The Rosacea Cure: A Natural Approach



This information is for those who suffer from rosacea and doctors searching for a cure. In a sense, this is the magic bullet that people have been searching for, although not in the form of a single pill, ointment, or skin machine. This cure is based on removing the cause and not the symptom. As long as people fail to treat the cause, the symptoms will continue to exist. According to East Indian Ayurvedic medicine and Chinese medicine, rosacea is caused by accumulated heat and toxins inside the body.

When there is excess heat and toxins, the skin becomes a route for eliminating these two items resulting in skin disorder. The primary causes for heat and toxins are inappropriate diet, stress, and negative emotions. These factors congest the liver and gallbladder disrupting their normal functioning. Heat and toxins overflow from these organs into the blood, which rises to the face affecting the skin. Why some get rosacea and others do not with the same factors, is due to individual metabolism.

The cure according to eastern medicine is to remove heat and toxins inside the body at the root or source. According to Ayurveda, the seat of heat is the small intestine, liver and gallbladder. The cure is outlined in the procedures below. In effect, this process is like pulling a weed out by the root. The weed will not grow back unless you plant a new seed in the form of inappropriate diet, stress, and negative emotions. For those with no background in eastern medicine, these ideas and procedures may seem foreign, unusual, and perhaps illogical. However, there will come a time when this process is recognized as the cure for rosacea in addition to other health issues.

As many rosacea suffers know, oral Antibiotics and topical ointments produce little or no results and essentially suppress the body's natural mechanism for eliminating heat and toxins through the skin. This could eventually result in a more serious health disorder in the body. An analogy is like putting a lid on a pot of boiling water and not letting the steam to escape.

The procedures have been informally tested and produce a cure. It is up to others to formally document the validity of this information. I speak from personal experience with rosacea and much personal research. I am a private person and choose to remain anonymous. I am not connected monetarily with any of the authors, products, or services referenced. I am not making any money from this information, although I may someday write a book about this healing process. My satisfaction comes from knowing this information will help people. Feel free to ask any questions. My complete experience and discussion with others can be found at The Rosacea Cure Discussion Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheRosaceaCure


Primary Treatment Procedures

The two primary treatment procedures for curing rosacea are Ayurvedic Cleansing and Liver Cleansing. You can choose one of the two or both. Do not do both cleanses at the same time. The Ayurvedic cleanse lasts 8 days and is spaced 2 weeks apart. The liver cleanse takes 6 days of preparation, 1 day of cleansing and is spaced 3 weeks apart. The liver cleanse may be seen as more powerful and thorough. How many cleanses are required for a cure will depend on the amount of heat and toxins inside your body. A general estimate would be to allow 2 to 3 months for a complete cure.

Once you are cured through internal cleansing, a health supporting diet according to your Ayurvedic body type will maintain the cure. Do not expect the cure to last if you plan to return to a modern diet high in animal meat, homogenized pasteurized dairy products, fried foods, saturated fat, refined White Sugar , and refined white flour. The added benefit of this healing process is that besides curing rosacea, you will also be building the foundation for longevity and the prevention of disease

Ayurvedic Cleansing

The primary way to remove heat from the small intestine is through what ayurveda calls panchakarma cleansing. Pancha means five, karma means action. It is in reference to the five cleansing actions. In this case, it is the action of purgaton. Heat and toxins are first dislodged with oil massage from the deep tissues, then they are moved to the small intestine by the application of steam heat, then they are removed or purged from the small intestine with the ingestion of purgative herbs or castor oil.

Normally, panchakarma is administered by a trained clinician in a clinic. An abbreviated and economical home treatment can be done by oneself which is sufficient for rosacea. The instructions are in The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies by Dr. Vasant Lad. On the last day of treatment, use castor oil instead of triphala for a thorough purgation. Standard dosage is 3 teaspoons of castor oil followed by 2 ounces of warm soy milk mixed with 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder taken before sleep. The ginger powder is important to prevent cramping. Once cured, do panchakarma cleansing once every spring and fall for maintenance.

Liver Cleansing

The most powerful and specific method to cleanse the liver and gallbladder is found in the book The Amazing Liver Cleanse by Andreas Moritz . Compared to other liver cleanses, his is by far the most sound and has been tested by thousands of people proving it to be safe. It is similar to purgation of panachkarma, but more thorough in completely removing stones from the liver and gallbladder through a series of cleanses. An article describing this cleanse can found at his website below.

Andreas Moritz Website http://www.ener-chi.com/liver.htm


Supporting Treatment Procedures

Blood Cleansing

To assist the procedures above, cleansing the blood of heat and toxins is accomplished with herbs like burdock root and dandelion root. Some formulas are Blood Cleanse tablets by BanyanBotanicls.com and Yellow Dock Skin Cleanse tablets by PlanetaryFormulas.com A general dosage is 3 tablets 3 times per day with some warm water.

Diet

During the healing process you will need to focus on eating a Pitta (Fire) reducing diet. A complete Food Guidelines chart is in Ayurvedic Cooking by Dr. Vasant Lad or found free at Ayurveda.com Choose foods from the Favor list and avoid foods from the Avoid list. You will particularly need to avoid the following food items. Animal Meat, Alcohol, Vinegar, White Sugar , Chili Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper, Onions, Garlic, Soy Sauce, Ginger, Radish, Citrus, Tomato, most Spices, Salt, Eggs, Artificial Ingredients, Ashwagandha, Ginseng. You will also need to avoid the following congesting foods: Dairy Products, Oily Fried Foods, Chocolate, Nuts, Seeds, White Flour, Margarine. Also Caffeine, Coffee, Tobacco and Chlorine are to be avoided and are not part of a health promoting diet.

