My dermatologist prescribed Clindamycin, a topical antiobiotic, to treat stubborn acne on my face, back and neck. While it did clear up the blemishes, I wasn’t happy with a) the high price (do health insurers cover anything anymore?) and b) smearing powerful antibiotics on my skin. Being a natural health writer, I decided to look for a more natural approach. So, you can imagine my surprise when I quickly came across a study in the International Journal of Dermatology that found acne-prone patients who used a topical gel made with niacinamide—vitamin B3—had 14% fewer pimples after eight weeks than those using Clindamycin. I immediately switched and found that the niacinamide gel did, indeed, work better, faster and for a fraction of the cost without any harsh chemicals. I get my niacinamide gel at lifelinknet.com (which they call Metazene) for $19.95 per 2-ounce bottle. Order it online or by calling 888-433-5266. I don’t receive any money or products for endorsing Metazene—just the smug satisfaction of knowing that, perhaps, a few less people will persuaded by their dermatologists to first try expensive antiobiotics when a perfectly good natural alternative may work even more effectively.
[photo: Luke Wisley]
Every day, I take
at least 15 mg. of lycopene (the compound that gives tomatoes their
bright red
color), 
I slump-proof
my day by popping 100 mg. of
coenzyme Q10
three times daily, which is a
natural vitamin-like substance that
I've cut the number of my monthly migraines by
half and reduced their intensity by taking 100 mg. of coenzyme Q10
three times daily, 
Sambucol
is an all-natural sweet syrup made from
elderberries, which are rich in antiviral compounds. It's been proven to
I take 4
acidophilus pearls containing 1
billion CFU each daily. FYI: Pearls deliver more live good bacteria than powders or pills.
Also, you need several billion CFU of good bacteria to make a dent in the
trillions of bacteria in your digestive tract, so don't bother with
acidophilus supplements that offer only several million CFU per dose.
My blood sugar crashes pretty quickly, making me noshy between meals. To the rescue:
chromium picolinate. Just 200 mcg. of this insulin-regulating mineral
with food keeps my blood sugar steady till the next mealtime. 
ortless to collect emails
from folks who sign up, send out e-newsletters and track open and
click-through rates thanks to an intuitive interface that gets you up and running in minutes. Choose their free service or pick the (happily) low-cost
choice for more
mailing options. I started out with the free service, soon upgraded and have never looked back.
best, easiest, smoothest, most user-friendly blogging
program, but I didn't believe the hype. I tried other ones first. And guess what? Everyone
was right.
Thesis makes a
web
hosting, email and domain registration
for years. What I love most: You can host dozens of websites for just $5 each
per month, so you can earn extra money by "sub leasing" your domains.
Plus, the support is fast and helpful. Tip: Installing a
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t have acne but my sister did. It was compounded by her beautiful long wavy hair (hair oil, heat and the lack of air) This was back in high school.
She had very good luck taking brewer’s yeast. It comes in tablet form and is generally inexpensive. Hope this helps someone.
Thanks for the great suggestion, Bea. Coincidentally, that, too, is high in B vitamins.