How to Treat Acne, Eczema, and Psoriasis Naturally!

"Your skin is the fingerprint of what is going on inside your body, and all skin conditions, from psoriasis to acne to aging, are the manifestations of your body's internal needs, including its nutritional needs."

     ~ Dr. Georgiana Donadio, Founder of National Institute of Whole Health

What is Acne?

Acne begins when secretions from the skin including sebum from sebaceous glands and toxins excreted from the body are trapped due to clogged pores (i.e., the thousands of tiny openings for hair follicles). Many things can cause pores to clog including the secretions themselves, the accumulation of dead skin cells, and the use of many topical products that tend to clog pores. When this occurs you get blackheads from large pore openings and whiteheads from small pore openings. Both types of clogged pores can develop into swollen, tender inflammations or pimples or deeper lumps, nodules or cysts. Cysts associated with severe cases of acne (cystic acne) are firm swellings below the skin's surface that become inflamed and sometimes infected, but may not come to a head.

What Was My Experience With Acne?

As I know many of you can sympathize and empathize with, I’ve struggled with acne since middle school. By the time I was in high school my dermatologist recommended that I take a fairly heavy dose of minocycline daily, in addition to using a benzoyl peroxide face wash and topical gel daily. He hesitated to recommend the many stronger medications. I was also very opposed to being exposed to the many side effects of these medicines. After a few years, he recommended that I try to reduce the dose of minocycline as this is an antibiotic product that is not good to take longer-term, or shorter-term for that matter. Unfortunately, each time I tried to reduce the level or stop taking minocycline altogether I broke out again, leading him to recommend that I begin taking it again. Of course, each time I was disappointed to discover that we had not cured the problem or that I had not “grown out of it.”

Shortly thereafter, I began to wean myself off these products as I realized how damaging they were to my health. I first noticed that my gums had turned purple as opposed to the healthy pink color that’s normal. When I asked my doctor about it he confirmed this was often a side effect of the minocyline which led me to stop using that product. Later, while staying with my grandmother for a weekend, I was washing my face and dripped some of the face wash on the floor which quickly stripped the color out of her carpet. Of course, she was less concerned about her carpet than with the product I was using on my sensitive face. So, I stopped using those products. I began to believe that there must be a natural way to deal with my acne problem. God didn’t create us to be burdened forever with skin conditions that slowly destroy our self confidence! I tried many things…some that had a positive effect, but not enough to cure the acne…..and others with no effect at all….and still others that appeared to have a negative effect. Finally, I came across a skin care line that I firmly believe works called Miracle II. For a long time I used only this product to judge the effects of it alone. While like many acne treatments, it did take a while to work, it did in fact work to clear my acne! During the time of “testing” this product I began researching other causes and contributors to acne and many other skin conditions and various recommended natural treatments.

The Beginnings of the “Natural Healthcare Store”

As I completed my research on natural remedies for acne I began incorporating certain changes into my life that would have a very positive affect on my struggle with acne. In addition to the skin care line, I began purchasing other products beneficial in treating acne and many skin conditions! Soon, the Natural Healthcare Store was born! The Natural Healthcare Store is dedicated to carrying only the highest quality all natural skin care products, many of which came into the store through my research into natural acne treatments. I try to personally use and test each product we carry (although there are a few products that I don’t need and therefore can’t test effectively, in which case I have trusted friends and family who first test these products to judge their effectiveness prior to offering it to my valued customers)! 

Recommendations

Overview

First, you must understand that your acne condition (or eczema or psoriasis condition) is not only external, but is also a result of internal disorders….although the external result is clearly the most visible symptom! Acne is the result of clogged pores that fill with sebum (an oily substance produced by the sebaceous glands), dead skin cells and toxins released through the pores of your skin. The production of sebum and the release of toxins through the pores on your body is a normal and healthy part of your body’s function. What’s abnormal is that many of these pores are clogged! Often, these pores are clogged due to the daily use of unnatural skincare products, many of which contain pore clogging ingredients such as animal fat. As such, the sebum and toxins that are excreted do not flow readily to the topical layer of the skin, but are instead trapped inside the pore leading to red swollen pimples or acne. Additionally, for those struggling with acne, many of the products recommended are very drying and irritating to the skin leading your body to compensate by producing excess sebum.

