5 Foods to Avoid for Your Skin Health

The notion that what we eat can affect our skin health has been rather controversial over time. The idea that diet can cause breakouts was looked at nearly a century ago, but studies published in 1969 and 1971 put a stop to that belief for some time when they looked at the link between consuming chocolate and acne.

 

 

 

For a start, the research article published in 1969 that dismissed the link between chocolate and acne was ‘made possible’ by the Chocolate Manufactures Association of the USA. The research is being reviewed by people such as William Goh, MD (2011) and Whitney Bowe, MD (2012), and we are now finding that there is a lot of supporting evidence to show that what we eat does in fact have a major impact on the health of our skin.

 

Most commonly, we have all heard that chocolate causes pimples. Chocolate itself in the form of cacao is not likely to be the sole cause, but recent research evidence shows that both the intake of dairy and sugar can increase acne, both of which are contained in chocolate.

 

I have seen many improvements in skin health by the avoiding following foods:

 

-Foods high in sugar.

 

Sugar can destroy collagen, thereby increasing the early signs of aging. High-GI foods are extremely linked to acne, and often worsen other skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis & rosacea. Sugar may also feed the bad bacteria in our body therefore increasing the chances of skin infections and lowering our immunity. Avoiding sugar includes natural sugars as well, such as fruit juice & agave! Don’t forget about all the hidden sources of sugar in things like BBQ sauce, jams and biscuits.

 

-Dairy, especially skim milk.

 

Dairy has been shown in research studies to increase the incidence of breakouts. It’s worth noting that skim milk increases the risk even more! Often low-fat dairy products like yoghurt are higher in sugar than their full fat counterparts too.

 

-Chocolate

 

A double whammy of sugar and dairy creating the perfect environment that pimples LOVE. Chocolate can also increase rosacea symptoms. Try raw dairy-free low sugar chocolate instead.

 

-White bread & pasta

 

Yet again more high-GI foods that have been linked to acne, eczema and dermatitis. If foods like white bread & pasta makes you bloat or make you feel very lethargic, it may be worth considering avoiding all gluten. If you have a gluten intolerance you may have underlying digestive problems which affect all aspects of skin health.

 

-Alcohol

 

(Sorry!). Not technically a food, but alcohol can dehydrate the skin which will increase the early signs of aging. It also reduces nutrient transportation to the outer layers of the skin which will worsen acne, eczema, dermatitis and rosacea. Alcohol can affect nutrient absorption in the digestive system and can also damage the functioning of the liver. Long term consumption is particularly linked to deficiencies in certain B vitamins (B1, B3 and B6) which can result in hormonal imbalances and skin problems such as acne & dermatitis. The preservatives in wine often flair up skin conditions as well, and pre-mixed drinks are usually very high in sugar.

 

Western societies have a higher incidence of skin conditions than anywhere else in the world, and we also have a diet high in all the above foods. Removing the refined foods from your diet, as well as correcting any nutrient deficiencies and using a proper skin care regime, can dramatically increase the health of our skin! You’ll be glowing in no time!

 

Haley is a passionate Naturopath & nutrition expert, writer, and mum of 2 young children, with years of experience in the industry. She is a known as a real 'nutrition nerd' and follows the latest natural health research. As a Paleo and raw food enthusiast, she coaches people in healthy living, beauty and positive mindset. Haley has personally experienced the benefits of the SkinB5 natural acne treatment system and is happy to offer her guidance to help others regain clear skin. Follow her blog at www.aliveinwonderland.com & link with her on facebook at www.facebook.com/aliveinwonderlandhealth

 

For more details, visit website:

http://www.skinb5online.com/en/blog

How Your Diet Affects Your Skin

The association between food and skin health is becoming clearer as more and more evidence shows that our current Western diet is linked to increased incidences of skin problems such as dermatitis, rosacea and acne (Melnik 2012).

 

Foods that have a high glycaemic index have been shown to play a role in increasing acne in particular. Consuming high-GI foods causes the pancreas to secrete a large amount of insulin, which also increases levels of our insulin-like growth factor 1, also known as IGF-1. When we increase our IGF-1 this can have an effect on the sebum of our skin. IGF-1 promotes growth, and can increase oil production, thus increasing the incidence of breakouts.

