| Annemarie Colbin, in her book "Food and Healing", | | | | balance, which is that a living system always |
| makes the interesting point that diets themselves, | | | | seeks to return to balance. Anatomy and |
| even healing diets, are not a cure per se. They do | | | | physiology textbooks even define the processes |
| often work, but their route to health is actually a | | | | of the body that way, and it is certainly a |
| product of supporting the body's own healing | | | | common idea in natural health systems, especially |
| processes.Her view on skin conditions like acne is | | | | traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Colbin writes |
| interesting. She sees acne as a result of the | | | | that excess minerals and vitamin supplements |
| regular organs of elimination, the kidneys and | | | | lead to an increased need for the macro nutrients |
| lungs, being unable to eliminate all the toxic waster | | | | protein, fat and carbohydrates. Salt is also in this |
| matter that we ingest into our bodies. She sees | | | | category. The idea is that these vitamins and |
| certain foods, like those that make up what she | | | | minerals, taken out of the context of the food |
| calls the Standard American Diet, as placing too | | | | itself, will lead to the body craving actual food to |
| great a stress on our body's ability to process | | | | create a sense of balance. If we have a multi |
| them, at least if symptoms of ill health are | | | | vitamin at mealtimes, within the RDA, I don't |
| appearing like acne. She has found from her own | | | | believe this is going to present a problem. |
| observations that a change in diet often clears up | | | | Especially given that our foods are often depleted |
| even the large, purplish types of acne. She found | | | | of the range of essential nutrients that they |
| this with her own experiences with acne. | | | | would normally have if they were grown |
| Annemarie says it takes about ten days to three | | | | organically and in nutrient dense soils. But it is |
| months to work.Annemarie describes acne as | | | | certainly an argument in favor of approaching |
| falling into two main causes in her approach. The | | | | nutritional supplements in a balanced way also. |
| first is associated with fat, protein and excess | | | | Some people mistakenly think more is better. This |
| sugar. Here she recommends eliminating foods like | | | | clearly illustrates it is not.References: Annemarie |
| milk, cheese, ice cream, fatty meats, nuts and | | | | Colbin, Food As Healing (Ballantine Books, New |
| peanut butter. The second category is associated | | | | York) |
| with what she calls mineral-water excess, which is | | | | Simon Mills, The Essential Book Of Herbal Medicine |
| s term she uses to describe all substances taken | | | | (Penguin Arkana)If you'd like more at home acne |
| out of their natural context. She mentions iodized | | | | treatments, then check out this article. And if |
| salt, or even multi vitamins or supplements like | | | | you're sick of unrealistic promises of an acne |
| kelp. This is very much a personal relationship as | | | | natural cure, try this natural treatment instead. If |
| what negatively affects one person may not do | | | | you've ever thought of using acne birth control |
| so for another.The link between excess minerals | | | | pills, you need to read this article. |
| or vitamin supplements relates to Colbin's idea of | | | | |