Acne, whether it is severe or not, is extremely burdensome. Typically, one suffering from acne feels self-conscious, embarrassed and helpless. That is why many people turn to oral acne medications to clear up their unpleasant imperfections.
However, taking such medications come at a major price, as they compromise one's safety. For example, acne medication, Accutane (or generically known as isotretinoin), may be associated with feelings of depression and suicide.
In light of this evidence, researchers conducted studies to discover what affect Accutane had on the brains of patients using it. The study involved 28 young adults who were divided into two groups: those taking Accutane and others using antibiotics. Before taking treatments, patients received positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which measured the activity regions in their brains. Researchers found no correlation between severe acne and feelings of depression.
The patients then took their assigned medications, and after four months, received a second PET scan. Researchers found:
Those taking Accutane showed a 21 percent decrease in orbitofrontal cortex (front part of the brain) activity, which is the part of the brain that plays a critical role in mood and social interaction
Those who took alternative antibiotics did not show any change from the first PET scan to the second
In addition to depression and suicidal behavior, using Accutane may cause psychosis and aggressive behavior.
Medical World Communication
With acne affecting about 85 percent of the population at some time in their life, it is the most common skin disease addressed by dermatologists. However, conventional approaches to treating acne, such as Accutane, merely focus on treating the symptoms and NEVER actually address the cause.
The problem with this approach: Antibiotics invariably kill beneficial bacteria in the colon and set the stage for problems with chronic yeast infections. Further, while these dermatologists claim diet has nothing to do with acne -- nothing could be further from the truth!
So you may be wondering why doctors typically don't tell you that diet influences acne. Well, doctors cannot sell you a healthy diet, and they are under strong influence by the drug companies to prescribe expensive and sometimes harmful topical acne creams and antibiotics. The only person getting rich from a healthy diet recommendation is YOU (from all the money you will save from NOT buying expensive medications.)
The real answer to controlling acne is by optimizing your insulin levels. The best way to do that is to avoid sugar and grains.
This is especially beneficial for someone suffering from acne, as eating refined carbohydrates and sugar leads to a surge of insulin and an insulin-like growth factor called IGF-1 in your body. This can lead to an excess of male hormones, which cause pores in the skin to secrete sebum, a greasy substance that attracts acne-promoting bacteria. Additionally, IGF-1 causes skin cells known as keratinocytes to multiply, a process that is associated with acne.
Also, stress has the ability to worsen just about every disease we encounter, and this includes acne. That’s why it is so important to have an effective tool to help you with your stress before it becomes overwhelming.
There are a variety of ways that you can do this -- yoga, meditation or making sure you get enough quality sleep. Find a method that works best for you.
My favorite tool for relieving stress is the Aromatherapy Holistic treatment, energy psychology tool. It is a psychological acupressure technique that can help you to channel your stress-related thoughts and leave you feeling calmer and more able to face your challenges.
Latest on the Cause of Acne
Scientists are constantly in search of treatments and cures for life-threatening diseases such as cancer and have recently uncovered the genetic blueprint of a microbe that has brought great anguish to numerous teenagers--acne.
The genome of the bacteria called propionibacterium acnes can be found on the surface of everyone's skin. Acne flair-ups are the result of the way bacteria blocks the pores. The bacteria then cause the pimple to become red and swollen. In some cases it could lead to painful lesions. The outbreak of acne has been the cause of embarrassment for many teenagers throughout their adolescent years.
Many of the 17 million Americans who suffer from acne are adults.
While many people associate acne with poor hygiene and diet, doctors claimed that these two factors don't play a role in the condition. Scientists have hope that this genetic blueprint could hold the key to finding more effective drugs with fewer side effects to treat acne.
Experts stated that many people underestimate the social stigma and self-consciousness that come with having acne.
Houston Chronicle
Propionibacterium acnes is the bacteria that lives in the skin and is a major cause of acne. Why is this important? Well as most of you know acne affects four out of five adolescents worldwide, as well as many adults with chronic forms of the disease.