 

The other factor regarding the link between our food and skin health is the lack of nutrients in the foods we consume. A deficiency in certain nutrients such as zinc, vitamin B’s and vitamin A can affect skin health and healing. This is due to many reasons, such as mineral deficiencies in our soil, storage of food, and a lifestyle high in stress that depletes our nutrients. Water soluble vitamins (vitamin B’s and vitamin C) can be lost in the heating/cooking of food. When we combine those factors with the fast-paced society we live in where many people consume a lot of nutritionally-deficient ‘food on-the-go’, and our vegetables come in the form of over-microwaved packets, it’s very common to not meet our recommended daily intakes.

 

Study after study show that the effect of nutrient deficiencies greatly increase the incidence of acne (Danby 2014; Mogaddam 2014; Orzugus 2014; Tsoy 2015). A lack of zinc will affect almost every pathway in the body – especially our hormones. When our hormones are effected, hormonal acne can become much worse. Pantothenic Acid (aka vitamin B5) is vitally important, and a deficiency in this can lead to dermatological problems, including acne and dermatitis. This is why SkinB5 has combined a balanced formula of nutrients such as vitamin B5, vitamin B3, folate, zinc and vitamin A, to help correct the nutritional deficiencies often seen in both face and body acne.

 

Food should ideally contain the many necessary nutrients to make new cells, balance our hormones, heal our wounds and keep our skin structure tight & blemish-free. However, it’s becoming very common to not get enough of the essential nutrients from our food to maintain healthy clear vibrant skin. When a nutrient-deficient diet is combined with high-GI foods and perhaps also poor nutrient absorption, it is no wonder that our skin unfortunately suffers as a result.

 

Haley is a passionate Naturopath & nutrition expert, writer, and mum of 2 young children, with years of experience in the industry. She is a known as a real 'nutrition nerd' and follows the latest natural health research. As a Paleo and raw food enthusiast, she coaches people in healthy living, beauty and positive mindset. Haley has personally experienced the benefits of the SkinB5 natural acne treatment system and is happy to offer her guidance to help others regain clear skin. Follow her blog at www.aliveinwonderland.com & link with her on facebook at www.facebook.com/aliveinwonderlandhealth

For more details, visit website:
http://www.skinb5online.com/en/blog

4 Common Foods Used in Skincare

Have you looked at the ingredients of your skin care products lately? With the hype of ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ we are seeing more and more food groups within skincare products, making them good enough to eat!

 

We’ve outlined some of the most common foods (or drinks) you may find in your skincare products:

 

 

 

Green Tea:

 

Green tea provides a number of health benefits when consumed either internally or externally. Research has indicated that topical skin formulations of green tea can reduce sun damage by reducing inflammation rather than blocking UV rays.  We always suggest you use sunscreen, as well as wearing a hat and staying out of the sun during the hottest part of the day.

 

Current research is also underway to determine if green tea can slow down ageing when applied externally. Preliminary research is looking good!

 

SkinB5’s Acne Control Cleansing Mousse contains Green Tea, Vitamin B5 and Aloe Vera.

Pomegranate:

 

This brightly coloured fruit is popping up in skincare products everywhere! High in antioxidants, pomegranate is known specifically for sun protection and with anti ageing products.

 

Pomegranate also firms the skin by promoting collagen and elastin production.

Carrots:

 

Carrots are high in Vitamin A and beta-carotene, which are essential for good skin. Vitamin A helps to maintain healthy skin and your teeth. It also promotes good vision – maybe that’s why bunnies can see in the dark!

 

The darker orange a carrot is the more nutrients it has stored.

 

Coconut:

 

One of the SkinB5 Team’s favorites! Coconut is basically magic! It’s used in its solid form, within moisturisers, hair products, lip-glosses and more! You have probably all see the 101 uses of coconut oil articles? Have you ever understood just what makes this fruit so good for your skin?

 

Coconut oil is perfect for softening the skin. It’s full of Vitamin E, which helps to prevent ageing and promotes new skin growth.

 

This is just a short glimpse into some of the food groups you may commonly find in your skincare products, but don’t forget all of these foods are high in nutrients and can also work from the inside out so tuck in!