So, like many people that struggle with acne, I've tried everything to clear my face up. I've used numerous cleansers and acids and all they seem to do is dry my skin really bad and irritate my skin. I can't afford to see a dermatologist so I was stuck with acne. That was until I started to research ways to prevent acne by eating and not eating certain foods. In essence, this diet not only will clear up your skin but you will lose weight (along with exercise) and you will supply your body with healthy nutrients that it needs (one of the main reasons it gets rid of acne).
I have been on this diet for almost half a year now, and nothing has come close to matching the results I have seen from it. I can go weeks without a breakout, and usually that's caused because I ate something I shouldn't have.
I was skeptical that eating foods could cause acne at first. I believed all the whoha about "diets don't have anything to do with acne." I thought acne was only caused by what's on the skin (dirt and bacteria). But a lot of it has to do with what's in and under the skin. Don't ask me what it is (because I am no nutriotionist), but this diet really helps.
I started looking into a dietary method of getting rid of acne after a trip to China. I noticed while I was there that no one in China has acne. I also noticed that while I was over there my acne had almost completely cleared up. I'd stopped using cleansers and lotions while I was there, and just left my face alone and the acne cleared up. When I returned to the States I tried to leave my face alone, but the acne was coming back. That's what led me to conclude that it's not all a matter of hygiene but also diet. It was the foods I ate over there that cleared up my face.
These are things you want to avoid:
1. Dairy products: In my case, I stopped eating dairy products completely (no cheese, butter, milk, ice cream, sour cream, milk chocolate, cream soups, etc.) and that got rid of a lot of acne in a matter of days. The under-the-skin papules disappeared completely and I haven't had one since. Dairy products are high in fats which may have something to do with why they cause acne, but they are also full of hormones. Cow hormones. The last thing a teenager full of hormones needs is cow hormones.
2. Fatty foods: Don't eat fried foods. First off, they're bad for you. They contain no nutrional value whatsoever, and it's for that reason that they should be avoided if you want to battle acne. Your body needs nutrition not saturated fats and oils. Give up the fried chicken, fried ocra, and fried turkey and watch the difference.
3. Sugar: It's so hard to give it up, I know. But it's all for the best. Along with fried food, sugar is basically nutritionless. It does a whole lot more damage than good. Replace sugary treats with fresh fruits.
4. Salt: I stopped eating any product that listed salt as a main ingrediant. Why? Because most companies use Iodized salt in their products. Iodized salt causes acne and if you take it out of your diet you will see great results the next day! Your pores will get smaller, the black heads will go away, and your face will clear up. Of all the things I stopped eating, salt is the one that seems to have helped the most. Now wait, we need sodium in our diets. Correct. You can find sea salt at any grocery store that say they don't contain iodide. That's what you want. But don't be fooled. Many products claim they contain sea salt, but don't think that that means it's not iodized. Almost every product that contains salt contains iodized salt (either regular or sea salt) because Iodide is a necessary nutrient. Too much of a good thing can be bad for you though. Give up salt and watch the difference.
5. Processed foods: Microwave meals and canned foods are out! No more. Those "meals" contain so many preservatives and chemicals that you ought to just eat a periodic table of elements (it's probably healthier for you). Sorry, but in order to defeat acne you have to start cooking your own meals. 5 minute meals must become a thing of the past. The meals I make usually take about a half an hour to prepare, and all of them can be made the night before and microwaved for a quick meal on the go.
So, here's what you have been waiting for...The Acne Free Diet...
So far, I only make four different meals and I just rotate through them every week. They're simple, inexpensive, and most importantly...HEALTHY! I can almost guarantee that if this diet doesn't completely clear your acne it will significantly help prevent future breakouts.
Monday: Canned soup (I buy Cambell's Healthy Request. They're low in salt, contain no hydrogenated oils, and no milk. They're really good, filling, and easy to make.), Steamed brocolli, and a can of Mandarin oranges.
Tuesday: Two pan grilled chicken breasts seasoned with pepper and garlic, two baked potatoes (bake them without wrapping them in foil in an oven at 400 degrees for an hour...they come out with a crispy skin that's full of vitamins), and a banana.
Wednesday: Salad greens of your choice, two pan grilled chicken breasts broken into bite size pieces, a tomato, a low fat salad dressing (Low Fat Italian is what I eat), unseasoned ramen, and a peach.
