The microbiome is responsible a lot of things in your body. It’s mostly responsible for your immunity. 70% of your immune cells are in your gut, but it's also responsible for the condition of your skin. So if you've been experiencing a lot of breakouts lately, you might want to just take a double look at what your gut is doing today. With Dr. Yug Varma, I dive deep into how to treat chronic bacterial diseases and how to get your microbiome in check, so that you know how to take care of your condition.
‘’I like to think about the microbiome as a rainforest - it's this incredibly diverse sort of community on our skin. Just like a rainforest is incredibly diverse, the layer on our skin is made up of bacteria, viruses, fungi. And these microbes form a community that'd be called the microbiome. That is a protective layer. It helps prevent disease and keeps us healthy.’’
- Dr. Yug Varma
‘’It's funny, right? People will wash their faces with harsh products, then it gets really dry. And then you put moisturizing lotion on and you're kind of going back and forth. Whereas, you could pull back on the extreme cleansing and you'll be fine. You won't need to use as much moisturizer.’’
-Dr. Yug Varma
TIMESTAMPS
2:35 - Dr. Yug’s background
4:01 - What is it specifically about the connection between the microbiome and skin health that intrigues Dr. Yug?
7:49 - How do diet, lifestyle and hormonal change period impact what’s going on internally in our bodies?
8:29 - ‘’Microbiome is incredibly diverse, as a rainforest’’
10:10 - Zeba oil
12:09 - Are antibacterial soap or alcohol solutions?
13:29 - Making friends with the good bacteria
14:00 - Food and hydration in terms of helping with overall health
15:51 - What type of food should be avoided completely?
16:59 - The topical treatment of skin
19:27 - The effect of various anti-microbials on skin treatment nowadays
23:50 - The qualities of rose oil
26:12 - Should we use etinol and hyaluronic acid and some of these common anti-aging treatments that have become really prevalent
29:00 - One thing that Dr. Yug would use to take care of your skin
32:15 - What about the guys out there who also want to have good skin?
RESOURCES:
Expert: Dr. Yug Varma
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FULL TRANSCRIPT
Mareya:[00:00:00] The microbiome that gut of yours is responsible for all, a lot of things in your body. Number one, it is mostly responsible for your immunity. 70% of your immune cells are in your gut, but it's also responsible for the condition of your skin. So if you've been experiencing a lot of breakouts lately, you might want to just take a double look at what your gut is doing today.
I'm talking to Dr. Uke Varma, he's the co-founder and CEO of fella. The world's most advanced. Probiotic acne system, but he also has over a decade of microbiome research experience. He's got an extensive background in bio-organic chemistry and microbiology, and he received scientific training at many distinguished academic institutions, including Johns Hopkins.
The university of California, San Francisco, his scientific work has been published in many [00:01:00] prestigious journals and this. Doctor knows what he's talking about. We dive deep into how to treat chronic bacterial diseases, how to get your microbiome in check and really how to demystify this whole skin.
Microbiome connection so that you know how to take care of your personal condition. This is an episode. I think you'll glean a lot of insight from, because the truth is skin is much more. Then just on the surface, let's dive in.
hi, I'm Mariah, otherwise known as the fit foodie. I'm a chef holistic nutritionist, author, inventor, and mom. And I want to welcome you to my podcast. It's called recipes for your best life. And with every episode I'm peeling back the onion on fitness, nutrition, health, [00:02:00] wellness, and family. The truth is. Chef of your life and for every important pillar, there's a great recipe worth sharing.
So every week we'll explore them together. Think of it as food for thought that you can really sink your teeth into. So join me and let's squeeze the joy out of this life because you only get one. Can I get a fork? Yeah. You get so nice to have you on the
Dr. Yug: show. Thanks so much, Mariana. Great to be here. You
Mareya: are really, um, you have a, quite a background in terms of your education in this field.
Can you just share a little bit about, uh, where you started and what you've been through to get to where you are now?
