A Holistic Approach to Clear Skin

[SoCold 2]

This thread is UNDER CONSTRUCTION and is not finished yet. If everyone could please read through and post grammatical errors, or post additions that you would like to see added, I would love to considered editing it in.

The Holistic Approach to Clear Skin: A Guide

IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE YOU READ:

This entire thread is 100% scrictly my opinion. My information and sources comes from various websites on the internet, but more then anything else my information is taken from threads and posts that I have read by spending three hours or more a day, every day, for more then a year at Acne.Org. Do not take any of the following things I have wrote about as fact or truth. Instead, if something sounds plausible and you wan't to know more about it, search for yourself. Thank you.

Section I: Food

Section II: Supplements

Section III: Exercise

Section IV: Liver Flushing and Cleansing

Section V: Stress and Acne

Section I: Food

Food (Section I) Index:

1.1 Low Carb/Sugar Fruits

1.2 High Carb/Sugar Fruits

1.3 Citrus Fruits

1.4 Low Carb/Starch Vegetables

1.5 High Carb/Starch Vegetables

1.6 Nuts and Seeds

1.7 Animal Meats

1.8 Fish and Eggs

1.9 Butters and Oils

2.1 Beverages

2.2 Problematic Beverages

2.3 Candy and "Junk" Food

2.4 The Secrets of Stevia

2.5 Grains and Milk

2.6 Common Questions Answered

2.7 Sources

Looking for something specific? Hold down the Cntrl button and press the "F" key to open up the Find function, type in what you are looking for and press Enter.

1.1 Low-Carb/Sugar Fruits

Blueberries

Avocado

Strawberries

Mango

Rhubarb

Cranberries

Raspberries

Grapefruit

Melons

Apricots

Plums

Peaches

Pears

Guava

Cherries

Papaya

Apples

Cantaloupe

Blackberries

Tomatoes

Bilberries

1.2 High-Carb/Sugar Fruits

Bananas

Kiwis

Pineapple

Oranges

Tangerine

Mango

Apples

Grapes

1.3 Citrus Fruits

Citrus foods are a common allergy, be 100% sure before you eat these foods that you do not breakout from them.

Lemons

Limes

Oranges

1.4 Low-Carb/Starch Vegetables

Swiss chard

Sprouts (bean, alfalfa, etc.)

Greens (lettuces, spinach, chard, etc.)

Hearty Greens (collards, mustard greens, kale, etc.)

Radicchio

Endive

Herbs (Particularly parsley, cilantro, basil, rosemary, thyme, etc.)

Bok Choy

Celery

Radishes

Sea Vegetables (Nori, etc)

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Cabbage (or sauerkraut)

Mushrooms

Jicama

Avocado

Cucumber (or pickles without added sugars)

Peppers (all kinds)

Summer Squash (including zuchinni)

Scallions or green onions

Asparagus

Bamboo Shoots

Leeks

Brussels Sprouts

Snow Peas (pods)

Green Beans and Wax Beans

Eggplant

Artichoke Hearts

Fennel

Onions

Okra

Spaghetti Squash

Celery Root

Turnip

Water Chestnuts

Pumpkin

Red Peppers

Lettuce

Kale

Broccoli

1.5 High Carb/Starch Vegetables

Beets

Carrots

Corn

Parsnips

Peas

Plantains

Potatoes

Winter Squashes

1.6 Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are great sources of fat, protein and the Omega's (3,6,9). If you find that you do well on a with a lot of protein and fat - try snacking on some of these nuts instead of high sugar and carb snacks! Although they are relatively expensive, I have found that snacking on nuts during the day is a great way to stay settled until dinner time! Also, be aware that peanuts are a very common allergy, so it's best to make absolutely sure you are not allergic to anything on this list before consuming them.

Pecans

Brazil Nuts

Coconut

Almonds

Walnuts

Peanuts

Cashews

Sunflower Seeds

Pumpkin Seeds

1.7 Animal Meats

Animal meats are a great source of protein and fat. Lean meats, such as chicken and turkey contain little to no fat. However, meats like beef will contain a modest amount of fat. Aim for organic, grass-fed meats if at all possible.

Chicken

Turkey

Pork

Beef

Venison

Lamb

Buffalo

1.8 Fish and Eggs

Fish is a fantastic source of protein, omega 3, tryptophan, and selenium. Take note that most fish is low in fat however, so you may want to snack on high fat nuts like walnuts if you find yourself eating a lot of fish. Try to by your fish organically from a trusted source. Mercury contamination is a very real threat when purchasing fish these days.

