Help....I want to glow

[a1icia]

I've never had the best complexion and wonder if raw foods will eventually change my skin. I have to use glycolic acid on my face twice a day because my skin cells don't shed fast enough and it gets really bumpy, rough and broken out otherwise.

Has raw changed your complexion, skin tone and overall skin appearance?
How long did it take?
Or are you still waiting for it to change?

Do you have any glowing tips?

Thank you! :)

[Gaius]

First of all, what's your diet like? We need to be able to assess what you're doing so far so we can make suggestions.

[a1icia]

I'm basically 100% raw.

I have a big bowl of fruit in the morning.
Strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, raspberries, peaches, sometimes banana and/or mango added

I have a green smoothie

I do a green salad for lunch with things like cucumber, tomato, beets, carrots, zucchini, celery, red, yellow & orange baby bell peppers, avocado, olives and dressed with lemon or lime and olive oil

and the same kind of salad for dinner or zucchini pasta or marinated kale

snacking on bananas, apples, mangoes, grapes, papaya, or melon in between meals (and sometimes fresh coconut)

[Gaius]

tomato, red, yellow & orange baby bell peppers
It sounds like you may be highly allergic to nightshades. There are people who eat completely 100% raw and still have bad skin (which is really inflammation in the skin coming from an intolerance in the digestive system) from naturally occuring toxins in nightshade plants. I've highlighted the plants that you are eating that are in fact: nightshades.

Here's a good place to start finding out about them. People who can't tolerate nightshades usually get arthritis, acne, psoriasis, and eczema, among other things, if they consume any amount of nightshade.

http://www.askshelley.com/forum/post-8763.html

Cut out the foods I've highlighted in your post for a month, and your skin will improve.

[TaupeRawMan]

Hi A1icia -

how long have you been 100% raw? Also, you mentioned that you are basically 100%. What does that mean?

[DeborahB]

I dry skin brush, including my face, every day before I shower. My skin is very smooth and there are no dry patches.

I also have one teaspoon of MSM powder in my morning honey and lemon drink. This has had a great affect on the glowiness of my skin.

[a1icia]

Gaius - Thank you for the info. That's very interesting. I'm definitely willing to try it for a month to see what happens. If I'm sensitive to nightshades, I'd be bummed out but happier to have nice skin.

TaupeRawMan - I've been raw for 5 weeks now. I say basically 100% raw because, I sometimes put a couple of olives in my salad which aren't raw and the other day I had steamed broccoli because I don't do well with raw broccoli and I wanted to see how my body would react to eating it.

Thank you for filling me in on your great tips, Deborah. I really appreciate it. Hopefully, I'll be glowing soon. :)

[Gaius]

Also, some people report improving their skin with the hormone balancing effects of Maca powder. You might want to look into that as well.

[kaybee]

hey cucumber isnt nightshade is it? i thought it was squash familiy like cucurbitae or something.... ???

[sprouts2go]

Okay I also see cayenne. I assume the spices like red pepper and the like would be out also.

[Bananna]

Wow...your diet is pretty clean. How long have you been raw? If it's over a month, I would try cutting out the nightshades as suggested, I've heard of people improving their skin doing that...things like rosecea though.

Have you notice Any improvement since being raw?

[artgirly4]

my skin changed right away....in six months or less it glowed. I would go out at night and did not even need a flashlight!!!!

Raw works, trust it

The best glow, to me, comes from simple. Green juice and colonics Cleansing cleansing cleansing. Skin mirrors inner health..

[Raw Angel Mom]

It is only my second attempt to be raw that my skin finally cleared up.

First time was 60 days and much later, i did raw again and it finally cleared up.

Consider raw coconut oil for your face. It did wonder for me, i now don't use anything anymore.

Best wishes!

[a1icia]

Thank you, Gaius.

Kaybee, I couldn't find cucumber on any of the nightshade lists online. So you may be right. Maybe Gaius can let us know about cucumbers.

