Diet helps combat acne

Monday, March 28, 2011 by: Danna Norek
Tags: diet, acne, health news

(NewsTarget) Too many teens and adults with acne have been misled when it comes to acne and their diet. Many dermatologists and doctors still advise their patients that diet has nothing to do with acne. They usually prescribe drugs that can have harmful long term effects, rather than educate patients about lifestyle and diet choices which naturally treat acne.

While it is true that some people have a tendency toward acne prone skin, diet also plays a much larger role than you might be led to believe. In fact, many people have completely cleared their acne by following specific diets and have avoided the need for any traditional medications.

The root cause of acne is actually an excessive production of androgens. Androgens are male hormones which cause the body to produce too much sebum, or oil. When the skin produces too much sebum, the pores become infected and inflamed. This is because debris and bacteria get trapped in the pores, causing acne lesions, cysts and even painful boils. It is this excessive androgen production that you can control through your dietary choices.

Your blood sugar levels are directly tied to the delicate balance of hormones in your body. Surges in blood sugar actually trigger these androgen hormones to produce in abundance. Think of it as a domino effect, since your diet choices start the chain reaction which ultimately leads to acne breakouts.

Foods that help to keep your blood sugar stable are low fat meats (hormone free preferred), nuts such as walnuts and almonds, fish, whole grains and even certain spices such as cinnamon and cloves. The foods which you should avoid are the ones that are typically categorized as high in glycemic impact.

Glycemic impact simply refers to the effect that a specific food has on your blood sugar, or insulin levels. Some examples of high glycemic impact foods are white bread, white rice, potatoes, many types of cereal, cake, candy and other sweets.

If you already have skin that is prone to breakouts, eating foods which are not conducive to stable blood sugar levels will make your breakouts much worse. This is not to say that you can`t enjoy the occasional piece of candy or a baked potato. However, it is to your advantage to keep these types of foods to a minimum in your diet. It is also advantageous to make sure that any breads, pastas and starches are made with whole grains.

Whole grains have a lower glycemic impact, and therefore a lower hormonal impact, than refined grains. This is because they hit the blood stream at a much more controlled pace than refined grains.

Taking a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar has been touted as a great way to keep blood sugar levels stable for hours. Another trick is to take a teaspoon of fiber or ground flax seeds. The fiber helps to slow the absorption of the high sugar foods into the blood stream, therefore lessening their overall glycemic impact.

Sources :

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/a...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08...
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glyce...

About the author

Danna Norek is the owner and primary contributor for several natural health blogs and websites, where she frequently shares her experiences and knowledge on herbal supplements, natural remedies, vitamins, and healthy lifestyle habits. You can find information on a 100% natural, chemical free deodorant here at Natural Effective Deodorant and an all natural sebum-neutralizing, SLS, paraben and chemical free Acne Soap with lavender, lemongrass and tea tree essential oils here at All Natural Acne Soap.