Looking East :: Beauty :: Skin Care

Looking East
by author Maryam Mahanian, DTCM

I have always struggled with skin breakouts, and no matter which expensive cleansers and medications I have used, the acne always came back. Like many people I expected to be plagued my whole life with outbreaks of acne.

It wasn’t until I realized that, although what I put on my skin is important, what is more important is the internal condition of my body. Traditional Chinese medicine along with dietary and lifestyle changes are what really helped clear my skin.

Acne as an Internal Imbalance

Traditional Chinese medicine views acne as an external manifestation resulting from an internal imbalance. Excess heat and toxins produce acne.

The general approach chosen for therapy is to reduce internal heat by choosing foods that cool the blood, decrease toxins, and improve digestion.

Food Cures to Improve Balance

According to traditional Chinese medicine, each food has different energetic qualities. Generally speaking, those with acne should avoid foods that are “warming” and “damp” and include foods that are “cooling” and have high water content.

Warming and damp foods are heavy and sticky in nature and hard to metabolize. Some examples are deep-fried foods, red meat, sugar, alcohol, and chocolate.

Cooling foods to choose include squash, cucumbers, celery, carrots, lettuce, potatoes, cabbage, beet tops, alfalfa sprouts, mung beans, dandelions, pears, cherries, papaya, raspberries, and watermelon.

This dietary approach to acne treatment will improve liver and intestinal function to eliminate toxins and help clear skin.

I strongly recommend for anyone who is struggling with acne breakouts to change their diet according to these traditional Chinese medicine guidelines. Treat your skin from the inside out.

How does Acne Develop?

Acne is a disorder of the sebaceous glands at the base of each hair follicle. Sebaceous glands make sebum, an oily substance, and under normal circumstances it travels along the hair follicle to the surface of the skin. In acne, the normal transport of sebum out of the follicle is impeded. This leads to an accumulation of sebum, which provides an enriched breeding ground for bacteria.

What can Cause Acne?

Factors that contribute to acne include heredity, oily skin, hormonal imbalance, monthly menstrual cycles, and candidiasis. Other possible contributing factors are allergies, stress, and the use of certain drugs such as steroids, lithium, oral contraceptives, and some antiepileptic drugs. Poor diet can also be involved

Tips for Skin Care

Avoid using oil-based makeup and harsh cleansers.
Be active, sleep right, and avoid stress.
Never touch your skin or pick at skin breakouts.
Moisturize not just externally but also internally by drinking plenty of water.

Boost with Supplements

For skin health some necessary supplements to add to your regimen include vitamins A, C, E, and B₆, the mineral zinc, and omega-3 essential fatty acids.

What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Traditional Chinese medicine refers to a number of practices, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutritional recommendations, and lifestyle changes. Its theoretical basis has been developed in China over the past 4,000 years.

The goal of traditional Chinese medicine is to restore balance to the body and to treat the root cause of illness. This approach gives traditional Chinese medicine an advantage over certain Western medicine therapies that focus on short-term symptomatic relief.

Maryam Mahanian, DTCM, is a registered doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, registered acupuncturist, and a qualified examiner with the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupunturists of British Columbia. www.chinesemedicineclinic.com

Source: alive #283, May 2006

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