If you've seen me in person since November you may have noticed that I look like a 17 year old all over again! That's right, I am 33 years old and my skin looks like half of that age ... and not in a good way! I am going to air some laundry here. Its not anything I am really ashamed of at all. And moreover, I think bringing it out will help me be that much more honest with myself.

In November I came off the birth control pill ... that I had been on for 12 years! I originally elected to start taking the contraceptive not for the common reasons like heavy, uncomfortable, or irregular periods and not even for birth control reasons. While those are nice bonuses, my main aim was to address my acne. The pill puts hormonal swings in check (that was a gross simplification but will do for the purpose of this topic) and in turn my acne dissipated. It was never 100% removed and healed while on the pill, but it was certainly tamed to acceptable levels.

A sympathetic girlfriend suggested I look into giving up dairy. ***GASP** What!? But I love dairy products! Despite my initial reaction of horror at the prospect of giving up dairy, she has never failed me yet - well read, smart, honest - so I decided to look into it.

Cow's milk has naturally occurring hormones - after all, its express purpose is to nurture a growing calf. But here in the United States additional hormones make it into the milk we drink as a result of the growth hormones fed to the dairy cows (even though the FDA denies this outcome). In some people (maybe me?) these added hormones can exacerbate hormonal sensitivities. Giving up dairy altogether is a lot to ask of me. So I am taking baby steps. As of last week I swapped out my non-organic skim milk for organic 2%. You already know my justification for organic, but I have opted for 2% because it is less processed and the body more readily absorbs the milk's vitamins and minerals when they are carried in fat. But why stop at milk? I also consume yogurt and cheese practically daily. So with that, as much as I can control, I will eat organic yogurt and cheese as well.

My partner in crime is Washington's Green Grocer (WGG). If you live in the DC metro area and you have not looked these guys up yet you are missing out on a true gem. Not only do they deliver local and regional produce to your door, they also deliver everyday grocery store goods, like dairy products! Because they work with the supplying farm directly there is very little (if any?) mark up. With that, both my milk and my yogurt are cheaper from WGG than from my local grocery store ... and its delivered! You can't beat that.

I have a lot more to say on this topic but at this point in the process I will opt for brevity. But please stay with me through this journey. I do not expect any overnight results - this is a diet change, not a wonder pill or a magic cream. I imagine if I am going to see any appreciable effects it will be after at least 8 weeks.