Not sure if this is the right place to be posting this but I was wondering what people know about diet and healing?
How do I eat to optimize my bodies ability to heal? Obviously I mean my skin in particular.
I already eat a good balanced diet.
But what should I be eating more of?
And what should I be avoiding?
Thanks
This one is a tricky one as everyone is different. A lot of people, (myself included) think dairy can affect acne greatly and sugar another major culprit. I think the key is to try an elimination diet. Eliminate certain foods from your diet and see if this is beneficial to you. It takes time and can be tiresome, but you may notice a huge difference. Several months ago I started to eat gluten and wheat free. I noted a lot of changes - more energy, more regular bowel movements etc. Recently I gained one of the biggest cysts I have ever had. This was after cheating and having some beers. Coincidence maybe, I don't know.
The main food culprits that may affect acne seem to be:
- Dairy products - especially cows milk
- Sugar (including a large amount of natural sugar in some fruits)
- Caffeine
- Gluten/Wheat
- Red Meat
- Too many carbohydrates
- Fizzy Drinks
There are also other factors such as stress, which I find has a major impact. Vitamin deficiency is a possibility for some.
One thing that was a wake up call to me was looking at my diet in general. I thought I was a healthy eater for the most part, but realised that I lacked too much in my diet. I virtually ate no fat and this is a very bad thing as the body needs a good amount of healthy fats. The fruits I ate were especially high in sugar and I learnt that all the additives added to low fat foods were in fact less healthy than a lot of full fat products. I also didn't realise how much processed foods/carbs I actually consumed.
Things that appear to be helping me personally:
- A large amount of plant based foods, especially dark leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach.
- Less Carbs
- No Sugar (still struggling with this)
- More good fats
- Strawberries/blueberries/kiwi fruit
- Green Tea and lots of water
I would also suggest you look into supplements that may be beneficial. Vitamin C/B Vitamins and Zinc really help a lot of people and Vitamin D if you live in colder climates. Be careful when taking vitamins however, especially in higher dosages as some vitamins can counteract eachother. Getting Vitamins from the diet where possible is always better.
The diet is a work in progress for a lot of us and I am still trying to figure things out. There are a lot of people on these boards well clued up with diet and I am sure you will receive good advice.