Fabi developed itchy, red skin rashes two years ago, shortly after giving birth to her daughter.

These angry rashes, also known as “atopic dermatitis”, appeared suddenly on her elbows, hands and legs. They would disappear for a few days and then the rashes and itching would come back in full force.

Fabi’s skin flares went from bad to worse around her period.

On top of the physical discomfort, Fabi experienced anxiety as she worried if the rashes were a sign of something more serious and wondered if her skin would ever heal.

Fabi tried a steroid cream which gave her a little relief, but not much. She contemplated going to a dermatologist. Given by her commitment to healing from within – rather than masking the symptoms – Fabi began looking for a Functional Medicine physician.

Frustrated, anxious and not wanting to rely on steroids for the rest of her life, Fabi and I connected in a complimentary consultation. She shared her hope that together we would be able to identify the root cause of her sudden and severe skin challenges.

She was ready to heal her skin – permanently and naturally.

THE PROCESS: Gather information + data

During our first 90 minute virtual appointment, Fabi shared many essential puzzle pieces.

Fabi was using high quality, organic skin care, personal care products and household cleaning products. This was important for me to know to rule out reactions to chemicals as the cause of her itchy rashes.

Beyond clean products, Fabi was beautifully prioritizing her health.

She was fueling her body with whole foods. Her daughter was a great sleeper, allowing Fabi to get 8 hours of restful sleep nightly. She was deeply connected to people in her life – within her family and as a pastor at Soul City Church Chicago. She wasn’t on any medication and had no pre-existing conditions.

And yet Fabi’s itchy skin rashes persisted!

Fortunately, we found our answers in a combination of lab work and a special kind of food sensitivity – one that can’t be detected in a blood test but was identifiable through Fabi’s tracking of symptoms and what she was eating and drinking.

THE SOLUTION: Address the root cause

For Fabi, the root cause of her itchy skin rashes were the result of a histamine intolerance brought on by a disruption in her microbiome, hormonal fluctuations and nutrient deficiencies following the birth of her daughter.

Think of Fabi’s situation like a bathtub where the water is turned up and the drain is clogged. When that bathtub overflows – it’s a problem! For Fabi, when her “histamine bathtub” overflowed, she experienced the itchy, angry rashes.

Microbiome: Like many women, Fabi required an antibiotic following the birth of her child, which negatively impacted her microbiome (confirmed via lab testing). The disruption persisted and the “unwanted” microbes produced more histamines – like a faucet left on, filling up the tub.

Hormonal fluctuations: Because her rashes worsened around her period, her body would benefit from gentle detoxification support, as our detox pathways process hormones as well as toxins. Gentle detox support would allow Fabi’s body to process her hormones more efficiently, reducing histamine-related reactions around her period.

Nutrient deficiencies: Blood tests revealed deficiencies (vitamin B12, zinc, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids) that made it virtually impossible for Fabi’s body to process and “drain” her histamine levels properly – the clogged drain.

THE RESOLUTION:

To heal Fabi’s skin, we got to work reducing her body’s production of histamines (turning down the faucet) and supporting her body’s ability to eliminate histamines (draining the tub).

And Fabi’s skin rashes disappeared! First the severity of her flares decreased, next the frequency decreased, and then the flares went away altogether.

Fabi adhered to the low histamine diet I prescribed and was diligent about taking her supplements. Over time, as her skin and body healed, we strategically expanded her nutritional options to the most varied, nutrient-dense diet possible while preserving her healthy skin. Months later, with her skin healed, Fabi repeated her labs to measure progress and modify her plan.

Today Fabi has more “bend” than ever in her nutritional choices. While she mostly chooses lower histamine foods, she has reclaimed physiological resiliency and can consume moderate to high histamine foods periodically without paying the price. And that is living Well Empowered!