The body creates over 100 hormones. Each of them play an important role in achieving harmony in the body, just like the instruments in an orchestra. When one is out of tune, the entire song will sound off. Start tuning up those squeaky strings and you’ve got yourself a beautiful symphony.
The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA-Axis) is the center of control for our body’s stress response. It involves signaling from the brain’s HQ, the hypothalamus, to the pituitary gland, which then triggers a release of hormones by the adrenal glands.
Flash back to paleolithic times. You are confronted with a giant hungry tiger who is ready to eat dinner. You’re pretty smart so you realize you will probably become said dinner if you don’t get up from your campfire and run. Like now.
In this situation, your hypothalamus in your brain triggers a stress response, which moves through the HPA-Axis to the adrenal glands. The adrenals are responsible for producing cortisol and other stress hormones that make it possible to make your getaway in such short notice.
Your stress response is made for situations like this. To keep you alive. The problem is that our bodies cannot tell the difference between being chased by a tiger and constant spikes and crashes in our blood sugar. The Standard American Diet and processed food industry have made this rollercoaster effect far too common. With a high spike in blood glucose comes a high spike in insulin, and when insulin overshoots its mark, blood sugar levels plummet. Say hello to stress.
Add this stress to the stress you’ve already accumulated through sleep deprivation, over-exercising, the job you hate and restrictive eating, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for hormonal disaster.
As we keep adding to our stress bucket, the adrenal glands’ main goal becomes pumping out more and more cortisol to balance that stress. Cortisol is necessary for balancing blood pressure and blood sugar, regulating sleep and managing inflammation to you know, keep us alive. Since we can’t burn fat, reproduce or have vibrant energy without being alive, adrenal function takes precedent over thyroid and sex hormone production.
The adrenals will actually steal nutrients and hormonal precursors aways from other parts of the endocrine system to maintain a constant output of cortisol during times of chronic stress. You can go round and round trying to get your cycle back, get pregnant, boost thyroid function or lose weight, but you can’t build a sturdy house on a wobbly foundation, and trying to achieve any of this without addressing your blood sugar and stress would be doing just that.
When the adrenals are on the hunt for extra fuel, they will suck minerals from just about every tissue in the body, depriving other organs and glands of the fuel they need to carry out their own functions, leading to a downward spiral of hormonal chaos.
Progesterone is a precursor for cortisol, so in times of chronic stress, the adrenals will utilize every bit of progesterone in the body, including what is made in the ovaries. With little to no progesterone, you will be left in a state of relative estrogen dominance. This might show up as symptoms like heavy and painful periods, bloating, mood swings, headaches, brain fog and weight gain around the hips and thighs. And to make matters worse, elevated cortisol essentially clogs the liver and prevents it from detoxing any excess hormones, aka furthering the estrogen dominance.
The elevated cortisol monster doesn’t stop there. The high amounts of circulating cortisol will desensitize the cells to insulin, causing insulin resistance. Now we’ve got high blood sugar and high insulin, which can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes or PCOS. PCOS is a perfect example of how a metabolic issue can turn into an imbalance in sex hormones. In this case, high insulin leads to high androgens like testosterone which can cause irregular or missing periods, hair loss, weight gain, acne and infertility. Because who wants to be pregnant while running from a hungry tiger?
The thyroid gland is especially sensitive to stressors like heavy metals, food allergies and hormonal imbalances. In response to estrogen and/or androgen dominance, the thyroid will take a hit, leading to decreased metabolism and eventually hypothyroidism. Estrogen dominance blocks the uptake of thyroid hormone in the cells and prevents the conversion of T4 into its active form, T3, in the liver.
Elevated cortisol will shift the body into survival mode and once again, shuttle all resources to the adrenals, shifting the thyroid into a more inactive state. Common symptoms of thyroid imbalance are feeling cold all the time, fatigue, hair loss, weight gain, mood symptoms, depression, brain fog, anxiety and many more. There are thyroid receptors all over the body, so when they are not receiving the proper amount of hormone, many different organs are not able to properly function.
When your body feels safe, it will begin to function properly.
