Everyone seems to like the colour of my hair - my husband said my skin looks good and i’ve got a sparkle in my eye – not sure if the hair colour (from blonde to brown) has made the skin not look so red and my blue eyes more blue – but very pleased with that comment.

I have had 2 carrots, almonds and mixed berries this morning.  For lunch I am going to have my carrot and sweet potato soup and will have the crisps that someone has bought for me – it would be rude to not have accepted.  It was Mark’s birthday in the office and he treated everyone to cakes and considering I don’t eat dairy or wheat none of them would have been any use to me.

For tea I shall have salmon and dill with a salad after the gym (legs day). 

Face is looking better – still yet to decide on route I will take when my supply is all used up.  It has been suggested on forum that Doxy is better as anti-inflamatory rather than full antibiotic .  Still taking the supplements and will continue to – especially if it brings a sparkle to my eyes.

Gym for an aerobic work out - not quite the 1,2,3,4 but still did 1000metres on rower, 2 miles on runner, 2 miles on cross trainer and then sit ups.

Had my last portion of homemade fish soup – which tastes better than it smells.  Then I was out on the road so had some cold sliced chicken for lunch and nothing else. 

I have a ganglion on my hand which keeps coming back and have to have the fluid drawn off it.  So my husband took me for 3 pints of ale and a packet of pork scratchings.  I then went home and had the remainder of the pakora and salad followed by 2 – yes I know 2 – packets of hoola hoops and promptly fell asleep – I had been up since 5:30am and by this time it was 9pm.

In a way with taking the antibiotics I can get away with eating some things that I know would slightly effect me – as I rule I am quite strict with myself but fall off the wagon every now and then.

Gym this morning and followed by the shopping for tonights tea.  Hair being cut and going to dye it brown (currently blonde) and I’ve said to my hairdresser, who’s a close friend, that i’ll cook curry (I won’t be eating it though).

By the time I got home, the snow is coming down hard and I was starving.  I ate 2 boiled eggs followed by a pear – then I cooked the pakora and the curry.  The pakora I can eat as it is gram flour, vegetables, cumin and salt – the only issue is that they are deep fried which tends not to be so good for my skin.  I was still so hungry that I devoured about 8 of the pakora whilst cooking the rest.  I then had them for tea with a salad.  I was flushing after both episodes of eating them – but can’t avoid this as I was cooking in the kitchen too.

Yes I had some crisps (hoola hoops to be precise) I am cronic – just can’t seem to give them up.  Hair looking good and can’t wait to wash it – purely because the colour settles down after the first couple of washes.

I didn’t have fish last night (for a change) had egg fried rice (onion, 2 eggs, olive oil and rice) and I saw an opened packet of crisps…and I ate them.  I’d been working hard at the gym – did a mile on the rower, 2 mile on the cross trainer, followed by weights and then sit ups – I couldn’t help but devour them.

Got up early (alarm went off at 5:30) and meditated for 20 mins.  I’m using a mild facial wash (Simple) followed by toner (Simple) and then jojoba oil – thinking about trying a different facial wash but not just yet I don’t think as it goes into the realms of changing too many things.

I’ve had a pear, banana, seeds (pumpkin, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, goji berries, cranberries), a packet of simply salted Walkers Lights (only 24g not like the 300g of full fat crisps I devoured on Saturday) and have had the most delicious treat.  I am running low on jojoba oil and thought that I would get some before I do run out and then saw Dark Chocolate Halva (organic) with honey (75g) – ingredients are ground sesame seeds (42%), honey (39%), Cocoa Mass (12%), Cocoa Powder (7%) – absolutely delicious – definitely having that again (bit expensive at £1.39 so a treat).

No change in complexion apart from the flushing due to the heat in the office (again) – can’t please everyone with office temperatures.  I’ve got the dentist after work and hopefully no work needed and then I’ll be off to the gym to do some cardio for the evening (burn the Halva off – 566kcal and 36.7g fat and 42.4g carbohydrate) – probably not the best thing to eat but hey ho!! Salad for tea to take away the guilt me thinks.

