I realized that my problem was an internal one merely reflecting itself on my poor, abused face. Over the course of a few years I tried and tested different ideas and remedies with gradual progress in the reduction of my acne. Eventually I was hitting the nail on the head and now today I have virtually clear skin save for the occasional minor bump here and there. Of course I have to deal with the fading of the marks that the condition left on my face but I also learned how to help that heal a little faster as well.
Seeing so many people suffer with acne (including myself) has inspired me to bring to you a compilation of natural, healthy tips and remedies so you can feel good about your appearance not only once again but once and for all.
Let's start with diet. If you have acne, chances are you might not have the healthiest diet. It might not be complete trash, but their very well may be a few things that are leading you to ultimately break out. Personally, I found that really cutting down on (even cutting out) refined sugar, processed grains, and dairy made a significant improvement in my skin. Why? Because I realized I very well might be having issues with my blood sugar and insulin that were leading me to break out. I ate lots of wheat products (bread, pasta, bagels, doughnuts, cookies, cake), sugary foods (candy, very sweet fruits, soda, juice, etc) and dairy (ice cream, yogurt and processed cheese). I'm sure I also ate plenty of trans fats within all of those processed foods. I didn't eat too many vegetables and probably not enough quality fats and protein. Those sugary, refined foods were causing massive spikes in my blood sugar which ultimately were messing with my hormones, making my skin oily and causing me to produce thick, skin clogging sebum. Instead of eating those foods I switched to foods that wouldn't throw my body out of wack. Here are some general dietary guidelines I began to follow:
1) I made sure to get plenty of quality proteins including eggs (until I became vegan), tofu, soy yogurt, tempeh, all kinds of beans, lentils, pumpkin seeds, hemp, sunflower seeds, natural peanut butter, and almonds.
2) I really cut back on wheat (even whole wheat) and now get my carbohydrates from low glycemic sou,rces such sweet potatoes, beans, starchy veggies, soy yogurt, and low sugar fruits.
3) I added necessary healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, ground flaxseed, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, avocados and even some very dark chocolate. I no longer get urges to binge on sugar as I did before because my blood sugar is stable and I don't suffer the horrible breakouts as a result. So, basically, if you are desperate to see some improvement in the appearance of your skin, I would suggest dramatically shifting your diet to a low glycemic whole foods plan for a week or two and note (and enjoy) the changes you observe. Okay, so I've described how you should makeover your diet as a whole. Now I'm going to let you know about some specific dietary additions that really helped not only my acne disappear but my face to heal from the ravages of perpetual breakouts.
1) First, make sure you are getting plenty of vitamin A in your diet. You can get this from red palm oil (I use Jungle Products Extra Virgin Red Palm Oil), pumpkin, sweet potatoes, carrots, red bell peppers, leafy greens such as spinach, kale, turnip greens, and romaine, broccoli, avocados, and cayenne pepper. Vitamin A is crucial for healing your skin and giving you a healthy glow.
2) Another vitamin that is crucial for skin healing is vitamin C which can be found in red bell peppers, broccoli, strawberries, kiwi, oranges, cauliflower and kale. I'd recommend getting it from vegetables instead of fruits simply because they are lower in sugar but a small intake of fruit should be fine unless you experience problems with it.
3) Yet another essential vitamin is vitamin E. Find this in sunflower seeds, red palm oil, avocados, almonds, and olives.
4) And don't forget zinc. Some research suggests that zinc deficiencies can actually cause acne and if you subsist on a processed, refined diet chances are you don't have enough zinc in your system. You can get zinc from meat (choose organic), pumpkin seeds, yogurt and mushrooms. I would highly recommend a zinc supplement of at least 15 to 20 mg a day as well.
5) Now get some healthy probiotic, cultured and/or fermented foods in your diet. The healthy bacteria found in these foods will really revitalize your digestion and boost your immune system helping to balance your entire body. I found that eating plenty of plain yogurt (I chose soy yogurt) really helped my digestion. If possible, buy organic and avoid yogurt with loads of sugar. Make sure it has live, active cultures in it. Other good picks for good bacteria are tempeh (a fermented soybean cake), miso (a fermented soybean paste), kombucha (a cultured tea), kefir, kimchi and even saurkraut if it's homemade.
6) Finally, drink your tea. Indulge yourself in as much green tea, spearmint tea and chamomile tea (as long as its plain) as you want. All three have been shown to improve acne in sufferers. You can even rub a used tea bag on your skin for a nice toning and cooling effect. Now that your diet has been transformed, you should see steady improvements in your skin as time progresses. However, there are a few additional natural remedies you can utilize to further help your skin.
1) First, when cleaning your face, use only all natural oil based soaps. I like Dr. Bronner's soaps. Oil based soaps will clean your face gently without robbing it of the moisture it needs. I saw dramatic improvement in the texture and softness of my skin with the addition of oil based soaps. To wash your face, just make sure you use cold water (hot water dries out the skin) and a clean wet washcloth and then simply rub the lathered up wash cloth in a gentle, circular motion until you get the dirt and dead skin off. Follow up with a rinse of cold water. I noticed that switching from hot water to cold water made my pores tighter, my skin smoother and my complexion a lot brighter because the cold water hydrates your skin and boosts the circulation. See aloe vera and acne tips too
2) Utilize the power of raw aloe vera gel. Check your local health food store, gardening center or even a larger supermarket like Shop Rite or Weis for whole, raw aloe vera leaves. These amazing plants are wonderful for toning, calming and healing the skin as well as tightening your pores. After you clean your face, simple cut open the aloe vera leaf, scrape out some of the raw gel and spread a thin layer over your entire face. Leave it on until it completely dries and you will notice a more radiant, calm and glowing complexion almost immediately! It also tones the skin wonderfully and prevents it from getting super oily later in the day.
3) Take advantage of supplements. In addition to zinc, there are a myriad of supplements you can take to improve the condition of your skin. Chromium is one that helps control blood sugar levels thus preventing acne. A good amount to take can range from 200 to 500 mcg a day. MSM, which is basically sulfur, is also wonderful for rebuilding your cells. Sulfur, although naturally abundant in raw foods, is lost in much of the processing/cooking that many foods go through so supplementing is never a bad idea. Another supplement you should consider adding is vitamin C. Vitamin C builds collagen, fights free radicals and is crucial for healing scars and maintaining bright healthy skin. Now, you can vitamin C in your diet pretty easily, but I found that supplementing with an additional 500 to 1000 mg a day made my skin heal a lot faster.
4) Take your flax (or stir it into water, smoothies, yogurt, salads, etc). Flax regulates your hormones, keeps you regular with fiber and contains essential fatty acids crucial to skin health. I take about four tablespoons a day either by itself, in smoothies or stirred into soy yogurt. The results? Softer skin and even a better mood!
5) Enjoy some unsweetened cocoa powder. To use this mix it into smoothies, or make a hot cocoa drink with plain soymilk and a little stevia to sweeten. Cocoa has been shown to improve blood flow to the skin. You don't need anything expensive. Hershey's brand will do. Okay, well there you have it. I have given you a detailed idea of various natural solutions you can employ if clearer skin is your goal. Try these tips out and not only will you skin improve but chances are so will your energy levels, digestion and mood!
