you can eat them just in moderate ..

You have to do a reliable food sensitivity test like MRT. Everyone reacts differently to different foods, you can't listen to other people and apply their experience to your own diet, it won't work that way. If you google any food on the planet you can propably find at least one person who "breaks out" from that food, so if you follow that rule you really can't eat anything and it would be better if you would just die.

You can eat accutane.

Eating this way has caused me to be malnourished in certain vitamins. It seems like a bad idea. Just get on low dose Accutane and eat what you need.

I don't know where you got that list. Most of those things would only break YOU out if YOU had an intolerance for them

You know you break out fom dairy. SO avoid dairy. You should also avoid high glycemic impacting meals, dinks, snacks. Limit processed foods and replace with real, whole nutrient rich food.

And instead of being afraid the rest, test by methodically avoiding them and noting any change. Some people break out from eggs because its common to be intolerant to them, especially eggs from factory farms. You have to test for yourself. Same with nuts, 'some fruits,', 'some vegetables' etc.

Hey girl! I just gave up dairy and sugar and citrus fruit and my skin looks great! I also try to eat low GI but that's more for weight management than acne. Though I'm sure reducing insulin spikes helps with acne as well. Fear not! Animal foods are not necessarily bad for you! Do avoid factory farmed crap because it's loaded with toxins and hormones. The point is to try to avoid foods that trigger YOUR acne. Most people suggest to avoid milk and that's because it's our experience that milk triggers acne. I do find that giving up milk and sugar is the best thing most people can do to stop breakouts in their tracks. It's such a common sensitivity. I know a person that breaks out after eating shellfish. That does not mean everyone should give up shellfish, only that she personally has a sensitivity to it. I'd say to give up milk, sugar, and grains for a period of time to see how you react. If your skin starts to clear, add back in the grains and see what happens. If it does not, address other areas of your diet. Maybe there is something you eat on a regular basis that you are sensitive to. Good luck!

I eat:

-Eggs

-Meat

-Seafood (is really good for you... who told you it was bad?)

-All fruits except bananas and citrus (but only in moderation)

-All vegetables

-Grains (occasionally. I still avoid gluten for the most part)

-Nuts (nuts are fine)

I don't understand why all the accutane supporters troll this forum and recommend accutane to everyone who asks for diet advice. It's very insensitive and irresponsible to recommend something that has potentially life-changing side effects to people casually asking for DIET advice here. For some, popping a magic pill is an excuse to overindulge in unhealthy foods and be unhygienic. As if Americans need more excuses to be lazy and unhealthy. *ok rant over. I hope I don't have to read any other accutane advice on this forum, this is not the place for it*****

Anyway, to answer Lynn's post, don't get paranoid about food. That can trigger an eating disorder. Perhaps start with a paleo diet, and then begin to include more things and see how your skin react. When I was trying to figure out food intolerances, I stuck to a very basic diet of mostly vegetables (no tomatoes for me due to histamines), sweet potatoes (& some white potatoes too), a little bit of rice sometimes, and green juices. Now I expanded my diet to the point where I can eat more grains (gluten free cereal and waffles) and even some coconut ice cream and protein/fiber bars. I don't feel deprived at all, and I look healthier than I did when I was eating whatever I wanted. But my issue is mainly with digestion and histamines, not a specific intolerance to certain foods. Some people don't actually have food sensitivities/allergies, they have issues with digestion. In this case, supplementing with digestive enzymes can help while you figure out ways to treat the root of the problem.

I'm right there with being anti-accutane. Accutane is a serious chemotherapy drug that is being used off-label in adolescents and adults with utter impunity. It alters gene expression and prevents your skin and your body from functioning in a normal way. I know a person that took it when we were in high school and she now has Chrohn's Disease. I'm not a scientist or a doctor, but I think using Accutane for mild to moderate acne is like shooting a rabbit with a rocket launcher. It's way way way overkill. Why would anyone rather take chemotherapy drugs meant for people dying of cancer instead of tweaking their diet? Gosh! Finding your personal food triggers and clearing your skin up on your own steam is so utterly satisfying because you're taking control of your own life and your own health and beauty.

