Acne is an extremely common skin condition affecting people of all ages, but mainly those ranging from teens to adults. Characterized by the appearance of pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads, acne is a treatable condition when using the right products and eating and drinking the right substances.
While products can only do so much to reduce the effects, your diet plays a key role in its prevention. Anti-inflammatory diets have been gaining more recognition as of late. This diet comprises foods rich in anti-inflammatory properties that reduce inflammation all over your body. This, thereby, helps to reduce and prevent the inflammation of acne on your skin.
If you struggle with acne, you should know you are not alone. Acne is completely normal and can be curable with acne scar treatment. If you want to rid your acne using an anti-inflammatory diet, read on to find out our advice on getting started!
Benefits of anti-inflammatory diet
Before we dive into the anti-inflammatory diet, we should go over some basic reasons for certain causes of acne. Acne usually occurs when skin follicles get clogged with oil and dead skin cells. This could occur due to hormonal or genetic reasons, diet, or stress.
Now that we’ve covered that, let’s focus on how an anti-inflammatory diet will help you reduce acne.
Inflammation reduction
Inflammation is our body’s natural response to injuries or infections. This naturally decreases and goes away over time. However, if we want to speed up this process or find that it won’t budge, we can do so by taking on this diet. The intake of substances we recommend will work towards lessening acne outbreaks altogether.
Nutrients
Anti-inflammatory diets pump our bodies with nutrients that promote healthy skin! Foods high in antioxidants help protect the skin from damage which can contribute to acne outbreaks.
Balancing hormones
An imbalance in your hormone levels could be another contributing factor to acne inflammation. Foods that aid our hormones to return and regain their balance will, in turn, aid with the reduction of acne and skin inflammation.
1. Fruits and veggies!
You may love or hate them, but the proper proportion of fruits and vegetables is optimal for acne inflammation reduction. Both of these contain a significant amount of antioxidants. They protect your body by neutralizing any excess free radicals in the body, which, if left unneutralized, would lead to increased inflammation.
The most antioxidant-rich fruits are peaches, apricots, mangoes, grapes, watermelons, cranberries, and others. Vegetables that produce a similar effect are broccoli, carrots, spinach, and potatoes. Adding any of these to your regular diet will surely heighten the chances of successful results, leading to less redness, inflammation, and acne!
2. Omega-3 fatty acids
Yet another lifesaver for uncontrollable acne inflammation is omega-3 fatty acids. Cyclooxygenase, an enzyme that is a cause of inflammation, may be inhibited via the correct intake of these acids. Certain examples of foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids are fish, nuts, seeds, plant oils, eggs, juices, yogurt, etc.
Delving further into some examples of particularly beneficial nuts, walnuts, flaxseeds, and almonds are among the top choices! So if you’re looking for a delicious and effective way to reduce your inflammations, cook something with some of these ingredients!
3. Whole grains
Want another option? Try whole-grain foods! Not only are they a great source of nutrients, but they contain heaps of fibre that can help reduce inflammation throughout the body. One type that works wonders is oats! Oats are high in fibre and have anti-inflammatory properties.
Quinoa is also rich in protein and nutrients, which help to support healthy skin. Lastly, brown rice is also a wonderful option due to the minerals contained within it that reduce inflammation and the risk of developing acne.
4. Herbs and spices
Herbs and spices are also surprising contributors to anti-inflammation. By adding these to your meals, you can obtain a flavourful dish and clear skin! Some examples of particularly useful ones are turmeric, garlic, and ginger.
Turmeric contains curcumin, a compound that contains antioxidants that prevent inflammation. Garlic also has anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antibacterial properties, which makes it a fantastic choice for people who are looking to improve the health of their skin. Ginger also contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
While implementing new and more nutritious foods into your diet, you should also be wary of foods that make your skin acne and inflammation prone. The main products contain sugar and dairy, and processed foods in general. These products lead to higher acne development and contribute to inflammation. Therefore, it is best to stay away from these to a reasonable extent to care for your skin and health!
