Over Forty and Loving It!

There are many issues we face when hitting the menopause stage. We know the drill: hot flashes, mood swings, loss of libido, just to name a few. But one also has to consider that as our hormones change and decrease, there is the possibility of acne.

As I grow older, I like to look for more natural treatments for everything. Natural and holistic treatments are better than attacking our bodies with chemicals which can often be harsh and cause further problems down the line.

So I set about looking for a natural acne treatment. Luckily, I found several.

Of course the first order of business is prevention. Yes, my darlings, as always, watching what we eat is the best defense. Isn’t that always the way? Stay away from processed foods. Fresh is always better. Limit fat and carbohydrates. That’s not to say do away with them completely; just be sensible about it. Eat foods high in beta carotene. And yes, water, water, water. 8-8 oz classes a day is the recommendation.

Exercise! Exercising not only helps to keep hormone levels consistent in the body from day to day, but working up a sweat pushes oil and dirt from the pores.

Wash your face twice a day with a mild soap. Dove is supposed to be one of the best, but I’ve heard a few women complain that it dries their skin. This process is a trial and error one. Try a soap for a couple of weeks and if you see no improvement in skin quality, move on to another.

Here’s a few natural ways to cleanse your face (once you have acne)

Wash your face with chick pea paste (mix one teaspoon of chick-pea flour with a little water). Dry with a clean towel.

Apply a paste made by mixing a teaspoon of almond powder with a cup of goat's milk. Let this paste dry on your face for a few minutes before washing it off.

Apply a single drop of tea tree oil directly to the blemish after cleansing. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic. It is gentle to the skin and speeds the healing of blemishes.

Vitamins and Suppliments:

30 - 50 mg Zinc supplement daily - Zinc may help contribute to reducing the inflammation and heals the damaged skin.

Chromium supplements - Chromium helps boosts the body's ability to break down glucose.

Vitamin E - an antioxidant (200 to 400 IU a day)

Vitamin B-6 50 mg per day. This vitamin aids in the metabolism of hormones

If you have itchy acne, try taking Kali bromatum 6X three times daily until you notice an improvement.

If you have pus filled pimples, take a 6X dose of Antimonium tartaricum, 3 times daily until you see an improvement.

Diet and a Herbal Tea

Acne is believed to be from Pitta dosha aggravation. So, the treatment includes a diet that includes plenty of bland foods such as oatmeal, apple sauce, basmati rice and eliminating fried foods, spicy foods and citrus fruits.

Drink a tea made by combining 0.5 teaspoons of cumin, coriander and fennel in a tea ball and steeping it in hot water for 10 minutes. Strain and drink the tea after breakfast, lunch and dinner.

*some treatments and advice from holisticonline.com