Eat your way out of acne. It's that simple
Do you remember the days when you inevitably had a mammoth zit on "special" days? Like the day your first crush actually looked at you? Your sweet 16th birthday? Don't forget your first couples' dance. Looking back, it wasn't that bad - as you weren't the only one. Teen years and acne somehow go together.
But now, settled into adulthood, when you notice the zits once again - whether it's a couple of white heads, blackheads, the occasional odd bump or pimple a face getting splattered with acne every now and then - then you wonder what's going wrong now! Well, it's time to get under their skin and get to know what ticks acne, to beat them square.
What causes adult acne?
Adult acne has a close association with hormonal imbalance, which is usually triggered by irregular menstruation, PCOD syndrome, pregnancy, menopause, stress, severe fatigue and often even some medicines like antibiotics, steroids or even an excessive dosage of vitamin B.
Besides this, adult acne might also be caused by a slowdown in the skin's cell-shedding capacity, build-up of bacteria in the skin's pores or even an irritation or extreme reaction to some cosmetics, foods or medicines.
Get food wise
While acne is caused by various factors, diet can play a major role in maintaining a clear and healthy complexion. Follow these rules.
Everybody reacts differently to same foods. This means nuts, chocolates, dairy products, aerated drinks and caffeine, all have different effects on different systems. Try to identify your problem foods by observing carefully; maintaining a food diary for a few weeks will also give you some answers.
Increase the intake of anti-oxidant rich foods (like carrots, squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peaches, apricots, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, strawberries and raw cabbage).
Cut down on caffeine, sugar and refined carbohydrates, as all of these can activate the hormones that direct your sebaceous glands to produce more oil, thus more acne. Sugar in fact is bad for inflammation. Very bad. And studies show that acne prone people have higher levels of inflammation in their body as compared to those who aren't prone to zits.
Refined foods are bad too, as they tend to be high glycemic index foods. Research clearly shows that high GI foods feed acne and the hormones linked to it. Some studies show that simply switching from high GI food to low GI foods can reduce acne hugely. Worth trying!
Get juice.
Step up on fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Top zit-fighters include carrots, celery, apples and ginger.
Get acne-fighting nutrients naturally: Work in at least three portions each of the following into your weekly diet: carrots (for beta carotene), fish (for essential fatty acids), avocados (for vitamin E), and pomegranates (to fortify blood).
Increase your intake of fibre by including at least five combined portions of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. Also replace refined with whole-wheat whenever possible.
Give your body's ability to flush out toxins a boost by drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water daily.
Keep your gut bacteria sorted, as there is a direct connect between your gut's health and the number of breakouts on your skin. Eat more fermented foods, less processed and junk, and also give the body a daily dose of probiotics.
Regular exercise helps
Any cardiovascular exercise helps by speeding up metabolism, flushing out toxins from your system, including your skin and increasing blood circulation, hence helping keeps skin clear. Better circulation also increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your skin.
Exercise also relieves stress, which is a common cause of acne flare-ups.
Some age old tips that also help are:
- Have aloe vera juice: A naturally soothing drink with excellent healing properties.
- Take amalaki herb in powder form: Take half to a teaspoon every day before sleeping Keep your colon clean and in order to remove toxins from your body
- Drink cumin-coriander-fennel tea: to make this helpful and soothing tea steep one-third a teaspoon of seeds from each herb in hot water for 10 minutes, strain and its ready for drinking. Take it three times a day after meals.