Hormones, Diet, Exercise, and ACNE

thanks decca. I agree with you completely - I just haven't gotten to the excersize part - Yet. With me I have to take all these little baby steps; get one thing down and then I can move on to the next challenge. Thanks for the post; i'm sure it will get some people to think about the relationship between acne and nutrition/excersize.

Baby steps- absolutely! I really feel that the changes in diet and meal timing (5 smaller meals spaced evenly throughout the day) has helped immensely, with the exercise playing a somewhat smaller role in all of it. For me it was the exercise that spurred the changes in eating habits, and then my skin really changed. I'm glad I could help, and I wish you much luck in your endeavors!!

~decca

yes i did change my diet in may. i love eating healthy, i am thinner and not bloated anymore. BUT my acne has worsened. like you, decca i have had acne for 10 years. I am sure you have read my postings, i can't take it anymore i am going on accutane.around mid-july. I am going to get a physical thur. i haven't had one since i was 18. i will ask him about my acne problem, but most doctors say food has nothing to do with it. i just want it to END lol

Bunny, I can totally relate to your frustration. 10 years is so long to battle this condition. I really hope that the accutane works out for you. This crap can be so draining! Even if the healthy eating hasn't changed your skin for the better, the changes it brings about in your body and the way you feel make it all worthwhile.

For me, the positive changes didn't start showing in my skin until I focused on keeping the blood sugar stable by eating good, clean, small meals several times a day.

In any case, I hope we are all able to find what works for us. In the meantime, it is so helpful to have a community like this where we can share our ideas without being judged!

~decca

hi decca- I too am about to start a "new" diet regime- where did you get a list (or just the info) on what foods are low glycemic/refined carbs, & which ones aren't? Besides the obvious. Any good books to recommend? I am nearly certain diet plays a big role, & am getting ready to test that theory. Now I gotta figure out a way to get rid of my beer a day habit! lol....

I will put together a list later this morning, Pinup!

~decca

gosh, that'd be awesome! I don't really feel like hauling to the bookstore to try & find some pocket sized guide, & even the lists on the internet are all over the place. Most are from Australia, so they have GI listings for things like Malt-o-Meal & Vegemite & crap... no thanks.

As I said before, I believe the real key is keeping the blood sugar stable by eating small, balanced meals and low glycemic carbs, constantly keeping a steady stream of nutrients in the system. This means abandoning the traditional 3 square meals a day mindset; instead, you will want to eat 5-6 SMALLER meals spaced evenly throughout the day. It also
means avoiding certain types of foods (refined carbs, in which the fiber has been stripped out during processing) which are known to be
digested quickly and incorporated into the bloodstream, such as white bread, white rice, ricecakes, certain breakfast cereals.

I like to eat about every three hours. I know it may sound like a lot, but for me, a meal can be as small as an apple and 1/2 cup cottage cheese. Or a 3 egg white omelette with some chopped veggies in it. The
idea is, keep the blood sugar stable, thereby reducing the insulin spikes and hormone fluctuation. The other factor here is to eat a good balance of protein, carb, and fat with each meal. Combining higher glycemic foods with a protein, fat, or fiber tends to moderate the insulin response in your body. For example, a rice cake is high on the glycemic index. However, when you slap some peanut butter ( the natural
kind is best- free of hydrogenated oils) on it, the total impact is lessened.

Fibrous Carbs

High fiber carbohydrates are great because they are filling, yet they don't really negatively impact the blood sugar (ie- insulin spike). When you look at the nutrition label of your foods, you can actually take
the Total Carbohydrate count and subtract the Fiber to get the number of grams of carbs that will impact the blood sugar. For good sources of fiber, look to WHOLE WHEAT bread (make sure the ingredients list does
not say "bleached", "enriched", or "white"- you
are looking for "100% whole wheat" here). All Bran cereal is an excellent fiber source, relatively
low on the glycemic index, and very filling. Top it with a packet of Equal and you hardly notice the fact that you're eating cardboard. ;-)

Eating well and often has really helped me keep my hormones under control. By steadying my blood sugar, I have been able to clear up my skin significantly and lose some of that persistent abdominal fat. I know that there have been many posts on the subject in these forums. There is also LOADS of info out on the web-- just fire up google and start searching. Good luck to you all!!!

On to the List....

