Healthy Diet! Healthy Skin!

Healthy Diet! Healthy Skin! Everyone has heard the saying "you are what you eat," well what if I told you that wasn't just a saying, but a fact! Although diet may not be the only factor in skin health, it is one of the most important key factors. The skin is the largest organ apart of the body and usually the first organ to reveal signs of what's going on inside the body. For example, some patients with chronic kidney disease may experience some unpleasant changes with the skin like: dry skin, itchy skin, and skin discoloration. So in some cases the skin is a direct reflection of what's going on internally with the body. 

So where is the connection between diet and skin health? First, let's see what causes acne in the first place. Acne is a disorder of the turnover of skin cells, called keratinization. Improper skin cell renewal leads to retained cells, which in turn block the oil glands and pores, thus causing the pores to trap protein and sebum under the skin. Those proteins and oils become food for P. acnes, the bacteria that causes acne.  There are several steps involved in the cycle of skin renewal process, much of which pertaining to the foods that we eat. The body, skin included, is constantly being renewed and it uses vitamins and nutrients from food to repair and rebuild skin cells.  Eating a balanced and healthy diet will go a long way for skin health. By providing your body with the essential vitamins and nutrients it needs to properly restore and regenerate skin cells will not only prevent skin blemishes, but it aid in producing healthy radiant skin. 

​Here are a few things you should consider in your diet for healthy glowing skin:

1. Eating low fat foods- foods too high in fats can produce excessive amounts of oil on the skin, thus clogging pores
2. Avoid processed foods- fast foods, and pre made foods usually have additives and artificial ingredients.
3. Avoid hormone dairy products and meats- both high in fat and bacteria, and the added hormones can cause acne as well. 
4. Chocolate and junk food- most junk food is high in fat and oils and do not provide any essential vitamins or nutrients needed for proper cell renewal.   

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