The ancient Greek Physician, Hippocrates, once said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Since he is not alive to ask, let’s just assume he was talking about acne.
All levity aside, the food you consume has a very strong impact on the condition of your acne and for many acne sufferers; their pimples may be a direct result of the food that they eat. The ingredients in the food could be the trigger factors that are causing the sebaceous glands to work in overdrive.
There is absolutely no doubt that just by changing your diet and going on a clean, wholesome diet, your acne problems will get better. Not only that but all other potential health issues such as obesity, yeast infections, unexplained rashes, fatigue, etc. will be prevented to a large extent.
Modern science has still not been able to link acne to the food that you eat. However, instead of waiting for scientific finding and medical conclusions, we should just exercise good ‘ol common sense.
Most of the commercially sold food these days contained additives, preservatives, monosodium glutamate (MSG), refined sugar, etc. Most of these ingredients are not good for the body at all. Yet, we blindly consume them with nary a thought for the havoc that they may wreak on our internal system.
It has been shown the MSG causes migraines. If it can do that, why wouldn’t the other detrimental additives affect you as far as acne is concerned?
They will affect you adversely by stimulating the sebaceous glands to secrete more sebum than necessary. The human body is a complex mechanism and different people react to foods differently. That’s what makes it so difficult to establish a connection between acne and the food you eat.
Someone who gorges himself on junk food may not have a single pimple but may be severely obese. Another person may be able to eat the same amount of junk food without gaining weight but have a face with enough pimples for a blind man to read their face.
The best way to see if the food you eat is affecting your acne will be to start a food journal and record down what food you are eating and see what are the effects. Eliminate foods that have caffeine in them because caffeine is a stimulant.
Avoid sugary foods and desserts that are high in refined sugars. Avoid white flour products such as white bread and pasta. Avoid fried foods, processed foods that are sold in boxes in the supermarket, foods with artificial flavors and preservatives and sodas.
Water is your best friend. You should not be drinking anything else other than water and lots of it. Skip the dairy products such as milk and cheese too.
Try not to get too much salt in your diet because the iodine in salt has been known to cause acne.
You’re probably thinking, “But if I avoid all these… what then do I eat?”
A good question. You will need to consume nutritious foods such as vegetables, eggs, meat, fruits, etc. We all know what the healthy foods are. We just don’t like eating them because they’re bland.
Get a good cookbook and learn to whip up tasty dishes. Go on a Mediterranean diet which has many mouth-watering dishes and is extremely healthy too. Avoid the commercially sold junk food and you will avoid the acne.
Change your diet and you will change your life.