Diet and Acne: We Told You So, We Told You So
Diet Does Indeed Affect Acne
Oh they swore it was an old wives tale - they insisted that it was hogwash - the majority of the medical community refused to admit that diet could indeed play a role in acne breakouts. Well my friends -- those of us who knew the know-it-all doctors were wrong -- our time has come. According to a study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition diet does indeed affect acne.
So What's the Story?
To put it bluntly, the study followed two different groups of males -- both of which had acne. The first group ate the typical American diet (processed foods, sugars, etc.) and the other half ate a diet that was filled with whole grains, lean meats, fish and fruits and veggies. Guess what happened? In the group that followed the healthy diet, the participants noted that their acne was reduced by about half.
The Consensus
Is it magic? Is acne prejudiced against Americans? No, there is a logical reason as to why those who follow the typical American diet have more severe acne.
We, as Americans, tend to have a high glycemic index diet. This causes our body to create more insulin, which in turn creates more testosterone. The increase in testosterone, in turn, creates an increase in the body's production of sebum, which, as we all know, can cause a serious breakout of acne.
What's the Solution?
So are Americans doomed to suffer acne forever? No. We just have to change our habits. A low glycemic diet is key. Eliminate refined sugars and processed foods and start eating whole grains, fruits, veggies, lean meats and fish. If it can reduce your acne by half, it'll be more effective than most of the topical acne treatments on the market.