Skin breakouts & "sticking to it"

[Nancy Kelly]

Hi friends,

I am 31 years old, with two young children. I am nursing. I eat a vegetarian diet, mostly whole foods, limited sugar and very little processed food. No fast food. I recently gave up coffee (have had 3 cups in one month as opposed to my nearly one pot a day). I am working towards a plant-based diet, as it is truly how I feel best. I am finding it very difficult to move away from dairy especially, even though I think dairy is "the thing" that causes me the most dis-ease. It is mostly a convenience thing. I have lots of great vegan recipes, but time-wise, I find it difficult to get around to cooking 2-3 times a day. Frankly, I am feeling a little overwhelmed, but there is no doubt that this is the right direction for me.

So my first point is that I would love some feedback on how to make this work. Even those of you who aren't plant-based can help if you have suggestions on how to make big dietary changes in a hectic home (overrun by toddlers!)

And my second and somewhat-related question is about my skin. My face is red and broken out pretty much all the time. I really think kicking dairy will help, but I need some help in the meantime. I also believe my face is aging fast. I don't mean this in a vain way, but sometimes I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I am shocked. My skin does not look young or vibrant, even for my age. It is sagging. I don't use chemically-laden products or makeup. I use coconut oil, a tea tree blend, and aloe, and a light lotion from time to time. I have lots of dead skin on my cheeks. I don't "look" healthy. Help! I am lacking confidence due to my appearance. I know you will help me think of something.Thanks!

Thank you in advance!

Nancy

[Tanya Swartzentruber]

Hi Nancy,

I'm no expert, but my suggestion for your skin would be to exfoliate it in order to keep it fresh and alive and get rid of those dead skin cells! Baking soda is a great exfoliant, as well as oatmeal. Crunchy Betty has tons of great recipes for your face--crunchybetty.com Along with gentle, food based scrubs, she has a lot of mask recipes that work well for a pick-me-up! It's my go-to website for skin care. Hope that helps! 

Tanya

[Nancy Kelly]

I love crunchybetty.com! Thanks. Never used baking soda before, but I will try it. I have to walk a fine line with my skin, so I will need to see how often I should exfoliate. Thanks again for the tip.

[Tanya Swartzentruber]

You're quite welcome! Hope you can find something that will work for you.

[Julie]

Nancy,

I have skin issues and breakouts almost all the time too and I'm 50! I recently made my own daily wash and toner that seems to help and brighten up my skin.

I mix baking soda with a few drops of Tea Tree oil and just a little water to make a paste. I put this is a container and use it as a face wash. It is a little abrasive but that seems to help. Then I have a mix of Apple Cider vinegar with water (I do it half and half, but you may need to water it down more if you have sensitive skin) and use it as a toner. I have very oily skin so I just stop there, but you may need a skin lotion after. I like Renew from Melaluca, or Burts Bees Milk and Honey.

If you can find someone who orders Melaluca, their Renew lotion is great - it even helps clear up eczema. I get it through a friend.

As far as dietary change, I know it's hard especially what you're doing. One thing that helps me is to make a large amount of things all at once- Like, I'll make a big salad that will last for a few days, or a big pan of oatmeal bars that I hope will last a few days.... An easy breakfast that I sometimes do is what I call oatmeal stuff. I just use raw oats, cut up apple, raisins, cinnamon, flax meal, and stevia- Then I add just enough water to moisten everything and eat it raw. It's yummy.

Julie

[Jennifer Steinbachs]

Your connective tissue (like skin) requires protein and fat...  Are you getting enough?