" From over a decade of acne, doctors, multiple food fears, blaming hormones and over analyzing everything I put in my body...I am finally at a place where I am truly happy with my skin. Its not near perfect, but this is from ONE month of working with Lauren. She has been the biggest blessing and helped me more than anyone on my long road to clear skin. I honestly was to the point where I thought clear skin was not attainable. I was starting to develop unwanted anxiety, negative mindset and stress because of the constant breakouts. I felt like I couldn't get to the next step in my healing journey. Working with someone who can truly help you heal and get to the root of you acne is key! I could cry writing this because you never know how bad acne can truly affect someone until you've experienced it yourself. Healing is possible ❤"
- Jessica
"VSA has truly been a life changing program. I went in with the expectation of achieving clear skin but came out with so much more. The program is so robust and each part of it is essential to achieving clear skin. Not only has my skin cleared up since starting the program, but I’ve also learned a lot about mindset, diet, hormones and more. My mindset has done a complete 180, my periods are less intense, my PMS symptoms have basically disappeared, my energy levels are back up and overall I’m feeling well (which I haven’t felt in a long time!) I also now have a great tool box of resources and information that I can continue using if needed. Finally, this program has been incredibly supportive. Meeting and connecting with women who are struggling with the same skin issues and being able to hear their stories has been powerful. The sense of community and togetherness you feel in this program can’t be recreated elsewhere. If you’re struggling with acne and want out of the birth control/harsh topical rat race, I can’t recommend this program enough."
- Kami
"After completing the VSA program while working alongside Lauren I am leaving with a hoard of valuable knowledge on how to prevent and treat the root cause of my acne. This program has not only helped to decrease my skin inflammation but transformed how I approach clearing my acne. I have shifted from wanting to clear my skin for physical appearance reasons to learning to love myself at every step of the journey with or without acne. This is huge for me because my mindset is something that has always held me back. Especially when clearing acne you want a stress free mental environment and that is something I was able to achieve while completing the VSA program. I am grateful for Lauren and my group's guidance each week I will remember the advice, protocols and support I received here long after it is over!"
- Ryann
I struggled with acne on and off for 15 years and had tried everything from antibiotics, to working with a homeopath, to working with an esthetician. These things all worked but only temporarily and never fully. I knew that there was something deeper going on but didn’t know how to go about figuring it out. Finding Lauren was a literal blessing. Changing the focus of fixing my skin to fixing the root cause was everything I needed to change not only my acne but my whole life, honestly. This program is so much more than healing your skin. You will get the tools to confidently change your mindset (healing any anxieties, negativity, etc), so much information about products your using that you had no idea we’re toxic or poor cloggers, 1:1 sessions with an amazing esthetician, regular breath work sessions and access to guest speaker calls that will give you a wide array of perspectives on how you can take care of your mind and body. You honestly get so much more than you think when entering this program. If you have struggled with acne, don’t even question this investment. It is so worth it!
- Mary
Before starting VSA, I had slightly ideas about acne, but once I started, I came to understand I really didn't know anything, and all of those years of second guessing had made me resilient about finding a cure for it, but I always had this idea that a single diet or a single product would definitively heal me completely, but it was all tons of wasted money and I had probably contributed to worsening my acne by doing all the random things that I read here and there. VSA opened my eye to a new perspective in life with the life style changes it required us to make in order to heal. It was very hard at the beginning but it got easier after a month, however, habits DOES take time to form, so I'd advice anybody doing this program to just keep consistency, and get up when you fall, even though sometimes it seems challenging when you still get acne here and there. When I first found out about Lauren's program VSA I knew from the bottom of my heart I had to get in, but it wasn't until a year later that I finally was able to get in and it has been probably the best investment I've made for myself. Lauren and her team were not only helpful, they were kind, they were honest and they were ALWAYS supportive. Be open to this new experience and ask all the questions you have, there's so much to learn!
- Jessica
Before this program, I had been struggling with acne since my early teen years and I'm now I'm in my mid-twenties. I would get some zits on my face, but the worse of it was the cystic acne on my back. I had gone to the dermatologist and had been prescribed all of the usual stuff and none of it worked. In turn, they suggested Accutane, birth control, or both. I chose birth control, but that still did very little for me. I was super self-conscious about my skin when I was younger, but was getting to the point that I was just starting to accept that this was how it was going to be. I was fed up with trying things and spending money, only for them not to work. I happened to run across Lauren's instagram account one day and also joined her Facebook page. After watching her content for a couple of weeks, and realizing she had a program, I immediately was interested and got on the wait list. I had previously worked with holistic/functional medicine practitioners, so I had high hopes for this program and it definitely lived up to my expectations! My three biggest wins from VSA so far have been having more natural energy, clearing up acne on my face, and having minimal acne on my back now. I don't have any cystic zits any longer now either. Because of VSA I feel more confident in knowing how to better nourish my body with food and understanding the importance of blood sugar balance and regulation. I also feel more confident in how to care for my skin topically and on the surface. I felt it was a big advantage to have an esthetician to talk to about any skin care concerns with and receive a personal, simple, routine that I know will work. After VSA, I now feel well equipped to take care of my health and continue to have clear skin for years to come. If anyone is scared to commit or make this investment I would tell them they have to let go of that because they aren't gaining anything by not. This might not be the quick or easy fix, but this will help you start healing from the inside and you will see longer lasting and real results!
- Kayla