How I Healed My Acne (for good!)
When I look back, healing acne was probably the easiest part of my healing story. It’s so ironic because it was anything but easy to live with. Now it feels like just a little blip and so insignificant. But back in my 20’s and early 30’s clear skin felt so unattainable. When I created visions boards around the New Year - I would cut out the words Clear Skin from magazines. That was probably what I dreamed of most. I didn’t yet understand that on a deeper level, what I desired most was to feel good in my own skin, to feel confident, to feel the freedom and ease of getting ready, and to love my reflection in the mirror. I thought girls with clear skin were just lucky. Either it was genetics or at the very least, girls who got to take Accutane and skip over the internal struggle that existed within me. I also thought I might never be one of them.
I had been dealing with acne since I was in high school, let’s say 17 or 18 years old. When I was in college and had a summer job, Proactiv was the first thing I spent my money on (IYKYK) and honestly it worked! I had clear skin for a while - although on the inside I still felt like the insecure girl with acne - so I’m not sure I even enjoyed it as much as I should have. I definitely never went anywhere without foundation on - because even if I didn’t have acne, I had leftover pigmentation. In reality, the pigmentation was probably super minimal and not nearly as bad as I perceived it to be. But when I was living in New York in my late 20’s the Proactiv skincare stopped working altogether. I even bought the stronger version, until eventually my acne could no longer be masked. The truth is, my liver was overburdened - and that chemical skincare wasn’t doing it any favors.
By the time I was 31, I had just moved to San Francisco and my breakouts were at their all time worst. They were cystic. Before I moved, I actually remember going to a dermatologist and spending around $1,000 just to have them laser two big red leftover scars on my cheek because I hated looking at the scars in the mirror. In hindsight, if my body was functioning optimally like it does now, those scars could have healed quickly with supplements like Vitamin C. But at that point, I remember thinking the laser was worth it because I was being really mindful with my diet and for the most part the rest of my face was clear. I would just get the laser done to eliminate the scars and have clear skin once again.
I was wrong. At some point, the breakouts picked up again and my confidence eventually hit an all time low. I hated leaving the house. I went to work because I had to, but social stuff? Bare minimum. I especially hated leaving the house after a facial because my skin would be extra red and inflamed. So many of my Saturdays that year were spent getting a facial with laser, and then sitting it out at home after. I remember another Saturday going to SoulCycle in the morning and stopping at Sephora to buy a pimple cream. I could cry just thinking about what a life that wasn’t. But I was trying everything to feel better about myself.
I knew deep-down that acne was connected to my diet and merely a reflection of what was happening inside my body but I was frustrated because I already paid close attention to what I ate. I avoided foods like gluten, dairy, nuts and even chocolate - completely unaware that there were still foods contributing to my plight. Before I scare you off, let me say that I happily enjoy nuts and chocolate now so don’t worry - you don’t necessarily have to give those up. I just personally had to heal my gut first.
While I was watching my diet, I also started weekly acupuncture and working with various practitioners. I even did a parasite cleanse. I truly believed in the holistic approach but I hadn't found a cure yet - so in an emergency I would leave work early to pop into a dermatologist office for a cortisone shot to reduce a large pimple that was causing even more emotional stress - I stopped going when one of the shots not only left a huge indent in my forehead but the Dr. told me my skin issues weren’t connected to food. Instead, they encouraged me to go on a prescription with a few side effects like hair loss. I wholeheartedly disagreed with what she was trying to sell me.
All this just to say, if you have acne, I know the emotional stress it can cause - but while the solution I am going to give you is cleaning up your diet, I would be amiss not to mention that acne does also stem from emotions. In Louise Hay’s book YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE she states the emotional/mental cause of acne. She also offers a new thought pattern to begin transmuting it:
Acne
Probable Cause: Not accepting the self. Dislike of the self.
New Thought Pattern: I am a Divine expression of life. I love and accept myself where I am right now.
In a sense, the acne was a sort of mask my body chose to wear. So while self-love and acceptance is a very large part of the work, so is changing your diet. Eating well, of course, is a form of self-love, but for this newsletter, the purpose of changing your diet is going to be to stop feeding viruses that are causing acne - the answer I finally found through Medical Medium.
When I listened to Medical Medium for the first time, I had just about given up hope for a cure, but what he had to say really resonated with me. I was also desperate for a true solution at that point - not just a band-aid. What I learned through Medical Medium was life-changing. I didn’t realize there were foods I was still eating regularly that were feeding viruses like Streptococcus and Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) which were causing acne. My clear skin today is evidence that this is all true.
There are actually 6 big ‘trigger’ foods that those viruses thrive off of. After I listened to the Medical Medium podcast, I immediately overhauled my diet and became very interested in learning more through his books. All of the six foods I’m going to share below were out. Good-bye, So long. Sayonara.
