Oh wow. That's opening up a whole can of worms. If you have acne that is recurring and you are above 18-19 years of age (when hormonal and/or teenage acne tends to halt) there is something that your body is trying to get rid of. The skin is the last resort for the body to release its toxins. Whether the toxins are from a bad diet (sugary, rich, fatty -- see the "Clear Skin Diet" book) or from a yeast or parasite like intestinal candida (see "The Candida Cure: Yeast, Fungus & Your Health). Any dermatologist that tells you that there is no diet connection to the skin or no toxin/illness reflection on the skin is useless. Actually, anyone that shoves products at you is useless. Our bodies, by design, do not need facial care products. You shouldn't think you need some sort of prescription or wash from Walgreens to put on your face to keep it from breaking out. Your skin should be flawless AS IS, just with water. So, there is something that your body is trying to tell you. You have to investigate. If you have a history of antibiotics use, I recommend looking into candida albicans. Bad eating can definitely spur breakouts. But, it is not daily care. I'd say you're acne-free if you haven't gotten anything in 2-3 months, and everything is healed.

It is an invented disease, because people's guts are irritated for different reasons, yet they are given the same drugs to cover up the pain. So, everyone gets a band-aid for the pain, yet no one is cured. That ain't medicine to me. And, everyone keeps coming up for the band-aid to live bearably without pain, yet their guts are still suffering, and their health deteriorates. Therefore, yes, it complete and utter BS. Instead, doctors should investigate more and go BEYOND THE SYMPTOMS

Isn't baby shampoo actually quite harmful? Like Johnson & Johnson? There was a big controvery about it recently. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/johnson-johnson-baby-sham_n_1069123.html I definitely wouldn't consider it the best treatment option.

Yep, I've been using this, as well as Squigle Enamel Saver, they're both quite good. Some people have concerns about excess xylitol apparently, but I haven't been able to find anything better for my sensitive mouth. They are expensive, but worth it I think, if you're having problems with the harsh stuff from the drugstore.

Acidophilus Pearls are also really good probiotics to use (regulate digestive function, improve bowel movements). Try doing some research on natural herbs and teas for repairing the gut and digestion. I know it all sounds like hooey, but honestly, people all around the world have success with herbs and plant-derived substances, so I don't see why we (North Americans) should be so wary of them. Everything in moderation, of course, because even drinking excessive amounts of water can hurt you, but non-prescription stuff does work. It's just that the research takes time, determination, and good judgment... and maybe even a naturopath/holistic doctor who doesn't just mechanically write out memorized prescriptions.

Problem: Stomach, gastritis, heartburn, peptic ulcer, ulcers Probably Cause: Holds nourishment, digests ideas, dread fear of the new, inability to assimilate the new New Thought Pattern: I digest life with ease, life agrees with me, I assimilate the new every moment of every day, all is well Problem: Indigestion Probable cause: gut-level fear, dread, anxiety. Griping and grunting New Thought Pattern: I digest and assimilate all new experiences peacefully and joyously

Removing gluten from your diet might facilitate weight loss, especially if you have Celiac / gluten intolerance. As far as carbs - carbs are healthy, just not the white breads/white flours America is addicted to. Those are way too processed, and are way too sugary (they instantly convert to sugar once in your mouth...) so eating white bread is essentially like eating a candy bar. So yeah, that can contribute to your weight. redONE is right on the dot. Don't diet, your body hates diets and will try to compensate for lost or insufficient nutritionally meals by storing your fat. Instead, eat healthy.

HealthNutty, the psychological and emotional stuff is interesting. Louise Hay has written a whole book, "Heal Your Body A-Z" which lists physical illnesses alphabetically, A-Z, with their emotional causes. (The lady treated herself of vaginal cancer with her mind power!)

Hey Gina, the problem with healthy eating is that it is difficult and takes a lot of time and effort. But it does pay off in your health... White carb substitutes: always buy dark, whole wheat bread, but not the one from the supermarket that's wrapped up in plastic - instead, the freshly-baked one. The darker the better. Instead of white rice, make brown and wild rice. Indian Basmati rice is also much better than plain white rice. Also, cook up quinoa. That one is actually really fast and easy. Quinoa fills you up instantly, it's got so much protein. (Cooking grains: 2-3 cups water per 1 cup of grains, depending on how soft you like them, 20-30 minutes cooking on medium heat.)

Okay, I'm 21 -- my gums used to bleed all the time and I used to get canker sores on a regular basis when I was using conventional toothpaste. Somehow I figured it out one day that maybe the problem was not my body, but the stuff that went on it. It might just be that you are sensitive to all the harsh chemicals in brands like Colgate and Crest. Try heading to Trader Joe's or Whole Foods and finding a more natural toothpaste brand. Give it a couple of weeks and see if it makes a difference.

Thanks, glad the info is useful! Also, if you're really desperate and you're sure it's not diet (after a few months of trial), do look into colloidal silver (water with minute particles of silver in it). The top brands on Amazon are pretty good. It's a natural bacteria killer (well, antibiotic), used even by the ancients but now suppressed by big pharma... if your acne is not caused by diet, you might have some sort of hardcore bacteria that won't budge. Except, colloidal silver doesn't obliterate good intestinal bacteria. But, you should still take good probiotics while taking it, like acidophilus pearls. At first when you google colloidal silver you'll come across sensationalized stories of living smurfs/gray people who had taken the colloidal silver, but fear not, those people had either used homemade colloidal silver or forms far more concentrated than what's on the market today. Do read other people's views besides the mainstream sources. Anyway, sorry if it's too much info, but just putting it out there. The best solution if you have a persistent problem is to find a good naturopath/homeopathic doctor that looks at the body as a whole (and not just organs and parts) and deals with natural treatments.

