How the high fat low carb diet helped this woman cure her acne
THIS woman suffered from severe acne for years until she made some very simple changes to the way she ate.
A WOMAN who battled with severe acne for most of her life has seen her skin clear-up by making one simple change — her diet.
Amy Saunders, 27, first saw her skin flare up when she was 11, on a family holiday to the Caribbean.
Thinking it was just sun cream she assumed her skin would return to normal once she was home, but it never did.
She spent the next 15 years battling breakouts, using medications and make-up to cover up her face.
Throughout her teen years she put down her bad skin to hormones, but when she came off the contraceptive pill aged 24 her skin flared up like never before.
Amy, from Brighton, said: “Even whilst on the pill, my skin was never clear and I would never leave the house without a full face of make-up but the reaction my body had after coming off the pill was indescribable.
“Not only did my acne explode all over my face, but I also struggled with terrible PMS that left me feeling depressed and caused me to take time off work each month.”
Her skin looked so bad she would receive negative comments from strangers, some of which have stayed with her.
The digital content lead worker said: “Over the years I’ve experienced various negative comments from people about my skin, mainly from innocent children who have asked “what’s that?” while pointing to my face, but I have also experienced hurtful comments from people I know and work with, these are the comments that have cut so deep.
“It’s nearly impossible to forget those hurtful comments and despite all the lovely things people say about my skin and my healing journey, it’s the negative comments that stick in the forefront of my mind and have been the most difficult to overcome.”
She would apply a full face of make-up each day, trying to forget about her skin, but decided to seek medical help.
But doctors prescribed hormone-filled medication, or suggested she go back on the pill.
In a bid to find a natural, healthy, way to clear up her skin, she began documenting her lifestyle changes on Instagram and a blog.
Overhauling her diet was one major change which has seen her skin heal and clear up, and she now follows a high fat, low carb diet.
Amy said: “After the initial healing which involved dramatic diet changes, gut-healing probiotics, supplements and the switch to non-toxic, natural cosmetics, I now keep my skin under control by using gentle, natural skin care products.”
She said she also ate a “healthy, whole food diet rich in healthy fats such as seeds, avocado, salmon and butter and plenty of fermented foods like sauerkraut or kimchi”.
“However, things changed dramatically when I started exploring the HFLC (High Fat Low Carb) diet and found that by increasing my intake of healthy fats, my skin very quickly started to clear, my periods became regular and I stopped craving sugar and junk food,” Amy said.
“Sugar and refined carbohydrates are, by far, the biggest trigger but I always struggled with cutting down on these trigger foods as it would often leave me hungry, moody and lethargic.”
After finding out what causes her flare ups, she steers clear but she doesn’t say no to the occasional bar of chocolate or gin and tonic.
Now enjoying clear skin, she said: “After 15 years of hating my reflection and being so self-conscious of my skin, I’m still getting used to looking at a clear complexion every day.
“I’m so proud of everything I’ve achieved — especially over the last three years — although my natural healing journey had many bumps along the way.
“Acne doesn’t just clear overnight especially if you’re in it for the long-haul.
“Quick fixes are never the answer and medication, antibiotic or the pill will only work as a sticky plaster, masking the real reason you’re getting spots.
“If you invest in yourself and work towards healing your skin from within you will never have to live with the fear of your acne returning.”
This article originally appeared on The Sun and has been republished here with permission.