I almost forgot to mention that I drink a fairly large amount of vegetable juice made from celery, carrots and beets with one apple added in for taste. I honestly think that it's been the carrots and beets that have been that extra weapon in my arsenal in clearing up my skin and making it look really great. Most people don't eat beets, but I find the juice to be very tasty and lightly sweet. When mixed with carrot juice (which is also sweet) and celery and an apple, it's really a delicious mix!

May the bird of good fortune continue to nest in your rooftop!

You know what, I have been dairy free now for three days for the first time in my life and I got three super angry pimples in that time and these are really angry, I don't usually get these kind of pimples ever. So what the fuck is so great about being dairy free!??

Dolan Duck, I would certainly not say that giving up dairy could have caused your breakout. I don't know the rest of your diet, so it would be impossible for me to say exactly what it was. IMO, giving up dairy is always beneficial for acne sufferers, particularly women, and it's easy to do so I always recommend it.

I'm finding your input to be a bit inflammatory and not very constructive. If you're not ready to be helpful and constructive, please go to another messageboard. Maybe 4chan is more your speed?

well you are dairy free, but what else are you eating?

diet changes are hard work, if you aren't willing to be patient then go a different route

accutane didn't work for me, quite the opposite, made things worse and I HAD to find another way

I kept journals and ate a clean diet, low sugar (I won't avoid it completely), nothing fried or processed, relatively low carbs, healthy fruits, veges and meats....from there I elimated gluten for 30 days and kept track of progress...results for me were very good (they won't be for everybody, but they were for me), then from there I eliminated dairy for 30 days....I'm almost clear now, and now I work on scarring

but you need to rotate your diet, for me nuts and nut butters (avoid peanuts, the worst nut of all) are fine, I rotate almonds and walnuts and cashews...and rotate meats and veggies too...avoid processed anything, minimize sugar intake and be smart about carbs

there are PLENTY of things you can eat...you just can't go for fast food and processed crap....but no one should be starving or afraid to eat

so make the big changes (no chips, no doritos, no crap, come on you can do it!!) and then do the elimination on dairy and gluten, they really do help alot of people...if you see no change in 30 days good for you, you can have dairy or gluten in moderation

that's the key, just don't over do anything and rotate good foods

Dscully, wow, just because I have a duck as my avatar won't make me a troll. I find your response very offensive.

mrsrobinson, I haven't eaten gluten in over 10 years. Same goes for any fast food, candy sugar drinks. I eat everyday, vegetables, sweet potatoes, brown rice, oats, apples, salmon, eggs, brown rice protein, pea protein, egg white protein and soy protein powders. And the only liquids I have drink in about 10 years is water about a 1 -1 1/2 gallons a day. The only thing I changed in my diet is that i stopped taking whey protein powder. I haven't been stressed out or anything special. I just suddenly got three crazy pimples right after stopping whey protein. The last time I have seen that angry pimples was when I was a teenager. I forgot to add that I also consume healthy fats everyday, extra virgin olive oil, fish oil and evening primrose oil.

And my "candy" in this life is my muscular greek god body, it's far more satisfying to watch myself naked from the mirror and let women do my body some nasty xxx stuff than to indulge myself with some junk food.

i would ditch the soy protein, read up about it, even if it isn't causing you to break out, it's likely causing other problems especially for males, I wouldn't take any chances and there are alternatives ....the rest of your diet sounds good, but the 'I eat these every day' thing is not rotation....rotate good foods, try not to eat the same thing every day

and 3 days without dairy isn't a very prolonged trial....so many things effect our acne, so many, I kept a journal of many different things, trying to gauge stress levels, etc...I gave every diet change 30 days

control what you can and like we are saying dairy and wheat are triggers for many, no one ever said all, acne isn't that easy as you know...we all have to work hard to find our own triggers

but be smart, good foods rotated - and give the elimination diet a fair chance

I'd ditch all the processed protein powders. I did a number on myself with both whey and soy protein. Whey was the worst, acne-wise, but soy also disrupted my hormones, made my cycles irregular, and gave me bad acne around my chin. I know it imitates estrogen, so that might be even worse for males. Info on your sex life is unnecessary... eew.

