I'm starting this journal to document my habits so I can keep track of what works for me. I not only try to eat paleo, but I've also been trying to make my own paleo skin products. All those years of commercial acne creams, body soaps, and shampoos has left my skin dry and scarred, and my hair brittle.
My journal is less about my diet and more about my experiments with my own skin. Foods will still be somewhat discussed, however, because good skin starts on the inside as well as the outside.
So, for now, lets rewind. What was my skin like a few years ago, when I was Vegan? A mess. I had dry patches and bumps all over my face, and my acne pretty much covered everything except my legs. I was trying everything by not drinking milk, staying away from meat and using harsh chemicals to fight the symptoms of my malnutrition and oily skin.
After being vegan for two years, I was finally and very abruptly hospitalized for anemia and vitamin B-12 deficiency. My hair had been falling out in patches, I had patches of skin with no pigment, Cheilitis (cracking of the corners of the mouth), and shooting pains in my arms and legs. The doctor told me to stop being vegan, and for fear of dying, I did as I was told.
The road to recovery was long, especially since I was now on a SAD diet. My hair eventually did stop falling out, and my skin improved little, but I still wanted to be healthier. I as tired of being sick all the time and feeling fatigued by just getting up and walking around. I wanted energy, I wanted to live and take life by the horns, so to speak. So I began researching and I found information on RPD. I immediately began adding raw foods into my diet, and miraculously, my recovery took a more rapid pace. Soon I was able to run again, soon I was able to do the things I used to do.
With the addition of raw meat into my diet, something else also happened; my skin started clearing up. Unlike on the vegan diet, which had promised clearer skin, RPD seemed to actually be living up to all of its hype. I continued to get better till where I am today.
But the real focus of this journal happened about two weeks ago. I was reaching into the cupboard above the bathroom sink for my acne cleanser and I thought to myself "Paleo man had no access to salycilic acid, so is it really that good for me?". So I did what I always do when a questions comes to me, I boldly went to the internet!
I started researching natural cures for skin ailments and stumbled upon coconut oil, the first addition into my quest for clear skin. I slowly weaned myself off of my commercial cleanser and immediately saw an improvement.
So here I am today, playing around with natural cures for acne, scars, and other skin maladies.
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Note: I probably wont update this on a regular basis, so don't get your hopes up! =]
