114 replies to this topic

[alternativista]

A good acne diet in brief summary:

What you want is blood sugar stabilizing diet habits, consisting of real, whole, nutrient dense foods, and more anti-inflammatory than inflammatory foods. That doesn't include anything you have an intolerance for.

The most inflammatory are sugar and refined high GI carbs, hydrogenated or trans fats, anything you have an intolerance for and any meal/drink/snack that spikes blood sugar. Other inflammatory foods are omega 6 sources like seeds, especially grains and oils from grains.

The most anti-inflammatory are fish, especially fatty high omega 3 fish, and just about any plant food/herb/spice/tea that isn't a seed or a high sugar fruit. If it's colorful or strongly flavored, then it's probably at the most anti-inflammatory.

In the Middle:
Animal products that aren't fish are in the middle but mostly lean to mildly inflammatory to very inflammatory. Their omega 3/6 ratio is big factor in that. Products from grain fed animals is going to be worse than pastured or wild game. Try to get eggs from pastured chickens . Almost everyone is going to feed them some grain, but access to greens and insects increase their omega 3 content and hopefully, they also feed them flax seed which increases omega 3s.

Seeds that aren't grains, like nuts and legumes are also usually mildly to moderately inflammatory. Some have more anti-inflammatory omega 3 EFAs than others like walnuts and flax seed. Cook the legumes, after soaking at least overnight, with anti-inflammatory veggies like onions, garlic, carrot, greens, etc.

What to eat most, ideally:
Eat a lot of greens, cabbage, broccoli, sweet potatoes, berries, fish. Drink only water, teas or things like water with lemon, ginger, berries or splash of juice. Buy only small high sugar fruits or have only small amounts or in combination with fat to lower the glycemic impact.

Also, sleep, physical activity, muscle/body fat, light/dark exposure (circadian rhythm), nutrients and stress are all important factors in how your body functions and affects how strict your diet needs to be.

Edited by alternativista, 28 August 2011 - 02:35 PM.

[wshewfelt]

Alternativista, I would be grateful if you could provide me some direction on my skin right now. I'm 16, male, and have extremely oily skin with maybe about 1 new pimple a day which usually gets sore before turning into a whitehead and going away. My primary concern is my oil though because it's getting waay out of control. I just started taking saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol, calc/mag/zinc, B complex, Vit C, EFA's, cod liver oil, fish oil, probiotics, and a fiber supplement. Is there anything that you would recommend or anything that I'm using which you think I don't need? I'd rather take less supplements...this is too expensive to keep up. I think my acne and oil are primarily caused by hormonal imbalances. Skin problems started at 12 and have only gotten worse. Any advice would be very much appreciated:)

[hippocampus]

Thank you so much for posting all of this information. Your experience with and insight into the topics of health, diet, and acne will help a lot of people!

[Callum.]

I appreciate everything you post. Where do you learn it all? You sound more knowledgeable than the best dermatologists...

[alternativista]

Alternativista, I would be grateful if you could provide me some direction on my skin right now. I'm 16, male, and have extremely oily skin with maybe about 1 new pimple a day which usually gets sore before turning into a whitehead and going away. My primary concern is my oil though because it's getting waay out of control. I just started taking saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol, calc/mag/zinc, B complex, Vit C, EFA's, cod liver oil, fish oil, probiotics, and a fiber supplement. Is there anything that you would recommend or anything that I'm using which you think I don't need? I'd rather take less supplements...this is too expensive to keep up. I think my acne and oil are primarily caused by hormonal imbalances. Skin problems started at 12 and have only gotten worse. Any advice would be very much appreciated:)

One, eat right with mostly real, whole nutrient dense foods. Avoid all high glycemic impacting meals, drinks and snacks. Is that you in your avatar? Are you a runner? What kind of runner? And do you consume any special foods to fuel and/or recover from your runs? the gatorade and shakes and whatnot tend to be culprits. You really shouldn't do any kind of physical activity that requires you to supplement meals. such intense activity tends to be damaging causing oxidative stress and chronic inflammation not to mention the wear and tear on joints and what not. you should do the kind of activity the body's systems were designed to provide energy for: moving around a lot all day everyday walking and doing chores. And occasional intense activity in short spurts. As in interval training.

[Lia Rae]

Firstly I want to say WOW and THANK YOU for all your information. You've made a really awesome resource here!

I know it's been a little bit since you've posted in here but I had a question to ask... What do you think of drinking water with your meals? I read in a few places that by not drinking any fluids with your solids, it helps digestion. Now before trying this I was super regular (2 BMs a day), seeing improvement in my acne... But I've been doing this for almost two weeks and I'm seeing irregularity and breakouts. I know that should be enough to say that this isn't the right thing for me, but I was just wondering if you knew anything since you are so knowledgeable.

Thanks again, you are amazing.

[alternativista]

Firstly I want to say WOW and THANK YOU for all your information. You've made a really awesome resource here!

