Acne And Your DietBy: Greg Mauro One of the best and easiest ways to clear up your acne is to watch what you eat. The suggested food list below shows what is good to eat, and what foods can make your acne worse. We all know what acne is, but the problem is trying to figure out how to treat and prevent it. There is much discussion on the correlation of acne and diet. Is that chocolate going to make you break out? Will that slice of pizza cause a huge whitehead? What can you eat to help prevent it? There are hundreds of myths and old wives tales on the foods that you should eat or avoid in order to cure acne. But actually, there is no one food that can cause or prevent acne. In fact, several people can eat the same diet and have different facial reactions. That is why one person may eat a relatively healthy diet and still have acne, while their friend eats fried food, chocolate, and pizza and still stays blemish-free. This is because there are several factors that determine whether or not acne will develop. Diet is not a direct cause of acne, but if you are prone to it, diet can aggravate it. The foods you eat may not be directly responsible for the development of acne, but they can aggravate the condition. Basically, acne is an inflammatory process, and the types of food in your diet influence the way the body responds to inflammation. Evidence suggests that acne may be aggravated by a diet high in refined carbohydrates. Eating refined carbohydrates and sugar leads to a surge in insulin and an insulin-like growth factor called IGF-1. This growth factor stimulates the production of male hormones, or androgens, which encourage the skin to excrete large amounts of sebum. Sebum, or oil, is responsible for the multiplication of bacteria or fungus that causes acne. Here are some recommended foods to eat that may help in the prevention of acne: Fresh Vegetables - are packed with the necessary vitamins and minerals your skin needs to be healthy. Eating a wide variety of vegetables helps to ensure that the body gets adequate nutrition. Fish - such as halibut, salmon, tuna, and sardines can be very healthy for the skin. These fish contain important omega 3 oils such as EPA and DHA that help to improve the overall health of the skin. You may wish to consider taking supplemental fish oil capsules if your intake of fish is less than twice a week. Antioxidants - powerful weapons in the defense of your skin. These nutrients help to clean up and neutralize free radicals that develop due to factors such as sunlight, toxins, and pollutants. A diet rich in antioxidant foods, such as fresh vegetables and dietary supplements, will help reduce acne. Purified Water - Increase your intake of water. Drink a glass or two of cold water first thing in the morning to eliminate the bowels. Drink 4 to 8 glasses of water per day, more in hot weather. Here are some foods to avoid if you want to help clear up your skin: Sugars - Refined sugars increase the body's production of insulin and can cause or aggravate acne. Reduce your intake of sugary foods such as cakes and candy, processed flour, fruit juices, baked goods, and trans or hydrogenated fats. Donuts, cookies, pastry, ice cream, pies, and other similar foods should be restricted to occasional treats. This includes sodas. Sodas are loaded with sugar and should be avoided. Even diet sodas. Nuts - Several nuts, such as Brazil nuts, walnuts, and almonds can aggravate the skin. Peanuts and peanut butter may provoke acne in some individuals. If you eat nuts, limit your intake to small amounts and preferably eat only raw and unprocessed nuts. Dairy - Milk and dairy products, such as butter, ice cream and cheese contain high amounts of hormones. The milk from cows contains progesterone, 5-alpha reduced steroids, and other steroid hormones. When these hormones are consumed, they can break down into dihydrotestestosterone (DHT), a molecule that contributes to the production of oil in sebaceous glands. Research indicates that there is an association between milk consumption and acne, regardless of whether the milk is whole, low fat, or skim. For those who suffer from moderate to severe acne, it may be helpful to significantly reduce milk products from their diet. Calcium supplements can help maintain levels of the mineral in the body. Use soy milk instead. Another tip, even though it technically isn't a part of a diet, is don't clean your face with tap water, but with low-mineral bottled water. Excessive chloride and other minerals in tap water dehydrate the skin, thus causing dry flaky patches on the face. You don't need to buy a special water sprayer for your face; you can use a plant sprayer filled with low-mineral bottled water. For all your health needs, visit Help for Health. |
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