Super Foods That Can Reduce Acne Inflammation
Do you suffer from acne, pimples and blemishes?
More than likely you’ve been told, at least once in your lifetime, to not have too much high processed sugar foods (No! Chocolate! Donuts! Ice-Cream! We can’t live without the deliciousness that oozes from their corners!), as well as fast-foods (What!? Not even KFC’s chicken!?), because they aggravate your immune system, irregulating your chemical and hormonal balance, and as a result, causing break-outs.
But do not fret! There are foods that help fight against breakouts and, of course, your overall health! Combine eating these foods with a regular exercise regime and an acne skin care treatment system, it will put the odds in favour of clearer, healthier, skin!
The key vitamins and minerals within these foods that help fight acne are:
- Omega-3 – Inhibits inflammation, particularly from UV light, by hindering the production of cytokines. Improves barrier function. Promotes skin healing.
- Vitamin C – Contains anti-inflammatory properties, helping to reduce redness and swelling that comes with acne.
- Vitamin E – Controls the production of collagen and elastin in the skin. This leads to faster healing of acne and acne scars.
- Vitamin A – An anti-oxidant, fights free radicals within the cells, helping to ward off inflammation caused by acne.
- Vitamin B6 – Reduces skin’s sensitivity to testosterone and participates in the synthesis of RNA and DNA. It also regulates hormone activity, preventing hormonal imbalance that causes acne.
- Vitamin K – Anti-inflammatory properties by reducing redness of the skin and promotes tissue growth and renewal.
- Magnesium – Lowers cortisol production, stabilising hormonal imbalances. It also lowers stress and anxiety which are related to causing breakouts.
- Zinc – Helps decrease oil production in the skin, and also can protect against bacterial infection and inflammation.
- Manganese – This is needed for the production of the amino acid proline, which is essential for collagen formation and wound healing in human skin cells.
- Copper – Helps produce collagen and elastin, two types of connective tissue, helping with repairing and strengthening skin cells.
- Selenium – An anti-inflammatory that helps hormonal imbalances. Also an antioxidant which plays a role in neutralizing free radicals and prevents cell damage.
- Flavonoids – Inhibits the enzymes that may cause an inflammatory response from acne.
- Fibre – Helps control insulin levels, high insulin levels are known to trigger androgens, which in turn trigger our oil-producing glands to produce excess oil. This oil can clog pores and cause breakouts.
WARNING: If you are allergic to any of the foods mentioned below, obviously don’t eat them. We prefer you to be alive and well!
Also, it may be best to check with your doctor, nutritionist, or dietitian, if these foods are suitable for you as an individual. Everybody will respond differently to how much of the vitamins and minerals we consume.
Without further delay! Here are the Super Foods that you can implement into your diet:
Wild Salmon – High in Omega-3s
Oysters – High in Zinc
Eggs – Contains Omega-3s, Selenium, small amounts of Zinc, Manganese, Copper, and Vitamin E
Brown Rice – High in Magnesium and Selenium
Sweet Potato – Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C, as well as Copper and Manganese
Broccoli – Vitamin A, Vitamin B complex, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, as well as Magnesium
Legumes – Each legume holds more of certain vitamins and minerals than others, but most contain Vitamin K, Manganese, Magnesium and Omega 3.
Cucumber – Vitamin C and Vitamin E
Avocado – Vitamin E
Dried Apricots – Magnesium, Beta-Carotene (converts into Vitamin A when digested), and a good source of Fibre
Blueberries – Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Manganese, and they hold a small amount of Copper, Vitamin E and Vitamin B6
Nuts – Each different nut holds more of certain vitamins and minerals than others. But most contain Copper, Zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Omega 3.
Turmeric – Flavonoids
It’s always best to stick to fresh produce rather than packaged and processed foods. A lot of the time when food progresses through the process to being packaged, it loses a lot of its nutrients which strips the food of its purpose. The more refined it becomes, the less beneficial and effective it becomes.
As we mentioned before, to achieve clearer, healthier skin, combine a balanced nutrient rich diet with a skincare system and possibly some skin treatments.
We offer and extensive in-depth consultation to check the severity of your acne and will be able to provide skin treatments and products to help reduce your acne breakouts.