Day One (My FAQ's)

My FINAL regimen was vegetable juicing and started with the picture above.
 
Time to say good bye to "acne regimens" and try to live the best I can .

 

 

My previous pictures and past regimens are always still public with the descriptions of what I was doing written with them. Everyone is welcomed to take a look at them.
 
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I just wanted to thank everyone first and foremost for sending me links to all the information they have found in regards to acne. I was so surprised with how much I learned when I came to this website!
 
When I first joined, I joined for Dan's Regimen, and it worked! Sadly, its cons outweighed its benefits, and when I quit my acne unsurprisingly came back full blown and worse than ever before. I've pretty much decided that enough is enough. My body has been screaming at me for years and I have done nothing but ignore it... ignore the acne that is. Therefore, my final regimen is taking care of myself from the inside out.

I don't know if what I am doing helps, but a lot of people have been asking me the same questions over and over again. Following others around this website and trying to read EVERYTHING that they have done and tried is extremely difficult, so I can understand if no one has the time or patience to read other peoples constantly changing regimens. Therefore I have decided that if anyone asks ME a question, they only need to come here.
 
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A lot of people have been sending me personal messages since I've joined this site. Unfortunately, they just look at my pictures and simply begin telling me about trying [this and that]. OVER and OVER again I explain to each and every one of them what I am doing. It has gotten pretty repetitive at this point to be quite honest.
 


So, without further ado, I've gathered my top frequently asked questions (FAQ's) based on what people have asked me numerously over the past few months... and what they will probably be asking me next (I hope). If you see a question you have that's not here then please let me know!

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(Last updated 04/19/13):
 

My FAQ's:


What do you do?

I'm a full time worker and also currently still a college student.
 

What are your Health Stats (After a Physical and blood work)?

Physical from 08/06/2012:

Height: 5 ft. 5 in. (I've been that height for several years).
Weight: 120 lb. (I've been thin and fit all my life).
BMI (Body Mass Index): 20 (18.5-24.9 = Normal).
Cholesterol: 169 (Less than 200 = Desirable).
HDL (Good Cholesterol): 83 (60+ is High, which is optimal and good).
Triglycerides: 42 (Less than 150 = Normal).
LDL: 78 (Less than 100 = Optimal and good).
Glucose: 83 (Average is 80-120, so this is good).
Liver and Kidney function: Normal.
I do not have anemia (blood count is normal).

I took a normal blood test and fasted for 12 hours before drawing blood. I didn't ask for anything else specifically. I understand that levels rise and fall all the time, but this is what I got for now. I'm thinking about doing a food-allergy/sensitivity test soon, but I heard that the most reliable way to get through that kind of problem is to go on a food elimination diet (which was technically the core reason for my last acne regimen).
 
More Tests on 04/19/13:
 
- Had a stool test and blood test done. Required no fasting.
- RESULTS: Everything was negative for parasites in my stools, and my thyroid function is healthy and working.
 
More Tests on 05/08/12:
 
- Had a skin prick allergy test done (60 common foods/allergens).
- RESULTS: It concluded that I had no food allergies whatsoever... not even to the nightshade vegetables that I discovered last month were fairing up my eczema. Not that I'm disappointed or anything.


How much sleep do you get?

Anywhere from 7 to 9 hours a night. Rarely will it be 6 hours. If I have to study for finals, or have a vicious work day coming up, I will try to get at least 8 hours of sleep or more to prepare myself. I have never had problems sleeping and/or waking. I wake/sleep around the same time every day.


Do you exercise?

Yes.


… How often?

Around three times a week at a local gym. I also go through a pretty light regimen of stretches when I wake and before I sleep. Please keep in mind that I also do household chores every morning that may take anywhere from one to two hours every day. Chores include cooking, cleaning, laundry, vacuuming, shoveling snow/raking leaves/mowing lawn, dusting, organizing, walking the dog, etc…


… Do you exercise vigorously?

Not really. I run on the treadmill for at least half an hour when I go to the gym, sweating and raising my heart rate to its max, but I don't attempt to body build. Most of my other exercises includes lifting weights with my own preferred reps and sets. The majority of my exercising is stretching. My jobs were usually very physical in the past (cooking, factory working, waitressing, etc…), ever since I was hired at 16. Currently I work in a food distribution company, moving around boxes in a large freezer all day long.


Do you have stress/depression?

