The Blending of Rosacea Science and Reality

Many rosacea patients and medical researchers have been baffled as to why some people have rosacea and others do not. Or why rosacea often appears as a hereditary trait. There is a very good explanation for this mystery as follows.

As we all noticed while growing up, everyone's face is different with very few looking exactly alike in the same family. Even identical twins are slightly different with their parents being able to tell them apart with small differences developing over the years. Later in life we learn that everyone's finger prints are different. So, just as our faces and finger prints are different, all internal organs are different from those of other people. Our brains are likewise wired different as identical twins rarely have the same religious, political, vocational, or other interest even when born and raised by the same parents.

Likewise, our stomach, gall bladder, pancreas, and kidneys are just as different from other people as our faces and finger prints. Yes, family members are more likely to have rosacea if their parents had rosacea as these are inherited genes that made the rosacea sufferer somewhat like their relatives, yet distinctly different than other people as 'we are all different'. Also, family members often have 'learned patterns of food and beverage choices' (or lifestyle habits) (have learned patterns of food and beverage choice, or 'lifestyle habits') that are often good but sometimes not so good for their skin and overall health. So here is where the different digestive systems interact with rosacea. Please see the picture below:

The liver, gall bladder, kidneys , and pancreas functioning at their optimum level in all of us would be ideal. However, we will only discuss the key organ affecting rosacea which is the pancreas. The pancreas has two functions: 1.To produce a bile containing sodium bicarbonate with a very high pH to be added to the food after it passes out of the stomach into the small intestines just as the very acidic enzyme was added in the stomach to assist in digestion or the break down of the foods consumed.To begin the proper digestive process, thoroughly chew food, letting it mix with the saliva in your mouth until it turns into a soup (no more wolfing down food.) Now, you can enjoy the food that you have worked for more as well as a friends, family member, nature, or reading the paper while chewing properly, which is the first step of the digestive process. The pancreatic bile containing sodium bicarbonate enters the intestines via a duct just below the stomach to neutralizes the acidic foods and beverages from the stomach to keep the intestines from having some problems such as: as irritated bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, necrotizing intestines ,and cancer. The second function of the pancreas is to produce insulin. Please note that both enzymes or biles produced by the pancreas are alkaline with a high pH and are very much needed for rosacea skin health and likewise for overall good body health. Yes, you can prevent diabetes therefore preventing the need to inject insulin into your body daily via a needle. Why not gain the proper pH from the proper alkaline foods and drinks or at least neutralize or buffer the acid and keep the pancreas healthy and your skin healthy by maintaining the proper pH and enjoy life much more.

As we can not change our height, we can not change our pancreas which is less effective in some people. The situation is similar to some people having eyes that need assistance thus we gain glasses. The pancreas works better in producing more concentrated alkaline bile if it has alkaline foods and drinks to extract it from. The pancreas is not as effective with acidic foods and drinks such as alcohol, coffee, pizza or the other trigger foods that you have noticed causing a redness soon after digestion.

As we all have different heights, faces, and brains, we likewise have a different pancreas so we have to adjust our intake of foods to offset more acids as there is not enough sodium bicarbonate produced by our pancreas. Sure both acidic foods such as pizza, lobster, etc. and acidic drinks such as beer, wine, coffee, and soft drinks such as cokes can be enjoyed, but they need to be neutralized or buffered with proper alkaline foods to keep the body's pH level normal for proper cell regeneration of all organs including the skin. Our total body and brain health which should be alkaline (the human blood has a pH of 7.35 to 7.42) as rosacea is just a red warning signal that other organs than the fac are affected by the blood being overly acidic which is a condition called metabolic acidosis.

It has been said that rosacea is more than just a red face. In fact it is a complex system of action and reaction. Rosacea partially results from an overly acidic body and skin. The pH (potential of hydrogen) as you remember from your high school general science or chemistry class, ranges from 0 to 14 with 7 being neutral. As you think of your past rosacea history, you will see that all the rosacea triggers have come from 'acidic triggers' regardless of whether they are foods, drinks, stress, or lack of breath due to not enough oxygen (oxygen is an alkaline) and inability to exhaust enough carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide is acidic). We all know that if we hold our breath for 30 seconds or 60 seconds, we will all notice that our face turns pink or red. We all know, but hardly think that the cause is a build up of carbon dioxide which is an "acidic" gas and we have a shortage of oxygen. Very similarly, when we exercise for too long and become aerobic, we have a build up of lactic acid which is burned muscle and fat tissue (and obviously acidic) which results in more rosacea redness.

Red man syndrome is a reaction to the most powerful acidic antibiotic, Vancomycin, used as a last resort when the bacteria, that is progressing in strength and abundance, becomes resistant to all other antibiotics normally used. This is further evidence that things that are acidic turn one red, but things that are extremely acidic such as Vancomycin causes much of the body to turn red due to the acidic nature of the most powerful class of antibiotics being used to save a life. Likewise, rosacea is caused by an series of prolonged stress factors, medications that are almost acidic in nature and foods and drinks with a low pH, and infections of the body. We hope that you have an interest in learning more about rosacea and red man syndrome as a reaction to the highly acidic antibiotic vancomycin as further evidence that rosacea is caused by an acidic body.

