Ohhh, food sensitivities. This topic, I find, is one of the most maddening things about nutrition. It’s what takes nutrition from being something potentially straight forward, to something fairly perplexing.
But food sensitivities are definitely something you should know about, because it’s very important in getting clear.
So what are food sensitivities and what do they mean to you, the sufferer of acne?
Food sensitivities are kind of like allergies. They aren’t quite the same (although I often refer to sensitivities as allergies for simplicity sake). Allergies are a substance – a food, a chemical, an airborne irritant, for example – that causes you to have an immediate reaction. Maybe you get a rash, you sneeze, your tongue gets prickly. Or on the more serious end, you go into anaphylactic shock.
A food sensitivity is like an allergy, but much more subtle. It can wreak havoc on your body and most of the time, you have no idea it’s even happening. Generally, you don’t get any obvious reaction – you may even feel good after you’ve eaten the particular item.
Sometimes people do get obvious reactions, like headaches, but they’re delayed. They can happen the next day, or two days from now. This makes it hard to trace back to what it was that actually caused the problem.
Not only do food sensitivities vary widely from person to person, they can also be disguised in any food, no matter how healthy it supposedly is. (I personally got badly tricked by garlic!). To make it worse, it’s often things we crave and eat the most often that are the culprits.
What causes food sensitivities?
With all our modern day pollution, irritants, processed foods, toxins, and just general gluttony, almost every one of our stomachs have gone into a state of shock. It’s become hardened to all the garbage you’ve fed it, and it can’t churn the way it’s supposed to. If it can’t churn, it can’t produce stomach juices.
The stomach and its juices are responsible for breaking up proteins. Proteins are long chains of amino acids (kind of like a train), that need to be separated for them to be absorbed properly. If they aren’t broken up properly, large chunks of amino acids get absorbed further down the intestine, through holes in its lining (called Leaky Gut Syndrome, caused again, by poor diet).
This is a really bad thing because once these chunks of amino acids get into the blood stream, the body doesn’t know what to do with them. They are seen as foreign invaders. Your body alerts the immune system and makes antigens to them. Your body them creates inflammation to attack the invaders.
So you see, inflammation is actually a good thing when it’s attacking real invaders. But when we eat foods over and over again that we’re sensitive to, our bodies create inflammation constantly, and this really wears it down and leads to disease (for us… acne :().
There are a few different methods for discovering food sensitivities that I will discuss later. I do strongly recommend though that finding out is one of the first things you do when you start a health food diet for treating your acne. It can save you a lot of frustration. I made this mistake and wished that I had taken it seriously from the get go.
I understand that a lot of people are scared. They hate acne, but they don’t want to hear that they can never eat their favourite foods again. Yeah, no kidding! The problem is that a lot of doctors or health advocates will put you on a complicated rotation diet for months or years, or tell you that you simply have to avoid those foods forever.
This doesn’t have to be true.
The thing is, if you just eliminate the foods you’re sensitive to, but continue to overeat, or irritate your stomach with sugar and alcohol, or eat processed foods, no healing was truly accomplished and you’ll just become sensitive to new things.
But, if you eliminate sensitive foods and basically everything that irritates the stomach for three weeks to six weeks, while implementing a gentle cleansing diet, this is usually enough time for your stomach to de-shock itself.
From there, your whole digestive system will begin to heal, get stronger, and be able to handle more. Your leaky gut will heal up and stop letting protein chunks past, and your stomach will make enough stomach juice to break up the protein chains in the first place, therefore… voila! No more sensitivities.
So the bad news is that, yes, you may have to spend a bit of money or effort finding out what your trigger foods are, and then yes, you will have to eliminate them for a while.
But if all goes well, you should be able to introduce most of these things back in and enjoy a broad and well rounded whole foods diet that isn’t crazy or restrictive. Woohoo!
Do you suspect you’re sensitive to certain foods? If so, which ones? Tell me below!
Related Post: Top 3 Food Sensitivities That May Cause Acne
photo by EuroMagic
Verna says
March 30, 2011 at 5:14 amHello Tracey! First of all, I am very thankful that you are there to help us acne sufferers! Thank you so much for your time and effort to share what you know in getting clear.
How can I start cleaning my digestive system? Does this mean I have to fast?
Thank you so much and have a wonderful day.
Verna
Tracy says
March 30, 2011 at 2:20 pmNo, it doesn’t mean you have to fast. Fasting is a way to speed up the detox process, but it isn’t necessary at all.
If you want to start cleaning your digestive system, I’d recommend just cutting way down on your processed foods, get the fruits and vegetables way up. Try to cut down on grains as they’re very scratchy and harmful to the digestive tract, especially gluten grains. Take probiotics, and maybe digestive enzymes. Start chewing your food well and not overeating. This will get you on your way! 🙂
Verna says
March 31, 2011 at 4:36 amIs rice bad? Rice is staple here in the Philippines. And I eat them everyday. 🙁 If I don’t eat it, I won’t be satisfied with the meal’s quantity. Sorry. I’m having difficulties to explain it.