Snowed again last night – not much where I live but it got worse on the way into work (travel about 20miles which takes me about an hour).

Took my Oxytetracycline and waited for an hour before I commenced grazing – had a pear, apple, some seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, pine nuts, cranberries and goji berries) then some almonds.  Had my homemade fish shoup for lunch.

Despite the consumption of items that I know I shouldn’t have had yesterday my skin isn’t any worse – the antibiotics are certainly stopping it getting any worse and for this I am thankful.

My middle child (son who is 16) is bringing his girlfriend home for dinner so my husband is cooking either a spaghetti bolognaise or shepherds pie – neither of which I will partake in – instead I shall either have wheat free pasta and antipasti mushrooms or brown rice and fish.  If I consume any more fish I think I may develop gills – but I do love it and it’s not bad for you either – apart from those kippers which made me flush like a beetroot.

It’s 1:05pm and it is my intention not to have any crisps all week – I’m wondering how long it will be until I fall off the box so to speak – i just love my crisps.

I shall be going to the gym after work – my youngest likes to go swimming on a Monday so that’s my reasoning behind it – I shall endeavour to do a minimum of 45 mins cardio followed by quick set of pull exercised on weights (shoulders, biceps and back).

Went and took the dog for a run this morning – quite cold and fresh on the face – temperature was  -1 and snow on the ground – yes I am mad!!

The dog (minature schnauzer called Trevor) was booked in at the groomers for 11am so didn’t have time for anything else but a shower and putting laundry on for my return.

When I got back I ate some blueberries, followed by mushrooms and fried egg – when I have exercised and then don’t eat straight away and get REALLY hungry and my eating habits are bizarre. 

Our friends had invited us for dinner and we were being picked up at 1:30pm – on our arrival I had a strawberry cider (through the course of the day I had 3 of these and a real ale).  For dinner we were served roast chicken with roast potato’s, sweet potato’s and cabbage.  I skipped the pudding and later on snacked on cheese straws (which is a no no on my food triggers), mackrel, olives, houmous, ham, garlic sausage, beef and crisps – bit of a mish mash when I look at it but it was anti-pasti and although very fattening and things in there that I should perhaps not have had I felt rude by being so picky and they had tried to cater for me.  I had some dark chocolate and a black coffee for afters.

It was a delightful afternoon and lazed around doing nothing but watch tv and put the world to right – tomorrow I will behave.

My husband has got into the gym big time and has invented a work out called 1,2,3,4 which consists of 1 mile on the rower, 2 miles on the runner, 3 miles on the cross trainer and 4 miles on the bike – this has to be obviously completed as quickly as possible.  Boy does it do you in..!

A lot of running around as we had to drop our son off at work and then visit tenants who apparently had no hot water, then take my daughter shopping prior to going back to uni and then do house work etc.  So in between the shopping and daughter leaving I had a handful of marshmallows, fish soup and then a whole packet (150g) of tomato and basil kettle crisps.  By this time I was starving and reaching for everything.

The fish soup receipe was salmon, haddock, prawns, tin toms, saffron, potato and onions – delicious.

For tea I had sweet potato wedges and 2 fried eggs, followed by more marshmallows,yet another packet of kettle crisps (150g – that’s 300g in one day) and gin and tonic’s to chill me out!

Face was looking alright – no papsules still and no flushing – only the flushing from earlier in the day going from cold outside to the heat of the central heating at home.  Fell asleep at around 8ish – completely knackerred.

Got up early this morning and did a little meditation (15mins).

I’ve been reading such conflicting information on forums, websites etc concerning foods that affect our Rosacean skin.  So I’ve come to the conclusion that tests etc. are pretty much down to the individual.  Depends on lifestyle, food habits, living conditions, family compostion, job type etc.  When those that state they know what is happening or going on with our skin claim they can get it clear then its not entirely the truth.

I’ve had almonds, pear, 3 strawberries, seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, pine nuts, cranberries, goji berries) and I’ve had my fish soup.  Yes, no crisps yesterday and none today – noone can say that i’m not trying to eliminate them from my diet.

