Part 7 -

Minimize Alcohol Consumption

Hi Guys,

Here with the next part of my cystic acne cure. This section is based on the same principles already explained in the previous two sections on clean water and diet, which is basically to minimize the amount of toxins entering your body, so this post will be quite short and sweet.

I have titled this section ‘minimizing alcohol consumption’ but alot of the following information also applies to recreational drugs or prescription drugs.

Alcohol was the main indulgence for me and the substance which I had the most experience with however, hence the title and topic of this post.

So very simply put here is how I believe alcohol contributes to acne, there are 2 main points:

1. Alcohol is a toxin

Just like excess hormones, chemicals found in tap water and the preservatives & additives found in food, alcohol cannot be used for the growth of the body therefore it must be expelled. As I’ve probably stated several times: If your body is already having a hard time removing these toxins via it’s primary excretory system (The liver and kidneys) it will call on the skin to help out. When toxins are being passed through the skin on your face, this is where the trouble happens and acne forms.

2. Dehydration

Alcohol dehydrates the body (including the skin). When your skin is dehydrated it becomes dry and tight which hinders the secretion of sebum and toxins through the pores. Also, the body creates extra sebum to compensate for the dryness of the skin. So basically, there is an increase of sebum and toxins trying to escape through the skin but because the skin has become dry and tight, it gets stuck and causes more acne.

The second time I developed cystic acne, when my overall health and skin worsened due to my poor diet and lifestyle, I started getting at least one zit after a night out drinking. This worsened until, even just a few beers would cause bunches of pimples and a few cysts to appear. This was quite a problem for me, as going out drinking with my buddies was an enjoyable part of my social life but obviously I didn’t want my skin to get worse.

My decision of course was to give up drinking. I actually went without alcohol completely for over a year and a half. It was quite tough from going from someone who went out drinking fairly often to not drinking at all, especially with your friends around you goading you in to having ‘just one beer’. So you have to learn how to train yourself to ignore the distractions and peer-pressure and stay on track. Self Discipline is a MUST to achieve this.

If you also like a bit of a drink and don’t think you can stop all of a sudden, then I have a little tip for you:

You should still eventually stop drinking (until you get clear at least) but you can do it gradually. As you are reducing the amount you intake, when you do drink alcohol, make sure you drink EXTRA water to counteract the alcohol. The water will keep your skin hydrated and also help liver and kidney flush out the extra toxins coming in from the alcohol. To be safe, drink 1 glass of clean water per alcoholic beverage. That’s right, so if you go out and have 4 alcoholic beverages, then you should also drink 4 glasses of CLEAN water on top of the 8 glasses you are already drinking. This means you will be queueing up at the bathroom pretty often which may be a little annoying but it’s better than waking up the next day with a bunch of zits on your face =)

I can tell you that today I drink on occassion, I don’t drink to get drunk anymore…. I think I’m too old to enjoy the feeling of being completely wasted =) But I do enjoy a beer or a glass of wine with a meal quite often. I also still drink the extra water when I consume alcohol but I’m not as strict with it anymore.

And that’s the 5th part of my cystic acne cure, we’re almost there!

Peace,

The Anonymous Guru

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