So, what should we do about it?

Use Natural Skincare Products that Will Not Clog Your Pores

First, be sure to use 100% natural skin care products that will not clog the pores on your body. This will allow your pores to function properly acting as an important mechanism through which to release sebum and toxins. Additionally, by using 100% natural products you’re less likely to irritate your skin leading to an over-production of sebum. Please note that dry skin can also lead to an over-production of sebum so be sure to apply plenty of natural moisturizer to your skin, even acne prone skin! Please keep in mind that when we say skin care products we mean each and every topical product you use including soap, toners and ointments, moisturizers, shaving gels, fragrances, make-up, etc. Most commercial skin care products contain unnatural ingredients and animal fat (as it’s considered a cheap filler) which clog your pores trapping toxins and sebum and leading to skin conditions such as acne. If you look at the ingredients on a product and do not recognize the names or you recognize them as a chemical ingredient you should avoid these products. 

Make Sure Your Body Is Detoxifying Properly

Now, you may have a dermatologist that says that what you eat has no impact on your acne. Well, I believe that’s true….it has no direct effect….however, what you eat absolutely has an impact on your digestive tract and internal organs which must process these foods, absorb the needed nutrients and work to rid your body of the left over toxins. In this way, the food you eat does have an indirect effect on your skin.

Our bodies were intelligently designed with many inherent healing capabilities. If you cut yourself your body produces a blood clot which helps to stop the bleeding, protects you from exposure to infection and disease, and begins the process of repairing the damaged cells. Similarly, your body is built to be able to fight off and destroy various illness, disease, health, and skin conditions. One of the many ways in which it does this is to constantly rid the body of various toxins that it’s exposed to on a daily basis. Each day as we breath, eat and drink we ingest various toxins. Toxins are in the very air we breath. We ingest toxins through the food we eat including mercury in fish, pesticides in fruits and vegetables, and hormones in milk and meat. We're also exposed to toxins through the processed foods we eat each day which contain many unnatural additives and preservatives. However, as we’ve said our bodies are built with an amazing ability to naturally and effectively eliminate these toxins. The body excretes toxins naturally through three main mechanisms, (1) through urine (this is one reason your told to drink plenty of water or other liquids when your sick), (2) through feces, and (3) through your pores. You also excrete certain toxins through your lungs.

The problem is that in today's environment not only are we exposed to larger quantities of toxins increasing the burden on our body’s, but we also utilize many products that severely limit our body’s natural ability to eliminate toxins. We’ve already discussed the impact of many commercial products that clog the pores on our face and body limiting our ability to excrete toxins through our sweat. We also consume many natural and unnatural products that are not easily digestible which tend to clog our intestines limiting our ability to effectively eliminate toxins through this outlet.

It’s estimated that over 100 million American’s are constipated! Are you? A healthy person should have at least 1 bowl movement up to 3 to 5 easily flowing bowl movements per day. I know many people who aren’t even having one per day! As this fecal matter builds up over time, it’s estimated that the average adult has between 5 and 20 pounds of compacted fecal waste within their bowels.

We recommend taking Oxy-Powder a 100% safe and effective natural oxygen based colon cleansing product with a 100% Money Back Guarantee. When I first completed this cleanse I lost five pounds and I only weight 105 to 110 pounds!

Another item worthy of note is that while the average person with a healthy colon excretes approximately 7 pounds of feces per day through 3 to 5 bowl movements per day (~75% water and 25% solid matter), it’s estimated the skin alone has the capacity to eliminate over one pound of waste per day! Again, assuring that your pores are open and dumping toxins appropriately is no small matter!

