Acne sufferers may have heard that in primitive cultures where processed food and modern food production techniques do not exist acne is unheard of. It seems the food we eat may be at the heart of the acne problem.
Modern farming techniques deplete minerals in the soil and we end up eating food that has lowered mineral content in it. This is from foods that are supposed to be a rich source of minerals. So even if you have a healthy diet you may end up with mineral deficiencies. And if your diet consists of a lot of junk food then you definitely are mineral deficient. This is because junk food contains toxins that deplete the body of minerals and other nutrients.
So which mineral deficiencies cause acne?
In particular a zinc deficiency will result in acne. That is not to say that all acne sufferers are deficient in zinc, but being deficient in zinc will cause acne. Often simply supplementing with zinc will help clear acne somewhat, and has even been known to completely cure it. Many studies have shown that zinc supplementation is as effective as antibiotic treatment for acne. However there are some ground rules to taking zinc. Firstly the body has difficulty absorbing zinc. Phytic acid is a strong zinc inhibitor and is found in high levels in many grains. Zinc is therefore best taken on an empty stomach. However most zinc supplements cause nausea when taken on an empty stomach. The solution to this is taking the form of zinc called zinc citrate. Zinc citrate is alkaline based and so is easy on the stomach. The best time to take zinc citrate is last thing at night, or at least 2 hours before or after food. This allows maximum absorption of the zinc.
As well as zinc you should take a good quality multimineral supplement to get the other minerals consistently into the body. Be aware that the zinc in these multimineral supplements will be largely unabsorbed as other minerals such as copper inhibit zinc absorption.
Another method of avoiding mineral deficiencies is by eating organic foods which by and large will have much higher levels of mineral content in them than non-organic sources.
A big problem with modern food production is with meat and poultry. The animals are given antibiotics to stop epidemics of disease in overcrowded farm factories. These antibiotics are passed on to the human consumer and are generally detrimental to our health in the same way that taking prescription antibiotics is in the long term. Antibiotics deplete the amounts of good bacteria in the digestive system. Having these in our system is vital to proper digestive functioning. Problems of long term antibiotic use include candida, which is a fungal infection. Candida can actually cause acne so you can see why avoiding antibiotics both prescription and animal based antibiotics is important. Eating organic meat and poultry will enable you to avoid this problem.
The widespread use of pesticides help increase the longevity of fresh foods but they deplete its vitamin and mineral content levels. Pesticides are also toxins that when in the body rob it of vital nutrients. The methods used in organic food production do not incorporate the utilization of pesticides and so consumption of organic food is recommended for acne sufferers.
Although this is only a brief overview of how acne sufferers can develop deficiencies through their diet, it does detail ways to overcome this problem. An improvement in acne should result in eating organic based food and supplementing with zinc and multiminerals. There are easier ways to clear acne but supplementation will always be at the heart of any cure.
Seth Bayram has written dozens of articles on acne, as well as authoring a book that recommends an effective way to treat it. His FaceMaster Course book outlines a simple, step-by-step method for clearing acne, the outcome of his years of research as an acne sufferer himself. Find out how you can cure your acne at www.facemaster.net | |
