Here is an interesting article I received from Osmosis on help for the internal causes of acne and rosacea. Could be of great help for those suffering from these conditions. Remember: we are what we eat!!
DIETARY AND LIFESTYLE GUIDELINES FOR ROSACEA AND ACNE
Philosophy
There is still debate over whether or not diet is related to acne and/or rosacea in the medical community. The misleading aspect of this is that often no one food/food group is responsible. For example, it has been stated that chocolate may cause acne. I am sure many people have cut out chocolate and discovered that it did not really help in most cases. It is not the chocolate that is specifically related to the acne but rather a generally poor dietary pattern that exacerbates the condition. The connection is related many times to Candida overgrowth, systemic inflammation causing testosterone surges and/or hormone imbalances and an overall tendency for the system to be acidic which promotes bacteria growth and suppresses our immune system. In addition, poor dietary habits cause the lining of the digestive tract to become damaged including the loss of critical numbers of the good bacteria (normal flora). Also, we often have a difficult time absorbing nutrients and expelling toxins from our small and large bowel due to poorly digested and/or damaging foods. Why do some have problems and others with similar or worse diet/lifestyles do fine? Mostly it is their genetic makeup. We are born with an inherent ability to process and remove toxins, excess calories, etc and some people are born with “better genes” than others in that regard.
Strategies
1) Everyone should probably treat Candida because it is estimated that 80% of the population has symptoms related to Candida overgrowth.
2) While treating Candida, probiotics should be used for several months to restore the good bacteria.
3) Good vitamin and mineral supplementation is important.
4) 1-3 Colonics and maybe even one a year as maintenance is a good idea. This is especially true if you are a big meat and dairy eater.
5) Caffeine should be avoided because it vaso-constricts which starves the skin.
6) Alcohol, soft drinks and simple sugars should be avoided because they promote Candida, damage good bacteria and acidify the body.
7) Dietary strategies, besides the general categories (listed above) that should be avoided, involve better food management. Basically, you want to think about how you mix food types at meals because this will significantly help your body process the food correctly:
a. Do not combine carbohydrates/sugars with proteins at the same meal because they digest differently and will not be digested well in combination.
b. Try to avoid processed foods, artificial additives, white flour, and hydrogenated oils because they promote inflammation/acidification.
c. Do not consume excessive dairy because it is acid and mucous-forming.
d. Drink water as much as possible.
Summary
Our country is killing itself with our current dietary and lifestyle habits. Most disease, including skin diseases, are directly related to the systemic effects from our habits. We know that changing your diet is a very difficult task so following some of these protocols is better than not following any.
