How to Cure Your Acne

[Jesse Edmunds]

Hello everyone, I am working on a series of articles called "How to Cure Your Acne".

They are based on over 6 years of my research, experimentation and observations on the connection between acne and health.

You can read the first 3 parts of the articles starting here: How to Cure Your Acne - Part 1 — Healthoid

I hope you enjoy them. I'll be posting a new article every day, so come back for more.

If you have any questions, I'd love to help too. I know how hard acne can be and my goal is to be able to help anyone get rid of their acne completely and forever.

[Calculusaurus]

I thought I'd just end up skimming your posts but ended up reading the whole thing! You're a powerful writer with a knack for finding where science meets practicality, something I really appreciate in analytical thinking.

You also have an appropriate appreciation for anecdotal evidence. It takes a true scientist to see the holes in our current scientific knowledge and see how anecdotal evidence and self-experimentation might fill those holes in. I emphasize "how" because it's much more common for someone to use anecdotal evidence inappropriately.

Maybe you'll cover this in later posts, but did you find a connection between caffeine and acne? There has been some research along with anecdotal claims that caffeine and acne are connected.

[Jesse Edmunds]

Originally Posted by Calculusaurus

I thought I'd just end up skimming your posts but ended up reading the whole thing! You're a powerful writer with a knack for finding where science meets practicality, something I really appreciate in analytical thinking.

You also have an appropriate appreciation for anecdotal evidence. It takes a true scientist to see the holes in our current scientific knowledge and see how anecdotal evidence and self-experimentation might fill those holes in. I emphasize "how" because it's much more common for someone to use anecdotal evidence inappropriately.

Maybe you'll cover this in later posts, but did you find a connection between caffeine and acne? There has been some research along with anecdotal claims that caffeine and acne are connected.

Wow, thanks! That has got to be one of the best compliments I have ever received about my writing!

Yeah I am a big believer in anecdotal evidence...I come from the school of "do what works", not "do what theoretically should work".

I haven't specifically studied the connection between caffeine and acne, but when I was drinking a lot of caffeine, my acne was real bad. My thesis is that essentially any food we are not well adapted to eating could lead to acne, and I would definitely put caffeine in that category.

BTW, part 4 is up and I'll put part 5 up later today.

[Jesse Edmunds]

Just letting everyone know that the full set of articles are up now, all 10 parts. I hope it helped some of you that have acne or any other health problems. Thanks for reading.

[bdp]

How to Cure Your Acne - Part 1 — Healthoid
A Natural Acne Cure That Will Cost You Nothing.

[Spartan]

I'll tell you how to cure acne in one word:

Antibiotics.

[Jesse Edmunds]

Originally Posted by Spartan

I'll tell you how to cure acne in one word:

Antibiotics.

I used antibiotics a lot in the past...but they never got rid of my acne completely. Plus a major problem wiht antibiotics is all the side effects...they attack all the bacteria in your body, including the good, probiotic, symbiotic bacteria that is actually good for you.

[makessense]

Originally Posted by Jesse Edmunds

Hello everyone, I am working on a series of articles called "How to Cure Your Acne".

They are based on over 6 years of my research, experimentation and observations on the connection between acne and health.

You can read the first 3 parts of the articles starting here: How to Cure Your Acne - Part 1 — Healthoid

I hope you enjoy them. I'll be posting a new article every day, so come back for more.

If you have any questions, I'd love to help too. I know how hard acne can be and my goal is to be able to help anyone get rid of their acne completely and forever.

I skimmed through it. Very nice. With vitamin D, I don't get too much sun where I'm at... and I don't want to use supplements, so what natural foods can I eat to get my DV of Vitamin D?

[Jesse Edmunds]

Originally Posted by makessense

I skimmed through it. Very nice. With vitamin D, I don't get too much sun where I'm at... and I don't want to use supplements, so what natural foods can I eat to get my DV of Vitamin D?

Unfortunately it's really hard to get enough vitamin D from just foods. We were meant to get a lot of it from the sun by being outside all day.

Low-mercury fish like sardines and wild pacific/alaskan salmon are going to be your best bet, but even then you'd have to eat an awful lot of those to get enough vitamin D.

The vitamin D council recommends 5000 IU of vit D a day (Vitamin D Council | Understanding Vitamin D Cholecalciferol). The DV is unfortunately way outdated and not adequate to reach optimal vitamin D levels.

[Bharat Keshwala]

Hey Jesse, you blog is pretty cool man, I thought it was gonna suck and I was checking it for the sake of it, but it turned out to be pretty good stuff.

[Jesse Edmunds]

Originally Posted by Bharat Keshwala

Hey Jesse, you blog is pretty cool man, I thought it was gonna suck and I was checking it for the sake of it, but it turned out to be pretty good stuff.

Thanks , glad it doesn't suck too bad . I wish I had more time to devote to it, but I'm in school right now so it's just a side-project...but some day I'll be able to make it even better...there are tons of articles I'd like to write...

[beautyscientist]

Thanks for a very interesting blog Jesse. It is well written and thought provoking.