i don't regard foods as possible allergens, but rather "liver attacking". wine will give me acne much sooner than a cookie. i'm officially one month without gluten and there was no difference, back on gluten for almost a week and again no difference. and i bet dairy wouldn't matter (i stoped it 3moths ago), but i can't put my hand in fire for it because it might have excess hormones causing liver or adrenal via kidneys problems ..i haven't studied it too much.

how people can separate these approaches into separate categories idk, especially the "holistic" category which is a contradiction lol "get out of the holistic forum with your hormonal hints".

also the medication section separation is strange because it's made by humans, versus nature 1.0 which is plain foods, so there should also be a philosophic category

WOW, I can't say I'm surprised on the low intelligence level of people in this forum. That soy protein estrogen thing is a MYTH, in recent studies it has proven totally false. Soy doesn't affect estrogen level compared to plasebo group in any way. I think I'm gonna take a little break from this forum, the level of idiotism is too great in you guys, makes my head hurt.

Whoah whoah.... Dolan...

did you just call everyone in here stupid? It's not a myth that unfermented soy products imitate estrogen and can throw off hormone levels in both men and women. In fact, soy is so good at imitating estrogen that "natural" hormone supplements marketed to menopausal women contain soy isoflavones. If you're going to go all science up in here, at least learn to spell "placebo".

In order for soy to mimic estrogen, it would have to be in large amounts. A little bit of soy won't be estrogenic, but a LOT of soy (and it can be cumulative) has the potential to sway hormones in favor of estrogen and even xenoestrogens, which are the "bad" form of E. I forgot which of the 3 main estrogen hormones is the one that shouldn't be elevated too much.

There are women with PCOS who try to conceive using soy lecithin, so there has to be some truth to the estrogenic effects of soy...but again, soy would need to be consumed in substantial quantities in order to make a noticeable impact in hormonal balance.

Hi Lynn8808

There are some basics to helping your skin fight inflammation and extra sticky sebum...both of which clog pores and can end up as acne. Here's an easy basic list of what to avoid (any why) and what to try.

Avoid

Dairy (hormones, iodine)

Sugary foods (insulin spikes)

Flour foods more than once a week or so (too concentrated and for some there are gluten issues)

Caffeine (inflammation)

Nuts (excess oil...too much for skin already prone to excess sebum in pores)

Processed oils except for teensy amount of EVOO with cooking when needed

Try eating

Citrus fruits (for some they cause breakouts and others nothing)

Spicy foods (same)

Wild meat, fish and fowl in moderation (eat like Asians...use like a condiment)

Eggs (some people are allergic - others no problem)

Non-dairy milks such as soy milk

Eat without worry

Vegetables - especially dark greens and cuciferous

Non-citrus fruits - especially berries

Root vegetables like whole potatoes with skins, yams, carrots

Whole grains like rice, quinoa, millet

I hope this helps. Everyone is different and acne sufferers especially seem to have skin that is sensitive to foods. It takes a lot of experimentation to get just the right mix. Getting tested for food allergies is worth every penny...but you can also try elimination things on your own. Key is to not get too wacked out about it...but that is hard especially when you can see a connection between what you eat and pimples. For years (decades) I was eating very healthy but still broke out. Was taking meds all this time but still broke out. Then I got allergy tested and avoided certain foods for several years...helped but still broke out. Finally took it seriously to concentrate on eating mainly whole foods (along with taking my meds)...rather than foods that have been processed which includes flour products. This resulted in much clearing of my skin but what finally cleared me up totally was avoiding nuts and oils. Avoiding oils made a HUGE difference in my skin...pores got clear, inflammation went away --- can't emphasize that eneough. I still take meds and plan to wean off them to see if diet alone will keep me clear.