Your body also absorbs nutrients through your intestinal tract. If your intestinal tract is clogged with compacted feces, your body will have a much more difficult time absorbing nutrients through your intestinal walls which are lined with compacted feces. As such, Oxy-Powder provides you the additional benefit of helping you to better absorb nutrients from the food you consume daily.

Maintain a Proper pH Level

Your bodies pH level also has a major impact on internal function and regulation including hormone balance. Many studies show that a proper pH level is one of the keys to optimal health. If you ate a 100% pure fruit and vegetable diet you would likely maintain a proper pH level naturally as these foods tend to be close to balanced if not slightly alkaline which is a healthy state for the body. However, in today’s world we consume so many food and other items that are not balanced that tend to create an acidic environment in our bodies (i.e., processed foods, prescription drugs, etc.). This typically leads to our bodies being in an acidic pH state which is generally a hospitable environment to many bacteria, fungus, and disease. We recommend that you pay close attention to your pH level and try to keep your body in a neutral to slightly alkaline state. Personally, in order to achieve a proper pH level, not only do I consume a large amount of raw fruits and vegetables each day, I also take the Miracle II neutralizer each day which has a very alkaline state helping to adjust my pH level to a more appropriate level!

Other Recommendations

While these recommendations represent the major components of the changes I made in my life in order to treat my acne, there are many other steps you can take to treat acne. For example, we can’t emphasize enough the impact of a healthy diet not only on your overall health, but also on the health of your skin. Proper exercise is also important as it helps in the normal release of toxins. The use of tea tree oil also helps many people in treating acne, therefore I mix it with my Miracle II soap to create a 100% natural tea tree oil face wash. We also provide foaming pumps which are a wonderful way to mix tea tree and other essential oils with your soap to create treatments and fragrances that you prefer!

Bullet Point Summary + Additional Recommendations!

• Use natural skin care products that contain no animal fats and will not clog your pores! We recommend the Miracle II skin care line! You may also choose to mix natural oils with the soap. We recommend natural oils known to have positive effects on acne such as tea tree oil and lavender oil, in addition to oils with known healing properties such as jojoba oil. We will soon be adding a line of essential oils from which you can choose! We also carry foaming pump bottles which are great for mixing and dispersing your soap mixtures!

• Using a natural mask on your face can be very beneficial as it removes dead skin, opens pores and helps to pull out any toxins clogging your pores. However, you need to assure that its 100% natural. We recommend using the 100% natural Dead Sea mud mask which has been used for this purpose for centuries! The Dead Sea mud will open your pores and nourish your skin with its natural concentration of minerals and trace elements leaving your face and body feeling soft and smooth, while effectively eliminating toxins and exfoliating your skin!

• Do not let your skin dry out! Apply plenty of moisturizer to dry skin to keep your body from over producing sebum which can lead to acne. Proper moisture is needed for healthy skin and you must have healthy skin to have clear skin!

• Wash your face gently using your hands only. Do not use a wash cloth, scrub pad, or other mechanism for washing your face as these can be very abrasive in addition to germ trapping causing irritation and further breakouts. Do not pick at breakouts and do not squeeze pimples as this will simply push some of the excretions deeper into the pore leading to larger breakouts that are longer lasting.

• If you use make-up, use a 100% natural make-up. We recommend using a mineral make-up that does not include bismuth oxy-chloride as an ingredient. Many dermatologists report that because high quality mineral cosmetics eliminate the use of classic "irritants" such as fragrances, binders, synthetics, dyes, and preservatives it is considered "purer" and can be kinder and gentler to the skin. However, some of the top brands including Bare Minerals/Essentuals and Sheer Cover include bismuth oxy-chloride despite the recommendations of many dermatologists to avoid this ingredient given that it’s a known skin irritant that can actually cause cystic acne.

• Drink plenty of water each day with a goal of at least eight 8 oz glasses of water per day. This is important as both an agent of moisture and detoxification.

• Eat plenty of fruits of vegetables! Fruits and vegetables not only provide much needed nutrients to your body, but they also help in the process of natural detoxification.

