November 27, 2025 • 37 mins
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The human body is complicated. So, it's time to remove the toxins from your skin care routine. Your skin isn’t being difficult — it’s being honest. We sat down with certified physician assistant and functional dermatology expert Kerry Jenkins to unravel why eczema, acne, rosacea, and psoriasis are spiking, even in children, and what it really takes to calm them for good. Instead of jumping straight to topical steroids or lifelong biologics, Kerry walks us through a root-cause roadmap that connects genetics, environment, nutrition, stress, and the gut-skin axis.
We dig into the rise of severe eczema in infants, the early onset of acne in preteens, and why women often carry a heavier chemical load thanks to daily personal care routines. Kerry explains how advanced stool testing reveals dysbiosis, parasites, inflammation and digestive breakdown — and why “test, don’t guess” beats trial-and-error. You’ll hear practical ways to reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors, choose cleaner products, and swap ultra-processed snacks for real food that feeds your microbiome, stabilizes hormones and cools inflammation.
We also challenge conventional sun advice with a nuanced take: avoid burns while using smart, gradual exposure to build a solar callus and support vitamin D, a powerful hormone tied to immune balance and skin repair. From circadian rhythm and hydration to movement, outdoor light, and stress skills, we share low-cost, high-impact habits that make skin more resilient. If you’ve felt stuck in flare-suppress-flare cycles, this conversation offers a clear path to lasting change — grounded, actionable, and empowering.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
You know, it is a combination of of things.
(00:03):
We, as humans, always want it tobe like, what is the one thing
that's making this conditionworse?
What's the one thing that we cando differently?
And I'm really here to letpeople know that it is really
has a lot to do withenvironment.
Uh, always there is a geneticcomponent.
So eczema can run in families.
(00:24):
If a mom or a dad has eczema,there's a higher predisposition
for that child to have eczema.
And then really, it is somethingthat's in the environment that
is triggering the expression ofthose genetics for that eczemaus
process to express.
So, what types of things couldbe an environmental trigger?
(00:45):
Well, it could be a food allergyor a food sensitivity.
SPEAKER_02 (00:48):
Your skin is more than just a surface, it's a
window into your overall health.
From stubborn acne to itchyeczema, skin conditions are an
increasingly common occurrence,sending millions to
dermatologists each year.
But what's driving this rise andhow do men and women differ in
their skin struggles?
Certified physician assistantCarrie Jenkins, a functional
(01:10):
medicine expert with 25 years indermatology, joins us to uncover
the root causes of skin issuesand offer long-term solutions.
In this episode, we'll explorethe most prevalent skin
conditions, their causes, andhow lifestyle, environment, and
the gut microbiome play criticalroles in skin health.
Whether you're battlingbreakouts or premature aging,
(01:31):
these insights will empower youto take control.
So let's learn together.
Hi friends, welcome to the NewNormal Big Life Podcast.
We bring you natural news andstories about nature that we
hope will inspire you to getoutside in adventure, along with
a step-by-step plan to help youpractice what you've learned and
create your own new normal andlive the biggest life you can
dream.
I'm your host, Antoinette Lee,the Wellness Warrior.
(01:54):
Before we hear from our expert,let's learn about the common
skin conditions drivingdermatologists' visits.
Skin conditions are among thetop reasons people seek medical
care, according to the AmericanAcademy of Dermatology.
Eczema, acne, and psoriasis topthe list, affecting millions
annually.
Acne alone impacts up to 50million Americans, while eczema
(02:16):
affects about 31 million, andpsoriasis plagues roughly 7
million.
Rosacea, a chronic conditioncausing facial redness, is also
widespread, particularly infair-skinned individuals.
Let's meet the expert who willhelp with your biggest skin
challenges.
Carrie Jenkins is a certifiedphysician assistant in Florida.
She graduated over aSoutheastern University in 2000
(02:40):
and received her master's inphysician assistant studies from
the University of Nebraska in2007.
Carrie has practiced medical andaesthetic dermatology for the
past 25 years.
Her functional integrativemedicine education included
certifications through theSchool of Applied Functional
Medicine and the PrestigiousInstitute of Functional
(03:01):
Medicine.
Carrie combines her expertise inconventional dermatology with
the principles of functionalmedicine to treat skin
conditions at their root cause,ensuring long-term health and
results.
She offers invaluable insightsinto how treating the whole body
rather than just the skin leadsto lasting improvements in skin
health.
(03:21):
Carrie believes every patienthas a story, and through story
sharing, we gather details tomap out the history and
implement a plan for truehealing.
She understands that all areasof their lives, physical,
mental, and spiritual, areinterconnected and a necessary
part of their healing journey.
When she's not working, she's amom to two ambitious girls and
(03:43):
endures ballroom dancing, handlettering, and being outdoors in
nature.
Hi, Carrie.
Welcome to New Normal Big Life.
Hi, Antoinette.
Thank you so much for having me.
Excited to be here.
So let's talk about skincare,which is among the top reasons
that people seek medical care,according to the American
Academy of Dermatology.
What are some of the conditionsthat you're seeing in your
(04:05):
practice?
And are they the same for menand women?
SPEAKER_00 (04:08):
So, what I'm noticing trending up more and
more is I'm noticing a lot moreatopic dermatitis, which in
layman's terms is known aseczema.
Eczema has been around since thebeginning of time, but I will
say that I'm starting to noticetrends where we're seeing it in
much younger children.
Like I have infants in mypractice that are head-to-toe
(04:30):
eczemaus rashes, where they'remiserable, they're unable to
sleep.
And when the baby can't sleep,the mama can't sleep.
When the mama can't sleep, youknow, that's a big problem.
So I'm noticing a lot moreintensity, I would say, in my
atopic dermatitis patients.
And boys and girls are affectedequally.
Do we know what's causing thisupward trend in children?
(04:52):
You know, it is a combination ofthings.
We, as humans, always want it tobe like, what is the one thing
that's making this conditionworse?
What's the one thing that we cando differently?
And I'm really here to letpeople know that it is really
has a lot to do withenvironment.
Always there is a geneticcomponent.
(05:14):
So eczema can run in families.
If a mom or a dad has eczema,there's a higher predisposition
for that child to have eczema.
And then really, it is somethingthat's in the environment that
is triggering the expression ofthose genetics for that eczemaus
process to express.
So, what types of things couldbe an environmental trigger?
(05:37):
Well, it could be a food allergyor a food sensitivity.
It could be any of the, youknow, multiple numerous
chemicals that we are exposed toin our everyday world, the
plastics, the endocrinedisrupting chemicals, the
phthalates, the pesticides, likethe list goes on and on and on.
So it's really an environmentaltrigger that is triggering a
(05:59):
predisposition in the geneticsthat is allowing that gene to
express.
SPEAKER_02 (06:03):
And I recently I heard a physician say that if
you are not bathing or showeringat the end of your day before
you go to bed, that you'resleeping in toxins.
Do you think that plays a rolethat people have gotten away
from a nighttime bath oranything I mean?
SPEAKER_00 (06:20):
Yeah, especially I think that's geared more towards
maybe adults because as parents,right, the nighttime routine for
most children includes dinner,winding down, maybe a bedtime
story, taking a bath, or maybethe bath and then the bedtime
story and then bed.
So a lot of children are gettingthat, you know, all the ick from
(06:42):
the day taken off.
I, you know, I would agree withthat.
I we are our bodies are designedto eliminate as much of the
chemical toxicity that wepossibly can.
And how do we do that throughour skin?
Well, we do that through sweat.
So, you know, I live in SouthFlorida where it is 90-something
(07:04):
degrees nine to 10 months out ofthe year.
We are sweating people downhere.
Sweat is ubiquitous.
You go outside, you startsweating because it's 90%
humidity and it's 97 degreesoutside.
