Featured Topic: Acne

17 Pages·2017·0.39 MB·English

by  Jennifer Hansgate

Featured Topic: Acne
(4 slides)
What really causes acne…
• Acne is the most common skin condition in the United
States
• Acne doesn’t happen because skin is “dirty”
• Acne occurs when sebum (the oil that keeps our skin
from drying out) and dead skin cells plug a hair follicle
(pore). If the plug is infected by bacteria, it creates a
red, swollen, pus-filled acne pimple.
• In other words, acne involves:
– abnormal clumping of cells in the follicles/pores
– increased oil (sebum) production
– bacteria
– inflammation
3 Acne Triggers
• High carb diets
– Eating foods high on the glycemic index make acne worse
– Foods that spike blood sugar can also increase hormones
and cause inflammation. The hormones can stimulate oil
production, which in turn, can trigger acne.
– One survey found that 86% of participants who began a
low carb diet saw improvements in their skin
• Stress
– High cortisol levels aggravate acne; one study found that
college students had more severe acne during exams than
at other times of the school year
• Changing Hormone Levels
– Women may experience acne flare-ups before their
menstrual cycle
Nutrients to Prevent and Reduce Acne
• Sulfur – a natural acne fighter
– Antibacterial activity in the gut to prevent buildup of toxic bacteria
– Helps stop overproduction of oil to prevent pored from becoming
clogged
• Potassium
– Keeps toxic bacteria and fungi in the intestines in check
– Promotes liver and kidney detoxification
• Vitamin A as retinyl acetate
– Stops the buildup of dead skin cells which can clog pores
– Required for the immune system; stops the bacteria which is linked to
acne
• Zinc is important to building healthy skin
– One study found that people with the lowest zinc levels were most
likely to have acne flareups
• Also: vitamin C, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, chromium, burdock,
boswellia
Other Steps to Minimizing Acne
• Eat a low carb diet
– In a study of teenage boys, those following a low
carb diet had a 50% reduction in acne breakouts
versus those eating an unrestricted, high carb diet
• Manage stress
– Adaptogenic herbs including rhodiola and
ashwagandha keep cortisol levels in a normal
range
• Hormone support, especially for women
– Diindolylmethane
More Vitamin D to Prevent Preterm Births
(1 slide)
Vitamin D is critical during Pregnancy
• Previous research found that higher blood levels of
vitamin D (more than 40 ng/ml) lowered risk of preterm
birth by 60% versus lower vitamin D levels (20 ng/ml or
less)
• In a new study, researchers tested blood levels of
pregnant women at their first prenatal visit and gave
additional vitamin D if their test level was less than 40
ng/ml
– 90% of women over all had low D levels and needed
additional vitamin D
• Result: women whose vitamin D levels increased to 40
ng/ml or more at their follow up visits had a 6% risk of
preterm birth – a 60% reduction versus the normal
population, confirming the findings of the original study
What is worse for you than
smoking? (3 slides)
Obesity causes more cancer deaths than
smoking?
• Inactivity and obesity might soon account for more
cancer deaths than smoking
• As smoking-related cancer deaths have decreased,
cancers related to obesity and inactivity have
increased
– A study published last year in the New England Journal of
Medicine linked obesity to 13 different types of cancer
• If current trends continue, by 2030 the percentage of
overweight and obese Americans will be 86% or
more
Obesity and Cancer Risk
• Versus people of normal weight, being overweight
– Doubles or quadruples risk of endometrial cancer
– Doubles risk of esophageal cancer
– Doubles the risk of liver cancer
– Increases risk of colon cancer by 30%
– Increases risk of brain cancer by 50%
– Increases risk of breast cancer 20-40%
• Why?
– Obesity is associated with chronic inflammation, which can
lead to DNA damage, which leads to cancer
– Fat tissues produces more hormones, which can stimulate
cancer cell growth