Now, I wouldn’t consider myself as someone “who has acne” now, but it is a hard label to let go of, especially holding it as your identity for so long. I’m still hyper critical of my skin to the point where I likely cause some pimples over my constant stressing. I spent so many years of my life wishing that I had clear skin and now it seems almost too good to be true.

I had a woman tell me a few weeks back that I had a beautiful complexion. Excuse me ma’am, are you talking to the right lady? I about fell on the floor with that compliment. 

Since it’s been so long, I thought I’d share some of what I’ve learned through these years of acne. Maybe it will give you new ideas or perspectives.

What I’ve learned

  1. Blood Sugar Balance is Crucial

They call acne the “diabetes of the skin” because of the strong correlation between blood sugar spikes, insulin resistance, and acne. When your blood sugar spikes, your body starts to produce more oil on the skin, inflammation increases, collagen production reduces, and so on. Insulin resistance can lead to a range of issues in the body like systemic stress, candida, gut issues which all can cause acne. 

To manage my blood sugar, I strive to eat every 3-4 hours & a hour after waking, taking short walks after meals, and incorporating carbs/protein/fat at every meal including snacks.

2. Properly Fueling the Body

I thought nutrition had to be the most complex routine when in reality it’s the exact opposite. Fueling my body with nutrient dense foods has been one of the easiest and best changes for me. I focus on incorporating real, traditional foods like organs, raw milk (when in season), grass fed beef & cheeses, eggs, bone broth, carrots, nettle, in season produce, potatoes, oysters, honey, maple syrup, etc. 

Living in the Appalachian area, I see a lot of the older generation in their 90s in amazing shape talking about their eating habits. Most of them are centered on whole foods locally grown & medicinal herbs. 

So no, I didn’t cut out dairy, meat, gluten, or anything for that matter. I eat it all! But I source my dairy raw or grass fed (or I won’t eat it), I make sourdough for our breads, meat is grass fed. I’m conscious of the quality of foods because that is the key to being able to digest and feel good. 

3. Prioritizing Minerals

I have come to realize that minerals are the major component of an overall healthy body but especially skin & hormones. We all know how important zinc is for healing acne so much that supplementation has helped many people heal their acne completely. 

Magnesium is necessary for over 300 functions of the body so yes minerals are so important! But I don’t recommend blind supplementation as mineral ratios are just as important as hitting your daily amount. 

When you don’t have enough sodium, you can’t fully absorb potassium. Without potassium, you can’t absorb sodium. The circle goes on like that for all these mineral ratios. 

4. Lymphatic Love

Your lymphatic system is one of the biggest cleansing systems & movers in the body. It carries toxins, progesterone, immune cells, and more throughout the body. When it becomes sluggish, all of this will build up in your lymph nodes and cause imbalances throughout the body. We often see neck, ear, and jaw acne associated with lymph stagnation.

What I do: movement throughout the day, diaphragmatic breathing, my Lymph Tincture, massages, dry brushing, gua sha. 

5. Optimizing Hydration

We all know how important water is for having healthy skin and body, but drinking gallons of plain water especially from the tap can actually dehydrate you more. Yes, you read that right. Drinking too much water devoid of nutrients will end up depleting your electrolytes and other minerals causing dehydration. 

What I do: herbal infusions, fulvic acid, trace minerals, structured water, shilajit, natural source spring water

6. Daily Poops

Let’s be honest, most of us are constipated. Even when you’re pooping daily you may still be constipated. Daily bowel movements are another cleansing system in the body so when you experience a build up of any kind this can of course come out through the skin.

What to Do: figure out why you're constipated! Poor diet? Thyroid issues? Not eating enough? Too much fiber? Low stomach acid? Stress? Low minerals? 

7. Hormones are not the Root

I was convinced for years that hormone imbalance had to be the root cause right? Nope. After studying TCM, I realized that hormone imbalance was yet another symptom from my body. I had to dig even deeper and figure out why my hormones were imbalanced in the first place. This can be from a range of issues like chronic stress, insulin resistance, not eating enough, yo yo dieting, poor detoxing, and so on.

I will do a part 2 because there’s a lot more information to be shared and I continue to learn more everyday! Acne can be a frustrating and lonely journey, but if I am a testament to anything it’s that you CAN heal. It will happen for you!

Many Blessings,

Emily