For example:
Every rice we’re eating here has a “partner” to add a flavor (Rice and chiken(partner), rice with pork(partner) and so on and so on) I live here in my husband’s house and the members of our family is pretty big so the “partner” of the rice may not be enough for me. i usually have lots of rice and 1 small fish or 1 small chicken. I’m so sorry for long comment Tracey. 🙁
Tracy says
March 31, 2011 at 7:42 amRice is generally fine.. it’s not too allergenic, and isn’t usually too problematic (it doesn’t have gluten). It’s much better than wheat! But is it white rice? If it’s white rice, it doesn’t really have any nutrient value and also spikes the blood sugar up, as the fiber has been removed.
Verna says
April 8, 2011 at 9:52 amOh yes, it is. 🙁 Thank you Tracey for answering my questions. Your answers mean so much to me. 🙂
Savannah says
April 26, 2014 at 5:55 amThis is so informative! Great to know I can start with baby steps instead of a heavy cleanse. I just wanted to say that I truly love your site, Tracy. Thank you so much for the information you provide. I can’t express this enough. I’ve made so many positive changes (with really great outcomes) thanks to your recommendations. I’ve even started going make-up free…except for mascara… and washing my face less often (ending a long and totally enervating ritual I’ve done since I was a teen) Also, digging the Dr. Bronner’s. I use that as shampoo and house cleaner now, too. This summer it’s going in our hand soap dispenser instead of soft soap. Yay! So, thank you *very* much. 🙂
Tracy Raftl says
April 26, 2014 at 8:57 amYay thanks Savannah ! 🙂 Stoked to hear of all the positive steps forward you’ve taken!!
Danielle says
April 6, 2011 at 7:19 amHi Tracy! I came across your website through Acne.org. I’m really considering the holistic approach (Just started seeing a ND) everything you have to say is very informative and it gives me hope to be clear 🙂 I want to try this as a last resort, as I’ve tried everything else medicalwise, topical you name it. I think I have a sensitivity to dairy. My question, is lactose-free mik ok or is it just as bad as cow milk? My mom seems to think if I drink Almond or rice milk I’m not getting the calcium I need…Thanks! 🙂
Tracy says
April 6, 2011 at 8:00 amHi Danielle!
Haha… mom’s love to bring up the ‘where will you get your calcium?’ question. Pasteurized milk is so terrible for you, and you hardly absorb much of the calcium anyway. Tell your mom that the 4 countries with the highest rate of osteoporosis have the highest dairy consumption. Yes, any pasteurized dairy products are just as bad as regular cow’s milk, even lactose-free milk. You can get more than enough absorbable calcium from leafy green vegetables and other sources. Calcium is a mineral that comes from the ground… the cow has to get it from somewhere, and that’s the plants it eats.
If you have access to raw milk in your area (like from a farm), raw milk is a completely different story. It’s crazy that pasteurization and processing has turned this beautiful, nutritious food into something SO bad for you, but it has.
Honestly… no matter what your mom says, just quit eating any pasteurized dairy products and see how your skin goes. It’s the number one single thing that can cause acne.
Bruno says
April 6, 2011 at 10:44 amHow did you find out about food sensitivities? As I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, it’s way too hard to find out what I’m allergic to. I don’t think it’s wheat or anything like that, I think it’s the pollen in fruit. I have no idea what to do, but doesn’t an allergy test help you find these things out?
Tracy says
April 7, 2011 at 9:11 amYes, an allergy test will definitely help you to figure out these things. You sound a little confused about what you think you might be sensitive to. Don’t get at test from a traditional allergist, as they only deal with immediate reaction allergies, but not delayed reaction allergies (which is what about 80% of allergies are)… I had an electodermal screening test from a Naturopath
Bruno says
May 13, 2011 at 8:56 amThanks, I’ve got an appointment with a sweet doctor, I hope it’s gonna work. All thanks to you. And I can’t believe I got a blender in my house and didn’t know about it. Actually, even my mother didn’t know. Gotta make a smoothie for the first time right now :D. I hope putting random stuff in it will work, as long as the taste isn’t too bad all’s fine. Some cucumber, some grapes, some oranges, some broccoli. We’ll see.
I’ve also found an amazing store (only five of them in my country) that sells tons of organic, mostly seasonal stuff. Has all the quinoa, nuts, greens, fruits, .. I need and also had fish oil.
Idk if you’ve seen the flaxseed oil reviews for acne patients (on acne dot org), but they scare me. So I’ve decided to not work with flax seeds yet.
Vanessa says
March 30, 2014 at 3:07 pmI just wanted to add that you can ask your nutritionist to put you on an elimination diet. it’s one of the best tools to assess food sensitivities. also keep a food journal (i know, it’s hard)
Hayyah says
April 14, 2011 at 11:59 amI’m thankfully experiencing relief from 20 years of extreme acne after being tested for food sensitivities by my D.O. (and other tests also returned showing chronic inflammation and moderate auto-immune problems, which she said were caused by candida and leaky gut). I found I’m sensitive to almost 2 dozen foods, including coffee, soy, corn, buckwheat, fava beans, asparagus, cottage cheese, brewer’s yeast, amarinth, oats, lettuce, potatoes, rice, apples, and mostly more grains, fruits, and beans. Corn, buckwheat, chickpease, and fava beans are my biggest offenders. She said that she also found a low level gluten intolerance in another test.
