Zits happen no matter how careful you are about keeping your 6-week facial sessions or how dedicated you are to your 5-step skincare programme. Hormones, the weather, and cosmetics products may all cause breakouts at any moment.
The foods we eat can also play a role in the abrupt onset of acne. Although what we eat might trigger pimples, it can also help to remove them. Giselle Wasfie, D.A.C.M. (Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine), understands the relationship between the food we eat and its inside and exterior impacts. Essentially, she is the definitive authority on “you are what you eat.”
What effect does eating have on our skin?
First, let’s define breakouts and why they marred our usually flawless faces.
“Breakouts are an external sign of inflammation, or excess heat, in the body that is ‘breaking out’ to the surface of our skin,” Giselle explains. “The number one enemy of clear skin is inflammatory foods.” They can aggravate acne problems, so avoid them if you’re developing breakouts.”
Foods that cause inflammation include the following:
- Processed meats and red flesh
- White rice, white bread, pasta, and cereal are examples of refined grains
- Foods that have been fried
- Sugary beverages and other sweet drinks
Giselle explains why certain meals make acne worse. “When you eat inflammatory foods, your internal heat rises, making your skin even worse.” Yikes!
What meals should we consume during a break?
Giselle highlights several foods that may help cure your breakouts now that we know what foods to avoid when our skin isn’t looking its best. Her first advice is to eat things that are inwardly cooling. “They will help quell inflammation, calming the body and skin down,” she explains. This helps the body’s natural healing process as well.
Her first suggestion is to try a herbal cure like mint and chrysanthemum tea, which are both cooling foods that will help “chill” the skin. Fermented foods such as kimchi, yoghurt, kefir, and sauerkraut are other healthy options. Giselle compliments them for their probiotic properties and reminds us that our skin has its own microbiota.
Giselle recommends sour meals like lemons and cherries (which are high in antioxidants) as well as “energetically cooling foods like lightly steamed vegetables.” Finally, she emphasises the significance of water. “Don’t forget to stay hydrated and flush!” Another reminder to hold oneself accountable for enough water.
