Okay, since when did I become Ms. Nutritionist?

[brightrosefox]

This confounds even me. This is a response I gave to a girl who asked about cutting back on certain foods to help improve her skin (in the beauty101 community). This is totally, completely, purely off the top of my head. I literally didn't think about what I was writing. I think I just scared myself!

It's essentially a myth that eating certain foods can cause pimples. However, the underlying fact is that the reactions your body has to certain foods can cause your skin to react badly. Pimples, acne, breakouts, are all signs that sometimes your body is trying to flush itself out through the skin. When you sweat, your body is actually secreting waste similar to urine. If your diet isn't balanced enough, if there are too many toxins or chemicals in your system, if your liver and digestive system are clogged, your skin will serve as the "waste disposal" for your internal system. You know that documentary "Super-Size Me" where the guy ate nothing but MacDonald's food for a month? Perfect example. After a while, his skin became blotchy, clogged, and greasy, and began to smell like greasy, oily fast food -- a clear indication of what was happening inside his body.

Try to cut down on, or eliminate, anything refined -- sugar, carbs, etc. Sugar and carbs are fine if they are wholesome and unrefined. Your body needs salt, but too much can cause bloating, so monitor your sodium intake. Dairy will sometimes trigger a bad reaction, but don't eliminate it completely, just cut down. Eat plenty of fresh, colorful vegetables and fruit. Take a multi-vitamin with a very high percentage of B vitamins, Zinc, Biotin, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E. Try and find one specific for skin and hair (GNC makes an excellent multi). Drink as much water as your body will hold in a day, but do not overdo it, or you run the risk of water poisoning. This happens when the body gets too much water and not enough salt. Drink until your urine turns very pale yellow or clear. If you go to the toilet and you're basically just peeing water, drink less and add a pinch of salt; or drink fruit juices instead.
Take supplements designed to flush the body of excess toxins and waste. I would recommend Stinging Nettle, Cat's Claw, Pau D'Arco, the Indian Ayurvedic blend Triphala, and Niacin -- Vitamin B3. There is also a special herbal blend for acne, called AKN Skin Care, that contains herbs like Dandelion and Burdock Root to further flush the body out. I would recommend Triphala most of all, since it contains a very very high concentration of essential vitamins, especially C.

To eliminate the red blotches left from past pimples, the best thing, aside from the diet changes, is time and proper exfoliation. Exfoliation sloughs away dead skin cells to reveal healthier, brighter, smoother, younger skin. I would recommend scrubs and masks that contain papaya extract. If you have an Ebay account, there is a mini microdermabrasion sponge from a seller named thankyoustan. that works wonders for this kind of thing.

Comments

[quietpassion.livejournal.com]

Amazing how much knowledge we accumulate without realizing it. Excellent advice. :)

[my-piece-of-sky.livejournal.com]

hehe, that's good though, it means primarily that you know how to take good care of yourself. that's def. good advice, although i do think you lean a little heavily on supplements [not that it's a bad thing, just a difference in opinion, i tend to try and reduce the # of pills i'm taking as much as possible...although i *am* taking the oxydrene sparingly, and i swear by the triphala...that stuff is, like you said, *amazing*...it gives me a good sense of calm soon after i take it too for some reason]. btw, i ordered one of those microdermbrasion thingies...i usually just use st. alp's apricot scrub, which does wonders for the skin, but that sponge thing sounds great...

[brightrosefox.livejournal.com]

You're right -- I do rely on supplements a little too much. But that's partially due to my upbringing. My mom kind of raised me on vitamins and mineral supplements. She taught me about eating right and stuff, too -- she's a health nut herself -- but the main reason we took so many herbal pills is because while I was growing up, we didn't have insurance, were stupidly poor, and rarely visited the doctor. So Mom decided to do as much research as possible on supplements that could "supplement" regular Western medicine. She found that there were much less side effect that with anything prescription. She even lowered my dad's cholesterol level by feeding him vitamin B3 -- Niacin. I swear by certain supplements, but I also know when prescription drugs are best. Mom raised me smart, too. ;)

I'm actually trying to weed out the essentials from the non-essentials and whittle it down to the main vitamins, minerals, and herbs that I need, versus the ones that "sound good".

Gods, I friggin love Triphala ... whatever it's doing, it's treating my body so very well. My skin is glowing, my hair is soft and shiny, I'm eating better, and I haven't been getting sick very often. Also, I barely notice the physical symptoms of PMS anymore.

[my-piece-of-sky.livejournal.com]

i have the same general view on supplements as i do on other 'drugs' -- the less the better, but for certain things, they are just necessary [and for alot of things, i'd much rather take the supplements]. triphala helps cramps?! i've been taking it for less than a month, but if that holds true for me, i will bow down to the stuff...i've tried *everything* for cramps, to no avail. but ya, triphala...mmm...

[brightrosefox.livejournal.com]

I dunno if and how it helps, but I don't seem to be bothered by cramps as much. Oh, try evening primrose oil! I swear that 2,000 mgs per day for the duration of the cramping makes them gone totally. 1,000 per day in general is good for maintenance.