Ice Cream And Acne: Why Its Worse Than Other Junk Food
Before about 1970, every acne sufferer used to be told that the key to a clear face was to avoid consuming soft drinks, any kind of chocolate, any kind of nuts or peanuts, and all fried foods.
When skin care researchers did careful testing of the effects of these products on real-world acne sufferers, however, they found that, for the most part, carbonated beverages, chocolate, peanuts and tree nuts, and even fried foods high in saturated fat had no consistent effect on acne.
Instead, a series of research findings from around the world began to point to dairy products as a trigger for acne outbreaks.
What is it about cows milk that makes skin break out? Most cows milk products are high in a naturally occurring hormone called insulin-like growth factor-1, abbreviated IGF-1. This is not a hormone that is artificially added to milk or that is injected into cows. Its a natural growth factor that the mother cow provides her baby calf that stimulates cell growth. After all, if you are a calf, and you need to grow into a cow, stimulating cell division is a good thing.
Refined Grains And Sugars
People with acne tend to consume more refined carbohydrates than people with little or no acne (
Foods rich in refined carbohydrates include:
- Bread, crackers, cereal or desserts made with white flour
- Pasta made with white flour
- White rice and rice noodles
- Sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages
- Sweeteners like cane sugar, maple syrup, honey or agave
One study found that people who frequently consumed added sugars had a 30% greater risk of developing acne, while those who regularly ate pastries and cakes had a 20% greater risk .
This increased risk may be explained by the effects refined carbohydrates have on blood sugar and insulin levels.
Refined carbohydrates are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream, which rapidly raises blood sugar levels. When blood sugars rise, insulin levels also rise to help shuttle the blood sugars out of the bloodstream and into your cells.
However, high levels of insulin are not good for those with acne.
Insulin makes androgen hormones more active and increases insulin-like growth factor 1 . This contributes to acne development by making skin cells grow more quickly and by boosting sebum production .
On the other hand, low-glycemic diets, which do not dramatically raise blood sugars or insulin levels, are associated with reduced acne severity .
While the research on this topic is promising, more is needed to further understand how refined carbohydrates contribute to acne.
You Use Hair Removal Products
No woman wants to deal with unwanted hair of her face. You don’t have to with all the waxing, shaving and plucking options available today. However, experts say that using these methods to remove facial hair increases inflammation in your skin, which makes it easier for bacteria and germs to work their way into your pores. To lower the risk, make sure you wash your face well before starting your hair removal technique. You can also apply hydrocortisone cream afterward to keep swelling at bay.
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What These Research Findings Mean For You
While more research is needed to know whether certain foods can worsen acne, there is something that you can do right now if you think your diet affects your acne.
Dermatologists recommend that you pay attention to your breakouts, and ask yourself these questions:
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Does any food or beverage seem to trigger a breakout or worsen your existing acne?
-
If something seems to trigger a breakout, what happens when you dont have that food or beverage for a day, a week, or a month?
How To Treat Acne And See Results
Diet is just one small part of acne treatment. Cleansing, moisturizing, and exfoliation are also essential. Changing your diet alone will do nothing if you dont follow a consistent and repeatable skincare routine. Thats why we recommend Exposed Skin Care, a simple acne treatment system with a money-back guarantee.
Start with the Basic Kit, which gives you a 3-step morning routine and 3-step evening routine. The system is proven to clear skin within 30 days .
Morning Routine:
- Step 3: Clear Pore Serum
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/7fried And Processed Food
This one is a no-brainer. For the same reasons as mentioned above, one must strictly avoid junk, fried and processed food items if you are battling active acne. According to a research published in the Journal of Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, foods rich in saturated and trans fats stimulate the production of hormones that can cause excess secretion of oil. So, the next time you wake up with a zit on your face, it is strongly advisable to recall what you ate yesterday.
How Much Could You Indulge
For full disclosure, I must admit I did indulge on not-so-healthy foods, although I still managed to keep a clear skin. My indulgences were never the junk food I quit, so that helped to keep my acne in check.
Occasionally, I had some pasta, ice cream, fried rice, homemade chocolate chip cookies, fried fish, and chicken sausage.
These treats didnt make me break out because I controlled the portions I ate. It came easily because I didnt like nor felt good eating these often or in large quantities. The lesson here was that I needed a more wholesome diet, and not necessarily a strict, inflexible one.
What I learned from this experience is that you dont always need expensive products to heal yourself. Healing starts from the inside out.
Sometimes the solution is simple and obvious.But sometimes you cant see it because youre blinded by the promise of other products.
In skin care, nothing is set in stone. The only sure thing is that your mileage may vary, which means your skin has its own needs and it will have different reactions to several solutions.
