Rubbing and rubbing, scrubbing and scrubbing… I really tried hard. I put loads of pimple vanishing creams, layers and layers of Fullers earth packs, lemon, honey, egg whites… I think I tried it all. But the stubborn pimples stood out, right in the centre of my cheeks, announcing loud and clear – “Hey everyone, here I am… See how I can make her look ugly!!”

I have hated pimples since ever! and I was going to miss the most awaited party of the year because of it! I have tried everything to eradicate them… most of it does not help, and just in case it does, the effect is short lived. Really upset, I took to the internet trying to understand what could I be doing so wrong?

And to my surprise, I found out that one of the most vicious of culprits is oily foods! There was a tremble at the thought of letting my favourite potato fries go, my banana chips, and of course my okra fries which formed almost my daily staple. Let me share with you what I found out!

Regular Vegetable Cooking Oils and How They Poison Us:

Unrefined vegetable cooking oils tend to become rancid and sour at room temperature. The story of `refined’ oils is not all that fine. Lot many refined oils are obtained with the help of toxic solvents like hexane; and then the solvents are removed and the oils are heated to a very high temperature to remove any odours or toxic residue. They also go through a level of bleaching! Imagine we gulp down such oils with all the deep fried stuff we love to eat.

From the moment a deep fried food touches your lip, it starts causing you harm. Vegetable oils create an imbalance in the hormonal system of the body, causing acne, and horrible ones at that!

You would do your body and your skin a great favour if you stopped consuming these unhealthy oils, but doesn’t it seem impossible to live completely without your favourite comfort foods?

Olive Oil – The Saviour from the “Oil World”

To my surprise, I read that olive oil can do great for the skin, whether applied or consumed! It is crucial that good quality, extra virgin olive oil be used to obtain maximum benefits.

Olive oils contain Monounsaturated Fatty Acids or MUFA, which are considered as healthy fats for the body. If you replace the saturated and trans fats with MUFA, and its friend PUFA (Polyunsaturated fats) in your diet, you are on a healthy road to the future.

Olive oil also has an antioxidant called “polyphenol” that keeps the skin moist, aiding in drying up and healing of acne faster. The best part, polyphenol heals the pimples in a way that they do not leave those ugly scars behind.

Apart from all these benefits, olive oil has antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties. In simple words, it kills bacteria on the skin and prevents the existing pimples from developing into an infection. Now who wouldn’t want that?!

For myself, I have decided that I’m going to make a dietary change and switch over to using olive oil for two reasons: health and secondly, I do not want to miss anymore of my outings. What about you?

References:
http://how2gethealthy.com/causes-of-acne/vegetable-oils-cause-acne
http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/8442/1/How-to-Clear-Your-Acne-Fast.html
http://www.newhealthguide.org/Olive-Oil-For-Acne.html
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/food-and-nutrition/faq-20058439