Q: I am a baby boomer and I still have acne! I thought the one thing that I could look forward to with aging would be clear skin. What can I do to get rid of this?

A: I completely empathize with you! One of the things that got me involved with nutrition was the exact same problem! I suffered from acne starting in my early teen years, all the way up to my mid-thirties. I went to countless dermatologists and was consistently informed that diet had nothing to do with it! I couldn’t believe it but I also couldn’t find anything to support my theories until fairly recently.

Your skin is your major detoxifying organ. You not only “are what you eat” but you also wear what you eat all over your face! It turns out that there are specific things that can absolutely exacerbate acne and increase the inflammatory response.

First of all, you have to make sure that you have good digestion. Low levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, a condition known as hypochlorhydria, can increase your risk of Rosecea. After the age of 35, our endogenous production of HCL starts to decline. It can also be reduced due to stress, poor diet, caffeine, alcohol and OTC drugs. It can get diluted if you consume excess fluids with your meals-I limit clients to 4 ounces with meals and ensure that they consume their 8-12 glasses of pure spring water in between meals. Besides helping with digestion, HCL also helps kill off bad bacteria to prevent it from overgrowing in the small intestine. Bacteria can exacerbate acne as well which is why probiotics can be of help here too. Probiotics help raise the numbers of good bacteria while killing off the bad ones.

If you suffer from excessive oil production, (if you are a menstruating woman you will especially notice this the week before your period) you may benefit from taking high dose Pantethine(vitamin B5). This has a similar mechanism of action to the drug Accutane, a drug so potent that you must go through counseling and multiple pregnancy tests before you are allowed to take it. Pantethine, taken in doses of 10 grams a day can have similar benefits but without the toxicity. I have clients use it for 3 months at this dose and then gradually decrease it down to a maintenance dose of 5 grams per day.

There is a specific compound in dairy that can cause acne. Additionally high glycemic carbohydrates and lectin rich grains can also exacerbate acne. This has been researched thoroughly by Dr. Loren Cordain, a savvy physiologist and author of a new book, The Dietary Cure for Acne. He details the role of diet in acne and explains the biochemistry of how dairy products cause acne.

Another important dietary shift is to reduce your intake of pro-inflammatory fats and to increase your intake of the anti-inflammatory fatty acids EPA, DHA and GLA. Acne and Rosecea are inflammatory conditions and one of the quickest ways to reduce inflammation at a cellular level is by making an oil change. Trade your pro-inflammatory vegetable oils for heart healthy, skin rejuvenating anti-inflammatory choices from extra virgin olive oil, cold water wild fish, raw nuts, seeds and avocados. I also have clients supplement daily with a professional brand of EPA, DHA and GLA. GLA has been found to help in several inflammatory skin disorders and also helps improve skin hydration.

<< 1 2 >>

1. What is the truth about carbs?

We love carbs, and we’re so sad they’ve gotten such a bad rap! Here’s the deal: There are good carbs and bad carbs. Good carbs are fruits, whole grains, brown rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams. They are gifts from the heavens and should be eaten daily. They give us energy and help us feel full and satisfied. Bad carbs are refined sugar, white flour, white rice, and other stripped grains (like white pasta) and should be avoided. They release quickly into our bodies making us feel tired, cranky, low-energy, and hungry.

Healthnotes Newswire (March 29, 2007)—Overweight and obese women have a wide array of popular weight-loss diets to choose from, but which is best? A new study compared four different diets and found the low-carbohydrate diet to be the most effective.

Despite the increasing awareness of the health consequences of overweight and obesity and a growing number of public health initiatives, Westerners keep gaining weight. Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicate that an estimated 66% of adults in the United States are overweight or obese.

"To turn your body into a fat-burning machine, eat small meals throughout the day.”

Doable strategies to help you shed pounds, by Linda Knittel:

1. Rise and chow: If you think skipping breakfast will help you shed a few pounds, think again. Not eating a morning meal can actually trick the body into thinking it is starving, which makes it hold on to fat or cause you to eat more during the day. To keep your metabolism revved and blood sugar levels steady, eat breakfast within 45 minutes of rising. The healthiest choices contain a balance of fat, protein, and carbs, such as oatmeal with a handful of nuts or a veggie omelet.

2. Combine carbs: If a carbohydrate wasn't grown, picked, or harvested, don't eat it. That means shunning refined breads, pastas, cakes, and pastries, and choosing good carbs like brown rice, sweet potatoes, or an apple. And while you're at it, try to never eat a carbohydrate by itself. Simply adding a bit of good fat, such as olive oil or lean protein will slow digestion, steady blood sugar, and keep the body from storing fat.

3. Drink up: Even if all you did was start drinking more water you would likely lose weight. Thats because the body needs to be fully hydrated in order to maintain a healthy metabolism. Try drinking about 1/2-ounce (15 ml) of water per pound of body weight every day, and see the difference.

4. Eat more: If eating more often in order to lose weight sounds too good to be true, listen up. Your body needs calories in order to burn fat. So, to turn your body into a fat-burning machine, eat small meals throughout the day. Ideally each mini-meal should consist of lean protein, good fats, and complex carbohydrates. For example, 4 ounces (113 grams) of chicken, 1 cup (150 grams) of brown rice, and a green salad.

5. Get pumped: You've heard that muscle weighs more than fat, but did you know that muscle burns more calories? Thats right, building lean muscle through weight training causes the body to burn more calories throughout the day. When combined with regular aerobic exercise, weight training can help you lose more weight.

6. Cheat a little: You know what they say about all work and no play well, that goes for weight loss too. Giving up all the foods you love can backfire and sabotage your efforts. Be sure to allow yourself a day each week when you indulge in conservative amounts of your favorite foods. Remember, a serving should be about the size of an average apple.

“No man can be wise on an empty stomach.” - George Eliot