Thursday: Ground beef, instant brown rice, unsalted green beans (I usually get canned but frozen would work fine), and an orange.
Friday: Two chicken breasts (pan grilled), brown rice, an unsalted can of beans of your choice (I like pinto beans but beans all taste the same), and a peach.
Saturday: Two chicken breasts (pan grilled), brown rice, steamed brocolli, unsalted corn, and a banana.
Sunday: I don't usually have time to eat so I usually just snack on stuff.
The diet does seem like much, I know. It's basically just four meals. Add fruits and vegetables at your liesure. They don't hurt at all (as long as they're not fried or smothered in sugar or salt, that is). Almost any meat is available to use as well (as long as it's not salted pork..including bacon!). The main thing is to avoid all the foods listed before. That doesn't mean you have to sacrifice flavor. Instead of salt use herbs and spices (just be careful buying spices because some of them have added salt...and that's bad!). For those of you with a sweet tooth...instead of a bowl of ice cream have some fruit or toast with jam (peaches are packed with antioxidants that are great for you skin). On those cold, wintry nights drink a cup of tea instead of hot chocolate. If you really try to avoid all of the foods listed above and stick to eating natural foods then you will improve your skin...I PROMISE!
The only other thing that I can add is...DRINK LOTS OF WATER! No soda, no milk, no coffee...WATER! All of those drinks contain ingrediants that reek havoc on your body and on your skin. Try to drink eight glasses of water a day. I've been drinking about 16 and it helps. It's hard to get used to, but once you start you'll see the difference. Try to only drink water. I drink a glass of tea every day too and that has also helped.
Try this diet out and I promise you will see results. You don't have to follow that meal plan if you don't want to. It works for me so that's why I put it up. Use the foods you like. You may find the food "boring" but after two weeks your taste buds will adjust and you'll find that a lot of foods are sweet and salty enough without the added boost from the white poisons. lol Make it your own, experiment, and tell me what you think. Like I said, it can only help!
Below is a list of the foods mentioned above and their average prices at Walmart just so you can kind of figure how much it costs...
Meats:
Ground Beef $1.88 per pound
Frozen Chicken $5.50 per bag
Vegetables:
Carrots $1.50
Broccoli $1.97
Tomatoes $1.86
Salad Mix $2.50
Fruit:
Bananas $.83
Peaches $1.27
Oranges $3.50
Canned Products:
Pinto beans $.44
Green beans $.50
Mandarin Oranges $.84
Canned Soup $1.58
Misc:
Brown Rice $1.28
Whole Wheat Bread $1.64
Ramen $.10
Strawberry Jam $1.50
Italian Salad Dressing $1.28
Green Tea $2.24
Blackberry Jelly $1.87
For lunch I have the same meal everyday. So far, it hasn't gotten old, but I'm sure others would find that it gets real old real quick. For lunch I have two PBJ sandwiches, a banana, an orange, a handful of carrots and a quart of water. But when it comes to the other question, yeah, I just rotate through four basic meals, but that's just me. You can be flexible and experiment. The main thing is to avoid salt, sugar, dairy, and fried or fatty foods. Hell, if you can afford some sea food and fish then you'd be doing even better.
So, like many people that struggle with acne, I've tried everything to clear my face up. I've used numerous cleansers and acids and all they seem to do is dry my skin really bad and irritate my skin. I can't afford to see a dermatologist so I was stuck with acne. That was until I started to research ways to prevent acne by eating and not eating certain foods. In essence, this diet not only will clear up your skin but you will lose weight (along with exercise) and you will supply your body with healthy nutrients that it needs (one of the main reasons it gets rid of acne).
I have been on this diet for almost half a year now, and nothing has come close to matching the results I have seen from it. I can go weeks without a breakout, and usually that's caused because I ate something I shouldn't have.
I was skeptical that eating foods could cause acne at first. I believed all the whoha about "diets don't have anything to do with acne." I thought acne was only caused by what's on the skin (dirt and bacteria). But a lot of it has to do with what's in and under the skin. Don't ask me what it is (because I am no nutriotionist), but this diet really helps.
