A prominent food scientist joins skin iD™ to show how a skin-healthy diet may help clear skin
By Apostolos Pappas, Ph.D
"Let food be your medicine and let medicine be your food"
-- Hippocrates, Father of Medicine
New studies are showing that for some people, eating the right foods (and avoiding the wrong ones) may contribute to healthier, clearer skin. Though no one is claiming that a proper diet alone can eliminate acne, we now know that it's one more thing you can do in your anti-acne arsenal - in collaboration with a customized topical regimen, of course - to help banish the blemishes and get your skin in sync.
It all has to do with a measurement that nutrition experts call the Glycemic Index that has to do with carbohydrates (that is, starches and sugars). In a word, for any given food, the lower the better. Over the next few issues, we'll be showing you your way around the Glycemic Index as you learn to adjust your thinking about your diet. But first, let's back up a little.
Cause and effect
Time and again, dermatologists and researchers from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) have proven that the direct causes of acne include puberty, stress and the outburst of related hormones (which, in turn are influenced by heredity).
But once those hormones kick in, are there things you can possibly do to keep them from doing their worst? Is it possible to negotiate with acne and contribute to clarity? We now know that with the latest advances in personalized topical medicines, we can.
But can diet also play a part in acne control even though there's no direct relationship between food and acne? Is it possible that eating better may even help your skin look better?
Keeping in mind there are no black-and-white absolutes, we can be cautiously optimistic here and look at some studies showing that, for some individuals, there's a strong possibility that a better diet could lead to better skin. The studies found that low glycemic eating may help prevent excessive oil (sebum) production that in turn can create an environment for acne to thrive.
Getting started
In future articles, we are going to explore the Glycemic Index as well as other food and acne relationships (and that means the myths too!) in more depth. But if you want to begin modifying your diet now:
CLARITY DIET SUGGESTION #1
Avoid or eat less of the following high-glycemic foods or label ingredients
• Potatoes (including baked, mashed, fried, French fries, potato chips)
• Simple sugars such as sucrose, glucose or fructose
• Baked goods made with white flour (bread, doughnuts, cupcakes etc)
Also, if you are willing to put in the time, you might want to start keeping a food and breakout diary to see if you notice any relationship between the two. Keep in mind that since blemishes can take from six to eight weeks to surface, there could be a month or two delay to see whether you notice a correlation.
Next issue: Monitoring Carbs for Healthier Skin
______________________________
Apostolos Pappas, Ph.D. is a research biochemist with Johnson & Johnson, a food scientist and the author of The Saint-Tropez Diet (Hatherleigh Press, 2007.)
