Erin’s Journey To Get Clear Skin
Most of my life I was a “makeup kind of gal” because I didn’t have good skin. It was sensitive, prone to breakouts, and splotchy. I tried every cleanser, soap, mask, and more to try and tame my face, shoulders, and arms, yet nothing worked.
After trying one of Jen’s green smoothie recipes, I was intrigued, but a total newbie. Yet it’s amazing how quickly I changed:
- I swore I’d never drink a green smoothie without dairynow I use water or almond milk as the base.
- Then I said I’d never blend kale now I literally have a 4×4 ft container garden of kale. That’s 18 kale plants that I treat like my own offspring!!!
- Finally, I said I’d never leave the house without makeup. These days, you’ll only find me in makeup on date night. Why? Because I discovered the secret of the clear skin diet, and I’m never going back.
Roasted Red Pepper And Tomato Soup
Source: Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
Loading up on those antioxidant-packed, vitamin A, red, yellow, and orange veggies is a great way to help fight acne by protecting your skin from free radicals. This Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup recipe by Kristina Jug & Mita Bezensek is absolutely packed with antioxidants from red bell peppers, tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes.
Which Carbohydrates To Choose For Acne
Based on the above pathways, a high intake of sugary foods and other foods that have a high glycaemic index may aggravate acne.
In fact, many studies have confirmed that the excess of consumption of food with a high glycaemic index is a major promoting or exacerbating factor on acne
Avoiding sugary food and high glycaemic index foods like white bread, white pasta and white rice, and other refined carbohydrates, may therefore be beneficial for acne.
Substituting these for foods with fibre and a lower glycaemic index, such as brown rice, brown bread and brown pasta as well as legumes and vegetables would seem like a reasonable change in diet for acne.
Also Check: Does Lemon Water Help With Acne
Foods That Help With Hormonal Acne
Its not just that fibre that helpssome vegetables also contain special compounds that promote hormonal balance .
The cruciferous family of vegetables is brimming with these special compounds. This family includes old favourites such as kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and rocket .
If you suffer from hormonal acneor breakouts that typically appear around your periodincorporating cruciferous vegetables into your diet is a great idea. Aim for two to three heaped handfuls daily.
Best And Worst Foods For Acne Treatment And Prevention
Acne may be the most common skin issues in the world, particularly in young people. Acne happens when the skin pores get clogged by dead skin and oil. Believe it or not, the key to acne-free skin is a simple, healthy diet. So how is a simple and healthy diet? To be honest, it is not a one-size-fit-all diet which works for everyone. It is up to you to experiment throughout the time in order to find the proper healthy diet for your skin as well as body. You should keep a food diary in order to track and adjust your diet according to it. Remember that, to have clear and glowing skin, moderation, discipline and patience is very important.
Turn back to the main topic of the article: foods for acne treatment and prevention. For many beauty experts, fight acne from inside out is a long-term solution for acne. So, knowing what to eat and what to avoid is very crucial for acne-free skin. Foods rich in some following nutrients are associated with lower levels of acne and pimples, which are complex carbohydrates, vitamin A, zinc, vitamin E, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. This article from the section Foods For Health on the site Nutrition Kit is made to help you find out the best anti-acne diet which is suitable for your skin. Lets start!
Recommended Reading: How To Treat Rosacea Acne
How Does Diet Affect The Skin
One thing that can affect your skin is diet. Certain foods raise your blood sugar more quickly than others.
When your blood sugar rises quickly, it causes the body to release a hormone called insulin. Having excess insulin in your blood can cause your oil glands to produce more oil, increasing your risks of acne.
Some foods that trigger spikes in insulin include:
- pasta
- white bread
- sugar
Because of their insulin-producing effects, these foods are considered high-glycemic carbohydrates. That means theyre made of simple sugars.
Chocolate is also believed to worsen acne, but it doesnt seem to affect all people, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology .
Other researchers have studied the connections between a so-called Western diet or standard American diet and acne. This kind of diet is based heavily on:
- saturated fats
- trans fats
According to research reported in the Journal of Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, these kinds of foods stimulate the production of hormones that can cause excess oil to be created and secreted by oil glands.
Theyve also found that a Western diet is linked to greater inflammation, which can also contribute to acne problems.
Eating low-glycemic foods made of complex carbohydrates may reduce your risk of developing acne. Complex carbohydrates are found in the following foods:
- whole grains
- legumes
- unprocessed fruits and vegetables
- salmon, mackerel, and other kinds of fatty fish
- nuts
Almonds Eggs Leafy Green Vegetables
The antioxidant vitamin E helps skin heal from damage and scarring caused by acne. Its not easy to get a lot of E from a low-fat diet, but unrefined vegetable oils, nuts, and whole grains are good sources. Aim for: The recommended daily intake of vitamin E is 15 milligrams. One tablespoon of canola oil has 2 mg, and 30 g of almonds has 7 mg. Some physicians recommend 200 mg or more per day, which youd need a supplement to get.
Helpful hint: Vitamin E is fat soluble, so eat it along with foods that contain a little fat. When you eat kale or spinach, for example, drizzle on a little olive oil.
Don’t Miss: Does Adapalene Help With Acne Scars
Recipes To Help Clear Your Skin
- Vegetable Barley Soup: This soup is packed with fiber, which helps your digestive system get moving. The more toxins and waste you can excrete through your digestive system, the less chance your skin has to do it.
- Carrot Ginger Soup: This warm and cozy soup contains fresh ginger root which is a natural anti-inflammatory.
- Sleep Well Smoothie: This bedtime smoothie encourages sleep, which in turns helps your skin out.
- Apple Celery Smoothie: This smoothie is low in sugar and high in fiber.
- Pineapple Clear Skin Smoothie: The smoothie recipe below originated from the Fresh Start 21-day cleanse and contains avocado, the ultimate beauty skin food.
Drop a comment letting me know some of your fav foods for glowing skin, and let me know if you try this smoothie!
Risk Factors For Acne
Besides age and hormonal changes, there are other risk factors for developing or worsening acne. If you have a family history of acne, you are more likely to have it as well. While stress cant cause acne, it can cause it to worsen. Certain substances coming into contact with your skin can also create acne, such as greasy creams or lotions, grease in the air from things like fry vats, and objects that rub against your skin — think cellphones, helmets, tight collars on your neck. There are some medications that lead to acne, like corticosteroids or birth control pills. And yes, diet can also be a contributing factor to acne. While your food choices cant cause acne, certain foods do seem to exacerbate acne.
You May Like: What To Do When You Break Out Acne
Tips Before Starting An Acne Diet Plan
Before getting started, skim through this checklist.
Effective Acne Treatment Includes Skin Care And Medication
While diet may play a role in causing your breakouts or worsening your acne, keeping your skin clear requires more than a diet change. Using acne friendly skin care and acne medication helps to prevent new breakouts.
1 Rouhani P, Berman B, et al. Poster 706: Acne improves with a popular, low glycemic diet from South Beach. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009 60:AB14.
2 Smith RN, Mann NJ, et al. The effect of a high-protein, low glycemicload diet versus a conventional, high glycemicload diet on biochemical parameters associated with acne vulgaris: A randomized, investigator-masked, controlled trial. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2007 57:247-56.
3 Kwon HH, Yoon JY, et al. Clinical and histological effect of a low glycaemic load diet in treatment of acne vulgaris in Korean patients: a randomized, controlled trial. Acta Derm Venereol. 2012 92:241-6.
4 Cerman AA, Akta E, et al. Dietary glycemic factors, insulin resistance, and adiponectin levels in acne vulgaris. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2016 75:155-62.
5 Adebamowo CA, Spiegelman D, et al. High school dietary dairy intake and teenage acne. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2005 52:207-14.
6 Adebamowo CA, Spiegelman D, et al. Milk consumption and acne in adolescent girls. Dermatol Online J. 2006 12:1.
7 Adebamowo CA, Spiegelman D, et al. Milk consumption and acne in teenaged boys. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008 58:787-93.
ImagesGetty Images
Adebamowo CA, Spiegelman D, et al. Milk consumption and acne in adolescent girls. Dermatol Online J. 2006 12:1.
Don’t Miss: How To Reduce Back Acne
The Results Of A Clear Skin Diet
I never realized just how much food played into my skin issues, until I gave up dairy and sugar on this cleanse. I saw that certain foods were causing my acne and others were promoting overall health like…
Now: after the cleanse, my family still eats meat and the occasional dairy. Yet now we also make sure to include plenty of plant based meals to our week as well.
Foods That Help Clear Acne
- Fiber: Eating a diet high in fiber can help, since fiber helps to control your blood sugar levels and therefore controls the amount of oil your skin produces. Try including more fruits and vegetables in your daily diet.
- Fatty fish: Studies show that eating foods with omega-3 fatty acids can improve your acne over time. Omega-3 fatty acids help lower inflammation and reduce the production of a protein involved in the release of insulin growth factors. You can find these fatty acids in fishes like salmon, sardines, mackerel, and tuna.
- Healthy oils: Consider using healthier oils like walnut, soybean, and canola oil. These also contain omega-3 fatty acids that can help keep acne at bay.
- Nuts: Nuts are a good snack option, since they are chock full of antioxidants that people with acne are often lacking, such as vitamin E and selenium. While there is no definitive data that proves the link between nut consumption and clear skin, there is no harm in including these healthy foods in your diet, as long you eat in moderation.
- Zinc: Zinc has been shown to have promising results when it comes to clearing up acne. Rich food sources of zinc include oysters, poultry, nuts, beans, whole grains, and fortified cereals.
- Probiotics: Probiotics help balance gut bacteria, which may have many beneficial effects including an increase in anti-inflammatory fatty acids in the blood.
Recommended Reading: Is Charcoal Good For Acne
Does Diet Really Matter When It Comes To Adult Acne
- By Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing
When I was a teenager, the advice I got about acne was clear and consistent:
- Avoid oily foods and chocolate because they trigger breakouts and make existing acne worse
- Wash your face often
- Try a topical, over-the-counter remedy such as those containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid .
But a new study has once again turned the tables. It suggests that diet might contribute to acne at least in adults.
Start Your Skin Care Diet Today
Keeping your skin healthy and acne-free goes a long way in keeping you confident and warding off other skin problems. If you want to keep your skin clear, eat some of the foods that prevent acne and reap the benefits of clear skin!
Staying healthy is an important part of your life, but accidents happen. Contact us today to learn more about how you can protect your family.
Read Also: How Do I Reduce Acne
What Is Acne And Why Does It Happen
Eating foods that are not optimal for the human body can clog up our kidneys, lungs, and bowels, leaving the skin to bear the burden of eliminating much of our metabolic waste and toxins. The toxic and tissue-corrosive waste can start accumulating underneath our skin, creating pockets of lymph that slowly move to the surface to be eliminated through the thinnest areas of our skin, the pores.
What islymph? It is simply an oil-based liquid that helps the body move waste to eliminative organs. It contains metabolic waste , toxins, and other forms of waste the body wants to clean out.
Without proper lymph movement, this acidic waste accumulates in the body, irritating and damaging our tissues. Bacteria and fungi see this toxic sludge underneath the skin as a food source and love to munch on it, creating a lot of inflammation associated with different types of acne. The inflammation is there to help us heal these acne wounds but, unfortunately, it causes us a lot of discomfort and even scarring.
I Ate Simply And Repeated Meals For Long
When I find a meal I like, I eat it over and over again! If I enjoy it, I know I can stick with it. I actually love rice and beans. Really! I not only could eat them every day, but I actually do.
But even though I might eat rice and beans each day, theres still variety. I vary the type of beans cookedone day might be lentils, another black or pinto beans, cannellini or limas. Of course, there are also many different types of ricebasmati, jasmine, long grain, and short grain. Even when you are eating the “same thing,” its still different. I found that keeping the base the same made it easier to cook everything, prevented decision fatigue, and increased the chances of success.
After my skin had been clear for a while, it seemed like I was onto something, so I wrote my book, The Clear Skin Diet with my sister to help other people suffering in the same way. I would have never thought that a devastating skin breakout would lead to being able to help people also suffering with debilitating acne. What looked like a curse actually ended up being a blessing.
Read Also: What Can I Use For Baby Acne
Unrefined Starches Became The Cornerstone Of My Diet
Starches are low in fat, low in calories, and high in satiation . Mashed potatoes and brown gravyI make it with a vegetable-based brothare my comfort foods. Who wouldnt feel better sitting down with a big warm bowl of creamy mashed potatoes slathered with delicious gravy? I feel good just thinking about it!
Eat Your Way To Clear Skin
Given ample scientific evidence that an antioxidant-rich diet can help you achieve good skin health, its time to eat your way to clear skin. On the plus side, since the clear skin diet is chock full of healthy foods, be prepared to lose a few pounds too.
One thing to note though is that the clear skin diet outlined above is merely a guideline. Certain foods that help clear up your skin may trigger skin issues for others. This is because everyones dietary needs and subsequent skin reactions are unique. Keep a journal to identify the foods that work for you and those that dont.
Last but not least, the clear skin diet does take time to work. Since your skin cells are renewed once every four weeks, try the clear skin diet for at least a month to see results. For a wholistic approach, pair the clear skin diet with a good skincare routine that works for you. Practice consistency and self-discipline by sticking to your diet plan and steering away from potential triggers to ensure your clear skin diet is a definite success.
You May Like: What Really Works For Acne