Wow... it seems like you all eat a very "broad" diet and have to worry about a lot of things to cut out. I just eat one meal a day and then I'm honestly full. How do you guys have such large appetites? working in the coal mines or something?

Oh boy, people can market every product the way they want, that doesn't make it true what the marketing speech says. Cigarettes was once marketed as healthy product, does it make it true? I only follow what science says and science says that soy does not have any affect at all to estrogen levels. It's useless to argue with people who hold on to old myths and sayings and don't listen what recent scientific studies tell you.

All of those things you listed are good! Even sugar and fats (albeit the right ones).

Just don't eat too much of a single type of food. Have a portion of fruit, rather than a mountain. Have a slice of meat, rather than the whole cow.

Now, dairy is an exception for a lot of people as it has quite a negative effect on hormones - luckily there are great alternatives. Almond milk is fantastic (soy is good too, but also not for everybody). Plus, almonds have good fats! You can also get dairy-free yogurt. Caffeine is really a huge no in my opinion. I drink black tea and it does break me out - but again, you can get naturally caffeine-free tea's. I'm British so I'm obliged to drink the regular stuff!

What's really ironic is the fact that I am currently on Accutane, but thank you for those suggesting it, and for the advice of those who rather take a more natural approach. I found everyone's feedback to be quite interesting...

I also think everyone was right technically, because what works for one, may not work for another. I suppose I have no option other than to experiment with different foods. The only thing I don't want to do is treat my face like its a laboratory, putting it, and my body, through different things. I avoid dairy, soy, and nuts all together.

Hopefully I'll have clear skin one day.

You may want to read this article written by Ryan Andrews, MS in nutrition, who has done much research into what is helpful for acne and what is not. I'm so impressed by this article that I'm posting a specific thread just for it. I'll also copy it here...

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-acne-nutrition

Acne is a multi-factorial disease. While each case is unique, you can greatly improve your chances of clear skin by eating whole foods; lowering inflammation and stress; getting a good fatty acid balance; and cutting down the worst offenders: wheat, sugar, and dairy.

What is acne?

Our skin is the largest organ in our body, and it™s a complex ecosystem made up of several layers and components.

The skin is semi-permeable, meaning that although it™s mostly a barrier between us and our environment, some stuff can get in and out. Sweat glands and hair follicles provide openings.

Hair originates in follicles deep in the subcutaneous layer, the deepest layer below the dermis. These hair follicles are paired with sebaceous glands, which secrete sebum, an oily substance that lubricates both hair and skin. (This is why your hair gets greasy if you don™t wash it.) Human sebum is primarily composed of triglycerides (40-60%), cerides (19-26%), squalene (11-15%), and small amounts of cholesterol.

We have hair follicles and sebaceous glands all over our body, except for the palms of our hands and soles of our feet.

Acne forms when pores become congested with old skin cells, which is more likely when the skin is oily and skin cells stick together. If we also have high levels of bacteria on the skin plus systemic inflammation, we have ourselves a full fledged acne party.

Acne vulgaris is the form of acne most of us are familiar with and accounts for nearly all acne experienced.

What contributes to acne?

Thus, anything that clogs pores, and/or creates or worsens infection and inflammation, contributes. The major players in acne production are:

• Excessive sebum (oil) production by the skin
• Rapid division of skin cells
• Delayed skin cell separation and death
• Bacteria on the skin surface
• Inflammatory response

The food we eat and our body fat cells play a role in sebum production, hormones, and inflammation. Hormonal changes likely have the greatest influence on acne (think birth control medications, anabolic steroids and puberty).

Hormonal factorsGrowth hormone and IGF-1

Acne during puberty is often associated more with growth hormone (GH) than with testosterone and estrogens. GH goes from the brain to the liver and triggers the release of Insulin Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 promotes skin cell growth/division, sebum production, efficacy of luteinizing hormone (LH) and the production of estrogens.

Insulin and glycemic response

A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 1958 described acne as œdiabetes of the skin. And as far as I™m concerned, everything from the 1950s was true.

