The answer unfortunately, is Yes!
Milk has been used for centuries to exfoliate and hydrate the surface of the skin. Lactic acid is derived from milk and is one of the most commonly used hydrating and exfoliating agent in skincare products.
Although there are many great benefits of applying milk topically to the skin, but when it comes to consumption the side effects are not so beneficial.
The reason that you should avoid consuming milk products is because it can cause acne. Milk contains hormones that aggravate oil glands. It raises insulin levels and insulin-like growth hormone (IGF-1) levels. These two polypeptide hormones work together to open the male hormone receptors also known as androgen receptors. (And this happens in both males and females.) Milk also contains several male steroidal hormones that go directly to those open receptors and aggravate acne breakouts.
Now you are probably wondering, what about lactose free, hormone free or organic milk?
Unfortunately neither of them is any good when it comes to acne. Lactose intolerance has nothing to do with acne, and “organic” simply means that the pesticides and insecticides the cows are exposed to in their food are less toxic than usual. The cows that give the milk are pregnant and milking most of their lives. These hormones are not injected into the cows – they are natural hormones that cows make during pregnancy. These hormones are produced continuously at high levels and are found in all cows’ milk.
So what are the options?
There are two ways to handle dairy restriction.
The first and simplest is to just stop consuming all milk, cream, cheese, ice cream, butter, sour cream, cheeseburgers, pizza – anything that contains or is made from milk.
The second way is to find dairy-like substitutes for whatever you are missing. Almond Milk and Coconut Milk products are the most convenient and include substitutes for milk, creamer, chocolate milk, ice cream and even butter substitutes. Goat’s milk and goat’s cheese are possible alternatives, but also are not hormone-free and should probably be avoided until we know for sure what hormones they contain.
What about my calcium intake?
Remember first of all that there are hundreds of thousands of people in the world who are either lactose intolerant or allergic to milk. They grow up just fine. It also helps to realize that cows have big strong bones, healthy teeth, produce milk during most of their lives, yet they drink no milk and take no calcium supplements in nature (although when they are being ‘factory-milked’ they do get supplements).
It is far more important for maintenance of bone health to make sure you have an adequate intake of vitamin D, regular exercise and consuming a healthy diet containing sources of calcium.
While calcium, vitamins and other minerals are abundant in certain types of milk, calcium is way more abundant in leafy green veggies. There are many non-dairy cultures that have incredible bone density without consuming milk products.
Excellent Sources of Calcium:
- Fresh, dark-green vegetables like spinach, kale, turnips, and collard greens
- Legumes
- Sesame seeds and almonds
- Wild salmon and sardines
- Rhubarb
What is the Acne Candida diet?
If you are suffering form acne and still could not find a solution to clear up your skin, Envision Acne and Skin Care Center has a proven Acne Free Skin Program ™ that will clear up your skin in 90 days.
Do you need expert skin care advice from a licensed esthetician/acne specialist? Schedule your appointment for a consultation to get the personalized advice on products and treatments that are right for you.
© 2013 Nikolett Ivanyi, Envision Acne Center; For more information go to www.envisionacnecenter.com.
