Page 49 - Fall2010

likely to consume butter rather than olive oil, hence the association of butter protein-based connections between cells, both in
with wrinkling. our external skin and in our digestive tracts. These
The type of fats most definitely associated with wrinkling are the in- connections regulate the permeability of the skin
dustrial, polyunsaturated oils, the types of oils that those wanting to avoid barrier, strengthening it against environmental as-
saturated fats are most likely to consume. In a study on premature aging saults and preventing excessive water loss through
carried out in conjunction with the Research Foundation for Plastic Surgery the skin.
in Los Angeles, dermatologists looked at more than one thousand patients In animals with dermatitis induced by es-
over a two-year period. Researchers looked for any pathological evidence that sential fatty acid deficiency, only arachidonic acid
the subjects had grown old prematurely, especially manifesting in the skin fully cures the condition. Arachidonic acid works
of the face. In each patient, the researchers noted the degree and amount of in concert with the elongated omega-3 fatty acid
wrinkles such as crow’s feet and frown lines, skin turgor or firmness, color, DHA found in cod liver oil, making butter and cod
elasticity or resilience, condition of the hair and many other factors to attain liver oil an ideal combination for beautiful skin.
a preliminary score. Points were deducted from the total “aging” score if the What about the premise that arachidonic acid
patient had been exposed to a great deal of x-rays or sun, if one or both parents causes inflammation? The conversion of arachi-
looked prematurely aged, if dentures were worn or if the patient suffered from donic acid to PGE in immune cells is an impor-
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any form of water retention. Subjects also took a dietary survey to discover tant initiator of inflammation, but it also works to
whether they had changed their diet to stress polyunsaturated oils, to what resolve inflammation. However, too much EPA,
extent and for what reasons. an omega-3 precursor to DHA, can interfere with
When all the possible contributory factors in premature aging of the skin arachidonic acid’s ability to turn off inflammation.
were noted, the researchers computed a final score and compared it with the EPA is found in high amounts in fish oils and also
patient’s chronological age. The result: of those who admitted to being on a in cod liver oil—so use cod liver oil sparingly in
diet high in polyunsaturated oils (more than 10 percent of the diet), at least the context of a diet rich in arachidonic acid from
78 percent showed marked signs of premature aging of the facial skin, with butter, organ meats and meat fats, and avoid fish
some appearing more than twenty years older than they were. When this oils altogether.
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group was compared to an almost equal number who made no special effort
to consume polyunsaturates, the difference was profound. Only 18 percent DIGESTION AND THE SKIN
of the latter group were judged to have outward physical signs of premature The health of the skin and the gut are intimate-
aging. In other words, there were more than four times as many people who ly linked; after all, the lining of the gut is a special
looked markedly older than they really were among those who deliberately type of skin, requiring the same nutrients as our
included large quantities of polyunsaturated oils in the diet. 13 external skin—zinc and vitamin D, for example,
Another important fat for the skin is arachidonic acid, which Dr. Per- are the key nutrients for supporting a healthy gut
ricone and others finger as an inflammatory fat because it is the precursor to barrier. And a healthy gut is lined with a biofilm
the prostaglandin PGE , considered a pro-inflammatory tissue hormone. But made up of billions of beneficial bacteria, just as
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PGE stimulates the formation of gap junctionsand tight junctions, which are healthy skin is home to a variety of bacteria, most

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HOLISTIC REMEDIES FOR SKIN PROBLEMS

The following is a compendium of remedies gleaned from our files. Some have been tested in clinical trials, others proved
useful in individual cases.
ACNE: Acne has been linked to deficiencies of vitamins A and E in several studies. Avoid polyunsaturated oils, which
use up vitamin E. Cod liver oil is a must; in some cases, high doses of water-soluble vitamin B (pantothenic acid) have
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been helpful. Bone broths and lacto-fermented foods help fight infection in the gut and will reduce the manifestations
of that infection on the skin.

BOILS: Apply Ichthammol Ointment 20%, available from pharmacies. The active ingredient is ammonium bituminosul-
fonate, a product obtained through dry distillation of sulfur-rich oil shale. The ointment works by thinning the skin and
has the advantage of being mildly antiseptic.

BITES: Take cod liver oil and vitamin C plus herbs to support adrenal function, such as licorice and nettle, and dandelion
root and milk thistle to support liver function. topically apply papya fruit or raw liver.
BURNS: Apply cod liver oil to the burned area. This works well on first and second degree burns, often overnight, in
miraculous fashion. Cod liver oil will also reduce the tendency to scar. For severe burns, use B & W Ointment, an Amish
formulation containing honey, lanolin and various healing herbs, available at betterthangreens.com.

FALL 2010 Wise Traditions 49