Everyone feels that acne is a curse; however, acne can also be a blessing as it can help us remedy internal imbalances before they turn into something more serious than acne. Good nutrition can make your skin look better, think of it as skincare from inside out. So instead of you reacting to skin issues with harsh exfoliators or skin stripping facials, we must respond from a place of curiosity and kindness. Every spot, every blemish is a gentle note your body has left for you.
The most common acne patterns are congested forehead, cystic acne and acne around your mouth area.
Congested Forehead
A congested forehead is an indicator of impaired gallbladder, liver issues and stress. Acne on the forehead often indicates too much stress or increased stress. Your forehead is the Vata portion of the face, anxiety or stress are typical Vata imbalances. Your body reacts to such imbalances by your skin breaking out near the Vata portion of your forehead. This kind of acne also indicates dehydration and/or constipation. You just remember that Vata also governs the colon and intestines.
Your body is telling you to flush out the toxins by drinking more water. It is also telling you to get rid of your stresses as soon as possible. Dealing with stress is hard, but it is incredibly important because if you are stressed your entire hormonal balance is thrown off along with an increase in digestive issues. When it comes to your diet, it is important to try and lower your fatty and high sugar goods and limit your intake of dairy products.
Cystic Acne
Usually, these pimples sit deep under the skin. These can take up to weeks to heal and can sometimes be very painful to touch.
This type of acne indicates hormonal imbalances such as PCOS, adrenal fatigue, estrogen and androgen dominance, etc. With such hormonal acne, adjustment in diet and lifestyle is essential. If you are not getting enough sleep, your body does not get enough time to detoxify itself properly, in addition to messing with your hormones. Exercise is also crucial because cystic acne is often related to lymph stagnancy so if you do not move enough, your toxins won’t either.
Acne around Your Mouth Area
Lastly, acne around the mouth area indicates stomach hypo-activity. Having fried and greasy food can irritate your stomach and lead to inflamed skin. Acidic food such as excessive use of lemon or vinegar based dressings can also irritate your skin. The result is gnarly looking zits around your lips.
One way of identifying food sensitivity and stomach hypo-activity is to try out the elimination diet. However, if you feel as though your stomach acid is low and your food isn’t digesting, you must try taking a teaspoon of digestive enzymes or a shot of apple cider vinegar before any meal. Other methods include having good quality probiotics and adding at least a pound of super greens in your diet per day.