Adopting an acne diet will improve more than your face
Eating right is good for you, your acne and your overall well being
An acne diet should put you on the path to better health. An improved diet is not just for your acne but it is for feeling great. Healthy living and glowing skin go hand in hand. Until recently, talk of an acne diet was met with skepticism and doubt. One of the main reasons for this was that the level of nutritional information and courses given to most doctors was/is minimal and there were two earlier chocolate studies which showed no link between acne and chocolate.
Of the books I read, these two chocolate studies were discussed in all of them and except for the latest book, the Clear Skin Diet by Alan Logan and Valori Treloar are used to support the belief that there is no link between diet and acne. However, the CSD authors examined the two chocolate studies in detail and report that based on modern research practices both studies were poorly conducted, too short for what was being examined and are of little value. Also, more recent research reported in 2007 has identified a link between diet and acne.
Two key studies that I think really show this is the effects of the Western diet on the native Inuit in Northern Canada and the Japanese people. As the typical Western diet is introduced into both cultures the level of acne has increased dramatically.
It is very difficult to counter an industry when it comes to advertizing in regards to the foods we eat. Unfortunately, the profit potential of a box of sugar cereal is far greater than an apple. A recent survey showed that advertizing on unhealthy foods vs. healthy foods was greater than 20:1. Fortunately, as people become more informed and industry sees a demand for more healthy foods are beginning to see more and more healthy foods being advertized for sale.
It is generally known that as you process food, more of the essential vitamins, minerals and fiber become less beneficial to the body. They are either removed or altered during processing. In some cases they may be added back but generally in a chemical form instead of a natural form.
For people with mild to moderate acne an acne diet, which can influence your hormones can influence the level of sebum production and potentially reduce or improve acne flare-ups.
From my reading, here are a number of ideas you may want to consider investigating. The switch to eggs produced with free range chickens. These eggs are much higher in omega 3 oils which have been shown to decrease inflammation.
Increase the amount of fruit and vegetables in your diet. Almost all government food agencies suggest that the amount of fruit and vegetables consumed daily be greater than 5 servings. Fruit and vegetables also contain natural levels of vitamins A, C, E and minerals zinc and selenium which have been beneficial to acne sufferers.
Note that while this may help your acne even vegans and vegetarians get acne so while increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables will potentially decrease your acne and improve your health it is unlikely to eliminate your acne.
Another interesting food is wild salmon which contains high levels of omega 3. In one review I read, a women who ate salmon for many years and was acne free but after skipping this habit her acne flared up. She fought this for years before starting to eat salmon again at which time her acne improved.
If you suspect your diet is having an effect on your acne as many people who have acne believe, you may want to switch to a more friendly acne diet for a period of about two months and monitor the results. This is a fairly quick and inexpensive way to try and improve your acne and you may even improve your overall health and weight in the process.
 | 
