Since our body rely on the type of food we eat, it is but natural to expect that anything that happens to the digestive system will manifest themselves outside the body. Such an example is when one eats infected raw meat. One may pass helminths or worms in the stool as a consequence of eating infected raw meat. The same thing happens with our skin. When our digestive system does not work properly, problems in this system manifests in our skin. A slow functioning digestive system maybe the culprint of many skin disorders such as eczema, boils, body odor and in particular, acne.

Depending on how well the digestive system breaks down the food we eat, our body uses these processed food for energy. This system may fail as a result of overfatigue and stress leading to increase production of body toxins giving rise to various skin diseases including acne. When such condition persists, other system of our body gets affected and ultimately damages the whole body.

Essential in the digestive process is the HCL or hydrochloric acid. This is the substance that helps breakdown and process the different nourishment we take into complex substances for distribution and utilization of the different organs and systems of the body. Any alteration in the level of hydrochloric acid as well as its pH will have a resultant effect to the whole system but will certainly manifest on the skin. Some of the conditions that may affect the hydrochloric acid’s ph and level are (1) attacks of P. Helicobacter- this is the bacteria responsible for causing duodenal ulcer of which alters the pH of the HCL, (2) excessive intake of junk foods and lesser food intake – this further alter’s pH and level of HCL acid in the stomach, with less food, high levels and high pH of the HCL acid (3) excess dietary sugar and fats (4) hypothyroidism and malfunctioning adrenalin glands – which slows the metabolic rate resulting to slow digestive process.

Changes in the level of ydrochloric contributes to prevalence of adult acne in addition to other serious diseases and skin disorders. If you are using antibiotics for a long time, this can also cause decrease in  HCL in the stomach. Due to the reaction of the body to excess chemicals in the body from long term usage of antibiotics, acne develops as a manifestation of impaired immune system. This condition along with a sluggish digestive system causes the acne to flare up resulting to acne vulgaris. This are big, multiple acne that almost covers entirely the face. The toxins that the body cannot excrete is excreted in the skin, since it is the largest organ of the body and also functions as an excretory system.

Antibiotics that has been prescribed for minor ailments typically destroys the target bacteria or organism. But any living organism, when subjected to the same mode and intensity of treatment develops immunity against it, thus the usual treatment given will no longer be effective, yet it will cause the target bacteria to mutate, making it difficult to destroy. In addition, our reliance on taking the same antibiotic without proper physician consultation helps to mask certain disease process and will only manifest through the skin as our immune system weakens.

Research results  shows that diet plays an important role in acne prevention. Notice that the people who does not follow the western diet have fewer serious acne outbreaks? Western diet constitutes fried foods, burgers and soda. It is generally less healthy than the diet followed by people who live East.

Photo by sweetonveg

Acne is a warning sign that something's not right somewhere within the physical and psychological realms of your being.

Acne is not caused by bacterial infection, acne is what causes the bacterial infection. The bacteria, Propionibacterium Acnes (P. Acnes), are a normal part of your skin surface. In fact, they are a beneficial resident on everybody’s skin surface – their job is to repel other bacteria, which are way more harmful for you, and to maintain the natural balance of your skin. Even if you don’t suffer from acne, the bacteria are there as guardians and play a role in helping to keep your skin elastic.
Our skin’s relationship with P. Acnes is symbiotic – a “you-scratch-my-back-and-I’ll-scratch-yours” way of getting along. In a normal biological role these acne bacteria feed on the oil from the sebum glands and on perspiration. In turn, they protect our skin from invaders and supply chemicals that keep our skin supple.

Also, P. Acnes, is not contagious – we all have it. Your friend or neighbor can’t claim you are the fault of  their acne breakout. Some of the bacteria can even be found in our digestive track. The case is the same with Streptococcus Bacteria. We all have it. So, why don’t we all get tonsillitis or a strep throat? The reason is that, like acne bacteria, it will not pose a problem unless the conditions in the body are set up to allow a specific environment that encourages the growth of the strep.

P. Acnes bacteria encourages acne formations if the production of oil (sebum) on the face is excessive. A surplus of this oil is prompted by any number of changes in the body. So, to prevent acne, you do not want to kill the bacteria, but you do want the amount of bacteria on your skin to exist at an optimal balance. To optimize or balance the oil secretions, you need to understand and control your response to hormonal, nutritional, environmental and even psychological challenges. Blood toxicity plays a role, too.

