Avoiding Foods That Cause Acne - Possible Triggers

For some, getting rid of acne could be as simple as avoiding foods that cause acne.

What foods then, are responsible for acne?

In reality, our bodies react differently to different foods. For some, certain foods could result in pimple outbreaks while for others, those same foods have no effect at all.

Nonetheless, there are some foods that tend to trigger acne more often than others. Their effect on acne could be through several mechanisms, including changing hormonal levels in the body, triggering allergic reactions, or through introducing toxins into the body beyond what the body could withstand.

Below, we take a look at what some of these "acne-triggering" foods are, and what it is best for you to avoid if you have acne problems.

Refined sugars

In modern society today, we consume staggering amounts of refined sugar (e.g. cakes, biscuits and other pastries made of refined flour, candies, colas, ice-creams and other sweetened foods, etc), especially when compared to a few generations ago.

But do you know that consuming high amounts of refined sugar is one of the best ways to disrupt your bodily functions and balance? In fact, it is also one of the most detrimental dietary factors to your health in dozens of different ways, including the health of your skin.

When it comes to refined sugars and acne, it seems that large quantities of refined sugar causes the excess production of insulin, which in turn triggers a burst of growth in the pore cells, causing the pores to close up. As the pores on your skin close up, the passage of sebum from the pores are blocked, increasing the risk of an acne outbreak. [1]

In many cases, greatly reducing or eliminating refined sugars from the diet can quickly result in a reduction of acne symptoms [2]. Some people may even see their acnes almost totally disappearing after modifying their sugar intake levels.

Try it. Your skin, and many other parts of your body, will thank you for taking this dietary step.

Dairy products

Dairy is another thing to avoid if you want to get rid of your acne naturally. Dairy products usually contain high levels of hormones and trans-fatty acids [3]. Hence, especially in excess amounts, they can contribute to hormone imbalances and acne issues.

So if you are seeking an acne natural solution, reducing dairy intake as much as possible - at least until your body is healthier - is a good guideline.

You may especially want to avoid milk chocolate products. The milk combined with the sugar, makes for a very unhealthy combination that can significantly contribute to acne.

If you love chocolate, start developing a taste for purer dark chocolate, which is actually a health food. Xocai Dark Belgian chocolate is by far the healthiest, and one of the best tasting dark chocolates on the market.

Fats, especially refined ones

Since a factor for the development of acnes is excessive sebum, and sebum is after all a oil (i.e. a form of fat in the body), it would benefit your acne problem to reduce your intake of high-fat foods.

Forms of fats that you should especially avoid include trans-fatty acids (e.g. dairy products, margarine, shortening, and other synthetically hydrogenated vegetable oils) and oxidized fatty acids (fried oils and foods). [3]

This is because trans-fats are one of the unhealthiest substances you can put in your body. They are deadly to heart health, and can also have a significant effect on hormonal levels and skin health. Avoiding these foods that cause acne can do you a lot of good, not only for your acne problem, but also for your overall health. So start cutting down on refined and trans-fats now.

Iodine-containing foods

Although rare, there are some people who are sensitive to iodine.

So if you are one of these people, you might need to cut down on your intake of seafoods and other iodine containing foods, to prevent triggering rash or acne outbreaks. [1, 4]

Foods that cause allergy

Similarly, food allergy can trigger acne in some cases, so it would be wise to avoid the foods that you are allergic to. [4]

Stressor foods

Stressor foods (i.e. foods that place excessive stress on the body) like caffeine, alcohol, processed foods (e.g. preserved, canned, etc), as well as the above mentioned refined sugars, can trigger acne in some people [2].

Hence, if you are having acne problems, it might give you the impetus to avoid these unhealthy substances. You might be surprised to see other aspects of your health improving too, as you reduce or eliminate these stressor foods from you daily diet.

Herbs to avoid

It is suggested that you avoid herbs that increase testosterone levels in your body if you have acne problems.

This is because increased testosterone levels in the body actually lead to excessive sebum production by your skin cells, as well as the increase production of keratin, a tough protective skin protein that can block the passage of sebum from the pores [1]. As you might already know, excessive sebum and pore blockage are factors that contribute to the development of acne.

The herbs that increase testosterone include avena, chrysin, muira puama, pine pollen, stinging nettle and Tribestan [1]. You should seek to avoid these herbs.

Beyond avoiding foods that cause acne

Besides avoiding the above foods when you have acne problems, it is also important to take note of what you have eaten just before an acne breakout. Doing so could lead you to finding YOUR acne trigger. Subsequently, it means you will have to cut down or cut out these triggering food(s) from your diet.

And, of course, if you really want to maximize your chances of curing acne naturally, you should also consider adopting other dietary and lifestyle tips for dealing with acne, as well as making use of acne herbs, both in the form of oral and external (i.e. topical) remedies. Effective stress management is also important, since stress is also a trigger of acne outbreaks.

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References

[1] Balch, Phyllis A., CNC. Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-to-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies. New York, NY: Avery, 2002. Print.

[2] Trivieri, Jr., Larry, and Anderson, John W. Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide. 2nd ed. New York, USA: Celestial Arts, 2002. Print.

[3] Murray, Michael, ND, and Pizzorno, Joseph, ND. Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press, 1998. Print.

[4] Gaby, Alan R., MD. The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions. 3rd ed. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press, 2006. Print.

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