This particular diet worked for me and I know it might not necessarily work for you. However, cleaning up your diet in your own way will definitely help you heal from the inside out.
If youve been struggling with acne for a while, consider starting with your plate. Itll be worth it.
TRACY RAFTL
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The Bittersweet Truth About Sugar Plus Diet Tips For Healthy Skin
Curology TeamFeb 02, 2019 · 5 min read
With every New Year comes a small frenzy of self-improvement and health changes, be that in the form of resolution workout plans, detox diets, or temporary teetotaling . Besides helping you feel better, committing to your health can have the added bonus of benefitting your skin. But whether or not youre on the New Year, new me bandwagon, you might be recoiling/recovering from post-holiday acne breakouts, and wondering what the deal is. The surge in sugar and drinking alcohol that tend to happen over the holidays could be the culprit all the more reason to skip the sugar for awhile.
Sugar Elimination Diet Plan
Last but not least, lets put a plan in place so that you can go ahead and start cutting out sugar.
Heres what to eat to keep sugar cravings at bay, feel energized the whole day, and lose weight:
Breakfast
One of my big breakfast favorites is a deliciouslow-sugar smoothie. Use both vegetables and fruits so that you avoid adding in too much sugar. You can boost the natural sugar content with fruit like a banana, which is sweeter than many other fruits
And I always add a bit of cinnamon to my coffee. It soothes my sweet tooth and makes me enjoy my coffee more.
Snacks
Prepare some snacks for work so that hunger pangs or afternoon slumps dont take you by surprise. You can use a small container and add servings of nuts and berries. Or, why not prepare one of your smoothies and bring it with you?
Lunch and dinner
Yes, cooking can be daunting after a full day at work. Thats why I love to use a crockpot or batch cook my meals. When I come home, food is already prepared and all I need to do is serve it.
My best tip for using your lunches and dinners to curb your sugar cravings?
Focus on protein. Protein helps curb hunger and food cravings, including sugar cravings.
My fat-burning food framework helps you eat the right amount:
Here are some of my favorite crock-pot recipes.
Drinks
Drinks are some of the worst offenders when it comes to sugary foods. Soft drinks and sweetened coffee and tea are all part of it.
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As Studies Mount It Appears High Glycemic Foods Might Lead To More Acne
Scientists have performed a dozen studies to examine whether a high glycemic diet would lead to acne.1-12 Most of these studies have found that people who eat a lot of high glycemic load foods develop more acne.
However, each of these studies only examined a small number of people, and this is not a reliable way to collect data. So, more research is needed with a larger number of people to truly determine if a large amount of sugar in the food and drinks we consume can cause acne. But from what we’re seeing so far, there appears to potentially be a connection.13
To learn more about these studies, click below.
Expand to read details of studies
Based on the results of these small studies, experts cautiously recommend that people with acne may want to try a low glycemic load diet in addition to standard acne treatments.
A 2019 article in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology gave the following advice for doctors: “Additional evidence is needed regarding the impact of on acne however, given the low risk and potential health benefits of …we feel the practitioner should consider recommending as a helpful adjuvant for the treatment of acne.”14
What It Means If Your Skin Improves On This Diet According To Lortscher
On eliminating processed food and refined sugar: Some parts of the Whole30 diet may benefit your skin. Sugar in any form influences the two major causes of acne: hormones and inflammation. As you eat refined and processed carbohydrates like white sugar, your blood sugar levels increase at a faster rate, and your pancreas responds by releasing insulin. By eliminating sugar, you may be able to decrease the amount of insulin your body makes.
On eliminating dairy: These products can trigger or worsen acne since milk contains precursors to testosterone and other androgens, which influence the hormone receptors in the skin to turn on the process that causes acne.
On eliminating alcohol: Although drinking too much alcohol does not directly cause acne, its certainly feasible that it may trigger acne. Certain steroid hormones, such as glucocorticoids and adrenal androgens, are released during stress. These hormones stimulate the oil glands in the skin, beginning a process that leads to acne. Bottom line moderation!
Insulin and acne
Insulin is a hormone that removes sugar from the blood and puts it in the cells to use. Insulin helps bring blood sugar down. Insulin-like growth factor production is stimulated, which increases sebum production and acne severity.
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How Sugar Affects Your Skin
Sugar and other high glycemic foods cause your blood sugar and insulin levels to spike. That results in inflammation throughout the body – and puts you at risk or developing acne and other skin problems.
Whats the big deal with inflammation? The issue is that it breaks down collagen and elastin, two of the essential building blocks of your skin. These proteins keep your skin taut, elastic, and youthful. But chronic inflammation caused by excess sugar consumption damages both collagen and elastin. The result is deeper wrinkles, more fine lines, and the early onset of the common signs of aging.