Here are the mechanics of acne vulgaris and the role P. Acnes play. Due to overproduction of oil (sebum), the pore or hair follicle becomes clogged and the normal skin bacteria will start to grow unabated in the blocked pore. This growth causes the bacteria to alter the composition of the trapped sebum, converting it to free fatty acids that irritate the skin.

Blood toxins play a role, too. Often, your body uses your skin to rid itself of blood toxins that are not being eliminated in other ways. Add blood toxins to the combination of too much sebum and the out-of-control growth of P. Acnes, and you’ve got some big red problems in store for your skin. The body then calls upon white and red blood cells to defend itself. This inflammatory response results in the  symptoms of acne that can include blackheads, whiteheads, pustules (pimples or zits) and cysts.

Medicines applied to the acne kills the bacteria superficially, thereby reducing the inflammation but does not assure you of acne free skin permanently. Antibiotics will kill the bacteria for the short term – along with a number of other bacteria that our bodies need. Also, antibiotics get less effective the more they are used. To ensure that your skin remains acne free permanently, you need to restore the internal balance of your system. Simultaneously, the bacteria on the surface of the skin should be maintained at a normal level (P. Acnes, too!) so that your complexion becomes radiant once again.

Thus, acne is a presentation of symptoms, a warning sign that something’s not right somewhere within the physical and psychological realms of your being. In other words, P. Acnes, while it does a very messy job of it, is simply the messenger telling you that something needs to be fixed.

Photo by chego101

Chocolates do not, in itself, cause acne outbreak. It's what IN the chocolate bar that matters

Much has been said about causes and treatment of acne. Below are some myths and rationale as to why they are true and otherwise.

Myth I: Acne is caused by eating nuts and chocolates.

Though no book in dermatology says so, this is not a reason for you to indulge. Certain food products causes allergic reactions and these allergic reactions may mistakenly be thought of as pimples, which explains why most people thought that nuts and chocolates causes pimples. What you can do is try to prove to yourself which is which. Eat both chocolates and nuts and examine if not eating or reducing your intake of these two type of food will decrease your oil or sebum production. If you already have a pimple, consider avoiding chocolate and nuts and see if there is any changes in the rate of how quickly or slow your pimple heals.

Myth II: You’re scarred for life when you’ve been scarred by acne.

Just like any part of our body that went through some wound healing, it does not go back to the way it was before especially if the dermis or the deeper layer of the skin has been involved. Yes, this myth holds some truth to it. To avoid scars, refrain from piercing the pimples especially when they contain pus. The pus that escapes out of the zit scatters to a larger area, (because you have pierced the pimple) exposing a larger area where pus can flow and bacteria to stay and do its damage.

Myth III: Acne healing can be hasten by putting toothpaste.

Most of our toothpaste has menthol which speeds up drying. Another good exfoliant is baking soda which is also present in our toothpaste. But, most of our toothpaste contains chloride which can counter any effects of the two ingredients mentioned herein to hasten pimple drying up. It may do more harm than good. You can treat a spot by making a creamy paste from mixing baking soda and water. This is done for three days and if there’s no improvement, you better see your dermatologist for an expert opinion.

Myth IV: Extraction is the only process that will rid you a pimple.

Would you go through that pain to rid yourself of that pimple? Harvard dermatologists developed a device called free electron laser which can destroy parts of the sebaceous glands that produces oil without harming our skin’s upper layer. No news if anyone went through with it yet. Would you like to be the first?

Myth V: More sweat, more break out.

When you work out, your testosterone level increases that makes your sebaceous glands produce more oil. These oil secretions can clog your pores if left unchecked. Now, the gym dirt may contribute to your break outs. Where did you place your towel after wiping your sweat? Are you sure you placed it in a clean area or you just hanged to the iron bar for the muscle lifting? Then, here you are again, wiping the sweat from your face and neck. The sweat is not the cause then. Well, you already know the answer to that.

Photo by EverJean

Can your toothpaste be causing your acne breakout? You'd be surprised.

With advance in technology, we pay or we give up something. During the earlier times, have you ever wonder, why are there rarely any commercials that advertises acne treatment products? Maybe, just maybe, the market is too small or maybe, the causes of having an acne are limited and relief is found in a very short time that no one experimented with skin products and started making money on making our face look the same way as before.

