Acne is not only annoying, it hurts. It hurts your confidence, your freedom to go out without makeup, forces you to constantly check your face, and is just itchy, painful and annoying! And right out there where the whole world can see it!
Unfortunately, in our society, having acne past your teens is looked down upon, and is generally a sign that something is wrong with you. If you are still tired of having itchy and painful acne, here are a few nutrition tips to start your journey to acne-free skin! The truth is that WHAT we put in our bodies has an effect on our skin and acne, regardless of what the doctors say.
Let's turbo-charge our nutrition to get rid of acne together!
Drink Bone Broth
Meat stock and bone broth made from bone and ligament tissue of organic pastured animals contain minerals and amino acids, like glycine, that are more readily used for the rejuvenation of fast dying cells like our skin and our intestinal walls.
In fact, your skin regenerates every 27 days. The collagen and gelatin from meat stock and bone broth make up 75% of your skin proteins. Environmental damage and stress can inhibit your body’s ability to replenish collagen in the skin, so it's essential to eat exogenous proteins to replace the old. The glycine in the bone broth can also help you sleep better at night - an added benefit to this powerful drink.
Eat Fermented Foods
Gut health is a big part of skin health because toxins that build up in the gut have nowhere else to go but the skin. Poor digestion can feed opportunistic bacteria and create imbalances in the gut microbiome (the diverse ecosystem of bacteria in your intestines). This creates infections and inflammation in the gut which start to expel toxins that leach into the bloodstream.
Eating probiotic rich foods helps balance the ecosystem so opportunistic bacteria don’t take over (like weeds in a garden). Bacteria like lactobacillus and bifidobacterium that are often lacking in the standard american diet are essential for healthy skin because they allow for proper detoxification. Fermented foods include sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented vegetables, yogurt, kefir, and/or take a high-dose probiotic pill daily. Be aware supplements are not regulated and pills you take may not even contain probiotics. That being said, it is best to receive probiotics through food.
Eliminate Sugar and Refined Flours
High glycemic (blood sugar spiking) diets can lead to hyperinsulinemia (pre-diabetes and diabetes type 2) causes excess sebum (skin oil) which has a direct role in acne. High glycemic diets from grains, processed sugar, and little fiber can also feed pathogenic bacteria (bad bacteria) in the gut and inhibit this primary detox pathway.
In some non-western populations, like the Maasai tribe of Africa, no acne was present, and this has been attributed to their natural diet and lifestyle. Another study found an association between high glycemic index foods and longer acne prevalence, whereas two randomized controlled studies indicated a low-glycemic diet had less acne risk.
Eat Vitamin A Rich Foods
Vitamin A is an antioxidant found in the liver and in your skin. It is a fat soluble vitamin which means that it should be eaten with fats. Vitamin A is prevelant is foods that are the color yellow, orange, or red, also known as carotenoids. Cod liver oil contains an adequate amount of vitamin A and D which are common deficiencies in Western diets. However, it is not a common food people eat and is an aquired taste.
These vitamins have several functions in the skin and detox pathways that are often low in the presence of acne. Vitamin A and D keep keratins (cells in the sebaceous glands) from over proliferating and causing acne. A serving of lamb's liver once a week should do the job!
Eat Zinc Rich Foods
Zinc is a mineral shown to influence anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory enzymes which might help reduce your acne. Zinc is primarily known for its support of the immune system and is part of cell growth, cell division, wound healing and breakdown of carbohydrates. Many people with acne are deficient in zinc and may also have poor stomach acid production which can impede digestion. Zinc rich foods are liver, grass fed red meat, dairy, shellfish, chickpeas, lentils, and pumpkin seeds. Beware the plant-based sources of zinc may be bound by the naturally-present phytic acid, so animal-based sources are preferable.
Increase Antioxidants
Acne is the result of an inflammatory process that is progressed by reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by certain cells. Typically, your body creates ROS as part of daily metabolism. The body also creates antioxidants to help clean up these ROS but they can be low in people with acne. Eating antioxidants like vitamins A, E, and D, flavonoids (found in basil, blueberries, onion, broccoli, and dark chocolate), glutathione (found in spinach, avocados, asparagus, okra), and resveratrol (red grapes, and mulberries) will supply the clean-up crew to reduce ROS prevalence, and reduce acne. Think colors on your plate and you will have a variety of antioxidants in your diet.
Consume Raw Milk or Avoid Dairy
The prevalence of acne increases from consuming skim milk, especially in the form of black heads and clogging of pores. This is thought to be due to the hormonal imbalances that skim milk undergoes during processing. People often have sensitivities to dairy and wheat, among other foods that might be contributing to overall inflammation in the body. This inflammation taps out your antioxidants and nutrients allowing acne to proliferate.
Raw milk is unprocessed and unpasteurized, which means it is fully alive and full of nutrients and enzymes that support digestion, hormone health, and skin health. Many people believe raw milk is dangerous and will cause you to become sick. It is even illegal in some states. However, this cannot be further from the truth as your ancestors regularly drank it raw! Drink small amounts of raw milk each day to build up your tolerance and enjoy the refreshing benefits.
Other's find that sticking only to A2 milk stops their acne in its tracks. This is because most grocery store milk is A1 milk, which means the casein protein in milk is in the A1 form. It's thought that the digestion or pasteurization bi-products of A1 casein are incredibly allergenic in the body, and good at stimulating inflammatory pathways in the body, thus making acne worse, especially cystic acne.
Jersey and Guernsey are two cattle breeds that primarily produce A2 casein in their milk, thus avoiding the A1 casein digestion problem. Many people find they even digest A2 milk better than A1, even if they don't have acne.
It's a shame most MD's will still tell you diet has nothing to do with acne, whilst shilling you Accutane, antibiotics and other poorly prescribed pills!
Nutrition has a huge impact on our skin health and overall health. While acne can be annoying and feel like a hopeless battle at times, the nutritional changes mentioned above are a good start in promoting clearer skin. The one benefit of acne is it reflects your overall health. If you are not healthy on the surface, are you really healthy underneath? Consuming nourishing, nutrient dense foods into your life will improve your immune system, fight inflammation, and heal your skin.
*None of the claims in this blog constitute medical advice*