Nutrients for Acne

Acne in adults or teens is multifactorial and complex, for some. But if you suffer from the occasional flare-ups, here are some dietary interventions that may help improve the health of your skin. Always seek the help of a Dermatologist as well.

No-Added Sugar Protocol

Have ever noticed that you seem to have more acne after Halloween or the holidays? Your first step should be to follow a No-Added Sugar Protocol ASAP.

Turmeric

Curcumin is a powerful immune booster. It is best absorbed when taken in combination with black pepper. You can try a supplement (max dose of 1000mg/day) or budget-friendly turmeric spice (max dose of 1 tsp/day) mixed in a beverage or pureed fruit, such as mashed banana.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is also a powerful immune booster that impacts the health of skin when consumed. Choose Ceylon cinnamon, either in supplement form (max dose of 1000mg/day) or budget-friendly ceylon cinnamon spice (max dose of 1 tsp/day). If you consume as a spice, be careful not to inhale the powder when consuming. Its micro particle size can infiltrate your lungs.

Probiotic Foods

Adding these foods to your diet daily will improve your gut biome, reduce inflammation and effect the health of your skin. It takes a while to see the effects, so hang in there with this element of the protocol.

• yogurt

• kefir - plain

• miso

• sauerkraut

• apple cider vinegar

• pickles (the cultured kind, not homemade quick pickles)

• cultured vegetables

• kombucha

• kimchi

Probiotic Supplements

Consuming a daily probiotic, specifically with 30-50 billion CFU Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in an acid-resistant capsule, will have a surprisingly positive effect on skin health. See above for the "why".

Eliminate Dairy

If you don't see changes after a week of including curcumin and excluding added sugar, try also eliminating diary. I'm not usually a fan of eliminating an entire food group, but so many people with acne actually can benefit from eliminating casein and whey from their diet by eliminating dairy. Be sure to add back in calcium and vitamin D you would normally get from diary products in the form of a calcium supplement or other milk substitutes, such as soy milk, pea protein, etc.

Wash hair and face daily

Okay. This won't be popular with your hairstylist. But I highly recommend that all teens, especially with long hair, wash their hair daily and their face nightly with a mild cleanser. For so many reasons. Especially after exercise. It's relaxing at night to shower and will give teens lots of clean hair confidence in the morning. The oils from the hairline and sweat can promote acne. Yuck.