DIET AND ACNE - WHAT CAN YOU DO
The truth to a diet for clear skin is not revolutionary: in fact, a simple, healthy diet is not just what the doctor ordered – it’s also the key to acne-free skin. So, you may not find this a shocking diet outline, but that doesn’t make it easy to stick to. It’s also not a one-size-fits-all – a diet that works for a friend may not suit you perfectly, so it’s up to you to experiment to find the perfect healthy balance for your own skin and body.
Keep a food diary to help you track and make adjustments to your diet. Remember that moderation, patience and discipline are key to carving out the best meal plan to lead to beautiful, healthy, clear skin.
1. Drink more water
Staying hydrated is so important. After all, your body is 60% water, so it’s no surprise you need to drink enough water to optimise physical processes.
Drinking water is also key to consuming the correct amount of daily calories – often we mistake hunger for thirst, so when in doubt drink water first. Water is the foundation of healthy and clear skin, so aim for 8 glasses of water every day.
Claudia Fallah skincare tip: Drinking enough water also helps to dilute toxins from your body, which helps a lot with your skin appearance. Drinking enough water is the cheapest and best way to start with a good skincare and it also helps you to loose weight.
But be aware of tap water!
A client of mine was over the moon when I cured her acne, she then moved to America and started drinking tap water every day. She contacted me and was in tears when her acne had not only come back but also got worse than when she first came to see me.
My first question was... Do you drink tap water? And the answer was YES!
I instantly advised her to stop and so she did and her acne disappeared.
It is vital when you suffer from acne to keep your skin clean especially at night. Don't do product overload, less is more with acne. I would recommend our Azulene Foam Facial Wash because it's antibacterial but non drying. You find with most other products for acne, they dry the skin out and your skin looks more dry and flaky, which can lead for your skin to increase the oil production and therefore get you into a vicious circle which will make your acne worse.
2. Cut back on alcohol
Most alcoholic drinks are sugary which makes them bad for you. Then there’s the simple and stark fact that alcohol is literally a poison you are choosing to put in your body (and probably paying good money for). Forget your skin – just about every organ in your body hates alcohol. So if you do drink, do so in moderation – and drink lots of water to mitigate alcohol’s effects.
See our recent Alcohol and the skin article here
3. Cut back on sugar
Unfortunately, sugar is in just about everything we eat, all day long, making it difficult to avoid. Keep your daily sugar intake within the recommended two to four servings of the fructose found in fruit, and avoid sugars found elsewhere, like in refined carbohydrates and candy aisle sweets. Sugar, particularly from certain sources, can exacerbate acne – and cause a whole host of other health problems.
Claudia Fallah tip: sugar has very few nutrients and can cause your body to become more acidic therefore your skin can suffer from more breakouts, dry skin, dandruff and acne. By reducing your sugar intake you rebalance blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation and rebalance your hormones. You will sleep better, which is also very important for your skin. This has a straight affect in not to compromise cell health therefore a better healthier looking skin.
I know that some people use sugar and raw organic coconut oil mixed up at home to exfoliate their face. I would not advise this wonderful method if you suffer from acne since the sugar crystals can be a bit harsh on your skin and worse case you break your infected spots and spread an infection across your entire face.
If you would still like to exfoliate your skin I would recommend our award winning Gentle Exfoliant Creme as it's really super-gentle. This product is heaven in a tube for any skin and microbead-free. Also if you suffer from nut allergies this is the product for your skin since it contains only very fine rice particle's.
3. Antioxidant-rich berries
Like vegetables, the more antioxidants you can eat, the better – especially if you struggle with acne. A diet rich in antioxidants can decrease mild to moderate acne. Good thing berries are so delicious – try blueberries, blackberries, cherries and goji berries.
Claudia Fallah tip: I would always suggest to eat any kind of fruit in the morning mixed with some protein. Since the liver works hard all night to detox you don't want to overload with too much fruit first thing. I always say everything is good in moderation.
4. Green Tea
Try incorporating green tea into your diet – it’s rich in polyphenols (poly-what?). Polyphenols increases blood-flow and oxygen to the skin, improving its overall look, feel and most importantly, health.
Claudia Fallah skincare tip: With acne I always advise to use a toner after cleansing. Make sure that your toner does NOT contain any alcohol or parfum. Try our award winning Calming Herbal Lotion which you can spray onto a white cotton pad to tone your skin after cleansing. This product contains wonderful soothing, calming and anti-bacterial ingredients.
Still cant get rid of acne? Contact Claudia for a skincare consultation - info@claudiafallah.co.uk
Claudia Says - "It can be very frustrating when you struggle with acne and it can very much affect your confidence. I have a lot of clients who were referred to me by their nutritionist or herbalist, who just still can't control their acne with everything they are doing from the inside and therefore I am happy to help to find the right treatment solution to solve the problem. Sometimes it's just a little adjustment that can make a big difference to your skin."