| Annemarie Colbin, in her book "Food and Healing", | | | | Colbin's idea of balance, which is that a living system |
| makes the interesting point that diets themselves, | | | | always seeks to return to balance. Anatomy and |
| even healing diets, are not a cure per se. They do | | | | physiology textbooks even define the processes of |
| often work, but their route to health is actually a | | | | the body that way, and it is certainly a common idea |
| product of supporting the body's own healing | | | | in natural health systems, especially traditional Chinese |
| processes.Her view on skin conditions like acne is | | | | medicine (TCM). Colbin writes that excess minerals |
| interesting. She sees acne as a result of the regular | | | | and vitamin supplements lead to an increased need |
| organs of elimination, the kidneys and lungs, being | | | | for the macro nutrients protein, fat and |
| unable to eliminate all the toxic waster matter that | | | | carbohydrates. Salt is also in this category. The idea is |
| we ingest into our bodies. She sees certain foods, like | | | | that these vitamins and minerals, taken out of the |
| those that make up what she calls the Standard | | | | context of the food itself, will lead to the body |
| American Diet, as placing too great a stress on our | | | | craving actual food to create a sense of balance. If |
| body's ability to process them, at least if symptoms | | | | we have a multi vitamin at mealtimes, within the |
| of ill health are appearing like acne. She has found | | | | RDA, I don't believe this is going to present a |
| from her own observations that a change in diet | | | | problem. Especially given that our foods are often |
| often clears up even the large, purplish types of | | | | depleted of the range of essential nutrients that they |
| acne. She found this with her own experiences with | | | | would normally have if they were grown organically |
| acne. Annemarie says it takes about ten days to | | | | and in nutrient dense soils. But it is certainly an |
| three months to work.Annemarie describes acne as | | | | argument in favor of approaching nutritional |
| falling into two main causes in her approach. The first | | | | supplements in a balanced way also. Some people |
| is associated with fat, protein and excess sugar. Here | | | | mistakenly think more is better. This clearly illustrates |
| she recommends eliminating foods like milk, cheese, | | | | it is not.References: Annemarie Colbin, Food As |
| ice cream, fatty meats, nuts and peanut butter. The | | | | Healing (Ballantine Books, New York) |
| second category is associated with what she calls | | | | Simon Mills, The Essential Book Of Herbal Medicine |
| mineral-water excess, which is s term she uses to | | | | (Penguin Arkana)If you'd like more at home acne |
| describe all substances taken out of their natural | | | | treatments, then check out this article. And if you're |
| context. She mentions iodized salt, or even multi | | | | sick of unrealistic promises of an acne natural cure, |
| vitamins or supplements like kelp. This is very much a | | | | try this natural treatment instead. If you've ever |
| personal relationship as what negatively affects one | | | | thought of using acne birth control pills, you need to |
| person may not do so for another.The link between | | | | read this article. |
| excess minerals or vitamin supplements relates to | | | | |