Once you cure the rosacea with the above cleansing procedures, you will then need to eat a diet according to your Ayurvedic body type to prevent the rosacea from coming back. Proper digestion, assimilation, and elimination is key in preventing undigested food from accumulating in the body and becoming toxic. Diet centers around cooked grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruit, with proper spices and herbs. The diet is very nourishing, balanced, satisfying, and not bland. Also it does not leave one feeling hungry or produce food cravings. If you are habituated to eating a bad diet, then it may take some re-adjustment.

The diet details are found in Ayurvedic Healing by Dr. David Frawley, Perfect Health by Dr. Deepak Chopra, Ayurvedic Cooking by Dr. Vasant Lad and Heavens Banquet by Miriam Kasin Hospodar. You can determine your specific body type through the question and answer lists in the above books. For some people, consulting with a practitoner of ayurveda may be required to precisely determine your body type.

When done cleansing, take 1 to 2 Acidophilus capsules for a few months to restore healthy flora in the colon. Also in relation to food are Aloe Vera and Coconut. Both these items have a cooling soothing nature and can provide some minor temporary relief from heat. Aloe vera juice or gel can be consumed internally, and the gel applied to the skin. Note the taste tends to be bitter. Coconut juice is consumed internally and the oil applied to the skin. Remember, organic food is always best.

In cultures that eat little or no animal meat, they make sure to include warming spices and energy herbs in the diet. Animal meat has a warming energy and the life energy of the animal. Vegetarian food generally has a energy that is cool or neutral and energy not as high as animal meat. To compensate for this, warming spices like Ginger, Turmeric, Cinnamon, and Cardamom are added to the diet. For specific warming spices according to your body type, see the chart in Ayurvedic Cooking by Dr. Vasant Lad.

In terms of energy herbs, two primary ones are Ashwagandha (East Indian Gingseng) and Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero.) The easiest way to consume Ashwagandha or Siberian Ginseng is in capsule, tablet, or tincture form. The tincture is considered more potent and easy to assimilate. A general adult dosage for either herb in tincture form is 1 to 2 teaspoons twice daily diluted in 5 teaspoons water with meals. Both available from VitalityWorks.com You can remove the alcohol in the tincture by adding boiling water and let cool. Chinese or Korean Ginseng is classified as having a very hot energy and is not recommended for people under age 50.

People who do not include these items in their vegetarian diet, will tend to develop over time what Chinese medicine classifies as a cold, damp, and deficient bodily constitution. This is indicated through pulse diagnosis and tongue analysis. One experiences low energy and feeling cold particularly during cold weather. In other words, a loss of health and balance. One should have a yearly check up by a practitioner of Ayurvedic or Chinese medicine to monitor your state of balance.

Liver Regeneration

Liver regeneration is helped by Milk Thistle Seeds. Regular consumption is also considered to protect the liver from environmental toxins. Available in capsules, tablets, and tincture. The tincture is considered the more potent and easy to assimilate. A general adult dosage is 1 teaspoon once or twice daily in 5 teaspoons water with meals. Available from VitalityWorks.com You can remove the alcohol in the tincture by adding boiling water and let cool. See book Milk Thistle by Jill Rosemary Davies. You can also lightly toast the seeds, then grind the seeds into a fine meal with a food grinder. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon on food twice each day. Bulk seeds available from PacificBotanicals.com

Chinese Medicine

Treatment from Traditional Chinese Medicine in the form of herbs, accupunture, and cupping, can be beneficial, however, the above cleansing procedures and diet modification will bring a lasting cure. Although not required, there is a special de-congesting massage for the internal organs called Chi Nei Tsang. See ChiNeiTsang.com and book Chi Nei Tsang: Internal Organs Massage by Mantak Chia. Also there are special healing sounds for each internal organ outlined in the book Transform Stress into Vitality by Mantak Chia. All these measures will speed up the healing process.

Stress Reduction

Orient your life-style to reduce stress. Relaxation, meditation, massage, yoga, walking, positive emotions, harmonious career, and relationship are all important factors in reducing stress and preventing health imbalance.


Reference Books

Ayurveda and Panchakarma - Dr. Sunil V. Joshi

Yoga and Ayurveda - Dr. David Frawley

The Yoga of Herbs - Dr. David Frawley

Live In the Balance: East West Nutrition - Linda Prout

Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine - Harriet Beinfield

Panchakarma and Ayurvedic Massage - Dr. Avinash Lele (available from VadikHerbs.com)


Resources

The Ayurvedic Institute http://www.ayurveda.com

The Raj http://www.theraj.com

The Chopra Center http://www.chopra.com

California College of Ayurveda http://www.ayurvedacollege.com

The Rosacea Cure Discussion Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheRosaceaCure


Disclaimer

This information is for educational purposes only. Consult with a professional health practitoner experienced with these healing modalities when seeking diagnosis, treatment, have a specific health condition, or are using prescription drugs. The author is not legally liable for your use of any of the information discussed.