I seem to have stumbled upon some similar ideas, though I have only been thinking about blood sugar levels and haven't gone into as many facets of acne as you have.

You have probably already been asked this as it is the obvious point a dermatologist or any other scientist would make. You say your acne has improved over the six years that you have been trying out your ideas. Acne does tend to improve with age in any case. Can you be sure that you haven't had some help from aging?

Don't take that as criticism - I am just interested. For instance have you reverted to different sleep patterns and diet and found your acne recurring?

[Jesse Edmunds]

Originally Posted by beautyscientist

You have probably already been asked this as it is the obvious point a dermatologist or any other scientist would make. You say your acne has improved over the six years that you have been trying out your ideas. Acne does tend to improve with age in any case. Can you be sure that you haven't had some help from aging?

Don't take that as criticism - I am just interested. For instance have you reverted to different sleep patterns and diet and found your acne recurring?

It's possible that I was helped some by aging.

However, I have tested it, and diet plays the biggest role.

I can easily create new acne lesions just by eating the wrong foods...and I'm 24 now.

Sometimes I wish I just grew out of it ... but it really all has to do with my diet and lifestyle.

[Jonathan Browne]

I think the metabolic typing diet only works for people because they are encouraged to stay away from processed foods. Processed foods are the real culprit in acne and many other health disorders. Your ratio of carbs, fat, and protein has little to do with acne. Your ratio of these is determined by your level of activity. If your trying to build muscle, your going to really need to eat at the minimum 100 grams of protein a day. If your like most people though as long as you stay away from proccessed foods and are eating enough calories and the proper amount of nutrients, your gonna be fine.

For optimal health though, not just clear skin, I really think the raw food diet is the best diet you could have. Eat primarily raw vegetables and fruits for a significant amount of time and you will notice a dramatic health increase. The best thing to do is just stay away from possibly toxic foods like gluten, lactose, and soy, as well as anything heavily processed.

Of course, healthy clear skin also involves a lot more than this guy is talking about. It involves hygeine, as well as the complex emotional issues that lead people to pick at their face.

As for antibiotics. Sure, they might clear up your skin. They will also be disasterous for your overall health.

[beautyscientist]

Originally Posted by Jesse Edmunds

I can easily create new acne lesions just by eating the wrong foods...and I'm 24 now.

Thanks for replying. I am being very curious because I am really interested in just how diet and acne are related. When you say the wrong foods - what would you say is the easiest way to provoke an attack of acne?

[JimOfferman]

Interesting stuff...

I lost virtually all the acne on my face mere weeks after I stopped scrubbing my face with Clearasil - go figure!

Unfortunately, it then moved to my back. I have yet to find a way to get it off my back. Perhaps I should have a look at it from a new angle...

[beautyscientist]

Jim

I am not so sure about long term persistent acne, but I have the idea that cutting out sudden large doses of sugar or carbohydrate rich food might be beneficial for acne.

Why not give it a try? I would be really interested in the results.

[changingbetter]

For me is two words : Avoid Milk
and my ance is gone

[JimOfferman]

Originally Posted by beautyscientist

I am not so sure about long term persistent acne, but I have the idea that cutting out sudden large doses of sugar or carbohydrate rich food might be beneficial for acne.

I'm not sure if I can do that... I pretty much need the carbs I eat. I could try cutting out the candy and eating more greens and less fruit for a while, though.

[beautyscientist]

I think that the spots are the result of a large influx of sugar into the blood stream. If this is the case then eating the same amount of carbs but spacing them more over the day might help.

I ought to add that although I have worked on research in acne I am not an expert by any means so take what I say with a pinch of salt.

[mplatts]

jesse great series of articles. so good i linked to them from my site

[TDRock]

Originally Posted by changingbetter

For me is two words : Avoid Milk
and my ance is gone

Yep

And if I "slip" back into eating dairy, the acne comes back in two seconds seemingly...

[JimOfferman]

Originally Posted by beautyscientist

I think that the spots are the result of a large influx of sugar into the blood stream. If this is the case then eating the same amount of carbs but spacing them more over the day might help.

My food intake is already spread out pretty evenly. I basically have between six and ten small "meals" a day.

I ought to add that although I have worked on research in acne I am not an expert by any means so take what I say with a pinch of salt.

Don't worry, I'm not one to stop thinking for myself.

[Jonathan Browne]

There's nothing wrong with carbohydrates. It's simple refined sugars that are the problem. Cut out all items that include any sort of refined sugar/high fructose corn syrup/"evaporated cane juice" etc

Fruit is fine. Your bible should be the Glycemic Index. Cut down on Bread, Pasta etc. Make sure if you do have those items in your diet you are eating whole wheat without high fructose corn syrup and the other additives they try to sneak into these foods.

You have to start really taking a close look at the ingredients of foods your buying. The nutrition facts are pretty much useless because it's based on a simplified understanding of sugars, carbs, fats, proteins etc. There are many different kinds of these things.

[blueflame]

I would highly recommend trying the regimen provided on acne.org as well. After reading this post I tried it and my skin cleared up almost completely within 5 days. I should mention that I've been on accutane twice, changed my diet to no avail, taken numerous antibiotics, rosacea medicine as a last resort, topicals, and recently been told by my doctor that she was sorry and there was nothing more that she could do for me. I wish I had known this earlier, so you should definitely give it a try!

