Sugar Complexion

Michael Pollan: Omnivore's Dilemma Lecture Video

2010-04-24T00:20:00.002-04:00

"UC Davis Mondavi Center presents bestselling author and UC Berkeley journalism professor Michael Pollan. He explores the ecology of eating to unveil why we consume what we consume in the twenty-first century. Michael Pollan is the author, most recently, of The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. Series: Mondavi Center Presents"

Rosacea- Severe Redness in the Face

2010-03-01T02:10:00.004-05:00

I came across a Facebook page about the experience of someone that has overcome rosacea with a particular diet practice. She's even posted photos to prove it! (I have yet to post any photos...)

Read "Rosacea ? Dealing with it without drugs!"

The most obvious trigger of my red face is SUGAR. On her Facebook page, Megan posted a link about salicylate sensitivity. Here is a food guide that rates salicylate levels in foods by negligible to very high.

Honestly, I feel a little overwhelmed looking at the list. I just glanced at the seasonings list. Every single seasoning that I use is considered very high. Then a lot of the things I've read that are bad, are listed as negligible for the level of salicylates. If I want to try this, I think the best approach is to start with the allergy testing for things like wheat and dairy... then start to weed out salicylates.

Directly from her Facebook page, I've copied what she labels as foods to avoid:
ALL citrus, grapefruits,grapes, strawberries, raspberries, gherkins, olives, anything from the deli shop, tomatoes, capsicums, eggplants, mushrooms, all oils except for olive, sesame oil too, all vinegars except for malt vinegar, all processed meats, hard cheeses, all dried fruit, all spreads, jams, Vegemite, honey,cocoa, chocolate, full strength coffee, high amounts of preservatives, artificial flavoring (chips, noodles, crackers, snacks, cheese and BBQ flavoring, MSG), Chinese sauces, tomato sauces,tomato sauce, tandoori, all nuts except for cashews, sesame and sunflower seeds, wines, beers, all kinds of juice, vegetable and tomato juice, chili, dates, kiwi fruit, smoked meats, meat pies, soy sauce, cola drinks, orange juices, lemon butter, breakfast cereals containing dried fruits, coconut, coconut oil, yeast extracts, red and white wine vinegars, peanuts.

So from here, I'll list what I usually like to eat:
deli meat
cheese
Healthy choice TV dinners
chicken
BBQ
Salmon
tuna
tacos
salads
soda
cookies
crackers
pizza
tomatoes
grapefruit juice
orange juice
lemonade

Wow, is my entire diet on the list of banned foods??!!

I've certainly heard this before... ZINC is great for the skin.

Monitor Your Pulse to Test for Food Allergies, Intolerance, and Sensitivity

2010-02-25T21:02:00.003-05:00

A quick and free way to test for allergies, intolerance, and sensitivity to certain foods is to monitor your pulse.

First, take your pulse before you've eaten to get a base rate. Then pick a food that you think may be the suspect (eggs, milk, other dairy products, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, seafood, and shellfish.) After eating the suspect ingredient, take your pulse. Repeat after 15, 30, and 60 minutes. When taking your pulse, it's best to measure while you're in the same positions (for example, while sitting.)

Low Blood Sugar

2010-02-24T22:44:00.002-05:00

These are the signs of low blood sugar:

* Dizziness, shakiness or trembling
* Nervousness
* Rapid heartbeat
* Trouble concentrating
* Headache
* Irritability, moodiness or anger
* Sweating, chills or clamminess
* Tingling in your face or lips
* Extreme hunger

I don't experience extreme hunger. Everything else is fairly frequent, almost on a daily basis. I remember taking a biology course a few years ago and having my professor explain hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. I suddenly realized that I was having lows and highs throughout the day because I'd use sugar to get through the day and then have a period of intense withdrawal or a "low". So that was back in 2006 and I still haven't done anything different with my diet or had my blood sugar levels checked. I just also saw that nightmares and night sweats can also be a sign.

What is a Raw Food Diet

2010-02-18T10:51:00.004-05:00

I just finished reading a post called "What is a Raw Food Diet" on the Salad Bowl Inc. website.
Some of the content of the article is based on the book Mini Size Me which I've included a link to below.
I haven't read the book yet myself.

While reading the article, I came across a phrase 'enzyme-less diet.' I keep watching what other people eat and think to myself, "Geez. That is so unhealthy. They must feel horrible all the time." Then, while thinking more about the crap I eat, it's very obvious that I'm not getting enzymes. I love salads, but I typically drench them with ranch dressing and other add-ons like bacon-bits and starchy croutons. I usually drink a Mountain Dew as I eat the salad. :(

The article gives a list of the benefits of a raw food diet. One of them is improved animal instincts and responses. Now if you have a diet similar to mine, have you noticed any problems with your vision or hearing? My vision is often blurred (despite having a new pair of glasses... I work in an optical store so I know the Rx is fine!) I've noticed that I'm having to turn my head as people talk to me or watch their lips. I'm only 26--- my hearing should be good!

Anyway, take a look at the Salad Bowl Inc. website.

Really Cute Tote Bags

2010-02-15T01:12:00.012-05:00

Did you know that somewhere between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year? Consider using canvas bags for your grocery shopping and lunch bag. Below are just a few ideas for fun bags!

