Although acne is not considered a serious health condition, for those who have it, acne or skin inflammation can be embarrassing and even self-esteem destroying.

Common amongst teenagers going through puberty and adults experiencing hormonal changes, Acne is a skin condition that results from several factors.

Moderate to chronic skin conditions of any kind are an indication of imbalances in the body and should be a sign that a self care approach is needed to properly take care of the problem for good.

The 3 Main Causes of Acne and Skin Problems

1. Sebum Oil

When the sebaceous glands secrete too much oil (known as "sebum"), acne can result. 

Excess sebum is normally the result of an overproduction of insulin in the bloodstream due to poor dietary choices or hormonal imbalances. The oil clogs the pores as it reaches the skin's surface, particularly when it connects with dead skin cells or dirt within the pores, causing Acne and other skin ailments to form.

2. Gut Bacterial Overwhelm

Since the skin is the largest organ of elimination in the body, it generally reflects what is going on inside your body.  And the command centre for everything is the gut.

This means that acne is often an indicator of what's known as "dysbiosis" inside the gut - an imbalance between the types of bacteria (more bad than good) that is compromising healthy body function and waste elimination.

Also, oral contraception can also trigger hormonal conflict within the body, leading to Acne and other skin complaints.

3. Poor Diet

A diet laden with processed and refined foods - whether due to ignorance, addiction or cravings - is the main cause of gut imbalances, leading to the formation of Acne and other skin irritations.

So, if you or someone you know suffers from Acne or a similar skin complaint, start by eliminating these foods from your diet to help bring the gut back into balance:

• Refined Sugar Products e.g. Soft Drinks, Energy Drinks, White Sugar, Candies and commercial chocolate;
• Artificial Colours and Sweeteners e.g. Aspartame, Diet Sodas, Cordial, Flavoured Drinks, Packaged Foods that include food colouring etc.
• Hydrogenated and Trans Fat Oils e.g. Margarine, heavily refined GMO Vegetable Oils like Canola, Corn, Cotton and Soybean. 
• Processed Meat Products e.g. Bacon, Ham, Salami, Sausages, Hot Dogs, Corned Beef and Pastrami.
• Refined Flour & Grains e.g. White Bread, white rice, white pasta, cakes and biscuits. ;
• Processed Dairy e.g. Pasteurised and Homogenised Milk products and Ice Cream.

5 Keys To Healing Acne & Problem Skin Without Chemical Creams

As the body's largest organ, any vibrantly healthy person will usually have clear, glowing skin as an indicator of their overall state of health.

To achieve this, you need get the basics right, which include:

• A healthy (unprocessed food) diet
• Regular exercise
• Adequate sleep
• Sensible lifestyle habits
• Being mindful of the chemical products you use on your body.

The four main keys we recommend are these:

1. Practice Healthy Skin Hygiene

Avoid commercial soaps that contain any type of chemicals, and instead use plant-based, natural soap products that are made from plant extracts, vegetable glycerin and/or pure essential oils. 

Wash your clothes and linen using a chemical-free Laundry Powder. 

Lightly exfoliate your body and face daily with a chemical-free exfoliate that includes nature-made salt and plant oils, like Renew. 

Alternatively, make your own DIY salt scrub at home by combining ingredients of Celtic Sea Salt, Aloe Vera Gel, Sweet Almond Oil and Essential Oils.

This will help to release dead skin cells and dirt from your skin's pores, whilst also nourishing and hydrating the skin with non-inflammatory, healing ingredients.

Eliminate all chemical-based moisturisers and skin care products and switch to Cold Pressed Coconut Oil or a non-greasy body butter like Divine or daily moisturiser like Nourish.

Don’t let your hair get greasy, because hair oil often leads to even more facial oil which you are trying to avoid. It’s also a good idea to regularly wash dirty, sweaty hats or sweatbands used in fitness or sports activities and to avoid cosmetics and sunscreens that use mineral oil as an ingredient.

Remember, if you want to heal your skin you need to practice Self Care by throwing out anything toxic that is contributing to the problem and this requires a conscious approach to the products you currently use.

2. Hydration

The body cannot effectively flush waste and disease-causing toxins from the body without adequate hydration.

Water also helps in maintaining proper functioning of proteins, enzymes and connective tissues.

To help remove toxicity from the body, it is recommended that you drink 1 litre of clean water per 22 kilograms of body weight per day.  This will assist the flushing of waste and help your body's vital organs to rehydrate.

Learn more in Water: Nature's Best & Why It's Critical to Life

3. What to Eat

Switch your diet to 80% plant whole foods:

• Start your day with fresh fruit, raw fresh juices or a green or banana smoothie prepared from raw almond milk or coconut milk
• Eat one big leafy green salad per day.  And add steamed vegetables to your evening meal.  Drizzled with olive oil, lemon juice and sprinkle with sea salt. Include Avocados in your salads and focus on vegetables like Broccoli Cauliflower, Zucchini and Squash for steaming;
• Snack on raw nuts such as walnuts, macadamias and almonds and add them to yogurt and salads;
• Eat mostly whole gluten-free grains e.g. rolled oats, quinoa, wild rice and amaranth. 
• Drink Herbal Teas & Organic Fresh Brewed Coffee
• To sweeten smoothies and deserts use organic medjool dates and raw organic honey or maple syrup.  These are nutritious anti-oxidants foods, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal and won't spike your insulin like most sweeteners;
• Include natural Probiotics in your diet to support the formation of healthy bacteria in the gut  - Organic Raw Yogurt and Cottage Cheese, Kefir, Kimchi, Sauerkraut, Apple Cider Vinegar and Kombucha.

Learn more in Probiotics: Health Benefits & 7 Powerful Food Sources

4. Natural Colon Cleanse 

Since the source of acne and many skin problems are gut imbalances, one of the quickest ways to restore gut health is to do a natural colon cleanse to help strip accumulated toxic waste stuck in the intestinal tract.

Our handcrafted Cleanse Me is a two part protocol prepared from Australian Food Grade Bentonite Clay, Ground Psyllium, Ground Flax, Dried Ginger, Apple and Cinnamon.

5.  Lifestyle Adjustments

• Avoid Chemical Alcohol - choose to drink organic preservative-free wines and naturally brewed, preservative-free beer
• Get Sunshine & Salt Water - Your skin will heal faster if you expose as much of it as possible to 30-45 minutes of sunlight each day.  Add a little cold pressed coconut oil or extra virgin oil to clean skin before getting into the sun.  Or, if you can, soak your body in the ocean or a room temperature salt bath before sun exposure. Ocean water promotes rapid healing!
• Light Exercise - Do some form of moderate exercise that allows your pores to open and lightly sweat for 45-60 mins per day if you can.  This will help to expel toxins beneath the skins surface and encourage good circulation within the body
• Sleep - try to get 8 hours sleep each night.  Remove your phone from next to your bed, and use a diffuser with a calming essential oil like Lavender to help you relax and get a good night's sleep.

 The Main Takeaway 

Acne or problem skin is a sign of some form of chaos in the body that is trying to come out.  Since the skin is the largest organ of elimination that you have, it tells a lot about the state of your overall health.

To heal problem skin for good, it really requires a common-sense Self Care approach, that involves ridding the toxic products from your environment, the inflammatory foods from your diet, and supporting your body to eliminate the offence that is causing the problem.

From there, when you make smart dietary and lifestyle choices and follow some of the tips outlined here, you'll go a long way to making acne and skin problems a thing of the past.

Tolman Self Care.