Researched various types and forms of acne., how it originates from glands and pores of the skin, and preventative measures to treat cystic acne. Shows the validity and quality of informative knowledge gained through scholarly articles and scientific research databases such as EBSCO and Galileo.

The foods in which we choose to consume plays a major factor in how the body responds metabolically to various chemicals contained in processed food products. Whether we know it or not, the human body consist of trillions of cells that all have a specific purpose in serving the body, especially the skin.

As we consume certain food substances, we must be aware that these cells are affected in some way and can show up in the skin we wear which is a crucial organ to our human survival. The skin lets us know what is going on within our bodies. As I have read in an instructional book related to human holistic health, what you eat contributes to a skin bowel movement of the many chemicals and foreign substances found in processed consumables.

There are numerous amounts of natural remedies and holistic treatments for skin illnesses, and I will list them shortly. However, I must mention that if you think the holistic approach may not be sufficient or ineffective, the option of using traditional medicine, treatment procedures, and injection of specialized serums from qualified dermatologists are always available.

The suggestion of using a holistic approach to healing and curing cystic acne addresses the skin illness as only symptomatic or a result from multi-factorial causes and completely curable.

Acne can be cured through taking necessary precautions to keeping the skin healthy and clean, being attentive to the kinds of food we ingest, and maintaining overall levels of human functioning by exercising and managing stress levels.

"You are what you eat", is common phrase that many use when referring to the detrimental effects of harmful processed foods. The skin is the largest organ in the body and has many different purposes including the dissemination of what enters and leaves through our pores. The buildup of chemicals due to increased intake of processed foods leads to visible outbreaks and minor malformities of the skin organ system.

The negative consequences of what we feed our bodies can show up in a variety of ways including high blood pressure, gout disease, atherosclerosis, just to name a few common illnesses. In correlation, the skin should also play a role in the overconsumption of harmful substances as demonstrated from the various health issues previously mentioned but may go unnoticed through ingestion over time.

A major realization can be made by committing to drink water consistently for a given timeframe and see how well the skin starts clearing. Another speculation is the way the body responds to increased water intake. Holistically, there are many different alternatives to healing cystic acne, but depends heavily on the person's make up and bodily response.

Cystic acne is a form skin illness where bacteria, excessive sebum oil, other foreign material gets trapped deep within the layers of the skin primarily in the sebaceous glands and sweat pores causing pus build up and severe inflammation. The effects of cystic acne can be painful, contribute to low self-esteem, and can cause emotional turmoil.

From a holistic standpoint, increasing the consumption of foods that increase skin functioning, drinking water to naturally cleanse the body, and daily exercise to maintain healthy levels of metabolic processing will keep cystic acne in control and slowly decreasing its symptoms over time.

1. BANANAS: To help reduce the breakout of acne, after washing the face with soap and water getting rid of excess dirt, gently rub the inside of a banana peel across the entire face. Your acne symptoms should begin lessening within a few days to a week. Once you have finished rubbing the skin with the banana peel, allow the skin to air dry and wash off the residue later or the following morning with cold water. 2. BERRIES: Strawberries help with skin discoloration, scars, and contributes to tightening pores; as it contains sources of salicylic acid, the main ingredient found in many over the counter prescription acne medications. To help lessen acne symptoms, mash a few ripened strawberries; apply as a mask after washing the face and wash with cold water, then air dry. 3. CELERY: Chronic acne is the result of inflammation of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands of the skin. For those suffering from chronic acne can drink a unique celery juice: to make this juice, combine two stalks of chopped celery, one large, diced tomato, one large, diced pear, and one-half of a large lemon without the peel and bring to a blend. Drink a cup on an empty stomach or in the morning.

4. CHERRIES: Cherries are a superfood for clear skin and anti-aging benefits. Containing vitamin-A, beta-carotene, and high astringent properties, cherries help to clear rashes, various skin conditions caused by inflammation, and acne. 5. CITRUS FRUITS: For severe acne, here is a highly effective orange scrub that gently exfoliates the top, deadened, damages layers of skin, and contributes to the growth of new healthy cells. To make, squeeze the juice from one orange in a bowl and add just enough sugar until a grainy paste is formed. Using only once a week, GENTLY massage the orange scrub onto affected areas for 3-5 minutes, then rinse with cold water and let dry for the brightening, tightening, and toning of skin. 6. HONEY: Raw honey combined with cinnamon creates a salve that can be used as a healing mixture containing enzymes that produce hydrogen peroxide and many antimicrobial properties to cleanse and stop the growth of bacteria as well as certain fungi. To make, combine a half teaspoon of pure organic cinnamon with one-fourth cup of raw honey and apply to affected areas. 7. LEAFY GREENS: Swiss chard has a variety of medicinal properties including alkalizing and detoxifying the body, shredding fat storages, smoothing cellulite-prone areas of the skin, clearing skin disruptions, balancing mood, improving sleep, and increasing the body's ability to uptake nutrients from the foods consumed. Acidic wastes that heavily contribute to inflammatory conditions leading up to many symptomatic illnesses such as rheumatism, gout, arthritis, and auto-immune disorders derives from the harmful consumption of processed foods.  Consuming Swiss Chard can be a viable solution to ease acne symptoms.