So, yeah, if you cannot, if youdon't rinse that off your skin
after working out or beingoutside and sweating for an
(07:26):
extended period of time, what'sgonna happen?
Your skin is just gonna reabsorbeverything that it just tried to
get out.
So, yeah, I think there'ssomething to that.
SPEAKER_02 (07:34):
Are there concerns that differ between men and
women, things that women mightneed to worry about that are
different from what men mightneed to worry about?
SPEAKER_00 (07:41):
You know, the one thing that really comes up for
me when you ask that question isas a female, we are exposed to
so much more chemical toxicitythan say a man would be.
And if we just take like yourroutine in the morning, when you
wake up, Antoinette, what do youdo?
(08:03):
You get up, you have your cup ofcoffee, maybe you take your
shower, and then you apply yourmoisturizer and your skincare,
your makeup, and then your haircare.
And you think about all thepersonal care products that a
female is using before she evenwalks out the door to get
herself ready to go to work.
(08:23):
I think that's a primarydifference, you know, in
contrasting males to females,because men, what do they do?
They wake up, they have theircoffee, maybe they go exercise,
they come in, they shave, theyshower, maybe they run a comb
through their hair, they brushtheir teeth, and they're out the
door, right?
Where a woman has this wholeroutine where they're, you know,
the shower gel that hasfragrance and all fragrance is
(08:47):
is chemicals, right?
So we have everything that's inthe shower, the shampoo, the
conditioner, the body wash.
We get out of the shower, themoisturizer, again, fragrances
and phthalates and parabens andsilicones and oh my heavens, all
these things.
So I think our exposure as womenis a little bit higher than men.
SPEAKER_02 (09:06):
That makes perfect sense.
And just for the listeners, Ijust want to go over my morning
routine.
My morning routine begins with aglass of electrolyte water.
So eight ounces of water, a halfa lemon, fresh squeezed, and a
little bit of Himalayan seasalt, and I go look at the sun
while I'm drinking it.
(09:27):
And then I'll have some coffee.
SPEAKER_00 (09:29):
That is the perfect morning routine for all your
listeners.
Take note, she's doing itcorrectly.
SPEAKER_02 (09:37):
So, why is it particularly important for women
to know that they have treatmentoptions for skin?
SPEAKER_00 (09:43):
Well, I think the community, the society as a
whole, is really starting toshift their level of awareness.
You know, older generations,I'll speak from like my parents'
generation.
If they had a problem, they wentto see their physician, their
primary care physician, or theirpractitioner.
And really, whatever thatpractitioner said was like, you
(10:03):
know, came down from themountain, like from Moses
himself, right?
Like whatever the doctor said iswhat we have to do.
And I think we're really, it's abeautiful time in medicine
because the mamas are thewarriors, right?
The mamas are the ones that arelike mama bear, you know, and
they're the ones out thereonline doing the research, doing
the reading, asking thequestions when they go into
(10:26):
their practitioners.
And I think it's a reallyexciting time because a lot of
these moms are coming into theirprovider and saying, hey,
listen, you know, this isobviously a big problem.
My infant, my seven-month-old,is covered head to toe in eczema
and you gave us a topicalsteroid preparation and it works
when we use it.
And then when we try to taperoff and we stop using it, it
(10:49):
flares back up again.
And that's where most of thepractitioners, dermatology
especially, will say, okay,well, if the topical steroids
are not really keeping you ingood control, then the next step
is going to be to a biologicimmunosuppressant medication.
And that's where the mamas aresaying, whoa, Nelly, let's put
the brakes on because I'm notgoing to start my
(11:11):
seven-month-old on a topicalimmune modulating medication
that they potentially will needto be taking for life, I am not
willing to put thisseven-month-old on that type of
medication.
What else can we do?
What else is there?
There has to be some otheroption.
And these mamas are coming inand asking really hard questions
(11:31):
and they don't back down.
So we're getting to a pointwhere if a practitioner doesn't
have something else to pull outof their back pocket, okay,
let's talk about food, let'stalk about environment, let's
talk about toxins.
That mom is going to leave thatpractice and go find somebody
else that will talk to her aboutthose topics.
So I think now is the time wheresociety as a whole is really
(11:53):
just broadening their awarenessto, you know what?
The food we eat really doesmatter.
What we put on our skin reallydoes matter.
Even if the doctor says no,chocolate, pizza, french fries,
that doesn't affect your son'sacne.
SPEAKER_02 (12:07):
Come on.
As you were talking, I thoughtof so many things to go down
this rabbit hole on for just amoment.
One of the points that youbrought up is about the topical
steroid.
And one of the challenges with atopical steroid is that, in my
opinion, it's masking thesymptoms.
So you think I don't havesymptoms, so everything's fine.
(12:30):
I'm in remission, cured, healed,whatever.
I like to get the informationfrom my body.
If if I had a flare-up ofeczema, I would be asking
myself, why?
And that's some, I know that'ssomething that you do in your
practice.
Will you explain the role offunctional medicine in
dermatology and how it differsfrom traditional approaches?
SPEAKER_00 (12:53):
Absolutely.
This is my passion.
So, you know, I am a PA and Ihave practiced conventional
dermatology for 25 years.
So I was trained in theconventional medical model and
we treat and give steroids.
And just like you said, that isa band-aid and it is masking the
symptom.
And what we have to come backto, I love how you so elegantly
(13:17):
stated the symptom that you'reexperiencing, the hives, the
itching, the eczema flare-up,whatever it may be, that is your
body's way of communicating toyou, hey, something's off
balance here.
And this is how we're showingyou that something is off
balance.
You may have a little rash.
And then if you don't payattention to that little rash,
(13:38):
that little rash may now spread.
And if you don't pay attentionto that spread rash, that that
rash may take over half yourbody.
And your body starts out bywhispering symptoms and talking
to you very gently and verysoftly.
And if you choose to listen andpay attention and ask deep
questions and try to figure outwhat's going on, you can avoid
the domino effect, right?
(14:00):
But so many people in today'sgo, go, go, do, do, do, achieve
more, better, faster, hardersociety, they don't have time to
pay attention to their bodieswhispering to them.
And then what does the body do?
It has to turn up the volume andsay, hey, pay attention to me.
I'm trying to communicate to youthat something is off balance
here.
And then if you don't listen tothe body turning up the volume,
(14:21):
then it's going to startscreaming, right?
And that's when all heck breaksloose.
So really identifying, okay,something's out of whack.
My body's trying to communicateto me that something needs to be
changed.
What is it that is imbalanced orwhat upset the apple cart?
Is it my diet?
Is it my crazy stressed outlifestyle?
(14:42):
Is it the food, you know, thefood or the the lack, the
anti-nutrients that I'm eatingin the food that I'm choosing to
put at the end of my fork,right?
Like, what is it?
Is it the fact that I'm up untiltwo o'clock in the morning binge
watching every friend's episodeand I'm, you know, prioritizing
that mind-thumbing activityversus over really restorative
(15:03):
regenerative sleep?
Is it, am I, am I sitting allday long in an office underneath
blue lights and I'm sedentaryand I'm not getting any movement
that my body so desperatelycraves?
Like, what is the foundationthat is causing the imbalance?
And how do we identify what thatis?
And that's really what we do.
We aim to identify theunderlying cause, the driving
(15:24):
factors behind the symptoms thatpeople are experiencing.
So whether it's acne, rosacea,psoriasis, eczema, lupus,
alopecia, like you name it,there are driving contributing
factors.
And we identify what those areand we go about unraveling
what's happening.
So we use basic lab work and weuse advanced diagnostic testing.
(15:48):
We our motto is we test.
We don't guess, we test what'sgoing on.
We gather information, gatherthat data.
Once we have that data, now wehave a game plan.
We have an idea of what's goingon.
And a lot of the visit that Ihave with my patients is really
educational.
It's the foundation of it'seducating them on the
(16:09):
foundations of health.
