I always knew that the
once-monthly spots that overtook my chin were the result of not-so-stable
hormones. However, when my dermatologist took one look at the sudden outcrop of
angry zits on my nose and asked me to get my blood pressure checked, it
introduced me to a whole new (actually old) science of face mapping, which
is pretty much the key to unlocking the mysteries behind problem skin.
Face mapping, which is
fast taking centre stage at most clinics nowadays, combines Ayurveda and
ancient Chinese medicine with cutting edge dermatologists’ prescriptions
to explain how certain parts of your face are connected to other areas of your
body. Put simply, think of your face as a map and blemishes as X’s on that
landscape. Spots in different zones correspond to different problems. So,
with this “map” as your guide, you can address the underlying causes of
blemishes and not only make the unsightly zits vanish but also treat the
underlying health problem in time.
Pretty awesome, right?
Try it out: Here is how to decode breakouts in the basic areas.
1 & 2: Digestive
System — Eat less
processed or junk food, reduce the amount of fat in your diet, step
up water intake and opt for cooling things like cucumbers.
3: Liver — Cut out the alcohol, greasy foods and
dairy. This is the zone where food allergies also show up first, so take a look
at your ingredients. Besides all this, do 30 minutes of light exercise every
day and get adequate sleep so your liver can rest.
4 & 5: Kidneys — Anything around the eyes (including dark circles) points
to dehydration. Drink up!
6: Heart —
Check your blood pressure (mine was slightly high) and Vitamin B levels. Decrease
the intake of spicy or pungent food, cut down on meat and get more fresh
air. Besides this, look into ways to lower cholesterol, like replacing
“bad fats” with “good fats” such as Omegas 3 and 6 found in nuts, avocados,
fish and flax seed. Also, since this area is chock-full of dilated pores,
check that your makeup is not past its expiry date or is skin-clogging.
7 & 8: Kidneys — Again, drink up! And cut down on aerated
drinks, coffee and alcohol as these will cause further dehydration.
Zone 9 & 10: Respiratory system — Do you smoke? Have allergies? This is
your problem area for both. If neither of these is the issue, don’t let your
body overheat, eat more cooling foods, cut down on sugar and get more fresh
air. Also keep the body more alkaline by avoiding foods that make the body
acidic (meat, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, sugar) and adding more alkalizing foods
like green veggies and wheatgrass juice. Another thing that most of forget
– dirty cell phones and pillow cases are two of the top acne culprits and this
area is what they affect the most!
Zone 11 & 12: Hormones — This is the signature zone for stress and hormonal
changes. And while both are sometimes unavoidable, you can decrease their
effect by getting adequate sleep, drinking enough water, eating leafy
veggies and keeping your skin scrupulously clean. Another interesting
point: breakouts in this area indicate when you are ovulating (and on
which side).
Zone 13: Stomach — Step up the fibre intake, reduce the toxin overload and
drink herbal teas to help with digestion.
14: Illness — Zits here can be a sign that your body
is fighting bacteria to avoid illness. Give it a break, take a yoga class, take
a nap, take time to breathe deeply, drink plenty of water and know that
everything always works out!
So the next time you
break out or notice dark under-eye circles, look to your face map: your skin is
probably trying to communicate on behalf of the internal organs. However, do
remember that, as with all medical issues, it is always best to see your
doctor or dermatologist for a proper prognosis. This is just a general guide to
head you off in the right investigative direction – just because you break
out between the brows doesn’t always mean you have a bad liver!
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