When it comes to skin health, one thing is often overlooked-Diet. Like body fitness, skin health too needs a strict diet plan to function at optimum levels. Skin is one of the complex organs in the human body. It keeps changing from person to person & season to season. This is why your prime focus must shift to your skin health. Ill-maintained skin secretes more sebum and makes your skin, oily & this is followed by enlarged pores, breakouts and acne. Out of all skin types, oily skin needs more attention to manage. Switching to non-comedogenic cosmetics to altering diet in favor of oily skin, you’re all set to see the positive improvements in no time.
Here, we’ve put together a list of foods that can aggravate your skin condition & healthy alternatives to maintain skin lustre, thus aiding you in your way for nourished skin.
Dairy Products:
Milk, cheese, butter contains higher levels of hormones like testosterone that can escalate the production of sebum & blocked pores. Likewise, milk chocolates or low quality dark chocolates too affect your sebaceous glands and can lead to increased oil production.
Swap for:
Dairy-free alternatives like vegan cheese & almond milk can be effective substitutes. But, the only downside is the lack of calcium. You can substitute missed calcium through almonds, green leafy vegetables and oranges.
Trans Fats & Saturated Fats:
When compared to other types of fats, Saturated fats are the most harmful ones. When consumed excessively, they increase blood cholesterol level & in turn, posing a threat to heart. Saturated fats can cause skin inflammation, which causes excess oil production. So do trans fats. Keep a check on Deep-fried foods, Doughnuts, Red Meats, Cakes, Pastries, Pizza, Pie, Butter, Cheese and cream.
Swap for:
Instead, Lean to turkey, chicken, salmon, avocados & walnuts. Switch refined cooking oil with olive oil. Skip frying and try other methods of preparation like baking, grilling or poaching food.
Sugar:
Consuming higher amounts of sugar will boost blood sugar level & body starts generating more insulin, which encourages oil production and can increase the risk of acne. Avoid products with artificial sweeteners & consume natural sweeteners moderately as they can too cause skin inflammation.
Caution: Low sugar foods often contain more fat to compensate the slashed sugar content.
Swap for:
Tropical fruits like berries, kiwi, good quality dark chocolates, frozen bananas can work better as sugar alternatives. Moreover, they are really healthy!
Alcohol:
This essentially is not a food type, but it creates serious damage to your skin. Alcohol consumption drains water from body & body compensates the lost hydration by producing oil. This often leads to breakouts, overly dehydrated skin and all. Moreover, Alcohol can cause you to eat more fatty foods and can result in sweating. Wherein both the cases are proven to enhance clogged pores.
Swap for:
Switch your alcohol with low sugar cocktails. If it’s hard for you to quit, try sticking to clear alcohol and drink water after each drink.
Making changes in diet overnight are so overwhelming. But, you can adopt these changes by taking baby steps. Start with one & keep moving forward by adding another & so on. Practicing these changes will make you look better & can keep your skin less oily. As skin’s surface layer takes 2 – 3 weeks to renew, you may need to wait to see results. The best part – Maybe, you can find a new favorite food, who knows!
Disclaimer
This content, including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. Onthebuzz does not claim responsibility for this information.