Food Cures (13 page)
Authors: Carol Svec
TEA
Another good option for hydration is tea. Teas contain natural compounds known as
polyphenols
, which have antioxidant properties. In animal studies, polyphenols helped prevent sun-related skin cancers and improve immune functioning. In people, topical polyphenols seem to help increase collagen production and decrease growth of skin cancer cells. Although there are no definitive studies about the effects of
drinking
tea for skin health, tea—green or black, caffeinated or decaffeinated—is always a better choice than sugary drinks, soft drinks, or fruit juice.
BONUS POINTS
- Use sunscreen.
Whenever you are going to be spending more than a few minutes outside, protect your skin from some of the sun’s damaging rays by applying sunscreen to all exposed areas of your body. Look for formulas designed to filter both UVA and UVB radiation, with a skin protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. The SPF is an indication of how long you will be protected, based on your skin type. The higher the number, the more time you can spend outside without burning. Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 if you want longer protection, or if you tend to burn easily. Every day, apply moisturizer with SPF to guard your skin even during casual sun exposure.- Avoid sugary foods, refined-flour baked goods, and soda.
Some researchers have theorized that low-quality carbohydrates raise insulin levels, which, over time, may increase levels of certain acne-causing hormones. These foods also cause inflammation in skin cells and throughout the body, causing premature aging and wrinkles.- Consider a topical antioxidant.
Most drug store and cosmetic brand preparations don’t contain enough of these antioxidants to make a difference to your skin’s health. The more potent—and potential irritating—preparations aren’t for everybody. Some are only available by prescription, so if you want to try antioxidant skin cream, talk with your dermatologist.
SUPPLEMENTS
To improve skin health, I strongly recommend getting all your nutrients from food sources. However, if you would also like to consider supplements, I recommend:
- Multivitamin.
Taking a multivitamin will assure that you get the minimal amount of vitamins and minerals necessary for good skin health, even on days when you might not eat as well as you should. Choose a brand that contains 100% DV for vitamin A (optimally 100%—or at least 50%—coming from beta carotene and/or mixed carotenoids), vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc and which provides about 55 micrograms selenium.- Omega-3s.
If you find it difficult to get all the omega-3 fatty acids you need from foods, try fish oil supplements. I recommend taking 650 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids. There are two sub-types of omega-3s, called DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). When buying fish oil supplements, choose brands that contain at least 220 milligrams each of both DHA and EPA. The remaining 200+ milligrams can come from either DHA or EPA. Check labels for these details.
To prevent rancidity, always store bottles of fish oil supplements in the fridge. To lessen the chance of fishy burps or aftertaste, choose an enteric-coated variety, which is digested in the intestines instead of the stomach so it is less likely to repeat on you. Avoid getting omega-3 fats from cod liver oil because it may contain too much vitamin A.
Important note:
Because fish oil acts as a blood thinner, it should not be taken by people who have hemophilia, or who are already taking blood thinning medications or aspirin. People with diabetes should talk with their doctors before trying fish oil supplements because they may affect blood sugar.
FAQS
Can dairy foods cause acne breakouts?
It is entirely possible, although not necessarily for the reason you think. Cows are given iodine-fortified feed to help fight infection, and some of it naturally finds its way into the cows’ milk. Iodine can cause acne in some people. Some experts believe that the amount of iodine found in milk–although low—is enough to cause skin problems for some sensitive people. In addition, the current prevailing thought is that dairy-acne connection may be caused by the hormones in milk. Apparently dairy cows are allowed to become pregnant while they are lactating, and the pregnancy hormones go into the milk. If you want to test your personal reaction, I recommend eliminating all dairy foods from your diet for one month. These include milk, yogurt, all cheeses, sour cream, and ice cream. (No matter what your age, be sure to get enough daily calcium from non-dairy sources or take 1,000 milligrams of calcium supplements daily to make up for what you’re missing.) If you see no difference, then dairy is not a problem for you. If your acne improves, add dairy back into your diet—two servings a day for four or five days. If your acne comes back, then dairy is a definite acne-booster for you.
Follow this program if you want healthier skin, now and in the future.
STEP 1…
START WITH THE BASICS
These are the first things you should do to improve the state of your skin, today and tomorrow:
- See your doctor if you have any unusual skin growths, moles or freckles that have grown or gotten darker, or a scaly patch or scab that won’t heal. These may be early signs of skin cancer. If caught early, most cancers can be stopped before they turn deadly.
- If you smoke, quit.
- Stay out of the sun as much as possible. If you do go outdoors, wear sunscreen to protect your skin…but don’t depend on it to keep you entirely safe. Even the best sunscreen, applied liberally and often, allows some radiation through.
- Drink plenty of water.