Now? No. I am an extremely active and very happy person. If anything, people complement me on my smiles and enthusiasm all the time. Some people actually get pissed as to why I'm so happy. One girl even admitted strait to my face that she was jealous and literally hated me for that, saying that I was too damn happy, like a baby...
 
]
 
 
… Did you ever have stress/depression?

We wouldn't be human without stress... always remember that. 
 
However, if your asking me if I was ever on medications and received counseling before, then yes. I was teased a lot in high school by both my companions, peers, and even my teachers. Some of the teasing was from my acne, but most of it was from the fact that I wasn't very social (not because of my acne). I was constantly depressed from grade school all the way through high school, never completely leaving the depression until I was around 19 years of age.

When I went out on my own and started college, my depression began fading away down to nothingness. Today I have no depression whatsoever, even with others still critiquing my acne from a distance. I do, however, enjoy the many benefits of having good stress in life. Also, my acne has been getting slowly worse with age, not better. Therefore, stress/depression has little to no effect on acne for me, this does not mean that it won't effect other people.


As a female, do your monthly cycles affect your acne?

I'm actually not 100 percent certain about this.
 
In regards to my cycles alone, I have no mood swings, no headaches, and virtually no symptoms whatsoever, and almost always perfectly timed every 28 days.
 
I will admit that I thought I noticed some of my acne linked to my periods, but it was almost next to impossible to catch since I always have acne on my face coming and going.
 
I take daily pictures of my face and store them in my computer, trying to see if I can capture any kind of possible "pattern" I am missing, but this is difficult to do because:

a.) My acne is mostly cysts... they develop slowly as huge, unmoving spots, so it's highly possible for my acne to remain unnoticed under my skin for several weeks after my cycle, not to mention I get them in all shapes and sizes.
b.) My period is not the cause of all my acne.
c.) There are too many spots to keep count.


Do you take Birth Control?

No. Never did.


Do you drink alcohol/do drugs?

No. Never did.
 
 
Have you done The Regimen of Acne.org?
 
Yes I did.
 
And yes it worked. 
 
But I don't recommend it.
 
More information on all that here: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/gallery/image/44954-first-acne-regimen/
 

Did you ever take topical/oral medication for your acne?

I've tried everything and anything at all my local stores and pharmacies that said "For Acne" on them since I was 14. I have been an extremely patient acne sufferer for many years, always giving these products two or so months to work.

Anything prescribed to me was always given to me by my local dermatologists. I do not remember all the prescription names I was on, but I do know that many of the things I took and used that were given to me by my dermatologist worked... 
 
Here is a timeline of my acne (and eczema) suffering:
 
