Could Food Be the Cause of Your Acne?
When you have skin issues, think GUT.
Food may not be the only culprit to your facial inflammation; however, it plays a large roll! These are the top 3 things I would rule out in terms of lifestyle:
1. Limit or cut out dairy, grains, processed foods/sugar
You may hear this all the time so let’s dive into why (I’m all about the WHY).
To keep it short and sweet: these kinds of foods trigger a hormonal response in the body. If you eat dairy products often you are more than likely consuming a growth hormone called insulin-like growth factor-1 and local hormones including prostaglandins which are known to cause sebum production and inflammation. Insulin is not only found in dairy but also grains and processed foods. When blood sugar rises, insulin is released causing blood sugar dysregulation. This causes the cells to get stuck in the skin, causing inflammation or ACNE. Insufficient digestion of these foods can also lead to skin issues. The sugar found in dairy, lactose, along with the protein found in grains, gluten, can be difficult for a lot of people’s GI tract to break down. Honestly, I am seeing SO much malabsorption/improper digestion in individuals 15 years - 30years old. If you suffer from gas, bloating, abdominal distention, indigestion, or heart burn then a digestive enzyme is going to be your best friend.
2. Test for Food Intolerances
Aside from grains and dairy, it’s important to test if other foods are contributing to the dysbiosis. Afterall, the gut not only holds the immune system, talks with the brain, and regulates homeostasis, but also regulates hormones. Taking an intolerance test will allow peace of mind, knowing exactly what agrees with your gut and what doesn’t. You can test through blood or hair each with precise results. The intolerance test I conduct will also test for metals, environmental toxins, nutritional imbalances, food additives, and skincare irritations. You can purchase it here.
3. Increase Water Intake
Water is so underrated! Want to lose weight? Drink water. Want to feel satiated longer? Drink water. Want to eliminate toxins? Drink water. Want to replenish organs? Drink water. Want to fuel your body? Drink water. Want hydrated, clear skin? Drink water. It’s as simple as that. Pure, filtered H2O fuels your organs and organ systems so they can work properly. Our bodies are overloaded with toxicity on a DAILY basis, it makes sense that we experience the toxicity on our skin sometimes. Drinking water will help the body to eliminate those toxins through urination and sweating! I encourage everyone to drink at least half your body weight in ounces daily, adding lemon for optimal absorption.
Obviously, there are other factors that could contribute to pimples such as hormonal imbalance (estrogen dominance), poor quality skincare products and makeup, stress, bacterial overgrowth, dirty sheets, etc. But I truly believe that by ruling out these 3 things you’ll be halfway there to figuring out the root cause!
How To Eat For Healthy Skin
Hydrating foods: celery, cucumbers, watermelon, berries, lettuce, oranges, lemon, zucchini, bell peppers, grapefruit
Anti-bacterial foods: garlic, honey, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, onion, sauerkraut
Anti-microbial foods: mushrooms, cruciferous veg, onions, garlic, peptides from animal protein, basil, thyme, oregano
Collagen boosting foods: bone broth (turkey, chicken, bovine, fish), organic chicken, egg whites, berries, garlic, leafy greens, cashews, fish
xx, Steph
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4524299/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6963522/
