Acne

Acne is an inflammatory condition of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles, mostly found on the face, neck, chest and shoulders. Sebaceous glands are the oil or grease glands. Around 80% of the youth between the ages of 12 to 24 suffer from some degree of acne. This is due to the fact that hormones related to acne are active at this time. However, acne gets cured between the ages of 20 and 30 most of the times, but men could suffer from acne even after that. People suffering from Acne tend to show the presence of comedones, blackheads, pimples, small superficial sebaceous cysts and scars, with blackheads being the most common form. Usually, forehead, temples, cheeks, chin, chest and back are affected. But in extreme cases, your entire body can be covered with blackheads.

Causes of Acne :

• Irregular meal times
• Improper food
• Excessive intake of starch, sugar and fatty foods
• Chronic constipation where the wastes are not removed quickly and remain in the blood causing harsher efforts for the skin for their elimination.
• Loss of vitality of the skin due to unhygienic habits
• Excessive use of tea, coffee, alcohol or tobacco
• Excessive studies
• Masturbation
• Sedentary habits leading to indigestion and general debility

Generally, people use medicated creams salves or ointments to treat Acne, but these creams and ointments do not serve any purpose. They suppress the secretions of the sebaceous gland in the short term.

Diet for Acne :

Acne patients are advised to go on all-fruit diet for a week, Take three meals a day consisting of fresh juicy fruits like apples, pear, grapes, grapefruit, pineapple and peaches. Acne patients must avoid citrus fruits, bananas, dried, stewed and tinned fruits. They should take a warm water enema daily to clean the bowels and adopt all other measures to eradicate constipation.

Acne patient’s diet  should constitute more raw foods as compared to the cooked foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, sprouted seeds, raw nuts and whole-grain cereals e.g. millet and brown rice. They should abstain from starchy, protein and fatty foods meats, sugar, strong tea or coffee, condiments, pickles, refined and processed foods, soft drinks, candies, ice cream and products made of sugar and white flour.

Daily 100 mg dose of niacin three times a day as well as vitamin A up to 1,50,000 units a day for a month could be beneficial for Acne patients. Taking 50 mg of zinc three times has shown some dramatic results in some cases.

Applying hot fomentation to open the pores removes the waste matter, then rinse with cold water. Take sun and air baths by exposing the whole body to sun and air. Apply healing packs made of grated cucumber, oatmeal cooked in milk and cooked creamed carrots externally.

Natural Cure for Acne :

Acne patients can use orange peel as a natural cure for acne. Take peel, pounded well with water on a piece of stone and apply it to the affected area. Lemon if used regularly is another natural cure for acne used to remove pimples and acne. Taking a teaspoonful of coriander juice mixed with a small amount of turmeric powder is an effective natural cure for acne. Apply this mixture regularly to the face after washing it thoroughly at night before going to sleep.

Juice of raw potato could be used as a natural cure for acne to remove the skin blemishes. This juice cleanses very well due to high content of potassium, sulphur, phosphorus and chlorine in the potato. As all these elements are in the live organic form only raw potatoes must be used.

Hot Epsom-salt bath twice a week provides an immediate relief in all the cases of acne. Prepare this bath by adding one and half kg of Epsom-salt to 50 liters of water at a temperature of about 100 degree Fahrenheit. Soak yourself in this bath for 25 to 35 minutes till you start sweating profusely. Then cool off gradually.