When it comes to acne, I’ve got some really bad news for you. You’ve been lied to; we all have. It’s true, unfortunately. Take, for instance, diet and acne. Do you think there’s any connection between the two? If you’re like most people, you would say, “Of course not! They disproved that myth years ago!” Did they? Do you know the exact specifics on the research they did to establish this proof? Again, most people won’t know but they’ll know there was probably a pretty well documented study or studies determining the validity of their statements. I thought the same thing, but I inevitably came across something pretty shocking and disturbing when I came across the truth. That exhaustive research? A week long study….40 years ago!! I couldn’t believe it either; the entire basis for the “there’s no connection between diet and acne” is a 7 day long study carried out in 1971. During that study, participants were given several servings a day of coffee, chocolate and other items. At the end of the week, doctors saw no new pimples so they shrugged and said “No connection!” Ever since then, it’s been shouted from mountain top to mountain top that there’s no connection. Since then, however, there have been year long studies on several different groups of people. An Inuit tribe was studied as they changed from a traditional diet to a more modern, westernized one. A group of Ache people (natives living in Paraguay were also studied in a similar manner. Finally, a group of people from Brazil were studied as they moved to the US and then back to their country. In every, single case, occurrences of acne were non-existent. That is, until, they began eating a diet much like our own. Afterwards, many began breaking out in pimples. Now this might not exactly be the nail in the coffin, but the group from Brazil lost their breakouts after moving back home. But wait, it get’s even better! Dermatologists that have began to question the traditional views have started to treat many of their patients through diet; they have put their patients on a low glycemic index (GI) diet. What this simply means is the patients don’t eat foods that cause large insulin spikes in the blood stream; no white bread or white flour items, little to no processed foods in favor of whole grains, vegetables and healthy meats and fats. In many cases, their patients have shown vast improvements. Now I don’t think you have to eat perfectly all the time to achieve clear skin, far from it. However this begs a very interesting question: Why has the mainstream been lying to us for so long? At the very least, why do they refuse to even take a second look at their long established views when it’s become quite clear that they should at least reevaluate their position. Well, that question leads me to the acne industry itself. The acne treatment industry is a billion dollar a year business. It is quite lucrative because, as I’m sure you’re well aware, people will do almost anything to get clear skin. Just looking back at my own experience, I would’ve done almost anything to finally get rid of my pimples. Now when it comes to the medical industry as a whole, most of it is very influenced by the drug corporations. Much of the literature, continuing education and perks of the job are paid for and written by the pharmaceutical companies. So instead of writing and researching more into holistic treatments that focus on things like the diet and acne connection, it’s more focused on creating a new gel or cream to put on your skin to stop your pimples. Just look back about a year ago; do you all remember epiduo? Epiduo was this great new breakthrough treatment for acne. Its secret? A combination of a retinoid, a man-made version of vitamin A in layman’s terms, and benzoyl peroxide. This incredible combination did nothing other than over dry most people’s skin. Before then, it was a combination of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide and before then, it was either or and before then….etc. It’s always something else with them. You know why? Because for the products to actually work, you have to keep taking them. That’s assuming the products actually work for you in the first place! So instead of researching real, lasting cures that attack the root problems within your body, the industry prefers to manufacture “treatments” that force you to keep buying over and over again. Cured patients stop buying; treated patients keep shelling out the dough! I don’t know about you, but I’d prefer not to play their games. Getting back to the diet connection, you don’t need to eat like a rabbit and never go out with your friends; far from it. Going down that route, you’ll only stress yourself out and keep trying to restrict your diet more and more. You’ll ultimately fail and feel even worse than before. But what you can do as an acne prone person is cut back on some things to start: Dairy products have insulin-like growth factor in them that causes similar problems as normal insulin in our bodies: oily skin that flakes off as well as an overgrowth of bacteria. Cutting back will help alleviate your symptoms. Drinking more water is very important; it hydrates your skin and helps flush excess hormones and toxins from your body Green, leafy vegetables are important too. They alkalize the blood and help heal your body and skin from the inside. So stop playing the acne game and stop buying into their lies. Acne is a problem that begins inside our bodies; trying to treat your acne by putting stuff on your face will only lead to failure. The breakouts, oil, dead skin and bacteria are all symptoms of the actual problems inside. Treat your real problems, cure your acne from the inside out, and your body, as well as your face, will thank and reward you. Check out My Blog on acne to learn more about curing yourself once and for all through proper treatment