19 replies to this topic

[Kelly~~]

Hey beautiful people.

I made a post in Nov last year about a few things - fish oil, taurine etc.

I feel an obligation to share with you all what I've learnt because it's frustrating to watch people experiment with things that don't work and may make their acne worse.

NO DOUBT acne is a sign of health problems or poor general health. It's a sign that something's not right. The odd pimple in highschool, fine. Beyond that - there is something wrong. The bandaid "solution" of harsh topicals and pills is very harmful.

Only try this radical regime if you dare - if you dare to go the whole hog and live a healthier lifestyle.

There IS NO SHORTCUT and NO EASY OVERNIGHT CURE. Surely you all must know that by now, no matter how much you want to delude yourself! Recovery back into good health takes time and patience. But is so rewarding that you'll end up questioning why you ever hesitated.

Topical solutions WILL IRRITATE YOUR FACE. No exceptions. For those of us who are sensitive, even 'natural' topicals and oils will disrupt your face's natural balancing and healing abilities. No doubt about it.

No SINGLE THING is going to ever change your acne. Single things can improve it but you need to change your whole lifestyle. Sometimes this requires seeing a Naturopath which is what I've been doing.

I've had perhaps two small pimples in the past 3 months. I ignored them and they just didn't matter. I've done a number of things to regain my health and it is a long road and can be difficult. It requires patience. Here's what I've done at various stages:

taken taurine supplements
taken fish oil/ evening primrose oil supplements
avoided all sorts of foods or food groups
LOW-GI diet
high-fat high-protein diet
No fat, high fruit diet
endless amounts of multi-vitamins
B5
natural hormone stuff
lots of fibre
HCA/ digestive enzymes
etc etc etc....

I'll tell you how I live my life now - it's nowhere near perfect, and I could be healthier, but it's a process and my skin is basically a non-issue.

I get 8 hours sleep a night.
I occasionally take things prescribed by my naturopath for Mercury Toxicity and Copper Toxicity.
I take zinc nightly still (have been for years since my chiro prescribed it and it has always helped).
I exercise a couple times a week - I take every opportunity I get. Usually walking or yoga, not too strenuous.
I have adopted a much calmer attitude and realised some core things - such as appearances don't matter and people don't love you for your appearances. So self development and learning to seek the truth, and rid your mind of unhelpful mindsets, is key to good sleep and reducing stress.
Importantly, I avoid ALL PRESERVATIVES, FOOD COLOURING, MSG AND ALL FLAVOUR ENHANCERS. This has been extremely important in regaining my health. I react to these chemicals that are added to foods. You're not meant to be ingesting them every day, or ever. They're unhealthy and harmful.
I avoid chemicals as much as I possibly can - I don't wear deodorant (because I'm healthier, my sweat hardly has an odour) or make up (though on the odd occasion I need to, being female, but I haven't for about 2 or 3 weeks running and my skin is looking so much better for it!). I avoid inhaling sprays or chemical-laden lotions. I don't wear perfume. I don't wear moisturiser. I don't even use body wash. I wash with unscented soap.
Importantly, I only drink natural spring water - now, the water in your area might be fine, and in which case just buy a water filter and your set (tap water can contain trace elements of mercury, arsenic, copper etc and the chlorine can be aggravating - it is in my case!). The water in my area is particularly bad so my naturopath recommended that for now I drink spring water. It helped with my headaches, my skin, everything. I felt noticably healthier when switching to spring water.

I'm sensible with food - I try not to go overboard with anything. Excess is where problems arise and imbalances occur. I drink juice almost every day. I don't eat much dairy since my naturopath thinks it doesn't agree with me. I avoid high-amine foods such as wine/beer, chocolate and cheese. I try to eat salad and i ALWAYS wash off the pesticides or try to go organic.

I only eat meat from butchers, not from supermarkets, so that it's fresh and preservative free. Same goes with chicken. I don't eat seafood because of the mercury. I add ground flaxseed to things for some omega fats and protein. I eat home-cooked things more than anything else which is KEY. I stopped drinking about two months ago and feel and look much better already for it. Eventually I'll enjoy a glass or two now and then but for now I'm happy being a teetotaller

Lastly, I listen to my body. If I'm tired, I'll rest. If I'm stressed, I'll treat myself with some SILENCE AND SOLITUDE - two very important coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety. Next time you feel overwhelmed, try being in silence and alone (doing nothing) for 30 mins. It's hard at first but it really helps calm the mind.