I started looking into a dietary method of getting rid of acne after a trip to China. I noticed while I was there that no one in China has acne. I also noticed that while I was over there my acne had almost completely cleared up. I'd stopped using cleansers and lotions while I was there, and just left my face alone and the acne cleared up. When I returned to the States I tried to leave my face alone, but the acne was coming back. That's what led me to conclude that it's not all a matter of hygiene but also diet. It was the foods I ate over there that cleared up my face.
These are things you want to avoid:
1. Dairy products: In my case, I stopped eating dairy products completely (no cheese, butter, milk, ice cream, sour cream, milk chocolate, cream soups, etc.) and that got rid of a lot of acne in a matter of days. The under-the-skin papules disappeared completely and I haven't had one since. Dairy products are high in fats which may have something to do with why they cause acne, but they are also full of hormones. Cow hormones. The last thing a teenager full of hormones needs is cow hormones.
2. Fatty foods: Don't eat fried foods. First off, they're bad for you. They contain no nutrional value whatsoever, and it's for that reason that they should be avoided if you want to battle acne. Your body needs nutrition not saturated fats and oils. Give up the fried chicken, fried ocra, and fried turkey and watch the difference.
3. Sugar: It's so hard to give it up, I know. But it's all for the best. Along with fried food, sugar is basically nutritionless. It does a whole lot more damage than good. Replace sugary treats with fresh fruits.
4. Salt: I stopped eating any product that listed salt as a main ingrediant. Why? Because most companies use Iodized salt in their products. Iodized salt causes acne and if you take it out of your diet you will see great results the next day! Your pores will get smaller, the black heads will go away, and your face will clear up. Of all the things I stopped eating, salt is the one that seems to have helped the most. Now wait, we need sodium in our diets. Correct. You can find sea salt at any grocery store that say they don't contain iodide. That's what you want. But don't be fooled. Many products claim they contain sea salt, but don't think that that means it's not iodized. Almost every product that contains salt contains iodized salt (either regular or sea salt) because Iodide is a necessary nutrient. Too much of a good thing can be bad for you though. Give up salt and watch the difference.
5. Processed foods: Microwave meals and canned foods are out! No more. Those "meals" contain so many preservatives and chemicals that you ought to just eat a periodic table of elements (it's probably healthier for you). Sorry, but in order to defeat acne you have to start cooking your own meals. 5 minute meals must become a thing of the past. The meals I make usually take about a half an hour to prepare, and all of them can be made the night before and microwaved for a quick meal on the go.
So, here's what you have been waiting for...The Acne Free Diet...
So far, I only make four different meals and I just rotate through them every week. They're simple, inexpensive, and most importantly...HEALTHY! I can almost guarantee that if this diet doesn't completely clear your acne it will significantly help prevent future breakouts.
Monday: Canned soup (I buy Cambell's Healthy Request. They're low in salt, contain no hydrogenated oils, and no milk. They're really good, filling, and easy to make.), Steamed brocolli, and a can of Mandarin oranges.
Tuesday: Two pan grilled chicken breasts seasoned with pepper and garlic, two baked potatoes (bake them without wrapping them in foil in an oven at 400 degrees for an hour...they come out with a crispy skin that's full of vitamins), and a banana.
Wednesday: Salad greens of your choice, two pan grilled chicken breasts broken into bite size pieces, a tomato, a low fat salad dressing (Low Fat Italian is what I eat), unseasoned ramen, and a peach.
Thursday: Ground beef, instant brown rice, unsalted green beans (I usually get canned but frozen would work fine), and an orange.
Friday: Two chicken breasts (pan grilled), brown rice, an unsalted can of beans of your choice (I like pinto beans but beans all taste the same), and a peach.
Saturday: Two chicken breasts (pan grilled), brown rice, steamed brocolli, unsalted corn, and a banana.
Sunday: I don't usually have time to eat so I usually just snack on stuff.
The diet does seem like much, I know. It's basically just four meals. Add fruits and vegetables at your liesure. They don't hurt at all (as long as they're not fried or smothered in sugar or salt, that is). Almost any meat is available to use as well (as long as it's not salted pork..including bacon!). The main thing is to avoid all the foods listed before. That doesn't mean you have to sacrifice flavor. Instead of salt use herbs and spices (just be careful buying spices because some of them have added salt...and that's bad!). For those of you with a sweet tooth...instead of a bowl of ice cream have some fruit or toast with jam (peaches are packed with antioxidants that are great for you skin). On those cold, wintry nights drink a cup of tea instead of hot chocolate. If you really try to avoid all of the foods listed above and stick to eating natural foods then you will improve your skin...I PROMISE!