What are the foundations ofhealth?
Well, it's movement.
It's not being sedentary, it'smanaging your stress, it's
finding joy every single day.
It's being outdoors and gettingyour body in sunlight.
It's eating nutrient-dense wholefoods to supply your body with
the enzymes and the minerals andthe vitamins that it needs so it
(16:31):
can function optimally.
It's being hydrated.
So many people are dehydratedand they have no idea.
They're not sitting, getting upin the morning and fresh
squeezing a lemon in their waterand putting electrolytes and sea
salt in that first eight ouncesthat they're giving to their
body, right?
So it's really us sitting downand educating them.
As a society, we've gotten sofar away from the basic
(16:54):
principles of health.
It's bringing us back to saying,this is what your body needs to
survive.
What are you doing?
What are you not doing?
And how do we get that builtinto your daily routine so that
your body gets what it needs?
SPEAKER_02 (17:06):
And Carrie, to your point, the whisper could be that
little patch of psoriasis that'stelling you you have an
underlying systemic widespreadinflammation problem that could
be lupus or some otherautoimmune disease.
So you need to listen to yourbody and follow those symptoms.
Also, if you haven't beenlistening to all of the episodes
(17:29):
in the podcast and you've beenjumping around listeners,
there's some episodes prior tothis episode that can help you.
For example, Dr.
Julie Seymours talks aboutsurviving your hospital stay and
choosing a great doctor.
So if you're not one of thosepatients who's a wise healthcare
consumer and you're asking goodquestions and pushing back on
(17:53):
doctor recommendations thatdon't feel right for you or
someone you love, then Dr.
Seymours gives you phrases thatyou can use and also how to
escalate your concerns whenyou're in a clinical setting or
a hospital.
And also there is an episode onhow to remove 14 dangerous
(18:13):
toxins out of your diet.
You can download a printablehandout that you can take to the
store and it tells you what thetoxin is and how it will show up
on the label.
And one toxin might show up onthe label four different ways,
for example.
Then there is the other episodeon my morning routine and the
(18:35):
lemon water detox.
So make sure you catch those.
Before we cover the next topicin this episode, I want to
introduce you to the adventuresports lifestyle with what I
call a micro story about anadventure that I've had.
The adventure sports lifestyleand my deep connection to nature
is essential to my good health.
So here's the story.
Most people don't have arelationship with nature.
(18:56):
Nature is the thing that makesyou too hot, too cold, or delays
your plans.
It's the thing you sufferthrough to get where you're
going.
The true stewards of the landsand waterways are those who use
them.
We are out volunteering, doingriver cleanup, trail
maintenance, reforestation, andhelping fish spawn.
When I speak to conservation PhDcandidates, 100% of the students
(19:21):
in every class said they weren'toutdoorsy.
They don't have an outdoorhobby, but they love nature and
they want to protect it.
But how do you protect somethingthat you don't know, that you
don't have a relationship with?
The next time someone talks toyou about conservation, ask them
about their relationship withnature.
I hope this inspires you to getoutside in adventure alone with
(19:42):
friends or the people you lovemost.
Now back to the show where we'retalking with dermatology expert
Carrie Jenkins.
Are there different skinchallenges at different age
milestones, Carrie?
SPEAKER_00 (19:54):
Well, when we when we see youngsters, you know,
intense through toddlers, it'smainly atopic dermatitis or
eczema.
That's the primary thing that wesee.
Secondary to that in thatpopulation, it would primarily
be like a rash that it'ssecondary to a virus, right?
Like the young kids, theirimmune system is still gearing
up and maturing.
So every virus that they'reexposed to, a lot of kids will
(20:15):
come down with a full body rashand the parents freak out and oh
my God, and it's it's transient,it's gonna pass when the when
the bug goes away.
Then when we get into ourpreteens, and really I've seen
this shift earlier and earlieras well, with all of the
endocrine disrupting chemicalsand plastics, is teenage acne,
(20:36):
right?
So so many of our kids areafflicted with acne.
And, you know, for the mostpart, when I was growing up, we
started to see acne around 12,13, 14 years of age.
And that's really the age groupthat that was dealing with acne.
And now I have moms of eight andnine-year-old girls, and these
girls are going into pubertythis early and starting their
(20:59):
menstrual cycles at nine, 10years old, where before it was
13, 14, 15 is when thatmaturation hormonal development
was taking place.
So I'm seeing acne earlier andearlier.
And then as we get intoadulthood in our females,
especially, that's where rosaceareally starts to come out.
(21:20):
And I have these beautiful youngwomen who say, I never had acne
growing up as a teenager.
What the heck is happening to myskin now?
And that's where rosacea startsto come in.
And then the the kids that haveeczema as young children,
sometimes they grow out of thattendency and sometimes it's with
them lifelong.
Psoriasis we usually see developas an adult.
(21:42):
Sometimes we'll see it post asecondary strep infection.
Sometimes youngsters will getstrep and then manifest
psoriasis immediately after thatstrep infection.
So that's typically what we seemost frequently in those age
demographics.
SPEAKER_02 (21:56):
We'll be back after a short break to talk about some
common causes of skinconditions.
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SPEAKER_02 (23:00):
Carrie, what are some common causes of skin
conditions and how do youidentify and treat them in your
practice?
SPEAKER_00 (23:06):
So in my integrative and functional dermatology
practice, I alluded previouslythat we are really big on
testing.
So I do some basic blood workwhere I'm looking at vitamins
and nutrients to see how wellthe immune system is getting
what it needs to be able tofunction optimally.
So we do some regular blood workand then we do some advanced
(23:28):
diagnostic testing, acomprehensive diagnostic stool
analysis, which I, you know, wespeak a lot about stool in my
practice.
There's a there's a lot ofconversation about elimination
and how important that is.
It's really our body's way oftaking out the trash.
So we talk about constipation,we talk about diarrhea, we talk
(23:48):
about, you know, how importantit is to have a really good,
healthy bowel movement everysingle day.
But when we test the gut, we'relooking at the gut microbiome.
So we're looking for severaldifferent things, right?
The testing that I utilizeallows me to see the gut
microbiome.
Are the commensals or the reallygood, helpful bacteria are they
(24:09):
present in high enoughquantities?
Do we have any opportunistic gutbugs?
And these guys, I like to callthem bullies on the playground,
right?
They'll take over.
If given the opportunity,they're gonna come in and take
over.
So we're looking to see ifthere's any opportunistic
dysbiosis.
It allows us to see how welldigestion is actually
(24:29):
functioning in the gut.
It shows me the level ofinflammation in the gut, how
well the immune system isfunctioning in the gut.
So the stool analysis is reallypivotal to help us identify you
know, are there parasites?
Are there worms?
Are there dysbiosis overgrowthsof pathogenic species?
Is there enough of the goodflora, the commensal guys?
(24:50):
So it really, you know, gettingthat data allows us to really
get a very, very good idea ofwhat's going on on the inside,
because really our skin is justa window that is expressing on
the outside what's happening onthe inside, right?
If our gut is inflamed, if ourgut is leaky, if our liver isn't
(25:13):
able to process and eliminateall of those toxins, then it's
gonna show up on our skin in oneform or another, whether it's
acne or rosacea or psoriasis oreczema.
So that's where we do thingscompletely different.
The conventional dermatologistis gonna look at the skin,
identify the problem, we call itname it, blame it, tame it,
right?
They name it, they tell you whatit is, they tell you, you know,
(25:36):
maybe what's causing it, andthen they prescribe something to
calm that symptom, where we areidentifying where is that
imbalance?
Where's the inflammation comingfrom?
How's the liver functioning?
How's the gut functioning?
And then once we identify thatdata, we're able to create a
beautiful treatment plan basedon that unique person's test
results.
(25:58):
And, you know, when you give thebody what it needs and you take
away what it doesn't need,magical things can happen.
