The Clear Skin Diet: How to Defeat Acne and Enjoy Healthy Skin

by Alan C. Logan

While acne has long been a problem for adolescents, in recent decades the last fifty years specifically acne has been on the rise among adults as well, particularly among women. Many scientists have traced this upsurge to changes in the dietary habits of North Americans. The Clear Skin Diet is designed to help those who suffer from acne to understand what it is, why they have it, what it has to do with their eating habits, and what they can do to prevent it or lessen its impact.
Research has shown that there is a strong causal link between certain kinds of foods and acne. These same dietary stresses also influence the level of hormones that cause acne.
There is also a strong connection between the brain and the skin. When a person experiences anxiety and depression, acne-producing hormones are released, which can lead to poor dietary choices high in saturated fats and sugars.
Most important, The Clear Skin Diet introduces the acne diet and lifestyle. Dietary requirements for protecting the skin are listed along with suggested food supplements when they cannot be easily met and summarized, as well as mind-body medical interventions that can influence acne hormones and lessen their impact.

Genres: Health, Nutrition, Nonfiction, Self Help, Cookbooks, Food

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2007

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very informative book. I have been struggling with acne for the last 6 months or so that seemed to just come out of nowhere. I had some acne when I was a teenager but the current flare up is worse than I have ever experienced. Before I picked up this book, I had already made some dietary changes, mostly cutting out refined sugars and most carbohydrates (grains and most fruit).

For those interested in reading this book I will tell you that the majority of the book is an analysis of a whole bunch of nutritional and dermatological studies. The chapters discuss studies related to inflammation, hormones, intestinal bacteria, and the connection between the brain and acne. I think the authors did a very good job of breaking down the studies and putting most of their explanations into "layman's terms."

What I got from this book is that I need to increase my intake of the following vitamin, minerals, and supplements: Zinc, selenium, chromium, omega 3 fatty acids, green tea, ginger and turmeric.

There are forms you can fill out to track your progress included as well as a few recipes which is cool.

Good book overall though be warned that it is a little thick at times when discussing various studies and chemicals and hormones. You may have to push through a bit at times to get to information that is relevant to you.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quit eating dairy and starting taking omega 3s religiously after I read this book. My skin dramatically improved in about a month, after struggling with adult acne into my 30s. Now, if I lay off the dairy and sugar (which I'm not always good at, honestly), my skin is practically perfect. Reading this book is truly one of the best things I've ever done.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dairy is evil. I just saved you the time you would have spent reading it. Sadly dairy is in EVERY damn thing, so enjoy the weight loss that goes along with the clear skin you will have when you change your ways.

[Agnes M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read that actually looks at how the whole body processes nutrients and how everything works in concert. Quite a few recipes that look tasty as well.

[dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

i've tried absolutely everything to get better skin and nothing has worked,,, praying that what this book advises to, actually helps...

[Grete · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough and unabashedly scientific discussion of how nutrition, hormones, and other key players affect the inflammatory aggravators of acne. Less full of hype than many other books of this type - actually insistent that the authors are not promising a miracle cure. Well worth wading through all the chemical names and dense explanations to gain a better understanding of how the human body functions and how you can leverage that knowledge.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish someone had given me this book in high school. This book is well researched and has a wealth of information. However, this book might be a tough read for someone without a scientific background.

[Grayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Essentially the diet is the same thing as In Defense Of Food

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely phenomenal and I believe that everyone should read it. Logan and Treloar take a holistic approach towards acne that looks at lifestyle, diet, microbiome, and mental health. Everything is interconnected and shows with our skin health. My big takeaways were: DON’T DRINK MILK, take mineral supplements (zinc, selenium, magnesium, etc.), have green tea daily, lower your sugar intake, take probiotics, eat lots of leafy greens, take omega-3 supplements NOT omega-6, cook with unrefined cold-pressed canola oil or olive oil, and do daily exercise. It also speaks about how antibiotics are NOT the answer and how they are overprescribed. The book also contains recipes and meal plans. A fantastic, engaging, well researched book.

[Olivia Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shares scientific research around acne, complete with a side of humor and a helpful recipe guide. I wish we had been introduced 20 years ago! As an adult that still struggles with acne, this book was extremely insightful with tactical lifestyle changes that have made a difference in the quality of my skin.

[Marianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative! More scientific explanations than I thought! I started taking omega 3s daily and it changed my skin drastically!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of this book--about 70% or so--was a discussion of the causes of acne and a survey of a variety of studies that dealt with acne and its causes. A lot of that discussion was very technical but it boiled down to the same point again and again: diet influences acne. Well, duh! The title of the book tells us that!! I was a little disappointed. There is a good section on foods to eat and foods to avoid, as well as an explanation for each of these. The "menu plans" were for only a week's worth of meals, and about 30 recipes are included. Overall, the authors' advice is eat more vegetables and fiber and less sugar and saturated fat, exercise, reduce stress, and get adequate sleep, and your acne will improve. Honestly that is good advice for everyone that most of us don't (or won't) follow. I wish I'd gotten this book from the library instead of buying it. If you want to read it, I'd suggest borrow, not buy.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really detailed in the science behind the recommendations, would have preferred the text to be a bit less blocky, but that could have been due to the ereader I was reading it on. A tough read for those without a degree in biology and chemistry, but worth it to discover some potentially helpful information for curing acne.

[Collin Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

My skin and overall health is now much better years after reading this book