Dr. Yug: Yeah, absolutely. Um, so, you know, my background is I'm a scientist, I'm a microbiologist bacterial geneticists. Um, and I got my PhD from Johns Hopkins university. Um, then I did a postdoc at UCLA, um, [00:03:00] in microbiome research before starting this company.
And I've been studying the microbiome for about 11 years now. Um, and, and this is a field that's about 20 years old. So, um, I've had a great chance to. Look at, you know, what's gone before, um, see all the innovation that's come out and, and just to be excited to be at the forefront of this amazing technology.
Mareya: Yeah. You're just a little bit of a smart guy. Aren't you?
Um, you know, I I'm intrigued by the microbiome and I'm amazed that it's only been about two decades, that we've really started to study this connection. Not only between our gut health and our, you know, uh, our skin health, which we're going to dive into today, but really our mental health, our mental wellbeing and how, you know, the quote little brain really does wag the tail of so many of our functions, including our immunity health.
[00:04:00]Um, what is it specifically about the connection between the microbiome and skin health that intrigues you?
Dr. Yug: Um, so it turns out and, and, you know, just as you pointed out that this is such a young field, um, it's only very recently that we've really paid attention to the microbiome in our body and it's everywhere.
It's in our skin. It's in our gut, it's in our mouth where we seem to be coated inside and out with bacteria and microbes. Uh, and they seem to have, uh, a significant. The effect on our health. Um, the research has shown just how effective they are, how, and now, you know, we're starting to think of strategies where we can manipulate the microbiome to then achieve a certain health outcome, um, when it comes to the skin, uh, obviously at different times in your life, your skin changes, right?
So you're just born. Um, and again, W if you were born through a [00:05:00] C-section or through vaginal birth, um, the microbiome that you are kind of given at that point in time is very different. Um, and it is typically seen that that kids from a vaginal birth tend to grow up healthier with fewer allergies with better health outcomes, significantly than kids with C-section.
Not that it's, you know, sort of preordained my, both my kids were born through emergency C-section they're perfectly healthy. Don't have any allergies, but you know, that's the prevalence of. And so you start off with that microbiome, right? Um, very quickly, your microbiome, you're obviously, uh, enclosed contact with your, your mom, your parents, uh, your skin contact transfers, certain bad bacteria.
And then when you're a kid, your microbiome is, is large. It stabilizes after a few years. Up until puberty puberty is the next big [00:06:00] jump. And as, as I'm sure you can tell, I'm going to say that at puberty, we also get acne, right? It's a huge change. Almost an acne is universal more than 85% of us. Get it at some point in our life.
So. There's not a person who hasn't been touched by acne either directly or indirectly. They know someone, a brother, a sister, a friend, a family member who, you know, has had acne and they've had to watch them go through it. So what happens is your microbiome changes dramatically at puberty because of the hormonal changes that are going through your body.
Um, and then throughout the rest of your life, Whether you had acne then or have acne later or with most women, what happens is hormonal acne. Um, even around menopause, you know, you, you're, again, there's a hormonal change. Um, and so it affects the quality of your skins, you know, see them the amount of your skin microbiome.
Um, and so these are all. Um, sort [00:07:00] of intervals in your life where your skin microbiome significantly changes. It is, uh, these are events that your skin and your body really deals with, right? It has to react to these changes and in these transitions, if something goes wrong, if there's an imbalance in your microbiome, it is reflecting.
In the presentation of disease, which is that you get acne, you get pimples, you get bad skin and it sticks around until you've addressed that belt.
Mareya: Okay. So very clearly there is the link between hormonal shifts and how that impacts the skin. Now our skin is our largest organ, obviously it's our filtration systems.
So. Um, it's also kind of a mirror as to what's going on internally in our bodies as well. Would you, does the research point towards anything that also shows how our [00:08:00] diet. And our lifestyle also during those pivotal, uh, I'll call them, you know, hormonal change periods, how that also impacts, or are you seeing that the data is really pointing more towards hormonal changes?
