Beauty

Is It the Food that Causes Acne?

December 18, 2018

Acne is often blamed on food, and we are quick to blame everybody from chocolate manufacturers to fast food chains. But, to be honest, are we going deep enough to really investigate if there actually is the food that causes acne? Could it be that there is a lot more to learn about acne and so-called acne-causing food?

Let’s take a step back and find out what is really going. To do that, we need to take a look at the few facts we really know about acne. Is this a condition which is more complex than it may first seem?

Is Food the Culprit Behind Acne?

In the early 1920s and 1930s, acne was hardly ever heard of in clinical observation of skin conditions. It is only since the introduction of modern farming and animal rearing methods acne has become such a widespread skin problem. The food which we produce today is packed with chemicals, and at the same time, we often use hormones to make farm animals grow faster and produce more animal products.

Such hormones as estrogen and a range of growth hormones are used most often. All types of hormones are passed down the food chain, and eventually, they end up in human food. We digest hormones and they are subsequently metabolized in the liver. The liver is already busy secreting its own hormones and we add more to it when we eat mass produced foods. The result is that it simply can’t cope and the end result is overstimulation of our glands. Excess sebum is produced, and when secreted through our glands, it causes acne.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it has always been believed it is a malfunctioning liver which is the root cause of acne. In fact, from what we have learned recently, the Chinese belief is right. Acne is caused by a hormonal imbalance caused by the liver issues.

Can Certain Food Prevent Acne?

Acne sufferers are recommended to take a look at their diet. Some doctors say that an acne sufferer should not eat red meat or dairy products. But, it is not the pork or beef or milk itself which has caused the problem. It has been caused by additives such as hormones which can be found in food.

A diet rich in seafood, fruit and vegetables is often what most doctors recommend. It simply works because the content of hormonal stimulant is lower. In other words, a diet rich in natural ingredients and fish is less likely to interrupt the endocrine system.

What Action Do I Need to Take?

So-called teenage acne seems to hang around longer, and adult acne is now commonplace. If you do find yourself suffering from acne, you should take a look at the food you eat. Is it mass produced and does it come from factory farms? If it does, it is better to switch to organic foods. Sure, you may get some relief from antibiotic treatment. But, did you know that antibiotics don’t work on acne because they reduce infection? Antibiotics can work to reduce acne outbreaks because they affect the way the liver works. Once again, they disrupt hormonal balance and now the hormones in your body swing the other way. This is also why the contraceptive pill can be effective against acne.

Women on hormone replacement therapy seldom suffer acne. But women who don’t use HRT treatments are more likely to do so. It goes back to the liver again. For our poor unbalanced liver, it is a real hormonal roller coaster ride. We are still likely to be eating acne-causing food, and when we stop medical treatment of any sort, we are back to where we started again. Should we not be asking ourselves what we can do about our food and lifestyle to help us beat the problems started by food that causes acne.