I know it's been a little bit since you've posted in here but I had a question to ask... What do you think of drinking water with your meals? I read in a few places that by not drinking any fluids with your solids, it helps digestion. Now before trying this I was super regular (2 BMs a day), seeing improvement in my acne... But I've been doing this for almost two weeks and I'm seeing irregularity and breakouts. I know that should be enough to say that this isn't the right thing for me, but I was just wondering if you knew anything since you are so knowledgeable.

Thanks again, you are amazing.

Some people say it dillutes the digestive acids. So I guess that depends on how well you produce digestive acids. I drink beverages with meals. Have you visited the Nutrition board? Seen my Good Things thread on the various ways diet and lifestyle affect acne and what to do about it?

[strax]

I agree with the info posted. It's in line with population studies on diet/acne which I believe are the stronger evidence for dietary concerns. However for my personal problem I have seb dermatits on my face as well as head. So on top of this diet I probably need to find a substantial topical for this area.

I also sometimes speculate that women/men acne is drastically different, almost like a different disease altogether

[alternativista]

I agree with the info posted. It's in line with population studies on diet/acne which I believe are the stronger evidence for dietary concerns. However for my personal problem I have seb dermatits on my face as well as head. So on top of this diet I probably need to find a substantial topical for this area.

I also sometimes speculate that women/men acne is drastically different, almost like a different disease altogether

Have you seen my linoleic acid thread in the Nutrition Forum? http://www.acne.org/...pical-solution/

There's a new post in my Diet for Clear Skin blog:

Check it out. http://dietforclearskin.blogspot.com/

It won't be that informative for most of you. It's less detailed than the Good Things thread. But I figure I need to alternate these basics and 'what to do' posts with the medical details. So, I've gotten a few posted and soon I'll begin making frequent postings about whatever - a recipe. A study I found. What I had for lunch. What's in my garden. Whatever. (there's going to be all kinds of health, environmental and frugality tips (or rants) as well. They overlap.)

[Lilacink]

Just found this about ACV and vinegar helping headaches/sinus. So I guess I really should try drinking ACV. I will start today when I get home.

It says to inhale the vapor from hot water ACV in equal parts, so I guess I'll do that with a small amount, then dilute and drink throughout the day.

Remeber that Apple Cyder VInegar is acid and will eat the enamel of your teeth so try drinking it with a staw. Apple cyder vinegar even with water can damage your teeth. Best of luck.

Edited by Lilacink, 15 December 2012 - 12:39 AM.

[alternativista]

Ok. New Thing. I often have small sores or acne or whatever in my scalp. They tend to itch. All summer long, I did not have these. Then in the fall, they are back. There's two things different that I can think of. I didn't eat apples all summer as I'm trying to eat in season, and I would have had much less cocoa during the hot months. Also, this fall, I recently began drinking coffee as well. Perhaps its the theobromine? I don't know.

I've decided to avoid cocoa for a bit starting today, but I did have a cup of coffee which I might have to avoid as well. Anyway, we'll see. If there's no change, I'll try avoiding the apples.

Edti: Ok, I thought of another thing that was different. Most of the time during the summer I did the silicone free conditioner only wash. After a few months of my hair not looking that nice, I went back to shampoo and conditioner with silicone. Of course, I rarely apply the conditioner near the scalp. Pretty much only after my once a month hair dye job.

Edited by alternativista, 29 December 2012 - 02:26 PM.

[alternativista]

Ok, it's been about a week. A cold week. I'm going back to cocoa. Oh how I've missed it. I'm now going to wash my hair with the silicone free conditioner only method.

[Ind1g0]

Ok, it's been about a week. A cold week. I'm going back to cocoa. Oh how I've missed it. I'm now going to wash my hair with the silicone free conditioner only method.

Any difference with avoiding the cocao though? I half wonder if I'm sensitive to it. I put organic baking cocao and also Mayan nibs in my daily smoothies (no sugar) and I didn't have any idea that cocao itself could contribute to inflammation.

[alternativista]

Ok, it's been about a week. A cold week. I'm going back to cocoa. Oh how I've missed it. I'm now going to wash my hair with the silicone free conditioner only method.

Any difference with avoiding the cocao though? I half wonder if I'm sensitive to it. I put organic baking cocao and also Mayan nibs in my daily smoothies (no sugar) and I didn't have any idea that cocao itself could contribute to inflammation.

I didn't notice any change.

Edit: I take that back. Inconclusive. Because I kind of think it was better just before I started drinking cocoa again and a little worse right after. but it doesn't seem to be bad right now. And it's dirty hair day (day 3 since I last washed my hair. I should have washed it this morning). It's always itchier on dirty hair day. And the last time I washed my hair, I did the conditioner only thing. Which I will do again.

Another thought. I may have stepped up my omega 3 eating during the summer. I know right before I started a new job, I cooked a whole half a salmon I had in the freezer and ate that every day for lunch until it was gone. And made salmon patties a couple other occasions and ate them every day for a while. I also make tacos gobernador with canned mackerel. Have salads with canned salmon, etc.

Edited by alternativista, 07 January 2013 - 02:07 PM.

[alternativista]

I just washed my hair with shampoo rather than the conditioner only. And my scalp feels itchier. So maybe that's the problem. I don't feel like my scalp is dry though. Also, the itchy sores or bumps are all in the vicinity of my part on the top of my head.