Eggs

Salmon

Tuna

Whiting

Bass

Swordfish

Halibut

Flathead

Hoki

Cod

Shrimp

1.9 Butters and Oils

GHEE Butter*

Coconut oil

Olive oil

*This is a dairy product.

Beverages

Water

Green tea*

Red Wine**

*Green tea is known for being anti-inflammatory.

**Red Wine (fermented grapes) may be problematic for some because of the high sugar content, however, it is also a great antioxidant.

Problematic Beverages

Alcohol (beer, liquors, wines)

Coffee

Milk

Soda

Fruit Juices (Apple Juice, Orange Juice, etc.)*

*These juices are commonly problematic, because when bought commercially, they may contain added sugar, HFCS, and other additions.

Candy and "Junk" Food

Simply put, these foods are completely and utterly useless for your body, and are commonly known to aggravate or promote acne.

Cakes (Donuts, Cinnamon Rolls etc.)

Milk Chocolate (M&Ms, Rolos, Junior Mints, Snickers, Milky Way, 3 Musketeers, Butterfinger, Payday, etc.)

Candies (This includes a plethora of sweets! Skittles, Now and Laters, Mike and Ikes, Airheads, Pixiesticks, Lemonheads, Redhots, Sprees, etc.)

Refined Flour (Commonly found in; breadsticks, pizza, white bread, donuts, cinnamon rolls, cereals, etc.)

2.4 The Secrets of Stevia

In short, Stevia is a sweet (literally!) plant that's grown in tropical South America and Central America. What's so special about it? Stevia can be substituted for refined table sugar, and is nearly 30 times more sweeter! Stevia has zero calories, less than <1 carbohydrate, and zero sugars per gram. Stevia has a rating of zero on the GI Index thus, will not raise your blood sugar levels. In fact, some studies show that Stevia can reverse your insulin levels. Stevia extract tastes very similar to sugar, and can be used to sweeten anything. More to come in this section.

2.5 Grains and Milk

Grains (also known as cereals and breads) and milk (pasteurized cow's milk) are problematic for most acne sufferers. Note that for most users, only refined grains are problematic, but for others any grain will cause acne. Click http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php...&hl=Taurine

1.4 B5 (Pantothenic Acid)

B5 is up there with Fish Oil as popular supplements. I've seen users with remarkable results with this supplement taken in huge doses (10g-20g). Be cautioned: Excess B5 has serious side effects like hair loss.

Popular Threads about B5: B5 Problems, B5 Success and Help Sticky

1.5 B-Complex

A B-Complex supplement to help acne is a relatively new theory. This popped up in LiliVG's thread about Taurine and Fructose. This may help some users and can generally be found for under $10.

Popular Threads About B-Complex: B-Complex (specifically B6) Helps Absorb Taurine

1.6 Green Tea Extract

Green Tea Extract as a supplement that has gotten a lot of attention in the past. Basically, the theory behind it is that Green Tea is an antioxidant and has chemical properties that are anti-inflammatory. Personally, I see good results in complexion when I drink Green Tea as an actual tea rather than a supplement. However, some other people have seen contradictory results. Check it out for yourself.

Note: Taking Green Tea Extract while taking Fish Oil may cause these supplements to conflict with each other. For maximum results, take one or the other.

Popular Threads About Green Tea: Green Tea Information - Antioxidants and Anti-Inflammatory

1.7 Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed Oil contains both Omega 6 (the healthy kind) and Omega 3. This helps many people to maintain a 3-6-9 balance.

Popular Threads About Flaxseed Oil: Flaxseed Oil Helps, Flaxseed Oil Help

1.8 Borage Oil

Borage Oil is great for healthy fats, and of course Omega 3 and 6.

Popular Threads About Borage Oil: Great Progress with Borage Oil, Borage Oil for Males

1.9 Multivitamin

A multivitamin would be a good pick up if your diet is limited to certain foods and you feel you may not be getting enough essential vitamins. Remember: do NOT rely on a multivitamin. Think of it as a helper, but you should try to get all the vitamins and minerals you need from the foods you eat.

Iodine: What's the big deal?