I try to do things that are rewarding for me - I read and write a lot (which has always been my passion), I don't leave uni work to the last minute which prevents a lot of stress. I play with kids and animals whenever I get the chance. I maintain solid relationships with a few people rather than shallow relationships with many people.

Also I'm a christian so my faith is very important to me.

I hope this helps. Try and get a clean diet, a clean lifestyle. Trust me, this does not mean no fun - I'm enjoying life more now than I ever have! Best of luck in regaining your health and overcoming acne. Try not to think about it and no one else will either.

Peace,

Kelly.

[CelloIsLove]

Lots of great information in this! I'm on the caveman regimen with a healthy diet/lifestyle. It's going great

[anon2]

this thread kind of disturbed me.

Yes I agree you can get clear from living a healthy lifestyle but there is nothing wrong with me. There are many people who have acne and live a heathly lifestyle but still there acne remains, it doesnt mean there is something wrong with them. I am sorry, I value your opinion, but coming on an acne forum stating that there is something wrong with us is just not the way to go. Anyways, I know plenty of people with acne who eat right and exercise. Eating healthy and exercising is good but sometimes there are some people who need more to treat their acne then just a healthy lifestyle. Sadly for some, living a healthy lifestyle just isnt enough to clear their faces, im one of them.

My topicals don't irritate my skin either and are actually keeping my skin under some control.

[Adam82]

this thread kind of disturbed me.

Yes I agree you can get clear from living a healthy lifestyle but there is nothing wrong with me. There are many people who have acne and live a heathly lifestyle but still there acne remains, it doesnt mean there is something wrong with them. I am sorry, I value your opinion, but coming on an acne forum stating that there is something wrong with us is just not the way to go. Anyways, I know plenty of people with acne who eat right and exercise. Eating healthy and exercising is good but sometimes there are some people who need more to treat their acne then just a healthy lifestyle. Sadly for some, living a healthy lifestyle just isnt enough to clear their faces, im one of them.

My topicals don't irritate my skin either and are actually keeping my skin under some control.

Eating "right" and healthy is totally relative to the person, though. Many times, people say they eat healthy but they don't. There are tons of healthy foods that can cause acne. If a person is allergic to oranges, oranges are an unhealthy food to that person. It's all relative. Too often, when people say they eat "healthy" or have a "healthy lifestyle", they aren't eating healthy at all, but still consuming foods that incompatible with their bodies. Denial can be very strong. I used to say those same words "Man, I eat so healthy and still break out. It can't be diet". Then I really zoned in and focused and cleared up by tweaking my diet further and really paying attention.

Imo, people generally have no idea was healthy means.

[Kelly~~]

I totally agree with that last sentence: 'people generally have no idea what healthy means.'

EyesLikeMine - I've been a member on here for a while. Also, this isn't about accusations, it's about information. Acne is a sign that your body is not liking what's going on. If your topical lotions don't irritate your acne, why are you still here?

Also, do your healthy friends completely cut out preservatives/ colours/ and flavour enhancers? You seem to think that this is just 'healthy eating' - just try to cut those things out, it's fairly complicated and most people who eat 'healthy' don't bother with that. You could have a 'healthy' chicken dish with sauce, have a glass of juice a bit later, have a muesli bar for a snack and then a lamb sandwich later on and salad with fat free dressing... may sound conventionally 'healthy' but with just that you could've consumed quite a lot of chemicals.
Do they eat organic veggies? If they eat lots of veggies, but the veggies are covered in pesticides, they may think they're being healthy when actually they're not. If they drink diet coke, they might think they're being healthy - nope, lots of chemicals... not healthy.

Ariventa - hey there the main reason i went to a naturopath was because of food intolerances/ allergies. imho, food intolerances and allergies are caused by all the added chemicals and heavy metals in our lifestyles. things in our tap water and additives in our foods. and i've reduced my food intolerances heaps by following his advice.

CelloIsLove - that's awesome. I hope it continues working for you.

[Shadow Yoshi]

I've done all this and still have acne. Well, maybe my diet isn't perfect, but I always avoid foods with added chemicals as they give me bad headaches anyway. Do I have to have a flawless diet for this to work?

[ezento98]

NO DOUBT acne is a sign of health problems or poor general health.

I don't agree. I have a friend who's overweight and he doesn't have acne at all. He has no red marks or anything like that

I believe that it's genetic. If someone in your family has had acne, then no doubt, you'll get it. Well, I'm talking about the severe ones. Everybody gets acne.