But I will say that this type ofprocess or medical care isn't
for everybody.
It does take a lot of work.
It's not an easy light switch,like you turn on the light
(26:19):
switch and the light is on.
It takes time to reestablish thebody.
If you are vitamin D deficient,it takes a little bit of time to
build that vitamin D level backup, right?
So I tell patients, parents andkids and adults that come to us,
you have to put your patient haton.
This is not something like adrug that's gonna suppress a
(26:41):
symptom in 12 to 24 hours.
This is gonna take several weeksto months to reestablish because
what we're doing is we'rerebalancing every cell in your
body.
And that takes a little bit oftime.
SPEAKER_02 (26:53):
We have an entire episode and a downloadable
document on how to fix your gutmicrobiome.
But what steps can people taketo treat their microbiome?
Or do you recommend if they'realready seeing signs of acne and
other microbiome issues, thatthey should seek help rather
than doing it at home alone?
SPEAKER_00 (27:14):
So one thing that I say to everybody is just eat
real food.
So many people, teenagers, evenour young kids, right?
They're they're eating thesesquishy yogurt things.
Like the amount of sugar that'sin one of those is is
mind-boggling, right?
So I'm not saying yogurt is bad.
(27:35):
I'm saying be mindful and readthe label and see how much added
sugar is in that go-girt squeezything that you're giving that
child, right?
So we like to eat nutrient-densewhole foods.
Instead of, you know, giving thefruit roll-ups, give a bowl of
strawberries.
(27:56):
You're getting the fiber and allthe beautiful things that is in
that berry rather than thisprocessed fruit leather, right?
So the easiest thing that I cansay is get rid of the processed,
get rid of the junk, get rid ofthe packaged, eat nutrient-dense
whole foods.
SPEAKER_02 (28:12):
And read your labels because not all yogurt is
created equal.
You want to get your RBST-freeyogurt that doesn't have all the
hormones in it.
So, what long-term solutions doyou recommend for achieving
lasting skin health?
SPEAKER_00 (28:27):
Something that I'm gonna say that may surprise your
audience listeners and maysurprise medical practitioners
as well is I am a very largeproponent of getting outside and
putting your body in the sun.
And typically, conventionalmedical practitioners are
(28:47):
constantly preaching about sunavoidance and wearing sunscreen.
And I'm not saying that that'swrong.
We would never want to encouragesomebody to burn their skin,
have too much exposure, and burntheir skin.
But there is something to besaid about building a solar
callus and slowly increasingyour natural pigmentation
(29:09):
because that's how your bodysynthesizes its own vitamin D,
right?
You absorb that sunlight throughyour skin, then it goes through
the liver and through thekidney, and now all of a sudden
you have vitamin D.
And vitamin D is so incrediblyimportant.
It's really not a vitamin, it'sactually a pro hormone, and it's
responsible for so many thingsin the human body.
(29:30):
And I'm just gonna come out andsay probably eight and a half
out of every 10 people that Itest are significantly deficient
in vitamin D.
So the one way that I havepeople, you know, not only keep
their skin health, keep keeptheir skin healthy, but to keep
their whole body healthy is tobe outdoors, put your body in
(29:52):
natural sunlight for, you know,15 to 40 minutes every single
day.
Don't burn, be smart, but exposeyour body to natural sunlight.
Like U V A U V D.
SPEAKER_02 (30:01):
As we say here on New Normal Big Life, get outside
and adventure.
I spend, I hope you'll go toeither my social media on X or
Instagram or uh watch thisvideo.
And I'm gonna go ahead and dropthis on you right now, folks.
I will be 58 years old in Iforgot which month, CBI survivor
(30:26):
here, November of this year.
And I have one wrinkle fromwhere I had a head injury, but
other than that, I don't haveany wrinkles.
And I spend 365 days outdoorsseveral hours a day, especially
in the summer.
I never wear sunscreen.
I use Asta Xanthan as a nationalnatural internal sunscreen.
(30:51):
I take 5,000 IU of vitamin Devery year.
I live in the Midwest and I'vebeen tested.
I need that amount just to bewith well within the normal
range for vitamin D.
So if my story and situation cangive you an example of how
(31:14):
important it is to get outsideand adventure, to get natural
sunlight for your mental andemotional health and brain
health, but you're not at riskfor danger if you're using
protection.
And what I mean by protection isyou're taking your vitamin D,
you're taking care of your skinwhen you get out of the sun.
(31:35):
And the other thing that Iwanted to say about skincare is
you have to choose what you puton your face and the rest of
your skin wisely.
Choose the most naturalingredients you can find.
SPEAKER_00 (31:48):
Could not agree more.
Very well said.
There's a lot of marketing thatgoes into this, people.
We have to be smart about whatwe're putting on our skin
because our skin is our largestorgan.
And just on the other side ofthe skin lies systemic, you
know, our blood vessels, and wesystemically absorb everything
(32:09):
that is put on our skin.
So my basic rule of thumb is ifyou can't read it or pronounce
it, it shouldn't be going onyour skin.
SPEAKER_02 (32:18):
Amen.
What advice would you givesomeone just starting their
journey toward better skinhealth through functional
medicine?
SPEAKER_00 (32:24):
Well, you mentioned circadian rhythms, I think.
I love having a good, consistentcircadian rhythm, getting up at
the same time every day,exercising the same time every
day, using the bathroom the sametime every day, timing your
meals the same time every day.
Being outside, I love yourmotto.
Get outside and adventure.
Let's get back to that, right?
So there's a lot of really lowthe things that we're we're
(32:48):
asking people to do are notexpensive.
Like this is low-hanging fruit.
Move your body, get outside,stay hydrated, drink plenty of
filtered water, expose your bodyto sunlight every single day.
You know, these are the basicprinciples of living a healthy
life.
And that's basically where I'dstart with anybody.
That's beautiful.
SPEAKER_02 (33:08):
If someone wanted to work with you, but they don't
live in your area, is that apossibility to do telehealth?
SPEAKER_00 (33:14):
Yeah, so we do telehealth.
I'm licensed in the state ofGeorgia and Florida.
So we can do telehealthappointments for people that
live in Georgia and in northernFlorida.
I'm in South Florida.
Other than that, it's a littlebit tricky because I do practice
to the fullest extent of mylicensure.
I have to follow the rules andonly practice in the states that
I'm licensed in.
(33:34):
That's fair enough.
What more would you like thelisteners to know?
I just am so happy to beaffiliated with people like you
who have these amazing platformsand you're using your knowledge
to get good information outthere and to help people get
healthy.
So I'm just so grateful to be apart of this and thank you for
(33:56):
this opportunity.
And, you know, it just warms myheart to know that there are
other people like me who aretrying to, you know, get people
to reclaim their health.
SPEAKER_02 (34:06):
Oh, Carrie, thank you so much for your kind words.
I really appreciate it.
And thank you for joining ustoday.
You'll be able to find how toconnect with Carrie if you're in
her uh working area in the showdescription.
And I welcome you back anytimeto talk more about skincare.
Thank you so much.
It was so fun.
Until next time, friends, I'mAntoinette Lee, your wellness
(34:27):
warrior here at the New NormalBig Life podcast.
I hope one day to see you on theriver, in the backcountry, or in
the horse vine living your bestlife.
Struggling with health problemsor seeking natural health
solutions, we've got youcovered.
Don't miss our latest podcastepisodes, exclusive blog posts,
and free ebooks packed withlife-changing wellness tips.
(34:48):
Be sure to help others find thisgreat information by leaving us
a star rating and a reviewwherever you get your podcasts.
SPEAKER_01 (34:57):
Magnesium, an unsung hero, fuels over 300 bodily
reactions from heart health tostress relief.
Magnesium expert Natalie Girato,founder of Rooted In, found
freedom from anxiety, insomnia,and pain through topical
magnesium.
It transformed my life, shesays, inspiring her mission to
share this mineral's power.
