5 All-Natural Ways To Beat Acne For Good

Nowadays I spend most of my time out in the world makeup-less, but this wasn't always the case. I used to have horrible skin, with rash-like acne covering my forehead and cheeks. As an actress and model, it was seriously getting in the way of my professional success, and wreaking havoc on my self-esteem.

After trying the traditional solutions doctors and infomercials tell you to try — including topical creams, on-the-spot treatments, tonics, solutions, face washes, etc. — one day I got so frustrated that I marched into my bathroom and threw out every last one of the chemical products that were supposed to be my salvation in the trash. Right then and there I decided that I didn’t want a short cut; I was going to do whatever it took to stay acne-free forever, and this time I would attack from the inside out.

Here are five simple but effective ways you can achieve and maintain glowing skin the natural way. Warning: sometimes the issue initially gets worse during your initial detoxification phase as toxins are trying to make their way out of your system. If you can stick it out when the going gets rough, at the end of your journey you'll most likely find yourself with an all-natural glow you never thought you'd have, with onlookers clamoring to know your secret.

1. Eliminate processed foods, gluten, and dairy.

That means no junk food, no chips, no sodas, no refined sugar, and no hydrogenated or saturated fats. If you have acne, you have to recognize that it's a disease and is pointing to the fact that you’re out of balance. You may have a toxic body from your diet, your organs could be overworked, and to make the kind of progress that lasts forever, you need to detoxify and consume alkaline foods. Period. There's no getting around it, sorry. I'm telling you this now to save you the money you would have spent on the latest infomercial miracle solution destined to take your acne away.

2. Take a chill pill.

Meditate, do yoga, take a walk, or just plain BREATHE deeply daily. Stress can also play a factor in acne, mostly because when our emotional state is out of whack it can throw our hormones even more out of balance, which eventually creates disease. Negative emotions are toxic to our bodies’ just like processed foods are, so it’s important to find whatever discipline works for you and tap into that inner Zen.

3. Clean your colon.

This is huge when it comes to staying acne free. Once I understood this principle, I never had an issue with acne again. Most of the time, acne happens when our colons are clogged up and we're constipated, meaning our bowel movements have not caught up with the amount of food we're eating. When this happens and waste piles up, the body responds by trying to push toxins out through the skin in the form of pimples. Why waste your time piling chemicals on your face, when a little tender loving care for your colon goes a long way?

4. Find nutritional balance.

Very frequently, people with acne are nutritionally out of balance in some way. Just like any other disease, the condition can stem from too much of something, in this case perhaps refined sugar, carbs, etc. or too little of important nutrients like: zinc, sulfur, or omega-3 fatty acids. So, it is very important that you begin to eat a wide range of whole foods that are fresh and nutrient dense that give your body what you need, and that you also incorporate super foods or supplements to rectify any long-standing nutritional deficiencies and boost your immune system.

5. Stop putting chemicals on your face!

I know when you're dealing with the annoying fact that your face is covered with pimples it's only natural to jump for anything that could be a quick fix. Unfortunately, the majority of the quick fixes don't really work, or if they do work for the moment, they don't address the root cause. As hard as it may be, it's better to take a good look at what you're using on your skin and make sure you understand what every ingredient is in your products. What you put on our skin should be virtually edible and natural so as not to aggravate your acne or add more toxicity to your system.

Ref: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-12641/5-all-natural-ways-to-beat-acne-for-good.html

The Insanity Workout: 20 Minutes to Totally Toned

1. Cue the Madness

What we know: Track stars have amazing bodies. What former 400-meter hurdler Shaun Thompson knows: how you can get one! The trainer, aka Shaun T., designed Insanity, a 10-disc DVD series ($120; BeachBody.com), so successful that it turned a word for lunacy into a synonym for sculpted. The magic behind the routine comes from plyometrics: explosive, full-body exercises that rev your heart rate and ratchet up metabolism to torch megacalories and build lean muscle. We asked Thompson to pick his top multitasking moves to help you get an insane body in only 20 minutes. In as few as two weeks, your sleek physique will be what's causing the mania. You're only six moves away from getting totally toned!

You'll need: Zilch. Unless you count a wardrobe of size-smaller clothes.

The plan: Do each sizzler for 1 minute without stopping between exercises. After you've completed one round, rest for 60 seconds, then go again. Perform the circuit three times (20 minutes and done!), two days in a row. Take a rest day, and repeat. To turn up the burn, put as much oomph as you can into every movement. Hustle!

2. Diamond

Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart. Squat until thighs are almost parallel to floor, then jump, touching hands together above head with elbows bent as you tap heels together, forming diamonds with arms and legs (as shown). Land with soft knees. Repeat quickly for 1 minute.