8. MELONS: To clear acne at a rapid rate, eating two servings of honeydew melon daily will greatly reduce the symptoms of acne and save the rind to gently rub the infected areas. Wash the face with soap and water and let dry before applying the rind. The nutrient in the rind helps the skin to balance oil production in pores and remove excess buildup of toxins. 9. NUTS: Walnuts have anti-inflammatory properties including the healing compounds sterols, tannins, and iodine which all contribute to fast healing of various skin conditions. To apply, cut incisions into the outer shell and use the juice from the shell to apply to infected areas. This unique skin remedy helps heal skin rashes, age spots, acne, ringworm, and warts. 10.POMEGRANATES: Pomegranates are an amazing skin agent that contains ellagic acid and omega-5 fatty acids helping to hydrate dry skin, prevent of moisture loss, and provides natural protection from the sun. Pomegranates can be consumed and applied as a face scrub. Simply just mash the pomegranate seeds and apply to affected areas for cell rejuvenation to both topical and deep layers of the skin aiding in tissue repair and wound healing. 11. POTATOES: Containing vitamin-C, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, and potassium which are essential minerals to healthy rejuvenated skin cells, potatoes are a great remedy for healing skin illnesses. Raw potato juice will unclog and pull-out excess oil and debris from pores, tighten skin, kill off bacteria, bring skin into pH balance, soothe inflammation, and encourage new healthy skin cell rejuvenation. For application, simply rub the cut potato halves across desired areas of healing, and for severe cases, repeat action daily until condition improves. 12.  SPINACH: To clear up tough acne bumps and scars, using spinach internally and externally can rid of the most stubborn cases of acne within one to two weeks. Spinach helps to clear out oils and debris build up in pores, helps flush accumulated acidic wastes from cell tissues (a major contributing factor to skin disorders), and balances the body's pH levels. For internal use on skin, combine one-half bunch of fresh spinach, two ripened tomatoes, and one large (peeled) cucumber to a blender; and for external, juice one bunch of spinach, saturate a cotton ball with spinach juice, and apply to affected area lasting for 15-30 minutes.

· WHITEHEADS - Commonly known as "closed comedones", are formed through the development of oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria can be treated with over-the-counter medications such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, also found in strawberries. Pus fills the blocked pore, making it appear white due to the presence of pus.

 

· BLACKHEADS - Easier to treat than whiteheads, blackheads are commonly found on the nose, forehead, and chin due to clogged pores, excess oil, and dead skin cells. Treatment includes regular exfoliation and topical creams with retinoids or salicylic acid which aids in unclogging pores and reducing the overall appearance.

· PAPULES - Papules are red small bumps that present on the surface of the skin when pores break down due to inflammation. Hormonal imbalances, particular prescription medications, or genetic malformations may cause disruptions in various layers of skin leading to the formation of papules. A diet high in processed foods and sugar will lead to these specific imbalances and changes.

· PUSTULES - Like papules, pustules are a type of acne lesion found on the skin from the excess buildup of oil production and clogged pores. With a white-yellowish center and inflamed surrounding area of skin, the treatment provided includes the use of benzoyl peroxide or retinoids for clearing up infected areas.

· NODULES - Located deep with the layer of skin, are painful bumps that have the potential of leading to severe acne. If severe enough, precautions must be to consult a dermatologist for recommend treatment procedures, including the appliance of corticosteroids directly into nodules to reduce inflammation and promote healing.

· CYSTS - Cystic acne is a severe form of acne recognized by the formation of large pus-filled bumps beneath the skin which is very painful and can leave scars in not treated properly. Treatment may include consulting a dermatologist for the best options for treatment. Common treatment options include oral antibiotics, topical creams and gel containing retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, surgical drainage/extraction of cysts, and corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation.

So the main concern is, being able to rid of acne and all its underlying symptoms.

While others prefer the recommendations from professional dermatologists who provide specific treatments using corticosteroid injections and oral antibiotics, there are many others who choose alternative holistic approaches that can be very effective and have a healthier impact without the side-effects of prescription drugs.

While there are many treatment methods that could suppress the symptoms of cystic acne, addressing acne from a holistic point of view could be less harmful to the body and also extract the some of the reasoning behind why the acne is occurring.

