New here!

[Ferdinand]

Well, okay, technically I've been reading the waisays boards for...like 7 years now...and have many times come close to posting...but always chickened out. And in fact, way back when I first really read the boards (back when they were a peachish color ) I wrote to wai about the osteoporosis and milk connection... which now, that I think about it, may very well been the male half of the ying yang... RRM! But for many years I've followed these boards and have learned A LOT.

I originally wrote out this big old long story about my experience with the evil four letter word that begins with an A and ends with a scar, and how I found this site, etc....but then I thought it was way to long. So I once again chickened out

Anyway, long story short, I've tried this diet in the past (I say tried because now that I really think back, I very well may have unknowingly been breaking rules) and had moderate improvement to my skin. About a month ago, I decided that I really wanted to try it again, to the T, thinking that maybe, just maybe, there was something I was overlooking. And, the good news is that it seems as if I may have finally found the "right combination" to get this diet to work for me... my skin certainly isn't "perfect" yet, or completely clear...but it is much better. So, in a effort to refine my habits to get the most results out of the diet as possible, and possibly offer another "case study" for those who might now, or in the future, have the same "issues," I thought it would be useful to document my experience.

At the moment I have to get to bed (have to get up early tomorrow), and may be out of town for a few days, but as soon as I get a chance, I will post back with more details about my "current" diet broken down, and statists on my height and weight and all that. But in the meantime I thought I would introduce myself, and also say thank you for the people that did all this! It's very refreshing to know that not everything has to be done just to make money, and every once and awhile, people really can just do things to help others! I really like how the diet and reasoning uses a lot of just simple common sense...in fact, I think when you take away the motive of money (or incentive for food companies/manufacturers, etc to make a profit--even at the expense of the peoples health) or fame and/or status (or fear of going against the "established" truths, or what the "peer consensus" currently is), you can think more sensibly and come to logical conclusions about things. And I think that alone makes this diet unique, and very thought stimulating!

Anyway, I'll shut up for now!

Ferdinand (or Anthony)

[Oscar]

(Finally) welcome!

Looking forward to reading more, and hopefully you can get rid of everything this time.

[RRM]

A very inspiring post!
Thank you for finally posting.
This is how you can help others, indeed; just by posting.
Only when you post, we can figure out how you may improve your habits,
and when you succeed, that again may help others.

[Ferdinand]

Sorry it's taken so long to respond! I was out of town and away from the computer for much of the week. Finally I have some free time, and hopefully I wont be nearly as busy this week.

So as I said in my last post, I have tried this diet before with seeming moderate success.

Currently this is more or less of what my day to day diet is

2-3 medium sized avocados.
1 "large" salad consisting of 6-7 roma sized tomatoes and generous amounts of olive oil added.
around 80-100 grams of either fish, or beef (raw).
A handful or so of Dates
occasionally 3-6 or so Brazil nuts
whatever "random" fruit I might find for the day...an apple, bannaana, pinapple, grapes, etc.
a coulpe tablespoons or so of coconut oil

Unfortunately the juicer I used to have broke , and, economically wise, unfortunately, I'm rather tall and require quite a few calories. So, at least for now, in between/throughout the day I sip on a sugar-water-oil mixture. I mix about 1 cup sugar for every quart of distilled water with a half a cup of ovil oil. Depending on how "active" I am during a particular day I will either consume about one, or two of these "quart mixtures"

The challenge is I am often "on the go," having to film/interview people and thus need a quick, convenient source of energy. I used to eat a lot of raisins mixed with oil, but I have a hard time digesting dried fruits (gas).

I'm around 6'3" (1.9 meters) but don't think I've ever been more than 160 pounds in my life (even before ever trying the diet). Doctors at birth always said I would be very tall and lean for my height. In an ideal world I would rather have at least another 15 pounds of muscle (or heck even fat for that matter), with my current weight for the last few years staying around 150-155 pounds (68-70 kilos). I do suspect I have a bit of a heart murmur/condition that may contribute to why it is difficult for me to put on weight, but haven't been to a doctor in years (no insurance, money).

Right now, as of sunday here, my skin is "calming down" a bit from a recent out break of several very large cysts (which came at not the worlds greatest moments...man those things are embarrassing!) and several smaller type ones. One of the tricky things (and yes, I will admit, sometimes frustrating) is the amount of variables that goes into the "acne equation" so I'm not prepared to say the recent outbreak was because the diet "just doesn't work for me" but could perhaps be instigated or aggravated by other factors. For example, this past week I was quite sleep deprived, and never got a chance to "catch up", as well as being under a considerable amount of stress.

