Skin conditions like acne aren’t exclusive to teenagers – and despite the numerous treatments (both over the counter and prescribed) designed to treat acne, many adults still suffer with dry skin, irritated skin, and disrupted skin on a daily basis. What if smooth, healthy, vibrant skin were as simple as changing the food you put in your mouth? Today, we’re thrilled to feature Judy’s Whole30 success story.
But first, they say a picture is worth a thousand words, right? So let’s start with the photo equivalent of a blockbuster novel:
Judy wrote to us on Day 27 of her Whole30, to share her experience. Judy wrote, “Kev (my fiancé) and I are on day 27 of the Whole30, and I feel AWESOME. The only thing we had to cut out of our diet was dairy, but we also had to slim down our Primal Blueprint “20% cheats” to 0%. The biggest change for me: my acne! I’m going to give you a series of before pictures so you can really understand what I’ve been combating.”
You can see Judy’s before and after photos on her blog, One Sekzi Mama. And when you’re done, click on back over to our Whole30 Success Guide and start your journey towards clear skin (and feeling awesome!) today. Thanks to Judy for sharing, and congratulations on her Whole30 success!
That is so awesome Judy!!! CONGRATS!!! I started developing acne around my neck and jawline at about 35. I was given accutane, retin-A and tried all the over the counter and as-seen on-tv product. The dermatologist said i was peri-menopausal and many latina women have the same issue. I thought I was stuck with the same acne as my teenager and as I headed into my 40s I became more and more embarrassed by it. Funny thing though…… when I changed my diet, my skin *magically* cleared up!! Who knew??? I now say my skin tells the tell – it says whether I’m choosing to eat more healthy or less healthy foods whether I vocal own up to it or not. Thanks for the post. Hoping many more who think they are “stuck” with bad skin will take note!!
You are what you eat! Disgusting to think what we eat is doing to the inside of our bodies, where se can’t see it.
Great job Judy and you too Patty!
I mean we. And, in no way am I implying that anyone is disgusting. Just had to clarify. Thanks
It took longer than 27 days, but my skin cleared up after about 50 days of eating clean. I had horrible big red bumps and whiteheads, especially on my chin. It really affected my self esteem. It probably took longer for me because I was eating so much crap before I started my W30. I’m really glad I decided to go W60 because I am finally starting to be able to wake up with more energy starting Day 57 (today is Day 62 and don’t see the reason to stop) in addition to clear skin.
Clear skin is awesome! Its just another positive effect or a clean nourishing diet. I used to have acne too, but as soon as I just got rid of all grains and sugar it disappeared. Its nice to see other people experiencing similar results.
I am so happy to see Judy’s success story and all the others that commented. One of the primary reasons I decided to do the Whole30 is due to my acne. It’s gotten way out of control and I’d rather give up certain foods in order to look and feel better inside and out!
Well, I get boils…eeeww yuck, really big ones, lots of them, only good thing is they are NOT on my face, if you know what I mean. Some days its really difficult to sit lol. Anyway, since starting Paleo 18 months ago I now only get them when I have any processed sugar, either alcohol or choc etc. Doesnt matter how much, one glass or 1 m&m, by the next day I have a boil. I have been diligent since the new year but had a serious night out last week and guess what…im standing to write this.
ITS JUST NOT WORTH IT, walk away from the sugar….
Love your site, Carol in NSW Australia.
Going primal also helped clear up my acne. Going dairy free was a big step but I needed a little something else. Avoiding grains did the trick along with living an overall healthy lifestyle!
I’ve read the testimonials and was looking forward to some great changes in my body. Its been 3wks now and honestly, I’ve still got acne, low energy levels and feel a burn in my muscles for days after a workout. Also, after the 2nd week I ‘ve been craving grains and sweet carbs. Wondering why i’m just beginning with these cravings when I was fine the 2wks before? Is something missing? What is W60? Did you do 60 days of STRICT Whole 30 to achieve your results? I feel I’ve come so far and would do it if that’s what it takes to feel and see a difference.
Johanna,
Many folks, especially those with a specific health history like acne, report that changes and improvement happen slowly. You may need to continue your Whole30 for a bit longer before you start to see results, and many report not seeing the “magic” until their very last days on the program.
I suspect, however, that your intake isn’t supporting your activity levels, as you shouldn’t still be feeling very low energy and a blunted recovery from activity. Are you following our MealSimple template for putting meals, snack and pre- and post-workout meals together? Are you purposefully limiting your carbohydrates to a degree that isn’t supporting your exercise? I suspect you’re not eating enough, and probably not eating enough carbohydrate.
Refer to our Whole30 Success Guide for further details – but try taking a few days off from exercise and increasing your calories (and maybe your carbs, mostly from carb-dense veggies like sweet potato) and see if you feel any better.
Best,
Melissa
Congratulations Judy…. very inspiring story!! I recently began my Whole30 challenge, with one of my main goals being the removal of acne. I have read the obvious advices about eliminating excess sugar, all dairy, fruit, etc., but I was curious if any persons had to follow a strict autoimmune protocol to see skin improvement? Specifically, I am referring to eggs, as the other elements of the autoimmune diet are not difficult for me to curtail. I have gone several days without eggs thus far, but the thought of doing this for 30-60 days seems daunting, if not fully necessary. I was curious if there is any correlation between acne and eggs, and if the average person is forced to eliminate this food to see improvement in skin conditions? Thank you in advance for any advice that any of you may have to offer!
To Melissa and Dallas…. Thank you kindly for all of your efforts to improve the health of others!! Your wonderful book is an excellent follow-up to Robb Wolf’s “The Paleo Solution”!!
Justin,
In my experience, removing eggs is not necessary for most folks suffering from acne. (Psoriasis or other skin-related autoimmune conditions may be another story, but not for general acne.) The Whole30 should go a long way towards improving your condition, but there are some folks who find some Whole30-approved foods (specifically, nuts and seeds) also contribute. I’d do a Whole30 as prescribed, and if you have not seen the improvement you want to see by day 45 or so, then I’d recommend ditching nuts and seeds to see if that has an impact. Eggs would be one of the last things I’d play around with for this particular condition.
There are other fine-tuning things we could talk about, but it’s not worth messing with the tiny details until we see how you do with the big-picture stuff. And you don’t need to eliminate fruit! I’m not sure where that came from, but I see little connection between fruit and skin conditions with our clients. The biggest culprits are generally dairy, grains, and soy.
Best,
Melissa