Food is one weakness that is very hard to overcome. Our sense of taste is often a gift and a curse where we love gorging on foods that are bad for us especially when eaten frequently. Inevitably the results begin to show through weight gain, indigestion and even worse skin problems like acne, aging, wrinkles and the like. Here are unexpected foods toxic for your skin
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There is nothing worse for your skin than alcohol. It may make you feel on top of the world but once that’s over; it affects your skin by giving you conditions like acne because of hormonal disruption. Alcohol reduces immunity by altering your gut microbiome which is the eco-system in your digestive tract consisting of healthy bacteria essential for mental health, digestion and immunity. Alcohol doesn’t just disrupt this system; it also introduces bad bacteria and gives you a condition called leaky gut.
Alchohol dehydrates your skin making your face and eyes look all puffy. Always limit your alcohol intake to avoid the effects of alcohol on your skin. Eat before leaving home and don’t drink.
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Whoever told you that rice cakes are healthy needs their head examined. While you could eat rice cakes if you aren’t concerned about your looks but if you are, then rice cakes are extremely harmful for skin. Rice cakes are among foods toxic for your skin and can cause wrinkles and even impact cognitive function.
Rice also leads to weight gain containing no healthy ingredient. They also cause acne and blotches due to damaged molecules though a process called glycation in which destructive molecules are triggered into action resulting from the refined carbs in rice cakes breaking down into sugar. The resulting products are also called AGE or advanced glycation end products called AGE’s that damage skin.
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How to eat rice cakes if you must
The best way to enjoy rice cakes is to eat the ones with flaxseed and add vegetables like tomatoes, sprouts or health white meat like turkey breast to get a good dose of unsaturated fat, vitamins and minerals that can counter the damage. You could also go in for oatcakes instead.
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Yes, your favorite delicacy is bad for your skin as it causes acne and premature ageing. Sushi contains excess salt which is detrimental to skin. Moreover while most fish are excellent for skin because of the omega 3’s, sushi on the other hand contains large quantities of salt and served with big quantities of high glycemic white rice. Both remove moisture from the epidermis reducing circulation in the skin that contributes to dryness and ageing. Julianne Moore termed this “Sushi face” when she described what happens to her face after eating sushi.
If you eat sushi, be sure to drink a lot of water, perform some good facial exercises, and use a cold compresses to the face. Do not drink alcohol with sushi and sleep at an incline so that fluid will not collect in the face.
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There are several people who may be struggling with acne because of consuming to much dairy products. Cow’s milk contains hormones that can give you oily skin by increasing oil glands which in turn causes more acne. There is a lot of substandard produce that people are prone to buy because of marketing and promotional strategies. Such milk is derived from cows fed with poor GMO produce like moldy corn and soyabeans. The milk derived is damaged in various processes like skimming, evaporation and ultra pasteurization.
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Milk from grass fed cows is a healthier option
This creates a larger risk of lactose intolerance which can result in acne and other skin conditions such as eczema. If you like your milk, you could try alternate options like goats milk or source your milk directly from a farm with grass fed cows. 2% milk is a healthier option being low on the glycemic index.
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When you see something being promoted as natural, it almost isn’t the case and you should study the contents on the box to see what it’s made of. Most ingredients in packaged cereals are GMO products that can cause itchy skin, allergies and acne. The problem is most breakfast cereals with a few exceptions contain products that can cause acne because of the presence of synthetic vitamins that the human body cannot utilize.
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What to eat
To avoid acne from breakfast cereals requires a better understanding of the relation of breakfast cereal to acne and choosing products with low sugar content such as steel cut oats, traditional oatmeal, millet or quinoa. For breads and toast, choose sour dough bread and bread that is produced from stone ground whole grain flour. You could also enjoy scrambled eggs with veggies as a breakfast option.
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Processed meats can easily give you puffy skin if you are prone to skin allergies and acne. The sodium in such products like processed ham, cured meats, chicken brine and bacon contain a lot of slat making your face look puffy. Processed meats contain nitrites that are literally collagen and elastin destroyers. These are the two most essential elements that give your skin that elasticity, radiance and youthful look. Processed meat increases skin ageing because of the broken down elements that do not contribute to a youthful look.
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Go for healthier lean meat
If you can’t do without such foods, then the trick is to eat in moderation or just once in a way. A health diet would best consist of fresh food. If you love your meat, then go for fish, turkey or chicken breast.
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Among unexpected foods toxic for your skin, don’t for once think that packaged fruit juices are healthy. They go through processing methods not conducive for healthy skin not forgetting the huge amount of sugar in them. Fruit juices do not give you the fiber contain form fresh fruits. Moreover, the sugar content is just as large as carbonated sodas and contributes to the reduction of collagen in the skin.
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Blend your own fruit juices
The best way to enjoy fruit juice is do it the natural way by blending the fruits yourself without adding sugar. In this way you control flavors and can even make some delicious smoothies by adding ingredients like coconut milk or yogurt. In this way, you get the benefit of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants present in fruit that are actually great for your skin.
By the way if you are using a lemon facial mask, never ever go out in the sun with it as you may suffer serious chemical burns.
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Recent studies have proved that milk chocolate is bad for skin because of the sugar and dairy content. In contradiction, chocolate is excellent as a food after a break up as it improves mood due to brain-boosting hormones. But steer clear of the milk variety and consume dark chocolate with low sugar content as it contains antioxidants healthy for body and improves conditions of stress and anxiety.
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While healthy fats are essential for skin, transfats found in margarine are one of the worst ingredients for poor health which also decrease hydration from skin causing wrinkling. Research has also shown that it isn’t the amount of fat consumed that causes the problem but the type of fat. You could try replacing your butter requirements for healthier choices like peanut butter and almond butter, if you love regular butter, then go slow with it.
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Shellfish like crab, lobster and shrimp contain high amounts of iodine that lead to clogged pores and acne. Instead of shellfish, regular fish is a much healthier option that improves skin and excellent for weight loss.
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Eat in moderation to remain healthy
Most articles will tell you not to eat almost everything on earth which leaves readers confused as to what exactly is there left to eat. Not everyone has access to purely natural foods neither do many working people have the time to blend a smoothie for breakfast. The trick is to plan your food options earlier, be more aware of unhealthy foods and limit them from your diet. Tucking in once in a way may not harm your body all that much provided it means ONCE IN A WAY. Eating healthy by increasing fruits and vegetables, exercising, drinking enough water and sleeping for 7-8 hours a day will do much to boost your body’s immunity to neutralize toxins from unhealthy foods.
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