The Art of Compromising

They say compromise is the key to a happy relationship, but could it help cure my adult-onset acne?

It’s been 6 weeks now since that dark, rainy night. I sat on the couch, curled up in my favorite soft blanket, watching tv and cuddling with my dog. It was a “Netflix & chill” kinda night. Just me, enjoying time with myself, and my dog.

I was in a first-date mindset that night — the kind where you think, ‘I am never going to see this person again so even if something embarrassing happens, at least I’ll get a good story out of it.’

So I did something embarrassing, obviously. I walked right over to the freezer, grabbed my new favorite brand of cookie dough and went to town. Ellen turned me on to this brand last year and it was everything I’d been searching for, the perfect antidote to my sweet tooth. Now, most people would take out 1 scoop and wait to eat the cookie until after it’s baked. Not me though. Evidently, I always need a good first-date story. I ate one bite, then put it away. Went back and ate a few more an hour or so later. By the 3rd trip I had eaten almost the entire container, in fact — I’m fairly certain I ate my body weight’s worth of cookie dough that night. Before you judge me, let me clarify that this particular brand of cookie dough is sent from the heavens perfectly mixed for my binging pleasure — organic, non-gmo and vegan. #noshame

It was so good, you guys. I can’t lie. I’m heading into the 7th week of my 8 week acne challenge, and I’m still dreaming about it. Not just because I miss the sweet taste of cookie dough melting in my mouth, but also because that was the night I realized I have to go all-in if I’m ever going to make this relationship work. I realized yesterday that it’s officially been 6 weeks since I allowed myself any processed sugar. My daily routine now consists of my morning ACV tea, followed by celery juice. I love my morning coffee too much to give it up, so have a cup and take my probiotics so everything in my gut is geared up for high performance when I eat my first meal of the day. With that I take my multi-vitamins and my healing mushrooms. In the afternoon I have my daily cup of bone broth and take the last of my daily supplements to help rebalance my hormones and my Thyroid.

No, I don’t have an officially diagnosed Thyroid issue.

But our adrenal glands are found on top of our kidneys and they’re responsible for producing hormones in our bloodstream. Our adrenal glands also produce hormones responsible for our stress response (excess cortisol leads to fight or flight activation in the body). Our Thyroid produces hormones that help regulate our body and digestive system, among a number of critical issues. So why does this matter? Turns out, adrenal deficiency can result in Hypothyroid symptoms even if your Thyroid is functioning well. Which means, even if you’re generally healthy, an imbalance can lead to:

• Fatigue and trouble sleeping
• Headaches
• Sweet food cravings or caffeine
• Trying to ease fatigue through eating (stress eating, anyone?!)
• Brain fog and even depression

Since my focus is on curing acne from the inside out, addressing my gut health is #1 priority. And ding, ding, ding! There it is, one more thing hiding below the surface, that can often go unnoticed even if you’re feeling bad on a regular basis. Yes, giving my body the added boost it needs to cure fatigue and brain fog are among my lofty goals, but adding these supplements to my diet was mainly about one thing: Sweet food cravings.

My daily food-health routine has become much more substantial than it was when I first started. And, yes — it’s a lot to maintain and remember each day. There are a lot of days where I forget to take the last of my supplements in the afternoon. I still drink coffee every day, because I love it and if I can’t have the sweet indulgence of cookie dough anymore, I want to be sure I’m not cutting everything I love out of my diet otherwise I won’t stick to it.

I knew my cravings for sweets wouldn’t go away completely so I have done a ton of research on ways I can scratch that itch without flaring up my acne.

I’ve never been a huge fan of fruit, and you won’t find me snacking on a bowl of raw berries anytime soon. But they are packed with antioxidants, fiber, minerals and vitamins that all contribute to overall skin health — so now when the cravings hit I settle for a homemade smoothie made with Acai, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. I top it with dried Gogi berries and Cacao nibs so I feel like I’m getting a more substantial treat, because at this point it’s all about tricking my mind into healthier habits. Plus they are packed with their own superfood benefits to help boost my immune system and keep my body nourished. It’s not quite the same, of course, but it does curb my cravings and help me justify some of my other not-so-healthy decisions, like drinking coffee in the mornings.

And I’m happy to report that while I do still have scars from my initial acne burns, they are fading. A few breakouts are still lingering under the surface but for the first week since I started this challenge, I don’t have any new zits popping up. Heading into week 7, I can honestly say that the compromise has been worth it. Because when you’re with the right person, you just know, right?!

#lovebelowthesurface

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About Daughters.

We explore therapies, ideas and products that help us all live consciously, build resilience and manage burnout. Discover self care rituals for modern life at daughtersbrand.com.