Dr. Yug: Um, so what I will say is for acne specifically, um, all of these are factors, right? And we know this, we know that acne is a disease that is compounded by many factors and these factors are hormones, genetics, diet, stress, you know, they all play a part in acne, but what microbiome research has found that.
That these are all secondary causes. They're not the primary causes driving the disease and how they're all affecting acne is, is through the same mechanism. So, you know, I talked about a balance in the microbiome. I like to think about the microbiome as a rainforest, right? It's this incredibly diverse.
Um, sort of community on our skin, [00:09:00] uh, just like a rainforest is incredibly diverse and the trees have this invisible rainforest on our skin are made up of bacteria, viruses, fungi, right? And these microbes form, this community that'd be called the microbiome. That is a protective layer. It helps. Prevent disease or help keeps us healthy now, as we're healthy, you and I have different skin microbiomes, but our microbiomes are in balance with, you know, internally when we get sick that bad bacteria comes in disrupts that balance.
Now, when you talking about food or hormones or stress, what they're doing is they're affecting the quality or quantity of CIBA, which is the oil that's naturally produced in our skin. Now, Seba is very necessary for our skin. It keeps our skin cells supple and it prevents aging and so on. Um, but it's also the prime, um, food for this one bacteria that lives on our skin called sea acnes or QT bacteria.
Magnesium. [00:10:00] Now. When C CF needs is supposed to be on our body, it's supposed to be there in a, in a considerable quantity, but when it overgrows beyond a threshold, your skin reacts to it. The immune system says, aha, this is way beyond bounds. And it responds with inflammation. And that inflammation is basically the pimples NBC from the redness.
Mareya: I see them really being oil. Correct.
Dr. Yug: Zeba is the oil that is produced by our sebaceous glands that are in our cores. And it's only really the sebaceous glands are only active on our face and our upper back and upper chest, which is why no one gets acne on their knee. Right. And so. Food, you know, people have different triggers for me.
It may be spicy food for you, and it may be chocolate for a third person, maybe oily food, whatever it is. But when they eat a certain kind of food profile, they produce more Seaborn, right? Uh, stress, obviously you're sweating more. You're you're, uh, producing more bum, uh, hormones of with the hormonal change or hormonal cycles.[00:11:00]
Days you produce more, see bumps on DCPS. I see them, the bacteria sees this and it feeds on it and it overgrows and causes inflammation. Now you might say that, oh, the problem is the bum. Let's dry out our skin so that there's no have to cut it off at the source. Yes, you could do that. But again, that's getting to.
Indirectly because the CBM pur plays an important role. Like I said, it's produced by the body for a reason, and it helps to keep your dermis, uh, your epidermis, the top, most layer is supple and hydrated and protected from elements, right? When, uh, extreme weather, et cetera, uh, pollution as well. Um, it also helps prevent preventing finally.
And aging, premature, aging, and wrinkles. And so when you're removing all of that moisture, you're actually, uh, creating a different kind of problem where you might see the acne go away in the short term, but in the [00:12:00] long-term you're really hurting your skin.
Mareya: Okay. So you actually answered a question that I had because you know, back in the day, I remember, um, I never really had like cystic acne or anything, but my dad would buy me those pads that were so.
And alcohol and would say, swipe your, your face with this, um, or using antibacterial soap. Are you saying that those are not the solutions that maybe those methods are not very effective?
Dr. Yug: I think the alcohol is very harsh. Um, and again, you're getting to the root of the problem too. The alcohol will kill the bad bacteria, but it's indiscriminate.
There's nothing stopping it from killing the good bacteria too. And if we're going to be using these harsh products that turn this rainforest, this protective layer on our skin, into a desert, then, you know, we can predict what will happen. Your you're depleting this protective layer, you're going to get more and more [00:13:00] relapses.