A few things I wonder are

1. weather or not I need "more" or "less" protein considering my relatively low "muscle to height" ratio. Perhaps because I have (perhaps naturally) "less" muscle to maintain, the "redundancy threshold" is lower in my case and thus I need to consume less protein?

Or, on the other hand, maybe I need to consume "more" so that I can "build up" greater muscle mass and the "redundant" protein is the result of constant breakdown.

2. If there has been any luck in finding a "liquid free amino acid" option? I would be curious to test a clean option out that would perhaps help isolating what and what doesn't trigger my acne.

One way or another, it's clear that I'm still retaining water...and yet perhaps for some it just takes much longer for things to "balance out" and it's too "early" to rule out this diet as workable for me.

Another issue I've been having for the past several months is constantly flaking skin on both my face and scalp. It seems as if every day there are areas that a peeling off. No matter how much or little oil I use! It was/is as if I stopped producing oil altogether for a while, and yet still am getting the really big, deep down, scaring type cysts. With all the shedding, I reckon I have the aged skin of a 43 year old haha

All in all, I do have to start fresh, if, for nothing else, because I ate some lettuce this week

[RRM]

The challenge is I am often "on the go,

Naturally you can take walnuts, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts, as they are cheap (need to shell them beforehand).
And of course you can easily carry a bottle of your drink / juice to combine the nuts with.

One of the tricky things (and yes, I will admit, sometimes frustrating) is the amount of variables that goes into the "acne equation"

Then leave out all nuts for a while too, to narrow it down properly.

1. weather or not I need "more" or "less" protein considering my relatively low "muscle to height" ratio. Perhaps because I have (perhaps naturally) "less" muscle to maintain, the "redundancy threshold" is lower in my case and thus I need to consume less protein?

True, in your case 100 grams may be enough.

maybe I need to consume "more" so that I can "build up" greater muscle mass

Sure, if you can afford it...

If there has been any luck in finding a "liquid free amino acid" option?

Too expensive for you.

I would be curious to test a clean option out that would perhaps help isolating what and what doesn't trigger my acne.

You can do that this way too (cheaper).
Start with eliminating all nuts.

I use! It was/is as if I stopped producing oil altogether for a while, and yet still am getting the really big, deep down, scaring type cysts.

The latter are caused by trapped sebum; not oil.

I do have to start fresh, if, for nothing else, because I ate some lettuce this week

Dont mind the lettuce.
Just the nuts.

[Ferdinand]

I recently bought something like 25 pound box of brazil nuts still in the shell online. This past week I haven't had any, but I will start "fresh" making sure for the 2 week duration I consume none (as I think I had a few a few weeks ago).

That stinks about how expensive the liquid free amino acids are I know they supposedly taste like the plague, but I'd still be curious in trying. One of the reasons I would have a few brazil nuts was to add more methinine so that perhaps, in theory, I would then need less fish or eggs and still have sufficient amino acids, while simultaneously saving some money on fish.

I had read that this site makes the distinction between sebum and oil, probably sounded like I was suggesting they were one in the same (my bad!). I suppose I just find it curious that in one regard your skin can underproduce oil, and yet over produce sebum. Can it ever be the reverse, that there isn't an overproduction of sebem, but just "oil," and the oil get trapped and causes acne? Seems like it would be a "lesser" kind of acne, like the "oil" would be "thinner" in a way and thus harder to trap.

On the whole my "back acne" and "chest acne" for sure is noticeably better then it has been in times past (I used to get huge old lesions on my back and chest). I still occasionally get one or two (not as large though), but it used to be that I would constantly have several active ones, (and blood on all of my undershirts from previous eruptions).

Thanks for such a prompt reply. I know that there is such a wealth of info on here so I sometimes feel silly to ask without searching first, but was unable to find the exact question phrased regarding sebum and oil.

I will get to work not eating any nuts for a while!

[RRM]

... while simultaneously saving some money on fish.

Fish doesnt have to be so expensive.
Tilapia filet (needs to be frozen prior to consumption) is 8 euro / kg here. Thats not expensive.
Thats 1 euro per day!!

just "oil," and the oil get trapped and causes acne?

Nah, oil doesnt get trapped.
Try to trap oil between your fingers...