Ironically, I’m find with the most common allergens — all seafood, wheat, milk, eggs. Following my new diet is a sincere pain, especially since I’ve moved to a country which only uses olive and corn oils, puts cornstarch in everything, thrives on fava beans and hummus (chickpeas), and only sells white and wheat flours (no gluten free) and includes bread with every bite, but clearer skin and less fatigue is worth it.
Tracy says
April 15, 2011 at 9:00 amHi Hayyah! I’m glad to hear you’re getting better!
Which country is it? Sounds middle eastern…
Anyway, thanks for sharing that, just goes to show that you can be allergic to anything!… but in this case, I guess it makes sense, because you often become allergic to the things you eat the most, and if you eat chickpeas and fava a lot in your country! I also had some weird ones that weren’t the norm because I ate them all the time. I’m sorry you have such a crazy list of them!
But anyway, this is actually what my upcoming ebook is about… taking steps to heal your digestive system and leaky gut, so that you won’t have to avoid your allergens forever, only for a few months. Afterwards, you should be able to reintroduce many or all of them without so many problems!
Missy says
January 10, 2012 at 4:48 amwhat is DO? sorry i just want to get a head start on my acne too, and im clueless, merely.
Kelly says
April 14, 2011 at 3:55 pmwhat kind of person can tell you food sensitivities? what kind of test do they do?
Tracy says
April 15, 2011 at 8:54 amI would recommend seeing a naturopath for an electodermal screening test. If you go to a traditional allergist, they only test you for immediate allergic reactions, where as 80% of reactions are delayed, and they don’t catch them. There is a lab test called ELISA and some other ones that do catch delayed reactions, but apparently even they aren’t 100% accurate and they’re quite expensive. So yeah.. I think the electrodermal screening is the most cost effective and relatively accurate… I really saw a difference in my skin after finding out this way.
Kelly says
April 18, 2011 at 7:26 pmok, thanks tracy!! a friend recommended an NAET practitioner who does muscle testing – she had great results with her excema (sp?) but i think i’ll try to find someone who does the electrodermal screening…
Tracy says
April 18, 2011 at 7:38 pmMuscle testing is good too! It’s based on the same sort of idea as electrodermal testing – electro uses a machine, and muscle testing is manual. So if you find someone who is skilled at it… even if it’s a friend (and then it’s free)… go for it!
Tata says
June 9, 2011 at 4:38 amHey Tracy,
Sadly the electrodermal testing isn’t found here. Now searching for kinesiology expert for musle testing though.
By the way, is food sensitivity related to blood type? There’s this book talking about eating right for your type – I forgot the author. Please google it if you have time. If you’ve heard about it before, does it MAKES ‘sense’ at all? Do you see it correlated to what you’re sensitive to? I’m a blood type A and according to it, red meat and coconut aren’t good for me but it suggests I eat soy and some other things which aren’t recommended in Paleo diet (oh yeah, I’ve been digging through Mark Sisson’s website as well). Just curious what’s your take on this…Thanks for the help.
Tracy says
June 9, 2011 at 11:22 amHi Tata! I suppose food sensitivities could be related to blood type…. I have heard of the eat right for your blood type thing but I haven’t read the book so I really can’t say whether I think it has merit or not. Hahah I probably haven’t bothered because I don’t know what my blood type is! Anyway… I don’t recommend you eat soy, even if that’s what the book told you. Lots of health books will tell you that soy is preferable over meat, but I strongly disagree!
Tata says
June 9, 2011 at 8:48 pmHaha I was about to ask what your blood type is and see if what you’re sensitive to match with what the book says. I didn’t buy the book by the way, my friend showed it to me the other day. It’s a hard one I think. I stopped eating pure soy product but I eat tempeh sometimes. Rice is the main staple here but I replace it with sweet potatoes (yellow, orange, purple – love the taste!). I eat meat and coconut and I also have my smoothies in the morning which consist of cucumber, orange, carrot, cabbage, zucchini, avocado, jicama, ginger, green bean, and tomato. Yep, weird combination and lack of leafy green vegetables ( organic leafy vegetables are pricey so I’m growing them myself – still a long way to go though). My face seemed to clear out a bit but then I had bad breakouts (I even develop some in my throat -sigh) then I see little improvement again. Am I sensitive to something or is my body in the phase of clearing out toxins? I don’t know. It’s confusing really…
Tracy says
June 10, 2011 at 9:15 pmhahah that is a very interesting smoothie indeed!! How does that taste? It’s normal to clear up a bit and then have breakouts (sometimes weird ones you’ve never had before) and clear up and then have some more breakouts (but the breakouts should get less intense over time until they go away). So don’t worry just yet!
Tata says
June 12, 2011 at 7:19 pmWell, thanks! The smoothy tastes good actually. My friends think it’s weird but I don’t care. I love experimenting with just whatever I have haha. Yeah maybe my body is clearing out toxins. I notice the breakouts get less intense though – your words are such a relief! I just don’t get why I develop acne in my throat. Probably I’m sensitive to sugar in fruits (I read Seppo Puusa also had throat acne because he’s sensitive to sugary fruits). Anyway, thanks for the fast reply. You’re helping so much!
Ally says
January 24, 2012 at 2:23 amHey Tracy. I mentioned in another comment I went to see a naturopath as well and came up with a bunch of the usual sensitivities like dairy, most seafoods, yeast and gluten etc. I find it so hard to follow this because my acne comes and goes at random times, one morning itll be really bumpy and red and angry and the next it totally clears up. It might clear up after I’ve been eating really badly and slipping up on my diet and is totally unrelated to my period (I was on the pill at the time anyways). I wish I knew what was causing my skin to fluctuate…I always get so much hope when my skin looks really great and smooth and then like 5 days later it’s all red and bumpy again.
