One of the myths surrounding acne is that eating certain foods can cause it. This has been dispelled since it's now known that acne vulgaris, the kind that most teenagers get, is hormone related. It's triggered by the onset of puberty, which causes the over-production of sebum (oil) due to associated hormonal changes. This excess oil combines with dead cells to clog pores and produce acne pimples.
While it's important for acne sufferers to directly apply their efforts to managing their condition through the regimen that will do so: nutrition cannot be underestimated as an import part of maintaining healthy skin. And healthy skin is certainly more conducive to controlling acne than neglected skin is.
There are lots of nutrients in the form of vitamins, minerals, and healthy food that are important to your whole body - and that includes your skin. Some nutrients are essential to having the healthiest skin that you can have. Every one of your body's systems operates more efficiently if the proper care of it is taken, and your skin is no exception.
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Creams or other topicals that contain essential skin nutrients are not the best method for satisfying your skin's nutritional needs. Often the nutrients in these potions are not absorbed into the skin (and certainly not to the extent that they are when ingested). Topically absorbed nutrition is an iffy proposition, even for the skin that it's applied to. The best way to deliver nutrients is to get them from eating. Then they are digested and delivered to the skin via the bloodstream, which is a much more efficient delivery system.
The nutrients that you take specifically for your skin have the added plus of benefiting the rest of your body, and the opposite is also true. In fact, the best diet for the overall health of your body is best for your skin as well. There might be 1 or 2 nutrients that you need to emphasize, but by and large, attending to the overall health and well being of your body will be good enough for your skin.
The primary consideration in making sure that you get all of the nutrients you need is to make certain that your diet includes the RDA for each. It should contain all of the necessary vitamins and minerals, as well as adequate protein, so that there are no deficiencies in it. If you are not meeting these requirements from food alone then supplements need to be taken. But in general, you want to eat a variety of healthy foods including fresh fruits and vegetables, and low fat sources of protein, to meet all of your requirements.
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It's almost impossible to eat too many fresh fruits and vegetables. It's good for the overall health of the body and good for the health of your skin. These foods are generally high in antioxidants, which have extensive documented health benefits. They are also known to protect the skin from damage. They should be eaten fresh, and in large quantities.
And try to eat as many raw or minimally cooked foods as possible, since the more a food is cooked, the more nutrients are potentially destroyed. Of course you cannot eat all food raw, and probably wouldn't even if you could, but where possible, cook food as little as possible to preserve nutritional values.
Just as important as proper food intake is making sure you drink enough fluids. The body must be properly hydrated to function at its peak - so drinking the recommended 8 glasses of water a day is a big part of the nutritional program.
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Regular exercise is another important part of overall health, and skin health as well. A good exercise program can make up for a lot of eating sins (though you still need to meet your nutritional minimums). But along with exercise, you have to watch your caloric intake. Even exercise can't make up for eating a half-gallon of ice cream or an entire pizza.
Nutrition is as essential to the health of your skin as it is for overall health. Eating the right foods, drinking enough fluids, regular exercise, watching your calories and getting enough rest will help to ensure that your skin is as healthy as it can be.