Knowing the causes of our problems will help us discover the solutions to such problem. The same with skin acne, the better we understand what promotes its proliferation or exacerbation, the more easier for us to explore the options we have in finding the needed treatment for this ageless skin ailment.

There are times in our life that we cannot thoroughly clean our face before we go to sleep. This is called residue. The excess oil, dirt, pollution and product residue from our faces are left to clog our pores, thus irritating them and causing acne.

Developmental stages bring about changes as well as life-situations. Hormones either fall or rise up which is also responsible for the sprouting of our facial skin disease. Moreover, stability of our hormones are further disrupted by stress. With stress, we become agitated, anxious making it difficult to catch some sleep and relax. If this is so, our body’s natural defense against infection falters and bacteria sees an opportunity to stay and do some damage.

Thinking that washing up does not cause acne? Think again, you might be wrong. When we wash our face, some of the cosmetic ingredients we used are not totally cleansed off, leaving them to clog our pores. These ingredients are called comedogens. They can cause acne when they are not totally washed off. Some products that has no connection to skin causes acne, such as toothpaste, shampoos, conditioners and other hair products. These can trickle down your face, neck and back so that when you perspire causes the pores to clog, influencing the bacteria-causing acne. This also explains why some people have acne on their backs and arms. If it runs in the family, it could also be the reason that you get acne however much you stay out of the causes.

Some activities that you do, medications you take, foods that you eat can contribute to the occurrence of your acne. Swimming pool water has chloride as well as your toothpaste. Some individuals develop acne when exposed to such chemical substances called halogens. Another culprit could be your cough syrup, your asthma medication, sleeping pills and even the chocolate you secretly carry to bed. They contain bromides which is also a factor in developing acne. Iodide containing foods can also trigger acne. These are found in salt, seafood, vitamins and processed foods.

Acne caused by substances containing halogen usually appears on the mouth and is also called peri-oral contact dermatitis. If and when you develop such types of acne, try to (1) verify whether you are using any of the products mentioned above. If so, try to lessen or stop using these items and (2) try switching to oral hygiene products without flouride, chloride, dyes or flavors.

Body acne, as mentioned earlier may develop if you did not rinse well. When this happens, the condition is termed as pityrosporum folliculitis or sweat acne. This is caused by a fungus that feeds on sweat and termed as pityrosporum. Fungus had been known for their ability to recur when treatment stops. So, make sure that when you consult your dermatologist, to ask when is the best time to stop treatment and what you can do to help prevent the recurrence of these acne.

Photo by shakestercody/ Cody Long

Are pimples affecting your social life?

Everybody has had to deal with a pimple  from time to time. Though unwanted, it’s not really that big of a deal. Yet, some of us have acne that can linger and even start to become more than a physical malady – it becomes a psycho-social problem. Since acne primarily affects the face, and the face is the focus of an any social interchange, people who suffer from the malady tend to develop a morbid psychology that manifests itself in a number of ways:

• Anxiety, depression, frustration and even anger
• Embarrassment and social withdrawal
• Reduced self-confidence, self-esteem and poor body image
• Higher rate of unemployment
• Preoccupation with thoughts about acne

To a degree, mental stress plays a role in the development of acne. The more stress, the more likely the body is prone to acne and then it starts to feed on itself. Take unemployment. That in itself is enough stress to cause just about anybody to develop some acne. So you get some pimples, then you have to go for an interview, that causes stress, that causes an increase in pimples, that causes you to have negative thoughts about yourself at a time when you need to be absolutely effervescent about yourself. Even with a job, people may call in sick just because their acne looks particularly bad that day; and that can lead to problems with the boss.

Acne sufferers owe it to themselves to get a grip. First of all, acne is not their fault. In fact, people who are predisposed to have acne often have a better and more thorough approach to personal hygiene, see a physician more often and keep a watch on their diets more so than their unaffected counterparts.

People with acne have a whole other world of terrific things about themselves that have nothing to do with the condition. They should focus on those positive things and not focus on the skin condition to the neglect of everything else.

As they start to cure the condition – not just the symptoms – it may be the time in their lives when withdrawal from social venues may prove a blessing, a time to completely focus on themselves. They should start doing research about their condition. Acne has almost as many cures as there are people who have it, just finding the right one is the challenge.