Any ideas?
Tracy says
January 24, 2012 at 7:54 amHi Ally,
I have the frustrating random comes and goes type of acne too that is unrelated to my period… I think it has to do with your body clearing toxins, and when it decides to release a bunch them through your skin doesn’t always line up with what you ate/were doing (this also happens too as you’re healing, which is frustrating… but stick with it, because even though it’s disappointing when you break out again, you don’t just magically clear up immediately after changing your diet. It still takes some times and the breakouts often go in waves).
kare says
January 31, 2012 at 12:56 pmHey Tracy,
My skin got really bad about 6 months ago. I decided to go off the pill soon after and it got even worse. I saw your video about two months ago and tried the gluten and dairy free way of eating. My skin did get slightly better but I am having a difficult time eating that way. I do work out daily and want to make sure that I am eating enough so that I dont get too hungry and binge. I am also wondering how much sugar can affect acne. Is cane sugar and honey considered just as bad as refined sugarÉ
Tracy says
January 31, 2012 at 7:51 pmI know, it can be tough, I understand 🙁
Sugar can definitely affect acne a lot since it promotes blood sugar swings. Raw unrefined cane sugar and honey are not quite as bad, but you don’t want to be eating tons of them in a day. A tablespoon at the very most.
pedro says
February 14, 2012 at 9:24 amHi there,
Here it is the strangest thing – If I drink milk on a regular basis, I won’t have any problems with acne. But fruit (more than 2 apples/day) is quite bad for my skin – I get tiny whiteheads. With whole bread I have also the same problem – if I eat to much I also get pimples. I am tired of avoiding many foods – fries, meat, white bread…damn…just tired of avoiding social life because of this…
Rachel says
May 15, 2012 at 8:24 amI just had my food sensitive panel done. Dairy, gluten, MSG, alfalfa sprouts, peanuts, kale, garlic, mustard, chili powder, vanilla, soy, several types of beans, and more are off the menu for a while *sigh* The good news is that I’d already eliminated white flour and sugar and anything white really before I took the test. The bad news is it’s tough to enjoy food when it’s making you sick. I’m glad I found your blog–your upbeat attitude, good information, and your healing journey are inspiring and uplifting! 🙂
kris says
June 27, 2012 at 6:41 amhi tracy,
i just discovered your website last night while researching the connection between food allergies and skin issues. After reading your life story i swear we could be related or something…ahh it’s freaky! we even dress the same haha.
i have always been short and extremely thin my entire life. (i’m now 5ft 2 and 105lbs) I think that’s where my self confidence issues started. I too felt so young all the time….i remember shopping in the children’s section until i was in high school to find pants that fit. and to make matters worse by 8th grade i had acne and red irritated skin. blah! I am now 21 and am still battling these skin issues. i mostly get acne around my mouth and nose. the skin around these areas is constantly red and inflamed. it’s interesting looking back and seeing how my lifestyle choices probably affected my skin for the worse. while my friends were worried about counting calories and going to the gym, i took pleasure in eating anything i wanted because… no matter what i ate i simply could not gain a pound! i never thought that just because i wasn’t gaining weight the food i was putting into my body might be bad for me. long story short…i worked at a chocolate/candy shop for 5 summers all through high school and ate whatever i wanted. I am now finally making the connection between food and my skin. I have eaten SO much sugar the last 6 years and i have developed the worst sweet tooth. my senior year of high school i started having terrible stomach cramps. my doctor said it was an “over acidic” stomach and put me on antacids. well that helped for a bit, but come this last year the cramps have returned (they never really went away but just got much worse)! after doing an elimination diet of diary and gluten i have discovered i have a sensitivity to diary. while i have not seen any improvements in my skin since the diet changes i realize that cutting out sugar may help a lot. i’ve discovered that continuing to eat healthy is not a “diet” but something i should just do for the sake of my happiness and wellbeing.
so in essence, thank you for starting this blog. it is the most relatable, down to earth source for information i have come across on the internet. I look forward to reading more
Tracy says
June 27, 2012 at 8:07 pmHi Kris! Welcome to the blog, my long lost sista 🙂
I hope changing your diet goes well… lots of love being sent your way!
J Bird says
July 18, 2012 at 12:02 pmThe whole point of NAET (Nam-something Allergy Elimination Technique) is to get rid of food sensitivities. It’s very interesting, and the muscle testing really makes you think it is working. It takes a while though to be treated for every food (if you go through all of it there will be NOTHING you are sensitive to, at least in this food sensitivity definition of senstitive).
I have noticed a decrease in acne after she treated me for sugar. It might be worth checking out if nothing else has worked for you, Especially if you have taken a course of antibiotics that I think may have really f%$^$%^# up my body (stomach, intestines, etc)
amanda says
November 9, 2012 at 3:22 pmHi j bird. i was curious about this naet. How ex factly does it clear up your food sensitivities?
