I had great skin as a teenager. I know. Weird right? It wasn’t until I became pregnant with my first child that my skin rebelled. It affected everything, including my self-esteem. I would cry with frustration. I swear there were times where it looked like I was coming off a meth bender. Don't laugh. I'm serious.

Over the past ten years, I have spent thousands of dollars trying to clear up my skin. I’ve tried Proactive (which made it worse), expensive peels, chemical-ridden gels and even harsh antibiotics. Nothing worked. NOTHING. Sure, I was taking diet pills at the time, and not exactly eating healthy, but there had to be a magic price I could pay for clear skin.

When I started school at Institute For Integrative Nutrition, I had a whole course on holistic skincare. As I began listening to the lectures, I was torn between two feelings:

I was EXCITED! This is exactly what I had been searching for. Could it really be this simple??
I was also ANGRY! How did all the “professionals” not know this??? I felt ripped off by all their broken promises of clear skin.

I decided to see for myself and low and behold, my skin is pretty dang clear these days. In fact, it's really clear. A thin layer of mineral make-up does wonders for me these days. I never thought I would say that.

Here are ten simple and easy to follow tips for clearing up your skin. It worked for me!

1) Avoid Dairy

This is the number one thing I do to keep my skin clear. Sure, once in a while I have some cheese, but if I have too much, I can tell in my skin almost instantly. There is a very famous Nurse’s Health Study that examined the health habits of 47,000 nurses. They found that those who drank more milk had much higher rates of severe acne than those who had little or no milk. There was a direct link between the amount of milk consumed and the severity of acne.

Keep in mind, almost all commercial milk comes from pregnant cows, which means it is loaded with hormones- even organic milk. You’re drinking sixty-some hormones you’re taking in when you consume dairy products. Hormones cause growth. That includes acne growth. It’s also important to remember that dairy turns to mucus in the body. When it has nowhere else to go, it leeches out through the pores in the form of acne. Not sexy. For more information on the link between acne and dairy, click here.

2) Avoid Sugar

You’ve all heard this one before, but I had no idea how important it was! Sugar, liquid calories, and flour products all drive up insulin and cause pimples.

3) Eat Healthy Fats

Avocado, almonds, salmon and flax are a few of the Omega-3 rich foods that will help kick acne's butt. Omega-3 foods help reduce inflammation, thus reducing acne.

4) Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide

You all might think I’m crazy here, but it works wonders for a spot treatment. Hydrogen peroxide is just water with an extra oxygen molecule.  Acne cannot survive in an oxygenated environment. If you don’t believe me, believe these guys.

5) Eat an Alkaline Based Diet

This goes back to the idea that bacteria or any virus cannot live in an alkaline environment. Hello green smoothies! Click here for a list of alkaline foods you can start incorporating into your diet.

6) Water

My little brother always says that water is the key to success. Well, he’s right. We often forget that our skin is the largest organ in our body. Staying hydrated leaves skin looking hydrated. It also flushes toxins out of the body in a timely fashion. Simple as that.

7) Probiotics

I seriously love probiotics. Good bacteria helps fight bad bacteria. The link between skin and intestinal health has been a source of speculation for at least 70 years, when two dermatologists, John Stokes and Michael Pillsbury, recommended acidophilus (probiotics) preparations. I get mine daily in the form of Kombucha tea. You can also buy probiotics at your local health food store.

8) Pay Attention To Food Sensitivities

When we are sensitive to foods, our bodies react. It’s believed that food allergies/sensitivities play a large part in acne. Here are some of the main culprits:
Dairy
Wheat
Corn
Soy
Eggs
Nuts
Citrus

9) Use Simple Products

Proactive and most other products on the market are meant to treat the skin on the outside. Besides being pricey, they are also made with toxic chemicals. When you realize that acne is an internal problem, your world will shift. Curing acne topically would be like trying to fix a car’s engine by giving it a new paint job. Doesn’t make much sense does it.

Here is what I use on my face. Affordable, sustainable and chemical free!

Wash- Dr. Bronner’s castile soap
Toner- Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with water and tea tree oil
Moisturizer- Almond Oil or a mixture of coconut oil, olive oil and shea butter
Scrub- Raw honey, crushed almonds lemon juice and olive oil.

**I was told by many “professionals” that I could never use oil based products. Now, that’s all I use to moisturize. Coconut oil is a wonderful too. It’s all I use on my kids.

10) Supplements

According to my class on holistic skin care, these are the recommended supplements for acne
Evening primrose oil: 1000 to 1500mg twice a day.
Zinc : 30 mg a day.
Vitamin A: 25000 IU a day. Only do this for three months. Do not do this if you are pregnant.
Vitamin E: 400 IU a day.
Fish Oil: 500-1000 mg once a day

I hope you're inspired to modify a few areas of your life! It can't hurt?! As someone who as spent thousands of dollars trying to clear up my skin, I hope you give it a go! The cure for acne is not on a perscription pad or in a bottle of expensive gel. It starts on the end of your fork.

How many times have your best efforts to lose weight and get healthy been sabotaged by cravings? We’ve all been there. I know I have. This chart is a great go to guide to help you deconstruct your cravings and flood your body with the whole food nutrients it’s really after! Although I'm not a fan of dairy or excessive meat, these are still foods that contain these nutrients. Remember, if you are a meat eater, make sure to get organic or grassfed meats to ensure you're actually getting the nutrients. Most factory farmed animal meats do not have even a fraction of the nutrients they did years ago.  The same goes for dairy and eggs. Plus, they are raised in a very inhumane way. Get familiar with this chart and begin to think of your cravings as a wonderful blessing. Your body is talking to you!