The acne production cycle clears acne forever

As I explained in the previous article oily skin what really causes acne is not the production of oil or sebum from our skin, but the quality of that sebum. It sounds a little weird but let me explain the acne production cycle.

Before knowing the acne production cycle you should know that if you try to prevent acne with medicines or topical treatments, (creams, lotions, etc.) let me tell you that you are going to spend a fortune and you are not going to get short or long term results. Acne on your skin is an interaction of your whole body, and nutrition has a lot to do as well as digestion so that the acne production cycle starts and promotes the sebum or fat that causes acne, if you don’t understand this cycle even if you had a «list of anti-acne foods» or spend on the best anti-acne creams or treatments to avoid oily skin, you will never solve the problem.

What I am going to explain to you next is really the key to eliminating acne forever. Pay close attention to this section, it is really valuable information that you will not find anywhere else.

To graphically explain the acne production cycle, I have prepared for you this video with subtitles:

Now that you know the acne production cycle it is amazing how simple it is to avoid acne and without spending on expensive acne treatments. Now that you know this cycle, you can understand why focusing on trying to clear acne only from the skin is useless, because it’ll eventually come back and you’ll have breakouts again and you also come to understand why adult acne exists. But let’s see how to solve the problem at its roots and eliminate acne once and for all.

We already saw in the video that the challenge to overcome consists of 2 parts, nutrition and digestion, but they are closely linked to each other. In fact, our nutrition can largely determine our good or bad digestion.

What is the main factor in causing acne?

The quality of the sebum or fat secreted depends on our diet and digestion, and is a very important factor for the generation of acne and as we talk about it in Part 3, Acne-free skin  and Part 4, Oily skin in this series of articles, is the most important factor or variable for the generation of acne.

The fastest way to clear acne is NOT to overload the acne production cycle, i.e .:

1. Consume foods that promote liver detoxification
2. Reduce foods that promote poor digestion or delay it
3. Increase foods that promote intestinal transit and improve evacuation

A sebum that is purer and cleaner in terms of hormones, toxins, glucose and other body wastes will prevent the generation of acne.

What overloads the acne production cycle?

Hormones

Hormones are produced by almost all human organs, it’s a natural process throughout life, although it increases at puberty and decreases with age. But at puberty our liver is not used to hormonal bursts. The liver filters the hormones from our blood but if in addition to our hormones we increase the intake of hormones of animal origin the acne production cycle becomes overloaded, causing the liver to work even more cleaning the blood. That’s why we find adult acne breakouts with the presence of a drug that alters hormonal production or secretion of sex steroids during the menstrual cycle or hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy. I remember when my 70-year-old grandmother was medicated to regulate her estrogens and this caused a rash of pimples on her forehead.

Hormones and acne

Hormones are often used in the production of meat for human consumption as this increases the muscle mass of the animals rapidly. Although some hormones are destroyed by digestive enzymes, you should avoid eating industrialized pork (hams, mortadella, etc.) since they contain greater amounts of preservatives, flavorings and other compounds that your liver must clean. The pig is very similar to the human from the anatomical and physiological point of view that is why some of its hormones can affect our body. Plus they are primarily grain-fed.

Toxins

Both internal and external toxins in the body are metabolized by the liver to detoxify the blood. In this process free radicals are generated. The more toxins that are destroyed, the more free radicals are produced which translates into even more active chemicals. Free radicals are neutralized by antioxidants, so the more antioxidant foods you consume, you help your body. When liver performance is poor, toxins can remain in the bloodstream and cause skin problems. The manifestation of liver problems may not occur in the liver but in other parts of the body where toxins accumulate, such as the face, chest or back.

Bacteria

We have a very special symbiosis with bacteria, in our intestine there are many types of bacteria that feed on our compounds and that carry out the degradation of nutrients, it’s a balance where both they and we win. However, some factors such as the intake of certain foods cause some colonies of bacteria to grow excessively and cause diseases or alterations in digestion. How Do Bacteria Feed? Their diet is based on breaking down sugars (glucose, sucralose, lactose) and carbon for their metabolic activities, to grow and reproduce. Bacterial overgrowth in the intestine produces excess toxins that the liver must cleanse. Yes, our liver cleanses the toxins produced by our hosts, the bacteria.