Hillary says
August 27, 2012 at 11:55 amDear Tracy,
For about two years I’ve gone on and off of detoxes to clear up acne and help my overall health. Unfortunately, this caused me a lot of the times to go a bit crazy when I got off of them. Now, my dilemma is, since being off of detoxes I felt that I’ve had a healthier mindset about food and have not craved bad things as much, but my acne, which is moderate, persists. Should I be strict and go one more time on a gluten free diet to see if it would help or should I try to be normal (I hate always feeling like the odd one out when I go on these things)? I just want to have a healthy mental perspective of food and not always be on a diet.
Tracy says
August 27, 2012 at 9:00 pmHi Hillary – I’d probably just stick it out on a regular healthy diet for a while and not bother with more detoxes.. unless you think that perhaps the lack of gluten on your detoxes was what made your acne go away? I’d say if you are up for it, cut gluten out for a month, just to see… don’t change anything else. If nothing changes in your skin, then go ahead and eat it.
Lena says
October 18, 2012 at 2:12 pmI am pretty worried right now, because I am almost positive I am gluten sensitive. I have been suspecting it for a while, because even an hour after I eat something with gluten in it, I feel suddenly tired, spacey, and heavy. This summer I followed a pretty strict diet in trying to clear my acne. The diet excluded gluten and dairy for the most part. However, now I am studying abroad in France and staying with a family, so I couldn’t bring myself to force my diet restrictions on them. I have been eating everything they have been making me, including gluten. So, after not eating gluten for a while, I started eating it, and after about two weeks, I got severe laryngitis (this was horrible because I am actually a singer studying music). Now my acne has started to act up again and feels like it is on the rise. I don’t know whether I should just start telling everyone that I just found out I am allergic to gluten and ask them to not include any wheat in the meals they cook for me. In addition, it’s been really hard for me to be gluten free with bakeries wafting delicious smells on every corner…
Tracy says
October 19, 2012 at 7:47 amHi Lena – I feel you, that sounds like a really awkward and uncomfortable situation! The thing with this is all a personal decision of how many adverse health reactions you can handle – and if they get bad enough, there will probably be a point where asking your host family will not be as bad as the health issues! However, I don’t feel like it would probably be as bad as you think if you explain to them exactly what is going on – you have pretty concrete examples of your reactions, like the laryngitis. And you could say that you were tested and found out you had celiacs – they can’t argue with that. But then you have to be very good on the willpower not to eat it ever!! The situation sucks, and I definitely know what you mean about hating to feel like a burden for your food choices. Sending you love.
Lena says
October 29, 2012 at 5:02 amThanks Tracy! Yeah I decided to tell everyone that I realized I’m allergic/intolerant to gluten. They basically just felt sorry for me but were not really bothered about it. I haven’t eaten any gluten since then and I’ve been feeling a lot better. All sorts of inflammation has gone down, and strangely enough my singing voice is better! like, my high notes are easier and I don’t really have problems with my passagio (singing terminology for the sort of break between chest and head voice)!
I know I still have more problems with my gut and I still have sort of small rash-like acne on my cheeks and forehead. It is hard to keep a perfect diet when I am living with other people. Ideally, I would eliminate dairy and sugar as well and make bone broth and sauerkraut for gut healing. I feel like eliminating gluten was the most important thing for me, though, and I will do the best I can with everything else until I have more control over my food situation.
Tracy says
October 29, 2012 at 3:33 pmHi Lena,
Good to hear that you took the plunge and told them. I knew they’d probably be understanding – but I totally know what you mean about not being able to be too picky about your food choices. When we were in Australia and spending lots of time with my boyfriend’s parents, there were lots of things I wanted to cut out, but I chose gluten to be the only one I made a fuss about. It just seemed too awkward to do more! In the end though, you have to go with the flow and do what you can or its just going to be stressful. At least you know you’ve improved your health and situation for the time being by at least avoiding gluten, and when you again live on your own, you can eat whichever way you choose 🙂
Kit says
November 19, 2012 at 4:21 amSigh…this is me. I’ve just been diagnosed with leaky gut and am headed back to my ND to discuss treatment. I’m sensitive to SO many things – almost all of the “top 8” allergens, plus a few extra for good measure – and eating has become a huge challenge since my diagnosis. I’ve lost several pounds and am at the point of eating raw coconut oil in an attempt to keep my pants from falling off me.
Still, ALL of my remaining skin problems are triggered by food, which feels so ridiculous and unfair because I eat a totally unprocessed, really healthy diet – literally no cheats ever. So I’m bummed about this, but also excited for the prospect of getting a bit more dietary freedom in the future.
So I finally have my answer. Here’s hoping it becomes a solution. I’m heartened to hear that you personally didn’t have to avoid your allergens forever, Tracy. Thanks for the article!
Tracy says
November 19, 2012 at 9:12 amHi Kit – I know, food sensitivities suck 🙁 However, when you’re really struggling, it’s kind of nice to actually know, instead of continuing to wonder. When I got tested mine were also quite numbered, and very random. I avoided them for a long time out of fear, but yeah… slowly I just began eating all of them again and now it seems to all be good. That being said, food sensitivities do change… so I might be sensitive to something else now and not know, but I definitely don’t think I am as sensitive to nearly as many things
Kit says
November 19, 2012 at 11:25 amThank you – this gives me some hope, for sure. I agree that it’s nice to be done guessing and have an actual game plan. It’s just not so nice to get this thrown at me right before the holidays 🙁 Good thing I’m a cook!
