Your eating habits and diet can harm your skin. According to functional dietitian Paulina Lee, RD LD, problem skin is often linked to inflammation, imbalanced hormones, and poor gut health. Read on to find out three unhealthy eating practices that can cause breakouts and what to eat for healthier skin.
Yo-Yo Dieting
A pattern of losing weight, regaining it, then losing it again can cause skin and general health problems. Research shows a considerable link between disordered eating and acne. Registered dietitian Rachel Fine RDN advises reducing stress for clearer skin. Allostatic load (stress) increases with yo-yo diets and restrictive eating habits. So no-no to yo-yo.
A High Diet in Refined Carbs
Are you a lover of white bread, pasta, and packaged sweets? By removing these very nice to have but extremely unhealthy foods from your diet, your skin will thank you for it. Food like rice, white bread, baked goods, sweetened drinks, and sweets rate highly on the Glycemic Index (GI) and raises your blood sugar quicker. Researchers found that food that raises blood sugar levels can worsen acne due to significant insulin response.
Westernized Diets
Many of us love the taste of processed foods, but unfortunately, our skin hates them. According to research, a westernized diet is usually high in processed foods and refined carbohydrates, which lead to inflammation. And inflammation can lead to skin breakouts and acne. An anti-inflammatory diet could be beneficial for your skin.
Eat Your Way to Better Skin
As much as possible, stick to an anti-inflammatory diet consisting of whole food-based and nutrient-dense meals. Focus on omega-3 fatty acids like salmon and avocado and antioxidants like grapes and berries. Your skin will glow as a thank you.
