In this week’s video I talk about acne and whether it is something that we are genetically predisposed to or not.
Recently, I got a facial and got a pretty great compliment. The facialist said my skin looked 10 years younger than my chronological age. She went on to say that I was lucky to have great genes! This was a very nice compliment and the same thing happened the year before, so I figured there was some truth to it. My skin has changed in the last few years and my long time friends have noticed this too but…
My Acne History
These compliments were surprising and fascinating to me. I suffered with acne as a teenager and into my early 20’s. I wanted more than anything to have beautiful skin and I tried everything.
You can check out more of the story in the video or scroll down for the article!
After seeing an acne dermatologist, I started to take prescription medications. This helped my skin become clear. I was on a topical antibiotic and vitamin A cream for years. As a Nutritionist, I know the detriments of being on an antibiotic for years but at the time I was uneducated. I came off the antibiotic years into my treatment and used the vitamin A cream for a few more years after. In the back of my mind I was afraid of not using these products in case I broke out. This would have shattered my confidence even more.
As my passion for health and nutrition increased I found that acne was just a symptom of a deeper issue in the body. It could be healed through a holistic approach. Amazing.
So I started changing the way I ate, de-stressed, detoxed, cleaned up my environment, and just made one change at a time. I am not perfect but each change became my new normal and then I would add something else.
Today…
Fast forward to today, my skin is clear – yes I get a pimple once every few months but really it’s not an issue. My skin is healthy from the inside out and has a different quality to it. It glows. And I am confident that I don’t have ‘genetic acne’ anymore.
In the book Supergenes by Deepak Chopra, M.D. and Rudi Tanzi, Ph.D. (a neuroscientist at Harvard University) they say about 80-90% of our genes are in our control. We can switch them on or off with nutrition and lifestyle. I’m not surprised by this – you see this all the time when someone changes their nutrition and lifestyle. I have seen this in myself and others.
Needless to say with my history of acne I wouldn’t have ever claimed to have great genes. But maybe I do!
So my message here is – acne is not genetic. While there are some genes that do result in disease the vast majority of them are within our control if we choose. We have so much power to transform our health and our lives. It’s super exciting and empowering!
I hope this article has inspired you to take action and reclaim your skin. Please share with those suffering with acne or any skin issues.
If you need help to get to the root cause of your acne I can help. If you’d like to work with me email me at [email protected] or book a Free 20 minute consultation here.
To beautiful skin from the inside out!
~Michelle Lall
Holistic Nutritionist.