Low Glycemic 1-40
Medium Glycemic 40-80
High Glycemic 80-120

Breads Glycemic Index
Rye bread 48
Pita bread, whole wheat 57
Croissant 67
Oatbran bread 68
Mixed Grain Bread 69
Oatmeal 70
Pumpernickel 71
Pita Bread, white 82
Hamburger bun 87
Melba Toast 100
Bagel, white 103
Kaiser rolls 104
Bread stuffing 106
Rice Cakes 110
Wheat bread, Wonderwhite 112
Wheat bread, gluten free 129
French baguette 136

Breakfast Items Glycemic Index
Rice bran 27
Kellogg's All Bran Fruit 'n Oats 55
All-bran 60
Granola Bars, Quaker Chew 61
Oatmeal 70
Bran Buds 75
Special K 77
Oat Bran 78
Kellogg's Honey Smacks 78
Muesli 80
Kellogg's Mini-Wheats 81
Bran Chex 83
Kellogg's Just Right 84
Life 94
Nutri-grain 94
Grapenuts 96
Shredded Wheat 99
Cream of Wheat 99
Golden Grahams 102
Puffed Wheat 105
Cheerios 106
Corn Bran 107
Breakfast Bar 109
Total 109
Cocopops 110
Post Flakes 114
Rice Krispies 117
Team 117
Corn Chex 118
Cornflakes 119
Crispix 124
Rice Chex 127


Cookies Glycemic Index
Oatmeal 79
Rich Tea cookies 79
Shortbread 91
Arrowroot 95
Graham Wafers 106
Vanilla Wafers 110

Crackers
Jatz 79
High Fiber Rye Crispbread 93
Wheat Crackers 96
Stoned Wheat Thins 96
Water Crackers 102
Rice Cakes 110
Puffed Crispbread 116


Grains Glycemic Index
Barley, pearled 36
Rye 48
Wheat kernels 59
Rice, instant, boiled 65
Bulgur 68
Barley, cracked 72
Wheat, quick cooking 77
Buckwheat 77
Sweet corn 78
Rice, brown 79
Rice, white 83
Couscous 93
Barley, ro
lled 94
Taco Shells 97
Cornmeal 98
Millet 101
Tapioca, boiled with milk 115

Dairy
Yogurt, lowfat, plain 20
Milk Chocolate 34
Milk, full fat 39
Milk, skim 46
Yogurt, low-fat, fruit 47
Ice cream, low-fat 71
Ice cream 87

Fruit and Fruit Products Glycemic Index
Cherries 32
Grapefruit 36
Apple 38
Apple juice, unsweetened 40
Apricots, dried 44
Pear, fresh 53
Apple 54
Plum 55
Apple juice 58
Peach, fresh 60
Orange 53
Pear, canned 63
Grapes 66
Pineapple juice 66
Peach, canned 67
Grapefruit juice 69
Orange juice 74
Kiwi 75
Banana 77
Fruit cocktail 79
Mango 80
Apricots, fresh 82
Raisins 91
Apricots, canned syrup 91
Pineapple 94
Rockmelon (muskmelon, canteloupe) 93
Watermelon 103

Vegetables Glycemic Index
Peas, dried 44
Peas, green 38
Sweet corn 55
White Potato 56
Sweet Potato 54
Yams 71
Carrots 71
Potato, white, boiled 80
Beets 91
Potato, mashed 100
Rutabaga 103
Pumpkin 107
Potato, microwaved 117
Potato, instant 118
Potato, baked 121
Parsnips 131

Legumes
Soy beans 25
Lentils 41
Kidney beans 42
Garbanzo beans 47
Pinto beans 55
Black-eyed beans 59
Pinto beans, canned 64
Black beans, canned 69
Kidney beans, canned 69


Pasta Glycemic Index
Spaghetti, protein enriched 38
Fettuccini 46
Ravioli, meat filled 56
Spaghetti, white 59
Spirali 61
Capellini 64
Macaroni 64
Linguine 65
Instant Noodles 67
Tortellini, cheese 71
Macaroni and Cheese 92
Gnocchi 95
Potato, mashed 100

Soups
Tomato Soup 54
Lentil soup, canned 63
Split pean soup 89
Black bean soup 92
Green peas soup, canned 94

Snack Food Glycemic Index
Peanuts 21
Mars Peanut M&Ms 46
Mars Snicker Bar 57
Mars Twix Cookie Bars 62
Mars Chocolate 63
Jams and marmalades 70
Chocolate 70
Potato crisps 77
Popcorn 79
Muesli Bars 87
Mars Bar 91
Mars Skittles 98
Life Saver 100
Corn chips 105
Jelly Beans 114
Pretzels 116
Dates 146

Sugars
Agave nectar 11
Fruct
ose 32
Lactose 65
Honey 83
High fructose corn syrup 89
Sucrose 92
Glucose 137

oh my god, thank you SO much! I just cut & pasted that whole thing into a Word doc & am going to print it out. All right!!! I'll keep you updated on my skin's progress.

oh my god, thank you SO much! I just cut & pasted that whole thing into a Word doc & am going to print it out. All right!!! I'll keep you updated on my skin's progress.

You're welcome, Pinup!!! :-) I hope it helps you, and please do keep us posted on your progress. Much luck to you!

