If you suddenly find yourself breaking out in acne, eczema, psoriasis, then your diet is probably missing certain foods for healthy skin.
We all heard the saying, " Great skin begins on the inside."
This is especially true when it comes to your skin. To get optimal results from the rest of your skincare routine, it's important to prioritize what you put in your body.
One of the most universal skin care tips from a professional esthetician centers on maintaining a healthy diet.
Shirk sugar to axe acne
Eat: Omega-3-rich fish (salmon and sardines), colorful fruits, and vegetables.
Avoid: Insulin-spiking sweets and processed white-flour foods. “Elevated insulin affects the sebaceous [oil] glands in ways that can contribute to acne,” says Valori Treloar, MD, dermatologist, and co-author of The Clear Skin Diet (Cumberland House, 2007). This is particularly so with women because the insulin spike may elevate the relatively low level of testosterone in women’s bodies, which has been shown to affect oil glands.
Eat more gluten-free foods and improve psoriasis symptoms
Eat: Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean meats, and fish.
Avoid: Gluten. A Swedish dermatologist discovered that avoiding the grain protein for three months improved symptoms in some patients.
Cut down sugar and cut out wrinkles
Eat: Veggies, legumes, and olive oil.
Avoid: “To minimize wrinkles, limit your added sugar to 10 percent of your total daily calories,” says Lisa Drayer, MA, RD, author of The Beauty Diet (McGraw-Hill, 2008). Better still, eliminate sugar – period.
Skip spicy foods to reduce rosacea
Eat: Omega-3-rich seafood can calm rosacea-related inflammation.
Avoid: If you suffer from rosacea, say adios to hot peppers and horseradish.
Try fish oil for eczema relief
Eat: Inflammation-reducing omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish (salmon, sardines, and fish oil supplements) may help reduce the severity of eczema symptoms.
Avoid: “Steer clear of processed foods to minimize trans fat intake, which can lead to inflammation,” Treloar says. Inflammation produces skin redness, and without inflammation, eczema is normally not present.
Make proper hydration part of your skincare routine
Staying properly hydrated is an essential part of your overall well-being. We've all heard this before but not many of us actually drink enough water. You should aim for a minimum of 8 glasses of water each day. Staying properly hydrated will keep your skin looking plump and firm. It will also decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Tip: Adding a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to your water bottle can reduce inflammation, acne and detox your skin.
