Ever feel like your battle with beautiful, clear skin is never ending? That saying you are what you eat rings true when trying to kick acne. In this post, we want to share with you foods to avoid and what you can eat to help balance your skin.

Foods To Avoid For Clear Skin

• Dairy. Certain skin issues are caused by how much dairy you consume. The hormones in milk can cause a disruption in our bodies causing acne and increased levels of inflammation.
• Sugar. Too much sugar causes an insulin spike. In return causes a ‘burst’ of inflammation in the skin. Inflammation produces enzymes that break down collagen and causes aging skin.
• Red meat: Cows are usually fed a grain diet which increases the Omega-6 ratio. An imbalance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 can cause inflammation in the body. Grass fed cows have the right amount of balance between these Omegas to avoid the spike in inflammation.
• Junk Food: Step away from those Lays potato chips! On top of the fact that there is no nutritional value in any junk food, the refined carbs cause inflammation and collagen-damaging oxidative stress.
• Juice and Soda. The high sugar content in soda and juice disrupts the skin and causes breakouts.

Foods To Eat For Clear Skin

• Healthy Fats. Foods such as avocados, coconut oil and almonds are among some of the favorites to incorporate into your daily diet.
• Greens. Dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach are packed with antioxidants. Read more on our post on foods to eat for beautiful skin here.
• Water. Of course we all know we need water to eliminate toxins and to help with clear skin.
• Turmeric. Turmeric is one of the best spices to incorporate into your diet. Sprinkle a bit in a hot cup of tea, or make a facial mask with honey and lemon juice.

Learn more about our Aesthetics and Massage Therapy curriculum here at USTA where we teach our students the benefits of skincare inside and out!