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.

We at Bass & Boney Pharmaceuticals, Inc. have admired the world renowned research scientist Dr. Sydney Brenner for years as the distinguished professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California (Dr. Brenner shared the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physiology with Robert Horvitz and John Sulston for their discoveries regarding the genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death). From our beginning with Rosacea-Ltd 12 years ago, we have always used Dr. Brenner's premise of working 'from the bedside (patient's needs) to the bench' (laboratory) that Dr. Brenner is encouraging other medical research scientists to use. Please read about Dr. Sydney Brenner hammering 'factory science' for using the same old thinking process instead of a solution outside of the box. Thomas Edison spoke about Doctors of the Future and it also applies to the treatment of rosacea.

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 learned that everyone's finger prints are different. So just as our faces and finger prints are different, all internal organs are just as 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) 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 to 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 as the very acidic enzyme were added in the stomach to assist in digestion or the break down of the foods consumed. So start the proper digestive process after proper chewing and the mixing of saliva in your mouth until it turns into a soup (no more wolfing down food). Also you can enjoy your food more that you have worked for and can enjoy a friend, family member or enjoy nature or reading a 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 know 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 or prevent from having 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 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, 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 pH nevel 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 face is 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 rethink your past history, you will notice that "all" the rosacea triggers come from "acidic items" regardless of whether they are foods, drinks, stress, or merely out of breath. 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 a short period, we have a build up of "lactic acid", which is a body waste, which is obviously acidic. Likewise, those with acne need to be very concerned about the build up of acids in our blood stream due to the foods and beverages that we consume. We all know of our triggers such as alcohol, coffee, various medications, etc. which all have a pH below 7.0 or are termed acidic. Our objective therefore should be to balance, buffer or neutralize the acids with alkaline.

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).

This scale is logarithmic; meaning that each number is ten times stronger than the preceding number. For example, a pH of 2 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 3 and one hundred times more acidic than a pH of 4.

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 and with more resulting skin blushing and flushing. Likewise, 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 that will report back to the original brain centers together with other body organs to tell it to stop the whole cycle. But 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, musculoskeletal system with resulting osteoporosis and arthritis - rheumatism, and the immune system. 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 try to minimize the acid foods, drinks, and exercise.

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 dame time, reducing 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 for it more difficult for the blood to move through the facial area resulting in more rosacea symptoms, thus the "Sobye Facial Massage" and 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".

We have prepared a rosacea diet 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 foods from the green side of our rosacea diet.

Red man syndrome, a reaction to the highly acidic antibiotic vancomycin, is further evidence that rosacea is caused by an acidic body.

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 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.

Learn the pH of the water that you drink and learn the pH of the total intake of all foods, wine, tea, water, wines, beer or any alcohol, cokes, etc. and of all foods, medications consumed orally, and the stress hormones as 'all is 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 & bones. The adrenal cortex secretes cortisol, a natural body hormone, about 10 mg daily, with peak cortisol levels occurring early in the morning, and therefore the face will look best in early mornings after this natural anti-inflammatory drug. But 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, musculoskeletal system with resulting osteoporosis and arthritis - rheumatism, and the immune system as "Rosacea is more than a Red Face". 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 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 Flushing". 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.

Facial Muscle Exercises For Rosacea Reduction! The Sobye's Massage or 'non surgical face lift' as a rosacea treatment relaxes the muscles giving the skin of the red rosacea facial area a chance to smooth out and allows the restricted blood to flow resulting in improvement for the rosacea sufferer. The past has been problematic for the rosacea sufferer as the facial artery system supplies blood through a network of curves and angles around the mouth, lips, tongue, around the eyes, across the cheeks, along the nose, and across the forehead with these latter three being the prominent areas for rosacea sufferers seeking treatment. The average adult human has a minimum of 70,000 miles of blood vessels within the body and larger people have even more. So not only facial exercise but stretching the body and doing any type of movements of various muscles groups will help immensely as is convenient and available with the work or environment that you are in. Most rosacea patients become so focused that they appear as a mime artist or frozen posture and breathing become quiet and shallow. So while stretching or moving facial muscles as much as possible try to take in and exhale five or more big breaths of air occasionally as the situation allows. The medical mechanism of action as a rosacea treatment is the accelerated lymphatic drainage with reduction of redness shortly after the massage and in the future if the rosacea treatment massages continue. The Sobye massage is accomplished in three different ways as a rosacea treatment that we'll discuss on the natural rosacea treatments page.

Almost 99 % of your questions about rosacea and Rosacea-Ltd III will be answered on each web site page by clicking links as desired of the Site Directory located on the left side of each page. And above or below the Site Directory, you will find a "search computer" to quickly assist you in finding other answers within our Rosacea-Ltd web site that you may have missed in your reading.

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