So about the nutrients which made the biggest difference. Firstly, I'll say that I was already taking a fish oil supplement. My diet was low in Omega-3's which are so important for skin health, but I would have been getting enough of them from the supplement.

I do find that a lot of people with inflammatory skin problems (not just acne) are not getting enough Omega-3's in their diet. Omega-3's are anti-inflammatory and are most well-known to come from fish. There are a few vegetarian sources of Omega-3 such as flaxseed oil and hemp seed oil. Flaxseed oil goes rancid really quickly when exposed to heat, so it needs to be kept in the fridge.

Zinc: This mineral is crucial for skin health and for healing of the skin. Between 3%-4.5% of the body stores of zinc is found in the skin. People who are prone to diarrhea or have coeliac disease have a higher risk of being low in zinc due to reduced absorption. Cereals reduce the absorption of zinc because they contain substances that bind to zinc. Zinc is better absorbed from an animal source which is why some vegetarians and vegans can be prone to low zinc. Alcohol is another substance which also reduces zinc as well as other nutrients. These are just some of the factors which may result in low zinc. It's important not to take too much zinc and there is a relationship between zinc and copper in the body which needs to be balanced. Since covid, I have seen a lot of people taking large amounts of zinc and not realising they are taking many different supplements containing a high amount when added together.

Vitamin A: Although I was using topical cream, I wasn't getting enough vitamin A in the diet. I wasn't eating any organ meats like liver, which is high in retinol. It's important to know that Vitamin A can become toxic in high doses. If you are pregnant or trying to conceive, it's important not to self-prescribe vitamin A as high doses can cause birth defects.

Vitamin C: This vitamin is a wonderful antioxidant and is crucial for collagen synthesis and skin healing. Some people on restrictive diets, or unable to eat citrus foods can become low in vitamin C. There are some wonderful food-based vitamin C powders that don't seem to cause as much gastrointestinal irritation as some of the synthetic ascorbic acid supplements which are synthesized in a lab. The benefits to wholefoods and wholefood supplements are that they also contain a raft of other phytochemicals to support health.

Vitamin E: Is not just one substance. It's actually a family of 8 compounds consisting of tocopherols and tocotrienols. They are antioxidant fat soluble nutrients. Sometimes as naturopaths, we formulate acne creams for our clients using Vitamin E as the base for wound healing to decrease the appearance of scars. In the diet, Vitamin E is found in a number of foods. Vitamin E is high in some nuts and seeds and their oils. Tahini has the highest content of total vitamin E. Sunflower seeds and raw almonds also contain quite a bit.