Being afflicted as a child and adult and all because of ignorance of basic human health principles. And had no idea that grains and sugars are the primary reason why most suffer with acne. One certainly would not understand this from reading the medical literature, as there isn't a peep about it. Nearly every time diet is mentioned in a discussion of acne, it is emphasized that diet plays no role.
How absolutely ridiculous. Yet , many had to suffer because the "experts" didn't even understand the basics of health and nutrition.
The article does, however, provide an excellent summary of what is known about the bacteria that "causes" acne. (Probably, the article was originally conceived when news about the gene sequencing of the bacteria was first published in Science.) The interesting observation here is that no amount of knowledge of the genetics of the bacteria is going to help treat the disease because that will only result in expensive Band-Aid solutions designed to "control" the bacteria.
The real "cure" is to change one's diet to one based on one's nutritional type. Eliminating grains, sugars, sweets, potatoes and corn help radically improve acne in most that do so. This will create an environment that does not allow the bacteria to grow. This could save so much grief as acne is one of the easiest and most responsive problems to treat without drugs.
No-Grain Diet Clears up Acne for Good
Acne affects about 85 percent of the population at some time in their life and is the most common skin disease treated by dermatologists. Most teens get the type of acne called acne vulgaris, which can appear on the face, neck, shoulders, back and chest.
Most doctors and dermatologists say that acne is not related to diet, but there is indeed a link--and a strong one at that , most patients’ acne clears up when they follow the no-grain diet described in nutrition plan, and come to understand the influence of grains on health.
Why is a no-grain diet beneficial for acne?
Eating refined carbohydrates and sugar leads to a surge of insulin and an insulin-like growth factor called IGF-1 in your body. This can lead to an excess of male hormones, which cause pores in the skin to secrete sebum, a greasy substance that attracts acne-promoting bacteria. Additionally, IGF-1 causes skin cells known as keratinocytes to multiply, a process that is associated with acne.
Some say acne is a disease of Western civilization because studies have found that the condition is virtually nonexistent in non-westernized societies, where refined carbohydrates and sugar are rarely eaten. For instance, in one study that looked at acne cases in islanders of Papua New Guinea and hunter-gatherers of Paraguay, no acne cases were found in either group. The findings, which are in-line with many other studies, make a strong case for the significant role of environmental factors, such as diet, in acne.
Limiting grains is an integral step toward optimizing your health. The more we study the influence of grains, and their secondary consequences on insulin, the more we will find that their pervasive influences touch nearly every aspect of our health.
A Healthy Diet Can’t be "Sold"
So you may be wondering why doctors typically say diet does not influence acne. Well, doctors cannot sell you a healthy diet, and they are under strong influence by the drug companies to prescribe expensive and sometimes harmful topical acne creams and antibiotics. No one is going to get rich from recommending a healthy diet to heal acne, except maybe you when you start saving money that you were spending on acne medications.
Further, many dermatologists prescribe long-term antibiotic treatments for acne. This can be especially problematic since every time you take an antibiotic, you kill beneficial bacteria along with the problematic bacteria. This can lead to many secondary conditions, such as yeast overgrowth.
The Emotions Factor
Anyone who has experienced an outbreak of acne knows that it can take a significant psychological toll. Many people feel embarrassed by acne, and the embarrassment can keep them from socializing and feeling confident.
On the other hand, recent studies have found a link that suggests stress can actually aggravate acne. One study involving college students found that the students’ acne flared when they felt stressed from examinations.
Well, stress has the ability to make just about every disease we encounter worse, and this includes acne. This is why it is so important to deal with your stress before it becomes overwhelming. There are a variety of ways that you can do this, like yoga, meditation or making sure you get enough quality sleep, so it is important that you find a method that works best for you.
Just remember that acne likely results from a combination of dietary and emotional factors. Addressing both sides of the equation will give you the most beneficial results.
Houston Chronicle, Crowe, I. The Quest for Food: Its Role in Human Evolution and Migration. Tempus, Ballentine, R, "Diet and Nutrition, A Holistic Approach." Himalayan International Institute.
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