Dale Pinnock - Clear Skin Cookbook

I dont think there is anything that more greatly reflects someones state of health than a persons skin. Healthy people have a wonderfully smooth glowing skin with even tone, and free from blemishes. Also, it is true to say, there is nothing more distressing than angry skin conditions, especially on areas of the body that are on display to the rest of the world, like the face and hands. This is something that I know well from my own personal experience. Although, if I hadnt gone through that, I wouldnt be sitting here writing this today.

One thing that is alarming is how many people have started appearing at my clinics with very angry skin conditions, and aggressive flare-ups, that they had never experienced in the past. Or young children with eczema so bad that it goes way beyond the normal childhood eczema that we would expect to see. Talking to other healthcare professionals, I found that this experience is true right across the board. I have friends who are doctors, friends who are acupuncturists, friends who are homeopaths, etc. They have all reported a similar increase in the amount of clients they see with bad skin lesions.

So what is causing this? I really feel that there isnt one particular factor, but it is the sum of all the challenges that modern life places upon our bodies that causes physical stress to multiple systems: pollution in our immediate environment; stress in our work and home lives; myriads of additives in our nutrient-devoid foods. All of these things act as a cocktail that burdens every system in the body, and can affect immunity, trigger or worsen inflammatory issues, and have been linked with the onset and progression of many chronic diseases.

Id love to tell you that there is some magical food or lifestyle that will eradicate all of these issues and make your skin immune to any kind of upset or make it ageless. But, alas, this isnt the case. However, what I can certainly tell you is that diet and lifestyle will have a massive impact upon the health and functioning of the skin, the rate at which it ages, and the severity and healing time of skin lesions. Thats what this book is about. No matter what area of skin health you are concerned with, there is information here regarding the nutritional link. Whether you are trying to tackle acne, have stubborn eczema, or would rather do the best you can to keep your skin looking young and healthy for as long as you can, then you are in the right place.

When I was ten years old, my body started to change. I noticed a few little bumps on my chin but I wasnt overly concerned at first. The only thing that mattered to me in those days was being able to get down to the lake after school and at the weekends to do some fishing.

However, it was different a year later when I left junior school to go to secondary school (high school). It was here that the trouble began. By this stage I was spotty. Theres no other word for it. From forehead to chin, I was covered in nasty little red spots, a few bigger bumps and blackheads too. It didnt take long for everyone else in the class to notice this and I became the target of the usual names, such as Pizza face and Zit face.

At that stage in life, these things can make us very self-conscious and I became quite withdrawn, although Id never let it show. By the time I reached the final year of school, it was a permanent distraction. Id make a conscious effort to cover my face with a scarf, as I didnt want anyone to see my skin in daylight. Whenever I went into a shop or a building of any type, I could never stand or sit under the strip lighting because it would really show up my acne, and I would literally close up and disappear inside myself.

I went to doctor after doctor, specialist after specialist, and tried every conceivable lotion and potion they had to offer: strange sticky roll-on lotions, antibiotics, retinol gels, the works. Nothing whatsoever helped. One day, at the age of about 1516, a friends mum lent me a book on nutrition and natural healthcare. I remember her telling me, Unless you look after whats going on inside, nothing will change on the outside. Now, as a teenage boy, I wasnt immediately impressed with that advice. However, I was so desperate that I read the book from cover to cover in a weekend. It changed my life: I gave up smoking, gave up eating meat, gave up most dairy products, and built a diet based on fruit, vegetables and whole grains, supplementing it with zinc, omega 3 and the B vitamins.

The changes were incredible. My skin certainly did clear. The red aggressive acne eventually disappeared, leaving not even the slightest mark. Beyond that, my body and mind were completely transformed and an entirely new person was born.