So you'll see the immediate effect, but the longterm is, you know, acne is a chronic condition. You're not going to have it for two weeks here and there. You're going to have it for months and years. Um, and you need a product that's gentle on your skin that produces results, uh, and that you can continue to maintain your skin.
Uh, being clear and healthy. And so none of these harsh products, whether it's the alcohol, um, or like excessive use of antibacterial. So obviously wash your face. Don't not wash your face. Basic hygiene is, is a must, but overdoing it or. You know, benzyl, peroxide, antibiotics, all of these things are really, really harsh and ultimately will lead to thinning out this protective layer that we have and hurting us instead of helping us.
Mareya: So we need to kind of make friends with the good bacteria, so to speak, um, and use products that help with that. Um, I want to talk a little bit more about the best ways to approach skincare, but before we do that, because of. What we do. And [00:14:00] we talk about food and hydration a lot in terms of helping with overall health.
How do you see that? Uh, you know, that aspect of a lifestyle helping with gut health, because we know that. You know, excessive sugar and alcohol and refined carbohydrates and processed food and, and, you know, diet sodas, and all of that are the antithesis of what your gut really needs in order to create a healthy flora.
So that then that reflects on your skin as well. I mean, what do you think is the optimal approach to eating and hydration that we should be looking at instead?
Dr. Yug: Yeah. I mean, I think, I think nutrition and health have become. Very complex. And in one way they should be right because everyone's body is [00:15:00] different.
Everyone's, body's unique. Uh, the things that we like over our bodies, like, and don't like are obviously different. Um, but, but in another way, they're incredibly simple. Um, the principles that I myself follow are, uh, you know, eat more plants than animals. Um, everything in moderation, right? If you like bacon, eat bacon, just don't need it for every meal.
Don't need it every day, you know? A small, a good portion, like on the weekend, that's fine. Um, your compost pile should be mostly full and your, uh, trash pile should be mostly empty, which is to say avoid processed foods. Don't do things out of cans. Don't do things that have rappers and again, not don't eat right moderation.
If you want to do it, do it. It shouldn't be the major source of your nutrition. We're so busy now, what is the
Mareya: worst thing that you could do in terms of, you know, what's the worst. If you [00:16:00] could pick one category of food where you say don't even eat it in moderation, try and avoid it completely. What
Dr. Yug: would that.
It's completely superfluous to needs. You don't need the calories for it from it. Right. Okay. You like the taste? Um, you like our carbonated beverage. I mean, have a sparkling water. I know it's not the same. I know it's going to suck when you change, but you, you will get used to it. And in six months, you'll, you'll drink a can of Coke and say, wow, that is way too sweet.
I
Mareya: can't imagine that. I always tell people do do the carbonation, do the sparkling water and add flavor to it. You know, you can even add. A little splash of fruit juice or some, you know, lemon and lime juice. And you've got like a spray, you know, I mean, it's not hard to do. And like you said, you get used to it.
And I do think sugar, uh, you know, by and large has been a big problem for a lot of people with [00:17:00] trying to get this balance, um, in their microbiome. So, uh, let's go back to talking about. The, the topical treatment of skin, um, when you're looking at, you know, the, the role of that rainforest complex, as you, as you quote, as you, uh, termed it, you know, how do we.
Take care of that. See bum and foster this good bacteria without eliminating it and still not. I mean, I'm Mediterranean. So I like, I have all of oil coming out of my pores. I feel like, you know, um, and I do credit this to having. Relatively like limited wrinkles. My mom at 77 years old, barely had any wrinkles.
So I think it's a good thing to have that, but how do you balance it so that you're not like over producing and creating the actual.
Dr. Yug: Well, your skin is, is a homeostatic system. So the more you dry it out, [00:18:00] ironically, the more oil it will produce, um, because your, your, your body is trying to keep an optimal amount of oil and hydration, right.