On a typical diet, most Westerners will get excess amounts of iodine from salty foods like pizza and french fries. Many people notice that excess iodine worens the severity of their acne, so they look for a multivitamin without iodine. If you are not on a restricted diet and still eat these foods (pizza, fries, etc.), you may want to consider an iodine free multivitamin.

However, if you eat a strictly no-salt diet, and avoid eating food that even has a chance of containing iodine, I recommend buying a multivitamin that does contain iodine, for the mere fact that it is a necessary nutrient and is needed in order for your body to function properly. A deficiency in iodine is known to cause a "goiter", check it out here.

Popular Threads About Multivitamins: The Perfect Multivitamin, A Superb Multivitamin Thread

2.1 Overdose Limits

Nobody wants to overdose on supplements, it's a horrible way to die, or if your lucky you may just need your stomach pumped. But anyways, how can one possibly know what their limit is? Surely everyone's body is different and it wouldn't be fair to say that the limit is x amount, so avoid that. The best way to find common overdose amounts to to do one of two things (or both):

a.) Ask your doctor. Believe it or not, doctors are good for other things besides prescribing medications. You should always tell your doctor what supplements you are taking anyways. At your next appointment, be sure to ask him if there is a certain amount or dosage he can recommend you take of your supplement(s).

b.) Follow the recommendations on the bottle. By law, the producers of any vitamin must write a recommended (and safe) amount to take write on the back of the bottle. Following these guidelines would be a smart thing to do.

Additionally, it may be a good idea to read this thread if you have any more questions about supplements.

Section III: Exercise

Exercise (Section III) Index:

1.1 Running/Walking

1.2 Weightlifting

1.3 Science and Theories

1.4 Sweat

1.1 Running/Walking

When it comes to acne, running is generally considered to be a very important part of a clearing regimen. However, the amount really differs. Some users recommend to run only when you have excess energy to burn off. Others argue that it's a must to run/walk for 20 minutes up to 45 minutes amounts of time everyday. The only person who knows what works for you, is you.

1.3 Science and Theories

Also known as a "cardio workout", many, many sources claim that running/walking daily is the best thing you can do for your body. It may reduce stress, elevate mood, keep your blood pressure low, help lose weight, and even build muscle.

Section IV: Liver Flushing/Cleansing

Liver Flushing/Cleansing (Section IV) Index:

1.1 Popular Methods

1.2 Science and Theories

1.3 Useful Websites

1.4 Users Who Recommend Liver Cleansing/Flushing

MORE TO COME

[Hello! 0]

Wow, nice job! Keep it up!

[User24582 4]

Wow, this is awesome.

[SoCold 2]

Thanks for the replies, so far

To be honest, I got really burnt out on working on it.

Everything I have so far I've done completely on my own, and I was hoping people with experience in specific areas would maybe want to write a paragraph or two about that field (such as weightlifting, liver flushing, stress (andrenals, etc.))

[Danny© 2]

I was hoping people with experience in specific areas would maybe want to write a paragraph or two about that field (such as weightlifting, liver flushing, stress (andrenals, etc.))

[SoCold 2]

Thanks a lot Danny!

[Hello! 0]

Thanks for the replies, so far

To be honest, I got really burnt out on working on it.

Everything I have so far I've done completely on my own, and I was hoping people with experience in specific areas would maybe want to write a paragraph or two about that field (such as weightlifting, liver flushing, stress (andrenals, etc.))

[Kodi 0]

I'm very excited to see the final product, when everything is polished! I am extremely exhausted from writing, but when I have recovered, I will give my two cents on the iodine-acne topic. Mainly, what I want to say is that iodine will not cause acne; rather, an extreme dose of it will unburden the nymph nodes and the toxins (bromide) released will cause the breakout. As well, iodine is commonly delivered in table salt and poor quality dairy; we all know those two items have a infamous reputation on this board. ;-)

[AlexGF 0]

why pork is not listed in the meats section?

btw great job! this is going to help lots of lost people with their diet!

[Glennart 2]

Good job!

[primo1 2]

Many many thanks for posting this. I really appreciate it.

[~ Honey ~ 0]

great post, a loot of useful info , i'm going to keep my eye on this one

[SoCold 2]

Pork added to Animal Meat section.

Thanks for the commendations, everyone

[White Fox 28]

Looking forward to the Liver Flushing/Cleansing section:)

[jmcsm 3]

If you are going to purchases some Fish Oil it is best to buy it in 1g capsules, so you are not popping 20 pills a day.