Acne
An Overview
by Phillip Day

Profile
Blackheads, whiteheads, nodules and cysts. Most of us, especially the fellas, know all the bad news. Young ladies too fall prone to this most unsightly of conditions, which usually contrives to show up the morning before a first date with the captain of the football team. There are three types of acne:

Acne vulgaris: a common disease caused by increased testosterone release, usually during puberty, which leads to an over-secretion of oils and waxes (sebum) produced by the sebaceous glands in the skin. Testosterone during puberty also stimulates the production of keratin proteins in the skin which can also block pores. Outbreaks usually occur on the face, but also on the back, shoulders and chest.

Acne conglobata: a more severe form of the above which can result in cysts and scarring from deep pustules which accumulate pus compounds which do not discharge their contents to the surface but infect surrounding tissue.

Acne rosacea: a condition that occurs in middle age (usually between ages 30-50), where the face becomes flushed and covered with pimples, similar to the above acne vulgaris. Thought to be caused variously by menopausal imbalances, dehydration, fungal/parasite infection, metabolic imbalances, digestive problems and malnutrition, usually a shortage of the B-vitamins.

Commentary
There's nothing much you can do about reaching puberty, except to think dark thoughts, endlessly play those awful Marilyn Manson or Christine Aguilera records and ponder how the CIA is going to do you in. But I've got a better idea about how to combat the main problems surrounding acne. The chief culprit here is malnutrition and an excess of sugars, transfats and fried foods in the diet which depress your immunity, destroy enzymes and cause all sorts of anti-social goo to ooze its way to liberty.

As usual, physicians will throw Roaccutane, tretinoin, benzoyl peroxide and antibiotics at the problem, which can variously cause suicidal tendencies, depression, burnt skin, peeled and crusty skin, a compromised immune system, or an outbreak of our old Jekyll and Hydian horror, Candida albicans, a normally beneficial yeast with dark, Napoleonic ambitions for the total control of your organism.

The key to defeating acne in puberty is to understand one basic fact: your body is going through some pivotal changes and it needs the right type of fuel to accomplish these without punishing you with the downside. Teenagers are normally quite rebellious about their diets (rumour has it), and don't often listen to what Mum says about all those tempting veggies. They prefer instead to dine out at Chez Kebab, Tennessee Fried Rat, Murder King and the Golden Starches.

Take action !
So, if you are a teen, and you have a hot date and a face full of Martian landscape, you have a choice: either continue to be rebellious with your diet and lifestyle, in which case you will be spending most of the evening whispering sweet nothings in her ear through the visor of your crash helmet, or TAKE ACTION (I love those words!) and wade in amongst the following:

· DIET: COMMENCE THE ANTI-CANDIDA DIETARY REGIMEN for a period of 28 days and then review results. If satisfactory, switch to THE FOOD FOR THOUGHT LIFESTYLE REGIMEN thereafter
· DIET: Avoid processed foods, fried foods, sugars, dairy products, hydrogenated oils (margarine, etc.) and sweets/candy
· DIET: Avoid oils and greases as far as possible at work if you are industrially-minded
· DIET: Drink 4-5 pints of clean, non-tap water a day (reverse osmosis or a still mineral water sold in glass bottles is fine)
· DETOXIFICATION: Consider reviewing your continued use of existing medications, over the counter topicals, steroidal or corticosteroidal medications
· DETOXIFICATION: Clear your pipework out with a magnesium oxide bowel cleanse
· DETOXIFICATION: Use safe personal care products (see Environmental Toxins) and wash face and body using a non-irritant formula
· RESTORE NUTRIENT BALANCE: COMMENCE THE BASIC SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM

© Copyright Phillip Day 2003
Extracted from The ABC's of Disease

Further Resources
Want to discover sound nutritional strategies to over seventy illnesses?The ABC's of Disease by Phillip Day covers everything from acne to varicose veins by way of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.

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