And as you're washing all that oil out, it's needing to produce more and more. So what a lot of people see when they start. Over sort of stripping the oils is that their skin gets really, really oily because the skin's used to trying to just keep up with all this oil that's being taken away from it. But your skin in a few weeks, or a few months will recalibrate.
Once you stop mopping up off all of those oils, it's going to say, oh, okay. Now I don't need to produce as much because. All of it. Isn't just magically kind of disappearing. Uh, so it, it is obviously a period of adjustment. Um, and, and that's how I think it'll happen. You you'll need to be patient initiatives in mind, just be swamped with oil and that's okay.
It'll recalibrate. Can we mop
Mareya: it up? Like, should we [00:19:00] blot it? Should we block?
Dr. Yug: Yeah, we just don't, you know, completely, um, because it's, it's funny, right? People will wash their faces. With harsh products, then it gets really dry. And then you put moisturizing lotion on and you're kind of going back and back and forth.
Uh, whereas, you know, maybe. Pull back on the extreme, uh, cleansing and, and you'll be fine. You won't need to use as much moisturizer.
Mareya: I have a question. So I've been using my seller water, um, recently and the active in that is lactic acid. And I find that to be super, super effective. Um, ever since I started using it, like, I'd say like two months ago, um, I haven't had.
Really any pimples or any acne. And I find that it helps to just kind of leave my skin in a good state, but that does contain lactic acid, which is an anti-microbial. How, how do you suggest like a product like that working versus other anti-microbials? [00:20:00] It seems to be prevalent in a lot of different skin treatments nowadays.
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Dr. Yug: Yeah, I think my seller water is great. Um, it's chemical composition means that it's very effective at cleansing, you know, like taking a makeup and stuff like that, but not being very harsh. Like it doesn't strip your skin of oils and the lactic acid in it will, um, help to kind of exfoliation your skin [00:22:00] again, much more gently.
Then you're not doing a chemical peel or anything. You're just gently exfoliating your skin, encouraging skin, cell tone turnover. That's fine. Um, and I think, you know, I'm glad that you're seeing great results with it because as long as it's sort of mild, it's not causing redness or irritation or dryness, then I think that's just the ticket.
And I will say, you know, every person has different. Skin needs, right? Some people have naturally been poor. Some people have very small pores. Some people have oily skin versus dry skin, and it has nothing to do with how much they clean. It's just how it is. So obviously supplement and compliment with what your skin needs, but try, you know, we advocate minimalists skin routines.
You don't need. You know, th the studies say that the average woman puts on more than 500 ingredients on their skin every day. Right. Wow. I'm going to go out on a limb and say, we don't exist. [00:23:00] We don't need a hundred percent of all of those ingredients. If we come back on some of them, our skin would not just not miss it, but probably be happier because we're clogging our pores.
We're burdening our skin. And a lot of these products are, you know, they leave on. So for hours and hours in the day, their contact with your skin and they're not going anywhere.
Mareya: So a lot of that is from our makeup too. Of course. Yeah,
Dr. Yug: but you know, you, you see, uh, products that have really long ingredients lists and, uh, yeah, that's fine.
But then you use five or six of those products, you know, before you're out the door and at that it adds
Mareya: up. Yeah. I, I like to look back into like, what did they use back in the day before all of these expensive, you know, drug store and, and, and department store, cosmetic companies, it came around and. There are a couple that have come back into Vogue, so to speak rose oil is one of them.
Um, can you speak at all to some of the qualities of [00:24:00] rose oil and how that might, the oil actually might help to counteract the oil in the.
Dr. Yug: Yeah, Rosa oil is great. Um, and I think you're referring to rose seed or the rose hip oil. Um, it's, it's really great. Um, it's a mild antibacterial, uh, and, and again, not all antibacterials are bad, right?
