Acne: The more you know, the less you'll have.

Before you start reading through this blog,

please begin at the oldest page or page 3/3 by clicking 'OLDER' at the bottom of this page and

Acne - NHS Choices. (2012, February 14). NHS Choices - Your health, your choices. Retrieved December 17, 2012, from http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Acne/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Acne - Treatment - NHS Choices. (2012, February 14). NHS Choices - Your health, your choices. Retrieved December 17, 2012, from http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Acne/Pages/Treatment.aspx

Apple-Raspberry Crisp Recipe - Allrecipes.com. (n.d.). Allrecipes - Recipes and cooking confidence for home cooks everywhere. Retrieved December 17, 2012, from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/apple-raspberry-crisp

Chicken and Apple Salad | Healthy Recipes by HealWithFood.org. (n.d.). Heal Your Body With Food and Optimal Nutrition | HealWithFood.org. Retrieved December 17, 2012, from http://www.healwithfood.org/recipes/chicken-apple-salad.php

Heal Acne With Food: Diet Tips, Superfoods and Recipes to Prevent and Heal Acne. (n.d.).Heal Your Body With Food and Optimal Nutrition | HealWithFood.org. Retrieved December 17, 2012, from http://www.healwithfood.org/acne/foods.php

Heal Acne With Food: Diet Tips, Superfoods and Recipes to Prevent and Heal Acne. (n.d.).Heal Your Body With Food and Optimal Nutrition | HealWithFood.org. Retrieved December 17, 2012, from http://www.healwithfood.org/acne/

This recipe includes 2 of the 13 Anti-Acne Superfoods (apples and romaine lettuce), but more can be incorporated to your liking.

Original recipe makes 4 servings

3 cups chicken, cooked and diced

1 cup grapes, halved

1/2 cup celery, diced

3 tbsp red onion, finely chopped

1/2 organic apples, diced

6 tbsp extra light mayonnaise

2 tsp lemon juice

Salt and pepper, to taste

Romaine lettuce leaves, chopped to preference

Directions:

Combine chicken, grapes, celery, red onion, and organic apples in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Stir into chicken mix.

This recipe includes 3 of the 13 Anti-Acne Superfoods (apples, blueberries, and oats), but more can be incorporated to your liking.

Original recipe makes 1 - 9x9 inch dish

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

5 large Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

6 tbsp butter, melted

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 55 mins

READY IN: 1 hr 10 mins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x9 inch square baking dish.

In a large bowl, brown sugar and 1 tbsp flour. Add sliced apples and blueberries; toss to coat. Spoon into baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix together oats, 1/2 cup flour, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apple mixture. 

Limit Omega-6 Fatty Acids (excess omega-6 fatty acids can increase inflammation of acne-prone skin) and Favour Omega-3 Fatty Acids (have anti-inflammatory effects)

Follow Low Glycemic Diet (ie. most non-starchy vegetables, legumes, and fruits) with Sufficient Amounts of Protein 

Ensure Sufficient Intake of Vitamin A and Vitamin E (a decrease of vitamin A and vitamin E levels is strongly linked to an increase in acne severity)

Watch Out for Dairy Products (hormones in milk may enhance the likelihood of acne)

Be Sure to Consume Enough Chromium Rich Foods (ability to stabilize blood sugar levels; excess sugar in the blood stimulates sebaceous glands)

Include Zinc-Rich Foods in Your Diet (reduces acne inflammation and kills bacteria associated with acne)

Due to their extremely high content of beta-carotene, mustard greens are found to fight acne by affecting the inflammatory aspects of this skin condition

May also help moderate sebum production

Also contain vitamin E

A great thing about mustard greens is that they are available throughout the year!

Has the lowest Glycemic Index (GI) rating of all common grains

Low-GI carbs, which take much longer to digest, cause only a small, slow rise in the blood glucose and insulin levels

Insulin enables the body to use glucose for energy, but excess insulin in the bloodstream can lead to a spike in increase when circulating androgen and insulin-like growth factor, which are associated with acne

Contain pectin, a type of dietary fiber that absorbs toxins and pushes them through the colon rapidly

As most of the pectin is in the skin of the apples, it is best to buy organic apples so that you can eat them unpeeled 

Apples are also a good source of bioflavonoids and vitamins which help maintain skin health 

A good source of zinc for people with acne because they are low in iodine unlike many other food sources of zinc

Zinc plays a role in protein synthesis and in collagen formation, both are necessary for maintaining healthy skin

Zinc has also been shown to be able to significantly reduce sebum production on the surface of the skin

To boost the nutritional value of oats, soak them in water for several hours before eating; allows enzymes to break down and neutralize phytic acid

Its high chromium content may help prevent future breakouts

Chromium has been shown to be capable of stabilizing blood sugar levels; excessive sugar in blood stimulates the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum

Romaine lettuce is commonly used in salads and burgers

Spearmint and peppermint can help control acne breakouts in some people

These positive effects may be explained by the ability of spearmint to affect hormone levels

Can be incorporated as garnishing your meals as added flavour

Also known as Chinese or Mexican parsley when searching for cilantro in supermarkets

Contains fair amounts of beta-carotene and vitamin E and are thought to help control blood sugar and to fight free radicals

May include anti-inflammatory as well as anti-microbial properties