Anna says
January 4, 2013 at 7:17 pmHi Tracy,
Did you ever write that ebook on the digestive system and leaky gut that you mentioned in an above post in April 2011?I have been tested for food intolerances and many came up, and after doing a lot of research, I believe it is from leaky gut..would love to read your ebook on it, if there is one! Thanks!
Tracy says
January 4, 2013 at 9:37 pmHi Anna,
Well I had a ebook that was called “Eating for Clear Skin”, which is what I was referring to here.. but then I revamped it into more of an all around acne guide not just focused on food, which is my ebook Ultimate Secrets to Acne Freedom: https://thelovevitamin.com/ebooks-products/ultimate-secrets-to-acne-freedom/
Ultimate Secrets does contain a section on gut healing, but the whole book isn’t devoted to just that
Cat says
February 10, 2013 at 3:15 pmJust wanted to point out that gluten intolerance is different to having Coeliac disease. An intolerance is when you have a bad reaction to something, but having Coeliac disease (confirmed with an endoscopy) means that you MUST in all cases avoid gluten, even tiny amounts. By having coeliac disease and continuing to eat gluten on a regular basis you risk getting all sorts of problems caused from not absorbing iron, B12, vitamin D and others, which in turn can cause osteoporosis and other problems. If you have a feeling that you are gluten intolerant, I would suggest getting an endoscopy to confirm. Not everyone who is intolerant has coeliac, but it’s better to know. My iron was borderline anaemic all my life, and I only diagnosed coeliac a couple years ago. I’m vegan as well (only for one year now) and my iron is finally in the normal range after too many years of eating gluten!! Sorry about long post. Thanks for the blog.
Leanne says
March 22, 2013 at 6:56 pmI have been perusing this site the past few days in desperation to find a solution to my acne. It is seemingly unrelated to my periods, and often if I have a breakout it is a few days after my ‘time’ is finished. I don’t generally eat gluten (intolerant) and eat dairy only occasionally, like few times month if that. I am considering getting the blood allergy testing done through my naturopath, but it costs $300!! It tests over 90 different foods, so may be worth the investment. I have recently began green juicing every single day (I juice 4-5 leaves of kale and other veggies), and throw in 3 leaves of kale in my morning smoothie every morning, I eat a pretty clean, whole food, organic diet (a bit of a sugar junkie, (have to have a little bit of sweets every day)but overall eat really well, live a holistic based lifestyle etc..this past week has been the worst breakout I have had in a very long time! I have increased the greens, thinking it will detox me, and my skin just went crazy! Very frustrating, and want to find the answers. I am 35, and very tired of these spots 🙁 Could it be a cleansing reaction to have a massive explosion on my face? Thoughts??
Tracy says
March 23, 2013 at 8:32 amHi Leanne, yes if you’ve been massively cleansing, it’s normal that your skin would get worse before it gets better. https://thelovevitamin.com/6599/detox-breakouts-symptoms-how-to-tell-if-its-just-detox-acne-or-if-things-have-gone-wrong/
Lissa says
June 12, 2013 at 10:37 pmJust wanted to put in my two cents that leafy greens make my skin go CRAZY. Kale, spinach, arugula, etc. must absolutely be avoided or I will breakout in cystic acne. I think it has to do with the iodine. Just something for people to think about. In some cases it may be a detox that your skin is going through, but I’d bet that half the time it means you should avoid that food.
Other offenders for me are high doses of vitamin B (via energy drinks, supplements, etc.), anything with soy/tofu, kefir/kombucha, fish oil, garbanzo beans.
I have no idea why so many foods do it to me, but time and time again, I’ve seen myself breakout after eating them. SO frustrating. Especially because most of these foods are considered extremely healthy!
Sonia says
April 8, 2013 at 6:24 pmHi Tracy
I have moderate acne, mostly around my mouth and chin. I know I have food sensitivities to dairy products but now discovering other food sensitivities. I started reading your other articles and realizing that I have to do some major internal cleansing with my digestive system. I’m seeing a Naturopath to hopefully provide some guidance as well. The articles are great but i’m feeling overwhelmed by all the information. But I plan to take it slow, not expect miracles or cures right away and work consistently and diligently. Thanks for all the tips and advice 🙂
Tracy says
April 9, 2013 at 8:15 amHi Sonia,
I know it can be overwhelming! Going to see a naturopath is a great idea 🙂
Leah says
May 5, 2013 at 6:13 amHi! Thank you so much for all of your advice. I had a blood test done a few months ago and I’m intolerant to about 18 different foods, which include the healthy ones too (celery, apples, carrots, garlic, onions, peas)! I’ve noticed that since I’ve eliminated the food my acne has nearly disappeared but eliminating 18 different foods is hard to do forever! I know your post says we don’t have to forever but is there anything I can take/do to help my stomach digest the foods I’m intolerant/allergic too? I know it’s from the food because about an hour after I eat my cheeks get itchy (sometimes accompanied by a little throat swelling) and the next day I have about 15 milia on my cheeks. Lastly, is it possible for your food intolerances to change (you become intolerant to something new) and why is that? Thank you!!!!!
vijjiraj says
May 5, 2013 at 9:58 pmHi Tracy,
I am good in height and weight i use to maintain a lot and having clear skin.These day i put little,so to cut extra ponds so i started lemonade detox diet,
i did this for 6 days,but my periods extended for 2 days.i.e instead for 27 i got for 29 days,i started another diet morning carrot juice,lunch roti or wheat pan cakes,snacks prunes min 7 max 10,dinner cereal with fat free milk.This is the diet.Before my perioda i use to get acne and will be clear after that.This is the first time in my life i got very bad acne i am not getting what’s the problem,finally i realized that may be prunes are not good to me.Please help me in this to get my clear skin back.
