decisions regarding Vitamin D in your diet.

Reposting how to Enter the Summer Blog Tour Giveaway… date of drawing, July 21st July 14, 2010

Hello all,

Living my MoMent is featuring a 60 day blog tour this summer.  I think we’re about halfway through the blog tour, so there’s still plenty of time for you to check it out.  Most of the small businesses featured are giving away some really great gifts throughout the blog tour.  Check it out here:

http://livingmymoment.com/2010/05/kicking-off-the-2010-summer-blog-tour

Now for the second Golden Standard Gift Set (winner chosen on July 21st, 1st winner of these two giveways was chosen June 12th).  If you want to enter for your chance to win a second fabulous Golden Standard Gift Set from Return to Eden Cosmetics, please:

1) e-mail me at returntoedencosmetics@gmail.com with subject line Enter Summer Blog Tour Giveaway and tell me which of the following (step 2) you are doing (yes, this does mean you get one additional entry for each additional thing you do from the list…so you can get up to ten entries in the drawing pool)

2) AND, do one of the following (each one of these gains you an additional entry, please let me know in your e-mail which you’ve done):

• Follow Return to Eden Cosmetics on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Fort-Collins-CO/Return-to-Eden-Cosmetics-LLC/195425233430?ref=ts&__a=8&ajaxpipe=1
• Follow Return to Eden Cosmetics on Twitter:  @returntoedencos

• Schedule and receive a facial with Luminous Skinn, 140 W Oak St, Fort Collins, 970-493-0362 between now and July 20th
• Buy some product (Return to Eden, of course), from the website or from Luminous Skinn (address above) between now and July 20^th
• Comment on ANY of my blog posts: www.returntoedencosmetics.wordpress.com

• Schedule a Return to Eden Cosmetics party (driving distance only, please…i.e. Denver or closer to Fort Collins, between now and July 20^th – date of party can be anytime, does NOT have to be before July 20^th, but the date of booking MUST be before July 20^th –e-mail returntoedencosmetics@gmail.com if interested)
• Review ANY of our products (send review to returntoedencosmetics@gmail.com)
• Have a friend buy some product between now and July 20th
• Comment at http://livingmymoment.com/2010/05/kicking-off-the-2010-summer-blog-tour
• If you own your own business, blog about Return to Eden Cosmetics,… yes, I offer samples for review…again, between now and July 20th (please include a link to the blog in your e-mail)

For each of these 10 bullet points, receive an additional entry into the drawing for the Golden Standard Gift Set to be given away on July 21st (that’s right, you can receive up to 10 entries into the drawing for this gift set)

Just remember to e-mail me at returntoedencosmetics@gmail.com to tell me which of these 10 actions you have completed.

For those of you who don’t live close enough to book a party or have a facial at Luminous Skinn, pitch Return to Eden Cosmetics to ALL of your friends – I’ll allow one entry for each friend (up to 3) who purchases Return to Eden Cosmetics products for the out-of-range folks between now and July 20th (to even your odds against those who have the chance to host a party and receive a facial).

Oh no! I forgot the sunscreen!! July 11, 2010

Now that we are in the full swing of summer, the obvious question is:  Are you using sunscreen?  And, your question back is:  Yes, but still, what do I do if I overexposed myself to the sun?

In spite of common belief, you CAN treat the effects of sunburn, reducing the pain, speeding the cure time, etc., but reducing ALL of the effects (namely the age damage you’ve subjected yourself to) is probably not a reality.  But, in reality, we all do it… leave the sunscreen at home, splurge a little too long in the sun when it’s FINALLY nice out, etc.

So, how do you reduce the effects of sunburn?

1)      Minimize the inflammation

Aloe vera, oatmeal baths, calendula extract, Vitamin E – all are great anti-inflammatory topical agents that can be applied to sunburn.  AND, they are all treatments you can try at home.

2)       Promote healing

It’s a well known fact.  Sunburn causes DNA damage.  While there are a few topical agents, among them diaminopropionyl tripeptide-33, which can be found in several products in the Toujours Jeune line, that aid in repairing DNA damage after the fact, I know of no ingredient that will fully reverse the DNA damage caused by overexposure to the sun.

You must rely on your body’s own healing ability to fully repair DNA damage.  And, indeed, if the DNA damage is bad enough, the affected cells have inbuilt mechanisms to prevent becoming cancerous, namely, cell suicide (apoptosis) or loss of their inability to divide (cell senescence).

However, DNA damage isn’t the only cellular damage experienced upon exposure to UV rays.  UV promotes formation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), both of which can attack many things within the cell, damaging (among other things) the lipid bilayer and mitochondria (source of the cell’s energy).  And (as if that weren’t bad enough), UV radiation, which promotes free radical and ROS formation, damages extracellular matrix components such as collagen and elastin.

Additionally, though UV exposure promotes the production of melanin (an excellent anti-oxidant), the body is at the same time depleted of other anti-oxidants (for example, Coenzyme Q-10 and glutathione).

