I was about 10 years old when I started to get acne. I've been dealing with it for about 12 years now. I've tried everything out there- from drug store products to high end products to the "amazing" proactiv. Most of the drugstore products never worked at all and they would leave my skin dry and flaky and I'd end up with worse skin! Proactiv would work for a week or two, then my body would just get used to it and I'd start breaking out again. Finally, about a month ago, I got fed up and threw everything out. I decided to find natural solutions to my problem.
First, I started using natural castille soap- dr bronner's to be exact. it's all natural, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I used honey as a mask, aspirin as a scrub, witch hazel as a toner, tea tree oil as a spot treatment, and vitamin e oil to get rid of my scars. I also got a showerhead filter for my shower to filter out harsh chlorine and other hard metals that are toxic.
I was getting amazing results, but not as amazing as I wanted. So I did some more research on the acne bacteria Propionibacterium acnes.
I found that certain foods trigger the growth of acne. I hate taking supplements cause I can't swallow pills, so I decided to do a complete overhaul of my diet. I stopped eating processed foods completely- no more preservatives, no more sugars, no more hydrogenated fats, no more unpronounceable ingredients. I also stopped consuming dairy and red meat and started eating like someone with Celiac ( no gluten). I increased my consumption of high- antioxidant foods such as green tea, blueberries, strawberries, goji berries, oranges, spinach, broccoli, etc. Basically, fresh fruits and vegetables. I DO eat turkey, chicken, and eggs, but I try and stick to two servings a day until I can afford to buy hormone-free meat. I also have cut down on sodium and drink tons of water throughout the day. I try to exercise at least 3 times a week.
Within 2 weeks' time of changing my diet, not only has my acne disappeared, but so have my cravings. I'm saving tons of money by not having to buy expensive things like meat and milk. I've learned to cook some really awesome things that are 100% natural. I've shed some pounds, my skin all over is soft, my hair is softer and shinier, my PMS has disappeared (no more unbearable cramps!! no more mood swings!!!) my depression has gone away entirely and my sense of smell and taste have heightened!
I know that it seems like a daunting task to eat and live this way. A year ago I tried doing all of it at once and ended up failing over and over. But I think if you do things gradually, you'll one day find yourself incorporating many healthy behaviors. And trust me, once you start eating clean you won't really crave all the junk food/ processed foods- I haven't craved chocolate or ice cream at all. Last week I had a piece of cake and I felt sick to my stomach. The next day I woke up with a huge headache! And believe me, I'm not perfect. It would be senseless to live like this if it means you can't eat out with friends or family. So I stick to a 90-10 rule. I eat like this 90% of the time and the rest of the time, which happens to be when I am out with my boyfriend or friends, I eat foods like pizza or sushi.
I hope this helps anyone out there who is sick of acne products not working. Try and remember that what you see on the outside is usually a reflection of what is happening internally. Take care of yourself on the inside and the outside will thank you for it!
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