Inflammation – redness and swelling – is characteristic of most acne. Sometimes it can be reduced with medications, including antibiotics (which kill the bacteria causing the infection that causes the inflammation). But the only way to control inflammation is by what you eat – or don’t eat.
The theory behind anti-acne inflammatory foods is that some foods promote inflammation while others suppress them. If you stay away from “pro-inflammatory” foods and eat more “anti-inflammatory” foods, the redness (if present and swelling) with your acne will subside, and your skin will begin to heal.
What foods do you eat that will reduce redness? First of all, the great ligula in the easy ones. This mainly includes fruits; whose color is intense, like that of berries. green leafy vegetables, like romaine lettuce, are a good choice.
essential fatty acids (EFAS) are also anti-inflammatory. Certain types of fish, such as salmon and tuna, are high in omega 3 EFAs. So there are flax, which you can eat as a sprinkle on the cereal. If you cannot or cannot eat these foods, you can always take fish oil or flaxseed supplement. The best ones are available from natural food stores.
But perhaps a better way is to stop eating your “anti-inflammatory” diet, or at least cut back on the foods that raise your blood sugar quickly. Why? Because when your blood sugar rises too fast your body will produce too much insulin (so the sugar goes back down again). And this in turn will trigger inflammation.
What foods have this effect on blood sugar? Well, anything that contains a lot of sugar is very good; examples include candy, soda, ice cream, and artificially sweetened fruit juices. Also in the pro-inflammatory category are foods made with white flour flour, such as white bread, pasta, and most commercial – in bakery items. Also, a few fruits and vegetables are included here – like potatoes, corn, and bananas – because they are high in simple starches and sugars.
If it’s more about what you can avoid, look for foods with a low glycemic index (GI). This index is a measure of how quickly food will raise blood sugar. The lower the number, the slower the rise in blood sugar, and the more anti-inflammatory the food will be.
A few other things to think about when you think about an anti-inflammatory diet. One, if anything, food sensitivities show various types of inflammation – including acne flareups. So it might be helpful if you are sensitive to something in particular, because then you can exclude it from your food diet and thus help by reducing inflammation.
Some experts also recommend that you eat foods in a certain order. They believe it is best to eat protein-sources – such as meat, fish and soy – first, then low-GI carbohydrates and then fat
And it is useful to increase water drinking. You may see improvement in your acne by drinking more water.
There is only so much you can do with diet to help get your acne under control. Try a few of these suggestions. They may just be enough to get you on your way to clearer skin.
