The Lies I Was Told About The Causes of Acne
If you're an acne sufferer like me, you've likely heard many different opinions about what causes this pimple-formed version of hell on your face. Personally, I've only recently started believing that the way I eat has something to do with it, but all of the experts said that was a lie. I've seen three different dermatologists now, all of whom have said that diet is not an important enough factor to make major changes.
Well, they were wrong.
**Backstory: I do some copywriting for an online company that connects freelance writers with clients looking for articles, blog posts, website content, etc. One of the clients that I work with the most happens to be a dermatology clinic, and they recently requested an article about this topic so it's all fresh in my mind**
There was a study done recently that linked dairy, chocolate and fatty/sugary foods to the cause of acne (insert jaw-dropped face here).
WHAT?
So, basically, if you're a milk chocolate-lover, you are royally screwed. That right there is the deadly trio of acne-causing ingredients: dairy, sugar, and chocolate.
Now, if you're one of those people who want to know all of the details about the study (who, what, when) you can read the article that inspired this post HERE. Let me give you the gist if you're more like me and just want the summary:
-Researchers observed the diet of a group of people in France for over a decade.
-The group was comprised of people who have never had acne and current acne sufferers.
-The current acne sufferers consumed way more sugar, chocolate and dairy and the researchers found that the consumption of these foods was "independently associated with current acne."
So What Does All of This Mean?
First let me tell you that most experts agree that the leading cause of acne is genetics and hormones. If it's in your blood, you are just going to be prone to the pimple life.
This research, however, means that if you've never had acne and aren't prone to it, eating chocolate and dairy isn't going to suddenly make your face explode. If you are prone to it, then these foods will just make the problem worse.
The scientific explanation for it is that sugar increases your insulin which can create what's called "oxidative stress and inflammation," which can eventually lead to acne. Our skin is our biggest organ, and if there is something going on inside of your body, you will likely show symptoms somewhere on your skin.
This is especially true for me. If I am stressed, my skin will show it in the form of breakouts or super-uncomfortable eczema. As you can imagine, it's extremely inconvenient because life is stressful, plain and simple.
How Do You Apply This to Your Life?
If you have acne, you should try to eat as clean as possible. Here are some simple examples:
-Instead of white sugars and breads, use organic sugar and whole wheat.
-Instead of white potatoes, use sweet potatoes.
-Instead of dairy milk, use almond, oat, or coconut milk (almond and coconut will be the lowest-calorie options).
-If you can't live without chocolate (*ahem* ME *ahem*), have dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.
These are just quick suggestions, but the most important thing you can do is pay attention to your body. Notice how you feel and how your skin reacts after eating certain foods. Personally, I started cutting things out of my diet one at a time to see if there was any improvement in my skin (that's how I discovered that dairy was not my friend).
We turn to experts for answers when we're frustrated, but the truth is that YOU know your body and your skin better than anyone else. You just have to slow down and pay attention to what it's telling you.
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