Dietary Changes

Dietary changes are necessary to get some of the metabolic wastes out of your system and cleanse your tissues. Some of these factors cause damage to your skin.

• Begin a detoxification program to clean your tissues and organs.  See our Detoxification section for more information.
• Improve your diet to include fruits and vegetables, especially in raw form. Drink 8 eight ounce glasses of water daily.
• Avoid sweets, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, and junk foods. 
• Avoid rancid oils. Refrigerate all oils after opening; store nuts and seeds in the freezer or refrigerator; store grains in a cool place; avoid all fried foods as the hot cooking oils contain substances that damage the skin.

FOLK REMEDIES

ALOE VERA - Rub fresh aloe vera juice or gel on the spots.  It will help fade them.   Use the gel twice a day for a month or two.   Juice from the aloe plant is excellent for healing burns and is also beneficial as a general healing agent.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR - Combine two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with one teaspoon of orange juice and apply to the spots, preferably on a cloth or cotton pad that is secured to the area.

BILBERRY - This herb slows some of the aging processes and acts as an antioxidant. Take 4-8 oz. of fresh berries or 80-160 mg of bilberry extract. 

BUTTERMILK - Dab buttermilk on the spots. The lactic acid and other ingredients in the milk are beneficial to the skin.  Buttermilk has been used for generations as a skin cleanser and as a beauty aid.

CASTOR OIL - Apply castor oil on the spots in the morning and in the evening, and rub well into the skin.  The spots should disappear within a month.

CHICK PEAS - Take fresh or canned chick peas (garbanzo beans), mash about 1/3 cupful and add a little water.  Smear this paste on the spots and leave it there until it dries.  Then wash off completely.  Do this every evening.

DANDELION - Break open a dandelion stem and rub the sap on the spots two or three times a day.  This is good for warts, also.  

GOTU KOLA - Try using the Chinese herb gotu kola.  Mix 1/8 teaspoon of powdered herb into a cup of herbal tea or add it to plain hot water along with 1/8 teaspoon of ginseng and a pinch of cayenne. This remedy should clear the spots in a few days.

LEMON JUICE - Dab some fresh lemon juice on the spots twice daily.  If you are going outdoors, wait for the juice to dry as it increases the skin's sensitivity to sunlight.  It may take a few months, but the acidity in the juice will cause the spots to fade away.

ONION - Grate an onion and squeeze it through cheesecloth so that you have 1 teaspoonful of juice.  Mix with 2 teaspoons of vinegar and rub this mixture into the spots.   Do this two times a day until the spots disappear.

Or you can cut a fresh onion, dip it in apple cider vinegar and rub across the spots.   This will fade the spots in a few weeks.

BLACK WALNUTS - Take some green (not fully ripe) black walnuts and make a few incisions in the outer shell, letting the juice squeeze through.  Rub this juice on the spots.   There may be a slight stinging sensation or the area may turn brown, but this is only temporary.  This is a very effective remedy, however if irritation continues, do not use this method.

SUPPLEMENTS

BETA-CAROTENE - Antioxidant that slows the aging process.

BIOFLAVONOIDS - Working with Vitamin C, bioflavonoids assist in tissue repair.

POTASSIUM - A deficiency in potassium may be one of the causes of liver spots.  Eat potassium-rich foods, like bananas, or take a supplement.

SELENIUM - In many areas of the country the selenium content of the soils has been depleted so that we don't get enough in our regular diet.  A supplement for a few months could replenish your system.

VITAMIN C - An antioxidant, Vitamin C helps tissue repair.

VITAMIN E - Take one Vitamin E capsule (400 I.U.) daily; at night puncture another capsule and rub the oil on the spots and leave it on overnight. You may use castor oil at night instead. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that slows aging and aids in tissue repair.

ZINC - Another mineral supplement to take is zinc. Take 15 mg a day for one to two months. Don't take more than 15 mg without a doctor's supervision, as it may hinder the body's absorption of other minerals, especially copper.