You are what you eat.

No, seriously. It wasn’t until very recently that I have tuned into how food affects my skin. If you’re anything like me, you may have realized that after a long day of sugary eating I wake up to a nice little pimple. That is not a coincidence and in fact, Amanda Robyn, health coach in training and creator of Amanda Robyn Refined states that “the food we eat truly does have an impact on our entire body – including the health of our skin.”

Let’s dig in deeper, shall we?

When we see people come into our dermatology office looking for acne treatment, we ask a series of questions. The first: do you consume an excess of dairy products? Many times, this is the culprit because acne is an inflammatory condition. This is because lactose, a disaccharide sugar, causes inflammation and can worsen a multitude of skin conditions. When thinking about purchasing and consuming dairy it is also important to note that “cows often are treated with artificial hormones and antibiotics which can affect their milk supply” Amanda Robyn said. So when shopping for dairy products always read the fine print!

After determining dairy consumption, the following question is always “do you eat foods with a high glycemic index?” Glycemic index (GI) is an indicator used to determine how that food will affect blood sugar levels. Think foods like white rice, white bread, candy, sodas, processed meats, and you guessed it…dairy. Foods like these that have a high GI are found to contribute to inflammation and ultimately acne – after all, acne is an inflammatory condition.

So what foods can you eat without worrying about a breakout?

As I touched on in The Acne Chronicles, this time in quarantine has allowed me to tap into foods that fuel my body while keeping my skin healthy and fresh. These are unprocessed, whole foods that have antioxidant properties and support skin health. Vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B, beta carotene, and selenium are all antioxidants that both protect the skin and stimulate collagen production and did I mention how delicious they can be?! 

Avocados (of which I eat every single day on my toast) are high in vitamin E and C and contain healthy fats. YES… There is such a thing as healthy fat! Another favorite of mine – sweet potatoes, which are an excellent source of beta carotene which “acts as a natural sunblock” says Amanda Robyn. Fruits such as papaya and mango are both high in vitamin C (so you’re covered on the inside and out!)

Perhaps the most overlooked act you can take to optimize your skin’s health is drinking water! Think about it, if you are properly hydrated your body doesn’t have to work as hard to create H₂O molecules for biological processes. This leaves your body more energy to focus on hydrating the skin which means achieving that all day glow!

At the end of the day, I am not here to tell you what you can and cannot eat – do whatever makes you feel your absolute best! But, I have personally found that by sticking to these guidelines I not only look better, but I feel better too! And who doesn’t want to be proactive with their skin while eating delicious & nutritious foods?!