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Acne and antibiotics
My daughter, who is 19, has suffered from acne since the age of 12. She was prescribed various antibiotics, which would work for a short while, but she then developed an intolerance to rich foods, especially dairy products. She is now taking Roaccutane. She has a vegetarian diet but still suffers from bloating and constipation.
The trouble with antibiotics is that while they will clear a skin problem like acne, they act indiscriminately and so as well as wiping out the bacteria responsible for the infection, they also wipe out the so-called good bacteria in the digestive tract that work to keep the digestion and elimination of food healthy too.
Such is the long-term damage to the intestines of those with a history of acne that In one study, tests showed 50% of those with a severe acne problem also had higher levels of toxins in their bloodstream.
This confirms what holistic skin experts have long been arguing, that you need to treat these conditions from the inside out and so your daughter will have to start to rebuild her digestive health by taking a good probiotic and by taking a yeast-free vitamin B complex tablet.
Jane Waters, skin specialist and founder of The Alternative Centre in London (0207-7381-2298) says such a long-term problem and its treatment is also likely to have affected your daughter’s kidney, bladder and lymphatic functioning so if she has any signs of a urinary infection, she needs to also be taking cranberry tablets, plus antibacterial citricidal - which is grapefruit seed extract.
To reduce the bloating, which Waters says is a result of over-acidity, she should take tissue salts (New Era’s Mag Phos No.8). To replenish levels of all the nutrients and minerals that she may now be lacking, Waters suggests she also take a blue/green algae supplement.
There is nothing to beat either psyllium seeds or linseed to prevent constipation and once she has the problem back under control, your daughter needs to be eating more alkaline foods - which include green leafy vegetables, especially cabbage, nuts (but not peanuts), sesame seeds and spread (tahini), and organic soya.
*You can mail order all the above supplements from Revital (0800-252875).