In Ayurvedic Medicine, the buildup of pitta is the underlying issue to the prevalence of acne. Pitta is considered the heat and fire energy state of the body and is concerned mainly with the body's metabolic and biochemical processes. Therefore, a diet plan that reduces the effects of pitta should be implemented which includes a variety of fruits and vegetables: apples, grapes, zucchini, lettuce, cucumbers, cilantro, beans, grains, coconut, and watermelon just to name a few. 

In general, through a professional dermatologist and strategic treatment plan for curing cystic acne, it could take anywhere from three to six weeks to see observable changes depending on the chemical and physiological factors of the individual.

Depending on the severity, genetics of the individual, endocrine output levels, and other variable factors that relate to the outcome of a treatment plan, many different types of alternative herbal remedies can be simultaneously used to fight cystic acne. 

So, in closing, the best treatment methods depend solely on the individual and their preferences to the various types of procedures for ridding of cystic acne. If choosing the route of having a dermatologist make a treatment plan from data received through various diagnostic tests, this would be a feasible option for those who would take oral-medications, receive corticosteroid injections, use facial benzoyl peroxide creams and gels, and participate in the physical removal of cysts and pustules through cryosurgery.

There's also the route of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) procedures where herbal remedies and naturalistic healing approaches play a major role in curing cystic acne. These include the simplification of blending vegetables and fruits specific for skin repair, applying various types of salves from oil extracts and herbs/spices, and changing the diet to reduce the energy circulation or build up within parts of the body especially pertaining to the skin.

One important observation about food and the body's way of releasing toxins is the overconsumption of processed foods leading to major malformations in the body.

The increased intake of sugar causes the blood sugar levels in the body to rise which release insulin-like growth factor-1. IGF-1 when released causes more sebum and oily secretions into the bloodstream, thus resulting in the buildup of excess material in the pores and glands of our skin.

Therefore, pastas, white rice and bread, and sugar containing many carbohydrates should be excluded from the diet.

Foods low in vitamins and minerals contribute to skin abnormalities. Low levels of these elements result in the formation of destructive free-radicals that destroy skin elasticity and cell production.

Dairy products should be withheld from consumption due to the amount of IGF-1s produced leading to the amount of oily sebum secretions increasing throughout the body by ten to twenty percent.

· Take two teaspoons of fresh coriander leaf juice. Add a pinch of turmeric to juice and mix. Apply to the infected areas two to three times daily after washing.

· Gather and crush some neem leaves to form a paste, apply to affected areas on face, and then after five to ten minutes rinse off paste.

· Take a few orange peels and dry it under shade. Powder the dries peels and sieve them. Take a teaspoon of this powder and mix it with fresh milk to make a paste.

· Apply this paste on the face for ten to fifteen minutes and rinse before bed. Take some orange peels or lemon peels and juice them.

· Once a juice is extracted, apply the juice to infected areas for about five to ten minutes and rinse.  

· Take a handful of dried rose petals and place into boiling water. Cover and let steep until cool. Drink two cupfuls a day or use externally as a wash or wet pack.

· Ghee can be used as a base for many salves and oils originating from the Ayurvedic principles of Indian culture. The method includes heating the ghee in a pan, adding crushed leaves of the herb thyme in the pan, and then gently cooking for an hour with the pot remained covered.

· After cooking the thyme briefly uncover just long enough to strain through a course, wire sieve. Return to the stove and cover again to cook for 5 minutes. Then remove the lid and add 1 - 2 tablespoons of beeswax and stir thoroughly.

· Add 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla when putting the beeswax in. Finally pour all contents into a jar and in a cool place for safe keeping. Apply after showering and again in the evening when preparing for bed.

· Take some walnuts and boil the entire husks with enough water to cover a depth of two inches over walnuts for about an hour. .this is then strained and stored in corked jugs until ready to be used.

What we choose to eat plays a vital role in how well our bodies function especially when getting rid of toxic wastes. It is important to maintain healthy metabolic levels by consuming fruits and vegetables compacted with vitamins and minerals to provide the most nutrients to our bodies. Exercising and increasing water intake will help the body tremendously as water serves as the number one detoxifier. The body can fix itself, but it just needs the right courses of action in treatment procedures. By addressing the underlying issues of the body and why certain areas are malformed, results from the intake of nutrients and the areas where they are not present. As what we consume soon or later shows up in many forms of unwanted illnesses and disease.  We have a choice to choose which route is best for our health and well-being. 

  Works Cited

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(3.)IronMag Blog All About Acne & Nutrition by Scott-Dixon, Krista, https://www.ironmagazine.com/2011/all-about-acne-nutrition/

(4.)Healthline, Anti-Acne Diet, Cirino Erica, https://www.healthline.com/health/anti-acne-diet

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