Born – Average birth. No minor/major issues recorded or to be expected.
Age 4 – Eczema appears on arms and behind kneecaps. Prescribed over the counter creams whenever flareups occurred. Was blamed on dirt.
Age 8 – Skin on face shows signs of extra peeling and dryness. Told that I was too sensitive for normal sunlight exposure. I could easily and painfully turn red in 5 minutes of direct sunlight and burned my skin after just 10 minutes of sunlight. I often stayed indoors.
Age 8 – Still had eczema. Later eczema was blamed on scratching... even though it came BEFORE I scratched it, not the other way around, but as a kid no one believes you.
Age 8 – Eczema finally found to not have been caused by scratching. Thought to be parasite infection. Not given anything else, only told to treat it with anti-itch creams and that these so called skin-parasite would eventually die off or go away.
Age 10 – Got my very first acne pimple overnight. Had no concern or thoughts about it whatsoever.
Age 11 – Eczema worsens on arms and behind kneecaps, becoming bright red rather than bumpy. Always wore pants and long sleeves in gym class and outside, even in the summer. Creams became the norm and a part of my daily regimen for my eczema. Was told again it would naturally go away.
Age 12 – Eczema begins to bleed rather than just rash. A quarter of my body was flushed red from so much irritation. Anywhere that had bent skin (heels, waist, fingers, neck, etc...) was red. I was often sent to the nurses office and then sent home from school because I could not stop scratching myself. Was blamed for scratching too much, despite once again that the eczema came first.
Age 12 – My first cyst. Occurred on face near right cheek. Didn't care about it.
Age 12 – Started getting more than one pimple at a time. The most was up to four at a time.
Age 14 – Pimples on face started staying a lot longer than normal. Some began to hurt. Was told would go away and to never pop them. They often popped by themselves overnight. I was blamed for popping them even though I didn't, but since I couldn't prove it no one believed me.
Age 14 – Began getting five to ten pimples at a time on face. Was told it would go away.
Age 15 – Acne legions started increasing in size. My first scar came from a cyst near my forehead above my left eyebrow. Remains there to this very day (over 10 years later!).
Age 15 – Acne slowly getting worse. Family fought over whose fault it was. After two weeks of spying on me, family at last decided it was not my fault and would save up money for a dermatologist.
Age 15 – Taken to dermatologist for first time. Given clear liquid face wash and told to wait one year.
Age 16 – One whole, miserable year later, acne was not improving. Told to wait longer.
Age 16 – Childhood eczema finally began slowly dying down... but always left me with a kind of rough “chicken skin” texture underneath the itchiness that I could never quite scratch. Pure torture.
Age 16 – Acne slowly exploded all over face and literally changed the tone of my skin. I am actually a very pale person, it's just that the acne is so large and close to each other that the redness changed my overall skin tone from “ivory” to “blush” even though I'm not.
Age 16 – Taken to dermatologist a second time. Given a thick white cream, told to use it up to twice a day. Some improvement in acne but not much. Cysts shrunk but redness got worse.
Age 16 - Changed original cream to mornings only, then given a second evening cream. No improvement whatsoever. Four more dermatologist trips in under 2 months.
Age 16 – Given my first ORAL antibiotics for acne. Took pills once a day. Almost 75 percent improvement!
Age 16 – Replaced antibiotics for side effect reasons. Given second antibiotic. Side effects changed from headaches to random nose bleeds. Nose bleeds occurred at least once every 3 to 7 days (I personally thought they were better to deal with than the headaches).
Age 16 – Family ran out of money. Forced to quit acne medication cold turkey. Got my first job.
Age 16 – Asked if my diet effected my acne. Was told it didn't.
Age 17 – After quitting, my face exploded to levels so bad my high school refused to teach me without always offering a box of kleenex. My friends were too nervous to talk to me about it. Quit sports because sun sensitivity still caused pain. Exercised alone, indoors, after school, and in private.
Age 17 – Acne began slowly showing up on back and chest. Not many pimples on back, usually cysts. Chest had only one to three spots at a time. Never wore only short sleeved shirts all throughout high school, even during gym. I was taken aside twice for over heating and dehydration during the summer.
Age 17 – After saving up a few bucks, I went to dermatologist on my own. I was given something called “Tetracycline” (or uses it?). Acne slowly died down to about 50 percent. Only side effect was itchy feet, in between the toes --> This was argued whether or not this really WAS a side effect or just athletes foot. I find the timing of it to be suspicious and uncanny to just be athletes foot.
Age 17 – Acne still present, so my morning and evening creams changed to different names. Almost 100 percent improvement!
Age 18 – Skin started drying out and flaking too much. Added lotion to my evening regimen. 100 PERCENT CLEAR!!!
Age 18 – Side effects getting worse. Headaches came back, and stomach felt nauseous almost every morning. Told to slow down the pills to once every other day. Eventually took them once a week.
Age 18 – About one to three acne legions began poking through my regimen, bringing it down to about a 90 percent clear face. This is where I realized that only a combination of both creams AND pills will keep me 100 percent clear. With my side effects, however, that dream came and died very quickly.
Age 18 – Almost certain that my diet effected my acne. Was told no because I was thin and fit (holy shit, what assholes).
Age 19 – Due to manufacturer(?) changes, my pills changed to something else. I think it's because they changed their name and that was it... but after I took the 'newly named' pill in the morning for the first time, I became violently ill and passed out. I was taken to hospital for poison treatment. This happened for two reasons: 1.) Dermatologist accidentally prescribed too many milligrams for the pill, and 2.) I was allergic to the ingredients that make the pills solid and white (This is normal for me since hard, white vitamins also make me sick).
Age 19 – I obviously quit the oral part of the acne medications. Replaced it by adding one more ointment to face, making 3 different brands. Morning and even brands were thick and white. The third ointment was clear and used only once a day whenever I wanted. I usually chose the middle afternoons. Acne still only 90 percent gone.
Age 20 – Thick, white ointment brands changed again to something called “Renova” I think.
Age 20 – Acne went from 90 percent clear to about 75 percent clear. Was told that the bacteria in my skin was developing an immunity to the facial ointments, which was why they kept changing the names on me. Although this technically makes sense in the long run, the effects of the creams were becoming weaker and weaker no matter what the name.
Age 21 – Finally ran out of money for face. Quit all dermatologist acne medications cold turkey.
Age 21 – Acne exploded to about 20-50 spots a day. Back and chest acne slowly getting worse.
Age 21 – Stuck to over the counter face washes, lotions, and lots of make-up.
Age 21 – My leg eczema FINALLY disappeared and never came back. My arm eczema, however, still comes and goes. I also started getting eczema on my hands and fingers around this time. Small dime size patches of red skin also exist on the sides of arms and stomach, but barely noticeable.
Age 23 – Began researching acne on my own.
Age 23 – Joined acne.org although I read up on things there before. This time I was more educated.
Age 23 – Started Dan's regimen at about 20 small spots. This gave me time to read more about acne.
Age 23 – Three months later, almost 100 percent cleared face on Dan's Reminen!
Age 23 – Quit Dan's regime due to time and money. About 30 to 50 large spots came back (This is typical whenever I stop doing something for my acne).
Age 23 – Started changing diet and lifestyle. Suspicions and evidence to acne and diet was very strong.
 