Blanca says
May 12, 2013 at 10:29 amThis was heaven sent! I have been suffering from random mild acne attacks ( never before ) and ridiculous bloating and stomach discomfort. I’ve lost 50 lbs in the last 1.5 years and had no idea why I was feeling so terrible because I have made it a priority in my life to eat healthy. I have eliminating processed foods as much as I can, I’m juicing greens and I’ve cut down on a lot of things. At first I thought it was gluten ( but gluten free things and didn’t seem to see a difference ). And then, I started making sure I wrote down things I ate and I believe I’ve come to a conclusion. I think I’m sensitive to sesame! I eat hummus like there’s no tomorrow, and sesame is a huge part of my diet . I love it! it’s really sad and I’m not sure how to get my stomach back to it’s normality. What do you recommend? should I detox? what things should I avoid with my recovery period. thank you very much for this article, i feel like i’m finally getting to the bottom of this!
Emily says
June 21, 2013 at 9:43 amHey Tracy!
Great article, as usual. 🙂 I think I might be sensitive to salty things. I notice breakouts most when I eat salted nuts (I’m almost raw vegan, so pretty much that’s the only way I’d get overly salted foods), or if I’m naughty and have a bit of soy sauce with my garden roll sushi. Although, it’s hard to tell because my face has been FREAKING out lately. I think it’s detoxing from coming off benzoil peroxide. Only another week or so and it should settle down… I hope!
peace, blessings, and namaste
~Emily
shaila says
July 24, 2013 at 4:54 pmHello Tracy,
I am looking for a doctor in my city that can test me to see what my food sensitivities are, but i was just wanting to make sure if the test you took was named EAV / Electro-Dermal Screening? because i don’t want to take the wrong test and waste a ton of money, also i love your videos and blogs they are very informative keep them coming
please and thank you, and have a blessed day 🙂
Tracy says
July 25, 2013 at 8:35 amHi Shaila, check out this article for more information: https://thelovevitamin.com/1971/naturopath-acne/
Amanda says
August 31, 2013 at 12:15 pmHi Tracy-
I have watched several of your videos on YouTube and find them very helpful! I recently purchased EstroBlock in hopes of clearing my hormonal acne.
My situation is a bit different and wanted to know if you knew any information regarding acne related to weaning? I am 28 and I had my daughter almost 15 Months ago. Before I was pregnant my skin was pretty good. I had one bad breakout when I was 22 (after I graduated from college and trying to find a job–basically I believe it was stress induced). Anyway, I was prescribed two topicals for my skin–which worked great and I had my skin back within a few months. I went on BC shortly after (YAZ) and never had any problems with acne on or after I came off it (when I was trying to get pregnant). During my pregnancy skin was great, and after up until 10.5 Month’s post pardum. Around that time I started weaning my daughter and noticed i was breaking out horribly along my jaw line and around my mouth area. This was back in May. After suffering with it for a few months I called my doctor to get the same topicals I used when I was 22 that worked for me at that time. Within 3 weeks the topicals worked…but slowly I started breaking out again…just not as severe. I’m starting to think that my diet is to blame now…more so then weaning (or probably both!).
Sorry for such a long story, just wanted to know if you knew anything about weaning related to acne. I’ve tried looking up things on-line, but there isn’t much about it that is specific as to what I can do. Any help would be great! Thanks so much 🙂
Amanda says
August 31, 2013 at 12:27 pmOoh-and one thing I forgot to mention. I am not wanting to go on BC pills as I know how terrible they are for you in the long run! Alot of doctors just want to put you back on BC! Frustrating! I also am not using the topical creams anymore as they are no longer working (I think my skin built up a resistance to it from prior use). And I think they just cover up what the real issues are in regards to your acne and body. Do you think EstroBlock was a smart purchase for my situation? I was thinking about ordering Vitex, but I have been getting a regular period since about 4 or 5 Months Postpartum (which was weird bc I was exclusively breastfeeding), but I have had consistent periods nonetheless and don’t really need help in the fertility area. I also recently (for the past 3 days) have been eating a plant based whole foods diet in hopes to figure out if its something diet related (thinking it might be dairy, red meat, or sugary processed foods).