High insulin levels and insulin resistance are associated with worse acne and more sebum (side note: more body fat can lead to more insulin resistance). Medications that lower insulin and control glucose often have the side effect of less acne.

Theory behind low glycemic diet and reduction in acne Source: Costa A, et al. Acne and diet: truth or myth? An Bras Dermatol 2010;85:346-353.

Androgens

Acne severity doesn™t seem to correlate with total androgen levels in the body. Rather, androgens play a permissive role in priming or initiating acne. An example of this would be women with PCOS or someone starting a cycle of anabolic/androgenic steroids. These folks often experience a surge of circulating androgens and IGF-1, along with lower levels of sex hormone binding proteins.

Androgens can directly influence skin cells if the cells have high levels of androgen receptors. Also, androgens can increase growth and productivity of sebaceous glands.

Consuming a lot of food promotes androgen release in the body. Animal foods and saturated fats tend to get the biggest response. Lower fat, higher fiber diets can increase levels of sex hormone binding proteins, thus lowering free levels of circulating androgens.

Inflammation & stress

Acne is a type of of inflammatory disease. With acne, inflammatory hormones and cell signals are upregulated ” the skin is a hive of inflammatory activity.

Our bodies secrete cortisol in response to stress. Evidence shows that people with acne have an over-active cortisol secretion system, one that is particularly expressed in the sebaceous glands.

Thus, stress (whether physical or general life stress) plus inflammation (whether existing or prompted by stress) make acne worse.

Nutrition: What makes acne worse?Not enough antioxidant vitamins and minerals

Low levels of vitamin C and E, zinc, selenium, and carotenoids might contribute to acne. These nutrients help fight free radicals that break down skin elastin, produce collagen, and repair skin damage. The catch here is that you usually have to get these from whole foods for them to be of any benefit.

Processed foods

Data show a mixed relationship between processed foods and acne. Eat a big meal with lots of processed food and you have lots of insulin. Lots of insulin means lots of tissue growth and androgen production, which are both contributors to acne.

Foods that are highly processed and cooked often contain compounds that promote oxidative stress and inflammation (see All About Cooking and Carcinogens). Again, oxidative stress and inflammation almost always contribute to chronic disease.

Dairy

While there have been noted associations between dairy consumption and acne starting back in the 1800s, some data indicate no association.

Milk provides a mix of growth factors, hormones and nutrients specific to offspring. As rapid growth ends and the youngster can feed themselves, milk consumption is stopped (well, not in humans).

Dairy foods produce a high insulin response, increase hormone levels in the body and alter inflammation “ all factors that lead to unfavorable acne outcomes.

Consuming cow™s milk can raise IGF-1 levels 10-20% in the body. IGF-1 from cow™s milk survives pasteurization and homogenization and digestion in our gut, and can enter the body as an intact hormone (cow and human IGF-1 share the same sequence).

The unfavorable associations between dairy and acne haven™t been noticed with fermented dairy products, maybe because bacteria in fermented dairy use IGF-1, leaving less for us to absorb.

Some experts theorize that whey protein in particular may encourage acne, since it™s a strong promoter of insulin. A compound called betacellulin (which can be found in dairy foods) may increase skin cell division and decrease skin cell death “ leading to worse acne.

Alcohol

Many studies link alcohol consumption to acne.

GI dysfunction & gluten

Acne is often correlated with GI tract dysfunction.

Those with acne might be more likely to experience gastrointestinal problems like bloating and constipation.

Gut health is often diminished when chronically stressed, leading to inflammation and maybe even a leaky gut.

There may be a connection between wheat gluten and acne (as well as between gluten and other skin conditions). Consider eliminating all sources of wheat and gluten from your diet for a month and see if that helps.

Acne cascade (notice the potential impact of dietary factors) Source: Kurokawa I, et al. New developments in our understanding of acne pathogenesis and treatment. Experimental Dermatology 2009;18:821-832.

Nutrition: What makes acne better?

