Beauty and Wellness Corner with Kelly: How Diet Affects Your Skin Part One

This week I am starting a three-week series about how your diet can affect your skin, focusing on acne first. There is more and more research coming in showing links between what we consume and the health of our skin.

Two types of foods that can contribute to acne:

• High glycemic foods (foods that increase blood sugar level)- Foods that cause your blood sugar to rise quickly can boost your insulin production, which can boost production of oil glands and pore clogging cells. Sugar also contributes to inflammation in the body, and since acne is an inflammatory condition, added inflammation doesn’t help.
• Dairy products- The American Academy of Dermatology states that milk can cause acne breakouts and cause problems for your skin. There is a direct link between acne and milk consumption, due to the hormones found in milk. These hormones contribute to the overproduction of sebum on the skin, resulting in clogged pores and acne.

Two types of food/drink that can help clear your acne:

• Omega-3’s- Omega-3’s have been shown to control sebum production on the skin and keep inflammation in control. They can be found in foods like walnuts, avocados, and salmon.
• Water-Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia found that having 2 cups of water a day significantly boosted blood flow throughout the body and skin. This helps your body flush out toxins that can clog your pores. It also hydrates your skin from the inside out, and hydrated skin doesn’t produce as much oil. It also stands to reason that if you drink the recommended eight glasses of water a day you would have even more positive results.

Check out next week’s article for information on how your diet can contribute to premature aging!

Do you have a beauty and/or wellness question, trend, or topic you would like to see discussed? Email Kelly at mnrockingham@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and information in this article are solely those of the writer based on personal research and experience and are not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The writer is not responsible for your use of the information contained or linked from this article.