Pesky Acne, How Nutrition Can Help.

I used to have lovely clear skin; the kind people would complement me on and secretly hate me for. It was one of my best features and I took it for granted. Then I had my son and with his arrival, came the unpleasant arrival of another not so honored guest…adult onset acne. Now some people may be snickering and thinking that this was sweet justice for my indifference and neglect of my previously fabulous epidermis, however I assure you that I have learned my lesson.

I have tried everything to get rid of my pesky chin acne, but the little buggers are determined to hang around as painful reminders that Mother Nature gets the last laugh. My dermatologist told me that this is a common event for post pregnancy women, brought on by hormonal changes in our bodies. Sweet, nice to know I’m not alone in my suffering. Ok so admittedly that sounded a tad dramatic, but on her recommendation I have tried fancy soaps, exfoliating with baking soda, Retin A, and even antibiotics. Guess what, my wretched skin is still reluctant to play nicely and clear up.

So what is a girl to do? Well in the US, people spend more that $100 million dollars annually on over the counter acne fighting remedies. The interesting thing is that many countries have no acne problems in their populations at all. How can this be? First of all acne is a complicated creature and many things can contribute to its livelihood. Stress, sleep, exercise, hormones, genetics, and diet all play a role in the likelihood of you waking up blemish free each morning. The good news is that more than one-third of people with acne have seen a connection between what they eat and their blemishes.

It makes sense that what you put inside your body can cause outward reactions in your skin. After all your skin is your largest organ and it absorb and filter toxins. Your body uses the nutrients from the food you eat to repair and rebuild your skin from the inside out. Having a healthy balanced diet is essential in the war against those blasted zits.

If you suffer from not so perfect skin like me, try eating a low fat, whole foods diet. You might even be surprised at the difference you see in your skin if you avoid hormone laden dairy products, processed foods, and junk food overall. Oh and water, drink lots and lots of water. It helps to flush the toxins out of your body and hydrates your skin, keeping it looking fresh and youthful. Dry skin can flake off and get caught in your pores, clogging them and causing further breakouts.

Specify foods appear to have extra blemish fighting benefits.  Monounsaturated fats can be anti-microbial, so walnuts and other healthier fats could help diminish outbreaks. Certain spices like cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, along with herbs like basil, oregano, and garlic anti microbial, anti inflammatory, and can boost your immune system leading to clearer skin. Green tea is amazing because it has been shown to suppress the enzymes and androgens that are involved in actual acne formation. Dark leafy greens and purple vegetables and fruits contain invaluable antioxidants that inhibit acne and extinguish inflammation. Zinc & selenium found in fish, nuts, and seeds are two more potent antioxidants that can help you in your plight to destroy acne.Vitamin B5 can be quite effective as an alternative to commercial prescription medications to fight acne, but you should always check with your doctor for contraindications and dosing recommendations.

Some myths I have heard over the years about diet and acne include that having sensitivity to eggs can cause major zits and that eating chocolate makes you break out something fierce. I'm on the fence about eggs, but I am happy to report that the studies I read didn’t seem to conclude an actual concrete association between chocolate and acne. There is even some evidence that dark chocolate can improve insulin sensitivity, and improve blood flow to the skin. When I was in Jamaica with my family years ago, the spa in the resort we were staying even offered a “chocolate facial” touting the benefits of chocolate in skin clarification and hydration!

GI health strongly affects acne too, so make sure you are getting enough fiber and consider cutting out dairy and sugar for a couple weeks to see if it makes a difference. The fiber can help to flush out toxins, and even bind to excess hormones that contribute to acne. If a large percentage of your diet comes from processed foods, chances are you skin is suffering. This is because highly processed foods tend to cause a spike in your insulin levels. Dairy foods also produce high insulin response and can increase hormone and inflammation levels in your body. Too much insulin in your body can lead to the growth of pore-clogging cells and increase oil production, of course leading to more blasted blemishes.

I hope you have found this week’s confessional blog post amusing and maybe even a little helpful. To recap,  your best bet in winning the battle against acne, is to  to get enough sleep, exercise to reduce stress, drink plenty of water, and eat clean. Conduct your own experiment to see if cutting dairy, processed food, or sugar out of your diet makes a difference in your skin clarity. Take care of your gut. Perhaps sample some fermented foods for their probiotic benefits, consume plenty of fiber to keep things moving ... if you know what I mean, and maybe even shoot your doctor an email asking his/her thoughts on vitamin B5.

Nutrition Evolution 

References

1. Ferreri D. Preventing acne with diet. Disease Proof. July 12th, 2011. http://www.diseaseproof.com/archives/hurtful-food-preventing-acne-with-diet.html

2. Davidovici BB & Wolf R. The role of diet in acne: facts and controversies. Clinics in Dermatology 2010;28:12-16

3. Melnik BC. Evidence for acne-promoting effects of milk and other insulinotropic dairy products. Nestle Nutr Workshop Ser Pediatr Program 2011;67:131-145.

4. Kurokawa I, et al. New developments in our understanding of acne pathogenesis and treatment. Experimental Dermatology 2009;18:821-832.

5. Bowe WP & Logan AC. Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis – back to the future? Gut Pathogens 2011;3:1.

6. Smith RN, et al. A low-glycemic-load diet improves symptoms in acne vulgaris patients: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;86: 107–115.