… To Be Continued....
 
As you can see, my dermatologists gave me more problems than answers, such as:
 
- Finances: I was constantly PUSHED to maintain the cost of my medication AS A PART TIME WORKER AND HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE STUDENT when I started seeing them. Treating my acne... not curing it, TREATING it... was anywhere from 100 to 600 dollars PER MONTH. This included all oral and topical medications. Some of them had to be done 3 times every single day.
 
- Health: More than 4/5 prescriptions given to me had harmful side effects. Once I was hospitalized for an "overdose" because my dermatologist wrote down the wrong amount of pills I needed to take, then had the galls to act nonchalant about it when I came back. She even ROLLED HER EYES at me. I also had chapped lips, nose bleeds almost every evening, loss of appetite, shaking, itchy feet, and "burning sides of torso" (kidneys). I had frequent and sharp headaches but they only lasted up to 2 or 3 minutes. I did an ok job hiding my suffering but it still scared the shit out of me.
 
- Damage: I STILL live with the side effects to this very day. My face has a thin layer of never ending shedded skin, my hair also constantly sheds and is very thin, and my acne has further mutated into more cyst like legions than the pimply white heads I started with and wish i went back to. They've also spread to my back and stomach --> Those spots ONLY showed up when I came off the dermatologist medication.
 
- Mentality: I was frequently called and coached by my dermatologists every week to come in because of how severe I was, and that stopping in any way NOW would only "make the acne worse". Huh... Geez... You don't say... I wonder why and when THAT started to happen!!! Butt heads...

Dan's Regimen works for me and Accutane works for some people in my family.

Since my first job at 16 years of age, my doctors and dermatologists have gotten quite a generous amount of my paychecks. My acne was always treated with something, so I have been paying for it as long as I can remember. However, I no longer go to my doctor or dermatologist for my acne anymore. I can not stand the risks and side effects, not to mention they will always try to put me on something insanely risky.
 
I was able to somewhat trick them into admitting that not only are these medications not long lasting, but that there IS a link to what we DO and EAT and that it obviously effects our overall health, including the state of our skin, which may or may not develop acne. Why just last year my doctor told me that I can never get rid of my acne... that I will always have it.
 


 

Are you quitting topical washes/medications then?

Yes. I realize now that they MIGHT have be causing me more harm than good, but I never went more than 3 weeks without trying something different. I guess I never waited long enough. Well, this is what I'm doing now. Stoping wasn't easy but I'm doing it anyway.

The only thing I use to cleanse myself now is organic soap bars (ordered off the internet - coconut, lavender, african black, etc...) and any kind of shampoo/conditioner I can get my hands on.
 

Do you wear make-up?

Yes, but I try not to wear ANYTHING on my face unless I absolutely have to. When I'm at work or around important company, I put on make-up to hide the largest and reddest of spots, but I despise it. Make-up COSTS money and to me is a completely unnecessary investment. Make-up is only there to hide "imperfections", and in my case, to hide my acne. Why hide it when I can do something about it? I use my fingers and only use a base. I use any brand that doesn't clog the pores.


What do you eat?

I enjoy eating:

-Some fruit and berries (except oranges and papayas, yuck).
-Salads (usually red leaf, green leaf, romaine, spinach, kale, etc... mixes. I don't like salad dressing).
-Sweet Potatoes (baked, microwaved, boiled, raw, whatever…).
-Fish meat (usually salmon and tilapia, but I LOVE anchovies).
-Vegetables (almost always raw but sometimes steamed or pan fried).
 