Banana, I figured out that a super clean diet was the only way my body would function properly, particularly my digestion. As long as I'm careful, everything seems to work well. I've been raw for 5 weeks and I haven't really noticed any changes in my skin yet. I think I may still be detoxing. I'm still having some breakouts and I still feel pretty foggy at times. Hopefully, in time I'll see some changes and maybe cutting the nightshades will make all the difference.

Sprouts2go, From what I can see online, all peppers are out.

artgirly4 and Raw Angel Mom, thank you for responding. Sounds like I may need to be patient and give it a little more time. I love green juices and coconut oil. I used to use c.o. on my face. It's amazing how it just soaks right in and isn't greasy or anything.

[Dimond]

Cucumber is one of the best foods for skin. Just being raw (preferably organic) should be enough without giving up good, healthy foods.

[artgirly4]

Dimond right on it!!!! Raw is raw and will work out all the itty indescretions. Ease or take out for a bit if you KNOW there is something not setting right, then ease it back in little by little later on.

[freelive]

For me it is juices! When I drink veggie juices several days in a row-people actually ask me, what I am doing. And I am not even fully raw at this point.

[RawSweetie]

green smoothies! lots of juicy fruit, avocados. and have the shiniest hair right now. happens within two weeks every time i get back into raw...:)

[Gaius]

Whoops, sorry guys. Cucumbers are NOT nightshades. I don't know why I highlighted that. I edited my original post. Enjoy those cucumbers!

[Gaius]

Okay I also see cayenne. I assume the spices like red pepper and the like would be out also.
Yes, all peppers should be eliminated, except black pepper, which is not a nightshade.

[MeganSan]

You just have really sensitive skin... Glycolic acid 2x a day could be too much. I always had INSANE acne and blotchy skin until a nurse told me " your skin is trying to get rid of all the stuff you put on it."

8 years of everything for oily skin= 10+ pimples a day
4 weeks of soap-free ultra calming face wash and oil-free moisturizer=Nada but brightness.:D

[a1icia]

Thank you for all the great replies. This is very helpful.



You just have really sensitive skin... Glycolic acid 2x a day could be too much. I always had INSANE acne and blotchy skin until a nurse told me " your skin is trying to get rid of all the stuff you put on it."

8 years of everything for oily skin= 10+ pimples a day
4 weeks of soap-free ultra calming face wash and oil-free moisturizer=Nada but brightness.:D

This is true. I'm VERY sensitive. I now use only pure products on my skin, with the exception of the glycolic acid. Until I find something natural that will clear away the dead skin cells, I have to use that. Without it, my skin explodes with acne. My skin is way better than it ever was but I'd still like it to be better. Hopefully with time, raw foods will do the trick. :)

[Springtime]

Until I find something natural that will clear away the dead skin cells, I have to use that. Without it, my skin explodes with acne. My skin is way better than it ever was but I'd still like it to be better. Hopefully with time, raw foods will do the trick. :)

I know fresh papaya is very exfoliating, like a natural (but waaay milder) chemical peel. Maybe try making a mask of fresh blended/mashed papaya instead, and use glycolic only once a day? i know people who use it and they love how it makes dead skin cells vanish.

[a1icia]

Oooh, if that works, I'll be so happy. I've heard of people rubbing papaya skins on their face but I don't remember why. I have lots of papaya and I'll definitely try making a mask of it. Thank you Springtime!

[a1icia]

Wow, I rubbed papaya on my face last night and left it for 10 minutes and woke up with my skin looking at least 50% better. It's very soft and supple feeling. I'm so happy about this. THANK YOU SPRINGTIME!!!!!:) This is so GREAT.

My skin was very broken out. I think it's purging stuff out of my system. Anyway, it's so much clearer today. I'm really impressed with the results. My skin hasn't felt this soft in I don't know how long. I think the glycolic acid was drying the heck out of my skin.

I put a mashed strawberry on my face this morning which may have been a little overkill but I was just so happy with the results of the papaya I wanted to experiment with other fruits.

I'll definitely be using this regularly. If the papaya is way more gentle than glycolic, I'll be making this a daily routine.