There are certain skin disorders which cause a great deal of embarrassment at an age when people tend to be sensitive about their personal appearance. The more common of these disorders are acne, dermatitis and eczema. These disorders and the natural way to treat them are discussed in this chapter.
1. Acne: Acne is perhaps the most common chronic skin disorder. Nearly eight out often young people between the ages of 12 and 24 suffer from some degree of acne. There are over half a dozen Fromm’s of acne. The most common from of acne is blackheads. Chronic constipation is another cause of acne. If the bowels do not move properly, the waste matter is not eliminated as quickly as it should be and the blood stream becomes surcharged with toxic matter. The extra efforts of the skin to eliminate excess waste, result in acne and other forms of skin disorders. Yet another improtant cause of acne is a devitalized condition of the skin resulting from unhygienic living habits. Other causes of the disorder are excessive use of tea, coffee, animal fats, chocolate, alcohol or tobacco, strenuous studies, masturbation and sedentary habits which lead to indigestion and general debility.
2. Treatment: To begin with, the patient should resort to an all-fruit diet for about a week. In this regimen, there should be three meals a day, consisting of fresh juicy fruits such as apples, pears, grapes, pineapple, and peaches. During this period, a warm water enema should taken daily to cleanse the bowels and all other measures adopted to eradicate constipation. After a week on the all-fruit diet, the patient can gradually adopt a well-balanced diet, with emphasis on raw foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, sprouted seeds, raw nuts and whole grain cereals. Further short periods on the all-fruit diet for three days or so may be necessary at a monthly interval till the condition of the skin improves.
The patient with acne should avoid meats, sugar, strong tea or coffee, condiments, pickles, fried foods, refined and processed foods as well as soft drinks, candies, ice cream and products made with sugar and white flour. Starchy, protein and fatty foods should restricted. As regards local treatment, hot fomentation should be applied to open up the pores and squeeze out the waste matter. Then rinse with cold water. Sun and air baths by exposing the whole body to the sun and air are highly beneficial. The healing packs of grated cucumber, oatmeal cooked in milk, and cooked, creamed carrots, used externally, have been found to be effective. The orange peel is valuable in the treatment of acne The lemon peel has also proved beneficial in removing pimples and acne. It should be applied regularly.
The mixture should be applied 10 the face after thoroughly washing it every night before retiring. This even heals very persistent forms of acne suffered by some adults. The process is further helped by also taking the herb orally, to purify the bloodstream so as to secure a long-term clearance of the skin eruptions. This cleansing results from the high content of potassium, sulphur, phosphorus and chlorine in the potato. This bath is prepared by dissolving one and a half kilo of Epsom salt to 60 litres of water having a temperature of about 100° F. 2. The exposed areas such as the eyelids, forearms, face and neck are more likely to be involved. The first symptom of dermatitis is erythema or redness. Vesicles may appear thereafter. In case of their rupture, their bases exude serum. This condition is known as weeping dermatitis. Later, the serum dries up to form crusts. In some people the disease seems to come and go without making any great change in the skin itself. They may reach the skin from outside or from inside through the bloodstream. Other causes of this disease are indiscretion in diet, deficiency of vitamin A and pantothenic acid, and nervous and emotional strains. If, however, the trouble is constitutional arising from internal causes, the patient should commence the treatment by adopting an all-fruit diet for at least a week, as in the case of acne.
After an exclusive fruit diet the patient may adopt a restricted diet for 10 days. In this regimen, breakfast may consist of orange or orange juice or grapefruit. Raw salad, consisting of vegetables in season, with raisins, figs, or dates may be taken for lunch. Milk puddings and desserts such as jellies, jam and pastries, all condiments, spices, white sugar and white flour and products made from them, tea, coffee, and other stimulating drinks should be avoided. In case of a severe condition, the patient should undertake a fast having only fruit or vegetable juices for three to five days. This may be followed by a restricted diet for 10 to 15 days. Further fasts and a period of restricted diet at intervals may be adopted after the resumption of a normal diet. The wall water enema should be used daily to cleanse the bowels during the first week of the treatment and thereafter as necessary. Epsom salt baths may be taken two or three times a week. About 100 grams of Epsom salts should be added to a bowl of hot water for this purpose.
A little olive oil should be applied after the Epsom salt bath. The patient should avoid white sugar, refined carbohydrates, tea, coffee, and other denatured foods, and should make liberal use of fruit and vegetable juices. The combined juice of the apple, carrot, and celery is especially beneficial in the treatment of dermatitis of combined juice. The alkaline sodium neutralizes the poisonous acids formed in the sores and the oil keeps the skin in a softened condition. The patient should undertake moderate physical exercise, preferably simple yoga asana after the fast is completed and the restricted diet started. He should avoid exposure to cold and adopt regular hours of eating and sleeping.
3. Eczema: Eczema refers to an inflammation of the skin which results In the formation of vesicles or pustules. The skin itches at all stages. Healing of the condition is effected by scratching in response to the irritation. The most common triggers for sensitive persons are eggs, peanuts, chocolates, wheat, cow’s milk, chicken and potato.
Treatment The best way to deal with eczema is to cleanse the bloodstream and the body. This fasting will help to eliminate toxic waste from the body and lead to substantial improvement. After the juice fast, the patient may adopt an exclusive milk diet with beneficial results. In this regimen, he should take a quarter litre of milk every hour on the first day, every three quarters of an hour on the second day and every half and hour on the third day and on wards. The total quantity of milk consumed each day may be six litres. This exclusive milk diet may be continued for four to six weeks or longer, if necessary.
Many cases of eczema have ben cured or greatly improved by using the milk diet, following the juice fast. Fruits, salt-free raw or steamed vegetables with whole meal bread or chappatis may be taken after the exclusive milk diet. Cocunut oil may be used instead of ghee. The patient may thereafter gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet consisting of three basic food groups namely seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits. Seeds and beans such as alfalfa, mung and soya beans can be sprouted. The patient should avoid tea, coffee, alcoholic beverages and all condiments and highly flavored dishes, as well as sugar, white flour products, denatured cereals like polished rice and pearled barley and tinned or bottled foods. The patient should eat only pure and wholesome foods. The skin, with the exception of the parts be affected with eczema, should be vigor-ously rubbed with the palms of the hands before taking a bath. The cloth should be moistened with cold water (55° 60° F) every 15 to 30 minutes for two hours at a time. Steam baths may be taken two or three times a week with great advantage.
They are especially valuable while on the exclusive milk diet. Neutral immersion baths lasting for 45 minutes to an hour, will also be helpful. Of these, the use of musk melon is regarded as the most effective. The pulp and skin of the fruit should be simmered in a cup of water for an hour. This should then be strained and applied as a lotion liberally to all effected areas, several times daily. The fresh juice of the leaves should be applied over the affected area. Certain liquids have also been found useful as washing lotions for cleansing the affected parts. These include water in which margosa leaves have been boiled, rice starch water obtained by decanting cooked rice and turmeric water prepared by boiling water to which turmeric powder has been added.
