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Foods and Acne The old adage, “you are what you eat” cannot be truer
than when it comes to common causes of acne. Often individuals who do not
consume a healthy diet or whose diet lacks the proper amount of critical
vitamins and minerals suffer from acne problems. Remember, your body must be healthy before your skin
can be healthy, so strive to eat a well-balanced diet, and dedicate
yourself to an active lifestyle in order to enjoy unblemished, smooth, and glowing
skin. If you are experiencing skin
problems, instead of treating your body’s largest organ with harsh
chemicals or taking medications that may interfere with your other
prescriptions, look first at the nutrition value of your current diet. Work to
improve your skin and protect yourself from acne by following these guidelines. Banish Fats, Oils, and Sugars Often times, consuming a diet high in fats, oils, and
sugars can wreak havoc on an individual’s skin. Just as these unsavory
additions to your diet can cause other issues seen in your body, what you eat
directly affects the quality of your skin. Most people have experienced a break out after binging
on junk food or fast food, most of which is high in
fat, sugar, carbohydrates, and oils. In order to stop break outs associated
with eating this unhealthy food, begin to replace these items in your diet with
foods that are natural and healthy. Avoid Popular Misconceptions Many individuals are under the misconception that
eating certain foods can cause or worsen their acne condition. The most popular
food to blame for bad skin is undoubtedly chocolate. Chocolate lovers will take
great pleasure in noting that no one specific type of food—including
chocolate—has been proven to cause or worsen acne in individuals. However, you
should enjoy your chocolate sparingly, as your entire diet can definitely
affect the quality
of your skin’s appearance, even though one particular item may not be the
trigger. Try Organic Foods When looking to change your diet for the better, take
care in including fresh, wholesome foods into your new lifestyle. Many
individuals have found great success in incorporating organic foods into their
diet, since these items lack any added chemicals, preservatives, or potential
toxins that can affect both your body and your skin. Furthermore, structure your diet around fresh fruits
and vegetables, most of which contain necessary vitamins that will positively
affect your entire body. Also, you may want to avoid eating meat products high
in fat, since fats can be quickly be stored in your system, lasting long after
that greasy burger has been digested. Consider Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Many individuals do not receive the properly daily
recommended dose of vitamins or minerals in their diet. For this reason, you
should look into including supplements in your daily health regimen. Remember,
before consuming any medications or supplements of any kind, be sure to consult
your primary health care provider to ensure the dosage is proper and the
medication will not negatively interact with your current prescriptions. Too, you may want to find a solid multi-vitamin that is
specified for your gender, age, or activity level. Be sure to look for
supplements that include Vitamin
E, a necessary vitamin when it comes to the health of your skin. Hydrate Your Body Unless you are drinking at least eight eight-ounce
glasses of water each day, you are not hydrating your body to a healthy extend.
Most individuals are not properly hydrated and their skin pays the price. If
you find your skin is dull, ashy, flaky, itchy, or excessively dry, you are not
drinking enough water to benefit your body. Hydrated
skin is fresh and glowing, so you should drink up to experience these great
effects! Also, drinking the proper amount of water on a daily basis will also
benefit your overall sense of health. Avoid drinking sodas or sugary sports
drinks, since the added sodium and sugar can be detrimental to your healthy
lifestyle. By following the above guidelines for clear skin, you
can actively work to maintain healthy looking skin that is free of acne. If you
find yourself suffering from acne or other skin conditions, focus inward
instead for a treatment of this problem instead of slathering your skin with
potentially harmful creams or lotions that may cause more harm than good. By
eating a proper diet, you will ensure your skin is as healthy as you are. Limit your Dairy Foods Intake Many experts estimate that Acne affects 85% of
Americans making it the most common skin disorder in the United States. While it mostly affects teenagers,
unfortunately, Acne can carry through to adulthood as well causing self-esteem
issues for anyone who has this particular affliction. With so many remedies available, what is an
Acne sufferer to do? Dermatologists believe what largely determines whether
a person develops acne are genetics and hormonal fluctuations, thus the
tendency for it to occur during puberty, pregnancy and menopause. Many folks
believe that another contributing factor is chocolate and/or greasy foods, but
dermatologists are not quite sure yet.
Continued research has now revealed there is one food group that has now
been shown to contribute to higher outbreaks.
The food group is dairy products.
That's right, got milk? A study published last year in the Journal of the
American Academy of Dermatology by a team at Harvard suggests that a diet high
in dairy products can increase your likelihood of Acne. The researchers analyzed the habits and diets of nearly
50,000 people, looking especially at what they ate while in high school. Those
who drank three or more cups of milk a day, the study found,
were 22 percent more likely to experience severe acne compared with those who
drank one serving a week or less. Skim milk had the greatest effect. Cream cheese and
cottage cheese were also associated with outbreaks, while chocolate and greasy
foods were not. The researchers attributed the effect to hormones in milk;
other studies have had similar findings. It is interesting to note the wide range of intake of
dairy products for this study. Students
who drank three cups of milk a day vs. those who drank one serving a week were
the ones who were 22% more likely to experience severe acne. That is a huge difference in daily
intake. Those in that group suffered
“severe” acne. As you know, each person reacts to a specific food or
medication differently. Taking this
study into consideration, it proves that diet can have an impact on your acne
breakouts. While dermatologists are in disagreement about chocolate
and greasy foods, my own personal experience suggested that they did indeed
impact my outbreaks. As an Acne
sufferer, you need to monitor your diet to test if certain foods are
contributing to your outbreaks. Our
diets and the foods we eat are significantly different than what we ate 25, 50
or 100 years ago. It is very likely that
these changes have contributed to such a high percentage of the population
suffering from Acne at some point in their life. So how can you tell which foods are causing your Acne
outbreaks? Start keeping a log of the
foods you eat and when Acne outbreaks occur.
While this may sound simple enough, it will require some diligence on
your part to truly keep an accurate log.
Pay special attention to foods that are not natural. For example, it is unlikely carrot sticks
will cause an outbreak, but that big bag of Sour Cream and Onion Ruffles
might. I know from my own experience, it
seemed like anytime I ate a chocolate bar, I had an outbreak within 1-2
days. When keeping your logs, pay close
attention to these patterns. If you are
a heavy consumer of dairy products, you may want to pay special attention to
your intake in this area and modify your diet accordingly. Make sure to pay special attention to what
nutrients you might be losing if you cut back on milk, such as calcium and
vitamin D. As always, consult your
doctor and/or dermatologist if your problem persists. For Further Information check out the following
MomKnowsBestOnline Acne pages: Copyright ®2005-2009 eNewsletterSolutions.com. All rights reserved
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