• Limit or avoid red meat, pork, dairy, processed foods, wheat and wheat products, refined flour (white bread, white pasta etc), refined sugars (sweets, white sugar), yeasty foods, high fat foods, spicy foods, burned or char-grilled foods, salt, preservatives, caffeine, and alcohol (drink clear alcohol or wines with fewer preservatives). You may also choose to limit the amount of coffee in your diet! Research suggests that coffee (with or without caffeine) stimulates the production of cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the body when you are stressed. Have you ever heard that stress leads to acne? This is believed to be due to the release of the hormone Cortisol. Therefore, coffee may have the same effect as stress on your skin leading to further breakouts.

• Avoid the following ingredients as these are not natural and are thought to contribute to acne breakouts: socetyl stearate, isopropyl isostearate, isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl myristate, parabens, sodium chloride, sodium laurel/laureth sulfate, propylene glycol, diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA), and PVP/VA Copolymer.

• Assure your eating a balanced diet proving your body with the proper nutrients. Research shows that our fruits and vegetables contain less nutrients than in the past, making it more difficult to provide our bodies with the needed nutrients simply through the food we eat. However, many people who eat a largely raw fruit and vegetable diet may actually be providing their bodies with the needed nutrients from the best source possible. This is because your body absorbs the greatest amount of nutrients from natural foods. If you need to add a supplement to your diet we recommend a whole food supplement as apposed to a vitamin as this source of nutrients provides the second best rate of absorption! Either way, there are certain minerals and nutrients know to have a positive effect on acne, therefore you should try to include foods rich in these nutrients in your diet!

• Vitamins, Minerals, and Antioxidants known to have a Positive Effect on Acne and the Foods that are Naturally Your Best Source for these Nutrients!

  • Zinc - Brown Rice, Salmon, Spinach, Beans, Nuts, Lentils, Lima Beans, Oatmeal, Peas, Beef , Chicken, Lamb, Turkey Rye Bread, and Whole Wheat Bread!

  • Vitamin A – Apricots, Broccoli, Collard Greens, Cayenne Pepper, Beet Greens, Kale, Cantaloup, Mango, Peaches, Spinach, Carrots, Sweet Potato (not yam; your looking for the more pale yellow tube looking potato), Red Bell Pepper, Brussel Sprouts, Peas, Tomatos, Parsley, Papaya, Ripe Watermelon, Winter Squash, and Pumpkin!

  • Vitamin E - Wheat Germ and Whole Grain Breads, Avocado, Sunflower Seeds, Pine Nuts, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Almonds!

  • Vitamin C – Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Cauliflower, Collard Greens, Turnip Greens, Beet Greens, Grapefruit, Mango, Orange, Papaya, Pineapple, Spinach, Strawberries, Apricots, Asparagus, Honeydew Melon, Sweet Potato, Tomato, Turnips, Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Cherries, Tangerines, Green Beans, Peaches, Artichokes, Rhubarb, Beets, Carrots, and Peas!

  • Vitamin B (B1, B2, B6, B12, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, and Pantothenic Acid) – Fish, Poultry, Meats, Eggs, Dairy Products, Leafy Green Vegetables, Beans, Peas, and Whole Grains such as Wheat and Oats!

  • Selenium – Asparagus, Garlic, Mushrooms, Corn, Nuts (Brazil Nuts and Walnuts), Legumes, Soybeans, Beef, Chicken, Egg, Tuna, Turkey, Wheat, and Oats!

  • Essential Fatty Acids – Fish, Flaxseed Oil, Evening Primrose Oil.

Note: The information contained herein has been compiled from various sources. The above statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. We make no claims, either expressed or implied, that any treatments mentioned in this newsletter will cure disease, replace prescription medication, or supersede sound medical advice.

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Note: The website www.naturalhealthcarestore.com does not provide medical advise.  The site simply provides research data for informational purposes.  The content included in this website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding medical conditions.  Statements included in this website have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products carried by the Natural Healthcare Store are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.