By: Xeng Zulueta
What you put in your body is just as important as what you put on your face. If you’ve tried every product in the market to achieve flawless skin and still don’t have it, maybe it’s time to consider eating your way to healthy skin instead.
Let’s first go through the bad stuff. These don’t only cause problematic skin but premature aging, too. Can you spell ruddy and sallow?
The bad
1. Caffeine: Found in coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks, caffeine is a diuretic that drains the skin of water and natural moisture so it’s no wonder it leads to premature lines and wrinkles. Wedding preparation stress can have you downing coffee, so here’s a tip: replace one cup of coffee with three cups of water to prevent dehydration.
2. Sugar: This is present in candy, soda, desserts and syrups. Also, artificial sweeteners are the worst. All of the above increase inflammation so if you are prone to pimples, these won’t help at all in getting rid of them.
3. Processed food: Found in canned goods, hot dogs, instant noodles, etc. Contains unhealthy fats and carbs which cause acne!
4. Greasy food: Stuff like chips, deep-fried food, fast food and margarine. The trans-fatty acids in these boost hormones that produce acne.
The good
1. Fatty acids: Wild salmon, cod, flaxseed and almonds, among others. These foods help retain water
and soothe stressed out skin.
2. Whole grains: Brown rice, wild rice, barley. The fiber content flushes out toxins from the body.
3. Vitamin B6: Found in cauliflower, sunflower seeds, walnuts and avocado, these foods keep hormones
in check.
4. Any fruit: High in antioxidants which help maintain skin health.