Deglutenize…is that even a word? In my house, it has become a term used regularly as I have recently embarked on the treacherous journey of removing gluten from my teenage son’s diet. Why would I do that? Well, one word – acne. My son has been struggling with acne for about a year now. We have tried just about every natural acne topical solution there is with little to no results. And as I did more research, I became aware of the fact that food allergies and sensitivities, which cause imbalances in the gut, are often the root cause of skin problems. So, which food is it? A computerized health screening (Zyto scan) found the culprit – WHEAT. As I swallowed this and evaluated what would need to be removed from or substituted in his diet, I came up with – A LOT. Basically, all of the things that a teenage boy enjoys eating - pretzels, pizza, bread, pancakes, waffles, snack bars, and more. While I do focus on buying the healthier versions of all of these foods, they still have gluten in them. Now what? The mission to find healthy replacements for these foods has begun. It is no easy task as many gluten-free foods are full of extra sugar and unhealthy fillers. My son has been a trooper through all of this, although he has rolled his eyes at a few of my suggestions. He is to the point where he will do whatever it takes to clear his skin up, so he is entertaining most of my ideas and at least trying them. We’ve had some winners and some losers as to be expected. Some of the winners: Udi’s Baguettes, Snyder’s Gluten-Free Pretzels, Whole Foods’ Gluten Free bread, and Orgain Protein Snack Bars. A few weeks into this and we are starting to see some positive changes. The inflammation in his skin has definitely reduced and there are subtle signs that his acne is starting to clear up. Repairing the gut and clearing the skin will take time. But we are on the right track and are hopeful that the supplements, dietary changes, and a skin-cleansing regimen will finally get rid of his acne.