Have you been struggling for years with acne and have yet to find a solution? Did you recently develop acne as an adult and don’t know why? Dr. Mark Hyman, MD, suggests that the cause or your acne problems can be found in your diet.
Dr. Hyman discusses how he too struggled with acne, but not when he was a teenager like most of us do. Instead, he developed acne at 36 as part of chronic fatigue syndrome. The condition is caused by having too much mercury in your body and stress. To solve the problem he used functional medicine to address oxidative stress which is caused by free radical molecules damaging cells.
The typical American diet of high calorie but low nutritional value foods is the culprit to blame. But Dr. Hyman singles out two culprits in particular: sugar and dairy. Sugar, including bread products, increases the levels of insulin in the body which causes inflammation and in turn acne. Dairy products contain hormones that also can cause acne too.
How to get rid of acne
- Eat whole, fresh foods and get rid of highly processed and sugary foods.
- Try an elimination diet to identify and get rid of foods that trigger food sensitivities.
- Reduce inflammation by eating fish that’s wild-caught, drink green tea, and eat ginger, berries, barn-raised eggs, and dark green and leafy veggies.
- Use probiotics for gut health.
- Lower your stress levels.
- Use supplements.
- Sleep more.
- Increase intake of vitamins A and E.
- Get more exercise.
- Buy skin products approved by the Environmental Working Group.
The solution for acne isn’t found in a skin cream or taking a pill. It’s in eating a nutritious diet filled with delicious and healthy foods that are good for you and provide the nutrients you need.
Want to learn more about how you can solve your acne problems? Read the full article here: 10 Simple Strategies to Eliminate Acne.
