3 Easy Diet Changes for a Clearer Complexion

Author: Jessica Gremley

From my experience in successfully treating acne over the years, it’s become very clear that there is a plethora of internal and external factors that can impact your skin and its complexion.

More specifically, the role of food and diet is having an ever-growing influence on skin health and acne prone skin. So, yes there is a strong relationship between your diet and acne.

Therefore, let’s talk about 3 rather hidden dangers that are lurking within your favorite “get healthy” food plans

 “Get Healthy” Plan #1 ― Smoothies

As advocate of a healthy and active lifestyle, I’ll be the first to admit that smoothies are addictive, delicious and extremely easy to make.

In fact, three of the most popular and “on trend” smoothie additions include maca powder, spirulina (i.e., blue green algae) and kelp.

As maca is a cruciferous plant, it’s a great source of protein and used for estrogen balancing. It’s also known for its antioxidant properties and has a long history of culinary uses for promoting fertility and vitality.

Moreover, spirulina is a good source of protein, and both it and kelp are nutritionally-dense “superfoods” from the sea that contain a plethora of vitamins and minerals.

However, as someone who has treated acne for over 15 years, these apparently healthy popular food and drink ingredients could be causing your skin more harm than good.

The main culprit here is iodine, so if you’re struggling with acne then maca, spirulina and kelp are 3 ingredients to avoid.

Yes, there are many health and lifestyle benefits to iodine – With Iodine being a micronutrient that’s essential to produce thyroid hormones. This is critical for energy metabolism and growth, as transmitters of nervous stimuli, and are an important factor for brain development.

On the other hand, if you’re suffering from acne, or if you have acne prone skin, then please be aware of iodine.

We know that once iodine enters the bloodstream any excess is then excreted through our oil glands within your skin’s pores. As a result, this then irritates your pores leading to acne breakouts.

 “Get Healthy” Plan #2 ― Protein Boosters

With the growing popularity of bars, shakes and other foods containing protein, we tend to see more and more clients suffering from acne who have an increased reliance on protein within their diets.

We absolutely want to promote a healthy and active lifestyle for our clients, but if you’ve got acne, we want you to start thinking twice about your protein intake within your daily diet.

Egg Yolks

We know eggs and egg yolks are a great source of protein, but they also contain biotin, also known as vitamin B7 or vitamin H, which is something that we need to discuss further.

Despite biotin being an important component of enzymes in the body that breaks down fats, carbohydrates and other substances, its components are also believed to increase the risk of acne breakouts in some people.

Unfortunately, biotin is something we can’t really avoid, as it’s something that our bodies produce naturally from intestinal bacteria, but the levels of biotin do increase within foods such as egg yolks, milk, oysters and liver.

In terms of how we know an excess intake of biotin can impact acne prone skin, here’s some information that we want to share with you:

Essentially, upping your egg yolk or overall protein intake can overwhelm vitamin B5 absorption in your intestines, leading to a vitamin B5 deficiency, because B5 and B7 vitamins rely on the same receptors. B5 is believed to help reduce acne lesions on the surface of the skin. Therefore, a deficiency could lead to breakouts.

See our supplements that can cause acne for more information on the link between biotin and acne.

Whey Protein

Keeping on the protein trend, we also know that whey protein is now seen as the “go to” protein used to build muscle mass and increase strength.

To be fair, we’ve encountered a lot of clients suffering from acne over the past few years who are reliant on whey protein within their diets.

As you probably well know, whey protein is sourced from cow’s milk using the liquid that forms during cheese production.

So, what’s the issue with whey protein and acne?

According to our research, there’s a link between whey protein and stimulation of higher insulin levels (which can increase androgen production and in turn increase oil production in your skin), as well as pore clogging and inflammation of hair follicles.

Studies of athletes also demonstrate that consumption of whey protein triggers acne on their bodies.

Moreover, because it’s sourced from dairy cows, whey protein powders contain acne-aggravating iodine—an issue that we discussed earlier within this article.

Soy

Moving onto Soy, we know is a great source of plant protein and boosts your fibre intake, which is important for a healthy gastrointestinal system. It contains omega-3 fats and is a good source of vitamins and minerals.

However, we know that Soy intake can have a detrimental impact on anybody suffering with acne breakouts.

Soybeans are high in phytoestrogens―naturally-occurring plant compounds that are structurally and/or functionally like estrogen. When phytoestrogens enter the body, the body’s estrogen receptors treat them as if they were estrogen.

Phytoestrogens can disrupt the body’s hormonal balance by decreasing estrogen production.

Essentially, as estrogen levels go down, androgen production goes up. In turn, elevated androgens bind to oil glands in the skin, telling the oil gland to produce more sebum. This excess oil combines with dead skin cells, debris, and bacteria and causes pimples to form.

As a result, we often see this lead to acne flare ups, especially along a person’s jawline and chin.

According to National Institute of Health (NIH) research, “many (phytoestrogens) are also considered endocrine disruptors, indicating that they have the potential to cause adverse health effects (such as cancer).”

We know it’s hard to escape soy’s impact. In addition to soy milk, tofu and tempeh, NIH research finds that soy is found in upwards of 60% of processed foods―even energy bars and sports drinks!

Get Healthy Plan #3 ― Cleanses

Although slightly less common, a diet cleanse means you’re eliminating most or all solid food for a day to a month to help your body purge toxins accumulated from the environment (e.g., pesticides and mercury from fish you eat).

Cleanses are also used to eliminate and/or test for foods you may be allergic to or have a sensitivity to so that you can stop any related inflammation.

The idea behind cleansing is to purge your liver of accumulated toxins and allow your digestive system to rest, heal and better absorb nutrients in the future. Results can include weight loss, increased energy, reduced puffiness, lower bodily toxins and even brighter, clearer skin!

We’re certainly aware of many specialised cleansing kits on the market today that consist of pills or supplements, but here’s what you need to be aware of when it comes to cleanses and acne-prone skin.

Our research over the years has identified a number of cleansing kits containing acne-aggravating ingredients. The top culprits we found in a quick survey of “top ten cleanses for 2019”?

• Spirulina
• Chlorella
• Kelp and other seaweed
• Soy

The first three ingredients have iodine, which we know contributes to breakouts, while soy can disrupt your hormonal balance, which can also lead to more breakouts.

Your Skin-Safe changes ?

If you want to purchase a ready-made kit, be sure to avoid acne-aggravating ingredients.

I created this specifically for acne-prone skin and for liver detoxification. It includes a daily meal plan, all your recipes, shopping list and naturopathic remedies such as castor oil packs and enemas to support healthy detoxification!

Summary

So, now you’re ready to get clear, we’re here to hold your hand and guide you through it. However, when it comes to the “booby-trap” foods we noted above, please don’t think there’s a special “anti-acne diet” or that “If I just avoid these acne-triggering foods I’ll clear my skin.” It’s NOT just about what you eat or what you avoid eating that can make your acne better. That’s only PART of the answer.

Remember, we know there are multiple acne instigators potentially causing your skin grief, and food is just one.

While adopting our recommended “Skin-Safe  Changes ” will help you move forward to healthier skin, keep in mind there’s more to the story to eliminate acne and finally achieve the beautiful, clear complexion you desire.