Acne, aka Diabetes of the Skin!

Did you know scientist have been referring to acne as diabetes of the skin since the 1950s?

This is because insulin is necessary for the body to convert glucose into energy, but excess insulin in the blood stream can increase IGF-1 (Insulin Growth Factor) which promotes skin cell growth.

Increased insulin also raises androgens (male hormones - women have them too) like testosterone which can increase sebum production leading to acne.

Eating high glycemic foods like sugar, processed foods, & dairy have been demonstrated to cause an insulin spike, which is often a cause of acne.

Epidemiological studies show that acne is absent in populations consuming paleo diets with low glycemic load & no dairy consumption.

Consuming a diet high in processed omega 6 oils are estrogenic & also more easily converted to inflammatory prostaglandins which can result in acne.

So what to do to promote beautiful skin?

🔸Eat a low glycemic index diet
🔸Get plenty of chromium, Selenium, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, & Zinc.
🔸Liver supporting herbs, bitters. A congested liver will start to push the toxins out of the skin, so doing things like castor oil packs are fantastic for the skin
🔸Improve lymphatic flow with dry brushing, rebounding & sweating.
🔸Probiotics to replenish good bacteria & prevent overgrowth of negative bacteria
🔸Fats like avocado, macadamia, coconut & olive oil
🔸Bentonite Clay masks are excellent for pulling toxins out of the skin
🔸Tea tree oil applied topically for breakouts to reduce inflammation & kill negative bacteria
🔸Jojoba oil is a great skin balancer for acne prone skin & won't clog pores