(35:20):
Cardiologist Dr.
Jack Wolfson calls magnesiumessential for heart health,
helping regulate rhythms, bloodsugar, and reduce inflammation.
Up to 80% of people may bedeficient facing issues like
depression, migraines, insomnia,or muscle cramp.
For women over 40, magnesiumeases menopause symptoms, boosts
(35:40):
energy, and supports bones.
Choosing the correct type ofmagnesium matters.
Real stories, Natalie's in mind,highlight its impact.
After interviewing magnesiumexpert Natalie Durado, I became
a customer.
I was already a magnesium fan,having been told by two
cardiologists to take magnesiumfor a minor heart arrhythmia.
(36:01):
Natalie explains it best in theMagnesium the Mineral
Transforming Lives episode ofNew Normal Big Life, number four
in Alternative Health on ApplePodcast.
Listen wherever you get yourpodcasts.
Fast forward after theinterview, I bought the Rooted
Inn bundle for sleep,tranquility, and pain relief.
As a spine injury survivor withseveral other health challenges,
I'm in constant pain.
(36:22):
However, I don't take any painmedication.
Rooted in is now one more sourcethat nature provided to give our
bodies what it needs when itneeds it.
You can find magnesium innatural bodies of water like
lakes and rivers and in soil.
But modern farming practiceshave stripped magnesium out of
the soil and our food.
(36:42):
That's why today, Rooted Inn'srest, relief, and tranquility
are part of our afternoon andnightly sleep routine.
My guy who did two tours kickingindoors in Iraq with the Marines
now has no trouble fallingasleep.
I no longer have to takemelatonin before bedtime to fall
asleep.
So after I became a customer andsaw how well these products
work, I applied to become anaffiliate.
You know, it is a combination of of things.
(00:03):
We, as humans, always want it tobe like, what is the one thing
that's making this conditionworse?
What's the one thing that we cando differently?
And I'm really here to letpeople know that it is really
has a lot to do withenvironment.
Uh, always there is a geneticcomponent.
So eczema can run in families.
(00:24):
If a mom or a dad has eczema,there's a higher predisposition
for that child to have eczema.
And then really, it is somethingthat's in the environment that
is triggering the expression ofthose genetics for that eczemaus
process to express.
So, what types of things couldbe an environmental trigger?
(00:45):
Well, it could be a food allergyor a food sensitivity.
SPEAKER_02 (00:48):
Your skin is more than just a surface, it's a
window into your overall health.
From stubborn acne to itchyeczema, skin conditions are an
increasingly common occurrence,sending millions to
dermatologists each year.
But what's driving this rise andhow do men and women differ in
their skin struggles?
Certified physician assistantCarrie Jenkins, a functional
(01:10):
medicine expert with 25 years indermatology, joins us to uncover
the root causes of skin issuesand offer long-term solutions.
In this episode, we'll explorethe most prevalent skin
conditions, their causes, andhow lifestyle, environment, and
the gut microbiome play criticalroles in skin health.
Whether you're battlingbreakouts or premature aging,
(01:31):
these insights will empower youto take control.
So let's learn together.
Hi friends, welcome to the NewNormal Big Life Podcast.
We bring you natural news andstories about nature that we
hope will inspire you to getoutside in adventure, along with
a step-by-step plan to help youpractice what you've learned and
create your own new normal andlive the biggest life you can
dream.
I'm your host, Antoinette Lee,the Wellness Warrior.
(01:54):
Before we hear from our expert,let's learn about the common
skin conditions drivingdermatologists' visits.
Skin conditions are among thetop reasons people seek medical
care, according to the AmericanAcademy of Dermatology.
Eczema, acne, and psoriasis topthe list, affecting millions
annually.
Acne alone impacts up to 50million Americans, while eczema
(02:16):
affects about 31 million, andpsoriasis plagues roughly 7
million.
Rosacea, a chronic conditioncausing facial redness, is also
widespread, particularly infair-skinned individuals.
Let's meet the expert who willhelp with your biggest skin
challenges.
Carrie Jenkins is a certifiedphysician assistant in Florida.
She graduated over aSoutheastern University in 2000
(02:40):
and received her master's inphysician assistant studies from
the University of Nebraska in2007.
Carrie has practiced medical andaesthetic dermatology for the
past 25 years.
Her functional integrativemedicine education included
certifications through theSchool of Applied Functional
Medicine and the PrestigiousInstitute of Functional
(03:01):
Medicine.
Carrie combines her expertise inconventional dermatology with
the principles of functionalmedicine to treat skin
conditions at their root cause,ensuring long-term health and
results.
She offers invaluable insightsinto how treating the whole body
rather than just the skin leadsto lasting improvements in skin
health.
(03:21):
Carrie believes every patienthas a story, and through story
sharing, we gather details tomap out the history and
implement a plan for truehealing.
She understands that all areasof their lives, physical,
mental, and spiritual, areinterconnected and a necessary
part of their healing journey.
When she's not working, she's amom to two ambitious girls and
(03:43):
endures ballroom dancing, handlettering, and being outdoors in
nature.
Hi, Carrie.
Welcome to New Normal Big Life.
Hi, Antoinette.
Thank you so much for having me.
Excited to be here.
So let's talk about skincare,which is among the top reasons
that people seek medical care,according to the American
Academy of Dermatology.
What are some of the conditionsthat you're seeing in your
(04:05):
practice?
And are they the same for menand women?
SPEAKER_00 (04:08):
So, what I'm noticing trending up more and
more is I'm noticing a lot moreatopic dermatitis, which in
layman's terms is known aseczema.
Eczema has been around since thebeginning of time, but I will
say that I'm starting to noticetrends where we're seeing it in
much younger children.
Like I have infants in mypractice that are head-to-toe
(04:30):
eczemaus rashes, where they'remiserable, they're unable to
sleep.
And when the baby can't sleep,the mama can't sleep.
When the mama can't sleep, youknow, that's a big problem.
So I'm noticing a lot moreintensity, I would say, in my
atopic dermatitis patients.
And boys and girls are affectedequally.
Do we know what's causing thisupward trend in children?
(04:52):
You know, it is a combination ofthings.
We, as humans, always want it tobe like, what is the one thing
that's making this conditionworse?
What's the one thing that we cando differently?
And I'm really here to letpeople know that it is really
has a lot to do withenvironment.
Always there is a geneticcomponent.
(05:14):
So eczema can run in families.
If a mom or a dad has eczema,there's a higher predisposition
for that child to have eczema.
And then really, it is somethingthat's in the environment that
is triggering the expression ofthose genetics for that eczemaus
process to express.
So, what types of things couldbe an environmental trigger?
(05:37):
Well, it could be a food allergyor a food sensitivity.
It could be any of the, youknow, multiple numerous
chemicals that we are exposed toin our everyday world, the
plastics, the endocrinedisrupting chemicals, the
phthalates, the pesticides, likethe list goes on and on and on.
So it's really an environmentaltrigger that is triggering a
(05:59):
predisposition in the geneticsthat is allowing that gene to
express.
SPEAKER_02 (06:03):
And I recently I heard a physician say that if
you are not bathing or showeringat the end of your day before
you go to bed, that you'resleeping in toxins.
Do you think that plays a rolethat people have gotten away
from a nighttime bath oranything I mean?
SPEAKER_00 (06:20):
Yeah, especially I think that's geared more towards
maybe adults because as parents,right, the nighttime routine for
most children includes dinner,winding down, maybe a bedtime
story, taking a bath, or maybethe bath and then the bedtime
story and then bed.
So a lot of children are gettingthat, you know, all the ick from
(06:42):
the day taken off.
I, you know, I would agree withthat.
I we are our bodies are designedto eliminate as much of the
chemical toxicity that wepossibly can.
And how do we do that throughour skin?
Well, we do that through sweat.