And, as we age, our bodies own ability to produce these natural anti-oxidants such as Coenzyme Q-10, glutathione, and, yes, even appropriate and even levels of melanin declines.

So, after overexposure to UV, it’s important to promote collagen synthesis and to replenish anti-oxidants.

Of course, Return to Eden Cosmetics offers several products to help you do both – many of the Toujours Jeune face creams contain collagen promoting peptides and our entire line of Golden Standard face creams contain Coenzyme Q-10.

We can also help our bodies from the inside out.   You see, sunburn isn’t always localized.  If the burn is bad enough, you can feel the effects systemically (low grade fever, general feeling of malaise, etc.), but even when it’s not THAT bad, an immune response is still triggered, and the level of prostaglandins, interleukins (a group of cytokines), and histamines can be increased throughout the body.  Increased levels of cytokines can actually promote oxidative stress and inflammation.

So, to decrease added oxidative stress as much as possible, you’ll want to be sure to incorporate extra anti-oxidants into your diet.  Say hello to leafy greens, fresh fruits, and wine.  Also, omega-3 helps reduce oxidative damage in the body, so fish is your friend.*

*Omega 3 fatty acids actually vie with the metabolic pathway known as the arachidonic acid (an omega-6) cascade.  During an inflammatory response, the arachidonic acid cascade produces eicosanoids known for increased inflammation.  Omega 3 competes with the arachidonic acid cascade lessening the effects of the inflammatory response.⁺

⁺One of the perks of being married to a guy who studies metabolic pathways for a living is first gaining knowledge of these pathways due to his work in the area, and second, being able to discuss what the effects of these pathways mean for the body and for disease.

Summer Blog Tour Giveaway… how to enter June 12, 2010

Hello all,

Now for the second Golden Standard Gift Set (winner chosen on July 21st).  If you want to enter for your chance to win a second fabulous Golden Standard Gift Set from Return to Eden Cosmetics, please:

1) e-mail me at returntoedencosmetics@gmail.com with subject line Enter Summer Blog Tour Giveaway and tell me which of the following (step 2) you are doing (yes, this does mean you get one additional entry for each additional thing you do from the list…so you can get up to ten entries in the drawing pool)

2) AND, do one of the following (each one of these gains you an additional entry, please let me know in your e-mail which you’ve done):

• Follow Return to Eden Cosmetics on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Fort-Collins-CO/Return-to-Eden-Cosmetics-LLC/195425233430?ref=ts&__a=8&ajaxpipe=1
• Follow Return to Eden Cosmetics on Twitter:  @returntoedencos

• Schedule and receive a facial with Luminous Skinn, 140 W Oak St, Fort Collins, 970-493-0362 between now and July 20th
• Buy some product (Return to Eden, of course), from the website or from Luminous Skinn (address above) between now and July 20^th
• Comment on ANY of my blog posts: www.returntoedencosmetics.wordpress.com

• Schedule a Return to Eden Cosmetics party (driving distance only, please…i.e. Denver or closer to Fort Collins, between now and July 20^th – date of party can be anytime, does NOT have to be before July 20^th, but the date of booking MUST be before July 20^th –e-mail returntoedencosmetics@gmail.com if interested)
• Review ANY of our products (send review to returntoedencosmetics@gmail.com)
• Have a friend buy some product between now and July 20th
• Comment at http://livingmymoment.com/2010/05/kicking-off-the-2010-summer-blog-tour
• If you own your own business, blog about Return to Eden Cosmetics,… yes, I offer samples for review…again, between now and July 20th (please include a link to the blog in your e-mail)

For each of these 10 bullet points, receive an additional entry into the drawing for the Golden Standard Gift Set to be given away on July 21st (that’s right, you can receive up to 10 entries into the drawing for this gift set)

Just remember to e-mail me at returntoedencosmetics@gmail.com to tell me which of these 10 actions you have completed.

For those of you who don’t live close enough to book a party or have a facial at Luminous Skinn, pitch Return to Eden Cosmetics to ALL of your friends – I’ll allow one entry for each friend (up to 3) who purchases Return to Eden Cosmetics products for the out-of-range folks between now and July 20th (to even your odds against those who have the chance to host a party and receive a facial).

Summer Blog Tour… Living my MoMent and CMB Resources June 12, 2010

Hello all,

Quick note about the summer blog tour.  If you aren’t yet following it, you should be.  Basically, it’s 60 days worth of tracking small start-ups that either make something you want or provide a service you want (and, trust me, you want it).

Here are a couple of links:

http://livingmymoment.com/2010/05/kicking-off-the-2010-summer-blog-tour

http://wahmblog.info/

I will be setting up a contest and giving away a Golden Standard Facial Set ($75 value).  I plan to open the contest this week.  My blog post for the contest will officially be delivered on July 14th, and I’ll be accepting entries for 7 days after July 14th, so you have July 21st to put in your entry.  The winner will be chosen and announced on July 21st.

Be sure to check with the sites above since many of the blog sites are offering giveaways during the summer blog tour.