Obviously we need to keep our microbiome in balance and in check. Um, but, but Roosevelt oil is great. It compliments the semen that we naturally produce. Um, it's it doesn't clog pores and it. Kind of just keeps the bacteria in check, but, but in a more balanced way where it's not completely killing the
Mareya: microbiome eradicating it.
How about witch? Hazel? Witch. Hazel is another one that used to be really, really common, you know, before you'd go to bed, you'd wipe your face down with witch Hazel and. I kind of swap back and forth between witch Hazel and the, my seller water. And then I'll finish with the rose hip oil. And that just seems to be [00:25:00] my easy bedtime routine.
Dr. Yug: Yeah. Which Hazel is good too. It's it's pretty mild. Um, and w which usually is usually well tolerated on the skin too. It's very safe. It doesn't have a terrible safety profile, but, um, I would say, you know, each person has finds their own, uh, set of products that work for them, which is why, you know, everyone's skin is unique.
Everyone's skin history is unique. Um, and everyone's, you know, obviously life stage is unique where, oh, you're a teenager or you're in your twenties. Oh, you're getting older. Your skin will have different, um, uh, requirements and needs and you'll have to choose what you need to sort of step it up. But in general, I would say, you know, be minimalist, um, find the things that you like, but also observe how your skin changes over years and decades.
Um, and, and change it up. Uh, and yeah, don't put 500 ingredients on your skin [00:26:00] if you can help it.
Mareya: Okay. So most of our listeners are probably in a little bit more of the mature. Age range where fine lines and wrinkles are starting to become a thing. Um, what, what do you say about, you know, things like retinol and hyaluronic acid and some of these common anti-aging treatments that have become really prevalent?
Should we use them or are they a problem and you know, not productive for our skin health.
Dr. Yug: Yeah, and these are all different and they have different modes of action. Right? So, uh, hyaluronic acid for example, is great. It's naturally produced in our skin. Um, and it's, it's just a great ingredient. It moisturizes, it holds the moisture, keeps the skin supple and, uh, keeps the layers of the skin hydrated, um, with retinol.
And any of these other products that are relatively more harsh and to speed up the [00:27:00] skin turnover, what what's happening is basically they're at the base of our skin, are these stem cells, which are these, you know, their stem cells at the end, like all stem cells, they're immortal, uh, which means that they produce they're, they're kind of the source of new skin cells.
Right. And they pushed the new skin up in layers. And then your skin kind of sloughs off now. When you use retinols, you're speeding up this process. So you're creating new skin faster. And so for a short period of time, your skin looks amazing cause it's new, you know, baby fresh skin. Um, but very soon after your skin will become dull because it's just, you know, that, that, that burst of new skin has faded.
And new skin, your skin is also more susceptible, which is why some people would recognize, have sun sensitivity and so on. Um, the longer term issues. And this is actually quite understudied, but, but we do know this from the [00:28:00] few studies that are out there is that your stem cells are, you know, we think they're immortal, but, but they do have a finite lifespan.
There's only a certain number of cell divisions that they have. Right. Um, and so when you're speeding this. You're actually shortening the lifespan of kind of healthy skin turnover. Um, and what it's doing is you're always needing to your. If you want to continue seeing the results, you're, you're continuing to, uh, commit to using these harsh products over and over and over and over again.
And so you get caught in this cycle where you're seeing increased skin cell turnover. You're just skin is kind of addicted to it, and then you can't get off because when you get off, your skin starts to be less bright, less fresh looking. Um, but again, your, your skin will adjust to it in time. It's just, you know, you, you have to decide whether you want to be on that rollercoaster all the time or whether you want [00:29:00] natural, healthy, clear skin.
Mareya: Okay. So if you could pick, and again, one thing that you would use to take care of your skin, what do you use? Like what do you use?
Dr. Yug: Well, I use our filing system, um, and, and, you know, it's a little bit more about that. Yeah. Sure. Um, so the file system is a three step system is minimalist. It's very simple to use and incorporate your daily regimen is primarily for acne.