Acne is a big deal. While genetics (mom seems to play a bigger role) and ethnicity contribute to acne, it appears that how we live each day matters too.

In the U.S., people spend more than $100 million on over-the-counter products to fight acne. Yet many non-Westernized populations have no acne at all.

So, you could spend a lot of money on drugs that have potentially dangerous side effects¦ or you could change your diet. Changing your diet is a heckuva lot cheaper and safer as a starting point.

Whole plant foods

Diets based around whole plants can lead to slightly lower IGF-1 levels and slightly higher IGF-1 binding protein levels (leaving less available IGF-1 circulating in the body). This might help reduce acne.

Calorie restriction

Less food coming into the body is associated with less sebum production.

Phytoestrogens

These substances, found in foods such as soy, may inhibit androgen-forming and acne-promoting enzymes, but don™t appear to play a major role in helping acne.

Cocoa

There doesn™t seem to be an association between chocolate (in its most unprocessed form) and acne. Studies show that dark chocolate can improve insulin sensitivity and improve blood flow to the skin and skin hydration. (Some manufacturers are even capitalizing on these studies by offering chocolate in skin products. The jury™s still out on whether this works, but it sure makes you smell tasty.)

Omega-3 fats

Skin levels of fatty acids might play a role in the development of acne. Furthermore, the pro-inflammatory Western diet (with lots of omega-6 fats) tends to negatively influence acne. Balancing fat intake and ensuring enough omega-3s seems to be important for overall skin health. 1 gram of EPA from a supplement (check your fish oil to see how much EPA is in it) might be useful for acne treatment.

GI health

As mentioned above, poor GI health is strongly correlated with acne. Whole foods, soluble and insoluble fibre, omega-3 fats, coconut, and Brassica vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kohlrabi, etc.) can have a beneficial influence on gut health, in part by improving gut motility. (See diagram below.) Fibre can also bind to and excrete excess hormones that contribute to acne.

Consider eliminating wheat, dairy, and sugar for a month to see if this helps. All of these things worsen GI tract problems, and acne is strongly connected to gluten enteropathy.

Pre/Probiotics

This might be of particular interest to anyone who has been using antibiotics for acne. Our gut is home to countless bacteria and if gut health is out of whack, this might have a negative influence on acne. Getting enough of these from foods and/or supplements can help to restore gut health and may reduce acne.

Skin cells have also been found to act as immune cells that signal an over-active immune system. Inflamed skin means inflamed body, and probably inflamed gut.

Gut-brain-acne interaction Source: Bowe WP & Logan AC. Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis “ back to the future? Gut Pathogens 2011;3:1.

Spices

Many spices (e.g.cinnamon, ginger, turmeric) and fresh herbs (e.g. basil, oregano, garlic) are anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and immune-boosting. Spices such as cinnamon can also help to regulate insulin.

Green tea

Green tea can suppress enzymes and androgens involved in acne formation. It™s also anti-inflammatory.

Walnuts/almonds

These nuts might help with blood/skin fatty acid status, and control blood sugar. Monounsaturated fats can be anti-microbial.

Dark green & purple vegetables/fruits

These contain acne fighting anti-oxidants and minerals that extinguish inflammation. They may also inhibit androgen-forming and acne-promoting enzymes.

Free-range organic (or pastured) eggs

Hens that receive nutritious feed (or even better, free-ranging pasture that includes bugs and other small animals) produce more nutrient-dense eggs (including beneficial vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids) that may help to deter acne.

Tomatoes

These may lower IGF-1 in the body.

Resveratrol

Found in grapes, red wine, peanuts and mulberries.

Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)

Supplementation with pantothenic acid (500-1000 mg daily should be sufficient) can be quite effective, and a far safer alternative to commercial prescription medications such as oral contraceptives and retinoids.

Zinc & selenium

6% of all zinc found in our bodies is in our skin. Selenium is a potent antioxidant. It™s best to get these in food format.

High-zinc foods include seafood, wild game, red meat, and nuts. High-selenium foods include nuts (Brazil nuts in particular), fish, poultry, meat, and wild game.