Shout Out to Small Businesses & Local Businesses May 20, 2010

Okay,

I’ve just got to recognize these folks & businesses – they are doing an amazing job at promoting small businesses (such as Return to Eden Cosmetics).  Please show your support by visiting their sites, following their blogs, becoming customers of the businesses they’re promoting:

1)  http://www.theworkathomewoman.com/2010-summer-blog-tour/ The Work at Home Woman site is helping to promote the 2010 Summer Blog Tour – 60 days of giveaways & getting to know 60 small businesses.  Whether you’re shopping for baby clothes, toys, skin care, jewelry, stationary, or whatever, for yourself or anyone else, this blog tour visits them all.

2)  http://www.nocofarmersmarket.com/ This is a truly heartfelt shout out to Brad who is not only responsible for the online store where you can buy TONS of locally made products (hot sauce, honey, even fresh produce, and other things such as jewelry and skin care products), he’s also opening a store front in Loveland for selling these products from various vendors – now, this does go along with Northern Colorado Food Incubator & Be Local Northern Colorado’s idea for a year round farmers’ market, but still, … talk about a serious undertaking!

3)  http://www.christianmomsbusinessresource.com/ I cannot say enough good things about MariLee’s business resource that helps promote other small businesses.  If you’re an entrepreneur, this site has some great advice and great services.  If you’re looking to shop, this site has links for lots of really unique and awesome businesses.

Check out my interview May 8, 2010

Click here to check out my interview with MariLee Parrish, owner of CMB Resource.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2980046/interview_with_brandy_searcy_owner.html?cat=69

Wine for your skin? Absolutely May 4, 2010

Okay, some of you are probably rolling your eyes already thinking, is she STILL pitching this line?

But, after well over a month of substituting wine into my weekly (sometimes twice weekly) exfoliation routine, I am a convert.  My face feels so much smoother and positively GLOWS after a mask nowadays.

So, what’s so great about wine?  Well, aside from the anti-oxidants, which we all know are great for our body, so why wouldn’t they be great for our skin (after all, resveratrol is found in wine along with a host of other anti-oxidants), wine offers tartaric acid, an alpha hydroxy acid, which aids in exfoliating the skin.

And, after you’ve finished your wine mask, tone with champagne – it is said to minimize the appearance of pores (and, Marilyn Monroe used it).

And, vinotherapy, the incorporation of all parts of the grape in skin care is taking off – it’s already huge in Europe and gaining popularity in the US.

I’ll be holding demonstrations on wine & at home masks on May 13th and 14th from 5 pm to 8 pm at Luminous Skinn, 140 W Oak St, in Fort Collins, CO and on Saturday May 15th from noon to 5 pm.

If you’re in town stop by.  Next blog post… at home masks!

Behind the scenes…what’s in an oil? March 27, 2010

So, just what’s involved in making this stuff?  This post is pretty technical and some may find it boring, but for all you who really want to know, let’s begin…

1)  Quality of oils – not all oils are created equal, and not all oils are obtained equally.  When it comes to buying the oils I use in Return to Eden products, I look for the following:

• where’s it from – I like to get ingredients grown & made in the US when possible simply to reduce the carbon footprint due to shipping – of course, this is impossible with shea butter and several others, but some – beeswax, wheat germ oil, and sunflower oil for instance – are readily sourced in the US
• who harvests it, and are they paid a fair wage
• is it a sustainable oil AND is it harvested in a sustainable manner
• what’s the oil’s quality – how is it extracted (cold pressed or pressed [higher heat generation] or solvent/hexane extraction)?  is it refined?  if so, how?  is it certified organic?  if not, why?  what is the free fatty acid content (a measure of the oil’s rancidity – the lower the value the better) and anisidine value (again, a measure of it’s rancidity)?

You want to start off with oils that have low free fatty acid values and anisidine values – how the oil is extracted and refined plays a large role in these values – a lower extraction temperature better preserves an oil’s quality as the triglycerides in the oil have a smaller chance of breaking down into by-products that you don’t want.  Oils can also be extracted via solvents, typically hexane, and I don’t like this method of extraction.

Refinement of oils is NOT necessarily a bad thing.  For instance, many oils are steam refined to remove impurities that can lead to more rapid degradation and therefore a decreased product shelf life.

Cocoa butter & jojoba oil, along with a host of other oils and butters, may be steam refined to remove characteristic odors (i.e. the chocolate-y scent of cocoa butter).  However, too much refinement and certain types of refinement leaves you with an oil that has little to no benefits – for instance, hemp seed oil can be completely stripped of all of its nourishing chlorophyll through a refinement process – I want my hemp seed oil a deep, rich shade of green, which proves the chlorophyll is still in the oil. The same for my pumpkin seed oil, evening primrose oil, and grape seed oil – they all have deep characteristic colors indicative of their chemical make-up – too much refining can leave them light yellow, an undesirable trait in these oils.

With refining, just as with extracting, it is important to avoid refining processes that utilize solvents such as hexanes.

Return to Eden Cosmetics Catalog March 25, 2010

Return to Eden Cosmetics online catalog

Our most up to date catalog.  Here, you can find a concise & easily printable description of ALL the products in our line.