I want you to picture something for a minute. Just indulge me, will you? OK, close your eye's and imagine you're a baby calf. You've just been born and you're freaking starved! So do you reach down and eat some grass or hay. Heck no! You want some milk!
So you go to your big momma and get some milk from her. Now fast forward a few weeks later. Dang! I don't want to be mean, but you have put on some serious weight. Maybe it's time for a diet?
Ok, exercise over. My point of this silly little exercise is that we aren't cows. Not exactly what most people would call a scientific breakthrough, I realize, but this is important! We aren't cows so our bodies process milk much differently than they would.
What does this mean for the acne prone individual? Well, we certainly don't go from a 50ish pound calf to a 800 pound cow in 3 years. Heck, it takes us nearly two decades to finally stop growing. So what do you think all those cow optimized growth hormones are doing to our system?
Messing with it and causing our systems to go a little haywire is the only correct answer here, FYI.
Now, in general, this really isn't that big of a deal when it comes to humans. However milk has insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in it. When it comes to acne, insulin is a HUGE deal. It is a direct and leading cause of our breakouts. Too much insulin in our bloodstreams causes our oil glands to produce too much sebum, causes our skin cells to clump up and die off faster than normal and wears out our immune system so that it can't maintain control over the acne causing bacteria.
This insulin in our blood is a direct result of the foods we eat. The typical diet has far too many processed carbs in it. These carbs are essentially sugar when digested by the body. Since there is such a large release of sugar in the blood, the body has to release a ton of insulin to deal with it so we don't go blind or die from all that sugar!
If this happened every once in a while, it wouldn't be a big deal. But this is what typically happens in our bodies every single day. You know that slump you go into around 2PM or so? That's a result of the large surge of insulin rapidly dropping your blood sugar levels. It's also the reason why you get the munchies right around this time too. Your body wants to raise your blood sugar levels back up to normal.
So you have this going on and now you throw even more insulin and hormones into the mix by drinking milk! It's really lose-lose for the acne prone person as this point. It's like pouring gasoline over a burning fire. Results may vary, but generally it's not the best of ideas....unless you REALLY like fire.
Contrary to popular belief, we also don't need milk to get calcium and vitamin d in our diets. You could substitute rice, soy or almond milk in place of regular milk. However there is a much, much better option. Green, leafy vegetables. They are chock full of calcium and other great vitamins and minerals.
Another great thing about green, leafy vegetables is they are phenomenal for acne prone people. They help alkalize our blood and give our body a ton of nutrients it needs to keep your skin clear and healthy. In general they are great for the long term health and care of your skin. If you want clear skin, you must start consuming things like spinach, kale and parsley. Pretend that if you eat enough, you'll win the lottery!
Do you have to get rid of milk and dairy in general forever? Certainly not! I love milk. I'm pretty sure that I would die without it. At the very least, I need milk whenever I eat dessert. And I really like eating dessert! There should just be a couple things to keep in mind.
First, by eliminating milk for a time while you focus on your skin, you'll see a great improvement in it as your body get's rid of all the excess hormones. Second, introducing milk back into your diet slowly will allow your body to better prepare and deal with the hormones within. Lastly, you may want to look into drinking raw, unprocessed milk. There are plenty of health benefits from drinking raw milk as your body is able to process the uncooked milk much more easily. Plus, raw milk tastes downright amazing. If you do go that route, be sure to only buy from reputable dealers with plenty of history.
So you go to your big momma and get some milk from her. Now fast forward a few weeks later. Dang! I don't want to be mean, but you have put on some serious weight. Maybe it's time for a diet?
Ok, exercise over. My point of this silly little exercise is that we aren't cows. Not exactly what most people would call a scientific breakthrough, I realize, but this is important! We aren't cows so our bodies process milk much differently than they would.
What does this mean for the acne prone individual? Well, we certainly don't go from a 50ish pound calf to a 800 pound cow in 3 years. Heck, it takes us nearly two decades to finally stop growing. So what do you think all those cow optimized growth hormones are doing to our system?
Messing with it and causing our systems to go a little haywire is the only correct answer here, FYI.
Now, in general, this really isn't that big of a deal when it comes to humans. However milk has insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in it. When it comes to acne, insulin is a HUGE deal. It is a direct and leading cause of our breakouts. Too much insulin in our bloodstreams causes our oil glands to produce too much sebum, causes our skin cells to clump up and die off faster than normal and wears out our immune system so that it can't maintain control over the acne causing bacteria.
This insulin in our blood is a direct result of the foods we eat. The typical diet has far too many processed carbs in it. These carbs are essentially sugar when digested by the body. Since there is such a large release of sugar in the blood, the body has to release a ton of insulin to deal with it so we don't go blind or die from all that sugar!
If this happened every once in a while, it wouldn't be a big deal. But this is what typically happens in our bodies every single day. You know that slump you go into around 2PM or so? That's a result of the large surge of insulin rapidly dropping your blood sugar levels. It's also the reason why you get the munchies right around this time too. Your body wants to raise your blood sugar levels back up to normal.
So you have this going on and now you throw even more insulin and hormones into the mix by drinking milk! It's really lose-lose for the acne prone person as this point. It's like pouring gasoline over a burning fire. Results may vary, but generally it's not the best of ideas....unless you REALLY like fire.
Contrary to popular belief, we also don't need milk to get calcium and vitamin d in our diets. You could substitute rice, soy or almond milk in place of regular milk. However there is a much, much better option. Green, leafy vegetables. They are chock full of calcium and other great vitamins and minerals.
Another great thing about green, leafy vegetables is they are phenomenal for acne prone people. They help alkalize our blood and give our body a ton of nutrients it needs to keep your skin clear and healthy. In general they are great for the long term health and care of your skin. If you want clear skin, you must start consuming things like spinach, kale and parsley. Pretend that if you eat enough, you'll win the lottery!
Do you have to get rid of milk and dairy in general forever? Certainly not! I love milk. I'm pretty sure that I would die without it. At the very least, I need milk whenever I eat dessert. And I really like eating dessert! There should just be a couple things to keep in mind.
First, by eliminating milk for a time while you focus on your skin, you'll see a great improvement in it as your body get's rid of all the excess hormones. Second, introducing milk back into your diet slowly will allow your body to better prepare and deal with the hormones within. Lastly, you may want to look into drinking raw, unprocessed milk. There are plenty of health benefits from drinking raw milk as your body is able to process the uncooked milk much more easily. Plus, raw milk tastes downright amazing. If you do go that route, be sure to only buy from reputable dealers with plenty of history.
Milk certainly has plenty of health benefits and has become a staple of our diets. However just be aware that as an acne prone person, it might have some side effects that are hindering your efforts to become clear. As always, focus on the internal problems that actually cause your breakouts and you'll see your skin clear up very quickly.
If you would like to learn more about the real causes of your acne and discover natural and powerful methods to clearing your skin once and for all, check out My Acne Blog to get the most important acne information you'll ever find.
If you would like to learn more about the real causes of your acne and discover natural and powerful methods to clearing your skin once and for all, check out My Acne Blog to get the most important acne information you'll ever find.
