How Your Eating Habits Affect Your Skin

When considering what to eat, there are many things we must keep in mind such as nutritional value, how this food will assist you and your energy sources, as well as what fats, proteins and carbohydrates that food contains in order to have a healthy and balanced diet. But did you ever stop to think about how what you consume may also be having an impact on your external appearance?

Dermatologists have found that increasingly large numbers of patients have come to them in the last decade with questions about their skin, that can simply be changed by altering the way they eat and how they go about choosing the right diet for their dermatological needs. One of the first things to consider when questioning the cause of your acne, is to query what your daily food intake currently looks like?

According to Arlington Dermatology online, they report that “acne and acne scarring has long been a concern of dermatologists, as it is unclear exactly what foods may or may not affect how your skin develops acne. However it is best to stay away from sugary and high fat food and drink, which may contribute to increased blemishes.”

Many dermatologists suggest that these high carbohydrate fatty foods such as white bread, breakfast cereals, pastries, sweets and white rice, along with sugary drinks can all increase the aggravation and inflammation of acne and blemishes. There are things such as good carbohydrates which include vibrantly colored vegetables, fruits and whole grains that can be consumed as healthier alternatives, which then have a greater positive impact on your skin and body. We are also encouraged to increase our healthy oils and Omega 3 intake such as fish and nuts, in order to help the collagen production in our skin. Collagen is a naturally produced protein within the body, designed to make our skin smoother and less prone to ageing, sagging and wrinkling. If people are struggling to understand the food groups, their benefits and want more information about their personal dietary needs, people are encouraged to get in contact with their local dietitians and nutritionists as well as the dermatologist so they can work collaboratively in order to get your skin on track to recovery.

Another way to decrease your risk of acne which also may be the most straight forward, is to drink water. Yes, as simple as it sounds, many people do not drink adequate daily amounts of water which is what the body and skin needs in order for the nutrients to reach the skin cells. The image on the following page is a rough guide of how much water the average person should be drinking on a daily basis based on their weight. An article written on mannahydration.com in 2018 states that the ten main benefits from drinking water not only included fewer wrinkles, improved complexion, clear acne and slowed ageing, it also included improved complexion, reduced puffiness, faster healing, smaller pores, reduced itchiness, tighter skin and a balance in the body’s Ph levels. As the skin is the largest organ in the body, drinking water is essential for replenishing the moisture it has lost throughout the day by natural processes such as sweat.

Another bonus of eating a healthier diet, is that you are reducing your risk of sun based cancers such as Melanoma and Carcinoma. It’s suggested by  dermatologists that we eat a ‘heart healthy diet’ which consists of foods such as leafy greens and fish in order to protect your skin from the sun’s rays from the inside out. There’s actually an online article written called the ‘Cancer Prevention Diet,’ that suggest that eating specific foods can actually prevent you from developing other forms of cancer. An example of this is oesophageal cancer, where it suggests to eat green vegetables and foods with Vitamin C such as oranges to decrease your risk. The next time you’re breaking out, really hungry and craving that ice cream, how about you stop and think twice.

Do I really need this unnecessary sugar in my diet? Is this really helping my skin to clear up? And how much water have I consumed today? Maybe I’m just thirsty? Consider your diet in order to make your skin sing!

Written: Maddi Sandell

References:
• https://www.arlingtondermatology.net/2017/01/04/how-your-diet-affects-your-skin/
• https://www.olay.co.uk/en-gb/skin-care-tips-and-articles/lifestyle-and-skin/how-diets-affect-skin
• https://mannahydration.com/blogs/news/amazing-skin-benefits-from-drinking-water