~decca

Hey Decca,
I am new to this board but I found your advice quite intriguing. I am not sure if you are aware but the diet you described is the common treatment for people with hypoglycemia. I have often thought that there is a link between the two.

IMO, the link between diet/exercise (or hypoglycemia) is related to stress and cortisol.
The diet and exercise reduce levels of stress and cortisol and are effective for some people with mild to moderate acne.

I would hesitate to stop using other acne treatments, however. I am 25 and have had mild but persistent acne most of my life and was diagnosed with hypoglycemia about a year ago. I saw some but not complete improvement since I commited myself to the hypoglycemic diet and exercise. I still use Benzamycin and now with summer coming I am going on Doryx (a Doxycycline derived from Tetracycline). I ususally get one or two hard cysts every week to week and half, and am hoping to break that cycle with the oral antibiotic. I sometimes use a Biore toner with salicylic acid to reduce some of the oil, but I am considering changing cleansers despite my dermatologist assuring me it would make no difference. Have you really stopped using any other types of treatment? What type of cleanser do you use?

Hey Decca,
I am new to this board but I found your advice quite intriguing. I am not sure if you are aware but the diet you described is the common treatment for people with hypoglycemia. I have often thought that there is a link between the two.

IMO, the link between diet/exercise (or hypoglycemia) is related to stress and cortisol.
The diet and exercise reduce levels of stress and cortisol and are effective for some people with mild to moderate acne.

I would hesitate to stop using other acne treatments, however. I am 25 and have had mild but persistent acne most of my life and was diagnosed with hypoglycemia about a year ago. I saw some but not complete improvement since I commited myself to the hypoglycemic diet and exercise. I still use Benzamycin and now with summer coming I am going on Doryx (a Doxycycline derived from Tetracycline). I ususally get one or two hard cysts every week to week and half, and am hoping to break that cycle with the oral antibiotic. I sometimes use a Biore toner with salicylic acid to reduce some of the oil, but I am considering changing cleansers despite my dermatologist assuring me it would make no difference. Have you really stopped using any other types of treatment? What type of cleanser do you use?

Decca,
CONGRATULATIONS! So glad you found something that is working for you. =)

Hey SweetJade, thanks... :-) And thanks for all the helpful info you post here!

Fightinghypo, that's interesting you mention the cortisol/stress/hypoglycemia connection. I am glad you are having success with your regime, and I hope things continue to improve for you. I still continue to use the spiro (75mg/day). I have been using it for over 6 months, but like I said earlier, it wasn't until I really started focusing on exercise and DIET/blood sugar that my skin started clearing, and STAYING clear. Who knows- it could be the spiro alone that is working, but I truly believe the change in my eating and exercise habits is really what's making things happen.

As for a cleanser, I really like the Stridex Anti-Bacterial foaming wash. It's pretty cheap, comes in a blue bottle, and it feels cool when you put it on. I've heard some say that the active ingredient, triclosan (1%), is too harsh but I've had no trouble with it. This is the cleanser I have stuck with the longest and belive me, I have tried just about everything- from the expensive spa stuff (Sonya Dakar) to Neutrogena and TONS of others. The Stridex is what works for me; it may not be for everyone.

I also love the Neutrogena Healthy Skin lotion. That is by far my favorite moisturizer. I sometimes also use the Neutrogena BP Tinted formula. This is great because I don't wear foundation/makeup anymore (YAY!), but it provides just a tiny bit of coverage for red marks (I just use a real thin layer) and doesn't mess my skin up.

Anyway, this is what seems to work for me- I know everyone reacts differently to acne products and treatments, so do your research and try to figure out what works for your individual skin. I hope that some of this is helpful to you, and as always, much luck to everyone in finding their solution. :-)

~decca

Hey Decca,

Thanks for responding.

As far as cleansers are concerned have you tried the ones with salicylic in them, like Phisoderm or Biore?
What other cleansers have you tried? I have heard that Benzoyl products are better for men.

Do you use a Toner?

Hey Fightinghypo, I don't like salicylic acid products; they just don't seem to work well with my skin type. Others, however, have great luck with them. I've had much better luck with benzoyl peroxide products (the Neutrogena BP, in particular).

As for toners, I haven't found one I like so I just stay away from them. A lot have alcohol, which I think is too much for my skin. My regime is pretty simple: wash with the Stridex, use the Neutrogena Healthy Skin moisturizer (I REALLY recommend this one), and sometimes use the Neutrogena BP Tinted formula. That's it! I've never been fond of topicals-I believe acne starts well below the skin, so why put all kinds of junk on the surface? But again, that's just my view. Others may feel differently.

Hope all you Americans are having a great 4th!

~decca

Hey Decca,

Thanks again for the reply.

I am sorry but i don't know what spiro is?