Think about food as medicine! Some Chinese herbal formulas have ingredients that are in fact foods. They have a particular quality that harmonizes the medicinal decoction. So you could therefore create a meal that resembles a medicinal formula.
When I look at a condition I need to find the root cause of a disease. In Chinese medicine acne is often a sign of pathogenic heat. The lungs control the skin so we need to cleanse the lungs and clear heat from the liver and intestine.
Foods to include in your diet
Here is a list of foods that are that cooling and cleansing.
- Zucchini, cucumber, watermelon, celery, carrots, cabbage, beets, dandelion as food or tea, aloe vera, lettuce, cherries, papaya, pear, persimmon, alfalfa, millet, brown rice, mung beans, lentils and split peas and plenty of water.
External Treatments
While it is essential to treat the body internally there are also external options you can use to cleanse the skin on the outside. I suggest the following external treatments.
- Blend cucumber and apply for 20mins
- Watermelon rind rubbed on skin
- Apply aloe vera
- Apply diluted apple cider vinegar
- Apply dandelion poultice
- Clean with just water, do not use chemical soaps
- Bentonite clay mask. This mask helps to remove toxins from your pores and allows the skin to heal and reduces the inflammation.
There are of course foods and drinks that you should avoid. These include fried foods, greasy foods, raw and iced foods, dairy, make-up and red meats. Ensure you have a daily bowel movement.
Supplements to add to your diet
If you would like to add supplements to your dietary plan then try the following:
- Taking up to 30 milligrams of zinc a day can help to relieve the symptoms of acne
- Vitamin A can help to reduce sebum production. Dosages should not be more than 5,000 IU a day to avoid potential side effects, the usual daily dose is 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams.
- Vitamin B6 can be used to treat acne that worsens before a woman’s period or at mid-cycle and it also helps to alleviate PMS mood swings. You may take up to 100 milligrams daily, all month long, to combat PMS-related acne.
Acne can be either mild or severe and accordingly can be very tormenting and even painful. There are however choices you can make to help heal your condition. If it persists I recommend seeking a Chinese medicine therapist.