Water is alkaline and drinking more alkaline water with a pH of about 7.3 is the best and easiest way to neutralize, buffer, or balance our rosacea pH bank account. Bottled water is "acidic" to keep it from 'going flat' or growing bacteria during the bottling process, storage in warehouses, and distribution to stores. Here are some ways to increase the pH of your drinking water. We also strongly recommend drinking water to stay hydrated on commercial airline flights where pressurized aircraft cabins are notorious for their low humidity or moisture content with passengers competing in close quarters for moisture. As air is wicked out of the passengers bodies, any moisture is breathed internally including that of other passengers viral and bacterial disorders. So be well hydrated before the flight and drink water during the flight to keep your body moist help to prevent dehydration and to prevent virus and bacterial invasions in close proximity to others.

Acidity is measured as a pH of 1 to 7. Alkalinity is 7 to 14.The numbers refer to how many hydrogen atoms are present compared to an ideal or standard solution. Normally, blood is slightly alkaline, at 7.35 to 7.45; urine pH is the best and easiest way to check on the proper foods and drinks being eaten. Try to keep the pH in the 6.8 to 7.00 range for optimal functioning of the body and brain. If we are excessively alkaline, we don't have the mental and physical 'go' so we need our energy, brain, and muscle foods and drinks during the day and very alkaline foods at night to calm the body and brain (parasympathetic system).

Water is alkaline with a pH of about 7.3, and likewise more alkaline foods such as more "fresh vegetables" and fruits are needed which are alkaline (higher pH than 7.0). Acidic foods and drinks are the problem with a pH of below 7.0 such as coffee at 2.2. To improve your total body and skin condition, eat and drink 90% of the alkaline foods with 10% meats while avoiding breads, pastas, sugars, desserts, etc.

The body has several different ways to ensure that the pH balance stays in the normal range of 7.35 to 7.45. These are referred to as buffer systems. Through normal day-to-day activity in the body, acids are formed as waste products that need to be neutralized, alkalized, or buffered and eliminated. Some of the acids are released with CO2 from exhaling; others are excreted via the kidneys. With acidic foods and drinks, there is always more carbon dioxide (acidic) while alkaline foods produce much more oxygen (think of your high school classes of the tree, grass, and plants giving off oxygen). These systems work together in the healthy human body to keep the pH level within normal ranges. Sometimes with extreme intake of acidic foods and drinks, the normal system cannot compensate and the body becomes even more stressed resulting in more stress hormones, which are also acidic in nature causing more of a blush/flush. Likewise, simple illnesses such as influenza, minor surgery, or emotional and mental stress continue to lower the pH of the body resulting in more skin blushing and flushing. Almost all medications are acidic except anti-acid medications such as Zantac, Milk of Magnesium, etc.

The adrenal cortex secretes cortisol, a natural body hormone of about 10 mg of cortisol daily, with peak cortisol levels occurring early in the morning and therefore the acne flushing and papules will look best in early mornings after this natural anti-inflammatory drug. The hormone will report back to the brain center, with information from other body organs to tell it to stop the whole cycle. Since cortisol is a potent hormone, the prolonged secretion of it will lead to health problems such as the break down of cardiovascular system, digestive system, immune system, musculoskeletal system with resulting osteoporosis and arthritis - rheumatism. You may not even realize that you have any of the above listed diseases or other disorders not listed during your early years of rosacea. Also when the organism does not have a chance for recovery, it will lead to both catecholamine and cortisol depletion. The whole idea is "not to keep" the body in a 'fight or flight' system with any stress, stimulation or food/drinks

Likewise more alkaline foods such as vegetables and fruits, are needed to offset the lactic acid of even mild body use at the office (and even more in strenuous labor jobs), carbon dioxide, adrenaline stress hormones, etc. Or, to keep the "rosacea bank account" balanced, the rosacea sufferer may simply exercise and try to minimize the acidic foods and drinks they consume.

The biggest offenders always seem to be alcohol, coffee, pastries, donuts, pizza, etc. and most of these are avoided easily. However, understanding alcohol is slightly more difficult. Beer has an average pH between 2.0 to 2.5 while wines are around 3.0, while whiskey, gin, and vodka are 'most interesting' with a pH of about 4.0 straight from the bottle. So if one wants to "stay sober and really drink to his or her health," they should drink small portions of gin, vodka or whisky and optionally mix the alcoholic beverage with "water or fruit juice", which are alkaline or neutral. Do not forget that party foods are very acidic and cause fat to accumulate on the body. Having more alkaline foods and drinks presents a very easy way to lose weight without trying and at the same time, reduce cellulite and bags under the eyes.

The accumulation of acids has a different name depending on the location where it is noticed. When we intake acidic or party foods and drinks, we flush and call it rosacea on our face. With more accumulation and less exercise to burn the acids, the acids accumulate on the stomach or backside (buns) and we call it body fat or maybe fat and cellulite and purchase bigger clothes over the years. When acids accumulate on the teeth, we call it tooth plaque which breaks down the tooth enamel resulting in a tooth cavity. When acids build up in the arteries, we again call it artery plaque or cholesterol which can lead to artery blockages and heart attacks. All these words have a common meaning of "Metabolic Acidosis".

