Habits That Hurt: The 5 Foods That Could be Ruining Your Skin
September is Healthy Aging Month! Fall has officially begun, and what better way to celebrate than talking about skin. Besides a head full of grey hair, skin is the key factor in determining someone’s age. While expensive cosmetic procedures can certainly help to reverse signs of skin aging, the foods you eat can be just as impactful when it comes to anti-aging regimens. Nourish your skin this season by nixing these foods from your diet—you’ll notice a more youthful, glowing complexion in a matter of weeks!
- Sugar: While there have been countless studies arguing back and forth on whether or not sugar can cause breakouts, the case remains that sugar is simply harmful to your body as a whole. Sugar causes inflammation, which is a major inhibitor to having clear, beautiful skin. To make matters worse, sugar also damages collagen and elastin, which keeps the skin looking soft and supple.
- High glycemic index carbs: Foods such as bagels, oatmeal, pretzels, pasta, and cereal, have been proven to accelerate the skin’s aging process and wreak havoc on the skin, causing acne and rosacea. I, myself, used to suffer from cystic breakouts, so sticking to a gluten-free diet has been key to keeping my skin clear. Even the self-proclaimed “healthy” cereals with whole grains, which are lower in glycemic index, can be stocked full of wrinkle-inducing glucose.
- Agave: Agave is often mistaken as a healthier alternative to sugar, however this sweet syrup is packed with fructose. Once the liver meets fructose, it not only turns it into fat, but also breaks down collagen, making fine lines more noticeable.
- Margarine: Not all fats are created equal, and margarine more often than not seems to be giving healthy fats a bad rep. The culprit here is trans fat, which destroys hydration. The less your skin is hydrated, the faster the wrinkles come. Say goodbye to margarine not only for your skin, but for your overall well-being, too.
- Alcohol: The occasional glass (or two) of wine is no harm to you or your skin, but drinking to excess, especially sugary drinks, causes free radicals. Alcohol also robs the body of vitamin A, an antioxidant that’s essential for cell renewal and turnover.
Try the anti-aging diet this month–you may even notice a benefit not only to your skin, but to your overall health, too!