So, you know, I live in SouthFlorida where it is 90-something
(07:04):
degrees nine to 10 months out ofthe year.
We are sweating people downhere.
Sweat is ubiquitous.
You go outside, you startsweating because it's 90%
humidity and it's 97 degreesoutside.
So, yeah, if you cannot, if youdon't rinse that off your skin
after working out or beingoutside and sweating for an
(07:26):
extended period of time, what'sgonna happen?
Your skin is just gonna reabsorbeverything that it just tried to
get out.
So, yeah, I think there'ssomething to that.
SPEAKER_02 (07:34):
Are there concerns that differ between men and
women, things that women mightneed to worry about that are
different from what men mightneed to worry about?
SPEAKER_00 (07:41):
You know, the one thing that really comes up for
me when you ask that question isas a female, we are exposed to
so much more chemical toxicitythan say a man would be.
And if we just take like yourroutine in the morning, when you
wake up, Antoinette, what do youdo?
(08:03):
You get up, you have your cup ofcoffee, maybe you take your
shower, and then you apply yourmoisturizer and your skincare,
your makeup, and then your haircare.
And you think about all thepersonal care products that a
female is using before she evenwalks out the door to get
herself ready to go to work.
(08:23):
I think that's a primarydifference, you know, in
contrasting males to females,because men, what do they do?
They wake up, they have theircoffee, maybe they go exercise,
they come in, they shave, theyshower, maybe they run a comb
through their hair, they brushtheir teeth, and they're out the
door, right?
Where a woman has this wholeroutine where they're, you know,
the shower gel that hasfragrance and all fragrance is
(08:47):
is chemicals, right?
So we have everything that's inthe shower, the shampoo, the
conditioner, the body wash.
We get out of the shower, themoisturizer, again, fragrances
and phthalates and parabens andsilicones and oh my heavens, all
these things.
So I think our exposure as womenis a little bit higher than men.
SPEAKER_02 (09:06):
That makes perfect sense.
And just for the listeners, Ijust want to go over my morning
routine.
My morning routine begins with aglass of electrolyte water.
So eight ounces of water, a halfa lemon, fresh squeezed, and a
little bit of Himalayan seasalt, and I go look at the sun
while I'm drinking it.
(09:27):
And then I'll have some coffee.
SPEAKER_00 (09:29):
That is the perfect morning routine for all your
listeners.
Take note, she's doing itcorrectly.
SPEAKER_02 (09:37):
So, why is it particularly important for women
to know that they have treatmentoptions for skin?
SPEAKER_00 (09:43):
Well, I think the community, the society as a
whole, is really starting toshift their level of awareness.
You know, older generations,I'll speak from like my parents'
generation.
If they had a problem, they wentto see their physician, their
primary care physician, or theirpractitioner.
And really, whatever thatpractitioner said was like, you
(10:03):
know, came down from themountain, like from Moses
himself, right?
Like whatever the doctor said iswhat we have to do.
And I think we're really, it's abeautiful time in medicine
because the mamas are thewarriors, right?
The mamas are the ones that arelike mama bear, you know, and
they're the ones out thereonline doing the research, doing
the reading, asking thequestions when they go into
(10:26):
their practitioners.
And I think it's a reallyexciting time because a lot of
these moms are coming into theirprovider and saying, hey,
listen, you know, this isobviously a big problem.
My infant, my seven-month-old,is covered head to toe in eczema
and you gave us a topicalsteroid preparation and it works
when we use it.
And then when we try to taperoff and we stop using it, it
(10:49):
flares back up again.
And that's where most of thepractitioners, dermatology
especially, will say, okay,well, if the topical steroids
are not really keeping you ingood control, then the next step
is going to be to a biologicimmunosuppressant medication.
And that's where the mamas aresaying, whoa, Nelly, let's put
the brakes on because I'm notgoing to start my
(11:11):
seven-month-old on a topicalimmune modulating medication
that they potentially will needto be taking for life, I am not
willing to put thisseven-month-old on that type of
medication.
What else can we do?
What else is there?
There has to be some otheroption.
And these mamas are coming inand asking really hard questions
(11:31):
and they don't back down.
So we're getting to a pointwhere if a practitioner doesn't
have something else to pull outof their back pocket, okay,
let's talk about food, let'stalk about environment, let's
talk about toxins.
That mom is going to leave thatpractice and go find somebody
else that will talk to her aboutthose topics.
So I think now is the time wheresociety as a whole is really
(11:53):
just broadening their awarenessto, you know what?
The food we eat really doesmatter.
What we put on our skin reallydoes matter.
Even if the doctor says no,chocolate, pizza, french fries,
that doesn't affect your son'sacne.
SPEAKER_02 (12:07):
Come on.
As you were talking, I thoughtof so many things to go down
this rabbit hole on for just amoment.
One of the points that youbrought up is about the topical
steroid.
And one of the challenges with atopical steroid is that, in my
opinion, it's masking thesymptoms.
So you think I don't havesymptoms, so everything's fine.
(12:30):
I'm in remission, cured, healed,whatever.
I like to get the informationfrom my body.
If if I had a flare-up ofeczema, I would be asking
myself, why?
And that's some, I know that'ssomething that you do in your
practice.
Will you explain the role offunctional medicine in
dermatology and how it differsfrom traditional approaches?
SPEAKER_00 (12:53):
Absolutely.
This is my passion.
So, you know, I am a PA and Ihave practiced conventional
dermatology for 25 years.
So I was trained in theconventional medical model and
we treat and give steroids.
And just like you said, that isa band-aid and it is masking the
symptom.
And what we have to come backto, I love how you so elegantly
(13:17):
stated the symptom that you'reexperiencing, the hives, the
itching, the eczema flare-up,whatever it may be, that is your
body's way of communicating toyou, hey, something's off
balance here.
And this is how we're showingyou that something is off
balance.
You may have a little rash.
And then if you don't payattention to that little rash,
(13:38):
that little rash may now spread.
And if you don't pay attentionto that spread rash, that that
rash may take over half yourbody.
And your body starts out bywhispering symptoms and talking
to you very gently and verysoftly.
And if you choose to listen andpay attention and ask deep
questions and try to figure outwhat's going on, you can avoid
the domino effect, right?
(14:00):
But so many people in today'sgo, go, go, do, do, do, achieve
more, better, faster, hardersociety, they don't have time to
pay attention to their bodieswhispering to them.
And then what does the body do?
It has to turn up the volume andsay, hey, pay attention to me.
I'm trying to communicate to youthat something is off balance
here.
And then if you don't listen tothe body turning up the volume,
(14:21):
then it's going to startscreaming, right?
And that's when all heck breaksloose.
So really identifying, okay,something's out of whack.
My body's trying to communicateto me that something needs to be
changed.
What is it that is imbalanced orwhat upset the apple cart?
Is it my diet?
Is it my crazy stressed outlifestyle?
(14:42):
Is it the food, you know, thefood or the the lack, the
anti-nutrients that I'm eatingin the food that I'm choosing to
put at the end of my fork,right?
Like, what is it?
Is it the fact that I'm up untiltwo o'clock in the morning binge
watching every friend's episodeand I'm, you know, prioritizing
that mind-thumbing activityversus over really restorative
(15:03):
regenerative sleep?
Is it, am I, am I sitting allday long in an office underneath
blue lights and I'm sedentaryand I'm not getting any movement
that my body so desperatelycraves?
Like, what is the foundationthat is causing the imbalance?
And how do we identify what thatis?
And that's really what we do.
We aim to identify theunderlying cause, the driving
(15:24):
factors behind the symptoms thatpeople are experiencing.
So whether it's acne, rosacea,psoriasis, eczema, lupus,
alopecia, like you name it,there are driving contributing
factors.
And we identify what those areand we go about unraveling
what's happening.
So we use basic lab work and weuse advanced diagnostic testing.
(15:48):
We our motto is we test.