[ezento98]

NO DOUBT acne is a sign of health problems or poor general health.

I don't agree. I have a friend who's overweight and he doesn't have acne at all. He has no red marks or anything like that

By the way, I knew him since I was in the 4th grade. He used to be so slim but now, he gained a lot of weight. The reason is because of depression.

[Mr. Crab]

This is a great thread! I have already started my healthier diet and exercise a week or two ago and it really does a lot. I have been eating apples regularly and that alone seems to make me feel much better and my skin is doing significantly better as well.

[Kelly~~]

Shadow Yoshi - basically, yeah. it depends what you mean by flawless. I still eat confectionery sometimes and I eat high fat foods regularly. The thing is, I am stringent when it comes to eat fresh food with zero additives. And I mean zero!

Just because A is a sign of B doesn't mean that everybody with B must have A. Ergo, acne is a sign of an imbalance with your health. That doesn't mean that everybody with a health problem will have acne - obviously. Due to genetics, we all have different weak areas and a tendency towards different health problems. In my family, the weak area is acne so if things get out of whack then the acne begins. It's a sign, not a necessary symptom.

I know plenty of people with numerous health problems who don't have acne. Unfortunately for us, this is how our body shows that it's not doing so well or this is how it copes with mistreatment.

"If someone in your family has had acne, then no doubt, you'll get it."
Certainly not true. Acne in my family is genetic but my brother never had full-on acne like I have had. My brother also grew up healthier than I did.

Mr Crab - that's fantastic! Stick with it. My health, at the lowest, was intensely bad. Doctors didn't know what to do with the myriad of problems and symptoms. An eating disorder made all of the issues worse. And it has taken me, from that point of deciding I was going to take care of my body, to now - 4 years. But this has been psychological recovery too - from an eating disorder, from severe depression and mood problems, and anxiety attacks... also migraines. It's been about 2 years since I got into alternative health. And about 6 months since I decided I'd do it properly, at last - the sleep, the diet, the exercise, the relaxation techniques - they all work together. And I'm so glad I made that decision. My progress has been two steps forward, one step back - you may start feeling better and better the more 'clean' your diet is and the more you exercise! I hope so, best of luck!

Also, remember every point I've made here. Healthy includes doing ALL of these things... spring water and all. The whole hog, like I first said. I only shampoo my hair these days too, to avoid extra chemicals absorbing into my bloodstream. in every part of my life I try to keep things natural and chemical-free, as much as possible. It's a lifestyle choice, not really something you can try for a week.

[ezento98]

"If someone in your family has had acne, then no doubt, you'll get it."
Certainly not true. Acne in my family is genetic but my brother never had full-on acne like I have had. My brother also grew up healthier than I did.

Acne IS a genetic disease. If you don't believe me, then go to this website

"Acne is a Largely Genetic Disease."

http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/n...5256C93007940B2

However, it's still unknown why some people (like you) are more prone to acne than others (like your brother). It says so, according to this website, BBC news: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3936263.stm

But I do believe that it's largely genetic, not because of an unhealthy lifestyle. As I mentioned before, my friend lives a very unhealthy lifestyle and he has NO acne

[ezento98]

But I do agree, living a clean and healthy lifestyle does prevent break outs and all. I haven't had a pimple in a long time.

But for some who have severe acne, remember, it's genetic. Plain and simple. There's nothing wrong with you.

[Kelly~~]

I'm not disagreeing with you. I already mentioned that yes I believe the tendency or vulnerability to acne is genetic. Of course it is. That's fairly obvious, I think.

That doesn't mean you're predestined to get it. It means if your health is not perfect, it'll show up in your most weakest area. Do you understand what I mean?

[ezento98]

I'm not disagreeing with you. I already mentioned that yes I believe the tendency or vulnerability to acne is genetic. Of course it is. That's fairly obvious, I think.

That doesn't mean you're predestined to get it. It means if your health is not perfect, it'll show up in your most weakest area. Do you understand what I mean?

Sorry but I don't understand what you really mean. My Uncle's health was not perfect but instead of getting acne, he got diabetes. He's the reason why I changed my lifestyle

[bufas]

To me it sounds like your lifes suck. (Don't get me wrong) I can only pity you for keeping such a strict diet, seriously. I really think acne is taking over your life, and deciding which paths to choose. Missing out on everything with sugar ect.? Hell no, I'm on BP and eat every unhealthy type of food I can get my hands on, and it is not breaking me out. I'm not sure if dairy is though, but all I can say is, that I'd rather have a topical regimen for now and eating all the delicious stuff that's available, instead of going through such a strict lifestyle and maybe having an improvement in acne.

