Adult AcneWritten by Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, Ph.D, ND, DACBN
Acne is bad enough when it strikes with puberty. But when it continues or strikes again in adulthood, it can be a real nuisance. Acne is a skin condition that usually begins around time of puberty. More than eighty percent of teenagers and preteens will develop acne to some extent. But it can affect people of every age, gender, and race. It affects both males and females, but boys are more likely to have severe acne and to have acne that continues into adult acne.The scientific name for condition is acne vulgaris because acne usually strikes in plainly visible locations such as face, neck, chest and back. Acne is an age old problem that has likely been plaguing people of all ages for centuries. What Causes Adult Acne? Acne is an inflammation of skin that can form in adulthood just as easily as it forms in pubescence. Acne is caused by a number of factors. Contact with an oily substance such as mineral oil, vegetable oil, or petroleum is a common cause of acne, as is use of certain medications and steroids. However, acne is most often cause by secretion of androgens. Acne occurs most often to teens and preteens because these androgens are initially secreted at onset of puberty. But these sex hormones are secreted into adulthood as well and can continue to cause problems with acne. Poor dietary habits and lack of exercise also contribute to adult acne. Androgens are male sex hormones but they are secreted by females as well. Androgens stimulate production of oil from skin's oil glands. Acne occurs when these oil glands become overactive and exit from gland is blocked, causing oil to build up in gland and swell. A bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes normally colonizes this swollen gland causing development of inflammation and pus. In particularly severe cases, glands may burst into skin and produce cysts. How Do I Treat Adult Acne? Over ninety percent of acne patients, both teens and adults, respond to treatment, although treatment may need to be continued for months or even years. Here are a few of most common herbal, homeopathic, and traditional methods that can be used to treat adult acne.
| | Enzymes and A Gluten-Free DietWritten by Loring A. Windblad
This compilation of information is Copyright 2005 by http://www.organicgreens.us and Loring Windblad. The references for this series of articles is author’s personal knowledge and experience, book “Enzymes for Autism and other Nurological Conditions. This article may be freely copied and used on other web sites only if it is copied complete with all links and text, including this header, intact and unchanged except for minor improvements such as misspellings and typos.To get right into this topic, let’s begin here: How do enzymes compare with a casein-free, gluten-free diet? Some have wondered whether enzyme products can replace a casein-free, gluten-free diet. Enzymes are not a one-to-one equivalent for food elimination because enzymes accomplish much more than a restrictive diet. Remember that enzymes are specific to foods they break down, so you need to have right enzymes for corresponding food type. If using enzymes instead of a restrictive diet is your goal, you need to look for a product specific and effective enough for this purpose. Many parents are using Peptizyde (and perhaps similar products) as an alternative to a casein-free, gluten-free diet and reporting that their children are showing immense improvement beyond what they saw on a restrictive diet, or even on a diet plus enzymes. So, yes it is very possible. Each person will need to decide for him or herself whether this is best course of action for their situation. Supplementing a restrictive diet with enzymes not only helps to reduce or inhibit production of these potentially harmful peptides, but also to support digestion and ensure complete degradation of food such that they may not be problematic, and increase availability of nutrients at same time. Enzymes can be used with a restrictive diet to supplement food elimination efforts. Having an enzyme product that is at least as effective as a casein-free, gluten-free diet, or other diet type, has been critically important for those people who desire to try such a diet but cannot implement it round clock due to circumstances beyond their control. In particular are those with older children or adults in their care, or those who do not personally provide full-time care for their child (as in divorce situations, or when other caregivers do not support an elimination diet).
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