5 Foods for Clearer Skin and Improved Mental Health
Help heal your acne from the inside out
The struggle is real. You’ve been told you’d grow out of your acne by now. You make decisions about leaving the house based around your acne and how intense your flare up is that day. How much longer do you have to wait for it to get better? Like most of you reading, I’ve been there. I’ve tried all the over-the-counter products and prescribed medications, but here I am, still figuring it out. It’s definitely had an affect on my mental health and how I treat myself. But instead of getting angry at our acne, what if we looked at it as a signal that something deeper is going on?
Acne, eczema, and other skin conditions are often signs that our gut is not functioning optimally. Many people experience hormonal acne, but hormones can also be out of whack if our gut isn’t running efficiently. The gut-skin connection is strong.
There are a lot of chemicals and inflammatory ingredients added to our foods that can damage the lining of the small intestines. The intestinal lining is supposed to have extremely tight junctions, but when it gets damaged, food particles and toxins get released into your bloodstream. Seventy to eighty percent of your immune cells are in your gut, so when toxins get released, your body produces an immune response, often in the form of inflammation. For many, this inflammation causes skin flare-ups. Acne can also occur if your body is struggling to detox. Your liver and kidneys naturally detox the body on a daily basis. If they’re straining or you’re having difficulty going to the bathroom at least once a day, toxins will look for another way out, often through the skin.
What should I eat?
For starters, eating whole foods that are not packaged or processed is a big step towards clearer skin. Packaged and processed foods often have added ingredients, such as hydrogenated oils, fillers, chemicals, and more. Have you ever read a label and can’t identify half of the ingredients? These additives can damage intestinal cell walls, cause inflammation in the body, and create difficulty detoxing.
In terms of whole foods, there are some that can help soothe inflammation and give your body the nutrients it needs to heal the gut and skin. Here are five foods include in your diet if you struggle with acne:
Sweet potatoes
These have beta-carotene, an active form of vitamin A, which encourages new skin growth and helps break down old skin cells. It also has antioxidants which helps with inflammation.
2. Salmon
Salmon contains a lot of anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fatty acids, which is necessary for healthy skin. It also has a lot of protein comprised of amino acids, which is needed to have healthy hormones.
3. Blueberries
This berry has a ton of antioxidants to help with inflammation and cell damage (both skin and gut). They also have a lot of fiber which helps keep your digestive system moving and detox pathways open and flowing.
4. Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, a mineral that helps to maintain the structure of cell walls, keep skin clear, and provides antioxidant benefits.
5. Green tea
Green tea has a lot of antioxidants, but also has the phyochemicals, polyphenols. These help with cell repair, inflammation, and anti-aging benefits. Studies show that drinking 24-30 oz of green tea a day (caffeinated or decaf) can help clear skin.
A great way to incorporate a lot of these ingredients into one meal is a salad:
Kale
Blueberries
Salmon
Pumpkin seeds
Roasted sweet potatoes
Green tea salad dressing
(https://sharonpalmer.com/mint-green-tea-vinaigrette-vegan-gluten-free/)
Outside in
As important as it is to look on the inside when struggling with acne, it’s also important to be mindful of what’s affecting your skin from the outside. Skin is the largest organ in the body, so putting toxins on our skin daily can do more damage than good. Look for products with natural, healing ingredients without the chemicals and harsh substances (check out Erin’s Faces for some of my favorite, skin-nourishing products: https://erinsfaces.com/).
My mental health has definitely suffered from having chronic acne for the last 17+ years. If you’re also suffering, it’s worth taking a look inside. Not only can your skin be telling you there’s a gut imbalance, but this imbalance can also be a physical root cause of anxiety and/or depression. The skin is a window into your digestive and hormonal health. Let’s start paying attention to what our body is telling us and stop fighting against it.
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