Since stress is a part of the development of acne, it may be time to focus on meditation techniques. Yoga would be a good outlet. Yoga loosens up and exercises the body while it also concentrates on the spiritual side of being healthy. Any sort of exercise will only help improve the condition. Setting physical goals for themselves is important so that they feel like a winner when they meet or surpass those goals.

As their waiting for their acne to clear, folks should perhaps undertake a hobby that is dependent on the self alone. A musical instrument, dabbling in painting and writing are just a few of the outlets available that don’t require extensive face to face interchange. And these could lead to a lifetime of enjoyment.

Acne sufferers shouldn’t neglect their friends or their family, though. Those folks will love you and appreciate you because they know who’s hiding behind that mask for a while. If they don’t, well, that may mean it’s time for a re-evaluation of the relationship.

No matter what, folks with acne, young and old alike, should never allow themselves a pity party. That is self-destructive and they should never let the affliction do that sort of harm to themselves, the physical aspects are damage enough. Their best bet is to see this as an opportunity to get to know themselves and their bodies in ways they perhaps never imagined.

Photo by Pink Sherbet Photography/ D.Sharon Pruitt

Do you know make up is not good for your skin?

Acne, pimples, zits — whatever you call them, 80% of acne sufferers have suffered from this tiresome affliction of the skin, one time or the other during their lifetime. That is the reason why so many acne sufferers all over the world are looking for natural acne treatments to help cure this skin condition. But is it not more sensible to look for ways and means in which you can maintain acne free skin?

Even though a large number of cases of acne are going to require general treatment and topical applications, you can help the healing process by these easy-to-follow methods, which can leave your once acne prone skin glowing beautifully without any disfiguring pimples on the surface.

Many self-styled acne treatment gurus ask you to scrub your face with medicated soap and water 3 times a day. In fact, this is the worst thing you could do to your infected skin. Rubbing the skin is only going to aggravate the problem. This is because the infection spreads from one vulnerable area to another because of your mistreating your skin so rigorously and vigorously. Instead, use these gentle methods to maintain a completely acne free skin.

Plenty of exercise and fresh air is a boon to your skin. Not only does it open up the pores, but also starts the blood circulation moving in such a manner that your skin begins to clear by itself. Besides this, exercise is a great stress buster and reliever, which same stress supposedly exacerbates acne conditions in many cases.

Forget about makeup. One of the reasons why so many people suffer from acne when they are in their teens is, — apart from the hormonal and chemical imbalance of the body — they are slathering their faces and body with makeup full of chemical ingredients. This makeup does not allow the skin to breathe freely. If you really need to put on some makeup, try something which is completely oil free, and natural. You may also want to see non-comedogenic makeup available in the market. If you really have to put on some makeup do not leave it on when you are at home,. Wash it off the moment you come back from your trip outdoors. Let your skin breathe free without any makeup, when you are indoors. Do not use any makeup when you are working out. On one part, the ensuing sweat is going to make a mess of your face; on the other part, the oily makeup is going to clog up the pores.

Acne free skin can be maintained if you know about the food triggers, which cause acne. You might want to experiment a little by checking up whether chocolate, junk food and other food items cause your acne to flare up. There is no scientifically proven fact that some specific foods trigger off acne flare ups, but there are some individuals who find that indulgence in one particular food group leaves them with acne flare ups, ever so often.

Use these easy to implement tips to get that glowing acne free skin we so love to touch!

Photo by Manuel_Marin

Do you know sugar could harm your skin?

Sugar is a dangerous substance.  In fact, it may be one of the most dangerous substances known to man.  Don’t believe me?

Although each causes their own differing side effects to the user, the debilitating nature of each cannot be argued.  You’ve likely seen pictures of meth addicts before with their terrible teeth, emaciated bodies and overall worn down appearance.  The results are frightening.  Unfortunately, many aren’t aware that sugar can produce a similar affect when abused, but it is completely legal.

When excess sugar is introduced into your diet, it overloads your system.  In a process called glycosylation, glucose begins to attach itself to proteins.  Too much of this renders proteins ineffective.  Collagen makes up 25-35% of your entire body’s protein count.  When those proteins suffer damage, naturally your skin does as well.  The excess sugar breaks down the collagen causing your skin to become loose (read: flabby) and be more susceptible to sun damage.

