Eat Your Way to Clear Skin

Nourish your skin!

Whether we’re coping with runaway teenage hormones or adult acne, breakouts can leave us feeling self-conscious about our appearance. The good news is that you can adjust your diet in order to increase your skin health and reduce those pesky blemishes.

Contrary to the old wives’ tales that have been handed down from generation to generation, it isn’t chocolate that’s causing your acne (thank  goodness)! But, it is true that what you eat can affect acne, for better or worse. Choosing the right kinds of foods and beverages to include in your diet can help make sure that you glow as much on the outside as you do within.

Eat Your Way to Clear Skin

Healthy fats.
It may seem a little counterintuitive, but your skin actually goes into oil-producing overdrive when it doesn’t have enough of the right kind of moisture. Healthy fat, the kinds found in foods like avocados, walnuts, almonds, and fish, gives skin the type of moisture it needs, preventing your body from producing too much sebum – the kind of oil that clogs your pores and leads to breakouts.

Additionally, some cooking oils, including safflower, grapeseed, corn, and sunflower oils, contain Omega-6 fatty acids, which promote inflammation. If you’re concerned about your skin, skip these oils and replace them instead with olive, coconut or macadamia nut oil.

Zinc.
This lovely mineral promotes faster healing, which can help relax inflamed pimples. Foods high in zinc include oysters, chicken breast, flounder, cashews, almonds, kidney beans, chickpeas, peas, and low-fat yogurt.

Selenium.
Selenium can help reduce acne redness and discoloration. Try increasing your selenium consumption by incorporating foods like crimini mushrooms, turkey, salmon, shrimp, tuna and halibut into your diet.

Skin-loving vitamins.
Many vitamins contribute to the health of your skin. Vitamin A, found in carrots, green leafy vegetables, and yellow and orange fruits such as mangoes, peppers, and peaches, helps to promote hormonal balance and can reduce the amount of sebum your body produces. Vitamin E, from broccoli, wheat germ, and sunflower seeds, can reduce acne scarring. Vitamin C, from citrus fruits, cauliflower and red peppers, boosts your body’s ability to fight off infection and inflammation. Of course, it’s best to eat fresh, raw fruits and vegetables, but you can also get a lot of great vitamins from fresh juices. Check out Juicing for Radiant Skin.

Non-spicy foods.
You may not realize it, but all of that Indian and Mexican food could be exacerbating your acne. Opt instead to flavor your foods with herbs. In fact, certain herbs with anti-inflammatory effects may even help your acne.

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Water.
Drinking plenty of water helps flush toxins from your skin, and it also provides your skin with proper moisture, both of which should lead to fewer breakouts. For more information about the benefits of drinking H2O, check out 4 Reasons Why You Should Drink More Water.

Learn even more about how to have great-looking skin with Best 8 Superfoods to Eat for a Youthful Glow.

Sources: http://www.acnetreatment.net/acne-diets-101/

http://www.acneandskincaretips.net/best-acne-treatments/foods-that-help-acne

http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/acne-foods-you-must-eat/p81662/page2

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SkinnyMs.

The SkinnyMs. team believes that all people, regardless of age, size, and fitness level, have the power to transform their lives — they just need the resources to do so. The SkinnyMs. method promotes healthy living through a combination of clean eating and regular exercise. We offer everything you need to be successful.

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