Stubborn acne? Avoid these 5 foods! Results in a month!

By Ankita

Let’s start with a scenario today. It’s a beautiful morning and your alarm goes off. You wake up to a fresh new beautiful day, get off the bed, go to your bathroom, look at the mirror. And, there it is another tiny little bump on your face. Darn it!!! Not now! Not today! You got your big meeting at 11 and date at 8! You have tried every little thing. Serums, treatments even the dermats know you by name now.

Frustrating isn’t it? Been there, done that. Although my acne story was much different, as I never (touchwood) faced severe acne, but one of my closest cousins did. Last month she got married and we haven’t had been in touch for about a year lately. I don’t exactly know what magic potion worked for her but, there she was on her marriage day, without a bump on her face (before makeup) and glowing. I couldn’t help but ask her, what really worked for her.

Me: Hey, like…what did you eat? I mean you look gorgeous girl, not that you didn’t before but your acne problem..?

She: Haha..Nope ask me what I DID NOT eat.

Me: Okay, go on!! I am all ears.

And the conversation went on…

However me being the curious little Nancy Drew that I am, did a little bit of my own research to testify her words, and guess what? She was right

So, my lovelies here is my list of top 5 baddie food you should avoid when going through bouts of acne.

WOAAH WAIT WAIT!! HOW DOES THIS EXACTLY WORK??

Well, this is called the process off elimination. If you can’t find out what is causing your acne outbursts, try eliminating some food items from your diet that have a bad reputation of triggering acne. Otherwise healthy, these 5 foods can worsen existing acne.

1. Fast Food

I bet you love your plate of ‘Gol gappa’ and ‘Aloo tikka chaat’ with extra Mirchi. But hold on their sweetheart. Did you know greasy fast foods will leads to body inflammation that causes pimples appear?

Includes: Fish & Chips, Pizza, Burger, Fried chicken, Sausages, Noodles, Pasta, Noodles, Snacks & Desserts: Hot-dogs, Donuts, Potato chips, French fries, Crisps, Popcorn etc

2. Sugar

We all have our sweet tooth, and sometimes it’s too hard to resist. Excessive sugar intake shoots up your blood sugar level causing pimples. Try to avoid candy bars, sugary drinks as well as other sweets saturated with sugar. Follow this with dedication and you will soon see a major difference.

Includes: Sugars, Syrups & Sweeteners, Drink Powders & Soft Drinks, candies, cookies, pies and unfortunately everything yum!!!

3. Cow Milk

Cow’s milk not only shoots up blood sugar levels leading to pimples, it also leads to growth in hormones resulting in overgrowth of skin cell that leads to blocked pores. So, you might just want to avoid dairy products for a while and check if it does any good for your skin condition.

Includes: milk, cheese, yogurt, other cultured dairy foods, ice cream etc.

4. Coffee

Nothing wakes you up better than a freshly brewed cup of coffee. Ahh, the smell! But hold that thought. Science has shown that an organic acid inside coffee beans that raises cortisol levels.

Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, can act like an androgen. It stimulates sebaceous glands and inflammation, a.k.a PIMPLES. You might want to skip that and check for some results

Includes: Expresso, mocha, latte, cappuccino, even the decaf versions

5. Soy:

Soy is one of the richest sources of protein you can lay your hands on. The natural plant oestrogen is found in soybeans. “Phytoestrogens” which are otherwise good, mimic natural oestrogen levels and play around with our hormones. Result? Acne and more acne. So if you are experiencing any bumps around your mouth and chin, the culprit MIGHT be soy.

Includes: Soybeans, soy milk, soy sauce, soybean oil, tofu etc.

SO YOU ARE BASICALLY TRYING TO STARVE ME TO DEATH.RIGHT??!!!

Not at all. All I am saying is, eating in moderation never hurts. Once you find out what triggers your acne, yes you definitely have to cut it out from your diet sweet heart.

A FEW TIPS FOR THOSE HORRIBLE PHASES OF ACNE:

1. Visit a good dermatologist, home remedies and DIYs do work, however, common guys those guys have sweated their brains out in med school for 5 years. Let’s give them some credit.

2. Keep your skin as well as belongings clean. Do not let any product build up on your face, neck as well as other affected areas. It is equally important to keep your sheets and phone germ-free.

3. Avoid using a lot of makeup ( I recommend no makeup at all!!!) for the time being. Although a lot of companies claim to be safe to use on any skin type, it is always better to let your skin breathe. Give it time to heal.

4. Check your stress levels. Now this one is the most difficult, at least for me. You all must be thinking “better said than done”. This one is coming from a person who has years of history of anxiety and depression on her sleeves. What helped? Yoga, meditation, and good life practices. Before I was a Life Coach, I used to be a wacko. If I can do it, you can too.

5. Keep your scalp clean and dandruff free.

6. Finally, have patience. I get it. I totally do. Dealing with acne can be a lot irritating, but don’t let that put you down. It might be difficult, not irreversible. And you cares if you have acne or not, you are gorgeous anyway!!

Hakuna Matata baby!!!

Any comments, suggestions and ideas are always welcome 🙂

“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring” – Marilyn Monroe

Editor’s Note: That’s a nice and informative post Ankita

Do you suffer from stubborn acne? Try eliminating these from your diet, I am sure you see a difference!