OUTSIDE HELP: ‘NON TRADITIONAL’ HEALING
Nutrition
Remember how we talked about the skin’s pH and the acid mantle? Any doctor who says that food does not affect the skin needs to go back to school and take a course in nutrition. Although there is no direct ‘cause and effect’ relationship, i.e. you will get one pimple for every piece of Godiva chocolate you chow down, your skin is directly linked to every other body system – this includes your digestive and excretory system. The food you eat does effect you body’s pH. Why do you think they tell you to quit drinking coffee and sodas when you have an ulcer? Because they are have a pH balance which your body will not react to favorably.
Discover how the fuel you put into your body effects how it runs. The nutrients you gain from food and water are directly effecting not only your physical performance, but your mental and emotional well being as well. All of the systems are interdependent on each other.
One of the big problems with Over-the-Counter drugs and self medication is that it is easy to go overboard and try all of the remedies you can get your hands on, only to be disappointed by the results. This is especially true with habitual picking – you are always looking for a cure outside of yourself and feel the ultimate frustration when your expectations are failed.
Now, just as I would not recommend you run out to the store and buy some ‘Erythromycin’ or your antibiotic of choice and down the whole bottle, I do not recommend you go to the store and stock-up on all of these supplements and take them in abundance. If you chose to take a dietary approach to your healing, it is best to get under the care of a good nutritionist, naturopath, or qualified health expert who can guide you sensibly along a path to optimum health.
Use this next section as more information in your arsenal against your critical self. Do not start any nutritional program without consulting or being under the supervision of a trained professional.
Nutrition – Skin Superfoods
Your diet is the quickest way to make effective improvements with your skin. Skin tissues need a rich, high oxygen blood supply. And healthy skin thrives on a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. Plants offer the best way for you to get your nutrients (better than supplements). Heal your body from within and eliminate the source of irritating wastes and toxins that show u in skin inflammation.
- Sesame seeds: Offer support to the skeletal, endocrine and reproductive systems
- Apples: You know what they say, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Well they support muscles, integumentary, lymphatic, and urinary systems
- Celery: Supports nervous, skeletal lymphatic, digestive systems
- Alfalfa sprouts: Support excretory, circulatory, muscular, integumentary systems
- Green leafy vegetables: Support urinary, respiratory, lymphatic systems
- Celery and cucumber: Support kidneys, liver and large intestine.
- Cabbage juice: Women in the army during World War II demanded they be supplied with fresh cabbage or sauerkraut juice because of it’s highly beneficial effect on healthy skin.
- Green Superfood Drinks: Are good for the skin, but beware when they are added to really sweet sugary juices. Green powders can be mixed into your own juice and water.
Nutrition – Vitamin and Mineral Skin Supplements
- Vitamin A emulsion: Alters sebum production, balances hormones and is essential for forming healthy skin and a good source is fish liver oil.
- Beta carotene: Alters sebum production and balance hormones
- Zinc and Zinc gluconate: Alters sebum production and balance hormones and can be found in soybeans, whole grain, sunflower seed and raw nuts.
- Vitamin C” Fights infections, plays a role in producing collagen, strong collagen may ward off bacterial infection. It also prevents wrinkles due to hardening of collagen
- Both vitamin A and zinc are known for their positive effects on the skin and they both help to build immune function. Stress depletes immune function.
- B vitamins: lecithin, pantothenic acid, folic acid are all good for skin
- Niacinimide or niacin: Increases circulation, oxygenates the skin, brings blood supply to infections.
- B6: Reduces facial oil alter sebum production, balance hormones
- Vitamin D: Is essential for skin to function and can be attained by exposure to early morning sunlight.
- Silica, Sulpher, Calcium Lactate and Magnesium Oxide: Are good for your skin and help fight skin stress.
- Colloidial Silver: Known to help prevent and heal wounds and infections. But it is also linked to a dangerous condition called Argyria.
Additional skin supplements include: B12, RNA,
Nutrition – Other Nutritional Skin Supplements:
- Linoleic acid: An essential fat needed for cellular growth and is obtained through such foods as corn oil and soybean oil
- Sulpher: Actually controls fungus and bacteria
- Potassium: Enhances adrenal function
Some additional supplements that have been known to have a positive effect on the skin include: chlorophyll, primrose oil, cod liver oil, hci – hydrocloric acid with digestive enzymes, proteolytic enzymes, kelp, unsaturated fatty acids: sesame, flaxseed and linseed oils.
Nutrition – Glandular Therapy
Because I am a vegetarian, I am not a fan of this type of therapy, but it should be listed as one that is currently used and advised by several health practitioners.
Thymus and lymph – raw glandulars promote elimination of toxins. Raw dermis or epithelial tissue supports skin integrity to help prevent scarring.
Nutrition – Herbs and Teas That Affect Skin
- Milk Thistle and Burdock Root teas” Help the liver purify toxins from the system.
- Pau D’Arco: Known to provide support for the skin.
- Chamomile: Healing agent used as far back as the Ancient Egyptians. 17th Century herbalists used it to treat stomach upset. And even more recently it has been externally to heal wounds due to its antibacterial and antifungal tendencies. It is a common ingredient in many modern lotions, toners, and moisturizers.
Nutrition – Amino Acids for Skin
- L-Cysteine promotes healing, protects against free radical damage to skin and cells and helps the body detoxify itself of heavy metals.
- L-methionine aids in liver function.Some amino acids are directly linked to not just your physical well being, but your emotional as well.
- L-glutamine: Affects the neurotransmitter GABA (Gamma-amino-butyric acid) and deficiency can result in anxiety, insecurity, sleep disorders and can lead to panic attacks. Drugs which add to this problem include valium, alcohol, marijuana and tobacco.
- L-tyrosine and L-phenylalanine: These amino acids directly support the neurotransmitter, norepinephrine, and deficiency can result in depression as well as lack of energy or drive. Drugs which add to this problem include not only cocaine, speed, marijuana, tobacco and alcohol, but also caffeine.
- dL-phenylalanine: Affects the endorphins. We have all heard about ‘getting your endorphins running’ or a ‘runner’s high’, and the chemical reaction induced by love and chocolate! Deficiency of dLphenylalanine will not let you have any of these and result in depression, too. Drugs which add to the problem include tobacco, alcohol, heroin, AND sugar.
- L-Tryptophan: Is a de-stress amino acid.
Nutrition – Specific Systems and Supplements
- Liver function: ascorbic acid, niacin, L-methionine, Inositol, Celandine, B-12 Biotin, Choline bitrate, vitamin A.
- Lymphatic system support: goldenseal, burdock root, red clover, grape root
- Digestive System: Include more high-fiber foods: beans, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Use different types of food to get this fiber, don’t eat just one kind. i.e. only cereal or beans. Use psylium husks to clean out intestinal system. Drink burdock root, milk thistle, red clover teas.
