CERTAIN FOODS THAT CAN POSSIBLY MAKE ACNE WORSE & BETTER.
If you’re human, chances are you’ve suffered from acne at some point in your life. Maybe you still do. Or maybe you’re one of those rare species that has never had to deal with it. If that’s the case; you should feel very lucky.
If you – like myself – have suffered from acne or still do, you might also feel that it can sometimes weigh you down and play tricks with your mind. Just a note to yourself really quickly; you’re still just as beautiful as ever – pimples or not!
Myself; I’ve suffered from cystic acne since I was about 12 years old. And I continue to suffer from it. It’s something that I really have to manage, and in periods of severe stress or when my period is coming on, I always break out because my hormones are increasingly higher which make the oil glands produce more oil (sebum). If a pore becomes blocked, the oil builds up and causes irritation which normally leads to a breakout because the bacteria builds up so quickly in the area.
It’s important to know that cystic acne is very different to “normal’ acne. However, both can affect you mentally and physically on different levels.
There’s long been discussions regarding nutrition and the link it has to acne. Where some believe it has no relevance what so ever as to what we eat and acne and others believe that what we eat shows in our skin. I beg to agree with the latter.
I truly believe that how and what we feed our bodies with – food, words, products etc. – shows in our skin. The skin is our body’s largest organ and has numerous amounts of functions – many more than what you probably know.
Research is showing that a low glycemic index (GI) diet may help people with acne by controlling blood sugar levels. This, in turn, controls levels of metabolic hormones, such as insulin, which can interact with sex hormones to make acne worse.
Hence why I’m writing this article; I’ve found myself, that some food triggers my acne and there are some foods that I try to minimise in order to not breakout. Please only take this as a guideline, as we’re all different, and what my skin may breakout from, yours may not and vice versa.
So let’s get started..
Foods That Can Possibly Cause Acne:
- Refined Carbs (white rice, white bread, white pasta, white noodles, cereals, crackers)
- Dairy (cow’s milk, cow’s yoghurt, cheese, ice cream)
- Fast Food (burgers, fries, pizza, hot dogs, nuggets, soda’s etc. because of the high amount of calories, fat and refined sugar)
- Milk Chocolate (opt for dark chocolate instead)
- Whey Protein Powders (It is a rich source of the amino acids leucine and glutamine. These amino acids make skin cells grow and divide more quickly, which may contribute to the formation of acne)
- Food Sensitivity (as acne is an anti-inflammatory state of the body, eating foods you’re sensitive to will inflame it even further)
- Refined Sugars (fizzy drinks, honey, agave, maple syrup, candy bars, lollies)
We also know that getting vitamins into the body will help with acne. These vitamins can both be found through food and supplements if you can’t eat it (enough) through your diet.
Helpful Vitamins To Prevent Acne Include:
- Vitamin A
- Zinc
- Vitamin C
- Selenium
- Magnesium
- Omega-3
- Vitamin E
- Probiotics
Food That Can Possible HELP Clear Up Acne:
- Fish or Flaxseed (high in Omega-3’s)
- Green Tea (full ox antioxidants for the skin-barrier)
- Oysters, Crab, Pumpkin Seeds & Cashews (full of zinc)
- Dark Leafy Greens (packed with vitamins, minerals & fibre, but low in calories)
- Berries (contains phytonutrients that are great for the skin)
- Almonds & Avocado (full of Vitamin E)
- Carrots, Sweet Potatoes & Apricots (are all anti-inflammatory and contains lots of beta-carotene to help clear skin)
Have you found that any type of food makes your acne worse or better?
Please let me know in the comments below x
