Acne Meets Its Match

There are lotions. There are creams. There are scrubs. There are drugs. When all else fails, there is makeup.

As a chiropractor, all of these anti-acne strategies strike me as too little, too late. Lotions, creams, and scrubs attack the visible symptom, not the cause. Makeup masks the problem, but doesn't cure the underlying glandular issues.

Isn't there some way to prevent acne in the first place, to keep the skin and pores and glands healthy and unclogged? Seems so. Writing about acne in Dynamic Chiropractic magazine, Donald M. Petersen, Jr., mentions a research review which has linked a good diet with reduced acne.

A systematic review of the reseach shows that "there exists convincing data supporting the role of dairy products and high-glycemic-index foods in influencing hormonal and inflammatory factors, which can increase acne prevalence and severity."

"High-glycemic-index foods” include sugar, most breakfast cereals, white rice, potatoes, white bread, etc. Low-glycemic-index foods include fruits, veggies, whole grains products, yogurt, etc.

This is one of those articles which seems self-evident after you hear it. More fruits and vegetables are better for the skin than starches or sugars. Fruits and vegetables include a veritable cornucopia of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals; starchy and sugary diets usually include more simple starches and sugars than anything else.

Although it could be considered fearmongering, this might be the most convincing reason to encourage healthy eating in the adolescent population: "No dessert until you eat that last brussels sprout! You don't want acne, do you?"

As always, remember that a good diet and healthy exercise together are the keys to a healthy lifestyle. In Peoria, healthy diet and exercise options are plentiful.