I do NOT eat:

-Anything genetically processed and prepackaged, boxed, or factory produced.
-Sugary products (this includes acidic fruits like lemons, oranges, grapefruit, etc...).
-Dairy products (unfortunately this includes eggs now).
-Anything Spicy or Hot (Chinese, Mexican, etc…).
-Fast food/Drive-Through food (Wendy's, McDonald's, etc…).
-Most restaurant food (I hardly eat out anyway).
-Almost anything that's not fresh and whole.
 
I am TRYING not to eat breads and wheat and gluten products, but I can't eat vegetables alone otherwise I will become constipated and throw up. My doctor told me that I might have Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Still waiting to be tested for this.
 
 
Do you eat organic?

Sorry, can't afford it.


How much money do you spend on food?

I don't have a lot of money to feed myself healthily, but eating healthier than I was before certainly helped my wallet out. The only issue is that I have to shop every week rather than every few weeks. Depending on the season will depend on how much the local produce will cost. Planning ahead also helps me better understand if and when cost may change.

It costs me around $10 a week to buy my vegetables, and another $20 or so for food, so that's approximately $30+ a week.
 
Fresh produce is large, bulky, takes up a lot of fridge space, and will go bad fast if not used right away, so keeping track of your receipts and gas trips is a must do. I save money and time by taking one day out of the week to shop AFTER I run my errands or go to my gym. Most produce remains refrigerated until I use them, and I only peel produce the instant I start cooking/juicing with them. I wash everything in a small bowl full of cool water and with a vegetable brush. I have a small fridge and pretty small kitchen. 

We are creatures of habit. Habits are hard to break. Make your choices wisely, decide what's best, then make a habit out of it.
 




How is your energy level?

I hate being asked this question because I have always been energetic. I have enough endurance and energy to finish any task assigned to me, whether it be at work or at school. I have rarely experience "crashes" before, even after drinking a whole pot of coffee. My metabolism is different than the rest of my family, probably developed by unconscious habits and foods I was eating in the past. Eating more healthy now is not changing my energy level.


How many times do you eat a day?

I've always been a "snacking" person. Seldom I sit down an eat large dinner... the only occasion for that would be holidays or celebrations. Even though it wasn't an issue before, I've actually given up large portions of food for good. I will continue to only eat about 4 to 6 times a day, which is easier for me anyway since I tend to move around a lot.

If I already ate and am going to the gym later that day, then I will wait 2 hours before working out. If I go to the gym first, then I will wait 30-60 minutes after working out until I eat anything. I drink water periodically throughout the day, always attempting to keep myself hydrated.


What DID you use to eat?

Candy, pop, chocolate, breads and bakeries, fruits, vegetables, soups, pizza, pastas, etc…

I ate a variety of healthy things as well as junk food. Whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. The majority of my diet was breads, pastas, bakeries, cereals, candies and sweets, milk, soda, and juices.

At first none of what I listed above sounded bad at all, but after reading several boards and stories on this website and devouring one nutritional book after another, I slowly became slightly embarrassed. I hide nothing and admit everything. Why? because I want to get rid of my acne.

But please keep in mind that I didn't just eat all of these things at once, nor did I eat them every week. These are things that I had no problem swallowing and come across at least a couple times a year. Most of the time was for birthday parties and/or class meetings. I am simply giving you a list of what I remember eating from time to time. I use to have candy about once a week and soda every other day. I ate very little throughout the day, always snacking and never actually sitting down and feasting. If I wanted something sweet all day and healthy the next day, then I would just eat it. I also only drank about one to two bottles of water a day, but that was more than enough to make me feel hydrated. I've water fasted several times in the past as well, going on days without taking a bite of anything.


 

Do you still eat candy/ice cream/pudding/sugary sweets?

Not anymore. Although I did try that trick for almost a year before, getting yelled at by my family and relatives during their holidays and birthdays. No change in acne whatsoever.


Do you still drink milk/eat dairy products?

Not since joining this website. Before I use to drink 1 to 3 glasses of milk a day, as well as cheesing up my eggs and other foods, but now I have completely stopped. However, I have been fooled by some products before, such as 100 percent dark chocolate and cocoa power... they say things such as "contains dairy" on the ingredients when the ingredients themselves doesn't contain milk.