Perhaps the most damaging effect of sugar is its connection to acne.  For most people, acne becomes less of an issue as you age.  Those were the stifling middle school and high school years, where a few pimples made you the butt of a joke, even though every teenager deals with it in some form or fashion.  Acne cannot be traced to one single source, but it is the result of raised hormone levels and overactive oil glands.  However, studies have shown that skin inflammation is directly connected to a rapid rise in blood sugar.  If you read the chart above you know that is one of the negative side effects of sugar.

Furthermore, sugar also impairs your immune system.  This causes an increase in insulin production.  As a result of, oil production is stimulated and inflammation occurs.  Because sugar weakened your body’s immune system (thus its ability to fight this inflammation), you become more susceptible to acne.  It’s important to understand that while sugar itself may not be the cause of acne, the reaction it produces within your body and the chemicals produced from that reaction are major contributors to increased skin problems.

Having a diet with high sugar content produces many negative side effects on your body both internally and externally.  Maintaining good skin health is an essential element to keeping an overall good appearance.  However, beyond merely appearances, sugar also feeds cancer cells and weakens your immune system, therefore inhibiting your body’s natural ability to ward off minor illnesses and protect you from potential sun damage.  Additionally, sugar’s links to obesity produce negative effects on your skin as well as excess weight gain often leads to stretching and excess flab.  Ultimately, to best serve your skin and overall health, keep the sugar content of your diet to a minimum.

Photo by Victor Bezrukov

Do you know there's a possible way to cure acne?

There are 4 groups of people when it comes to acne.

There’s the people who never had them. There’s the people who have some of them during the puberty years. Then there’s the people who suffered from them throughout their teen years.

I happen to fall into the fourth group. Acne grew on my face when I hit puberty and continued to flourish right into my late 20s. They were huge (to say the least), often contain cysts and grow not only on my face, but also on my chest and back (it actually made me quit swimming). To top it off, they leave scars whether I squeezed them or not!

Needless to say, I did everything I could and followed every so called “rules” you can find in popular magazines, books and blogs. I even consulted 7 independent dermatologists about my condition.

Nothing worked. I’ve used all the popular “anti-acne” face wash, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, alpha hydroxy acids, Proactiv and even oral medication that requires prescription (because it came with potential fatal side effects), such as Roaccutane and anti-biotics. I’ve stopped touching my face, I’ve washed my face at least twice a day, I’ve had facials done on me in 5 different spas over the course of 2 years, I used one of those excess oil absorber and I even bought the very expensive Zeno acne clearing device.

You name it, I probably tried it. To illustrate how desperate I was, let’s just say I wouldn’t have done some of those things as a man if I weren’t cornered.

It wasn’t until I was fed up with all the false advice that I started doing my own research. What I found changed my life.

My Acne Treatment Paradigm Shift (Why You Should Give Up Traditional “Solutions”)

To treat acne, you have to know what causes acne. The traditional view as to the cause of acne is a species of bacteria called “Propionobacterium acnes“. They feed on sebum and releases chemicals, that will in turn attracts your anti-body to attack it, thus causing an inflammation.

But the acne bacteria is a regular resident of your face (they keep harmful bacterias from invading your face) and for them to release enough chemicals to cause acne, your oil gland would first have to enlarge and produce too much sebum – thus blocking your skin pores and allowing them to settle there.

If you see that way, then you’ll realize some of the most popular treatments is not only utterly useless, they might even be harmful.

Let’s take benzoyl peroxide, one of the most popular ingredients in anti-acne products. Just like antibiotics, the purpose of the peroxide is simple: To kill the acne bacteria (most solutions focus on killing the bacteria). But remember, the bacteria is a resident of your face! They protect your face from other harmful bacterias. Killing them is not only doing a dis-service to your face, just as most traditional solution to common problems, it also fail to address the underlying cause: the enlarged oil gland.

Salicylic acid, another extremely popular ingredient of anti-acne products, works by peeling the skin and unplugging the clogged pores. It has to be continually applied, even after your acne has recovered or you’ll revert to your original condition. Another mindless solution, don’t you think? That’s like disassembling road just because it’s always jammed with cars!

Roaccutane may cause depression and even suicidal thoughts

In fact, most people who apply salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide also experience dry skin and require moisturizer.