Retro Veggie Diva by vegetariangiftshop
See other Veggie diva Bags

"Sweet Misery" - The Poison called Aspartame

2010-02-14T22:31:00.003-05:00

I can't eat foods with Aspartame or Splenda. I get immediate headaches and I do not think the taste is good. In the documentary "Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World," the history of Aspartame is introduced. I was shocked to learn how it reached the public despite being so obviously poisonous to our bodies. TopDocumentaryFilms.com has the full documentary on their site for you view.

Aspartame is often found in soft drinks, candies, ice cream, iced tea, nutritional bars, cereals, and yogurt. When you see labels such as "reduced fat", "fat free", or "no sugar added," double check for aspartame as an ingredient.

After watching the documentary, take a look at the website for the Aspartame Information Center that promotes this product as safe.

Raw for 30 Days Trailer

2010-02-14T22:12:00.004-05:00

Wonder what would happen if you were diabetic and decided to eat only raw foods for 30 days? Watch "Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days" to learn how six people transform their lives by learning how to eat only raw foods and become less dependent on medications. I enjoyed watching this movie because it was honest- it shows the ups and downs of giving up processed foods, alcohol, and sugar. It also shows how your loved ones can influence bad habits.

It's unlikely that most of us would be able to take a month off from work or from other responsibilities to live at The Tree of Life in Arizona, which is where the six diabetics stay during the filming of the documentary. While watching this, I was thinking that I could do this if I had someone preparing the food and had only raw foods available! I also would be more likely to stay with it if I had a group of people that I was learning this new lifestyle with for 30 days.

All of this aside, though, it makes sense that the body can repair itself if given the proper nutrients. I've included the trailer in my post but you can find the entire documentary online by doing a Google search. Please comment on what you think about the documentary.

15 Truly Shocking Facts about Soft Drinks

2010-02-08T23:20:00.003-05:00

"15 Truly Shocking Facts about Soft Drinks" details things we already know about soft drinks but often ignore. Take a look here.

Learn about soda toxicity at DetoxifyNow.com

Why Am I Writing?

2009-09-10T13:06:00.000-04:00

After several months of weighing the pros and cons of writing about my personal struggles with my complexion, I’ve decided to go ahead and make the leap and put everything out on the virtual table. I’ve hesitated writing about it because I was concerned that friends and family would read my entries. I feel like reaching out to my readers is a major sign of desperation. This is something that should be handled on my own, right? Well, after battling with complexion issues since I was thirteen (I’m 26 now), I obviously need to look for support from people that have or are going through the same problems.

I’m holding myself back from activities. I fear what people will think and I almost feel as if I disgust people because they are grossed out. Have you ever looked in the mirror with excitement and thought, “Yes, it’s clearing up!” and then you have someone make a comment about your acne? Do you know what it feels like when your mood just completely sinks for the day or maybe even the week because of one person’s comment? Oh, maybe I should share some of the comments first.

Rude person: “Did you just have surgery on your face?”
Me: “Ummm… No.”
Rude person: “Oh, I thought you must have had something done because your face is so red.”

Unaware person looking at my driver’s license photo: “Wow! You must have gotten a horrible sunburn!”

Dermatologist: “You’d be pretty if you didn’t have acne.”

Then there are the people that slip me pieces of paper with the names of prescription drugs or make little comments like, “You should do something about that.”

See, I have acne, but I also have an incredibly red face. People think I’m sunburned, upset, or hot all the time. It’s ten times worse in photos. I was horrified at my senior prom when a display was made of our photos to interest students in purchasing them. There I am among the sea of pretty dresses and tuxes…. red face and big bright smile. There’s another photo of me in our yearbook dancing at a winter dance. I had so much makeup on that I looked like a ghost. (One of my friends was sweet enough to do my makeup to try to hide the redness.) I was voted “Most Studious” by my peers. I had a color photo taken so my complexion is captured in yet another photo. I typically alter my Facebook photos using Photoshop. I’ve become pretty good with smoothing out the bumps and painting on a new skin tone.

I don’t know what it’s like to get excited about a party or dinner. I dread them. I don’t know what it’s like to sit comfortably in a classroom and not feel as if everyone is looking in my direction. I remain quiet because I don’t want to draw the attention of people and give them another opportunity to think, “Geez. Poor thing.”

Relationships have been tough. I believe one of my exes broke up with me because of my complexion. Another arranged with his parents to setup a dermatologist appointment on my behalf. At that time I was put on Accutane and for the first time in years I knew what it felt like to not have oily skin.
Then, another ex constantly made comments and wanted to control my diet for me. He was allowed to eat anything he wanted but I had restrictions. What?! My current boyfriend is very supportive.

So now that you know some of my background I’ll explain some more reasons I’ve decided to write about myself. I haven’t really found another website online where someone has documented their struggle with their complexion. I’ve found message forums, but it’s hard to really read the story and get to know a person from a few posts. I’d like to meet other people that are willing to share their lifestyle and diet information. I really hope that I can get enough readers so that I can document common diet and lifestyles for all of us to stand back and analyze. Although I know I need to change my diet and lifestyle, I need a support group of readers.