Update

From the moment I walked into her office, I felt comforted, peaceful, and hopeful. The naturopathic doctor I saw was both kind and confident she could help. She said she had cystic acne at one time, and now she has nary a scar. (If anyone wants her name, just email me. She can help with many other issues besides acne.)

I didn't explain to her all I went through on the anti-candida diet, and when I mentioned it, she pointed out that the doctor who started the whole thing was named Crook. Obviously, she doesn't believe in it. The reason she thought that many people seemed to have success with it, especially at first like I did, was that it was similar to the blood type diet for Os which is what I and most other people are. She thinks that body's hormones are off balance and that the blood type diet will help to balance them out.

Honestly, I don't know what caused me to breakout so badly. I don't know if it was food I was eating, food I wasn't eating, taking probiotics, candida die-off, hormonal imbalance, or what. It's really frustrating to me that I don't know. I just don't.

The anti-candida diet seemed to get more and more restrictive the more research I did. The blood type diet is quite different. There are many good foods to eat, and it's not too big a deal if I mess up. The naturopathic doctor said I only have to do it 80%.  So, I am enjoying the new selection of food. I am feeling stronger and more energetic.

Other issues I had with the anti-candida diet are improving. For one, the glands in my neck are much less swollen. The one under my right ear has hardly been swollen at all the past few days, and I am looking forward to calling it normal in the next few. My face seems to be producing some of its own oil again. It was extremely dry. It also does not get so hot and itchy and painful at night as it was getting. I was waking up in the middle of the night because of it, but I'm not anymore.

The big issue, my terrible acne break-out, has not shown huge improvement. So bummed! It has shown just little improvements like it was at the end of the candida diet. I try not to analyze it too many times a day. Ideally, I wouldn't even analyze it daily. I know week to week I am making improvements. I just want so badly for a drastic improvement.

While I'm waiting for the diet's benefits to kick in, the naturopath gave me a skin regimen given to her by an old lady whose niece had seen a fancy dermatologist. The ND said it worked for her and that I might see improvement in 2-3 days (I'm dissappointed in how small the improvements have been if any). I wash my face with castile soap, cover my face in evaporated milk and let it dry, then I clean off the milk with Everclear. I have a big bottle of Everclear sitting in my bathroom. You should chuckle a little.

That's all the facts, but God's been teaching me and I've been feeling a lot. First, God has shown me I had pride as a motivator for many of my actions. My first feeling is I regret even starting this whole thing. I would give anything to have my face look like it did when I started. I am glad I learned what an impact diet has on acne, but I wish I would have stopped with cutting back on sugar. I feel embarrassed that my vanity brought all of this about. Its terribly ironic that many people didn't even know I had acne before I tried to fix it.

That is the next problem. I tried to fix it by doing my own research rather than asking for help. If I'd have looked for a naturopathic doctor before trying anything on my own, this would be so much better. Now, even if the new diet and regimen doesn't work, it is comforting to have a professional to call. Pride, pride, pride.

God is breaking me of my pride though. It's humbling to explain I don't know what happened. Prideful people hate to say we don't know. It's humbling to look like this. I'd rather have people admiring my skin than cringing at it. But, it's been good to be reassured by many people of my outer and inner beauty despite the monster living on my face. I am still experiencing anxiety when I have to see people, but I would say it's improving. It's humbling to say that I don't know if what I'm doing now will work. It's humbling to say that my vanity started it all.

God is also showing me that He works all things together for good. If I hadn't had terrible acne on my face, I wouldn't have gotten help from the naturopath. If I had still been in school while trying to figure this out, it would have been awful! Most of all, God is not letting this horrible experience by without using it to draw me closer to Him.

It's been humbling to have your help, too. I feel bad asking, but I am so thankful for your response.

Thanks for the love, encouragement, and prayers,

Jordon