[Jesse Edmunds]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Browne

I think the metabolic typing diet only works for people because they are encouraged to stay away from processed foods. Processed foods are the real culprit in acne and many other health disorders. Your ratio of carbs, fat, and protein has little to do with acne. Your ratio of these is determined by your level of activity. If your trying to build muscle, your going to really need to eat at the minimum 100 grams of protein a day. If your like most people though as long as you stay away from proccessed foods and are eating enough calories and the proper amount of nutrients, your gonna be fine.

For optimal health though, not just clear skin, I really think the raw food diet is the best diet you could have. Eat primarily raw vegetables and fruits for a significant amount of time and you will notice a dramatic health increase. The best thing to do is just stay away from possibly toxic foods like gluten, lactose, and soy, as well as anything heavily processed.

Of course, healthy clear skin also involves a lot more than this guy is talking about. It involves hygeine, as well as the complex emotional issues that lead people to pick at their face.

As for antibiotics. Sure, they might clear up your skin. They will also be disasterous for your overall health.

I tried going on a lot of different diets before the metabolic typing diet and all of them worked to some extent, but none of them got me completely clear like metabolic typing did.

I am a very strong protein type...basically I have carnivore genes. Eating lots of meat, raw dairy products and very low carbs cleared my skin up like no other diet did before. And not only that...now I never get sick, which is great. I literally haven't had a single cold or flu in over 2 years.

Other people though are carbo types which do very well on vegetarian-ish diets, high in cabs, low in animal products. When I eat like this I unfortunately get sick and start breaking out...not good.

Other people are somewhere inbetween, mixed types.

Originally Posted by beautyscientist

Thanks for replying. I am being very curious because I am really interested in just how diet and acne are related. When you say the wrong foods - what would you say is the easiest way to provoke an attack of acne?

For me, gluten is by far the worst trigger. I think gluten is pretty bad for most people (it's in wheat, rye, barley and most oats).

Carbs in general are also a problem for me, but that's because I'm a protein type.

Originally Posted by mplatts

jesse great series of articles. so good i linked to them from my site

Thanks, I appreciate it! Cool website!

[Fullcrum]

Hey, Jesse, have you ever tried green smoothies?

It's fruit and dark green leaves blended together for a wonderful concoction. The fiber will slow down the absorption of the fruit sugars, while providing the high level of protein found in all green leafy vegetables.

[Jesse Edmunds]

Originally Posted by Fullcrum

Hey, Jesse, have you ever tried green smoothies?

It's fruit and dark green leaves blended together for a wonderful concoction. The fiber will slow down the absorption of the fruit sugars, while providing the high level of protein found in all green leafy vegetables.

The closest I've come to green smoothies is a raw vegan diet. I've tried that for a few days at a time...and I get so incredibly tired that I can't do much of anything. I get really irritable too...my body really doesn't like it. And it makes it hard for me to sleep...

My ancestors are mostly German, English and Native American. All of these cultures, pre-big-civilization, have a long history of eating lots of meat and some of them lots of raw dairy. So this is probably what my body has evolved to thrive on.

[Fullcrum]

If it's in the first few days, that would be detoxification. Your body will become temporarily weaker as poisons are flushed into your bloodsteam, lymph, and colon, and then flushed out of the body.

I personally think a green smoothie is more important than a raw diet. It's fruit combined with green leaves. The meal itself is extremely high in fiber and surprisingly calorie dense for most raw vegan foods that do not include nuts.

My step-grandmother of 85 started regaining her old dirty blonde hair color after a month of drinking one pint everyday. This was at the very back and bottom of her head where hair meets next. The whole family was shocked to say the least.

If you want to know more, you can read "Green for Life" by victoria Boutenko. That has a lot of information in a simple format and lacks the "pushiness" some raw books tend to have. She also believes that green smoothies in a regular diet are more important than going full raw.

[beautyscientist]

Originally Posted by Fullcrum

If it's in the first few days, that would be detoxification. Your body will become temporarily weaker as poisons are flushed into your bloodsteam, lymph, and colon, and then flushed out of the body.

I am not sure I understand what people mean when they say detox in this context. The body has evolved a very efficient liver that disposes of stuff that isn't needed and might not be wanted. This must be an ongoing process, and it must be triggered off by the presence of toxins.

The only way that changing to a raw diet might affect the detox system is if it is providing some factor previously missing that allows a pre-existing detox process to kick in. But I wouldn't have thought that was the case - even the biggest junk food addict's diet still has quite a bit of raw in it. And in any case I would have thought that the effects of a detox process ought to be noticeable, if at all, by the bad symptoms of the previous toxin going away. It ought to be a positive experience from day one.

I am not attacking or picking an argument here. Since starting to incorporate more raw food into my diet my experience has been positive and I am keen to learn more and get even more out of it. I am just a bit suspicious of allowing this detox idea as an excuse for things that aren't really working. It sort of undermines the 'listen to your body' concept if you give yourself this get out.