So now you don't eat/drink sugar AND dairy products?

Correct. However, there is sugar in everything we eat, including fruit. With that said I do eat one any kind of fruit I want every other day, so I guess we have to be realistic when it comes to the word "sugar".
 
 
Did you ever stop drinking milk AND eating sugar at the same time BEFORE this website?

I think I did once, but I only tried it for about a month. That month had no change in my acne whatsoever.
 
 
What about Gluten?
 
I've never tried to omit gluten before. I am not interested in gluten free products because they are a health scam in my eyes: just because they took out the gluten doesn't mean the product is more healthy, it means that they replaced it with ingredients that act like gluten would... only they're twice as bad for you. I'm experimenting with whole grains and oat bran, however grains may also be an issue in acne.
 
I also just recently realized that most bread products (or starchy products such as potatoes, rice, etc... a.k.a. High Glycemic Load Foods) help me digest most of my food. If I eat only vegetables and fruit for a long period of time, I can't digest them all the way and end up with nausea or diarrhea. This is why I am eating 1/2 cut of oat bran every morning.
 
This may also be the reason why I have acne.... if my digestive track gets upset with raw/cooked vegetables and fruit (not the homemade vegetable juice I made), and my doctors can't do anything about it, then I can use the information I learned here at acne.org in the Diet and Nutrition boards to change that. I am still slowly adjusting to the gluten-free part of my diet.
 

So you ARE changing your diet?

Yes. After joining this website, I am becoming much more convinced that nutrition and diet plays a role in our acne.



 

How many servings/meals do you eat a day?

I don't actually eat "meals" but about 4-6 small servings of fruit and vegetables throughout the day.


What do you drink now?

Only water and hot tea. Please note, I do not drink the tea most of my friends and family are use to: the pre-bagged pouches found in small boxes. No, what I drink are the loose leaf teas. I have found many kinds of loose leaf green, white, chamomile, and darjeeling teas off the internet and at my local vitamin shops. Those are my favorite flavors. I drink 1-3 cups a day, but almost always green tea every day.
 
If I can, I try to find the caffeine free brands and/or make sure the quality is good. If not, then I am not so much concerned about the caffeine. Surprisingly, loose leaf tea lasts longer than the pouched tea because I can add as many dried up leaves as I like. A little goes a long way. I would recommend buying a bag for 9-20 dollars and having it last half a year to a year in your household.
 
I have always drank hot tea though, ever since high school. Being a tea drinker alone didn't help my acne, I just happened to like it. I also use to sweeten my tea with honey, but eventually just enjoyed the bitter taste as I got older.
 
 
How much water do you drink a day?

I carry around a 20oz black reusable metal water container with me wherever I go, and I drink anywhere from 1-3 fillings of it a day. I drink water as soon as I wake up and continute to sip it periodically throughout the day. I stop drinking water 30 minutes before eating something, and then wait at least 45-60 minutes after I eat something before drinking again.

Please understand that no one has yet to tell me the exact amount of water I should be drinking a day, which is fine because each day is different. If I am working out at the gym then I will prepare myself ahead of time with a little extra water, but if I am not going anywhere then I would rather fill up my 20 oz container only once that day. And of course, I also drink my 1-3 cups of tea a day.
 
The adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. One cup = 8 oz. If the "8 cups a day" water intake is accurate, that would be 72 oz of water a day for myself alone. I drink an average of 40 to 60 oz water/tea a day (approx. 5 to 8 cups), but hydration also comes from other sources such as our food and even the showers we take.


How often do you urinate/produce waste?

Umm... well, I urinate about once every 3-4 hours, so that's an average of about 3-4 times a day. I usually drink water right after I urinate, always keeping myself hydrated. I stop drinking water approx. 3 hours before I go to sleep though. I hate waking up to pee, always hurts my stomach .

Before my diet change, I produced waste only once a day or once every other day. Ever since I started drinking my homemade vegetable juice, I suddenly can produce waste up to 3 times a day! To me that's just eccentric, especially on top of all my water drinking and urination worry. I discovered that chewing my food much longer than I normally would actually slows down the waste production. 


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Sorry for all the piss and crap talk, but these are actual things that people have been asking me. I had no idea people were so picky and upset about these sorts of things, so... there you go!
 
If there is anything else you guys want to know then please ask! I'll do my best to answer you.

Best of luck to you all!
 
And I'm out.