Trying GAPS for acne Journal page

[SophieE]

So I've been primal for around 8 months and have had drastically improved energy levels and a bunch other other good stuff BUT recently I've gone off the pill and my skin is horrific. I have acne all over my face and chest and I am already eat primal pretty perfectly so I'm giving the GAPS diet a try. I'm going to log what I eat and any improvements that I see. Im also interested to see if anyone else has had improvements in acne from GAPS.

The only modifications of the diet that I'm making: first few days no veggies, not introducing nightshades for a while, never introducing peanuts or lentils or other PB illegal items. I'm also adding a two of fermented cod liver oil and butter oil every day.

I started dinner today with the GAPS intro. Breakfast (grilled lamb steak and 2 fried eggs) was my last non GAPS Intro meal for a while. I wasn't hungry at lunchtime so I went straight to starting with dinner.

Dinner:
How to Make Collagen Bone Broth | The Primal Parent without any veggies. I took the livers, soft tissue and skin out and puréed it because I find the texture of these things to be offensive. I have that "pâté" in a separate container and I added a TBS to my dinner stock along with some muscle meat.

I also had a probiotic tablet and a sip of coconut water kefir.

Snack: strained ginger tea.

[SophieE]

So I'm on day 6 of the Gaps intro. I introduced boiled purple carrot and that was fine. I inteoduced coconut oil (not technically an intri thing but i was craving variety) and that was fine too. I introduced pumpkin the next day and it coincided with the start of what I assume is "die off" so I don't know yet if I can eat pumpkin yet. I'll try it again when die off finishes. I know logically I should just skip over veggies during this period but the lack of variety is difficult. I'm trying out boiled spinach tonight.

Im experiencing chest acne as part of die off, which is really weird for me as this was never part of my acne pre-pill. I think the skin on my face may have started to calm down but I can't be sure yet.

To be continued!

[Gilleh]

Hey Sophie,
I've started a thread about Acne some time ago (http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum...tml#post762220) and I can say that you're in a good direction. I've been primal since January but I've gone GAPS since last month
Only tweaks I made from Primal to GAPS is to drop rice and legumes completely. I don't eat chicken also because of the high Omega 6 content.
My acne is definitely getting better!
Few tips:
I use Erythromycin lotion and then calamine lotion for acne - great stuff.
Control your O6-O3 ratio. Don't be afraid of Omega 6 rather than figure out what's best for you.
Hygiene - luffa - use gently on your chest.
I find my emotional state linked to the matter as well - deep breaths few times a day work along with green tea.
I've also had a few facials which were great, but I beg you to go to someone who uses all natural stuff and has some years under her belt..
Good luck!

[Lex26]

My acne's gotten better but it's hard to say exactly which thing has helped. My best guesses are that dairy and anything caffeinated including chocolate are good to get away from. Dairy causes insulin spikes that can screw with hormones and chocolate spikes testosterone and cortisol that screws with hormones too. I also have been putting this Eminence Hungarian mud mask on at the end of night-time showers when my pores are open two nights a week. It's spicy and I think it just melts anything blocking pores. It could be a mix of things, but I'd recommend getting the dairy and caffeine out first.

[SophieE]

Hey Sophie,
I've started a thread about Acne some time ago (http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum...tml#post762220) and I can say that you're in a good direction. I've been primal since January but I've gone GAPS since last month
Only tweaks I made from Primal to GAPS is to drop rice and legumes completely. I don't eat chicken also because of the high Omega 6 content.
My acne is definitely getting better!
Few tips:
I use Erythromycin lotion and then calamine lotion for acne - great stuff.
Control your O6-O3 ratio. Don't be afraid of Omega 6 rather than figure out what's best for you.
Hygiene - luffa - use gently on your chest.
I find my emotional state linked to the matter as well - deep breaths few times a day work along with green tea.
I've also had a few facials which were great, but I beg you to go to someone who uses all natural stuff and has some years under her belt..
Good luck!

Hey! I found your thread before I started GAPS and it was what kinda encouraged me to do GAPS- it really seems like acne cures come from different places for different people. Even if GAPS doesnt have the "fix the way your body work" edge that people say it does, GAPS (intro) seems like a program that will help identify triggers at the very least.

I wouldn't be too keen on Erythromycin as it's an antibiotic and I like to avoid antibiotics unless there is really other no choice (ie. serious illness). I definitely control my O6:O3 ratio and I was using a loofa on my chest initially which i thought helped but as die off set in it got too severe and just kinda of shredded the pimples.

I had reeaaallly bad die off last night- I was really nauseous, dizzy and was vomiting. Apparently this means I'm heading in the right direction- go figure!

Lex26- I've been avoiding caffeine because that's part of the GAPS intro and I've been using non-dairy sources of probiotics (hello sauerkraut juice and coconut water kefir) just in case it's a dairy thing like so may people find.

Next steps for me that I've been contemplating if GAPS doesn't work include: juice fast (I know I know sooo unprimal. I feel blasphemous but it would only be a 3 day thing and I wouldnt be using a lot of fruit and Dr Campbell Mcbride who wrote GAPS and clearly values animal products suggests that it was "cleansing" properties while an animal product based diet has to be the basis as it is "nourishing")or diets based on suggestions on Peggy The Primal Parent's site: e.g. raw meat only for a while, or raw fermented dairy only and working in other foods from there.

[SophieE]

I just keep breaking out worse and worse. Especially on my chest. When I googled, most people didn't experience any positive results acne-wise with GAPS.... Pretty much giving up now. I'll continue to have more fermented foods and bone broths in my diet but I don't think GAPS will help me. I'll try a juice fast soon and maybe maybe a raw meat/lots of seafood thing. Unlikely though. I anticipate either asking my doctor for a referral to a dermatologist to maybe get acne laser treatment or something or just going back on the pill. I won't touch accutane or antibiotics though.

Actually before all of that I'm going to give applying tretinoin every night a go.

[ash.rnand]

I just keep breaking out worse and worse. Especially on my chest. When I googled, most people didn't experience any positive results acne-wise with GAPS.... Pretty much giving up now. I'll continue to have more fermented foods and bone broths in my diet but I don't think GAPS will help me. I'll try a juice fast soon and maybe maybe a raw meat/lots of seafood thing. Unlikely though. I anticipate either asking my doctor for a referral to a dermatologist to maybe get acne laser treatment or something or just going back on the pill. I won't touch accutane or antibiotics though.

Actually before all of that I'm going to give applying tretinoin every night a go.

Interesting, I am on the diet now and planning to track it via my online blog.
I have seen some improvements, I wonder if you were preparing the meals correctly and had a structured treatment plan? I was really confused with the whole diet when I started so saw an expert and am now on a specific treatment plan which has helped allot!

http://ashnand.blogspot.com