Who doesn™t get acne?

Observing cultural shifts in diet can also clue us into what foods might be associated with acne.

Acne doesn™t seem to appear in non-Westernized populations eating traditional diets. This includes Inuit, Okinawa islanders, Ache hunter-gatherers, Kitavan islanders, and rural villages in Kenya, Zambia and Bantu.

Staple foods among cultures where acne is nearly absent include:

• tubers (e.g. taro, yam)
• fruit
• fish, seafood, and marine mammals
• coconut
• vegetables
• wild game
• groundnuts and tree nuts
• traditionally prepared (fermented or ash-treated) non-wheat grains such as millet, barley, maize (corn), or rice
• beneficial fungi, molds, and lichen

They don™t eat processed foods, sugars, flours or processed wheat, processed oils, nor much dairy. They also get plenty of vitamin D from being outside, and/or consuming the livers of marine animals.

Summary and recommendations

Acne is complex, and each person is unique. However, there are common factors in cultures that don™t suffer from acne. Use these ideas as your starting point and our recommendations.

• They eat whole, unprocessed foods. All their nutrients come from these foods. They don™t supplement.
• They get outside and get sunlight (or, again, consume vitamin D in organ meats).
• They often eat fermented foods ” foods that are high in beneficial probiotics for gut health.
• Except for the Inuit, they eat a lot of unprocessed and/or traditionally prepared plant foods, such as fresh or fermented vegetables and fruits, and grains that are soaked/sprouted/fermented.
• They often eat many fresh herbs and spices, as well as beneficial fungi.
• They eat a good balance of unprocessed fats.
  • They eat plenty of omega-3 fatty acids from fish, wild game, and even insects and snails. They don™t consume a lot of omega-6s from vegetable or seed oils.
  • They eat traditionally prepared ground nuts (e.g. peanuts) and tree nuts (e.g. walnuts, almonds).
• They don™t consume much dairy; if they do, it™s fermented and/or pastured.
• They eat as much as possible of any animals consumed: dark and white meat, organ meats, connective tissues, etc.

The value of self-experimentation

If you struggle with acne, keep a food diary. Look for connections between foods and breakouts ” and don™t forget that it might take a day or more for foods to stimulate breakouts.

One good experiment is to try doing without wheat, dairy, and sugar for a month to see if it helps. These foods have the strongest associations with acne. Substitute tubers, fruit, and beans/legumes for carbohydrate instead. If that seems like too much, try just one thing at a time.

Other factoids

During times of hormonal fluctuation (like puberty) excess sebum production likely occurs to protect hair follicle growth.

Our skin is replaced every 28 to 45 days. Sebaceous glands have receptors for neuropeptides, like endorphins.

Histamines and anti-histamines may influence sebaceous gland function.

Environmental pollutants

Environmental pollutants might bump up IGF-1 levels. Pollution ” which includes smoking ” also increases oxidation. Smoking can also influence acetylcholine, and acetylcholine can influence sebaceous gland activity.

Natural topical treatments

The plant extracts from Azadirachta indica (Neem), Sphaeranthus indicus (Hindi), Hemidesmus indicus (Sarsaparilla), Rubia cordifolia (Common Madder) and Curcuma longa (Turmeric) seem to be anti-inflammatory and might suppress bacteria on the skin that promote acne. Same with topical tea tree oil.

If you™re looking for a cheap vitamin A cream, try egg yolk. Dab it on your skin and leave it for 10 minutes or even overnight. (Just remember to wash it off eventually.)

Chamomile and peppermint tea can soothe skin irritation. Make a strong solution of chamomile and peppermint, swish your face in it, and let it sit for a while on the skin. Plain oatmeal will also calm skin down. (Again, wash it off eventually unless you™re auditioning for a zombie movie.)

Fruit acids and enzymes can give you a natural œglycolic peel. Next time you throw fruit in your Supershake, wipe your face with the pineapple or squished orange rinds. Seriously. Plain yogurt also works as a topical probiotic and exfoliating acid.

References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.