[Kelly~~]

I eat sugar.

Just out of curiosity, do people who reply actually read anything I've written first?

I still eat candy (we call them lollies in australia), I eat pizza, I eat ice cream occasionally, I eat nuts, sandwiches, cake, slice, biscuits, muffins, lamb chops, wedges and potato chips....

Did you actually read any of the post?

Even if I didn't eat any of these things, that certainly would not mean that my life sucked! Once you get used to avoiding chemicals in foods, it's really not a big deal. You cook meals at home and learn what things to order at restaurants - also I go to restaurants that don't use MSG and I ask them to not use margarine in anything I have (use oil instead). Aside from that, you're set. So I'm not really sure what about all that 'really sucks'....

[Kelly~~]

Also, I very much value delicious food... not sure what makes the diet guidelines above seem so unappealing to you?

Acne is certainly not taking over my life and that comment actually made me laugh. Once again, I think you need to read my post. It's about being healthy. Having no acne is a wonderful side effect of being healthy ;-) 80% of this stuff was to help my other health probs like headaches, foggy thinking, poor sleep, digestive problems.

[deadonfive]

Bufas, you're going to run into other problems down the road because of the way you're eating. Male pattern baldness, weight problems, thyroid problems, irritable bowel syndrome, type II diabetes....these are all real threats that can easily come about by eating poorly. It isn't just about acne.

[bufas]

Maybe I overreacted and maybe I skimmed your posts a little too quickly. I'm not eating THAT unhealthy I was just trying to make a point, as I see countless and countless of no-sugar diets and bla bla bla. What about alcohol?

All I'm trying to say is that you are in fact going to survive most likely without a strict diet. It's a shocker, but you are, and all of those conditions you mention.. I mean come on? The way I see it, you are taking it too far in terms of clearing acne if it comes to not being able to go out and get drunk/have a drink, have dinner at some friends without having to cook it yourself, not being able to enjoy a nice dessert or get cozy with a bar of choclate, a coke and and bag of chips. That's the way I see, and at the moment I'm confused of whether you fit any of those criteria. I just think it sounded like you were going too much into details and limiting so much. Anywho, just count me out of this discussion, I don't have a lot of knowledge to back my oppinions up with, just thought I'd share.

EDIT: Just thought I'd mention, I am in fact skinny and I think that my post sort of was to all the diet logs I've read on this site, not really you personally.

[deadonfive]

Maybe I overreacted and maybe I skimmed your posts a little too quickly. I'm not eating THAT unhealthy I was just trying to make a point, as I see countless and countless of no-sugar diets and bla bla bla. What about alcohol?

All I'm trying to say is that you are in fact going to survive most likely without a strict diet. It's a shocker, but you are, and all of those conditions you mention.. I mean come on? The way I see it, you are taking it too far in terms of clearing acne if it comes to not being able to go out and get drunk/have a drink, have dinner at some friends without having to cook it yourself, not being able to enjoy a nice dessert or get cozy with a bar of choclate, a coke and and bag of chips. That's the way I see, and at the moment I'm confused of whether you fit any of those criteria. I just think it sounded like you were going too much into details and limiting so much. Anywho, just count me out of this discussion, I don't have a lot of knowledge to back my oppinions up with, just thought I'd share.

EDIT: Just thought I'd mention, I am in fact skinny and I think that my post sort of was to all the diet logs I've read on this site, not really you personally.

So you're skinny. So what? That doesn't mean that you're healthy whatsoever.

I agree that the diets get too obsessive if it interferes with your life so much that you never go out anywhere. A once-weekly serving of cake or whatever isn't going to hurt anyone. It's what you do 90% of the time that really matters. After eating cleanly for awhile, I've seen from these boards that alot of us don't WANT to eat chocolate or junky foods anymore. There's no feeling of deprivation.

Yeah, people can "survive" on unhealthy foods. But how do you want to define "survive?" They'll live, of course, but run into health problems and won't live that long in most cases. The things I listed in my above post, I wasn't just pulling that out of my ass. I think it's really immature for you to come onto this log and criticize this girl ("your lives suck?" wtf?) who's trying to be healthier (and probably NOT just because of her acne.)