"After the main food intolerence (gluten) has been eliminated, then the minor food allergies can show up. For me, Acne is the way my body tells me to avoid certain foods."

"Folks with digestive issues often have bodies that have not been able to cleanse normally due to digestive imbalances/possibly constipation issues/etc. for a long time before going gluten-free. Once they remove the gluten and give their bodies a chance to heal and return to normal function, "carrying out the trash" through any available exit including the skin may be a predictable reaction. Over time, sometimes a weeks or months, this reaction may taper off."

"I have recently found out a lot about B5 or Pantothentic Acid and its effectiveness on acne."

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"Gluten - Acne Connection

So how does gluten contribute to acne?

First let me say Acne is a result of blood Sugar problems and chronic inflammation. These trigger hormonal reactions that lead to increased sebum production, blocked pores and overgrowth of acne-causing bacteria.

Gluten contributes to acne in two ways. First, it causes damage to the small intestine, which could lead to nutritional deficiencies and an increased toxic body load (through leaky gut syndrome).

The second link between gluten and acne is inflammation. People with gluten sensitivity cannot digest gluten effectively. As a result they absorb incompletely digested protein molecules. The immune system treats these as invaders. As it attacks these 'invaders' the white cells release histamine, which increases inflammation. Inflammation increases insulin resistance in the nearby cells.

Insulin resistance leads to blood Sugar problems, which is linked to acne.

As this happens once in a while, the body can deal with it. But most people are exposed to gluten 3 or more times a day. This, coupled with other inflammatory agents, spreads inflammation all over the body. Suddenly cells all over the body start becoming insulin resistant.

Most people are not aware of their gluten sensitivity. Even fewer are aware of its link to acne and other skin problems. Second, gluten lurks in many foods and it's very easy to get exposed to it -- even if you try to avoid it.

With most food allergies , it's reasonably easy to avoid exposure. Usually you just have to read the labels carefully.

Not so with gluten. Thanks to modern food processing you can find gluten in most processed foods.

Avoid the obvious, such as breads, pastas and pastries, and you've cut out the biggest sources. But did you know there can be gluten also in cheese, butter and teriyaki sauce? Many processed foods contain vegetable starches and other additives that may contain gluten.

So gluten could be lurking in close to 90% of the items in your local supermarket.

Outside of grains, most food products contain only small amounts of gluten, but for people with severe sensitivities even these can make it difficult to cure acne.

As a rule, don't assume anything. If the food is not raw and fresh fruit or vegetables or does not clearly state gluten-free (wheat-free is not enough), it may contain gluten.

And if that's not bad enough, it's not just the food items that contain gluten. Your toothpaste may contain gluten. Same with your shampoo. And what about that new lipstick you (or your girlfriend) have. That also may contain gluten. Finally even the capsules of your nutritional supplements may contain gluten.

Research has shown two interesting facts. First, people with celiac disease have DIFFERENT bacterial gut microflora than healthy people. Second, supplementing with probiotic bacteria may reduce the damage gluten causes and accelerate healing.

Researchers at the Department of Science and Technology, University of Verona in Italy studied the differences in the composition of bowel microflora between celiacs and healthy people. The researchers concluded the following:

"The diversity of the faecal microbiota was significantly higher in coeliac children than in healthy controls. The presence of the species Lactobacillus curvatus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Leuconostoc carnosum was characteristic of coeliac patients, while that of the Lactobacillus casei group was characteristic of healthy controls. The Bifidobacterium population showed a significantly higher species diversity in healthy children than in coeliacs. In healthy children, this population was characterized by the presence of Bifidobacterium adolescentis. Overall, the results highlighted the need for further characterization of the microbiota in coeliac patients, and suggested a potential role of probiotics and/or prebiotics in restoring their gut microbial balance."

The composition of the bowel microflora may hold the key to celiac disease and gluten sensitivities. Probiotic bacteria have been shown to digest gluten into peptides, and thus make it harmless.

Researchers in Finland studied the effect of probiotic bacteria on cultures of epithelial cells (cells that line the intestine) to find out their effect on gluten-induced cellular damage. The researchers found that probiotic bacteria called Bifidobacterium lactis countered the harmful effects of gluten, and that it may be a helpful addition to a gluten-free diet.

A diet full of processed food, Sugar and animal products cultivates unhealthy bacteria.

Reducing inflammation is the second part in coping with gluten sensitivity and curing acne.

The same diet that cultivates healthy bacteria in the gut also helps to reduce inflammation.

Fighting inflammation is not just about diet. Proper sleep, maintaining a positive attitude (or at least avoiding stress) and steering clear of chemicals and pollutants are equally important. Regular exposure to sunlight also has an anti-inflammatory effect.

http://www.naturalnews.com/024956_gluten_acne_health.html