A Diet for Healthy Skin
Having good skin is a crucial component of both your self-esteem and health. Many people spend hundreds of dollars every year on products and treatments with the sole goal of improving the appearance of their skin. While using these products is a great step towards better skin, there is one simple solution towards getting better skin that is as easy as tossing out junk food. Here you will learn about a diet for healthy skin. This includes foods that promote clear skin and foods to avoid that may cause pimples.
Does Your Diet Really Influence Skin Health?
There is much truth that goes into the saying, “you are what you eat". Your diet greatly influences many different aspects of your life. For many people, the quality of their diet is reflected in their skin. Some people have more sensitive skin than others and need to be more cautious with what they put on their plate.
Learning more about how to recognize healthy skin can help you better understand how you should alter your diet.
Is My Skin Healthy?
Healthy skin should feel smooth to the touch. When you get up close, it is perfectly natural (and expected) to notice imperfections. Everyone has tiny bumps, pores, and soft hairs on the surface of their skin. Blemishes in your skin caused by moles or pimples are also relatively common. For the most part, you should have a rather uniform texture.
Very uneven, oily, or flaky skin is a reflection of unhealthy skin. Changing your diet is a great way to achieve healthier skin.
What Types of Food are Bad for My Skin?
A great first step is reducing specific foods from your diet that cause unhealthy skin. Depending on your skin problems' severity, you may want to consider eliminating them from your diet altogether.
- Foods with refined sugar: Refined sugar is very bad for your skin. These sugars are found in a lot of processed food. There are some obvious foods you know you need to avoid, such as chips, cookies, and other sweets. Other less apparent culprits that spike insulin levels include pasta, white rice, and white bread.
- Milk and other dairy products: While we like to think about dairy products as being healthy for us, they can be pretty bad for the skin. If you are dealing with persistent breakouts or oily skin, it is a good idea to greatly reduce your intake of milk, creams, and cheese.
- Coffee: Caffeine is believed to indirectly stress your body due to the nature of being a stimulant. This stress response sometimes translates into oil in your skin. In itself, it might not cause acne, but it may add additional strain and make it difficult to kick stubborn pimples to the curb. Also, consider the type of coffee you’re drinking. If you tend to have more cream than coffee, you may be ingesting a lot of unnecessary sugars and creams.
What Types of Food Are Good for My Skin?
The good news is that many foods are great for the skin. Adding these foods to your regular diet is a great way to encourage your skin to be healthy.
- Fish: Fish are incredibly healthy for you. They contain many essential fatty acids that promote general health.
- Healthy oils: It may seem counterintuitive that oils can help battle oily skin, but healthy oils are great for your health. Using extra virgin olive oil instead of frying your food in butter is a healthy way to get the nutrients you need.
- Whole wheat goods: If you are looking to replace some of your processed meals with a healthy alternative, whole wheat goods offer you the perfect solution. Not only do they help you steer clear of unhealthy options, but they contain minerals that scientists correlate with healthy skin.
- Water: Keeping hydrated is an essential component of any healthy routine. Don’t forget to drink regularly every day.
When Should I Talk to My Doctor?
While a breakout now and again is nothing to worry about, persistent acne or itchy skin is something you should treat. Often there is a simple solution for treating those uncomfortable skin conditions that cause you pain or embarrassment.
If you have any concerns over your skin, you should contact your primary care physician or dermatologist. They can guide you through a treatment plan to help you get the skin you can be happy about.