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I'm going to start off my saying that I am looking for a SERIOUS answer-- please don't comment something like "That stuff doesn't work" or "Just go to a doctor". I firmly believe in holistic and naturopathic remedies, and I am asking for legitimate advice.
That being said, I visited an acupuncturist about a year ago, and while I can't afford to visit him again, I was extremely pleased with my visit. I suffer from SEVERE ACNE, IRRITABILITY, HEADACHES, and IRREGULAR BOWEL MOVEMENTS.
My skin is by far what I'm most concerned about. My face is always very red and even though I eat extremely healthy (no dairy, wheat, meat, sugar, lots of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and water), my skin is literally awful. It's something that affects my self confidence significantly and I am desperate to get rid of it. The majority of pimples on my face are located on my forehead, temples, nose, inner cheeks, and chin. I really don't have any on my outer cheeks near my jaw. Currently I am washing my face twice a day with MyChelle Fruit Enzyme Cleanser and following with Derma E Very Clear Moisturizer.
I am often irritable and angry, and while most of the time I attribute it to my personality type, stress, etc., I can't help but wonder if it's caused by an imbalance of energy in my body. The headaches aren't very frequent, but I do get pretty bad ones from time to time, especially when I'm suffering from eye strain or another type of pain (like when I get my braces tightened).
I don't consider myself constipated because I have bowel movements 1-2x a day, but they are never compact-- they are always in hard little balls, and I know that's not what it's supposed to be. I drink lots of water and consume an adequate amount of fiber, but my bowels have been like that for as long as I can remember.
Based on my symptoms, what do you suspect is the problem? I think I remember the acupuncturist mentioning heat and my liver, but I don't remember exactly what he said about either. What natural remedies can I try to improve any abnormalities in my body? Thank you so much!
For the mental side, you may be low in certain chemicals like dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. The questionnaire here can help you figure it out. There are natural amino acid supplements (amino acids that naturally occur in the body but that we sometimes do not get enough of from diet alone) that can correct these, like L-Tyrosine, L-Tryptophan, DLPA, Inositol, etc.
For digestive issues, consider a natural probiotics supplement.
For headaches, try willow bark and/or turmeric.
For acne, I like to supplement neem leaf, sea buckthorn fruit powder, burdock root, bee pollen, propolis, milk thistle, licorice root, cayenne, green tea extract, rosemary, ginger, gotu kola, alfalfa, chlorella, spirulina, and/or turmeric. I also do a facial mask of raw honey, cinnamon, witch hazel, and turmeric powder.
The above herbs and spices have natural antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and detoxification/cleansing properties that help heal and prevent acne and improve your skin's health and your overall health.
The only way I finally got clear skin was to take a holistic approach, instead of viewing acne as an isolated, singular "disease" like I did for so many years. A combination of exercise, strict healthy diet, natural and gentle topical treatments, and supplementing vitamins and herbs finally allowed me to be acne-free.
Yes Chinese Medicine will help your severe acne. I used to have a lot of break outs and acne on my forehead but a lot of it is gone due to the chinese medicine my mother boiled for me~ I also use epiduo which really helps control my acne. You should definitely try it!! Also stress and not having enough bowel movements also causes acne, I notice when I have irregular/bad bowel movements I get a lot of acne on my chin area. Just relax, stay calm and definitely go to a chinese herbal medicine store and ask them to prescribe you something for acne. *by the way Chinese medicine..is bitter, it tastes horrible but it really will help you clear acne!! I swear by it. (be patient..it might take a couple of months or more..depending on how severe you acne is) I have clear skin now*
Yes it can definitely help, but with acupuncture you have do to it consistently (at least every 2 weeks at the beginning) to see results. They will also give you some herbs and suggest what foods to avoid to get rid of heat in your body. Have you tried community acupuncture? it's way more affordable than private sessions, and you pay according to your income.
I do have to say, though, that some of the herbal treatments I was given made my acne worse....some caused a heavy detox reaction, so now whenever I get acupuncture I don't take herbs and I ask for balancing and relaxation treatments to manage stress.
I've been to many dermatologists and they all prescribed me pills and cleaners/tropical creams. I decided to finally go to a Chinese doctor. I am currently taking Chinese medicine right now 3x a day. It has been 3 months and it is slowly clearing up! My bowel movements have improved and a lot of tiny bumps have disappeared. However, I still do get occasional big pimples but they go away in a week. I'm so pleased with my results. I believe that acne begins from the inside and therefore, everyone should focus on the 'root' cause and not necessarily the outside products/chemicals you put on your face. Also, I've noticed that sleeping more gives you a more glowing complexion. My doctor told me to sleep at 11 pm every night, not eat fried foods, worry less, and not eat any lamb or beef.