We don't guess, we test what'sgoing on.
We gather information, gatherthat data.
Once we have that data, now wehave a game plan.
We have an idea of what's goingon.
And a lot of the visit that Ihave with my patients is really
educational.
It's the foundation of it'seducating them on the
(16:09):
foundations of health.
What are the foundations ofhealth?
Well, it's movement.
It's not being sedentary, it'smanaging your stress, it's
finding joy every single day.
It's being outdoors and gettingyour body in sunlight.
It's eating nutrient-dense wholefoods to supply your body with
the enzymes and the minerals andthe vitamins that it needs so it
(16:31):
can function optimally.
It's being hydrated.
So many people are dehydratedand they have no idea.
They're not sitting, getting upin the morning and fresh
squeezing a lemon in their waterand putting electrolytes and sea
salt in that first eight ouncesthat they're giving to their
body, right?
So it's really us sitting downand educating them.
As a society, we've gotten sofar away from the basic
(16:54):
principles of health.
It's bringing us back to saying,this is what your body needs to
survive.
What are you doing?
What are you not doing?
And how do we get that builtinto your daily routine so that
your body gets what it needs?
SPEAKER_02 (17:06):
And Carrie, to your point, the whisper could be that
little patch of psoriasis that'stelling you you have an
underlying systemic widespreadinflammation problem that could
be lupus or some otherautoimmune disease.
So you need to listen to yourbody and follow those symptoms.
Also, if you haven't beenlistening to all of the episodes
(17:29):
in the podcast and you've beenjumping around listeners,
there's some episodes prior tothis episode that can help you.
For example, Dr.
Julie Seymours talks aboutsurviving your hospital stay and
choosing a great doctor.
So if you're not one of thosepatients who's a wise healthcare
consumer and you're asking goodquestions and pushing back on
(17:53):
doctor recommendations thatdon't feel right for you or
someone you love, then Dr.
Seymours gives you phrases thatyou can use and also how to
escalate your concerns whenyou're in a clinical setting or
a hospital.
And also there is an episode onhow to remove 14 dangerous
(18:13):
toxins out of your diet.
You can download a printablehandout that you can take to the
store and it tells you what thetoxin is and how it will show up
on the label.
And one toxin might show up onthe label four different ways,
for example.
Then there is the other episodeon my morning routine and the
(18:35):
lemon water detox.
So make sure you catch those.
Before we cover the next topicin this episode, I want to
introduce you to the adventuresports lifestyle with what I
call a micro story about anadventure that I've had.
The adventure sports lifestyleand my deep connection to nature
is essential to my good health.
So here's the story.
Most people don't have arelationship with nature.
(18:56):
Nature is the thing that makesyou too hot, too cold, or delays
your plans.
It's the thing you sufferthrough to get where you're
going.
The true stewards of the landsand waterways are those who use
them.
We are out volunteering, doingriver cleanup, trail
maintenance, reforestation, andhelping fish spawn.
When I speak to conservation PhDcandidates, 100% of the students
(19:21):
in every class said they weren'toutdoorsy.
They don't have an outdoorhobby, but they love nature and
they want to protect it.
But how do you protect somethingthat you don't know, that you
don't have a relationship with?
The next time someone talks toyou about conservation, ask them
about their relationship withnature.
I hope this inspires you to getoutside in adventure alone with
(19:42):
friends or the people you lovemost.
Now back to the show where we'retalking with dermatology expert
Carrie Jenkins.
Are there different skinchallenges at different age
milestones, Carrie?
SPEAKER_00 (19:54):
Well, when we when we see youngsters, you know,
intense through toddlers, it'smainly atopic dermatitis or
eczema.
That's the primary thing that wesee.
Secondary to that in thatpopulation, it would primarily
be like a rash that it'ssecondary to a virus, right?
Like the young kids, theirimmune system is still gearing
up and maturing.
So every virus that they'reexposed to, a lot of kids will
(20:15):
come down with a full body rashand the parents freak out and oh
my God, and it's it's transient,it's gonna pass when the when
the bug goes away.
Then when we get into ourpreteens, and really I've seen
this shift earlier and earlieras well, with all of the
endocrine disrupting chemicalsand plastics, is teenage acne,
(20:36):
right?
So so many of our kids areafflicted with acne.
And, you know, for the mostpart, when I was growing up, we
started to see acne around 12,13, 14 years of age.
And that's really the age groupthat that was dealing with acne.
And now I have moms of eight andnine-year-old girls, and these
girls are going into pubertythis early and starting their
(20:59):
menstrual cycles at nine, 10years old, where before it was
13, 14, 15 is when thatmaturation hormonal development
was taking place.
So I'm seeing acne earlier andearlier.
And then as we get intoadulthood in our females,
especially, that's where rosaceareally starts to come out.
(21:20):
And I have these beautiful youngwomen who say, I never had acne
growing up as a teenager.
What the heck is happening to myskin now?
And that's where rosacea startsto come in.
And then the the kids that haveeczema as young children,
sometimes they grow out of thattendency and sometimes it's with
them lifelong.
Psoriasis we usually see developas an adult.
(21:42):
Sometimes we'll see it post asecondary strep infection.
Sometimes youngsters will getstrep and then manifest
psoriasis immediately after thatstrep infection.
So that's typically what we seemost frequently in those age
demographics.
SPEAKER_02 (21:56):
We'll be back after a short break to talk about some
common causes of skinconditions.
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SPEAKER_02 (23:00):
Carrie, what are some common causes of skin
conditions and how do youidentify and treat them in your
practice?
SPEAKER_00 (23:06):
So in my integrative and functional dermatology
practice, I alluded previouslythat we are really big on
testing.
So I do some basic blood workwhere I'm looking at vitamins
and nutrients to see how wellthe immune system is getting
what it needs to be able tofunction optimally.
So we do some regular blood workand then we do some advanced
(23:28):
diagnostic testing, acomprehensive diagnostic stool
analysis, which I, you know, wespeak a lot about stool in my
practice.
There's a there's a lot ofconversation about elimination
and how important that is.
It's really our body's way oftaking out the trash.
So we talk about constipation,we talk about diarrhea, we talk
(23:48):
about, you know, how importantit is to have a really good,
healthy bowel movement everysingle day.
But when we test the gut, we'relooking at the gut microbiome.
So we're looking for severaldifferent things, right?
The testing that I utilizeallows me to see the gut
microbiome.
Are the commensals or the reallygood, helpful bacteria are they
(24:09):
present in high enoughquantities?
Do we have any opportunistic gutbugs?
And these guys, I like to callthem bullies on the playground,
right?
They'll take over.
If given the opportunity,they're gonna come in and take
over.
So we're looking to see ifthere's any opportunistic
dysbiosis.
It allows us to see how welldigestion is actually
(24:29):
functioning in the gut.
It shows me the level ofinflammation in the gut, how
well the immune system isfunctioning in the gut.
So the stool analysis is reallypivotal to help us identify you
know, are there parasites?
Are there worms?
Are there dysbiosis overgrowthsof pathogenic species?
Is there enough of the goodflora, the commensal guys?
(24:50):
So it really, you know, gettingthat data allows us to really
get a very, very good idea ofwhat's going on on the inside,
because really our skin is justa window that is expressing on
the outside what's happening onthe inside, right?
If our gut is inflamed, if ourgut is leaky, if our liver isn't
(25:13):
able to process and eliminateall of those toxins, then it's
gonna show up on our skin in oneform or another, whether it's
acne or rosacea or psoriasis oreczema.
So that's where we do thingscompletely different.
The conventional dermatologistis gonna look at the skin,
identify the problem, we call itname it, blame it, tame it,
right?
They name it, they tell you whatit is, they tell you, you know,
(25:36):
maybe what's causing it, andthen they prescribe something to
calm that symptom, where we areidentifying where is that
imbalance?
