One might be aware about what to do to keep skin healthy and glowing. But then there are things that shouldn’t be done, to keep your skin fine too!
Alcohol: Avoiding alcohol is especially recommended when the skin disease is on the face or head, where heat will naturally rise more rapidly and affect one’s appearance. Rosacea, acne, seborrheic or atopic dermatitis and psoriasis are the most likely to affect the face.
Spices: This one might be a known fact for our India based readers! Hot pepper, black pepper, ginger and garlic are also contraindicated, as are all the “gingerbread house” spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, clove. This means avoiding chai teas, ginger teas, hummus, Thai food and the like. Of all of these, garlic seems to give the worst flare-ups of redness, burning and itch.
Smoking: Smoking is something that should be avoided for much more serious reasons – it kills. It affects skin too. Cigarette smoking is strongly associated with psoriasis, especially pustular psoriasis of the palms and soles. Quitting will often improve the condition. Teenage acne, as well, is adversely affected by smoking. Teens already have a great deal of naturally occurring ‘heat’ in their lungs and stomach, as evidenced by their loud voices and voracious appetites – this is a sign of health and vitality during a time of great growth. However, smoking and drinking will push this lung and stomach heat over the upper limit of ‘normal,’ turning it into the red fire of acne.
Oil, Shellfish and Tropical Fruits : Greasy fried foods and bad oils are even worse, and should be avoided. Shellfish and fatty fish like salmon should be avoided for the same reason as oils, not only by weepy skin sufferers, but by anyone whose skin is red or itchy at all. Tropical fruit may also irritate. Mango, papaya, pineapple are the worst, while banana seems to be fine!
Gluten, Sugar and Dairy Products: Gluten, sugar and dairy are only a problem for a very small proportion of people with skin disease, and that they do not need to be avoided by the vast majority of sufferers. It may be that avoiding these foods will improve digestion, but rarely will this translate into an improvement of the skin disease.
Watch how McDonald’s french fries are made!
Green tea, mint tea, salad, fruit, and clean, light meals, freshly prepared, are best. White pearled barley and beans are excellent at draining away excess mucus and dampness if the skin is oozy. Mung beans and aduki beans are wonderful at this, and all three of these substances double as “herbs” which are found in many skin prescriptions. When the eyes and face are red and itchy, jasmine, chamomile, mint and chrysanthemum teas are very soothing.
Changing one’s diet is not easy, and changing it forever is harder still. For some, a dietary change may bring new problems: tension, stress, guilt, binge eating, excessive self-control, and of course, hunger! These may have a more detrimental impact on our health than the eliminated foods. Listening to your own body is essential. For skin disease sufferers, adjusting the diet a little to avoid heat is a good idea. In combination with a cooling herbal treatment, a change of diet might be just the thing to cure a persistent skin disease.
Dr. Sujata Pandit, Head of The Department, Research and Development Department, along with Mr. Dr.Brajbhushan, Chief Medical Officer Balaji Nirogdham came up with a research paper on : Study on Nutritional Efficacy of Pineapple Juice in the Treatment of Bronchial Asthma
Abstract- The role of diet in the development of disease reported by many studies. The present study investigates the nutritional efficacy of pineapple juice in the treatment of Bronchial Asthma. This study has been conducted in a Nature cure and Yoga center, namely Hilltake Health Homes Pvt. Ltd. at Sanga, Bhaktapur, Delhi. Eighty-two (41 Male and 41 Female) subjects suffering with bronchial asthma were randomly allocated into the case and control groups. Forty-one subjects aged 30.22 (± 6.08) years formed the intervention group, while remaining forty-one subjects aged 32.15 (± 9.57) years constituted as control group. The general profile, medical and family history of the subject was obtained through a questionnaire cum Interview method. Intervention group was given with 100ml of pineapple juice diluted with 100ml of portable water, while the control group was given with 100ml of sweet lime juice diluted with 100ml portable water, twice a day for 90 days. Data collection was performed using a diurnal peak flow meter chart (every 10th day), a composite daily asthma score and BMI calculator (1st and 90th day). After the completion of 3 months (90 days) the results were analyzed using Microsoft Excel software. Pineapple juice significantly improved the PEFR values as well as helps in weight reduction in asthmatics, when provided in conjunction with positive lifestyle changes like yoga, breathing exercises, smoking cessation, massages etc.
Smoking is injurious to health, and may cause cancer!
We all know about the above statement, but still, that moment of brain-numbness and the “stress-free” couple of seconds pushed us into this vice at one juncture of life. And at some point of time, every smoker decides to quit. When the lungs can’t keep up and we realize that we can no longer sustain our cardio, with as much stamina as we used to have before we started smoking.
Here is something that can help detoxify your lungs, and help push clean air to blood to stay healthy; (source) a list of 5 herbs that can clean up the lungs!
Mullein (Known as Verbascum sinuatum): The flowers and leaves of this plant helps soothe out the nasal passage, and has been proved very effective is problems like asthma, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. It can be consumed as tea, or used in oil/ointments, or cooked to eat. Breathing its steam can be extremely helpful as well!
Lungwort (also known as pulmonaria) :This herb has been used as medicine since 1600! And this HAS to be good for your lung, because the name says so! It thins out the phlegm, thus creating an ease to breathing more clear. If you have accumulated a lot of tar in your lungs from smoking – this is the herb for you.
Licorice Root: Licorice tea is a favourite beverage for all! The initial sip of the tea might not create its effect. But wait for a while, when the root does its magic and fills your mouth with overwhelming sweetness! That natural sweetener is perfect for soothing the throat. It’s great for lung detoxification as it relieves irritation. It helps loosen the phlegm in our throat to make it easier to then expel. It’s antibiotic properties kill bacteria and viruses living in our system.
Coltsfoot (also known as Tussilago farfara): It looks like little dandelion’s but be careful – when not taken properly it can be toxic. Its leaves have been used since ancient times to treat colds, coughs and other similar sicknesses. It’s effective for smokers when trying to quit. It helps the recovery of tar covered lungs from years of smoking. It loosens the mucus as it acts as a great expectorant. If you have a sore throat or dry cough it creates good relief for that kind of irritation. It can also assist in the soothing of bronchitis, colds, and even pneumonia.
Indian Tobacco (also known as Lobelia Inflata): Don’t worry! The list is still about herbs that work against tobacco! Call it irony, but the tobacco, I mean the India Tobacco is known for causing reverse effects as to what smoking tobacco does to lungs.This amazing herb grows only a few times a year in North America!
It has been used by Natives throughout time as they understood the healing properties of this plant. It has been used to treat an array of respiratory diseases long before it was used to detoxify lungs.
Lobeline is an alkaloid that is the main source of relief in this plant. It loosens the phlegm and thins the mucus in the air passages. It’s especially helpful for more serious respiratory issues like asthma and bronchitis.
It can be used to transition out of tobacco withdrawals in people who are smokers trying to quit. Cleanse your lungs with it by adding a small handful of leaves to a pot of boiling water. Inhale the steam coming from the water for at least 10 minutes. Repeat this twice a day when detoxing your lungs.
A sincere request to our readers! Please quit smoking now! Your life is precious!