Propionibacterium acnes is the bacteria that lives in the skin and is a major cause of acne. Why is this important? Well as most of you know acne affects four out of five adolescents worldwide, as well as many adults with chronic forms of the disease.

I certainly was afflicted as a child and adult and all because of ignorance of basic human health principles. I had no idea that grains and sugars are the primary reason why most suffer with acne. One certainly would not understand this from reading the medical literature as there isn't a peep about it. Nearly every time diet is mentioned in a discussion of acne, it is emphasized that diet plays no role.

How absolutely ridiculous. Yet I, like many others, had to suffer because the "experts" didn't even understand the basics of health and nutrition.

The NY Times article below however does provide an excellent summary of what is known about the bacteria that "causes" acne. The article was stimulated as the gene sequencing of the bacteria was published in Science. The interesting observation here is that no amount of knowledge of the genetics of the bacteria is going to help treat the disease because that will only result in expensive band aid solutions designed to "control" the bacteria.

The real "cure" is to change one's diet to one designed based on one's nutritional type. This will create an environment that does not allow the bacteria to grow. I sure wish I knew what I know now when I was younger as I could have saved myself so much grief as acne is one of the easiest and most responsive problems to treat without drugs.

New York Times August 10, 2004