The skin is the body's largest organ. It has several functions. The skin acts as a protective cover, shield, barrier between the body and the external environment (heat, cold, dryness, dampness and wind). It has pores, openings allowing the body to retain and or release excess heat, energy (in the form of perspiration). Sebaceous glands located throughout the body in the dermis (layer of skin below the epidermis, outer layer of skin) secrete sebum (oily liquid) that moistens the skin and hair. It also helps the body retain heat. Acne (raised, red lesions, pustules, blackheads, etc.) is an inflammatory disease of the sebaceous glands affecting primarily the face and shoulders.
The skin is made from food, nutrients. There are only two kinds of foods, nutrients: building and cleansing. Building nutrients, foods (protein, fat, meat, eggs, cheese, beans, etc.) in varying degrees build, thicken and fuel. Cleansing nutrients, foods (water, minerals, fruit, vegetables, grains, etc.) reduce, cleanse, cool and moisten.
Long-term low protein, low fat (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, beans, etc.) and high carbohydrate (bread, pasta, salads, tropical fruits, juices, smoothies, etc.) diets tend to cool, weaken and dilute digestion, reducing nutrient absorption, decreasing and thinning the blood (blood deficiency). Blood deficiency (includes poor circulation), in the extreme, tends to weaken, sag, thin, dry, crack and or bleed the skin producing partial facial flushing, red spots, splotches, acne, cracked skin, bleeding, pustules, eczema, exposed capillaries, blue veins and or translucent skin.
Too many building foods, protein and fat, especially animal (red meat, pork, chicken, eggs, cheese, fried foods, oil, etc.), in addition to alcohol, sugar tends to thicken, overbuild and overheat the blood, which in turn, overbuilds, thickens and overheats the skin: raised, red, hard painful, oily pimples; pus, boils and or dry flaky skin; acne, warts, moles, psoriasis, tumors, etc. All excess sugar is turned into fat.
The beauty, health of the skin, starts inside the inside via simple diet. From the outside, you can use good quality soaps, shampoos, cosmetics, etc. I highly recommend Aubrey Organics and Zia Cosmetics. Calendula oil is great for burns helping prevent scarring.
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory, red itchy condition of the skin that produces blister like formations that weep, release fluid before forming a crust, scale and or flake. Poor diet is a major cause.
The body digests food and transforms nutrients into blood, structure (skin) and function, health or disease. There are only two kinds of nutrients, foods: building and cleansing. Building nutrients (protein and fat) build, thicken and fuel. Cleansing nutrients (water, sugar, minerals, etc.) reduce, cleanse, cool and moisten. The correct amount of building and cleansing builds and maintains the correct healthy, amount (thick, firm, strong, etc.) of skin. The incorrect amounts, build too much or too little skin. Too little protein and fat and or too much cleansing, tends to under build, thin and weaken the skin causing it to crack, bleed and or infect.
The symptoms of eczema indicate chronic deficiency as the skin in certain areas of the body (hands, fingers, knees, etc.) becomes red, itchy, easily falling apart with scratching, spreading fast and healing slow. Low protein and low fat diets, in the extreme, tends to thin and weaken all structure and function, including the skin. Too many carbohydrates (pasta, bread, salads, tropical fruits, juices, etc.) tend to dilute and weaken digestion (acid, enzymes) reducing nutrient absorption (especially protein and fat), blood, which in turn, weakens and thins everything else including skin, hair, bones, vision, healing time, etc.
Case history: In 1989, I developed a bad, hideous case of eczema. It first started as a pimple, blister on my index finger (left hand) that quickly multiplied over the next few months into a multitude of blisters, cracked skin, bleeding, pus, etc. that not only covered the entire back of my left hand and fingers, but was also starting to crawl up, infect the arm. Two fingers on my right hand were also starting to infect. This happened while I was running my health food store and going to acupuncture school. It was gross. I wore surgical gloves during the day. I tried every Chinese herbal remedy. Nothing worked. My skin, hands were getting worse. I eventually turned to Ayurvedic Medicine which recommended the use of spices.
My diet at the time was bland, low protein, low fat, sweet and cooling. I was living in Hollywood. Fl. I reduced juices, fruits, increased protein, fat, cooked foods with spices (fennel, cumin, coriander, ginger, etc.). I always used at least five spices. Within three weeks, my eczema cleared up. My digestion also improved less bloating, gas, burping, farting, etc. I did have eczema as a teenager, although not as serious.
Web: http://www.wordpress.com/richardheft, Acupuncture Physician (FL 1992- 2002), owner, operator, Food and Thought health food store, Hollywood, FL (1984- 2001), author, Hot and Cold Health (c) 2003
Tags: health, alternative medicine, acne, skin, psoriasis, eczema, traditional chinese medicine