Now let’s take a look at the big guns. Roaccutane. The so-called “only cure” for acne. It works by reducing the amount of sebum your oil glands produce. Sounds like a good idea? According to Tiscali, here’s a short list of its side effects:

- Dry skin (causing inflammation, scaling, itching, increased skin fragility)
- Dryness of the mucous membranes, eg lips, eyes (causing irritation, conjunctivitis), nose (causing nosebleeds) and throat (causing hoarseness)
- Headache
- Increased liver enzymes
- Disturbances in the composition of the blood (eg increased cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar; decreased red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets)
- Pain in the muscles and joints
- Mood changes, strange or abnormal thoughts
- Hair loss (alopecia)
- Visual disturbances (eg blurred vision, cataracts, colour blindness, decreased night vision)
- Inflammation of the surface of the eye (keratitis)
- Breathing difficulties due to a narrowing of the airways (bronchospasm)
- Nausea
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
- Abnormal reaction of the skin to light, usually a rash (photosensitivity)
- Bone disorders

There’s even a link between consumption of Roaccutane to depression and even suicide. Yikes! Acne sounds like good news compared to the side effects! So can a guy do to be acne-free? I’m glad you asked.

Here’s What You Need To Do To Treat Your Acne – Once and For All

The enlarged oil gland and the failure to regulate the excess sebum has been attributed to a number of causes. Some say it’s genetics. Some say hormones. Some others – stress.

I think all play a part. Yet some people who are under a great deal stress never saw an acne problem – such as the various celebrities. Some whose parents are plagued with acne never had one themselves. Other, as I mentioned before, never had acne even during puberty, when hormone is supposedly in constant state of change.

Why is that? Why some people never had to deal with acne despite breaking all the “rules”?

I began interviewing people I know who are acne-free for their whole life (everyone knows one of these lucky bastards) and I noticed on constant: That is a healthy lifestyle (Caution: “Healthy” may not be what you think it is). So I dug deeper into the acne puzzle. Here’s what I discovered.

Failure to regulate sebum production is also the result of accumulated toxins in your body and the fact that your body is out of balance. So I looked into Holistic Healing as a solution to acne and gave it a try. What have I got to lose right? Here are the things I did.

1. I bought a water filter for both bathing and drinking purposes to get rid of chlorine and fluoride. In addition to being a potential carcinogen (cancer causing), chlorine has also been linked to heart disease and stroke.
2. I also bought several house plants to filter harmful pollutions out of the air. Did you know that there are more pollution indoor than outdoor? Check out this video on growing fresh air.
3. I began eating fresh organic food only to avoid ingesting pesticides associated with traditional food. Organic food has also been shown to contain more more vitamins and nutrients than its traditional counterparts.
4. Even as I consume organic, I also minimize the consumption of sugar, including rice, fruits and candy bars. Sugar has not only been linked to acne development, it also causes a variety of health problems.
5. I quintupled the amount of vegetables I consume by blending. Blending your vegetables also help to increase its absorbility. I detail more about my vegetable blend in my eczema treatment post.
6. Believe it or not, I stopped washing my face with cleansers – even organic ones. Here’s why. According to Dina Falconi, best selling author of “Earthly Bodies and Heavenly Hair“, there’s a reason why your oil gland produces sebum – to create a protective mantle against harmful bacterias and keep in moisture. By cleansing you not only remove dead skin cells and dirt, you also remove sebum and that could stimulate over production of sebum. Instead, I wash my face with filtered water only and then apply a combination of moisturizer and pure aloe vera.
7. If you’re experiencing a bad break-out, you might want to use tea tree oil, a natural essential oil extracted from the tea tree in Australia. It has strong antibacterial properties and it works like benzoyl peroxide, only with less side effects. Remember, just like benzoyl peroxide, it’s not a permanent fix.
8. Last but not least, I expose myself to gentle sunlight at least 20 minutes a day to get optimum vitamin D. Optimizing your vitamin D levels is not only crucial for optimum health, it might also be the answer to your acne woes, according to a study done by Dr Maynard.

So what’s the result? I was acne free in 4 months later. Coincidence? No cure for acne? You be the judge.

Photo of lady by Compugeek7ss/ Kristina Cox

Photo of depressed lady by Nicole Thomas

Do you know vegetable juices are good for you?