Since being the antibiotics there have been no papsules but still can see the evidence when I flush of potential ones , perhaps it’s my paranoia but just been out to see a resident and know she was looking at my cheeks.  I’ve even dyed my hair a few shades darker (no longer light blonde now dark blonde) as I was told that it may make the skin condition less noticeable – liking the look I think so no harm there – just was expecting me not to be able to see it as much.

My husband and I have said that if we complete our weekly goals we will go only then to the pub for a few pints of real ale and yes some pork scratchings (they go so well together).  Considering our daughter goes back to uni tomorrow I think we may wait till after she has gone and have one last family night in.

Loving the fish soup, so probably will have that again for tea – its either that or a salad and it’s a bit cold for a salad at the moment.  I’m also not going to do any exercise this evening – shall go in the morning instead.

First day back at work and the snow and weather conditions didn’t delay me too much – car registered   -6 degrees.

Well i’ve been really good, had a pear, my homemade carrot and corriander soup (which had a sweet potato in it too), almonds for snaking and sugar snap peas.  I’ve made some fish soup tonight, which is onions, garlic, safron, bay leaf, tin of chopped tomato’s,  potato and I added haddock, salmon and prawns  as the main ingredients.  Read different reports on tomato’s and still unsure what if any difference it makes to my skin.

I’ve had the black coffee (only one) and drank chamomile tea for the rest of the day.

I’ve been to an xbikes class which I found considerably difficult this evening –  don’t think I was the only one by the looks on everyone else’s face – they were all red and flushed and I know for sure they didn’t all have Rosacea.

Early night for me tonight – shattered, too many late nights and lie ins has got me out of the habit of this work thing that we have to do.

This is really bad, can’t believe I haven’t posted for over 2 weeks – what with the holiday preparations, then the partaking and then the recovering and now getting back into the swing of things.  Anyhow, hope you had a wonderful Christmas and here’s to blemish free skin in 2010.

I’ve endeavoured to avoid my trigger foods, however, I must confess to having consumed a large amount of alcohol (gin & tonic mainly), having the odd chocolate, had a very small amount of chicken, spinach and chick pea curry and lots of crisps.  Yes, I know what I said but finding it hard to give up the crisps whilst they are sitting in a cupboard at home and noone else will eat plain ones.

I’ve had kippers and bacon quite regularly through the holiday season and was never sure if they were doing my skin any good.  There was a mixture of lots of people round, fires and central heating on and lots of me cooking in the kitchen would may have contributed to the flushing.  But i’ve just eaten some kippers and a black coffee and my skin is burning and flushing quite alot.  Kippers, like any oily fish contains niacin and this is can be a trigger for flushing – but oily fish is good for the skin so this just doesn’t make sense – but then again does anything when it comes to Rosacea???

I’m continuing with the antibiotics (oxytetracycline) it’s been approximately a month since I commenced them.  There was such an improvement in the first few days and I admit that they have reduced the papsules and kept it under control – but today’s flushing was quite extreme.  I was also over a week late on my period for no reason whatsoever other than stress again.  I think that I’ll keep on the antibiotics for another month and perhaps book in for laser treatment to see if it will get rid/even out some of the red blemishes that I have where the papsules were.

I have ceased the Lysine, not sure if they were actually doing anything, but I am still taking burdock root, omega 3, zinc, milk thistle, anti histamine, a green drink (they’re are a great source of vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, micronutrients and antioxidants and assist in me being less acidic) and I have just started to take chromium picolinate again (took it for several months when I was diagnosed with a deficiency over 12 months ago.  I say diagnosed, I went to see a nutritionist and was tested for 100 foods and vitamins which gave me a kick start in the foods that I shouldn’t eat – thinking about seeing her again to see if anything has changed.

Still continuing with the chamomile tea and hopefully this has an impact on my psyche aswell as my skin.  Back to work tomorrow and will endeavour for things not to get on top of me – saying that, the stresses of full time work, having a business and running the family home and dealing with children, husband and dog doesn’t make it easy.

Time to start the evening meal – more flushing by cooking in the kitchen though!! http://bit.ly/7uuhq5