let's talk about acne

[caedmyn]

What causes it, what helps it... I've been dealing with it all my life (well since about age 12)...it went away for a couple of years about two years after I started eating TF, but it's back and I can't figure out why. I was eating a fair amount of tortilla chips and some white sugar occasionally, and those seemed to cause flare-ups so I cut them out, but things haven't improved much and I'm a little frustrated. I'm well past my teenage years, so why am I still having to deal with this??

[cristeen]

Personally, acne is a signal to me that my body is out of whack. Sugar can do it, grains can do it, soy can do it, non-organic animal products can do it, high pestecide loads can do it.

[Rasa]

My (simplistic) understanding is that it's caused by bacteria, so if your 'good' bacteria is out of whack, the 'bad' bacteria can proliferate more easily. I've been thinking about this issue a lot too because I have a relative who suffers from acne and doesn't eat TF, but trying to convert that relative slowly ;-)

Do you take a probiotic supplement or eat a good source of probiotic (kefir, kombucha, lactofermented veggies, yogurt?) If you already eat some, perhaps up your amount or add a supplement? I'm curious what others think too!

[*J*]

You might want to look up "fluoroderma." I've finally figured out, after too many years of adult acne, that I am sensitive to fluoride and it gives me horrible breakouts! Sometimes it even seemed that the more TF I was eating, the worse it got-- very frustrating! Well, it turns out that most home filters (pur, brita, etc) don't take out the fluoride, and fluoride doesn't boil out of water. So, in making wonderful, healthy bone broth, I was making myself a concentrated source of fluoride!!
Of course, this may not be your problem at all, but it might be worth testing. The correlation is so direct for me: drink a glass of fluoridated water at a restaurant, breakouts start the next day. I think I noticed a big difference after only about 5 days of being really careful to avoid fluoride!
I'm so relieved to have finally figured it out, I thought I'd pass the thought on just in case...

[FireWithin]

I get acne when I eat something I'm reactive to - it is either a histamine respose or an inflammation response. I also get acne when I take a lot of biotin, I think it is pushing either yeast or bad bacteria out through my skin.

[New_Natural_Mom]

Sugar & milk trigger me.

[tanyam926]

J, can you lead me in the direction of where to get more info about fluoroderma? I read about it a little, but your fave sites would really help.

When I read your post my jaw hit the floor bc I think there might be something to it for me. I have suffered from acne since I turned about 19 yrs old. Interestingly, this was also the time I moved from my parents' house in the mts w/well water to a town to attend college that had a REALLY high amt of natural flouride in the water (a lot of people who grew up there had major dental fluorosis). My acne was really bad. I am trying to remember back to 10 yrs ago, and I think my acne got better when I started buying reverse osmosis water. I have also noticed that EVERY time I would visit my parents' house, just after a couple of days my acne would start clearing up. I thought it was the mountain air or something.

It seems that in the place I live now my acne has fluctuated, but that might correlate w/when I have bought water, and when I have used the faucet filter.

I am currently using the faucet filter, for about 2 yrs and my acne has really flared up. I attributed it to pg, then PP hormones, but if I can help it by going back to buying water I will def do that.

Thanks for the info, I am going to do a little experimenting.

[Sundance_11]

I am also very interested to learn more about fluoroderma.
I have had acne all my life, and DH has had REALLY bad acne, too. His well water growing up had very high levels of fluoride in it, his whole family has pretty bad dental fluorosis from it.
We've moved now, and both of our skin is clearer, I wonder if this could be the connection?!
Thanks a lot, I have something new to research

~Melanie

[MyLilPwny]

I cured my acne 100% with internal cleansing. I followed Dr. Hulda Clark's liver/gallbladder flush recipe (basically drink epsom salts, and then drink olive oil mixed with grapefruit juice) and cured it on my 8th flush, but did it a few more times after that. I first had to do colon cleansing and parasite cleansing though. It was a very long process and took several months to do. Actually, my very first step was getting all my amalgams removed. Mercury puts a heavy load on the liver. The liver's job is to detoxify blood and regulate hormones and if the body is too toxic and the liver is too sluggish and clogged, it can't perform all its functions and acne can be the result. Now, I'm dealing with lots of old acne scars, but they are getting better with the copper peptides that I'm using. My acne wasn't related to diet. I can eat what ever I want and have been the last few years and I don't get acne anymore.

[mom61508]

Originally Posted by ThereseReich

I cured my acne 100% with internal cleansing. I followed Dr. Hulda Clark's liver/gallbladder flush recipe (basically drink epsom salts, and then drink olive oil mixed with grapefruit juice) and cured it on my 8th flush, but did it a few more times after that. I first had to do colon cleansing and parasite cleansing though. It was a very long process and took several months to do. Actually, my very first step was getting all my amalgams removed. Mercury puts a heavy load on the liver. The liver's job is to detoxify blood and regulate hormones and if the body is too toxic and the liver is too sluggish and clogged, it can't perform all its functions and acne can be the result. Now, I'm dealing with lots of old acne scars, but they are getting better with the copper peptides that I'm using. My acne wasn't related to diet. I can eat what ever I want and have been the last few years and I don't get acne anymore.

Agreed! I think when you have bad acne or other skin issues you should look at LiVER. Good for you for doing the cleansing