Bacteria and acne

The consumption of large amounts of sugar, encourages colonies of bacteria to overfeed and grow, causing poor digestion, especially industrialized foods with refined sugars. (soft drinks, packaged juices, confectionery, bakery, etc.) Even the intake of some fruits (fructose) allows these colonies to grow. In addition to stimulating the yeasts in our intestines.

Sugar

Much has been said about bacteria in the skin as one of the factors that cause acne and is actually more related to glucose. As glucose increases, insulin increases, which affects other glands that are sensitive to insulin and generates more secretion of male hormones, in addition to those of puberty. The large amounts of sugar that we consume in food (industrialized or not) causes an increase in glucose, in our sweating and sebum. And it is where the bacteria that inhabit our skin can find the suitable food and habitat so that together with pore clogging the annoying pimples or pimples are produced.

IMPORTANT: A significant reduction in sweet foods is directly related to acne reduction.

 Dairy

“Milk is specific to its species” says this video: «The dangers of milk and its derivatives (Spanish)» that explains the cons of dairy intake. “Lacteal casein… adheres to the lymphatic follicles of the intestine preventing the absorption of other nutrients”, “contains 70% saturated fatty acids and 30% polyunsaturated fatty acids… favoring inflammatory glucotrienes” , “Milk is 100% inflammatory”, “Milk contains approximately 59 different types of hormones…”

Milk contains casein, a protein that increases insulin-like growth factor (IGF), dairy products cause an increase in insulin in the blood. Some glands are very receptive or sensitive to insulin causing them to react and produce more hormones than necessary.

Another important factor to consider is that milk contains iodine, either because farmers feed the cows with fortified iodine to prevent infections or because at the time of industrial milking they clean the udders with iodine to disinfect.

Iodine is a mineral that in excess can cause the excessive production of thyroid hormones, and aggravate acne. Some other foods with iodine are seaweed, walnuts, shellfish like shrimp and oysters, radish, iodized salt (in excess), and even some weight loss supplements.

IMPORTANT: In my particular experience, when I stopped consuming dairy my acne – I calculate – was reduced by 80%.

Pasta, flours and starches

They are the main foods that hinder intestinal transit and promote constipation because they are slow to assimilate and reduce the absorption of other nutrients, in addition to causing bloating together with intestinal bacteria, due to fermentation by yeast.
Even some flours such as wheat injure the intestine and crack it, called leaky gut syndrome, allowing the entry of macromolecules that cause the immune system to react naturally and cause allergies to some food. About 80% of people are allergic to gluten in wheat and other cereals without knowing it and without presenting noticeable changes in the intestine.

Cereals and grains

If you have very, very severe acne, you should rule out among cereals and grains which could be causing you acne, these are complex carbohydrates, such as rice, beans, lentils, lima beans, corn, etc; (whole or not) and flours derived from these cereals because when they are digested they become glucose, this in turn increases insulin production and insulin in turn alters hormonal production.
Pectin, lectin and gluten in cereals and grains prevent the absorption of minerals and other nutrients in the intestine, inflame it and damage the intestinal mucosa, allowing macromolecules to pass into the body that can cause autoimmune reactions. The gliadin and lectin in grains also increase intestinal permeability. They are the main cause of constipation, inflammation, irritable bowel, gas, pain and intestinal cramps.
Replace them in your diet with their brothers (also) complex carbohydrates found in green leafy vegetables, that don’t raise insulin production too much and don’t hormonally alter your body.

IMPORTANT: If your acne is severe, avoid all foods with gluten, cereals and grains, remember that some processed foods may contain gluten. You can eliminate cereals and grains one by one from your diet and keep a record to find a possible culprit, which is the one that causes acne.

Industrialized food

Unfortunately we live in a modern era where almost all foods go through a process of adding nutrients, colorings, preservatives, retarders, etc. to which our bodies have not been able to adapt, causing damage to health because these substances can accumulate in our body.

Responsible for detoxification and elimination of these compounds are the kidneys and liver, which again overload their function.

In summary

In my experience, reducing these foods as much as possible from my diet, especially sugars, dairy products and flours, has improved acne elimination by 95%. However for each person it may be different, but the benefit can be felt and seen in a few weeks. Of course my intention is not to prohibit these foods, but to make you aware of the effects of aggravating the acne production cycle.

I would also like to talk about the myths and facts of acne and food.

Remember to apply this information, share it (www.bit.ly/Without_Acne) and leave your comment below.

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