- Stop eating refined foods, white bread, cakes, sugar, soft drink.
- Globally decrease your carbohydrates intake. By carbohydrates, we mean desserts and refined foods but also your consumption of fruits and cereals. Quick tip: eat up to 2-3 fruits and 1-3 portions of cereals a day. Go for vegetables as a source of carbohydrates.
- Eat vegetables. At least 4-5 portions every day. The more you eat vegetables, the healthier you will be. So don’t refrain yourself. Raw, steamed, sautéed, in soups, in fresh juices or in salads. Vegetables are a good source of antioxidants. It is known that oxidation plays an initiating factor in the development of acne.
- Choose fruits such as grapes, strawberries and pineapples that naturally contain Alpha hydroxyl-acids (AHA). This acid exfoliates the skin by eliminating dead skin and stimulating cell regeneration.
- Make sure to have concentrated proteins in each meal: meat, poultry, fish, sardines, eggs, dairy products, legumes, tofu or temph.
- Avoid alcohol, butter, caffeine and chocolate that overload the liver
- Stay away from bad fats. Fried foods, chips, margarine, delicatessen, potted meat and sausages, trans fats found in some cookies and prepared foods. Discover coconut oil, a fatty with many benefits to use for both cooking and as a spread on organic whole grain bread.
- Eat foods rich in zinc like oysters, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Hint: a healthy cracker with an oyster is a very good appetizer but children prefer cooked versions (buy a box of smoked oysters). Zinc is antibacterial and is essential for the glands to produce. It is an ally for any skin problem.
- Try to reduce or even eliminate dairy products for two weeks and see if your acne is caused by your consumption of cheese, milk or yogurt.
- Drink good water in good quantity. To find out how much your body requires, divide your weight (in pounds) by 2. It will give you the number of ounces that you need every day. A normal glass contains about 8 ounces (1 cup). Tip: add the juice of half a lemon in your water at room temperature (the body likes temperate water), lemon helps digestion and the proper functioning of the liver.
Tips and tricks
- Stress: keep away from it. Stress unbalances your hormones and increases your chances to have acne. Learn to manage it: breathe, sunbathe, get enough sleep, exercise, go get a massage….
- Tea tree oil has antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Add one drop of tea tree essential oil to ¼ warm water and apply on the affected area with cotton wool.
- Choose a good multivitamin rich in antioxidants that will help your body fight acne. (Vitamin A, C, E, vitamin B, magnesium, zinc.)
Possible solutions
If you have gas and bloating, or if you suffer from indigestion or constipation, it may be because you have a low level of hydrochloric acid. Hypochlorhydria or low stomach acid can lead to incomplete digestion and an imbalance in the digestive system causing more waste in the body. Acne is linked to this problem. If you tend to have hard stools or to have a day without bowel movement, solve the problem as soon as possible. Good bowel function and good digestion are essential for beautiful skin. Feel free to ask your licensed naturopath for advice.
Acne is a message that something is wrong in your body: an imbalanced diet, inadequate physical care or a need for extra nutrients. Trying to find balance is not always an easy task but once equilibrium is reached, you will be comfortable in your skin!
