A clear, clean and beautiful complexion is a rare sight today. The reason could be the pollution in the air, the ever increasing consumption of aerated drinks, packed juices and rich creamy coffees instead of cool, clean water and last but not the least is that young people as well as adults indulge almost daily in foods rich in fat such as snacks, pastries, chocolates and fast food. There are many who believe that food and pimples or acne have no connection but we believe that you are what you eat and your skin reflects how much fat is consumed in your daily diet.

In some cases medicines and external applications may be necessary to treat acne. I however believe that to a very large extent it can be checked and controlled by your diet. The facial skin is a mirror or reflection of what you eat. In other words YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.I have personally seen variation in my skin connected to my diet. My body seems very sensitive to cream in milk and chocolates. I now avoid them as far as possible. I believe that no matter how wonderful your figure is, if you have a pimply complexion, everything is cancelled.

So let’s get to work, clean up your menu- cut down drastically on oily food-Mums and Maids, we need your help. Please reduce oil in cooking. Everyone has to eat sabji or palya everyday so please make sure they are not floating in oil. Reduce coconut in cooking and avoid coconut chutney as far as possible (prepare roasted channa and greens chutney). Avoid red meats, choose chicken or fish and avoid their gravy. Choose phulkas (dry chappathi) and plain rice, avoid poori, paratha, pulao and seasoned rices.

Finally milk must be thoroughly skimmed of cream or malai. Besides this deep fried snacks, nuts, chocolates, ice cream, rich cookies, cakes, desserts and mittai have to be restricted as much as possible. The secret is to completely avoid these for 2-3 months, till your skin heals and clears up. There after you may eat these foods once or twice in a week. If you go back to eating them daily the pimples will surely come back too. A 15 year old gorgeous girl came to me recently, her figure was perfect, and her nature adorable but her face was covered with pimples. “We eat lunch in a café everyday-its coffee and cake, crossants or pies”. “Its crazy”, I exclaimed “-that’s not a meal!” But this is the trend today. Bad news young ladies before Prince charming appears we better do some serious cleaning.

Café’s and treats are O.K. once or twice a week but not everyday. If you have to eat out daily find a place that will give you roti, dhal and salad or idli and sambar, curd rice and sabji or start carrying food from home. Besides all the don’ts here are some do’s. You have to fit in a walk of 20-30 minutes into your daily schedule. Bad skin can be a result of sitting at a desk in a closed office or in a college and at your computer all day.

This gives you a very poor circulation so whether thin or fat you have to WALK. Everybody has to drink 8-10 glasses of water everyday. You are sitting and sitting, you hardly sweat and never feel thirsty and as a result young people drink only 2-3 glasses of water per day. This is criminal to you body. Its dehydrated, drooping and deadly toxins are piling up inside daily. Bathe your system with plenty of water from inside-keep it fresh and clean and your skin will glow. 2 glasses of warm water first thing in the morning is a tonic for good skin.

Finally 2 fresh fruits like an apple and orange and 2 - 3 servings of vegetable- a cooked sabji for lunch and a huge bowl of fresh salad for lunch and dinner are a must in your daily menu. Look after your body and may your face reflect the glory of your creator God.