I've been eating a whole foods diet similar to cultures that don't get acne (no dairy, sugars, caffeine, flour products, added oils, etc.) and my skin has been really clear and calm for a long time now...even when I've been stressed.
However over the holidays while traveling I ate bread almost everyday and within 3 days my acne-rosacea flared up with small flat red spots on my cheeks. They aren't too bad and are going away but this is the only thing I did differently. The spots are definately a food type of reaction as they have a rashy look (itchy) and go away within a day or so. The breads were made without sugars or oils(sourdough, etc.) so those triggers weren't present. I reviewed research articles and was again informed of the yeast-rosacea-acne connection being made by researchers.
I think I rationalized it was okay to eat bread because I don't have gluten issues and the breads were oil and sugar free. But I forgot about the yeast part. So much to remember! Especially in our wheat obsessed culture... and especially when traveling.
The only thing I did differently than usual was to eat that bread.
One thing that's really made a difference for my skin and gut is when I started avoiding all added oils and butters (except for EVOO when cooking). This has given me totally clear skin. Medications alone did not. I think avoiding oil helped me have a much milder reaction to the bread than I would normally have had...the spots are not as inflammed or big and they are going away much quicker than before. Avoiding oils helps sebum to be less sticky and the skin to be less inflammed. Good dietary fat can be gotten from wild fish, meats, etc.
All this is very interesting to me and I hope it may be helpful to others...or at least a reminder of why bread can be bad for some of us!
Hi, do you experience the same problems with sourdough bread?
I've been 99% gluten-free for quite a few months now, and bread is really the thing I do miss the most (then pizza, but pasta, not so much).
I'm considering trying to eat a lot of bread/pasta to get a nice contrast effect after my long gluten-free time period, so that I can try to see if gluten (or at least bread) is bad for me or not.
Oh yeah --- forgot...it's high glycemic too! And that doesn't help anything, especially inflammation. So it's back to eating WHOLE foods versus flour products which seem to be too concentrated for someone with my inflammatory prone skin! I think what really did me in was eating bread each day for about a week. I can sometimes eat a slice of bread while traveling with no problem...but this time it was too much for too long.
I sometimes forget WHY I need to avoid something, especially if I'm bombarded with it and have few other choices (traveling - visiting, etc.). I usually take lots of my own food to eat so I won't get starved but depending on the situation I'm not always able to eat it without creating a fuss.
The other thing that happens is that if my skin has been clear for a long time I then think I can cheat a little and I begin rationalizing why I can eat something (...that has always created a problem in the past...). Pretty stupid...but it happens. And then I deal with the consequences and remember (once again) why I can't eat certain foods!
Yes - I do experience the same problems with sourdough bread. As I shared above...I rationalized that I could at least eat the sourdough bread because it was made without oils or sugars but forgot that it too is a high glycemic food and is made through a yeast process. I believe it is the combination of these things (high glycemic, yeast, and for some people - glutens) that makes bread not a good choice for people with skin inflammation problems like acne and rosacea.
High glycemic load (sugars) feed acne and cause changes in hormones that affect acne. Yeast affects sugars. And I have to remember that my skin is particularly sensitive to hormone changes and sugars. My body is too and has tested out as very sensitive to sugars...not diabetic...but fructose.
Alternativista --- I think I may have asked you this before...but I am curious what your diet is these days. Thanks! Always appreciate your input.