Certainly acid or plaque/cholesterol accumulation makes it more difficult for the blood to move through the facial area resulting in more rosacea symptoms, thus the "Sobye Facial Massage," body stretching, and a small amount of exercise are needed for improved circulation due to the restricted vessels and arteries, as you will read on the Lifestyle Changes page.

An accumulation of food or body acids affects the bones very much as our bones are the biggest sources of alkaline minerals, which are antioxidants or the opposite of acids. These alkaline minerals or antioxidants (such as iron, zinc, copper, iodine, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, fluoride, sodium chloride, and potassium chloride) are vital to bones, organs, brain, and skin tissue life. When the pH balance becomes more "acidic" the minerals shift by the process of osmosis from the bones to the kidney and gall bladder creating very uncomfortable kidney stones, gall stones, or "bone stones".

Selecting the best foods to increase pH (primarily fruits and vegetables) is the most important part of balancing your Rosacea Flushing Bank Account to prevent overdraw or going into red or flushing. To improve your total body and skin condition, we have prepared our rosacea alkaline food page to help you select the most alkaline foods and avoid the most acidic ones. You don't have to understand the math, simply drink more alkaline water and alkaline foods from the green side of our rosacea food chart and avoid the more acid food chart foods as much as possible or enjoy them and balance them with the alkaline foods.

Our team of Rosacea Researchers with 60 years of collective research, led by a Johns Hopkins MD, have confirmed that the cause or etiology of rosacea is an immune system disorder. The "good rosacea news" is that your "Rosacea Flushing Bank Account" can be "balanced" to prevent an overdraw or going into the "red" or "rosacea flushing". Most medical researchers are baffled as to the cause or etiology of rosacea and it remains in contention among them currently. The cause of rosacea has been a hotly debated topic with the result being "One must wonder if they don't understand the cause, then how can they effectively treat rosacea?" Okay, just continue doing the same thing with marginal or no results is not a good answer. As Dr. Albert Einstein stated, "The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same thinking that created them".

THE FIRST PLACE TO START is learning of your body pH or waste pH which is the pH of your urine. It is easy to do and only takes about 3 seconds per day once you have the pH strip in hand.

The pH of the total intake of all foods, wines, tea, water, beer or any alcohol, cokes, etc. and of all foods, medications consumed orally, and the stress hormones is all reveled to you in the urine pH. Many companies use a urine analysis to learn of drug use for employees as it tells so very much. The rosacea patient is just trying to learn how 'acidic' they are and to remedy their food, drinks and medications to have a healthier skin, body organs and better mental skills as the brain functions much better when it is 'alkaline'. Only when we are 'hyper' from being acidic do we often feel that we are smarter or sharper just because we are in a state of 'frenzy' which does not relate to 'brillance' but is usually the opposite.

You can make sure that your water and foods are alkaline by purchasing pH paper at most drug stores at a cost of about $12 to measure the pH of the water, drink, or foods. Your urine should be in the 6.6 to 6.8 pH range as the low pH will reflect the culmination of the body process of removing waste. As you can imagine, if you drink and eat many acidic foods, the result will be deterioration of the skin, body organs, and bones.

Water is a miracle drug as it is the best "solvent" on earth as it dissolves, neutralizes, or buffers more substances than any other chemical and is most valuable in our bodies to disolve acid build up such as chloresterol fats and other fatty acids. Also, water transports valuable minerals & vitamins as nutrients along the way that can penetrate the BBB (blood brain barrier). We think of water as 'simple' but very few scientist and medical doctors truely understand water at this time, or 'simply take water for granted'. Water is also vital for cell regeneration. H2O contains two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen. Obviously everyone knows they need oxygen but forget that the two atoms of hydrogen is the chemical element that holds every cell in the body together ranging from the skin to the brain cells. And H20 is needed for new cell regeneration.

Also, when any organ, system or body does not have a chance for recovery, it will lead to both catecholamine and cortisol depletion. The entire concept is not to keep the body in a 'fight or flight' mode with stress, stimulation from the use of 'acidic' food/drinks which you will learn more about on the page Causes of Rosacea Flushing Page. The pH of foods, drinks and stress hormones affects "rosacea, the entire body and brain of the rosacea sufferer" and sometimes affects the family and co-workers and their ability to function proficiently in harmony.

Pearls, Bones, Teeth & Rosacea

And YES, rosacea can be "treated, controlled and reduced" as you will learn of better alternatives than living with rosacea. And you never thought there was a relationship between rosacea, teeth & bones. And can there be any imaginable relationship that pearls have with vinegar, teeth & rosacea? Think through the following wager that Queen Cleopatra's had below with Roman Mark Anthony that stole his heart and was probably the most expensive meal in the history of the world. There within you will see how pearls can be dissolved and imagine that bones likewise can have their mineral content reduced thereby placing the body in a weaken state of metabolic acidosis.