The 7 things you want to avoid in your diet for healthier skin
I’m a firm believer that what you put on your skin matters. I also believe it is just as important to pay attention to what you digest because the breakdown of what you eat impacts our organs, tissues and cells.
It can be really challenging to know what to eat with so many options available. Throw in the holidays or any celebration, a fast-paced lifestyle and low energy and you have a winning combination for making quick decisions that can set your body and skin up for inflammatory repercussions.
You may have heard the rule: Good, Fast, Cheap: You Can Only Pick Two! When we pick fast or cheap, we often choose “food” that comes in a bag or package, with labels. Here is my quick direct advice…when reading labels, you want to avoid the following 7 ingredients. Here is how these ingredients affect your skin:
-High fructose corn syrup: can lead to excess acidity, inflammation, cellulite and hyperpigmentation
-Artificial dyes: a chemical cocktail derived from sources like coal tar, when incorporated in foods can trigger a variety of health issues like cancer, ADHD, asthma and inflammatory responses like allergic reactions. If you take the time to read the box, you’ll find them hidden in North American sweet snack foods, boxed macaroni and cheese, cereal, soda, energy drinks, and ice cream.
-Hydrogenated oils: foods that are high in saturated fat are associated with high concentrations of insulin growth factor. “Insulin growth factor stimulates the production of the sex hormones that increase acne production,” says Edinger.
-Charred foods or acrylamide: as food browns and caramelizes, proteins and sugars are rearranged, producing complex, savory flavors. This chemical reaction gives food a savory flavor that we believe tastes good but also creates what are known as glycated proteins. These glycated proteins lead to cellular aging and excess fat accumulation. Charred foods are also categorized as carcinogenic.
-Refined flour: Foods made from refined flour, white bread, refined carbs form Advanced Glycation End Products (AGE), causing severe inflammation under the skin and speed up the process of aging.
-Refined sugar: Sugar breaks down collagen and elastin – the proteins that give your skin shape, structure, and firmness. When this occurs, your skin may start to look wrinkled, saggy, dry, and dull. Acne breakouts. Excess sugar consumption can increase the risk of acne breakouts.
-Preservatives: can cause contact dermatitis, urticaria and skin irritations.
These ingredients are designed to create reactions in our tastebuds that instigate food addictions. They also alter our body’s metabolic reactions, resulting in metabolic chaos, which according to my functional diagnostic nutrition training, is the cause of all ailments. And, moreover, these ingredients can wreak havoc not only on our bodies, but on our skin.
Here are my suggestions:
- Recognize that what you eat is just as important for your skin as what you put on it.
- Get your lab work done by a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner to understand how your metabolism is working and what foods to eat or avoid to heal your own experience of metabolic chaos.
- Commit to cooking your own meals and primarily buying local or growing your own food. If this is too much of a task, look for solutions to help prepare nutritious meals on-the-go. Stay tuned for recipes and more.
*Sources:
https://www.dermascope.com/wellness/how-does-high-fructose-corn-syrup-affect-the-skin
https://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/regulatory/chemicals-charred-foods-linked-age-related-diseases
