Fit to Post Health3 Little Known Factors That Can Improve Acne
I am certainly not a "beautician" and know next to nothing about the latest fashion trends. However I do know that good skin is always attractive, and is always in fashion.
One of the pleasant "side effects" of good health is good skin. The skin is a reflection of what is going on inside. So fix it from the inside.
Most creams and lotions only work on symptoms and don't hit the root causes of acne. Either you adapt to them and keep needing more and more, or they dry out your skin and make it less smooth. Or both!
Anti-biotics are another common "solution" but they damage the good bacteria as well, causing side effects like poor digestion. So we can't take these for a long period either.
While every case is different, and acne has many possible causes, good habits will help you increase your chance of clearing up your skin.
In fact, many of our clients report improved skin conditions within a few weeks of starting these health building habits. So here are 3 things that build health and bust pimples. The principles are simple, reduce the factors that cause acne, and we are likely to be successful.
1. Build Digestive Tract Health
Your digestive system is your body's first line of defense against bacteria. To make it strong we must not keep stressing it. The foods that cause the most problems are:
Diary - Because milk boosts inflammation and insulin production, both acne increasing factors
Wheat - Gluten intolerance which is quite common, causes damage to the gut.
Alcohol - Depletes nutrients which help fight acne. Primarily Zinc (which I have talked about here)
Get rid of all the items above for 6 weeks and see what happens. I know diary is well marketed but if you are of Asian descent, you are likely intolerant of it.
2. Watch Those Blood Sugar Levels
Processed foods high in refined carbohydrates and sugar are a problem. They digest quickly and cause high blood sugar. This means high insulin, and excess insulin signals your body to grow excess new cells, like pimples.
So, eat unprocessed foods, healthy meats and fats, and lots of veggies.
3. Put Out The Flames
Stress, processed food, a damaged digestive tract, and many other factors increase inflamation in your body. And acne is an inflamatory condition. So you need to have habits that reduce inflammation. Here are foods and nutrients that can help you.
Omega-3 fats - For acne, the EPA portion of the omega-3s is more important because it helps with inflammation. At least 1-2g of EPA (check your label!) per day is required and more would probably be good for you.
Pro-Biotics and coconut oil - will help improve the good/bad bacteria balance in your gut. Take a capsule after breakfast and at dinner. And a tablespoon of coconut oil along with it.
Spices - Things like cinnamon powder (not the stuff mixed with sugar!), cur-cumin from turmeric, and garlic can help with blood sugar management and inflammation
Vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium are also very important for their anti-oxidant, skin repairing properties.
Zinc - as usual is critical for its hormone balancing properties.
When it comes to supplements, spend money on good ones. Because of the dis-regulation of the supplement industry, it is hard to know which brands to trust. Some brands which I have found to be excellent in practice are Poliquin, Metagenics, Biotics Research, and Life Extension Formulas. The Poliquin site and the Life Extension site also have great information on nutrition and health.
The great thing is that all these factors above not only improve acne, they improve health!
Coach Jonathan Wong is a Singapore personal trainer and performance expert. He is also a fitness author and a member of Singapore Men's Health Advisory Panel.
For the best fitness boot camp program, ExpressFIT program in the CBD, and personal training in Singapore visit www.genesisgym.com.sg or the Genesis Gym facebook page. Or visit Coach Jonathan's homepage and blog at www.coachjon.com
