There has been a lot of speculation about how diet and food intake affects acne. There is a relationship between what we eat and how our skin reacts, although the exact interaction is not clearly understood. All food has properties that are helpful or harmful to our bodies. Most foods have a combination of helpful and harmful components and our bodies are designed to utilize the positive attributes of the food and to eliminate the negative. Sometimes, based on our bodies’ ability to process food, there may be changes in chemical and hormonal balances caused by food. Some contributing factors to changes in body metabolism are:

- Change in diet

– Change in climate

– High stress levels

– Natural hormonal changes in the body due to age and development

– Illness and infections within the body

In this article we are going to explore the relationship between carbohydrates and acne.

Carbohydrates

There are low-carbohydrate and high-carbohydrate foods found in the average daily diet. Teenagers and adults who eat a high carbohydrate diet are more prone to acne and outbreaks. Teenagers and adults who eat a lower carbohydrate diet that limits the amount of refined sugars have significantly fewer acne problems and outbreaks. High carbohydrate foods include candies, highly processed foods such as white bread, sugary cereals and fast foods. It is believed by scientists and nutritionists that the high carbohydrate foods trigger a sharp increase in insulin production that in turn triggers hormonal increases leading to oily skin and clogged pores. 

Best Diet Choices

If you have acne, we recommend that you try the following changes in your diet (after discussing it with your doctor of course):

– Eat as much natural food as possible such as fruits and vegetables.

– Limit high carbohydrate items and switch to whole grain wheat products.

– Avoid fried foods or foods cooked in oils.

– Drink at least six glasses of water per day.

– Eat high fiber foods. These high fiber foods tend to be generally low carbohydrate foods.

– Avoid any foods that you may be allergic to. Keep a record of what is eaten for a week and see if there is any pattern to outbreaks.

Author: Mike Singh

Mike Singh is the publisher of http://www.stopping-acne-now.com On his website, he shows how to cure pimples and articles about different types of acne.

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Should you avoid carbohydrates  if you want to cure your acne?I separate the science from the nonsense behind acne and carbohydrates.

The carb and acne link is clouded with confusion and misinformation. Research in the past years shows a possible link between acne and high glycemic index foods (mostly refined carbs).

These foods put your blood sugar levels on a rollercoaster ride. As a result the body releases hormones that increase sebum production, cause the skin cells to divide more frequently (more dead skin cells) and weaken the immune system (more acne causing bacteria).

Based on this research it seems carbohydrates cause acne. But that’s only a half of the story.

The real culprit is unstable blood sugar levels.

Now, it is true that eating carbohydrates increases blood sugar levels. And refined carbohydrates trigger even sharper increase. But the body is very good at regulating blood sugar levels. It has to, because too high or low levels are dangerous, and possibly even fatal.

As long as this regulating mechanism works well your blood sugar levels remain reasonably steady no matter what you eat.

It’s only when they fail, a condition called insulin resistance, that you get problems leading to acne. So insulin resistance sits at the root of your acne.

Insulin resistance is a fairly complicated condition that develops over the years as a result of wrong diet and lifestyle choices. Some of the main causes are:

• Eating too much fat.
• Eating too many calories.
• Chronic inflammation (for example from stress, exposure to toxins and chemicals, and eating inflammatory foods).
• Sleep deprivation.
• Sedentary lifestyle.

Contrary to common understanding eating carbohydrates doesn’t cause insulin resistance, at least unrefined carbohydrates in whole foods. A person without insulin resistance can eat 19 bananas a day without any blood sugar problems.

Are low-carb diets the answer to acne?

When people hear about acne carbohydrate connection they think low-carb diets are the solution. If carbs cause acne then the solution is to avoid them.

As these diets are low in calories and lead to short-term weight loss (good for insulin resistance) they may work in the short-term.

One of the problems with low-carb diets is they are extremely high in fat. Too much fat is one of the main reasons behind insulin resistance. Fat blocks the action of insulin in the bloodstream, and the pancreas has to constantly pump more to compensate. Research consistently shows that those who eat the most fat have the highest insulin levels.

These diets are also extremely dangerous to your health. Atkins Exposed website (http://www.atkinsexposed.org/) explains the dangers these diets expose you to, and the scientific non-sense used to promote them.

Please understand that healthy, unrefined carbohydrates in whole foods are not your or your skin’s enemy. There’s no reason to put your life on the line by avoiding them in a fleeting hope of clear skin.

Especially since you can have both clear skin and excellent health by following scientifically supported and time-tested principles of eating healthy foods in their natural state.

In summary, acne is not caused by carbohydrates.

Author: Seppo Puusa

Seppo Puusa is a health advocate, author and educator, and the author is best-selling acne book Clear for Life: Lifestyle for health, happiness and clear skin.

"Finally acne made perfect sense!" – Marjorie.

Acne leaves you confused and frustrated? Read Seppo’s free minicourse Acne 101: What Einstein would have done to get clear, and it suddenly makes perfect sense. Just like it did for Marjorie and thousands of people in over 67 countries.

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Now it would seem as if there are endless myths about acne, it seems as if it is getting harder and harder to find out which ones are simply just myths made to torture you and to stop you from eating some of your favorite foods and snacks that you love and which ones are more than just a myth and can really help to cause acne. Here is another case that we will try to crack, can carbs cause acne. Read on and let’s find out if this is fact or is it fiction.

