Today, as we open the newspapers or magazines, we find advertisements promoting various types of creams and ointments for various skin conditions. Many who try these colorful and over-promoted products have ended up with side effects more costly to deal with than what they paid for the ‘miracle cure’! In this same vein, individuals affected by the skin condition known as acne often are understandably reluctant to take oral antibiotics or to apply chemical-based products. This has resulted in more and more affected individuals turning to more natural treatments.

Many dermatologists say that the main causes for acne are:

  • Lack of exercise. Most Americans today lack sufficient exercise. Many may leave their homes, enter a vehicle, drive to the office, sit in a chair all day, get back in the vehicle to sit all the way home, eat dinner sitting in a chair, and finally finish up with a nice television show (while sitting on the couch).  “Couch potato” is a funny expression, in a graveyard humor sort of way.
  • Poor eating habits stem sometimes from busy work schedules. Having no time for proper meals, many rely on junk food just to fill their stomachs so as not to be hungry.  Most junk foods are slow killers. They contain little or no nutrition; but high amounts of unnatural fats (including transfats); chemical additives for flavor, color, texture or preservation; white flour and sugar with every particle of food value removed; genetically-modified foods; and so forth. Acne commonly shows up at puberty, which is when the body is in great need of certain nutrients that allow the body to mature.
  • Lack of relaxation. Each individual needs a certain amount of unwinding  in order to get rid of stress.

Looking at each of these possible causes, some natural treatments for acne would be:

  • Regular exercise, hopefully something you enjoy, rather than treat as a chore. There is a common standard of a good chunk of exercise three times a week or more. One way to get regular exercise without having to fit it into your schedule is to walk or ride a bike everywhere you can. Park on the far side of the parking lot or several blocks from where you are going. Walk to the corner store. Don’t use the elevator. Walk the dog. And, for people who can still run, jump and skip, do so! Regular exercise will encourage a person to eat well.
  • A well balanced diet containing lots of green leaves and vegetables, natural oils, B-vitamins, and sources of all the other vitamins and minerals. If absorption is a problem, liquid vitamin and mineral mixtures might be best. Caffeine destroys B-vitamins, so think about that if you find you are drinking a great deal of coffee or cola.
  • Relaxation to relieve the stress.  One of the best stress-relievers is to take a walk. Not really for the exercise, but to look around at the world, focus on what is actually there and see if those worries stop rolling around in your mind. Look at the buildings, or the trees, or the desert – whatever is out there. You don’t need to make a special trip to a hiking paradise, just walk around your own block and look all around you. So many of us focus on things near-at-hand all day long, like computer screens or paperwork. After work, try looking at the further-away parts of the world. Some also enjoy a stress relieving exercise system like yoga or Tai-chi. Also, don’t forget to do what you love, at least once in a while!

In addition to the above, there are some natural remedies you can apply at home that have no side effects at all and only minimal extra cost. For example, natural lime juice mixed with some turmeric powder may be applied to the skin about half an hour before a bath. This will make the skin glow and rid it of infections, including acne infections. Herb teas that are good for acne include red raspberry and blessed thistle. Working with nature and its products is a better way to treat acne than those expensive and dangerous drugs that are available at your pharmacy.