Hi Steemians! Second post of the day as I missed yesterday with my three year anniversary celebrations!
Alas, this is the next cab off the rank as I discuss the best ways to deal with skin issues. Those needing to catch up can read the cold shower for skin relief post from last week, which gives some insight into the issues I was blighted with. Today is probably the approach most suited to rapid changes. The Raw Food Diet.
* Disclaimer * - I am not a health professional. This is a diet focussed toward helping those with skin issues. This is not a diet aimed at those trying to lose weight.
There are certain food groups which are inflammatory, both to your inside and out. As I mentioned in the first skin relief post, I've contemplated the Chinese Face Mapping and the underlying logic behind it. Food goes into the body. It disrupts a mechanic of the body, such as digestion, or causes a fluctuation of hormones and the like. Significant maladaptive eating strategies may even have an effect on the liver and intestines, for example.
My eating has generally been on the healthy side, limiting junk food intake and very rarely visiting a fast food chain. However, growing up within a Greek based food culture paved away for eating as much meat as I could get my hands on. In retrospect, this was a significantly maladaptive eating strategy that was potentially at the heart of many of my problems. Instinctively, having grown up surrounded by loved ones that ate similarly and did not suffer similar consequences, it was difficult to come to the conclusion that a meat based diet was to blame. Whilst there are additional factors that play some part in these issues, the meat and to a lesser extent dairy, played a significant role in mine.
Recognising these skin issues, I attempted to gain data by testing myself. No meat for a week, soon became a fortnight and then a month. The results were slow but clear. In addition, my sinuses were previously blocked more often than not. After taking on this regime, they were not. My diet was as raw and basic as they'd come. I stripped away anything that had contents of dairy, was 'unnatural' (generally an item that contained 3+ ingredients or that came in a pretty little package). Note, most natural food comes from the soil and whether the packaging claims health benefits or otherwise, it must be treated with extreme wariness.
Breakfast was basically fruit or coconut milk with a mixture of flaxseeds, chia seeds and almonds or both. Spending most of my time at University, I generally settled on some vegetarian rice paper rolls for lunch. Finally, dinner was brown rice with as many different vegetables as I could throw on a wok with a few different seasonings (nothing spicy).
The downside was that you needed to eat more than your regular fill in order to feel the satisfaction of being 'full'. The food was also not super exciting, although I think this was basically down to time constraints and my ever growing (but lacking) skills in the kitchen.
Nowadays I eat in moderation of how I feel. I've got a much better grasp on how my body is coping with the food intake and different stresses going on. I love a well cooked steak, but I eat meat in moderation (2-3 times per week). I rotate the vegetables of Kale, Bok Choy and Silverbeet across the weekdays, trying to eat a significant portions of each as I've noted them to be good for myself.
Whether this pattern of eating works for you, or you've learnt of another, the most important thing is to constantly be willing to learn what your body needs and how it will react. Read on the subject. Talk to as many people as you can. As always, when there is a will, there is a way!