Carbs are short for carbohydrates which can be found in all staple foods. Now obviously carbs would be a part of any diet that can contribute to acne and acne breakouts. However your diet can also prevent acne and breakouts but it all depends on whether you have a healthy diet or you have an unhealthy diet. Hence your diet is what really matters when you talk about certain foods causing acne and not so much individually things that you eat.

There are two types of carbs, carbs that digest fast and slowly digested carbs; these are carbs that have a low glycemic index. Although your diet is what can really cause acne and not individual food groups, certain foods can contribute to acne, foods such as fats and sugars but carbohydrates are actually not a food group proven to cause acne or acne related problems. 

Some low glycemic foods would include milk, strawberries, barley, pastas, dried beans and peas such as lentils. In fact the carbs which have low glycemic indexes, the carbs that are slowly digested are the carbs that are found to actually improve acne. So being on a high low glycemic carbohydrate diet can actually help improve your acne and can be considered to be one of the best acne defenses.

The conclusion here is no, carbs can not cause acne. Actually it is the opposite which is true in that it can in fact help get rid of it and prevent it from getting worse. We are not necessarily saying that food can cause acne but are pointing out that it seems as if there is a connection between your diet and the degree of your acne. So even though your diet change may not cure your acne it can probably help it or help improve the results of any treatment that you are currently taking for your acne.

Author: Sarah H

Find more helpful tips and resources on acne visit http://www.understandingacne.net/ a website offering tips, advice and resources on topics such as acne problems, best acne diets, aloe vera, acne medicines and even acne rosacea treatments.

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Although not as wildly popular as they were several years ago, the low carbohydrate diet still has a sizable following. The simple reason for this is because it works! Clinical studies show that people on a reduced-carb regimen lost more weight than those on a traditional low fat diet within six months. But there’s a downside to this, not the least of which is health experts’ concern about the diet’s recommendation of fatty foods. Before you go on a low carbohydrate diet, weigh the positives against the negatives and decide whether it’s the right weight loss strategy for you.

Arguably the most popular low carb diet is the Atkins diet, founded by the late Dr. Robert Atkins several decades ago. Since its explosion onto the scene, similar diets have sprouted, including the South Beach Diet, the Zone Diet, Sugar Busters, and Protein Power. All these diets require you to vastly reduce the amount of carbohydrates you consume, but not eliminate them (as so many people assume). Your primary carbohydrate sources should be natural foods like vegetables and certain fruits. You will then find yourself eschewing many of the starchy and nutrient-deficient goodies that so many of us consume on a daily basis, like junk food and fast food (which, health experts agree, are bad for you anyway) and going for low carb foods.

Refined flour and sugar are perhaps the vilest villains that cause weight gain. Excessive intake of food products rich in these two ingredients can cause your blood glucose levels to increase, triggering the additional production of insulin, and causing the body to convert carbs to fat. Eating low carb foods would ensure that you get only the amount needed by your body. Deprived of surplus carbs, your body would then burn its fat stores instead of carbohydrates, and you start losing weight. What’s more, if you stick to the diet, you’ll find that you’ll tend to shed pounds at a faster pace.

Several studies show additional benefits of consuming low carb foods aside from weight loss. Lowered blood sugar levels will make you less vulnerable to diabetes. Also, clinical evidence shows that a low carb diet helps improve blood cholesterol, reducing your risk for heart disease and stroke. Another finding suggests a relationship between acne and carbohydrates. A diet high in carbohydrates increases insulin production, which would cause a series of hormonal changes that lead to clogged pores and oilier skin – fertile ground for the bacterium that causes pimples.

If the low carb diet has so many health benefits, why have many people abandoned it? One major reason is the diet’s advocacy of fat that is found in food like meat and dairy products. While it is true that low carb diets permit the consumption of fatty, low carb foods like butter, cheese, and pork chops, they do not in any way encourage the gluttony. You should eat only up to the point you don’t feel hungry anymore – there’s no ‘eat all you can’ mentality involved.

Healthy low-carb options.

Another reason may sound mundane, but is a serious challenge for many people: food boredom. A number of dieters find that they can’t do without the starchy, carb-rich they have become accustomed to; things like bread, pasta, candy, chips. However, if you do decide to go on a low carbohydrate diet, remember that there are many substitute products out in the marketplace that would still enable you to enjoy comfort food, but without the burden of carbs and sugar. For instance, instead of bread products made with refined flour, you can opt for whole grain breads or those made with soy flour and the like.

The abundance of naturally low carb foods cannot be underestimated. Fish, shellfish, and other seafood are rich in protein and low in carbs; so are poultry, meat, and many vegetables. Once you start incorporating all these natural and healthy foods back into your diet, you will find that you won’t miss the junk that you used to consume. And this practice of choosing nutrient-rich foodstuff will be something you will carry with you even after you reach your ideal body weight.

Whats more important – Diet or Exercise?

It’s not enough to go on a low carbohydrate diet, or any other diet for that matter, without getting the right amount of exercise. Even though the diet does not focus on calorie-counting, a calorie is still a calorie and if you eat more than what you burn, then you’ll become fat. So if you do decide to go on a low carbohydrate diet, make sure you do it right.

Author: Darren Williger

Darren Williger is an over-caffeinated, low carbohydrate eating, winemaking enthusiast who writes for caffeinezone.com, mylowcarbpages.com, and homemadewine.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darren_Williger

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