Your Diet and your Skin
You can have the most intensive and extensive skincare routine, but still not see the results you’re looking for. What many fail to realize is, what you put in your mouth is as important as what you put on your face.
Skin is the human body’s largest organ.
The skin is an active, living tissue that serves as a tough but flexible armor to keep harmful microbes, chemicals, and sun rays away from your more sensitive inner tissues. Your skin also can act as a mirror of what’s going on inside the body. Whether you are battling acne, dry skin, dull skin, wrinkles, rosacea, eczema, or any other skin problems creating a healthy diet plan can help combat these issues.
The general rule of thumb that most dermatologists agree on and that research has thoroughly backed up is:
Inflammatory foods = BAD (sugar, starch, gluten, coffee, alcohol)
Nutrient-rich foods = GOOD (Foods with vitamins and minerals like omega-3, vitamin C, antioxidants, chlorophyll, beta-carotene, and zinc)
Our bodies break down different foods differently. Refined sugars and refined flours (like the stuff you’ll find in bread, pasta, soda, cake, anything with flour or sugar, to an extent) have been stripped of their slow-digesting fiber. This means that our bodies break down the compounds really quickly, and in doing so, cause insulin levels to spike which is a pro-inflammatory response.
This increase in insulin produces hormones called ‘androgens.’ Too many androgens cause your pores to produce more oil which can get trapped inside of pores and create pimples.
What foods are best to avoid?
First thing’s first. Reduce your sugar. We’re eating WAY too much of it.There are two types of sugars that we eat, naturally-occurring ones, and added sugars. Naturally-occurring sugars are pretty self-explanatory - they’re found naturally in foods like fruits and dairy. Added sugars include anything that’s been added during processing or preparation (like putting sugar in your coffee).
Unfortunately, you can’t always tell by a nutrition label whether sugars are added or naturally-occurring, but you can keep an eye out for the following:
Brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, malt sugar, molasses, raw sugar, sugar, anything ending in “ose” (dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose), syrup.
Not only is refined sugar linked to acne and skin irritation, but too much can also cause obesity, hypertension, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, depression, headaches, fatigue, nervous tension, aching limbs, diabetes, stiffening of arteries and violent behavior.
Remember, just because it sounds healthy, doesn’t mean it’s not packed with sugar. Watch out for this stuff:
Protein bars
Yogurt (unless it’s plain) dried fruit
Granola
Salad dressings smoothies
Whole wheat bread pasta sauce
What else should I Avoid?
Cut back the carbs – White bread, pasta, and refined sugar all break down the same way in your body, and in turn, spike your cortisol levels (a stress hormone), which causes breakouts. Swap your white bread for whole grain bread with as few ingredients as possible. Pass on the pasta every once in a while, and opt for veggies instead.
Also, ditch the dairy. Many experts believe that the hormone level in cow milk – from the pregnant cows producing the milk – can cause excess sebum production, leading to acne and clogged pores. To be safe, swap out your cow milk with a dairy alternative or goat-milk based dairy products!
So What can I eat?
Dark Chocolate
The cacao flavanols, aka the plant compounds that have all the antioxidants, help to hydrate the skin and improve circulation. This, in turn, improves the elasticity in your skin, keeping wrinkles at bay.
Olive Oil
Olive oil keeps your skin cells happy! Studies show that women who consumed more than 2 teaspoons of olive oil a day had 31% fewer signs of aging, compared to those who ate just 1 teaspoon of olive oil each day.
Tomatoes
According to scientists, tomatoes hold an antioxidant called lycopene, which helps improve the skin’s natural SPF. These antioxidants come out, even more, when the tomato is cooked or processed.
Leafy Greens and the rainbow!
Prolonged sun exposure can lead to many skin problems and contribute to the aging of the skin. One way to fight back is to eat more dark leafy greens like kale and spinach! Kale, in particular, is one of the best sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, nutrients that help block out the free radicals created by UV light. Eating a variety of different fruits and vegetables each day that are a variety of different colors gives your skin (and body) everything it needs!
Avocados
Avocados are an awesome source of vitamin E, which helps protect the skin from oxidative damage. They’re also high in vitamin C, which creates collagen and keeps skin hydrated and smooth.Avocados are high in healthy fats that benefit many functions in your body, including the health of your skin!
Omega 3’s
They’re naturally anti-inflammatory and SUPER important to incorporate into a skin- rejuvenating diet foods high in omega 3’s include:
Walnuts
Chia seeds
Spinach
Eggs
Flax seeds
Omega- 3 Supplements see here
Water
This one’s obvious - water flushes out and detoxifies the system, and you can never have too much of it! Drink as much of it as you can to keep your skin clear and glowing. Six-eight cups a day is a good starting point.
Change will happen if you follow these simple tips, of course, this differs for everyone. But if you were to cut out all refined sugars, refined flours, caffeine, and alcohol from your diet for a month, you should notice a difference. As long as you’re also getting some exercise in and enough sleep, the results should be something akin to a freshly-facialed face and a mini-facelift! Many people who wear off inflammatory foods for a month see their natural contours emerge, their undereye bags dissipate, and puffiness disappear completely!
Those are the main culprits of bad skin, yes! Remember, everyone is unique and different metabolisms can handle foods differently. Be patient and consistent!
Did you know that not only our diet influences the way our skin looks? Connect with me here to start nourishing your skin from the inside out!