The only other thing that I can add is...DRINK LOTS OF WATER! No soda, no milk, no coffee...WATER! All of those drinks contain ingrediants that reek havoc on your body and on your skin. Try to drink eight glasses of water a day. I've been drinking about 16 and it helps. It's hard to get used to, but once you start you'll see the difference. Try to only drink water. I drink a glass of tea every day too and that has also helped.
Try this diet out and I promise you will see results. You don't have to follow that meal plan if you don't want to. It works for me so that's why I put it up. Use the foods you like. You may find the food "boring" but after two weeks your taste buds will adjust and you'll find that a lot of foods are sweet and salty enough without the added boost from the white poisons. lol Make it your own, experiment, and tell me what you think. Like I said, it can only help!
Below is a list of the foods mentioned above and their average prices at Walmart just so you can kind of figure how much it costs...
Meats:
Ground Beef $1.88 per pound
Frozen Chicken $5.50 per bag
Vegetables:
Carrots $1.50
Broccoli $1.97
Tomatoes $1.86
Salad Mix $2.50
Fruit:
Bananas $.83
Peaches $1.27
Oranges $3.50
Canned Products:
Pinto beans $.44
Green beans $.50
Mandarin Oranges $.84
Canned Soup $1.58
Misc:
Brown Rice $1.28
Whole Wheat Bread $1.64
Ramen $.10
Strawberry Jam $1.50
Italian Salad Dressing $1.28
Green Tea $2.24
Blackberry Jelly $1.87
Half of the stuff you eat I dont agree with at all. You said not to eat things out of a can in your explanation and in your food list you eat soups and veggies.
Getting fresh is always best, but if you cant, then frozen is the next best alternative. Mandarin oranges in a can? That probably is all corn syrup. Also frozen chicken doesnt seem healthy, fresh is always best, actually organic is the only kind ill eat because of hormones, yes chickens have hormones injected as well as cows. Salad dressing should be olive oil and maybe balsamic.
Anyways, thanks for the post, hope it works for you
I like the replies. Now for some explanation. When I was talking about avoiding canned and processed foods I was talking about microwave dinners, raviolli, mac and cheese, and so on and so forth. Buying frozen is the best way to go, but on tight budgets it's also the more expensive route. Same with the frozen chicken. Obviously, buying all natural foods is the best thing to do, but it's also the most expensive (why it's more expensive to let something grow naturally is beyond me, but it is). If you have money to spend then by all means indulge, but if you're on a tight budget there is an alternative to TV dinners and canned meals. So, I agree with everything you said, I just had to explain my choices of food.
Also, when it comes to potatoes...you may be right. I don't know, but I'm not concerned about the glycemic index. When I say avoid sugars I'm talking about the granulated, processed sugars not the natural sugars. (Oh, and the mandarin oranges are a splurge for sure because they do have a lot of corn syrup so buy the ones in light syrup) This site contains all the info you could ever want on a potato ( http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c20ig.html ). If you're a carb junky then eating a potato is a good way of getting a lot of carbs without eating other foods that may be full of salt and fat. They're also packed with vitamin c and fiber. I used to have a high pace job so I ate potatoes instead of a huge bowl of pasta for my carbs. If you're trying to lose weight avoid potatoes, but if not then dig in.
Getting fresh is always best, but if you cant, then frozen is the next best alternative. Mandarin oranges in a can? That probably is all corn syrup. Also frozen chicken doesnt seem healthy, fresh is always best, actually organic is the only kind ill eat because of hormones, yes chickens have hormones injected as well as cows. Salad dressing should be olive oil and maybe balsamic.
Anyways, thanks for the post, hope it works for you
I like the replies. Now for some explanation. When I was talking about avoiding canned and processed foods I was talking about microwave dinners, raviolli, mac and cheese, and so on and so forth. Buying frozen is the best way to go, but on tight budgets it's also the more expensive route. Same with the frozen chicken. Obviously, buying all natural foods is the best thing to do, but it's also the most expensive (why it's more expensive to let something grow naturally is beyond me, but it is). If you have money to spend then by all means indulge, but if you're on a tight budget there is an alternative to TV dinners and canned meals. So, I agree with everything you said, I just had to explain my choices of food.