Where's the inflammation comingfrom?
How's the liver functioning?
How's the gut functioning?
And then once we identify thatdata, we're able to create a
beautiful treatment plan basedon that unique person's test
results.
(25:58):
And, you know, when you give thebody what it needs and you take
away what it doesn't need,magical things can happen.
But I will say that this type ofprocess or medical care isn't
for everybody.
It does take a lot of work.
It's not an easy light switch,like you turn on the light
(26:19):
switch and the light is on.
It takes time to reestablish thebody.
If you are vitamin D deficient,it takes a little bit of time to
build that vitamin D level backup, right?
So I tell patients, parents andkids and adults that come to us,
you have to put your patient haton.
This is not something like adrug that's gonna suppress a
(26:41):
symptom in 12 to 24 hours.
This is gonna take several weeksto months to reestablish because
what we're doing is we'rerebalancing every cell in your
body.
And that takes a little bit oftime.
SPEAKER_02 (26:53):
We have an entire episode and a downloadable
document on how to fix your gutmicrobiome.
But what steps can people taketo treat their microbiome?
Or do you recommend if they'realready seeing signs of acne and
other microbiome issues, thatthey should seek help rather
than doing it at home alone?
SPEAKER_00 (27:14):
So one thing that I say to everybody is just eat
real food.
So many people, teenagers, evenour young kids, right?
They're they're eating thesesquishy yogurt things.
Like the amount of sugar that'sin one of those is is
mind-boggling, right?
So I'm not saying yogurt is bad.
(27:35):
I'm saying be mindful and readthe label and see how much added
sugar is in that go-girt squeezything that you're giving that
child, right?
So we like to eat nutrient-densewhole foods.
Instead of, you know, giving thefruit roll-ups, give a bowl of
strawberries.
(27:56):
You're getting the fiber and allthe beautiful things that is in
that berry rather than thisprocessed fruit leather, right?
So the easiest thing that I cansay is get rid of the processed,
get rid of the junk, get rid ofthe packaged, eat nutrient-dense
whole foods.
SPEAKER_02 (28:12):
And read your labels because not all yogurt is
created equal.
You want to get your RBST-freeyogurt that doesn't have all the
hormones in it.
So, what long-term solutions doyou recommend for achieving
lasting skin health?
SPEAKER_00 (28:27):
Something that I'm gonna say that may surprise your
audience listeners and maysurprise medical practitioners
as well is I am a very largeproponent of getting outside and
putting your body in the sun.
And typically, conventionalmedical practitioners are
(28:47):
constantly preaching about sunavoidance and wearing sunscreen.
And I'm not saying that that'swrong.
We would never want to encouragesomebody to burn their skin,
have too much exposure, and burntheir skin.
But there is something to besaid about building a solar
callus and slowly increasingyour natural pigmentation
(29:09):
because that's how your bodysynthesizes its own vitamin D,
right?
You absorb that sunlight throughyour skin, then it goes through
the liver and through thekidney, and now all of a sudden
you have vitamin D.
And vitamin D is so incrediblyimportant.
It's really not a vitamin, it'sactually a pro hormone, and it's
responsible for so many thingsin the human body.
(29:30):
And I'm just gonna come out andsay probably eight and a half
out of every 10 people that Itest are significantly deficient
in vitamin D.
So the one way that I havepeople, you know, not only keep
their skin health, keep keeptheir skin healthy, but to keep
their whole body healthy is tobe outdoors, put your body in
(29:52):
natural sunlight for, you know,15 to 40 minutes every single
day.
Don't burn, be smart, but exposeyour body to natural sunlight.
Like U V A U V D.
SPEAKER_02 (30:01):
As we say here on New Normal Big Life, get outside
and adventure.
I spend, I hope you'll go toeither my social media on X or
Instagram or uh watch thisvideo.
And I'm gonna go ahead and dropthis on you right now, folks.
I will be 58 years old in Iforgot which month, CBI survivor
(30:26):
here, November of this year.
And I have one wrinkle fromwhere I had a head injury, but
other than that, I don't haveany wrinkles.
And I spend 365 days outdoorsseveral hours a day, especially
in the summer.
I never wear sunscreen.
I use Asta Xanthan as a nationalnatural internal sunscreen.
(30:51):
I take 5,000 IU of vitamin Devery year.
I live in the Midwest and I'vebeen tested.
I need that amount just to bewith well within the normal
range for vitamin D.
So if my story and situation cangive you an example of how
(31:14):
important it is to get outsideand adventure, to get natural
sunlight for your mental andemotional health and brain
health, but you're not at riskfor danger if you're using
protection.
And what I mean by protection isyou're taking your vitamin D,
you're taking care of your skinwhen you get out of the sun.
(31:35):
And the other thing that Iwanted to say about skincare is
you have to choose what you puton your face and the rest of
your skin wisely.
Choose the most naturalingredients you can find.
SPEAKER_00 (31:48):
Could not agree more.
Very well said.
There's a lot of marketing thatgoes into this, people.
We have to be smart about whatwe're putting on our skin
because our skin is our largestorgan.
And just on the other side ofthe skin lies systemic, you
know, our blood vessels, and wesystemically absorb everything
(32:09):
that is put on our skin.
So my basic rule of thumb is ifyou can't read it or pronounce
it, it shouldn't be going onyour skin.
SPEAKER_02 (32:18):
Amen.
What advice would you givesomeone just starting their
journey toward better skinhealth through functional
medicine?
SPEAKER_00 (32:24):
Well, you mentioned circadian rhythms, I think.
I love having a good, consistentcircadian rhythm, getting up at
the same time every day,exercising the same time every
day, using the bathroom the sametime every day, timing your
meals the same time every day.
Being outside, I love yourmotto.
Get outside and adventure.
Let's get back to that, right?
So there's a lot of really lowthe things that we're we're
(32:48):
asking people to do are notexpensive.
Like this is low-hanging fruit.
Move your body, get outside,stay hydrated, drink plenty of
filtered water, expose your bodyto sunlight every single day.
You know, these are the basicprinciples of living a healthy
life.
And that's basically where I'dstart with anybody.
That's beautiful.
SPEAKER_02 (33:08):
If someone wanted to work with you, but they don't
live in your area, is that apossibility to do telehealth?
SPEAKER_00 (33:14):
Yeah, so we do telehealth.
I'm licensed in the state ofGeorgia and Florida.
So we can do telehealthappointments for people that
live in Georgia and in northernFlorida.
I'm in South Florida.
Other than that, it's a littlebit tricky because I do practice
to the fullest extent of mylicensure.
I have to follow the rules andonly practice in the states that
I'm licensed in.
(33:34):
That's fair enough.
What more would you like thelisteners to know?
I just am so happy to beaffiliated with people like you
who have these amazing platformsand you're using your knowledge
to get good information outthere and to help people get
healthy.
So I'm just so grateful to be apart of this and thank you for
(33:56):
this opportunity.
And, you know, it just warms myheart to know that there are
other people like me who aretrying to, you know, get people
to reclaim their health.
SPEAKER_02 (34:06):
Oh, Carrie, thank you so much for your kind words.
I really appreciate it.
And thank you for joining ustoday.
You'll be able to find how toconnect with Carrie if you're in
her uh working area in the showdescription.
And I welcome you back anytimeto talk more about skincare.
Thank you so much.
It was so fun.
Until next time, friends, I'mAntoinette Lee, your wellness
(34:27):
warrior here at the New NormalBig Life podcast.
I hope one day to see you on theriver, in the backcountry, or in
the horse vine living your bestlife.
Struggling with health problemsor seeking natural health
solutions, we've got youcovered.
Don't miss our latest podcastepisodes, exclusive blog posts,
and free ebooks packed withlife-changing wellness tips.
(34:48):
Be sure to help others find thisgreat information by leaving us
a star rating and a reviewwherever you get your podcasts.
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