Eczema is a pretty common skin disease that terrorizes about 5% of the U.S. population. At least that’s I heard. As such, not only have every major major pharmaceutical corporations since jumped onto the eczema treatment bandwagon, every Tom, Dick and Harry also seem to giving out advice as to its treatment… of course, most of them never have the experience themselves.

Late last year, one of those desperate sufferers, yours truly, was plagued with a full-body eczema for the first time in my life. I locked myself in my apartment for a full 3 months before I eventually dare to step out of my front door – but at least I succeeded in recovering, which is more than most people can say.

Before I go into how I did it, let me just clarify that I did not consult any dermatologists. The reason is because I believe in holistic healing… not to mention the fact that I saw 6 dermatologists during the span on my childhood and they couldn’t even get rid of the small patches of eczema I used to have.

You want to start by stop eating anything non-organic and sugary. Drastically reduce the amount of sugar you consume, that includes rice, potatoes and even fruits and milk. This is because sugar supresses your natural defense system that is fighting the disease.

Next, cleanse your body. Don’t worry, you don’t have to buy anything special kit here. In fact, I think most “cleansing kit” are inferior to what you’re going to do here. All you have to do is consume as much raw vegetables as possible. To achieve the amount that will be restore balance in your body without stuffing them into your mouth every waking hour, blend (not juice) them. The reason I recommend blending is because vegetables consists of fibre, that in itself is a great detoxifying agent – but they are thrown away if juice your vegetables. And the reason I recommend raw is because cooking will destroy the naturally occurring enzymes that help digestion and absorbtion on the vitamins and nutrients in the vegetables.

Green vegetables are an abundant source of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the thing that makes plants green and it’s a great detoxifying agent as it binds itself to the toxins in your body and gets expelled out.

If you have never done this, just looking at the blend would make your stomach turn. But don’t worry, it does not taste as bad it looks. To help cope with the taste, add a little fruit. Here’s the recipe I used:

1. A whole bunch of cos lettuce
2. 3 apples
3. 400g of spinach
4. 3 long stalks of celery
5. To add a little variety, I regularly add 2 or 3 strawberries or kiwi, sometimes 5 – 10 beads of grapes, maybe half an orange and rarely pineapples.

I also regularly add brocolli, raw eggs, zuchinni and cauliflower. However, if you’re new, I’d highly recommend you start with the list above. You might want to experiment a little with these “advanced” items or you’ll find yourself “turned off”.

That highly nutritious blend of vegetables and furits is my 2 out of 4 meals everyday – breakfast and dinner. For lunch, I consume a high protein diet, such as a steak, half-boiled eggs and such. For late lunch, I consume a range of “vegetable snacks” such as cherry tomatoes and a small bowl of salad. Here’s the recipe for the salad:

1. An onion
2. A small amount sliced carrots
3. Capsicum
4. Lemon drips and a little apple cider vinegar
5. One table spoon of flax seed oil
6. A bunch of rockets and spring and cos lettuce

As for supplements, I consumed 4 of them.

1. Krill oil. I got mine from www.mercola.com.
2. Spirulina – this is a highly nutritious algae that contains 10 times the nutrition of its size
3. Chlorella – similar to spirulina but with a more detoxifying focus
4. Marine Phytoplanktons – the grand daddy of all algae though they are quite costly. I can’t comment on other brands because I’ve never tried them (I could recommend another brand and actually get paid). All I can say is to beware that some brands are NOT pure marine phytoplanktons – and that’s why they are a lot cheaper.

Last but not least, I always apply manuka honey on affected areas (my whole body) and sleep with it. Manuka honey is a special honey extracted only from bees that pollinate the tea tree flower. Tea tree, in itself has natural anti-bacterial properties commonly used to treat acne (I use them). Manuka honey, as a result, also contain extraordinarily high anti-bacterial properties that is measured through their UMF (Unique Manuka Factor). UMF goes from 5+ all the way to over 30+ but it gets exponentially more expensive as you go up the ladder. I personally only can afford 20+.

That’s it! Those are the things I did to naturally treat my full-body eczema in 3 months. What’s even better is the little patches of eczema I used to suffer from my whole life no longer plagues me! If you’re desperate like me, I urge you to try it.

Photo by Untitled blue/ fady habib