Also, when it comes to potatoes...you may be right. I don't know, but I'm not concerned about the glycemic index. When I say avoid sugars I'm talking about the granulated, processed sugars not the natural sugars. (Oh, and the mandarin oranges are a splurge for sure because they do have a lot of corn syrup so buy the ones in light syrup) This site contains all the info you could ever want on a potato ( http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c20ig.html ). If you're a carb junky then eating a potato is a good way of getting a lot of carbs without eating other foods that may be full of salt and fat. They're also packed with vitamin c and fiber. I used to have a high pace job so I ate potatoes instead of a huge bowl of pasta for my carbs. If you're trying to lose weight avoid potatoes, but if not then dig in.
Not meaning to be an asshole here but I can tell two things from looking at that diet. One, your acne probably wasn't bad at all. And two, you probably weight a buck 20 wet and holding a brick. Im glad your acne cleared up, Just not sure a lot of guys would be willing to trade their strength and size for having pretty skin.
4. Salt: I stopped eating any product that listed salt as a main ingrediant. Why? Because most companies use Iodized salt in their products. Iodized salt causes acne and if you take it out of your diet you will see great results the next day! Your pores will get smaller, the black heads will go away, and your face will clear up. Of all the things I stopped eating, salt is the one that seems to have helped the most. Now wait, we need sodium in our diets. Correct. You can find sea salt at any grocery store that say they don't contain iodide. That's what you want. But don't be fooled. Many products claim they contain sea salt, but don't think that that means it's not iodized. Almost every product that contains salt contains iodized salt (either regular or sea salt) because Iodide is a necessary nutrient. Too much of a good thing can be bad for you though. Give up salt and watch the difference.
hmm...interesting...One thing I really have to clear up is...IT'S NOT PRE COOKED CHICKEN! It's frozen, raw chicken. It's not cooked in any way whatsoever. It's boneless, skinless chicken breasts. That's all I'm talking about. I don't know what all the hubbabulloo is about the chicken. It's chicken...the white meat. There's nothing unhealthy about chicken.
Now, the other thing is that this diet in no way makes you thinner or leaner. That's really up to you. This is no dainty foods diet. This is not at all meant to lose weight. I eat huge servings. I'm not talking about a small portion. When I eat brown rice I'm eating a cup (dry...about two cups after it's cooked). Rice is basically carbs and protein and that's it. Four meals a week with two chicken breasts...that's eight chicken breasts a week...also full of protein. Beans....protein. A half a pound of ground beef...lots of protein and fat. So, when it comes to losing weight on this diet...it's not going to happen unless you want it to. I weigh 150 lbs. I weighed 150 lbs before I started the diet. I haven't gained a pound and I haven't lost a pound. And when it comes to someone with a high metabolism...that's who I designed it for...ME! I've got a super high metabolism and I'm a carb junky. I live on carbs. I used to eat bowls of noodles every night just to keep my energy up. That's why I've included potatoes (even though apparently their the evil of the world...I was unaware, but I love them so...oh well) and rice with just about every meal. So, yeah, it's not a diet to lose weight...just the breakouts.
When it comes to losing strength and size...didn't happen. Before two weeks ago I was working behind the bar and I had to lift and organize full kegs every night along with carrying numerous cases of beer. Didn't have a problem whatsoever. I'm not talking about eating tofu and rice cakes, here. This is real food. It may not suit a body builder, but it's not like you'll turn into Peewee Herman while eating these foods.
Good to know about the salt...I got information that stated otherwise, but upon further investigation you're absolutely right...so scratch the salt being iodized in products that have salt. I've been looking deeper into why not eating salt seems to help me overcome acne. If I ate products with a lot of salt I would breakout in a matter of minutes. I stopped eating products with high levels of salt and it's helped a lot.
I found this article which may answer part of the question...maybe you'll find it helpful too...(I'm still digging for info though because I drink at least 13 glasses of water a day)
Water retention is a major cause of acne
Learn how water retention can cause acne and how to avoid it.
Water retention is when there is a buildup of water in the tissues and spaces between cells.
Water retention results from excess pressure on the blood vessels. Water then begins to leak into the surrounding tissue.
