Acne and Your Diet

Living with acne can be a pain, but there are ways to control it without resorting to harsh chemicals or medication. What you eat, and how much you eat can play a huge role in reducing acne outbreaks. Thus, changing your diet can do wonders for your skin. First, let's take a look at what you should avoid.

Just say no

If your idea of relaxing on a hot day involves a tall glass of ice-cold Kool-aid or sweetened tea, you should really consider finding a different beverage. Sugary drinks should be reduced, if not completely eliminated from your diet if you're serious about reducing the severity of your acne. In fact, all forms of sugar should be greatly reduced in your diet, especially sugar from candy and soda. That goes for corn syrup as well, which has replaced sugar in most American foods. If you can't give it up completely, commit to drinking a maximum of one can of soda, or twelve ounces of other sugary drinks per day. Replace the rest with milk, coffee, unsweetened tea, or ideally, water. You may be tempted to replace those drinks with juice, but most fruit juice contain just as much sugar as soft drinks. Just say no to sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and juices (except in small doses).

Water is the key

If you're not drinking at least 4 large glasses of water per day, you need to change your drinking habits. Water purifies the skin, washes waste out of the body, and aids in the production of sweat, which cleans your pores. Drink 4 to 8 glasses of water every day, spaced out over the entire day. Buy a water bottle and keep it with you at all times. Make frequent stops at water fountains. Make a trip to the water cooler every hour. It's not as hard as you would think.

Just eat healthy

Your skin reflects your overall health, so you can bet that if you're not eating healthy, your skin will show it.

• Eat more vegetables, especially the green ones.
• Start taking multi-vitamins to ensure that you're getting all of your daily necessities.
• Definitely eat a lot less deep-fried and fatty foods, which means fewer trips to McDonald's and Burger King.
• Switch from white bread to wheat.
• Depending on the severity of your acne, you might want to look into starting a detox diet, or other intestinal cleansing diets.
• Consider using active-culture foods, such as certain kinds of yogurt, to ensure that the beneficial bacteria in your digestive system are healthy and balanced. Acidophilus supplements can help with this.

The bottom line

Use common sense when changing your diet. Candy and soda are bad, vegetables and water are good. Consuming healthy food will not only reduce your acne, but will improve your overall health as well. Consult a physician or a nutritionist if you have any specific questions.