Um, and it consists of a cleanser, which is a non-drying cleanser. So it's a gel based cleanser and it, um, it's, it's got salycilic acid and teach me, oh, it sounds like acid will gently. And, um, um, sort of open up your pores, um, it's nonconforming, so it won't strip your body, your stint of oils and the tea tree just is very cooling, very soothing.
Uh, [00:30:00] our CRM has our breakthrough technology, which is bacteria phages. There there's these, this organism that only is found on healthy skin and that kills the acne causing bacteria and nothing else. So it will reduce the levels of the bad bacteria, reduce inflammation, reduce acne and recalibrate your skin.
And finally, we have a moisturizer again, minimally kind of crafted, um, very, um, light. So it provides hydration without clogging your pores or feeling oily or heavy. Um, and it's just a daily routine that keeps your skin fresh, maintains your microbiome, uh, and keeps it healthy because see, Yeah, when it overgrows a lot, it causes acne, but it also causes low-level inflammation.
So redness, blotchiness, uneven skin tone. Uh, you can get all of that under control.
Mareya: And is that a system that can be used for basically any hormonal stage, [00:31:00] whether you're a teenager or have more mature skin or.
Dr. Yug: Correct. Uh it's because the underlying cause of acne is all just one thing, which is the overgrowth of this one bacteria, whether you have hormonal acne or cystic acne, or, you know, you're a teenager or, you know, more mature, older, um, it's all the same, uh, target.
And so we hit that target every single time.
Mareya: And where can our listeners find out more about that three steps?
Dr. Yug: Uh, so we are selling, uh, online through our website@filabiotics.com. It's P H Y L a. And, um, yeah,
Mareya: we'll have the, we'll have that link in the show notes and, um, I'd love to try that out. It sounds really interesting.
I mean, I think, you know, I've tried a lot of different products and I'm always open to trying different things to see what works well and definitely different stages of my life. I found that different things. Work better than others, but I [00:32:00] totally agree with you in terms of the minimalist approach. I think we get so inundated with all of these different masks and peels and cleanses and scrubs, and you don't want to beat your skin into submission.
You want to help kind of it find its way. Uh, as you know, as simply as you possibly can.
Dr. Yug: Absolutely. And whatever you're doing for your skin is working really well because your skin's blowing. And
Mareya: so are you, I mean, I'm like, and I think, you know, for guys, I think definitely this is also something important because I think women are, we're sort of more in the mindset of taking care of our skin, but guys, you know, This has been something taught to you guys or more like, you know, splash a little water on your face, or like wash it with, you know, your hand soap and call it a day.
What would you say to the guys out there that want to also have good skin? I mean, you know, [00:33:00] for everybody, it doesn't matter what you do. That's the first thing people say, so you want to present it in the best way possible.
Dr. Yug: Yeah. I mean, I do guys, I would say, look, it's your face. Uh, you literally can't hide it.
Right. Um, you see it in the mirror. Other people see it, it's, it's kind of your window to the world and their window to you. Um, and. I think, you know, for dyes, but, but generally for the younger generation, I think they're much more of that natural ethos of, oh, I'm going to take care of myself, right? I'm going to invest in longer-term health, whether it's mental health or physical health and mental health is a huge part of this by the way, because, uh, acne affects us primarily when routine.
Yeah. Um, like I said, it's on your face. You can't hide it. And at a time in your life, when you're making these important social bonds, you're figuring out who you are to have this thing where you're self-conscious or whatever, you know, the stats are pretty [00:34:00] stark that. Two-thirds of people with acne have higher mental depression, mental health problems.
Um, and it's, it's a huge increase over the general population. Uh, and so it's, it's a moment you guys
Mareya: are, is it mostly men or women that tend to get the, the more severe acne, uh, during adolescence?
Dr. Yug: Um, in terms of severity, it really depends from person to person. Um, but in terms of prevalence, both men and women, get it at teenagers.