Well, you should develop a habitual portion-size first. When you're eating at home, eat always on a small plate. That way, you'll get used to eating less food in a single sitting. Once you go to a restaurant, you'll only eat half the plate and then take the rest home in a to-go bag for another meal.

As far as corn, I wouldn't recommend too much, just because of the sugar present in modern, genetically-altered forms of corn.

Problem: Intestines Probable Cause: Assimilation, absorption, elimination with ease New Thought Pattern: I easily assimilate and absorb all that I need to know and release the past with joy tasooey, sorry for the many posts, the reason I had to split it all up is because there's a bug on the website that doesn't allow me to post longer posts (the post window starts stretching and the "post comment" button gets hidden), at least in Google Chrome

While you may "grow up" running a certain way, the human body is designed to run barefoot. So, with a gradual transition, they will be perfect. I've also found running in Vibrams is so much easier on my knees. Awesome, awesome shoes. Love them to death.

Try these acupressure points http://www.acupressure.com/blog/?p=1601

I tell this to everyone I encounter who takes birth control pills -- don't. No, it's not for religious reasons. It's to protect your own health. Please read this if you care about your body http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/2011/10/how-to-naturally-prevent-getting-knocked-up/ the article name is misleading, it's mostly a consideration of the pros and cons of pills.

I spent a couple of months excluding certain foods from my diet, but later on I found out I actually had candida because the dermatologists had given me too many antibiotics that killed off the good bacteria in my gut and allowed my candida to overgrow. Honestly, just read "The Clear Skin Diet," by Alan Logan and Valori Treloar, you can find it on Amazon. There's so much junk we eat these days it could really be a myriad of things, but they do a great job explaining everything. One thing would be dairy, as cheese, milk and yogurt are horrible for humans overall, especially in the modern processed form, and they can cause zits. But there's so much more. If you have taken a lot of antibiotics in the past, read this just to make sure it's not candida. http://www.celluliteinvestigation.com/forum/fluoroderma/candida-albicans-is-this-causing-your-acne-woes

Also, I'd recommend filtering your water with a hardcore water filter that gets rid of chlorine, bacteria, and all the gunk... including fluoride, which is poisonous to the body. I use a Berkey.

Or you can use regular saline solution.

Also, you might want to buy a very sensitive toothbrush. And, don't EVER use whitening strips or anything of that sort. They definitely make your gums recede.

I have two pairs of Vibrams (KSOs and Bikilas), and ever since getting them, I don't want to wear any other shoe. Seriously! I need to buy more socks for them. So, I use them for everything, not just running. I find they really help improve my posture.

Another thing: anyone looking into acne scar solutions, google Fran Kerr and her How to Clear Acne Scars guide. It's legit.

Also, acupuncture/acupressure by a verified and legitimate professional (key: has to have a good reputation, because people can mess you up with needles) is useful. Acupuncture diverts blood flow to the area of the body which needs the most healing, and the body heals itself. If you want to witness the effects the safer and easier way without paying anyone, do acupressure on yourself. Acupressure is pressing the right points on your body to divert blood flow. I recommend any resource by Dr. Michael Reed Gach.

Um, read Ann Boroch, The Candida Cure: Yeast, Fungus and Your Health. Follow the diet to the dot and take the supplements. You'll be much better soon.

Try using these sleep-inducing acupressure points. http://www.acupressure.com/blog/?cat=46 They always work for me.

If you have severe scarring but inactive acne, do consider chemical peel treatment. They are quite helpful, but only if you are already acne-free.

Jeez, sorry about your mom! I'm guessing there's something which is in food additives or her diet which is still irritating her. Also, try getting her a hardcore water filter like the Berkey to filter out all the gunk, including fluoride, from the water. Get her off fluoride toothpaste. Best of luck!

Guys, IBS is a bullshit invented disease. Irritable bowel syndrome? Syndrome? Give me a break. You're just eating stuff that you shouldn't be eating, and you're not treating your body right. Whether it's gluten, dairy, or rich, fatty stuff, your gut is irritated by it. All white, sugary carbs (white bread, white rice, white flour, too much corn) should be eliminated in all diets anyway. Some people have celiac (gluten insensitivity) and don't even know it. Some people feel fantastic after they stop eating all dairy - milk, yogurt, ice crea, cheeses (who is supposed to eat cow milk? baby cows.... humans, not so much.) Also, you might not have enough probiotics (good bacteria) in your gut because of antibiotics use. So, your gut might be all out of sorts and digestion may be messed up. Chewing gum has aspartame. It's sort of the devil, destroying vital brain processes and God knows what else. Go to this link and read for yourself http://www.naturalnews.com/aspartame.html Any "sugar-less" gum has aspartame, from what it seems. I think you'd need to go to Europe to get something without it. Anyway, seems like quitting cold turkey might be a good idea.

Ever hear of big pharma coming together and saying "hey, people have bowel problems, let's invent a drug, persuade doctors, and try to give it to everyone"...? Yeah. Guess what, big pharma? "IBS" can be treated by a healthy lifestyle.