My Best Tips to Heal Acne

As my first post, I thought I’d talk about something that lies very near my heart and that I’ve personally dealt with extensively – acne. I’m no expert, and this is not medical advice, but many of these tips are easy things to include in your life without much effort. However, keep in mind that acne is not something you heal overnight. Unless you’re already living a healthy lifestyle, you’re going to have to adapt to a new way of living. My approach to most chronic issues will always be a nature-first approach. I like holistic methods that include using aids such as herbs, food, and lifestyle to heal.

Background on Acne

Acne is your body’s way of telling you that something internally is going on. Bear in mind that acne is not when you get an occasional pimple; it’s a consistent issue that you’ve been dealing with for at least a couple of months and covers parts of your face. If you’re a woman, acne oftentimes reoccur during specific weeks of your cycle. If the acne keeps showing up in the same places on your face, you can be sure that there’s a specific issue causing it. This includes hormones, gut infections, emotional wellbeing, toxin overload, and stress. Essentially, when you suffer from acne, your body is inflamed and stressed by something.

The Skin’s Role in Detox

It’s important to understand the function of the skin, which is to protect our internal organs but also helps us detox. We are exposed to a copious amount of toxins in our everyday lives. It’s more or less impossible to avoid, and our body has an incredible innate ability to deal with most of these toxins. However, when things get out of balance or certain lifestyle choices/habits negatively impact the body’s ability to detox, that’s usually when bigger health issues will show up, including acne.

I want you to keep in mind that your acne is a sign from your body that something is out of balance and needs additional support, so please be kind to yourself and do not think that acne makes you any less healthy than someone else. Genetics also play a huge part in the expression of acne.

Tip 1: Support Your Mineral Levels

Minerals are micronutrients that are crucial for various bodily functions, including managing stress and creating stomach acids, which are two important factors when addressing acne. You can get minerals from whole foods, high-quality salt, and dairy products. If you are looking to learn more about minerals and its impact on your health I highly recommend listening to Are You Menstrual? on Spotify by Amanda Montalvo. She completely changed my view on minerals and health. You can also learn more from her blog and Instagram. A HTMA test (hair tissue mineral analysis) can provide you with further insight on your mineral levels.

Tip 2: Support Your Detox Pathways

Your body’s detoxification pathways include the liver, kidneys, digestive tract, lymphatic system, respiratory system, and skin. You can support these pathways with readily available herbal teas and tinctures like burdock, dandelion, and milk thistle. A great way to start supporting your liver with these herbs is through tea. Sweating regularly and having 1-3 bowel movements per day also aid in proper detoxification. If you are not having daily bowel movements I’d make sure you’re consuming enough fiber, drinking enough remineralized water, moving your body throughout the day and eating at regular times daily. Gut infections and being stuck in fight-or-flight can also cause constipation. I find that drinking herbal tea and warm water help with bowel movements. I drink warm lemon and ginger water with a pinch of celtic salt every morning on an empty stomach as soon as I wake up to help with detox. I typically batch make the lemon and ginger weekly and store in the fridge.

Tip 3: Eat Whole Foods and Balanced Meals Daily

Your blood sugar levels highly impact the inflammation in your body and can help tremendously in the health of your skin. Aim to consume balanced meals with enough carbs, protein, fat, and fiber. Eating 3-5 meals per day is generally recommended for women. Avoid processed foods as much as possible.

These three tips are foundational and can be expanded upon in the future. If you’re just starting to make changes to address your acne, these are the essential steps you need to take for any other changes to have a lasting impact. If you’re considering working with a practitioner, I highly recommend starting with these three things as they will most likely have you do it regardless. Lastly, I highly recommend working with a health practitioner if you are suffering with acne as they can get to the root cause and get rid of it for real.

Healing your acne is a non-linear journey that takes time. Be gentle with yourself as you go through these changes, and know that your body was built to heal, and your skin will be clear again.