It's almost 50, 50. In the twenties and thirties it's um, so half of women in their twenties and a third of women in their thirties have acne. Um, the number is similar, but slightly less for men. And I think as, as I post puberty, as there's a hormonal divergence, because men have more androgens and women have more estrogens, um, that difference enlarges a little bit, [00:35:00] but.
You know, men get it as much as women slightly less, and it's just women care more about it. And I think men are now starting to care about. Um, along with my men, but understandably, it's going to be a while before it's 50 50. Would
Mareya: you say ultimately, if you have a child, that's a teenager that's suffering from this, that before you go to harsh extremes that you try a system like yours first.
Um, because I know back in my day, Accutane was the thing and it just wrecked so many people, um, cause it kills your gut bacteria. Right. It kills your, your microbiome rather than helping it. So before you go to extreme measures and, and do something, that's going to kind of address the inside out. Maybe try this first, right?
Dr. Yug: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, that's what I would advocate because if Fila doesn't work for you, at least it's not going to be any damage. It's not [00:36:00] causing redness, dryness, irritation, but Accutane it's worse. Right? You have to be on blood work. Women have to be on birth control because it pauses the birth defects, uh, causes.
It does it does. And it wrecks your liver. My co-founder Maria actually has lifelong liver problems. Cause she went on Accutane three times and it didn't, it didn't cure her acne, but it did give her liver damage.
Mareya: Awful. Yeah. I, and, and, you know, coupled with eating, well, I will say by and large, the data shows us that.
Avoiding, uh, you know, highly processed foods, foods that are high in sugar, um, or that can convert to, uh, starchy sugars in your body easily. We want to try and really eliminate those. Um, I think for a long time, you know, people were like, well, I got to avoid oily foods. Cause it's creating oil on my skin.
It's actually the sugar that's causing more problems to your microbiome. So that coupled with a lot of. [00:37:00] This is like my staple here next to me, always drinking. Lots of water can also help. Um, as we reach the end of our interview, this has been so insightful by the way. Thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge.
I always have one question for all my guests. If you could have one meal, your, your most desired meal created by one person, what would the meal be and who would make it?
Dr. Yug: Oh, man. I love I'm from India and I love south Indian food. Um, And I don't really particularly care who makes it, uh, as long as you know, in India, in south India, you can walk into a pretty modest looking restaurant and they almost always have fantastic food.
Um, I've had some of the most delicious meals of my life. Just, you know, walking up to a stall or in a shack or, you know, you. All lady, just lovingly preparing and handing out food. [00:38:00] And so, uh, yeah, I would love south Indian food. What's the
Mareya: dish though? Like, is it a certain career?
Dr. Yug: Um, so there's the snack foods which are at, and those are those, those are those huge crepe, like things that they kind of.
Yeah. Yeah. And they, they serve with chutneys and depths. Uh, love those. Uh, I could eat those all day. You know, it's one of those desert island questions. What would you eat for the rest of your life? And I, it's not even like, I would literally eat that cause I wouldn't get tired of
Mareya: it. Doses with. Yeah.
Somebody with love
Dr. Yug: somebody with love, you know, the modest kind of, uh, shack with great food is kind of my jam. Yeah. I
Mareya: love it. Thank you so much. You've really like opened our eyes to kind of the, the, the natural, uh, habitat that lives on our skin and within our bodies [00:39:00] and how we can take care of that better.
And we'll have all the links to your products in the show. And, uh, for everybody listening, you know, know that your self care is part of your mental wellbeing, it's what reflects to the world. So don't ever think that it's an extravagance, it's actually just part of self-maintenance and it does make a difference whether you're a guy or a girl.
So thank you for listening and we'll talk to you really soon. Hey, thank you so much for listening to this week's episode. I know you have a lot of choices out there. Of what to listen to what to watch. So it means a lot to me that you're here with me and Hey, if you love this content, would you hit the subscribe button?
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