Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Healthy Lifestyles Can Control Acne

Author: Edward F. Group III, D.C., Ph.D, N.D.,CCN

When treating a person for acne, the only way to get results from effective treatments is through various healthy lifestyle changes. This includes the way you eat, sleep, work, play, etc. It is extremely important to focus on all areas that need changing in order for a sustained effort be complete. It is important in the treatment of acne to treat your whole self in as many ways as possible.

One common problem that faces people is stress, and not normal stress. What happens when the body gets too stressed out is the adrenal cortex converts adrenal androgens to testosterone in men and women, resulting in overactive sebaceous glands. Women's ovaries produce 25% of the testosterone while 75% comes from adrenal androgens. When the male or female body is stressed, more adrenal androgen is released causing double the amount of testosterone. This causes the T zone of the face to be oily, while other areas are still dry from dehydration.

Adult acne is sometimes a by-product of stress and/or dehydration. Water calms the "body's stress alarm system". The most important type of acne treatment is to keep the skin from becoming dehydrated.

Clean, pure water is the most important acne treatment in that it is alkaline (pH 7.3) and can be considered a natural treatment or an almost free acne treatment. So the types of lifestyles you live will greater affect whether your body will reject acne or succumb to it.

Here are some tips that have helped other people and hopefully will help you:

Drink at least eight glasses of water per day (10 to 12 is better) to assist your body in getting rid of oil, waste and toxins. Water also helps moisten your skin, which keeps your pores from clogging. Most importantly, water helps relieve stress and relax your body so you can sleep better. Water and sleep help to reduce stress. Reduce coffees, soft drinks, teas and alcohols as much as possible as they are partial diuretics in that they push more water out of the body cell than they put in.

Astringent Natural Soaps and any astringent agents that shrink your skin's pores, such as witch hazel, oatmeal, very cold water, and rubbing alcohol, should be avoided. When your pores shrink, more oils are clogged in the pores of the skin.

Avoid stimulants, like coffee, tea, cigarettes, and excessive sugar from sweets and soda. Anything that affects your entire body, brain, and nervous system -- to awaken it in the morning or stimulate it during the day -- can easily stimulate the sebaceous glands to secrete more oil that has to leave the body via the pores, making your acne worse. Also, stimulants create stress.

Diet affects acne. Be careful what you eat. Try to eat foods as low in fat as possible.
Avoid alcohol considering it may worsen acne. People think of alcohol as a way to relax and relieve stress. It may do this but it also causes acne. Alcohol is an astringent that shrinks the skin pores, making them more prone to clogging. Also, alcohol inhibits sleep, causing more fatigue and stress, which lead to worse acne.

Avoid hot baths as well as very cold water on areas where you have acne. Use warm water well below 98.5 degrees on your skin. Scrubbing and abrasives should be avoided, since they irritate your skin, which should be left intact as a natural barrier against acne-causing bacteria.

Use Parfait Visage or Aquaspirit moisturizing natural facial lotion for dry sensitive skin' as it usually gives the best results for skin with acne. Parfait Visage and Aquaspirit can be purchased online at www.ghchealth.com.

Spend limited time in the sun. You should get 15 minutes to the face and arms daily. The sun does kill bacteria, but it also acts as an astringent to tighten, dry, and clog your skin's pores. Avoid extremely cold weather as well, so you don't freeze and clog pores. Moisturizing your face and body and staying in temperatures ranging from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal. We suggest 100% pure Jojoba oil with no preservatives as a moisturizer. Jojoba oil can normally be purchased at GNC stores in the United States and Canada, and in most health stores throughout the world.

Reduce stress in your life. Allow as much time for tasks as possible to avoid time-pressured periods. Sleep seven hours or more per night so you can be alert during the day without a stimulant, like caffeine.

Avoid all hot foods and drinks until they have cooled to body temperature. Spicy-hot foods, too, can worsen acne.

Exercise for stress reduction by swimming in a properly treated indoor swimming pool. Use a Ozone purified pool if possible. Swimming pool water is usually 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, which is well below your body's normal temperature of 98.6 degrees. Thus, it cools your whole body, including the acne-affected areas, while providing excellent exercise to the rest of you to reduce mental stress and physical tension.

Change linens such as wash cloths and body towels after each use, as they are a great place for acne-causing bacteria to grow and be reapplied to the skin later. Wash white facial wash cloths, pillow covers, and personal undergarments daily with Vinegar, tea tree oil or essential oils of Lime, lemon or orange to decrease acne-related bacterial growth. Also use a natural detergent available at Whole Foods or online. Change clothes and sheets frequently.

Moisturizers can be helpful in protecting the skin from dryness. We suggest 100% pure Jojoba oil with no preservatives which normally can be found at GNC stores in the United States and Canada and can be purchased in most health stores throughout the world.

Healthy lifestyles will lead to a healthier skin and a healthier body may require a permanent lifestyle change that will reward you with better general health, more energy, and clearer skin to show the world. Don't be afraid to make changes! The initial affects may be hard to grasp, but you will quickly learn to adapt.

More natural resource tips found right in your home:

Blend a cucumber, apply externally, leave on for 20 minutes, then wash off.
Rub watermelon rind on the acne.
Apply Aloe Vera.
Eat watermelon or drink watermelon juice.
Drink tea made from carrots including the tops and beet tops.
Drink lukewarm water with 2 teaspoons of honey every morning on an empty stomach. This effectively lubricates the intestines. If one does not evacuate the intestines regularly, the toxins either end up in the liver or come out in the skin.

You may want to try the following Homeopathics, Essential Oils or Herbs:
Belladonna— for people who experience flushes of heat to the face or who have inflamed pustular acne that improves with cold applications
Calendula— for skin conditions involving pustules or blisters
Hepar sulphur— for painful, pus-filled acne
Kali bromatum— for deep acne, especially on the forehead, in persons who are chilled and nervous ~ Silicea— for pustules or pit-forming acne
Chaste Tree Berry taken each morning can help prevent premenstual breakouts.
Lavender or Tea Tree Essential Oil can be applied directly to the blemish up to 3x daily.

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