Amanda says
September 13, 2013 at 3:32 pmHi again! Just wanted to update you and others that have been following this article/thread. I have been taking EstroBlock for eight days now, I have also been eating very healthy for the last two weeks, and am going on three weeks of officially being done breastfeeding. I also added in Vitamin D3 supplements as well as liver pills (been taking them for about two weeks or so). Since then my skin has cleared about 95%! It’s hard to say if it’s the healthy eating, the supplements kicking in…or just simply stopping breastfeeding. Just wanted to update you all and also let other women know who are going through pregnancy, breastfeeding, or the weaning process that your skin will get better once your hormones go back to normal 🙂 The price we pay for our beautiful children 🙂
Tracy says
September 14, 2013 at 7:27 amAwesome, Amanda! Really happy for you! 🙂
Sucheta says
September 14, 2013 at 3:07 pmHi Tracy,
I had severe acne a few months back. I am a vegetarian, and I limited grains, I do have rice and follow a diet rich in vegetables. My skin has cleared up alot biut I was still getting the ocassional big cyst. After keeping a diet log I realised it was because of citrus, i see it on consumption of tomatoes oranges and pineapples. I have read in a couple of articles about B5 deficiency causing citrus intolerance. Do you know anything about it? D you know any good B complex which will help? I believe in natural sources fr food and dont take any supplements other than vit D in the winter. I live in the US. Thanks any help will be appreciated.
Tracy says
September 15, 2013 at 7:35 amHi Sucheta,
Sorry I don’t know anything about that specifically. This seems like a pretty good list of the top sources of B5, many of which appear to be animal sources, as well as grains, which may explain your issue? http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-pantothenic-acid-vitamin-B5.php – I don’t know have a specific brand of B5 supplement to suggest at this time
Hayley says
November 21, 2013 at 6:15 pmHi, I was just wondering about food cravings.. I pretty much crave sweets all the time. Mostly anything with chocolate, and I’m pretty sure it contributes to my breakouts. It gets worse a week or up to two before my period but its always there, and I eat pretty healthy otherwise, cut way back on my caffeine intake, and I’ve been drinking green smoothies for about a month or so now. Anyways, is there some way to curb these cravings? Kinda seems like a vicious cycle.
Shannon says
December 23, 2013 at 6:01 amHi Tracy! Your recommendation to get a food sensitivity test is what set me on my path to clearer skin! And I just feel a ton better in general – it’s amazing how long I put up with a myriad of daily stomach issues just because it was “normal” for me to have constant stomach upset. I’m sensitive to wheat, dairy, and eggs – cutting those out has been difficult (especially now around the holidays when I’m surrounded by delicious baked goods), but so life-changing! Thank you for this site and for always being so positive and encouraging.
Tracy says
December 23, 2013 at 9:25 amYay that’s awesome Shannon 😀 Happy holidays!
Lydia Grant says
February 19, 2014 at 9:06 pmI found this link on LivingSocial:
Do you think these tests are any good?
https://www.livingsocial.com/deals/1002289-food-intolerance-test?awc=3925_1392872572_7a2454674504f3c152b2832452d7c7a1&temp_skip_roadblock=1&utm_campaign=67546&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_source=awin
Tracy says
February 21, 2014 at 3:56 amSorry Lydia, I don’t know, they don’t really describe what method the intolerance test is
Angel says
June 18, 2014 at 6:12 amI think I’m allergic to small shrimps, the small ones. But not the big ones used in tempura. After I eat those I got red and my face get so itchy that irritates me so much. Then in the morning 5 to 6 acnes appears! Like what the hell…. But this is just now, I mean only now that I am prone to acne. And it sucks coz I don’t like getting allergies! Especially on foods! I love eating! And also cooking.
ali says
January 10, 2015 at 7:11 pmHi Tracy!
I took the IgG test for food sensitivities and I try to avoid those foods. I still have skin issues and nothing seems to help. You’ve said that the ELISA test is where to turn to.. I will look into this! Some days I seem to just break out immediately when I had not eaten anything found in my IgG test.. I take a protein powder and eats lots of fruits and vegetables. Sometimes my upper right back will hurt after I’ve eaten foods that are said to be ‘okay’ according to my IgG test.
I always am fighting acne but when I have what seem to be immediate reactions, could this still be from something I’m not seeing in the IgG test? Also, I’ve heard protein powders can be toxic. I stick to well known brands. Do you have any advice here?
I’m so happy for your success! I know how frustrating this can be 🙁
RC says
March 3, 2015 at 4:02 pmHi Tracy,
Thanks for your post. Your blog has been really insightful for me. I hope you are right about eliminating the foods you’re sensitive to for a period of time and reintroducing them. I took the ALCAT food sensitivity test and found out I was severely intolerant to bananas (?!), and moderately intolerant to some of my favorite things like coffee, almonds, olives, and onions! The test also recommended avoiding whey and gluten products. I’m really trying on the diet, but seeing as I’m also a vegetarian, I’m having to get REALLY creative. Maybe instead of eliminating them forever, I will try cutting them out for a month or so and then slowly reintroduce. That seems a lot less intimidating. Also, I have been taking estroblock and a liver support daily, which didn’t start producing results until AFTER I got off the pill (apparently I was on an androgen-heavy pill and therefore nothing helped my acne). So it seems I’m having to tackle it both with hormone balance AND diet. I’ve seen an improvement but not where I want to be yet. It’s probably that coffee habit I can’t seem to kick. 🙂 Thanks as always for your great advice!
sylvia says
February 4, 2016 at 6:41 pmHello Tracy,
Is it also true for roseasea? my friend said they are toxins that are trying to escape from my body. I have been seriously considering doing a food allergy test.
Kor says
February 5, 2018 at 7:19 amSpoiler alert. It may take up to two years to heal LGS and get rid of intolerances, depending on how bad it is. Three to six weeks is an underplay