It is a common misconception that only teenagers suffer from acne or stressed skin, but many adults also suffer from dull or congested skin. What we actually feed our bodies has a direct effect on the feeding of our skin also. Read on to find the common culprits and eat your way to a brighter, clearer skin:

The most common culprits for acne are dairy, refined sugar, and high glycemic index foods – sadly the foods that make up our Standard American Diet (SAD), according to a recent paper published in Cutis (i). Recent German research discovered that populations who consume a Paleolithic diet (ii) with a low glycemic load do not suffer from acne. In addition they noticed that acne-sufferers tended to have lower levels of Vitamin A, zinc, and Vitamin E in their blood compared to people with clear skin. So it could stand to reason that foods rich in these vitamins and minerals are going to help a bright and clear acne-free skin.
Eat these foods to support acne-free skin:
VITAMIN A
•Butternut squash
•Carrots
•Sweet potatoes
•Dark leafy greens
•Paprika
•Cantaloupe
VITAMIN E
•Pine nuts
•Almonds
•Pine nuts
•Sunflower seeds
•Olives
•Dried apricots
ZINC

•Grassfed beef and lamb
•Spinach
•Mushrooms
•Pumpkin seeds
•Dark chocolate

Making lifestyle changes are not always easy but can sometimes eliminate the need to take prescription medications. If you can manage to eliminate dairy, refined sugars, and high glycemic index foods you will be nourishing not only your skin , but your entire body.

References :
(i) http://www.cutis.com/fileadmin/qhi_archive/ArticlePDF/CT/088020084.pdf
(ii) Paleolithic diet also known as the ‘Caveman Diet’ consists mainly of fish, grass-fed pasture-raised meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit, fungi, roots, and nuts, and excludes what are perceived to be agricultural products: grains, legumes, dairy products, potatoes, refined salt, refined sugar, and processed oils.