PCOS & Insulin Resistance - It's a start

I am on to researching PCOS and insulin resistance....  The reasoning behind it is because I am still having terrible acne breakouts along my jawline and chin when I eat gluten, dairy, yeast, caffeine & sugar.  It isn't an allergy at this point since I have done the allergy desensitization and had several follow-up appointments showing no reactions.

If you read about how gluten, dairy, yeast, caffeine & sugar affect your adrenals which in turn affects your hormones it is quite an interesting subject.  I am just starting my research on this topic.

There is a blog that I found and felt bad for the gal struggling with acne, PCOS and being pregnant.  I felt as though I should write about some of my experiences to her even though she started the blog a few years ago and might not need the help now but others that come across her page might find the information helpful. Here is a link to her blog:
https://essexgirlwithpcos.wordpress.com/

Below is what I posted on her blog:

Hi- I am new to PCOS but figured I would pass on some helpful information I have found since I have struggled with hormonal acne for years.

Try bentonite clay masks for your face. I mix the bentonite clay with apple cider vinegar (ACV) and a bit of purified water. You could also mix it with witch hazel for the antibacterial piece. (I saw your post on green clay and that is a good one as well.)

https://www.aztec-secret.com/clay.html

At night if I have horrible cystic acne I use Christopher’s Black Ointment to draw out the infection. Sometimes this ointment has caused the cystic acne to go away without drawing out the infection. Warning this stuff stinks!

http://www.drchristopher.com/products/ointments/black-drawing-ointment/

I use coconut or avocado oil on my skin and try to stick to the oil cleansing method.
You could also get a small spray bottle and spray witch hazel on your face throughout the day to keep bacteria down. I do this before and after I put on makeup because the brushes harbor bacteria no matter how well you clean them.

Staying away from gluten, dairy, sugar, caffeine and yeast is huge. I can tell when I have had any form of these things things. Something to research insulin resistance since it goes hand and hand with PCOS. There are a lot of gluten free options on the internet. I have also adopted eating a lot of Indian and Asian (Thai, Laotian & Vietnamese) foods. A lot of their food is very basic, simple to make and good for you. Researching and adopting more of a raw food diet has also helped as well. I don’t think I could ever eat a complete raw food diet! Below are some websites I follow to get raw food ideas.

http://www.fullyraw.com/

http://meganelizabeth.com/

I also eat a lot of ginger and turmeric because they are both natural anti-inflammatory. I make a lot of bone broth soups because of their health benefits.

It might be worth trying some essential oils you can use topically to help calm down your acne. My massage therapist makes a mixture of the oils listed on the below website with avocado oil. It is wonderful.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/73382-top-ten-essential-oils-mature/

If you need a topical antibiotic you can get a doctor to prescribe Clindamycin Pledgets.

http://www.drugs.com/pro/clindamycin-pledget.html

I hope this helps. The more we all share the better!

Dear Gluten

Dear Gluten: How can I explain my love for you? You hide yourself in all my favorite foods and you make me read label after label and cross-reference words I cannot even fathom how to pronounce to make sure you are not hiding somewhere trying to get me. Gluten, you can be very tricky! I cannot believe you even hide yourself in makeup, shampoo, conditioner and soaps which makes me spend countless hours of research finding what products I can put on my skin and face without erupting into a red volcano rash and many times large painful zits. You have taken away one of my favorite things called bread. Oh bread, I miss you. I can only hope someday I will discover how to make a gluten-free Bánh Mì - Vietnamese baguette sandwich! and gluten free chocolate croissants. Gluten, you have caused my grocery budget to basically quadruple over the last year which really cuts into my FUN money! Let's not forget how you drive my friends and family nuts when trying to find a restaurant that has gluten free options. I could go on forever how much I love you but I will digress here.

Dial Soap and Acne. Who knew?

The other day an esthetician made the suggestion  to try using Dial soap to wash my face because of the antibacterial qualities that could help clear up my acne.  If you purchase the Dial Gold it does not appear to have parabens (possibly hidden in the fragrance), there is no Tocopherol/Vitamin E present (which can be derived from wheat) BUT it does have a sulfa component.  I am allergic to parabens, gluten and sulfa.  When it comes to sulfa the worst thing it could do is cause an allergic reaction which tends to happen on a regular basis from other things.  So, I figured I would try it.

I have been using the Dial Gold as a face wash for about a week.  The acne seems to be clearing up at this point in time with the exception of a few problem spots.  The Dial Gold is very drying and I am still searching for a good moisturizer I can use in the future.  I don't want to put too many new things into the mix at this point in time, but when I find a good moisturizer that doesn't aggravate my acne I will blog about what I have found.  I will keep everyone posted on the progress.

If anyone reads this and decides to try using Dial Gold as a face wash for their acne please let me know your results.  Remember your acne might get worse before it gets better and the esthetician had told me try it for at least a month before giving up on the regimen.

One major plus is Dial Gold is reasonably priced and you can find coupons for it online or in the Sunday paper. People who are gluten free, paraben free and sulfa free know how important it is to find good deals because it gets extremely expensive!

http://www.dialsoap.com/products/gold-with-moisturizer-antibacterial-liquid-hand-soap

Disclaimer-

The opinions expressed on my blog are based on my own thoughts, knowledge, and experiences. Please keep in mind that I am not a Doctor or other health professional so please consult the appropriate professional before making any changes to your diet, health, or other applicable areas. 

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