Avoiding Skin Cancer & Hidden Toxins: Dr. Trevor Cates

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The Stern Method Podcast Episode 26: Dr. Trevor Cates

Dr. Trevor Cates talks about what our skin can tell us and how to keep toxins from entering our bodies through it.

In This Episode:

  • Our skin as a mirror to our health and one of the best indicators we have as to what’s going on and where things are at inside of us.
  • What various changes can mean including up to skin cancer and how to keep an eye on that.
  • Products that go onto our skin and how to avoid some major land mines in our health in the form of hormone disrupting and carcinogenic chemicals.
  • The skin microbiome is another crucial ecosystem to our bodies to keep healthy that is even overlooked in most approaches to natural health.
  • The sun and sun screen. How to wisely use the sun for its health benefits and avoid any downfalls from too much.
  • Wise use of sunscreen

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Resources Mentioned:

Dr. Trevor Cates: Reducing Toxic Exposure is a Must!!

In healing or preventing cancer, it’s just as important to avoid toxins that will bog down our body’s ability to heal, aggravate existing cancer cells, or both as it is to get rid of those that are already in us.

Dr. Trevor Cates made the point that many environmental chemicals are unavoidable and we’re likely getting more on a daily basis than we even realize.

Chemicals that have been banned for years still persist in the soil and water. Chemicals and contaminants now make their way into the clouds and rained back down. In this way you can be not only exposed to the toxins in your immediate environment but even those from different states or countries.

So a lifestyle of continuous detoxification AND toxin avoidance is crucial to healing and preventing cancer.

In every aspect of our lives, we need to be asking ourselves if there could be toxins associated with it and if so, what do we need to change?

Beware of Toxic Ingredients in Topical Products!!!

Dr. Trevor Cates pointed out that our skin is an organ and just as capable of absorbing compounds, either good or bad, as is our digestive system into our bodies. In fact, a strong case can be made that we need to be even more wary of what we put on our skin than what we eat as there in the case of the skin we do not have the protection of the digestive system. Compounds that get absorbed through the skin go STRAIGHT into the bloodstream.

Dr. Cates also mentioned that there are thousands of chemical ingredients banned in many developed countries from being used in any type of skin care product… or even to be used within the country at all! Number of banned chemicals here in the good ol’ US of A? Eleven….

Now we’re not necessarily for a whole ton of government regulation on everything personally but no matter where you stand on the matter, we all need to be deeply aware that just because a chemical is allowed to be put into a product in no way guarantees its safety.

Trevor noted we need to be thinking of labels on products that will be going onto us the same way we look (hopefully) at labels of food that goes into us. Well… Ideally we’re not eating a lot of food that comes from a package with a label at all but that’s a topic for another article. ☺

Key Ingredients to Watch Out For

At the end of the day, the best rule of thumb is anything with a word you can’t pronounce or don’t recognize as basically a food should be avoided. That being said Dr. Cates had some interesting things to say about a few ingredients in particular that need to be noted.

  • Fragrance
    • Actually a group of chemical ingredients that manufacturers aren’t required to disclose
    • Known hormone and endocrine disruptors in these ingredients
    • Also watch for fragrance in sprays – personal and cleaning
  • Parabens
    • Paraben usually found at the end of another word – methylparaben, etc.
    • Parabens consistently found in breast cancer tumor tissue
  • Ethanolamines (MEA, DEA, & TEA)
    • Linked to cancer
  • Formaldehyde Releasers
  • Certain chemicals actually release formaldehyde when activated
  • These are chemicals with big long words

As also discussed with Dr. Cates, don’t assume that just because a product is very expensive, or marketed as “natural” that you won’t find these compounds in it.

Protect Your Skin Microbiome!

We hear a lot (and rightfully so) about the gut micro biome these days, but did you know your skin has its own biome that needs protection?

Antimicrobial soaps of any kind are out. Not only because they end up creating super bugs but because they kill all the good bacteria protecting your skin and therefore your body.

Dr. Cates noted that skin, and the bacteria that live on it, actually do best in a mildly acidic environment. Most foaming soaps have a very high pH that disrupt the skin’s microbiome. Even water has a neutral pH of 7, so ideally whatever skin care products you use should actually be mildly acidic to best support the health of your skin’s microbiome.

Dr. Trevor Cates who is author of the bestselling book Clean Skin From Within. She became known, as “The Spa Doctor” after working in world-renown spas and was the first woman licensed as a naturopathic doctor in the state of California, appointed by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to California’s Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine Advisory Council.

Doctor Cates lives in Park City, Utah where she helps patients from around the world achieve graceful aging and glowing skin. She has been featured on The Doctors, Extra, First for Women, and Mind Body Green. Doctor Cates has her own PBS special, Younger Skin From Within and is host of The Spa Doctor Podcast.
She believes the key to healthy skin is inner and outer nourishment with non-toxic ingredients. Doctor Cates’ The Spa Doctor skin care and supplement lines are formulated with natural and organic ingredients designed to help you achieve the clean and natural path to confidence and beautiful skin.

More episodes:

Find Cancer before Your Doctor Can… And after He Says It’s Gone: Jenny Hrbacek, RN

Healing Home vs Cancer Clinic… And Fruit vs. Keto!: Terry Tillaart

Essential Oils That Fight Cancer & Biblical Health: Dr. Eric Zielinski

Natural Healing Success Against Conventional Odds: Robyn Openshaw

The Frequency of Health – How to Tune In: Shana Ekedal

Fruit, The Lymphatic System, and Cancer: What You Need to Know: Dr. Robert Morse

Yes, EMOTIONS Can Cause Disease. Here’s How to Address It: Dr. Meg Haworth

The Five Causes of Cancer: Dr. Anthony G. Beck

The Link between EMFs and Cancer, What you NEED to know: Nicolas Pineault