More than Skin Deep!

We all want a great complexion, free of pimples, blackheads and wrinkles, even-toned and just glowing!

Modern living has made this much more of a challenge to achieve.  The average modern diet is fraught with substances that are enemies of a clear glowing complexion, excess refined sugar being just one of these.  Environmental pollution, such as chlorinated water, harsh hygiene products and sedentary lifestyles are also not helping the cause.

Let’s get into the worst 8 foods for great skin!

1. Not Enough Fat Foods.

This may sound strange but 50% of our cells are made of saturated fat!  We have been told that these are bad for us and replaced them with seed oils which are deadly.  Also, essential nutrients such as vitamins E, D, A and K can be found in saturated fatty foods such as avocados.  Low-fat diets produce weight loss but result in very saggy, dried-out skin.  I am sure that you know someone who lost weight on a low-fat diet and looked thinner but much older!

2. Sugar!

This is one of the most notorious culprits in all things health! The reason for this is that sugar increases insulin and insulin increases androgens which enlarge the sebaceous glands leading to more secretion of natural oils resulting in blocked pores (blackheads).  This is especially true of those who are suffering from acne.  Usually most prevalent in young people especially teenagers, however, adult acne has become more common mainly again because of the very poor Western diet.  Don’t drink your sugars this does not just include sodas but also pasteurised fruit juices. High sugars also result in high levels of oxidation which will show itself as skin tags, and pigmentation issues, especially around the neck and under the arms, as well as brown spots.

3. Whole Grains!

Grains, contrary to popular belief are not a healthy food!  This also includes alcohol which is also grain-based particularly beers. Why is this the case? Grains whole or otherwise including breads, pasta, oatmeal, I could go on; contain gluten and lectins both of which are detrimental to the gut microbiome. And of course, a major upset in the microbiome means bowel issues which can lead to all kinds of skin problems such as psoriasis and eczema.

Grains are also high in omega-6 fatty acids which when consumed in excess can cause a multitude of health issues.  We do need omega-6 fatty acids however, omega-6 must be balanced with omega-3 the ideal balance is 1:1. But the modern diet has resulted in the ratio being omega-6 dominant.  The average person is 20:1 (omega-6-omega-3) this is completely out of balance and is causing many common health issues such as inflammation and autoimmune conditions.

4. Vegetable Oils

Otherwise known as seed oils.  They are highly and badly processed with solvents and can create havoc in your body, mainly because they are very high in omega-6 as mentioned above and therefore compete with omega-3 which we need as an anti-inflammatory.  The ones to avoid are canola oil, cottonseed oil, soy oil and corn oil.  Good replacements for these are extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil and coconut oil.  Even avoid commercial salad dressing as they are normally prepared with seed oils, read the labels before buying.

5. Soy Protein Isolates!

What are those? I hear you ask; this is essentially processed protein powder.  It is promoted as a low-fat plant-based protein, used heavily in diet meal replacement shakes.  It is an artificially created protein very unnatural with some unpleasant side effects: It dries out the skin and hair, you look older, bloating, allergies, headaches, indigestion and even obesity.

6. Cows Milk

Milk or whey protein powder milk is meant to nourish a growing animal and the hormones may adversely affect the sebaceous glands again causing excess secretion of oil.  This can also translate to other dairy products such as cheese or yoghurts.  I recommend goat’s milk and goat’s milk products as an alternative.  I do not consume cow’s milk products I do enjoy cheese but goat’s cheese only and I have been drinking black tea for years, without sugar, definitely an acquired taste!

7. Low antioxidant foods

This type of food will not provide any protection for your skin from sun damage and the environment.  Say for instance you eat no vegetables, white bread and highly processed foods none of which contain any antioxidants.  The obvious foods to eat would of course be vegetables, but high antioxidant foods also include grass-fed meat this could be beef, lamb and even pork!  I do not eat pork myself but if you can get it grass-fed and grass-finished go for it! When you are out in the sun a high antioxidant diet protects against skin cancer.

8. Gut flora destroying foods

such as artificial sweeteners, sterile foods, boxed foods, pasteurised foods, highly processed foods and canned soups can potentially destroy the gut flora.  Gut flora feeds on fibre, therefore a wide variety of plants and healthy fats are essential to a healthy gut.

To summarise: Great skin is achieved from the inside out! Let’s glow!

By avoiding the following:

• Low-fat foods
• Refined sugar and too many carbohydrates
• Seed Oils
• Artificial proteins (soy protein Isolates)
• Cows Milk
• Low antioxidant foods
• Gut flora destroying foods.

In my future blogs, I will cover what to eat for great skin!

I hope you found this information helpful please share and subscribe to my blog. Also, let me know what you did with the advice provided email me at [email protected].

See you again soon.