What to Eat to Clear Up and Improve Your Skin

Expert Diet Tips for Acne-Free, Glowing Skin

Our crazy hairstyles may have stayed in high school, but unfortunately for many of us, our acne decided to tag along into adulthood. Most of us get at least the occasional breakout, not to mention deal with other skin issues like oiliness, dryness, etc. All of this can be so frustrating--especially when it seems that nothing works to clear your skin.

But when working to solve acne and other skin issues, we often overlook the important role our diets play. Lucky for you and your skin, we’ve put together a list of the top nutrients you should be eating for clearer skin and the foods that can deliver them. We’ve even included a few to avoid, to make sure you’re not canceling out your good eating efforts.    


Vitamin A
“Vitamin A is necessary because it prevents overactive sebum production,” explains holistic nutritionist and yoga instructor Princess Carey. Sebum production is that oily sheen your skin produces. In normal amounts, it helps protect your skin from bacteria, but as soon as it becomes overactive, it will create oily, acne-prone skin. To combat this problem, Carey recommends getting your vitamin A from liver, pumpkins and apricots, in addition to the superfood spinach.  

“Spinach can help increase blood flow for a good glow to the face,” adds registered dietitian Carlene Thomas.  

If you just can’t stomach the idea of spinach, reach for the sweet potatoes instead, which will load you up on vitamin A and vitamin C. Bake one and top it off with veggies for a healthier lunch option bursting with flavor--and pretty skin nutrients, it turns out.  


Vitamin C Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that not only boosts your immune system, but also produces clearer skin. The good thing about vitamin C is that there are numerous foods that you can eat to get your fix--even for those picky eaters out there.  

Packed with vitamin C, “strawberries and peppers are great for skin,” says Thomas.  

In addition to strawberries and peppers, Carey recommends pineapples, oranges, mangos and red peppers, which she says are all great sources of vitamin C. Sounds like the makings of a fabulous fruit salad, eh?    


Vitamin B
Just like vitamin C, vitamin B works as an antioxidant for your skin. “They flush out bacteria and help with the reproduction of new skin cells,” explains Carey. For your dose of skin-perfect vitamin B, she recommends including poultry, peas, beans and green leafy veggies in your diet. If you opt for poultry, lean chicken breast or turkey will provide a dose of niacin (a.k.a. vitamin B-3), which can help to strengthen your skin’s barriers.    


Zinc For clearer skin, it’s essential to make sure you’re getting enough zinc in your diet. “Zinc controls oil glands,” explains Carey. “Nuts, seeds, carrots, [and] poultry are great sources of zinc.”  

Quinoa is also good for getting your zinc, especially if you’re looking to multitask with added protein, fiber and whole grains. Yeah, quinoa is definitely one of those superfoods you should be eating.  


Omega-3 Fatty Acids
If you have combination skin that’s oily and dry at the same time, Carey recommends loading up on omega-3 fatty acids to set your skin straight. “Make sure you are eating foods that contain essential fatty acids like nuts, olive oil and fish to help improve your skin,” she explains.  

Omega-3 Fatty acids will not only help get you lovely skin, but they’ll also help boost your metabolism and keep your joints and mucous membranes lubricated for an overall healthier body. Lean white fish, salmon and flaxseed will all give you a dose of omega-3, in addition to Carey’s recommendations.  


Water
No, it’s not technically a food, but it’s an important part of your diet. Drinking more water will help to flush more toxins out of your body, reduce bloating, and increase your metabolism. “Water gives you energy as it hydrates the cells and allows the organs to function optimally,” explains certified personal trainer and health coach Katie Humphrey. “It also flushes toxins from the body and encourages a healthy digestive system.”  


Skip List
While you’re working to get glowing, clear skin, watch out for these complexion saboteurs. Remember that everyone is different: while these may cause breakouts in some, they may not in others.   

From a dietitian’s standpoint, Carey recommends removing sugar, caffeine, trans-fats and processed foods from your diet. And it makes sense that these foods would not only help your complexion, but your body overall. Really, when’s the last time you looked at a bag of chips or a plate of cookies and thought, “Surely this will make me healthier”?  

According to licensed esthetician and acne specialist Daniela Ferri, you should also look critically at your intake of iodine containing foods, sugar, and possibly dairy.   “There is ample evidence that iodine worsens acne in those that have cystic acne,” Ferri explains. If you’re concerned about iodine affecting your skin, she recommends watching your intake of iodized salt (check the levels in your snack food), seaweed, like the kind wrapping some sushi, and shellfish.  

You should also reduce your sugar intake (it sucks, we know). Ferri says there is new evidence linking insulin resistance and acne—and reducing your sugar intake can reduce insulin resistance. While concrete proof is still in the works, as Ferri says, “Sugar does so many nasty things in the body anyway, it may as well be avoided in order to give your body as much strength as possible to let your skin fight for itself.”  

The relationship between dairy and acne has not yet been proven, but if you’ve tried everything else, it might be worth seeing how cutting dairy out of your diet impacts your skin. “Speculation has been made that the hormones in dairy foods, either added or naturally contained in milk-giving cows, can contribute to the hormone fluctuations seen in acne conditions,” explains Ferri.  

She adds that acne may also be the result of inflammation stemming from a dairy sensitivity, which many people may not realize they have. “There can be a connection between sensitivity to dairy and the immune system in the body being bothered enough to cause sensitivity in pores,” she says. “Inflammation is more involved in acne than many people give credit.” So try going a few weeks without dairy to see if that helps cut back on acne flair ups.  

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article source: chickrx.com