Acne, aging, and sensitivity

[RRM]

increased tolerance is not necessarily a sign of getting better

For people with acne, becoming less sensitive to acne-causing agents is definitely better...

It can just mean that your body is busy with other things and cannot respond as forcefully...
...when immune resources are being "stretched" by multiple irritants.

Acne is not about a too strong immune response.

[djkvan]

I meant to include reconstructive and eliminative function, in that "stretched out" equation, RRM. There is also glandular decline, of course. My fail on the edit, but it logically follows. I can become less sensitive to hemlock over time, too. Does that make me better? If it's about appearance though, which certainly can be the case with adolescents, especially when it comes to acne and being self-conscious, then I suppose you are correct. Any better is good.

[RRM]

So, what were you trying to say?

"An increased tolerance (for acne causing agents) means that................"

[djkvan]

Perhaps the hemlock comparison was an extreme example. The principal still applies, however. I meant that less external signs of acne and increased cheese tolerance don't mean things are getting better inside. There is no evidence to support that. In fact, if the person is older at the time this is happening it logically follows that things have likely declined "inside" the body. So an outward improvement may be good only in terms of outward appearance. That was implicit (I think explicit, but anyhoo) in my original point.

"But you know for me it is better to look good than to feel good, and you look marvelous!" Fernando Lamas (Billy Crystal) Just playin'!

[RRM]

...that things have likely declined "inside" the body

Yes, less testosterone, sebum and water retention.
Sure, testosterone is protective regarding osteoporosis, but you may not need that extra testosterone
if you dont need it to protect you against milk products (unless you regularly eat cheese, indeed...).
Less sebum means less protection against dehydration of the skin, but you may easily counteract
this effect by applying more fat to your skin.


(EDIT) The discussion about testosterone has been split off(/EDIT)

[Kasper]

Still on 300 gram fish RRM ?

[RRM]

Yes, about 250 to 300g. / day.

[RRM]

Testing my protein tolerance (which is still a steady 250 to 300 grams of fish / day),
i totally forgot to test my salt tolerance.
The smallest addition of salt used to make me break out,
but now a pinch of salt has no adverse effects any more.
This supports my notion that my sebum production has decreased.

[mario91]

I've been eating 180g egg yolks (12 yolks) + 100g raw beef per day, for the past 7-10 days, and I don't get pimples. Don't even notice extra water retention on face. I feel that my acne tendency is already becoming much lower at the age of 20, as my facial burnt skin becomes stronger with time (diet and avoiding tap water, moisturizers and soap have also been playing a huge role imo, by "desensitizing" a lot my facial skin) - before facial burn I had a really crap lifestyle and had just a pimple or two.

However I really don't plan to leave this diet. I think I just couldn't! I became a passionate fruit and raw animal foods lover. Non-Wai foods don't feel like food to me anymore, except maybe for raw veggies, but even those feel like horse straw to me! It's like that saying "you don't need to eat carps (veggies), there are better fish to eat (fruits)!" Not to mention what I feel this diet does to my health ofc.

[RRM]

My protein tolerance has increased even more.
Since about 2 months I can actually eat as much beef / fish / yolks as i want.

[sunmaiden]

I've found that food sensitivities (allergies) can improve a lot in time, especially if you completely avoid the irritant foods, and I wonder if some of this has to do with the gut lining, which can heal with the right circumstances. Probably protein tolerance may be a slightly different issue though. I've had no problems eating as much protein as I want, but after over-doing fruitarianism for a while, I really have to be careful to have *tiny* fruit snacks. My tolerance for fruit is increasing slightly too, as in I can eat more in a day, as long as its still small portions. I went down a lower sugar path for a few months, eating more fat and protein, and that seems to have helped my acne:)

[RRM]

Acne is rarely caused by allergies.
Most people susceptible to acne can eliminate their acne by avoiding cooked foods, spices and limiting their protein intake.
Thats to minimize water retention, as water retention pinches off sebum canals, causing acne. (if much sebum is produced by the skin)
Some people susceptible to acne cannot eat too much sugar because their insulin system is a bit off (sugar triggering a hormonal response).
Im suspecting the latter is true for you.

[sunmaiden]

Thank you RRM for helping me see that more clearly. I should note too, that I've been eating more fat than protein, so this must help with the water retention too. My protein intake is usually 2-3 eggs plus about 4 oz of fish or sea food. And yes, my hormones are more and more balanced as acne reduces more and more. Yes, I did not mean allergies cause acne, but that allergy reactions can become less severe when we are over all healthier (and if we avoid the allergens for some time).