There are many known causes of water retention. The biggest cause of it is actually from not drinking enough water. When you don't give your body adequate amounts of water, it will begin to store water in the tissues for survival. When you supply your body with regular glasses of water it will stop storing water.
Diet also plays a major role in water retention. Salt is one of the biggest food related causes. Too much processed salt in the body causes the water inside the cells to come out to dilute the excess salt. To remove excess salt, you need to drink lots of fresh water so it can be flushed out of your liver and kidneys.
Other foods and liquids like excess sugar, toxins in the body and alcohol cause retention by putting strain on your kidneys and slows them down.
Other than diet it is also important that you have healthy kidneys, as kidney disease and other complications all contribute to water retention. The other factor is exercise, which helps keep the lymphatic system active which is essential for removing access fluid from the bodyas tissues.
How does water retention affect acne?
The pressure on the skin cells that water retention produces, causes the pores of the skin to become blocked. Inside these trapped pores, bacteria mixes with skin oil, dead skin cells, and toxins to cause acne.
If you also happen to have over-productive sebum producing glands, you could potentially have quite serious acne.
How do you combat water retention?
* As you read a little earlier, it could be as simple as drinking more water. 6-8 glasses a day would be a good rule of thumb.
* Exercising for at least 30 minutes each day to stimulate the lymph and promote healthy elimination of toxins and body waste.
* Going easy on food additives such as sugar and salt. If you do eat excessively salty foods, be sure to drink plenty of water afterwards.
There are other methods to reducing water retention. One of them is by using diuretics. These cause excess water to be expelled from the body. There are many types of diuretics.
Cucumber juice is known to be an excellent diuretic. Herbs such as Dandelion leaf have also been known for hundreds of years as diuretic in effect.
from: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/2-13-2006-88763.asp
I didn't know that...that may be why...who knows?
I like all the replies, but let's try to stick to commenting on the foods and not how puny I must be since I seem to be eating a diet that doesn't fit my lifestyle...I can assure you that I'm very active (I live in Colorado after all...) and I have a very high metabolism and I haven't lost a pound. Let's talk about the foods. And please someone find some info as to why in the world everyone is up in arms about this chicken thing. What's wrong with it? (and you can skip the injected stuff that's in it because I've already said I'd love to buy natural foods but I can't afford it...)
Actually, U.S. federal regulation prohibits the administering of hormones to chickens, so no worries about the chickens unless they were imported from another country. I don't know how much of the chicken supply is imported, but I don't think it's a lot. Maybe it says on the package somewhere where it came from?
I think the perfect acne-free diet can be summed up in a few points
Avoid high glycemic load (GI) foods (ie sugars, white flour etc) this causes insulin spikes which causes sebum production
Avoid solid saturated fats (meat, dairy) , consume 'thin' oils like fish oil, olive oils, thin oils
Hey everybody--look up Paleo Diet for acne... seems like everyone on this board who has success with diet loosely follows Paleo.
Brief summary as follows:
Fresh fruits and veggies--all you can eat; maybe easy on the bananas if high-glycemic is a problem for you.
Grassfeed meat and pastured chicken--all you can eat.
Limit roots and tubers (potatoes, carrots, etc).
Eliminate all grains (especially gluten) except whole grain brown rice.
Eliminate all dairy.
Eliminate all "processed" miscellania; sugar, candy, soda, red bull, chips, etc.
Try it for a week.
Thank you so much for posting this! I KNOW there are certain foods that cause me to break out and I am still trying to pin down what they are. I am SO very sensitive and I have tried everything. My skin right now looks terrible (broken out) and Ive been in tears over it. My diet is usually good although I enjoy some foods that I think are the reason why I recently broke out. Also I am tryng to drink more water and get to the gym 3x a week.
ALSO ANYONE - ( I have tried EVERYTHING for my skin!) I feel like right now, I have so many products I don't know what to use. I started using Clinique (wash, clarifuing lotion, and benzyl) 3 weeks ago and my skin actually looks worse right now (could be from diet). So, I stopped using it and went back to what my derm. told me to use (not sure if this stuff is good either). He told me to use Safe Gaurd soap and Corn Huskers Lotion - and that's it! Any thoughts? I just orderd Bosica Gel which I had used before (I saw great results - should have stuck with that).
Anyway- Im STILL, at age 28, trying to figure out what to use. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Again - thank you so much for posting what you did. I printed it out.