Your Hormones Are Changing
Even if you’re eating healthy, you could still be breaking out if you’re going through a hormonal change in your body. When I hit menopause at a very early age, I found that no matter what I had done in the past to combat acne, I saw small flares again. I realized this was hormonal, and within a year, the issue had straightened itself back out, leaving me acne free again. If you’re eating a low-glycemic diet, avoiding excess stress, and not using products that may be breaking your face out, it could be hormone related. You’ll also probably feel different internally if it is hormone related. You might be more tired than normal, suffer excess sweating or moodiness, and overall just feel less than stellar. If you suffer severe symptoms, feel free to see your OBGYN to see if there are any medications that may help, or lifestyle changes you can adopt to ease symptoms.
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Still Cant Get Rid Of Acne
If the acne diet isnt quite doing the trick, treat yourself to the blemish-fighting power of the ESPADA blue light acne treatment. Clear breakouts quickly, eliminate acne-causing bacteria and give yourself the gift of beautiful, healthier-looking skin.
Namely, ESPADA features a blue LED light and T-Sonic pulsations to blast blemishes out of existence. And while blue LED light is powerful, it is also non-invasive and gentle and offers anti-inflammatory effects. It has even been shown to increase collagen which promotes new tissue growth and is therefore great for improving scarring and blemishes on the skin.
Every ESPADA is 100% waterproof, offers 100 uses from a single charge. Also, it is clinically proven that ESPADA treats and heals acne-prone skin helping you get rid of this unpleasant skin condition in a way thats simple, effective and fast.
Try Not To Touch Your Face
This can be a tough one, but touching your face can transfer bacteria and those pore-clogging impurities onto your skin. Try to be mindful of how often youre touching your face and catch yourself in the act as best as you can.
Do your best to wash your hands regularly so that if you do touch your face, your hands are clean.
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Ingredients You Need To Include On Your Menu Asap
Green leafy vegetables
Recent fad diets like the alkaline diet have advocated for regulating your bodys pH by consuming a greater amount of alkaline foods and reducing your intake of acidic foods.
The truth is, our bodies already regulate our internal pH, but that doesnt mean this diet trend isnt on to something with its promotion of more veg. Proponents recommend beets, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, kale, lettuce, onions, peas, peppers and spinach. Its not rocket science the more vegetables you incorporate, the clearer your skin and the healthier your body. Acne diet for the win.
Antioxidant-rich berries
Like vegetables, the more antioxidants you can eat, the better especially if you struggle with acne. A diet rich in antioxidants can decrease mild to moderate acne. Good thing berries are so delicious try blueberries, blackberries, cherries and goji berries.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is the healthiest kind of chocolate you can try. It also contains zinc, another acne-fighting nutrient. Happily, its also delicious, so go ahead and treat yourself .
Oysters
Oysters are famous aphrodisiacs, but their zinc content is through the roof, so depending on what youre looking for, oysters can meet all your needs in one meal . Just make sure your oysters are sustainably farmed.
Pumpkin seeds
Green Tea
Foods That Cause Acne And Breakouts
Ever wake up in the morning to an unsightly pimple? Weve all been there. No matter your age, acne can flare up when you least expect and be the cause of much embarrassment. Whether youre heading to an important job interview, getting ready for a hot date or even just meeting friends for a night out its the last thing you want to see in the mirror. Despite many years of debate, recent studies prove that what you eat can play a significant role in the health and appearance of your skin with certain foods that can increase the frequency of your acne breakouts by as much as 10%. Although there are some great acne treatments out there, its also important to be aware of some of the primary acne-causing foods that are best to avoid!
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Foods That Can Cause Acne
One common myth about food and acne is that eating oily food causes acne. That all depends on how you define oily. There are many foods that are high in healthy oils that dont cause acne to worsen or break out. The main action of foods that cause acne is that they cause your blood sugar to elevate quickly. While fast food and fried foods do of course raise blood sugar, its not the oil in them that contributes to acne specifically. Many of these high-glycemic foods dont contain any oils at all. High sugar foods and drinks like pastries, desserts, and sodas are all foods that can greatly contribute to acne. While eating foods like this every once in a while wont impact your skin much, frequently eating unhealthy fast food and high-sugar desserts and drinks can wreak havoc on your complexion. This probably wont be very surprising to most people. Unhealthy foods and acne are often linked, but the reasons behind why junk food causes acne are not often explored. More research is needed, and the results of studies on blood sugars role in acne is debated. The leading theory is that this spike in blood sugar contributes to inflammation throughout the body and can even cause sebum production to increase.
