One look in the mirror was enough to discourage twins Nina and Randa Nelson. They had progressed through their teens without the skin blemishes that plague so many others. That blessing changed when both descended into the zit nightmare of acne. What to do?

The obvious answer was to make an appointment with a dermatologist who, most obviously, will prescribe drugs and prescription ointments. Their longtime dermatologist recommended a specialist who wrote a prescription for Accutane, a drug that came with what they described as a "pamphlet the size of a phone book." They didn't need the pamphlet because they had heard a number of horror stories about the side effects of this drug.

Meanwhile, they were reluctant to go to auditions for entertainment jobs because of their skin eruptions. No amount of makeup could hide their acne, a skin condition that put their careers on temporary hiatus. Then their father, Jeff Nelson, posed the question, "What about the amount of fat in your diet?"

This question led Nina and Randa to find an essay and an informative video on the website of Dr. John McDougall, the doctor who was responsible for the entire family following a plant-based diet. Years ago Dr. McDougall had put the twin's mother on this regimen to cure her autoimmune disease. The twins and their younger brother grew up with a vegan diet in their household.

"Dr. McDougall described how acne was cured with a very low-fat, oil-free vegan diet. Nuts, nut butters, soy products, avocados, olives, coconut--these were healthy plant foods, he said, but they could wreak havoc when hormones were running wild." This is the same diet Dr. McDougall recommends for reversing diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Within two months after removing almost high-fat, plant foods from their diet, their acne was almost gone. Dr. McDougall recommends no more than 10% of calories from fat per day.

With their acne almost gone, they prepared a video of their personal acne story for their YouTube channel How We CURED Our ACNE. It quickly shot to a half million visitors. Their subscriber base that was around 7,000 ballooned to more than 600,000. At the time of writing the book their videos were viewed more than 70 million times.

With the help of their parents Jeff and Sabrina Nelson, publishers of vegan website Vegsource, they were ready to embark on a study to prove their diet would help those who suffer with acne. They persuaded Dr. Steve Lawenda of Kaiser Permanente in Southern California to conduct a pilot study of the diet's efficacy with 15 volunteers. The twins' description of the doctor: "Dr. Lawenda is something of a medical hero around Kaiser in Southern California, with hundreds of patients clamoring to enroll in his programs in order to reverse their chronic diseases." At the end of the two-month study, participants had not only reversed their acne severity, but they also lost weight and lowered their blood pressure.

Nina and Randa then launched an online study with over 130 participants who watched videos featuring Dr. Lawenda and other experts. The results led to many testimonials from grateful participants.

The book describes what the authors call the "Six Pillars of the Clear Skin Diet."

1. Plant foods only, no animal products
2. Unrefined starches should be the cornerstone of your diet
3. Avoid all oils
4. Avoid high-fat plant foods
5. Eat whole foods, food as grown, minimally processed
6. Eat simply: variety is not important, repetition can promote long-term success

In addition to these pillars, the diet recommends:

• Drink more water
• Cut down on stress
• Exercise
• Ditch the caffeine
• Cut the alcohol
• Don't smoke
• Beware of supplements
• Eliminate added sugar

As part of a section called Taking Action, Nina and Randa recommend kitchen tools, pantry items, and a detailed shopping list as well as how to read nutrition and ingredient labels and how to calculate the percentage of calories from fat.

The twins devote a chapter on Clear Skin Guidelines. In this chapter they advise the use of oil-free products and provide an extensive list of pore-clogging or comedogenic ingredients. Their tips include drying the face with paper towels, keeping makeup and applicators clean, and using sunscreen.

Sprinkled throughout the book are sidebars labeled Acne Advice. In each instance that advice comes from one of the experts listed on The Clear Skin Diet Team that appears at the beginning of this work.

In addition to the General Index, there is also a Recipe Index referring to the more than 50 pages of easy recipes in the book. Also included is a two-page list of resources. Readers can find Recommended Products and additional Resources at ClearSkinDiet.com.

Throughout the volume there are black and white photos showing before and after faces of the twins and others who have had success with this diet. An eight-page insert with color photos can be found in the center of the book.

The twins and their numerous followers show that diet, not drugs, can play a vital role in the control and elimination of acne. By telling of their personal success with this diet, Nina and Randa are an inspiration to all young people battling the acne scourge. They provide a detailed road map to achieve the clear skin that all young people desire. What makes this book so valuable is that this information can also be helpful to those fighting chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. And the only side effect of The Clear Skin Diet is weight loss.