The Clear Skin Diet

March 19, 2018
Twin sisters Nina and Randa Nelson were successful young entertainers when they simultaneously suffered severe bouts of cystic acne and saw their careers come to a grinding halt; in this inspiring guide, they share straightforward steps that worked for them and may help other youths achieve clear skin. The authors found their solution in the health advice of John McDougall, a physician and nutritionist whose vegan diet book their mother credited with her recovery from a debilitating autoimmune disease. Based on their consultation of his work, the Nelsons believe that when hormones are raging during adolescence, oily foods can “wreak havoc” (their complexion problem surfaced after they binged on peanut butter). Already vegan, the Nelsons found McDougall’s low-fat, starch-based diet preferable to using their prescribed medication. The titular diet has six “pillars”: no animal products; an emphasis on unrefined starches; unprocessed whole foods; avoiding high-fat meals; avoiding oily foods; and eating simply. The book offers a section of healthful recipes, as well as case studies of teens who have followed the sisters’ protocol. Parents and kids facing this demoralizing problem will enjoy the Nelsons’ encouraging tone and feel strengthened by their easy-to-follow, food-as-medicine solution.