Surviving Acne With Natural Medicine

Let’s reflect upon the reality that physical appearance is only physical and does not reflect personal beauty. Acne is difficult because, like all skin conditions, it is a symptom that is visible, and there is the constant inner dialog that we are being judged by everyone around us. So two things: 1. Please do not judge other people. You really have no idea, certainly not from appearance only, who that person actually is. All humans deserve your kindness. 2. Please do not judge yourself. No one is judging you as harshly as you are judging yourself. You deserve your own kindness.

If we can stave off the emotional scarring of acne, we can focus on actually healing the skin!

Acne is the most common of all skin conditions. It usually begins during puberty, but we all know that its effects can last much longer than that. I often see adult men and women who always beg the answer, “why am I not over this yet?”

There are several causes of acne. Finding and addressing the cause will give us a better treatment outcome. I find it is important to look at hormones and hormone metabolism, gut function and detoxification, and nutrient deficiencies when looking at the causes of acne.

We often think of acne stemming from the hormonal fluctuations that occur during puberty or in and around the menstrual cycle. As our hormones surge and change (even in males) there is a major increase in the androgen hormones DHEA and testosterone, as well as an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. Excessive amounts of these can lead to abnormal changes in the skin that lead to blocked pores, a buildup of bacteria, and then…acne.

Yep! You have to have healthy digestion for your skin to be clear. If you have any digestive dysfunction- GERD, constipation, IBS, etc. we have to correct that! The gut is intimately involved in the digestion and absorption of nutrients, the detoxification of hormones, and the regulation of the microbiome.

The microbiome, that incredibly intelligent population of bacteria that live in your large intestine, controls the permeability of the gut, crowds out unhealthy invaders (parasites, viruses, and other bacteria), and regulates the immune system. If the gut is not functioning properly, it can affect the population of the gut microbiome which can lead to local inflammation of the skin and acne.

And finally, nutrition! So (follow me to my soap box!) eat a whole foods, nutrient dense diet!

When we suffer from any disease, supplemental nutrients can be a game-changer. In the case of acne, we look specifically to vitamin A, D, E, and K, Zinc, and Selenium, all of which help to regulate the health of the skin.

Organ meat is actually the perfect food source for all of these nutrients, and more! It is the most nutrient dense food on the planet. Unfortunately, not many of us eat much organ meat (although I do love chopped liver! See my grandma’s recipe here) But I get it. I really do! For those of you not brave enough to eat organ meat, you can get all the benefits from our awesome supplement from Designs for Health Organ Synergy.

As always, I would love to see you in person and provide you with a comprehensive, personalized plan to help you with your health. Please call my office today to get started. 970-328-5678

Love, Dr. Eliza