Acne occurs when the over production of oil (sebum), from the sebaceous glands, clogs the follicle, which leads to the growth of bacteria. Among the common factors that encourage this over production of oil include genetics and hormones. While we cannot control our genetics, we can control the imbalance of hormones that tends to send the oil glands into a tailspin.

Research has shown that following a low glycemic diet is the best diet for acne. That is because keeping the blood sugar stable and the insulin levels from spiking will level out the body's hormones, and reduce the inflammation, therefore bringing acne under control.

In order to obtain clear, vibrant, healthy skin, it is imperative to make dietary and lifestyle changes. Acne is primarily a western disease, and as such, the foods consumed under the typical western diet have been increasingly pinpointed as the origin for this disease, as well as many other diseases. Becoming acne free means changing your diet, and going from consuming highly refined, high fat, processed foods, to foods that are nutrient dense, in their natural state, and that nourish your body and mind providing the essential vitamins and minerals that it needs to maintain a healthy internal balance.

A nutrient dense diet for acne is one that largely consists of fruits and vegetables (especially dark leafy greens), whole grains and legumes, and fish. Because as you consume these foods, they are deposited into the blood stream very slowly, and do not rapidly increase insulin levels that eventually trigger acne.

Foods that are highly processed and refined get deposited into the blood stream quickly and converted into sugar causing insulin to be released in high doses in an attempt to reduce the level of sugar in the body. This insulin spike leads to the hormonal imbalance that disrupts the body internally, therefore triggering an over production of oil from the sebaceous glands, which clogs the pore, and the final result is - acne.

Over the past 20 years, the sugar consumption in the western diet has increased faster than the body's ability to evolve and catch with it - therefore it is not capable of handling the high amounts of sugar as a result of these highly processed foods that enter the blood stream so rapidly.

Due to genetics, not everyone suffers the same result from this over production of oil, but for those of us that do we suffer the consequences through our skin. Consider acne a signal from your body that something is going wrong on the inside.

Our bodies use food for energy and the affects of a diet lacking essential nutrients are far reaching. Replacing low quality foods with a diet rich in nutrient dense foods is the right diet for acne. In addition to a proper diet for acne, adequate amounts of sleep, moderate exercise and plenty of water, there are certain vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements that can help to keep the internal balance for a healthy body and mind to bring skin back to a clear, healthy state.