(I used to get huge old lesions on my back and chest)

Me too.
They disappeared first.
Now it just a matter of fine tuning your diet so that you are totally in control.

and blood on all of my undershirts from previous eruptions

Me too. Has anybody ever 'friendly slapped you on your shoulders',
and that it felt like your back was exploding? And still trying to let them not notice?
Been there.

I will get to work not eating any nuts for a while!

Good.
You dont use a blender for fruits, do you?

[Ferdinand]

So here is what my current "fish strategy" has been. 

I live in a small town that has a pretty limited selection of fresh fish...like really limited. There is only one grocery store in the town, and it's hit and miss with what is available (they, of course, have eggs, but the last I had done eggs I noticed my heart rate would seemingly increase after I would eat them, thinking maybe there is some sort of allergy or something). For example, I noticed about a month ago some "fresh" halibut, and "dover."  I bought it, was excited about it, only to find it tasted like ammonia Previously I bought some "fresh salmon" that in an odd way sort of tasted fermented. But, thinking maybe it was just a bad batch, one day I noticed a new arrival of big salmon fillets, bought one, cut it up into roughly 100 gram sections, vacuum packed them, and freezed them, and they have been better. That's basically what I have in way of fish at the moment.

So part of the fish expense for me (if I'm to "choose" what I get outside of whatever is at the local store) is the traveling expense to the city to buy it (around 10-15 USD, 8-12 euro of gas per trip). But now knowing freezing is okay, that is actually a big help. But basically for any other fish then whatever is randomly available at the local store, I try and have it coincide for when I happen to be in the city anyway (But even that can be a challenge since often times when I'm set to return, it's after all the good places have closed).

However, I had read that you, for example, liked tilapia so I was really curious to taste it! But, alas, at least for now, they don't sell it at the store in my town.

However, relatively near by (10 miles, 16 kilometers) there is a slightly better selection (still not great…40 miles to the bigger city where there is better quality) but I did notice they were selling whole tilapias (frozen). I actually bought a few, and made a not-so-successful attempt at filleting one … but yes, it was cheaper indeed, but until I can improve my filleting skills…. I still have one in my freezer but fear it was never that fresh to begin with, so at the moment I don't feel as if I've had a "fair representation" of what good tiliapia tastes like!

All I can say is you people that have access to good, fresh, consistent, fish…cherish it!  

has anybody ever 'friendly slapped you on your shoulders',
and that it felt like your back was exploding? And still trying to let them not notice?

Oh my gosh yes! It's like...gee I honestly really do love you, but man this kills (as you smile of course)! it's also why it's been hard to like...have a member of the opposite sex get close and touch your face…and other face to face festivities. Sometimes it's not just the embarrassment of looking like the lovechild of edward scissorhands and the phantom of the opera…it's because it literally hurts. Ahhh. The life of having acne haha

You dont use a blender for fruits, do you?

No. I do love smoothies, but I haven't used a blender for a long time, especially after I read about the bananas and the molecular heat, so should be okay as far as that goes...

Another thing I have noticed, as far as face acne goes, is that over the years the location of the "current acne" comes and goes and seems to shift (there have been times though when it literally seemed like every possible pore was making their blockage known). Way back when I first started getting acne as a teen, I would get a lot right under the nose, big ones deep within. Then, a few years later, I would get them all over the forehead, or for a while, focused on the temples. Then for a while it would be more of a cheek festival. Then behind the ears region down underneath the jawline. Then a resurgence of forehead areas, upper cheek, etc. Then one area will seem to "pass" and another area will pick up the baton in some sort of super cruel acne relay. Currently it seems most are more or less close to the jawline and up under the ear area where neck meets jaw. The nose edges are constantly "loading up" with sebum, just as they did way back, but hardly ever turn into the big ones I would first get towards the begging of my acne adventure. When I do get a "guest appearance" in the cheek area, they tend to be very angry large ones that often span a whole "pore community" of neighboring pores. Sort of like a block party where everyone brings their own sebum instead of beer.

Also, there seem to be specific "repeat offender pores" that seem harder to rehabilitate (or like to party more than others)

But with enough love and wise care, (and yes, ironically, maybe even acceptance) I think even they can turn their lives around!

[RRM]

I live in a small town that has a pretty limited selection of fresh fish...
...tilapia so I was really curious to taste it! But, alas, at least for now, they don't sell it at the store in my town.