STEP 2…
YOUR ULTIMATE GROCERY LIST
This list contains foods with high levels of nutrients that will help your skin look the best it can, plus foods included in meal plans and recipes. You don’t have to purchase every item…but integrate as many of these foods as possible into your diet.
FRUIT
Apricots
Berries (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries)
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Clementines
Grapefruit and juice (pink, red)
Guava
Kiwi
Lemons and juice
Lychees
Mangos
Oranges and juice
Papaya
Peaches
Persimmons
Pineapple
Tangerines
Watermelon
VEGETABLES
Artichokes
Asparagus
Avocado
Beans (garbanzo, kidney, lima)
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage (including Chinese and red)
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Collard greens
Cucumbers
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lentils
Lettuce (romaine, green leaf, red leaf, butterhead)
Mushrooms
Mustard greens
Okra
Onions
Peas (green, sugar snap)
Peas, black-eyed
Peppers, (hot; yellow/red/green)
Potatoes, sweet
Potatoes, white
Pumpkin
Radicchio
Rhubarb
Rutabagas
Scallions
Seaweed
Snow peas
Soybeans (edamame)
Spinach
Squash, winter (especially butternut)
Squash, summer
Swiss chard
Tomatoes (especially green tomatoes, red ripe tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, tomato paste)
Tomatoes, canned, whole peeled (for meal plan)
Turnips
Turnip greens
Watercress
Yams
SEAFOOD
Anchovies
Cod
Crab
Herring
Mackerel (not king)
Oysters (especially Pacific)
Salmon, wild (with bones)
Sardines
Shrimp
Tilapia
Trout, rainbow
Tuna (canned light)
LEAN MEATS/EGGS/SOY FOODS
Beef, lean
Chicken
Eggs, omega-3-fortified
Ostrich
Pork tenderloin
Turkey
Veal
NUTS AND SEEDS (PREFERABLY UNSALTED)
Almond butter
Almonds
Brazil nuts
Butternuts (white walnuts)
Cashews
Flaxseed, ground
Hazelnuts
Peanut butter
Peanuts
Pecans
Pine nuts
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts
WHOLE GRAINS
Bread, whole grain (including crackers, buns)
Cereal, fortified whole grain
Pasta, whole wheat
Rice, brown
Wheat germ
DAIRY
Cheese (fat-free, reduced-fat)
Cheese, Parmesan
Cottage cheese (fat-free, reduced-fat)
Milk, fat-free
Milk, evaporated fat-free (for meal plan)
Sour cream, fat-free
Yogurt, fat-free
Yogurt, Greek non-fat (for meal plan)
MISCELLANEOUS
Basil
Broth, low-sodium (chicken, vegetable)
Caesar dressing, reduced-calorie
Cinnamon, ground
Cocoa powder
Coffee, instant
Cornstarch
Dill, fresh
Garlic
Honey
Ketchup
Leeks
Margarine spread, soft tub, trans fat-free
Mayonnaise, reduced-fat
Mustard, Dijon
Nonstick cooking spray
Oil, canola
Oil, flaxseed
Oil, olive
Oil, walnut
Oil, wheat germ
Oregano
Pepper, black
Salt
Scallions
Soup, butternut squash (low-fat)
Spice mix, Cajun
Sugar, granulated (or sugar substitute)
Tea (green, black; caffeinated, decaffeinated)
Thyme, dried
Vanilla extract
Vinegar, balsamic or red wine
Vinegar, white
STEP 3…
GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND
If you want to do everything you can to improve your skin, here are some additional things you might try:
- Consider taking a daily multivitamin.
- If you don’t eat at least two servings of a fatty fish every week, consider taking fish oil supplements.
ACNE AND FRIED FOOD
You’ll notice that I didn’t warn you to avoid fried, greasy, oily foods in my discussion about acne. That’s because eating grease doesn’t cause skin problems.
However
, if you eat French fries, potato chips, or other oily foods and then scratch your nose or rub your chin, you spread that grease to your skin. That kind of topical oil can block pores and cause acne. In fact, any time you touch your face you risk transferring dirt and bacteria that can cloud your complexion. Make a point of washing your hands with soap before laying a finger on your face.
STEP 4…
MEAL PLANS
These sample menus include foods that have been shown to improve skin health, specifically foods high in vitamins C and E, beta carotene, selenium, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Every day, choose
one
option for each of the three meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then, one or two times per day, choose from among my suggested snacks. Approximate calories have been provided to help adjust for your personal weight management goals. If you find yourself hungry (and if weight is not an issue), feel free to increase the portion sizes for meals and snacks. Beverage calories are
not
included. For the best skin, water and green tea are your best bets for beverage selections.