If I sense someone is overwhelmed by the idea of giving up all these foods at once, I do advise them to start slowly and eliminate them one by one. Personally, I wasn’t overwhelmed. I was overjoyed that I finally had what seemed like a solid explanation for what I was dealing with. I’m so grateful for Medical Medium’s information and so passionate about it that I’ve actually created a digital food guide to simplify the diet for anyone ready to make lasting changes. Since I’ve been eating this way for 8 years now, I’ve taken all the product research I’ve done and put the best of the best into a comprehensive grocery guide - something that can help anyone get started because looking back, it was a long struggle for me that really didn't need to be so hard.
Whenever I see a girl struggling with acne - my heart feels for them. I always want to share the answer that heals the root cause but I know that people can only hear you when they are ready. So I’m putting it out in the world via Substack and trust that it will reach those who are searching for it. If you know someone who is suffering - please pass it on. My sister is the one who shared Medical Medium with me and it changed my life. If you stick with it, I know you will see the same results I did - and if I had a before and after picture I would share it - but back then I couldn’t bare to look at a picture of myself with acne. Thank God, looking in the mirror today, I love the reflection I see.
The Medical Medium ‘NO FOODS’ for ACNE
1. EGGS
Eggs are widely known as a health food and a good source of protein; and if you don’t have viruses in your system, they likely won’t harm you if you eat them on occasion. But the truth, according to Medical Medium, is that eggs feed viruses. The majority of the population also carries some degree of viruses such as EBV in their system. How did eggs end up being a trigger food? Well first you should know that any egg study that makes positive claims about eggs is paid for. In the early 1900’s, Big Pharma chose to experiment with eggs and raised pathogens with it in lab studies. Eggs were used in scientific laboratories as food for microorganisms, and unproductive bacteria such as Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Epstein-Barr virus, herpes, and HIV, which is why eggs are at the top of Medical Mediums list of foods to avoid when you are healing. They end up feeding those viruses in our body and cause physical symptoms like acne. When I was struggling with acne, I was eating whole eggs for breakfast, and they are also in so many processed foods like bread, but my cystic acne started clearing once I cut them out. Instead of eating eggs, I started making healing smoothies with wild blueberries everyday - I shared all my go-to smoothie recipes in the food and grocery guide too.
2. GLUTEN & GRAINS
You may have heard to cut back on gluten and grains to reduce inflammation. That’s because viruses and pathogens that cause acne and other issues, thrive on gluten which causes the inflammation. Medical Medium says there are only two causes of inflammation: 1. Physical injury by trauma or toxic exposure and 2. Pathogenic activity in the body. I have been gluten free for over 15 years now, but I noticed a huge difference in the clarity and texture of my skin when I also cut out grains (rice, quinoa, etc.) for about a year or two. Once my skin cleared, I happily started eating grains again but have remained gluten-free.
3. CANOLA OIL & OTHER VEGETABLE OILS
I strictly stick to avocado, olive, or coconut oil when I cook, and it’s also why I started cooking at home so much more when I really wanted to clear my skin. So many restaurants use cheaper sources of oil such as canola oil. More refined oils can cause inflammation by feeding viruses. They are also a source of high fat that thickens the blood and weakens the liver (our filter and processing center for toxins). I learned to pay attention to the labels on everything you buy at the grocery store too. So many processed ‘healthy’ products and snacks contain oils such as sunflower, safflower or palm oil. It’s critical to be your own health advocate and understand what’s in the products you are buying - which is again why I created the grocery guide - because I’ve already done the homework.
4. CORN
The majority of corn available today is genetically modified which means it is harboring all kinds of toxins (pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides) which are foreign to the human body. Corn, very similar to the story on eggs, was also used to raise pathogens in labs. Pathogens like Epstein Barr will feed off of it. And no, it doesn’t know the difference between GMO or organic corn. I used to love eating corn tortilla chips as a snack and going out for Mexican food, because corn is gluten free, right? But once I gave up corn in addition to gluten, my skin cleared dramatically. They are also very easy to replace with Cassava flour products.
5. DAIRY
This one is pretty common knowledge for acne-prone peeps, and I was already off dairy well before learning Medical Medium’s info, but it is an important food group to give up if you are trying to clear your skin. Dairy clogs the liver which creates mucus. It also slows down the absorption of other foods and nutrients. So, if you are putting cheese on your salad, it’s impacting all the ‘good’ foods and preventing your body from properly absorbing the vegetables in your salad. If you want to clear your skin or improve your health, cut dairy out of your diet.
6. REFINED SUGAR
Glucose or natural sugars (found in fruit and raw honey) are a critical food for healing and brain function. However, refined sugar such as brown sugar is something I gave up to clear my skin by easily replacing them with more natural sugars.
To learn more and get all the best product swaps visit my website to download the full digital and printable:
Self Healers Food + Grocery Guide
