Q: Skin problems seem to run in my family. I have severe rosacea,
my husband has a new scar on his face, and my daughter has acne and
warts! What are some "Suzy Secrets" to help clear the skin? -- D.V.,
Tulsa
A: Suzy Secrets? That's funny. OK, then, just between you and me,
this is what to do.
Rosacea: Avoiding alcohol, direct sunlight, and spicy foods will
help, but stress is the biggie. Because inflammatory chemicals need
to be reduced, doctors often prescribe prednisone packs or steroid
creams. Before I took steroids, I would buy probiotics, a digestive
enzyme supplement and a digestive acid (like betaine hydrochloride)
and take this with each meal. If you feel heartburn, stop the
digestive acid supplement. I'd also take a B-complex and drink
fenugreek tea daily. A day wouldn't go by without me consuming a
superfood like chlorella or spirulina (sold online or at health food
stores).
Scars: Some people rub raw garlic cloves on their scars (or their
pimples), which helps fight bacteria and reduce scars. I would take
4mg astaxanthin or 400 IU vitamin E by mouth each day. Some people
rub vitamin E oil on the skin. Drink orange juice daily and keep an
aloe vera plant handy, rubbing it on your skin.
Acne: Kids with lots of acne breakouts may be low in zinc, or in
vitamin A. They may also have high levels of processed junk foods,
trans fats and sugar! Tea tree oil, sold in health food stores, can
be applied to the zits. Naturopathica makes an all-natural, organic
Moss Extract Blemish Remover, which contains Kaolin clay, calendula
and other flower extracts to dry out blemishes, kill bacteria and
remove redness (www.naturopathica.com).
Warts: Eat better and take immune-building supplements. Some
people paint clear nail polish or apply duct tape to the warts in
order to starve them of oxygen. Conventional treatments include
Wartner or Dr. Scholl's Freeze Away.
(C) 2008 Tulsa World. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved