Does Your Diet Affect Your Acne?
Yes and No.
Acne is genetic and passed down from parent to child. However, there is a mild correlation between lifestyle factors and your breakouts.
Honestly, I have heard that chocolate won’t make your skin break out. Or that consuming dairy and breaking out afterwards is a myth.
I am here to tell you that this is not true for many people. In other blogs I talk about how acne is formed in the pore and why that is. For some people the body responds negatively to certain foods. For example, chocolate truly makes me break out. More specifically, sugar. I can consume raw cocoa powder and I am fine. But as soon as it is mixed with sugar, I have a terrible reaction. My skin only breaks out mildly, but I start to itch. Yup, inside my throat and ear itch. I sneeze and my nose will run. It is as though I have seasonal allergies. My mother experiences a similar response, except her itching is on her skin. Oh, and she’ll have a mild breakout, at least when she was younger.
We are all different and we all respond differently to foods. What may be completely fine for one person, another person may go into anaphylactic shock. Our diets play a major factor in our lives, including reactions to the largest organ of our body.
I can get some people completely clear with not changing a thing to their diet. Then there are others whose skin will make massive improvements but without them changing their diets, their skin can only get so clear.
Learning what foods trigger reactions is often difficult to determine. I am a big advocate of following the Whole30 diet. This is an elimination diet where you remove most foods that people have allergies to. Then you slowly add in one food at a time. This was how I discovered my allergy to chocolate. Chocolate was the very first thing that I ate, and by the time it hit the back of my throat I was itching.
Acne will be a bit more complicated, but our bodies are amazing. You may have other immediate symptoms that is telling you that a certain food does not agree with you. I am not going to create a special diet protocol, but rather following something like a Whole30 (there is a plethora of information and cookbooks on the market, including Facebook groups for support).
We tell our clients that clearing their acne is like pushing a rock. If your diet is clean, we are pushing the rock across level ground. But if your diet is filled with break-out stuff, we are pushing that rock up a slope, and your choices dictate how steep that slope is.
Here is the quick lowdown of what you should and should not consume based on the science of how foods react in the body-good foods reduce inflammation and bad foods increase inflammation (a clogged and infected pore is an inflammatory response to an infection).
Avoid unhealthy fats such as fried foods, vegetable and canola oils. Olive oil is one of the best choices.
Sugars and refined carbohydrates. The more natural the food, the better. Things like pasta, cake, crackers, bread often will be inflammatory for people.
Dairy. This is often a major trigger for some people. Try goats cheese instead.
Foods high in Iodine. A little is ok, but if you are a sushi lover and eat it every day, you may want to cut back and see how your skin reacts. If you are consuming a lot of processed foods, there may be hidden iodine in there. This also goes for processed meats like sausages or hot dogs.
Don’t hate me for this one but peanut butter is a huge culprit for many people. When consumed it acts like androgen, a testosterone like hormone, and wants your body to produce more oil in the pores. This in turn will increase the stickiness inside the pore and those shedding cells are less likely to be eliminated.
Ok, the good news. Eat plenty of vegetables. Maybe limit overly acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus. Small amounts for you might be fine, but it is possible that the citric acid can make someone breakout. This happens with a friend of mine. I know, it is unexpected. If you can, eat plenty of foods that have the colors green and orange. You will be getting plenty of vitamin A (a form of retinol). My favorites are carrots and sweet potatoes. They are easy to cook with little preparation, inexpensive and packed full of flavor.
Seafood high in Omega 3’s such as wild caught salmon reduce inflammation in the body and skin.
Hydration. Drink plenty of water! When dehydrated we often crave foods that are not good for us. If your body is properly functioning, every cell has the chance to work more efficiently. If your body wants to produce dead skin cells and more oil, staying hydrated may regulate how your body eliminates the dead skills and oil. I cannot stress this one enough. Hydration plays a vital role in the health of our bodies.
Our acne coaching programs address a lot of these dietary issues in greater depth. As you move along through our program and if you are not clearing as fast then we may talk more about your diet and what you can do to discover what may be assisting your breakouts.
If you are suffering from acne and trying to discover how to get clear then I invite you to learn more about our online coaching program or our in-spa coaching program.
Elizabeth has been a licensed Esthetician since 2005 and has worked with thousands of clients over the years, helping them to feel comfortable and confident in their own skin. Her team of estheticians in her spas are highly trained & certified in many area of esthetics that include our award winning Acne Clearing Program, Beautiful You Repair Series & the Brazilian Wax Treatment.
By Elizabeth Steffen, Master Esthetician
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