Cant you buy any other fish that has already been frozen at the source?

All I can say is you people that have access to good, fresh, consistent, fish…cherish it!  

True...

The nose edges are constantly "loading up" with sebum, just as they did way back, but hardly ever turn into the big ones I would first get towards the begging of my acne adventure.

Exactly, i've heard that from a few other people as well.

Also, there seem to be specific "repeat offender pores" that seem harder to rehabilitate (or like to party more than others)

Absolutely true.

But with enough love and wise care, (and yes, ironically, maybe even acceptance) I think even they can turn their lives around!

Yes, they will generally be the first ones to let you know when you eat something you shouldnt.

[Ferdinand]

Cant you buy any other fish that has already been frozen at the source?

Well, I did notice some frozen fish at the store, packaged and vacuum sealed (actually have some in my freezer), but for some reason it seemed a little "fishy" (in both senses of the word ) when I ate some…I don't know if it's simply because it was frozen for a long period of time, but it definitely tasted different than other previously frozen fish I have had, or bought fresh and froze myself (in this case it was salmon)…it tasted more like how canned tuna tastes…So I didn't want to risk it and haven't had any since. But, as I say, I thought it may have simply been because it had either been frozen longer, or as a result of the "deep flash freezing" and/or both, but didn't want to further "experiment" until I had completely cleared my skin so as to know weather or not it would be safe.

So in the week since my update last monday, I have had no "major" break outs to report on my face.. there were a few under my left ear that got pretty big, but have mostly subsided. All in all, my face is indeed looking better for now…here's hoping it keeps up! Still some "less than ideal" dryness and shedding of skin, but not as bad as it was a month ago or so.


So yesterday I found out some rather cool news! In the beginning of August I will be coming to Europe!

So basically I have a month from now to when I leave to "strategize" exactly how to do this diet whilst traveling throughout Europe (preferably without spending oodles of money!).

As a "documentary film maker" (or in the process of trying anyway ) one thing I would LOVE to do, or seen done, is a good solid documentary about this diet! I think it would be cool, and possibly present another way for people who are searching to find this diet and learn about it. It would be cool to be able to collaborate with people who this diet has worked for, and get a whole variety of ways people have applied it, depending on their needs and such. And not just the acne aspect, but the other aspects that it covers and brings up.

But best of all, it at least temporarily will solve my fish dilemma! haha

[Oscar]

Sounds like a great idea!

[Ferdinand]

So, it's been awhile since I've updated my diary, but I finally have some internet and can!

For the last several months, my skin has been "stablely" better then it has for a long while! By "stabely" better I mean, less extreme where for awhile things could be alright and then BOOM major break out to undo a months worth of healing in 2 days. It's still not perfect, but at least tolerable. If it could stay at this "level" I really couldn't complain too much.

But, the challenge is, and will be for awhile, is keeping to the diet whilst traveling through Europe. I've been in france for a week, starting in paris, and am now down in nice, and surprisingly, I have been able to stick to the diet with out too much trouble. The life saver has been "brewing up" bottles of "sugar-oil-blood-stabalizers" each night. Then I buy fruit as I pass stands. Ideally stocking up on avocados when I find them, how I wish they were cheaper, because I love them!

Protein, it little bit trickier since I cut out nuts, but I took with me for the initial few days some fish jerky I made before I left. Yesterday at a market here in nice I was able to find a 100 gr portion of beef (just hope it wasn't irradiated ) and I can find a way I'm sure to have a "cushioned" area in my bag to keep a few days worth of eggs from cracking.

I still would love to possibly meet some wai-ers out there! Then I wouldn't have to constantly explain how I'm allergic to everything! haha Acne is the "allergic reaction" for an inabilty to "properly" handle certain protiens....but I mean how am I supposed to explain that to the lady at the restaurant

[Oscar]

I might help if you list where you're going.

[Ferdinand]

And here I was thinking everyone had ESP! Today actually is when I find out for sure or rather have to start figuring out where to best use my rail pass stops. I'm in the south of France now, and it looks like I might do a loop by going over to italy, down to rome, up through venice, vienna, prague, amsterdam, bruges, then either back to paris or over to england. Technically my "travel days" are spaced over a 2 month period once I activate my rail pass, so I hope to be able to spend some good time really seeing things as opposed to constantly moving

[Oscar]

Extra Scientific Perception? Sure.
Well, RRM and I are in Amsterdam, so we could meet up.